The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1866-06-08
Miseellaaeans.
IRON ARrHuss HOME MAGAZINE.
LOST IN THE PINES.
A STORY OF PIONEER LIFE.
By d. w. BELIsLE.

QuetltIy nttciueu Win uuventuItS uIu mSI-
dents ola very exciting character. Although
not so endangered by the nocturnal visits oil
Indians rs were those pionccers who pushed
their way into the forests beyond TIC ONO
and Mississippi rivers, the first "squatters. rs
they were termed, among the pine forests
skirting the ocean along the New jersey COAST,
especially in Atlantic, Camden, and Cape May
counties, met with much to try their courage
aud tax their physicalcapacities ofcndurance.
Possessed Of scanty means, their subsistence
depended almost exclusively OIL hunting, fish
ing. and so forth, for the necessary meats,
while in summer small "patch of ground
was attended to by the females Of each family,
for raising vegetables and garden sauce.
At the time of which we are writing, there
was scarcely house from Atsion to Long.a-
coming, and so Oh to Willianstown. Tho
places now known us Waterford, Blue Anchor,
Tar,sboro, and New Brooklyn, were covered
with thick forests Of pine and oak, while
whorlcbcrries grew, rs they do at the present
time, in prolusion in all tho surrounding
woods. Small sirc.rIis slIyly wcndcd their
sinioiis courses, without even SO much as u
In,,rinur, through the deep swainps, III when,
animals of various kinds, sucl, us bears anu
wolves, prowlctl, and occasionally panther
Yet, ,lrcary aud dcsOatc rs this section OF the
Jerseys was, the spirit of adventure now ami
then caused family to locate and set up an
imperial mansion oi their own, ln the shape oi
n log cabin, thus feeling riglhtul exemption
from the restraints imposed 10y society ana
fashion in cities or nlUrc thckly populated
parts of tho State.
One ofthese yent,iresonc pioneers was Mat
At, l.,, nnI call
c,i among his ncighbOrs. lie selected for Ills
.local habilalion' a place at the foot of
small hill on which the celebrated town OF
Blue Anchor now stands. This site was cho-
sen, because just ut the foot oftiis elevated
piece of ground g,,sled out and hubbcd up an
excellent spring OF cool water, and finely
,imbercd scope of farm land stretched gradu-
ally away towards the place now known as
Srrinr Garden, oil which stands the liospila.
bic public house lclongingio and kcptly Mn.
AlbertsoiI. The location was likewise ~ close
proximity to the wild road which people some
tmes travelled from Tuckahoc, Absccum VIII
lagp, and other localities along the shore, to
Philadelphia.
Mat Adams was fair specimen type Of u
regular forcsier-a natural genius and many
of his characteristics urc well developed IN
utCtItIltltS w ulC IINs'h Nosb ps'N'"' ~
whom are still living, Having resolved upon
the SPOT where he was to pause in his pilgrim
age for few years, perhaps for life, he soon
constructed hin,sclra cabin, not very preten
tious in appearance, but one that answered
every practical and necessary purpose tor,
like Daniel Boone, the pioneer huntsman of
Ncntucky he needed little refined associations
or comforts.
Snugly established in his new Iquarters, his
next enterprise was to provide himself WIN
sufficient supply of meats, fish &c., and being
a hunter of considerable skill and celebrity, he
anticipated great success in the autumn days
when game was plentiful and of good quality.
His family consisted ola wife aud three child
rem, two boys and n girl, whose ages ranged
from ten to fifteen years Lucy, the girl,belliy
the Youngest. The boys, rs all pioneer child
rcn do, had also learned the uses of the rifle,.
and for their ages, were adopts in the arts OF
fishing and shooting.
One bright, clear frosty morning in Noycm.
Der, Mat Adams, with his trlisty dog and gun,
started for few days hunting in the neigh
borlood of Squansum, now Williamstown,
leaving his Two boys, Samuel and Edward, at
home with their mother an, Lucy. lie spent
the first day along the head waters ot the
Great Egg lIarbor river, and at night pitched
his tent on the spot where tho new glass
manufacturing establishments oi New BROOK
lyn now stand, having had hut indifferent
luck, bu, discovering signstliat game oi no or
dinary value and size was in close proximity.
Making shelter of cedar aud pine bouglis,he
kindlc, fire and laid himself down for The
night, his dog and gun close by hls SIDE.
There being no moon afd the woods thick
and heavy, il was very dark but the light from
his fire penetrated to considerable extent i'll
10 the surrounding gloom, clothing the trees
AMI everything near him in weird shapes and
liablimcnts.
Like every individual whose mind is unas-
sisted hy the facts and principles oi science,
Mat was supcrsti,ious. lle had 10 sooner
cast his eyes about him after darkness set In.
than he began to imagine strange things. Tie
was not n coward in any sense OF tho word,
hut there came u mysterious feeling over him,
which, despite every effort To drive It away,
would iu,r,ldc upon his mind. Battling with
these annoying emotions, he lay down, and
finally fell asleep. How long llc had slept Inc
did no, exactly know but sometime in the
night hc awokc, when, only n few PAGES from
him he saw the glaring eyes of some huge AM.
NAL fixed in,en,y upon linn. They appeared
ike little balls Of fire aud only four inches
apar. At this discovery Adams became ncr..
yo,is, hut cautiously taking his gun, he aimed
n, the animal and fired. In an instant his dog
rrnppcd will, it, hut was no more than pig,
my i'm the hands of n giant, In the unequal
contest. The monster bear for such the AM.
NAL proved to he, being but simply stunned
by the contents of the gun, became iniiriatct,
and posing himself on his hind legs, boxed
The tior from him with terrible blows, until he
was dead. In the meantime Adams commcn
cc,l rcloading his gun, but before he had ac-
complshed il, the bcur made hattie with INN.
Now came the crisis IN his lite lie turned
upon the ferocio,is animal with all the sirengii.
OF one who felt that life depended upon skl''
and physical force. He ailned heavy blow
nj the bears : head with the brccch end ot his
p,n. hut il only left the broken und shattered
t;nym.n,s in his hand, und the beast more i,''
r;o,,, Than ever. Helpless and powcriess III
comnnrison 10 his assailaints strength, MAI
Adams began to doubt his own prospects o'
s,,ccess Ibc bear rrasped him with its mighty
nrns. while Ma, struggled and fought with nl'
the Jcspcrntion he could command. some
,;mcs. nv n lucky turn, he succeeded IN throw'
inc his antagonist, but quickly the bcnr again
recovered his vantage ground.
As tho struggle progressed, the TWO coL,''
batanis had worked themselves close up 70 ms
fire which had partially burned out, wien
watching his opportunity, Mat snn'cnea
brand from the ashes, and as the maddeheo 90
beast opcnc, its mouth In tho fury oi i''
frenzy, be ihr,is, tho burning Goals into 10
throat. Instantly its hold was relaxed, and
with an uncarthly howl, which made tht
woods rcverbcrute, Il lcsped into tho thicket
| Mat, fearinga return Of his enemy, armed
himself with another brand Of fire, and STOOD
rrady for the attack, should the beast renew
the contest. The bear, however, did not re