Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1869-11-10
HUNTING ADVENTURE IN THE
- NORTH WOODS. .1
A Thrilling and PeriIous Experience

A correspondent of the New York Re-
public writing from the North Woods, y
tells the following story:
!. At the foot of the Lower Cedar, about
fifty yards from the shore, is a small and
low, rocky island, not more than thirty feet
in diameter, having few shrubs growing
upon it. with a single scrabby spruce and
a young mountain ashin the centre, neith-
er of which is twelve feet in height
1t was January
John left his home, some sixteen miles
away, taking bag of provisions and a few
spring traps to be absent week or more,
in pursuit of mink and marten. 1t was an
open season. Little snow was upon the
ground, and ali the lakes were unfrozen.
John made his way alone to the Lower
Cedar lake, deposited his provision bag in
the log shanty, and taking his boat and
traps, rowed over to thelittle island which
has just been described. Cunning the boat
up on the rocks, he stepped out with trap,
and went to the opposite side of the island,
a distance not exceeding twenty-five feet,
carefully set his trap and returned to the
landing.
What was his dismay to find the boat
caught lightly upon low rock about two
rods from the island.
Here was a serious predicament for the
incautious trapper. There was not tree
nor a branch by which he could reach the
boat. There was no withes nor bark which,
being tied together and attached to stone,
could thrown into the boat: He had never
learned to swim a stroke. Between him
and the rock on which his boat was strand
ed were the waters, dark, cold, and ten feet
deem What was to he done2
John was an iron-hearted man. but while
celebrating in much agitation, had the ad-
ded horror of seeing the boat swayed first
by the wind, then grating harshly upon
the rock, at last disengaged, and drifted
slowly out into the middle of the lake. The
case now seemed absolutely hopeless
AS the hunters and trappers fredhently go
forth alone in the winter, and are absent
several weeks, his stay would attract no
attention at the settlement No human
dwelling was nearer than sixteen miles,
Confronting, philosophically, therefore,
his alarming situation he secured the is
land in search Of fuel which resulted in
his finding a small quantity of substance
resembling peat. He now began the con-
structlon of kind of earthwork. in semi
circular form, as a protection against the
wind. Gathering enough of the peat to
keep his hands and feet from suffering, as
the early darkness drew on he wrapped
himself in his coat as closely as possible,
and lay down for the night. Long, dreary,
dreadful were those hours, relieved by oc-
casional snatches of sleep Morning came,
but it was barely welcome. 1t only reveal.
ed his desperate condition, and brought no
intimation of relief
The sun arose, climbed the sky. sank to
L. /
exhaust his stock of fuel; no sight or sound
| OF hope Night settled all its shadows upon
his heart Hungry, faint and wretched, he
lighted his meagre fire and laid him down.
That night he slept from sheer exhaustion.
Again the morning; the Iive-long dav the
sinking sun, the blank shadows, the fam
ishing body, the howI1ng wolves. the
thoughts of horror, the vision of inevitable
death Thus dragged the hours till the
sun arose. And thus, with fast failing DOW
ers half bewildered mind, he lived, or
rather was dying. through four davs and
five nights. During the fifth night the wind
changed to the north, with bitter, freezing
cold.
Now, thought the trapper, the end has
come. Still, pitiless trosts fell from the
crystal heavens. He had no hope ofseeino
the morning light. But what he forebod-
ed was to be his destruction was Gods
wondrous provision for his salvation. The
lake froze over, and on lifting his ewes in
the morning, new hope struggled with
the sunbeams in his despairing soul. Stiff.
ened emaciated and unable TO stand. he
| thought Life is dear, and home is sweet.
/ can but die if 1 venture forth To linge,
here another day is certain death, [ will try
the ice."
| Crawling forth from his damp Iurkino
| place to the edge of the lake. he Cautiously
felt his way out upon the thin. transnaren-
ice. As well from inability to stand a,
| from consideration of prudence. he cren
on hands and knees over the treacherou,
surface. It bore his out spread weight
| Slowly he moved, with trembling advance
for longseams shot from beneath him anC
clicked like the report of pistol to the op
poslte shore. Once the faithless floor gave
way at his knees and the chilling wafer
came half way over him; but, with the en-
ergy OF dying man, he sprang upon the
unbroken surface, and with shiverino fea-
again moved on. Again he broke through
| the ice again he saved himself with des
perate strength. But at Iength-iov nm
| speable, and that almost overcame his ex
hauSted nature-he drew himself upon tb,
solid shore!
testing awhile from his superhuman ex
ertions, and now, with hope and home ris
ing Ike twin stars in the east, he mad,
his way slowly to the cabin where his stool
of provisions had been left, There wer
bread and dried venison, but he could no
eat. Nature had borne the fame too long
He laid down and was almostinstantlv bur
led in slumber, from which he did no
wake until the shades of evening were draw
ing on. Then he found himself able t,
take refreshment, lay down and slept unit
broad daylight, rose and ate again and il
its strength felt his precarious way towar,
his home, which ct eventide he reached
emaciated almost beyond recognition, NOR
nearly dead than alive but restored at las
from the jaws of an unmarked grave, savet
from the vultIre and the wolf and reioic
ing in the arms of wife and children abou
his own freside