The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1870-03-11

k"@"6 epoh 'ne TapidIy recodlng
shores Of Gotham, the following quar-.
tettc, bound for the land Of forests.
mountains, lakes and deer: Dick
Moreland, a young physician. a gen
ial companion. and rare good fcl.
low; Frank Oakden, who had travel.
cd through the wilds Of Africa, and
now longed to see our own pet little
wilderness. here in America; Gilbert
Ryerson, a young. ambitious artist; !;
and your humbl and obedient serv-
ant. 1t were needless to recount
tho voyage-the passage up the Hud-
son, the stop at Saratogs, tho pic
turasque sail up Lake Cha amplain.
and the long, romantic ride from
Keesevillc to the foot Of the lower
Saranac. The Rev. Mr.. Murray's q
boek was beginning to give evidences
Of its influence; and, here and there,
parties Of luckless eockncys, gotten
up in the most mclodranatic Of sports
manlike costumes, attracted our at.
tention, and excited our r,sibi!ities.
Beyond this the journey was, as are
most other journeys-espe tally
American oncs-an impatiencc at de-
lays. and longing to reach our des-
tination. Arriving. at length. at
Martins Hotel, quaint, rambling
building, at the foot of the lower
Saranac, we made as speedy arrange
ments as possible for our campaign.
But Murray had been before US, or
rather Murray's book-and here were
doniciled = large party of city sx-
quisites, burning with impatiencc to
encounter the deer of the forest, and
perfectly iafammabls upon the diff
Guilty Of obtaining guides. Poor Mr.,
Murray Was bitterly inveiglted against
and he, his book, and everything
connected with him and it, were
daily consigned to = much warmer
place than ministers are popularity
supposed to visit. After some diff
Guilty. however, boats and guides were
obtained, and we were fairly started
upon onr expedition. The Two guides
we're studious in their way. Mar
shall, the chief, tall, strongly-huilt
fellow, with tawny hair. and great
muscular arms, that looked as if they
might prove far from pleasant in a
tusslc. A typical Adirondack guide;
blunt, free, and manly; a very lion
in exterior. with q lambs heart With.
in. The other was the exact coun-
tcrpart Of his companion. and was
excepted as last resource, when
other hopes had been abandoned. -
His name was Ezra, a short, thickset
man, with black, bushy hair, and
eyes that had an ominous fash in
them. Years before so the story ran,
he had been Tilted by country belle
who had married one Bill Strong,
desperate sort Of fellow, who had
stuck by tho girl Tor while, but
then, rcsuming evil habits, had be.
ccme involved in a drunken brawl.
and in his frenzy had killed his adycr.
sary. HIS was tried convicted, and
sentenced to prison for life. After
Bessy Golden had Tilted him. Ezra
became Il different man. From being
bright, quick, and intelligent. ne had
become llstless and dissatisfied, and
his friends soon discovered. that his
reason had left him. lie was per-
fectly harmless. however, and was
permitted to 60 atlargc. Wandering
around tho house and grounds Of the
inn, he would Groom and mutter to
himself III an unintclligiblc language,
but, SO the guides SAID, once in
boat. or with u rife in his hands, he
was as good woodsman as felled
tree, or shot rifle, for many a mile
round
So Ezra was accepted, tue boats
were stored with provisions, and we
put out into the waters of the lake, =.
as merry party as ever set forth up
or the tour. Of the woods. Cleaving
through the bright waters of the
Lower SaranNc, skinned over Round
Lake, with Whitcfacc towering up in
the far distal.ec, over it's shores, and
then bursting upon the Upper Saran-
ac, the afternoon found us campcd
on Indian Carry, at the foot of the
Wampum waters. Here a nights
rest, aud IN the morning, off again
upon our merry journey; bringing
down black duck here and there,
and our artist companion stopping at
intervals to transfer to canvas the
beauties that nature had so plsnti-
fully spread out before w.
Our destination was Setting Pole
Rapids, on the Raquette river, With
er we were going upon tho strong
Recommendation Of Ezra, who said
that there We could fnd capital sport,
and be, in some measure, free from
the channel Of cockney sportsmen, Of
whom we met many parties. On the
afternoon Of the next day our dcstin-
alton was reached, the tents pitched,
hnd all business attendant upon
making camp attended to. And what
a gorgeous camping ground it was !!
At our feet the rapids, scething and
surging amid cold, black rocks, that
showed their tops thrcateningly
through the white water; At our
backs tall. stately pines, lifting their
heads proudly hcavcnwards. while all
around was q wilderness of ferns, and
golden rod. and wild ivy. But not
rise" did We find, in the way of
trout, and not y sign of deer to en-
courage tho loading of rifles, Ezra
was rallied upon his ''famous hunt