Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, Ramsey Co., Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1905, 1885-09-05
INTER-OCEAN
cLEvELAND,s CAMP.

CLEvELAND's CAMP.
The President and DIR. Ward at
Willis Pond.
A correspondent writing from the
upper Saranac lake says: eft seemed
incredible that the president of the
United. States had but a week before
taken his way through this dismal, un.
beaten wilderness. We had been in the
woods nearly four hours when through
the trees was caught glimpse ola sheet
Of water. 1t was Willis pond. Pretty
soon we heard the sound of voices. A
few rods further on and 1 saw one of
those log huts that in the Adirondacks
are called camps 1 passed a hound
chained to a tree, and the carcass of a
deer suspended between two trees.
Coming out from behind the hut l was
in the presence of The president and his
camp companions, DR.. Ward and Mr..
Bacon. They were seated lear the fire,
on which was sizzling the broiler with
morning meal. The president was
sitting on a tree stump facing me, and
was the first to observe my entrance.
At a little distance from him was Dr..
Ward, gun in hand. At a short distance
was Mr.. Bacon. All three looked at me
and my guide with undisguised aston
ishment. They seemed doubtful for a
moment what mi of reception to
accord me. Without waiting for their
decision, however, l approached the
president and inquired after his health.
The president was for the moment sur
prised. Then, extending his hand, he
said with a smile: Il am very glad to
see you, sir, and assur you that my
health is of the very best After some
more conversation of a general charac-
ter the president asked me if l would
join them at breakfast, and told the
cook to place one more plate.' The
meal consisted of broiled venison, baked
potatoes, hot biscuits and tea with con-
densed milk. 1t was served on a rough
board supported on stakes. Large logs
were used as chairs. Everything was
primitive in the extreme.
1.-THE presidents party are quartered
in a log cabin twenty.seven feet long,
five and a half high, and ten feet wide.
The e a of the cabin is used as a sleep
ing apartment by Sfr. Cleveland and his
friends. The front division is the store
room and the bedroom for the guides.
None of the occupants of the camp re.
move their clothes at night. When
ready to retire they wrap themselves in
a blanKetand lie down upon the ground,
which is covered with balsam boughs.
A fire is kept bnrning outside the camp
at night. to keep away any bears or cat.
amountssthat might be prowling about.
The party is attended by four guides,
all of whom are familiar to tourists in
the Adirondacks. Hunting and fishing
are the principal occupations of the
party. The PRESIDENT is more closely
addicted to the latter, and says that he
-ea-ee worry little for shooting. MI. Ward
is the huntsman of the party, and he
has supplied the venison served up to
this time in the camp.
"The president usually spends almost
the entire day in angling. He does not
fish with the fly, as he thinks he can
catch more trout with bait. At night
the camp indulge in jack hunting. 1t
was noticeable that most of MI. Cleve.
lands companione and the guides adj
dressed him as Governor and not as
President He jokes with the guides
quite a Familiarity as with either of his
friends. He asked Cronk how much his
boat weighed, and when he answered "a
hundred pounds the president said
that the great difference between Cronk
and George Washington was that w ash
ington couldn't tell a lie. Thel last Isaw
of the president as l was leaving the
camp to take my way homeward through
the dense forest, he was occupied in
chopping wood with which to build the
fire for the evening meal"