Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1885-10-01
A TRYING SITUATION.

Dangerous Adventure with Moose in
the Lumber Regions of Maine.
Years ago, when the lumber business
on the Aroostook River was in the
height of its prosperity, there flourlshed
a class Of men who followed that call
ing the year round, working in the
woods in winter, ION the drive" in the
spring, and after 4 few weeks stay IN
the towns near the mouth of the river,
started back to the wilderness to cruise
out site for the next seasons opera
ton, and to prepare the camps IN
readiness for the crew.
The majority OF them were single
men, and generous, whole-hearted
set they were, though rough and reck-
less. These weeks of idleness were too
often spent in dissipation, and they
squandered their year S wages in care
less haste, making them glad to go
back to their wild life in the forest
again. But there were exceptions to
the rule, and many a steady, temperate
man was to be be found among them,
who carried the fruits of his labor to
his family, and spent his leisure time at
his home.
A man of this latter class was old
Dan Beckwith, who, on the decline of
the lumber trade, made q little home in
the woods far up on the river, gaining
a livelihood by hunting and by raising
a few vegetables, which he disposed OF
in the towns lower down the river. 1t
was my fortune to make his acquaint-
ance during a recent sojourn in that
part OF the country, and l spent several
days at his home in the wilderness,
during which time he related, among
numerous others, the following incl
dent, which impressed me wildly, told
as it was in his peculiar dialect and &C
companied by singularly expressive
gestures. The language of the real old
fashioned woodsman is quaint MKT
ure of the English, French and Indian
idioms, and must be heard to be ap-
preciated, SO will not attempt to fol-
low it
lit was nigh on to thirty years ago
that it happened, he began, as we sat
under the spreading maple which
shaded his doorway that pleasant sum-
msr evening, "when moose was as
thick all through these woods as cattle
are in farm-yard, and more laugha-
BILE and at the same time a more dam
gerous position | never heard OF; for
while l was roosting up in the birch
out of harms way, poor Jim was hay
ing it hot and heavy on the ground be-
low, and it come nigh to be no laugh
ing matter with hum. But I'm getting
ahead Of my story.
I've see, we-that is, my chum Jim
Larkins and l-were cruising out a
chance that summer for old Ben Love-
ly, one of the biggest operators on the
river. We had hired by the year that
spring, and it was our first summer S
cruise, for we were young fellows then,
and not much used to the business.
"Wen, we got along pretty well,
considering, and about the first of Au-
gust we had the chance pretty well
cruised up, and the place for the camp
located. We had one more days cruis-
ing to do, and then we intended to go
down river after the crew, who were to
build the camps and swamp out the
main roads.
1--WE went light, taking only food
enough for lunch, and leaving our old
rifle in camp, for we had needed it only
two or three times all summer; only
once had we been bothered with wild
animals although we saw lots of them
and that was when a catamount tackled
US. But I'll tell you that some other
time.
well, as / said, we left the rifle,
and so had no weapons except the axe
and the little old pistol that Jim always
carried. We cruIsed about nearly all
day, spotting a good pile of timber,
and as the sun began TO sink toward
the west we started tor camp We had
travelled some distance, when we sud-
denly came upon herd of seven carl
bou, which were SO tame that they
would hardly move out of their tracks
to get away from us. We never made
a practice of soaring or hunting any
thing that came in our way, unless nee
essary; but Jim said he would teach
them not to stand in our way, and, draw
ing his pistol, he thoughtlessly pointed
it at the nearest caribou, which stood
but a few yards away, and fired.
1.-THE bullet would hardly have killed
a mosquito, but it wounded the caribou
slightly, and he began to bleat piteous-
~, making sound a good deal like
sleeps cry. Immediately we heard a
below and crash in the woods behind
US, and, turning, we saw a gigantic
moose angrily approaching us. looking
brimful OF fight.
81 was standing some three or four
yards from Jim, under a big birch,
whose branches almost touched my
head, and l swung myself up pretty
lively, tell you, while Jim had just
time to dodge behind tree before the
moose was upon him; and an ugly
looking old fellow he was, too. Why,
it seemed almost as if you could light
match by the wicked fire in his eye as
it flashed viciously out from under his
big branching horns!
Zone thing, perhaps, you don't know,
but it is as true as it is strange, and ev-
cry old hunter who knows will tell you
SO. 1t sometimes happens that moose
whether from his own choice or be-
cause he is driven from among his
usual companions can not say-win
leave his fellows and seek companion
ship in herd of caribou, MAKING MN
self their special guardian, ana de1end-
ing his self-appointed trust win ms IRE,
if need be; and such was the case Win
the one that had now attacked us.
sIt so happened that Jim had sprung
between two trees which grew about
three feet apart, thus forming passage
way through which the moose could not
make his way because of his huge ant
lers. After vainly attempting to do so,
he reared up and began striking vi
.;.,,.Ix7 x,-;th his fora.faat at Tim who