Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-10-25
FREAKS OF THE CARIBOU.
How it Converts an Ice Field Into a Winter
laygrOund-PrOving Fun Quality Not En-
joyed by Man Alone.
September Harper's.

September Harper's.
Unlike the solitary moose, the caribou
delights in the company of its kind. To
day it will act as if almost afraid OF its
own shadow, and display a keenness of
eye ear and nose, and a vigilance in their
use which render an approach within
rife shot next to impossible; tomorrow
it will stand the fire of the hunter like
one of the Old Guard, facing him at
short range while in the paroxysms of
the buck fever he misses shot after shot
and until either the pumping machinery
of his repeating rifle sucks dry or fortune
bestows upon him one of those smiles
with which it is won't occasionally to
favor the inexperienced. To-day it will
follow for miles along trail over which
man has passed not 20 minutes before;
tomorrow one sniff of the tainted track
and it will not break it's run for five miles.
It is as fond of the ice as a school boy
and full as ready for frollc. After the
ice has formed in November, it is soon
followed first by SHOWS and then by thaws
or rain. The latter converts the snow
into slUsh, resting on the firm ice be-
meath. Now, any sensible creature would
keep away from such a mess. But not
SO the caribou, for to it this makes the
very gala time Of the year. The herd go
out upon the ice in single file, then
scatter, and each one falls to paving up
the slush with the forefeet. After they
have tired of this performance they fall
upon their knees and seem to lap the
ice with their tongues. Why they do
this is, as far as the writer has been able
to learn, a mystery. It certainly is not
from thirst, since they have crossed
dozen open brooks in their morning
rambie. Perhaps, to use one of those
slang expressions SO happily indefinite
! in leaving unbridled liberty of detail TO
the imagination of the nearer, "they do
it for grandeur"
This is the most simple, and indeed at
times it seems the only explanation of
! many Of the vagaries of this most singU
la creature. After a while one will sus-
pend operations, seem to think things
over generally, then go gravely over 10
where another has mined down to piece
of ice of extra flavor, and prod and poke
it with the utmost vigor. The assaulted
then rises to its feet and meekly resigns
its place to the intruder, which Immedi
ately drops upon its knees and continues
the operations of its predecessor, while
the ousted either passes along the com
ceeds 80 dig new spot for itself. Then,
perhaps, all will lie down, for whle,
and, though one would think the bed
about as congenial as the inside of an
ice-cream freezer, chew the cud in appar
emily the acme of bovine comfort. Next,
ore will slowly rise TO its feet, round up
! it's back and stretch itself, survey its
comrades to select the one which seems
| most comfortable, and then actuated by
that perversity of disposition we SO of
| ten see and anathen,atize in the human
early riser, proceed to SUR it up with
hoof and horn until it, too, gets legs and
| joins in the game. Soon all are on 6heir
feet, and falling in one behind the other
move for the woods in single file, headed
| by the leader, always bull, though not
| invariably the largest in the herd. They
move off on a walk, their heads hanging
down precisely like cows driven to past
ure. Suddenly one will become possessed
of devil, and, breaking from the ranks
with hop, skip and jump, charge
through the line again and again, until
| it is thrown into complete disorder.
Then it will as suddenly fall into place,
as demure as a cat, saying, as distinctly
as an attitude can peak. "What! you do
not mean to charge this untimely disturb
ance to me, do your" The march is then
resumed, and all may disappear at the
meekest kind Of walk In the surround
ing forest; or, without the slightest ap-
parent cause, the herd will break into a
run at pace SO keen you almost fancy
| you can hear them whiz as they cleaye a
passage through the air. This burst of
speed may last for hundred yards; it
may be kept up through thick and thin
| for five miles; the one is about as likely
as the other.
A scientific sharp declares that The con
slant jar of walking on city pavements
can be largely prevented by initiating
nature. 'sThe human heel is covered with
an elastic pad. Now, as to walk barefoot
would be out of the question, it is sug-
| gested that we replace the hard boot heel
with one made of elastic rubber. 1t
would cost but few cents month to
keep in repair, and would have the ad-
ditior al advantage of lessening the noise
| of hurrying feet aad preventing, to an
extent, broken bones in er."-Indian-
apolis Journal.
The old cabin in which John W. Mac
KAY. the California millionaire, lived
from 1856 to 1860, while he carried a
prospector's pick and washed gravel for
the shining grains, was recently discover
ed near Allegheny, Sierra county, Cal. It
will be conveyed to San Francisco and
set up in a public park.