The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1890-03-14
LOST IN THE FOREST.
A Botanist's Foolhardy ATTEMPT to
Travel Without a Guide.

with botanical establishment in North
Carolina, / had business for the firm.
that carried me into the neigborhood of
the far-famed Black Mountain RANGE.
My errand accomplished, l fingered in
the vicinity for day or two, in order to
do little prospecting on my own &C
count.
! had long been DESTROYS of making
the ascent of Mount Mitchell. that
11avenward-soaring Monarch of the
Blacks. rendered doubly interesting be-
cause of its superior altitude and of it's
plnnacle's enshrining the dust of it's in
trepld discoverer-the story of whose
tragic death has so often been repeated.
Having spoken of this intention to
the mountaineer with whom | was stop-
ping, he advised my going round to the
Buncombe County side, and there pro-
curing a guide to make the ascent with
me. as there were bridle-paths cut from
that direction. However, he went on TO
say, if | did not care to take all this
trouble, he could procure guide for me
on this side, although, he cautioned me,
that | would find the route exceedingly
rough and not little dangerous.
Now. this idea of taking a guide with
me was one did not relish much. In
deed it was the very last thing 1 wanted
to do. | was young, self-reliant, and
full of the spirit of adventure. Besides,
/ wanted something to brag about
among my youthful friends on my re-
turn, and what better could | have than
that ] had made an ascent, alone, of the
gloomy Blacks? Perhaps, also, might
discover new peak, perhaps even one
of superior altitude to the towering
Mount Mitchell, and thus hand nv
name down to posterity along with those
of DIR. Mitchell, General Clingman, and
other famous explorers
Filled with these thoughts and aspira-
lions, | procured generous lunch from
the wife of my mountaineer, and under
pretence of going to spend the day and
night with an old trapper, who lived
five miles away on the Caney river, I set
off at daybreak the next morning on nv
adventurous journey.
had made close inquiries in regard
to the various footpaths up the noun
tain sides, and had, as I thought. the
correct bearings of the route ought to
pursue pretty well fixed in my mind.
Indeed, the peak desired to reach was
in full view of my friends front door,
and l was of the opinion that, by keep
ing an eye to the direction, would have
but little trouble in reaching it.
l had been repeatedly told of the al
most impenetrable forests of balsam
that covered the upper portion of these
Alpine-like peaks, but in my ignorance
supposed it would be quite easy, in spite
OF the dense grOwths, to trace out the
footwayS.
My host had informed me that it was
good ten miles from his door to the sum-
NIT of Mount Mitchell. Being blessed
with capital pair of legs, and we'll &C
customed to using them, 1 had calcu-
lated that, by starting at daylight, 1
could easily make the trip to the sum-
nit, and back to one of the nearer huts
of the mountaineers, by early nightfall,
anyhow But that l might be the better
prepared in case l had to camp out. I
provided myself with blanket and a
box of matches. The former | wore in
roll strapped across my shoulders.
Even in the light chestnut forests that
covered the lower slopes, l had much
dih1M>lty in finding my way. In many
placesFthe trail was barely traceable.
More than once l got completely turned
around, and found myself doubling back
upon my own footsteps.
had never before been in the balsam
thickets. Had / been, 1 am candid
enough to admit that I would never,
with all my love of fame and adventure,
have set out alone on what very soon l
came to realize was a most foOlhardy
undertaking. The dense gloom of the
balsams had but little more than en-
veloped me, when l began to wish l had
taken the old mountaineer's advice and
have gone round on the Buncombe
County side, and assembled by the bride
paths, like any other civilized mortal.
Not only did the almost impenetrable
forests reach away on every side, but
underfoot in every direction stretched
great beds of sponge-like moss, into
which my foot sank, often above the
ankle, and yet left no impression.
In vain looked for the least sign of a
path. Not one was anywhere visible,
not even the trace of human being.
1t was with extreme difficulty that 1
could nowFmake my way through some
places at all, for the balsam is tree of
many branches, and these, growing low
to the ground, form almost impenetrable
barriers.
had not gone very far, when 1 dis
covered that it would be simply mad
ness to continue on my way unless l
could come across path of some sort.
On trying to retrace my steps, l found,
to my utter dismay, that had lost all
knowledge as to my bearings. L was so
completely turned around that hadn't
the least idea of the direction whence
had entered the forest.
sat down for a moment to think over
the situation. was assuredly lost, and
what was worse, l hadn't the least
knowledge of my whereabouts. If I
could get a good look at the sun, l
thought l might have some idea of the
course | ought to pursue. But the dense,
dark foliage of the balsams excluded
even a ray, and although my watch
showed me that itwas fast nearing noon,
the light about me was little clearer
than that of twilight.
After resting half-hour or so,
started off again, with the determine
ton to keep in as straight course as 1
could possibly Judge. Added to the diff
hculty had previously experienced, of
making my way through the dense, over
hanging boughs of the balsams, l now
encountered another, and in many in
stances, a far greater. This was from
the numerous dead balsams that had
fallen against the others, and in some
places completely barred my way. had
repeatedly to crawl upon my hands and