The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1890-03-19
DEATH IN A TREE TOP.
A Sad Tragedy That Happened In the Red.
wood Forests of Mendocino.

wood Forests of Mendocino.
w. S. Mills and Henry Eckhart, of
Colusa county, who recently returned
from a camping hunt among the coast
mountains of Mendocino, tells of re-
markable find among the great red
wood forests of that part OF the state,
story which, for thrilling, weird, wood
land tragedy, excels.
In the northwestern part of the coun-
ty, late one afternoon, just before sum
set, while the hunters were making
their way to camp, they noticed that
the rays of the sun in the tree tops of
a dense grove fell on and lighted up
a white object high up among the
branches of large madrona tree.
Approaching the foot of the tree for
the purpose of getting a nearer view of
the white object, they were astonished
to find, lying on the ground at the
foot of the tree, the remains of an old
Kentucky rifle barrel. with part of a
much decayed stock still clinging to it.
The barrel and lock were covered
with rust, indicating it had lain for
years in its position. While they were
examining the ancient gun, and look
ing for further evidence around the
foot of the tree, the sun had so far
declined as to throw the white object
in the branches in deep shade, max
ing it impossible to make out what it
was.
AS it was somewhat difficult to climb
the tree, they concluded to return in the
morning and make further investiga-
ton. Marking it by placing poles and
fallen limbs against the trunk, they re-
turned to camp.
Next morning they returned to the
tree, and in the bright morning light
had no difficulty in making out the
white object to be the skeleton of hu-
man being. Mills climbed the tree and
found the skeleton to be that of quite
a large man, resting across two large
limbs, and tied near the thigh-bones to
the same.
There was not a particle of flesh on
the bones, and but few dangling rags.
Near the skeleton, and lying across one
of the limbs, was the frayed remains of
an old coat.
Throwing the coat to the ground
Mills descended, it having been decided
to leave the bones where they lay in
the tree, rather than throw them to
the ground to be scattered by wild ami
mails.
There was nothing to indicate how
the man had met his death, or why his
gun should be on the ground and his
| skeleton in the tree.
They conjectured that the hunter
might have been chased by bear and
had climbed the tree, and had accident
ally dropped his gun, which, striking
the ground, had exploded and wound
ed the man mortally; that ere he died
he had tied himself to the limbs of the
tree to prevent the animals from de-
stroying his body This, they thought,
would account for the broken stock of
the gun.
A search was then made in the re-
mains of the old coat, which was mold
ed and matted together in a mass.
! An old moldy notebook was found.
! In the book was pencil writing, which
was still legible in places, though the
leaves were moldy and much injured by
long exposure to the weather. On the
first page there was part of name end.
ing with the letters -ington; all the
| balance of the name was obliterated by
mold and stain.
There was writing on the next two
or three pages, but it could not be
deciphered. The next few pages were
comparatively clean and the writing
perfectly legible. 1t was a record OF
his last days in the tree, and read:
''He is gone again, but she sits at the
foot of the tree. How long
will this last? For three days 1 have
been kept up in this tree and L am dy
ing with hunger and thirst. One of the
bears always remains while the othel
|
they never leave the tree? Shall l die
here, and then fall to be eaten by themi
If only had my rifle again
or a drink of water. | have eater
nothing but the leaves of the tree and
they are so bitter. The sun i
nearly down and the male bear has re
turned. They will both remain al
night. It's morning again.
though I was eating in the sligh
dreams last light. No; am dying O
hunger and thirst. l am growing
weaker. have wept till ther'
are no more tears. l found myself try
ing to get out of the tree last night, bu
the bears growled and l came to m!
senses. The bears are undel
the tree. The ground is covered witt
them. There are hundreds of them
l have been eating leaves and do no
feel hungry now. l think I'll get ou
of this yet if those bears will go away
The sun is going down again
l won't write any more"
The following was probably writer
the same day, or it might have beer
written the following day; he write
his last few lines, and they are incoher
ent:
Il had hard work to get the book ou
of my coat. 1 have tied coat over limb
tied my legs to limb with suspenders
won't write any more soon
as it will be two weeks tomorrow
"Tilly-last night, Tilly-was here
She here all time now-as l will be too
weak in the morning-last night She
Tilly-So are the bears. So many-finc
me-tind me-only-to think-whert
are they-I will put-put-put the bool
in pocket god night i'll not be gone
love-Tilly-"
Here ended the writing, of which thu
above is correct copy. There were
no dates to the pages, and nothing to
indicate that the writing might not have
been done all on the same day and a
the same time.
The writer retained the writing fol
some weeks before he gave it for publ
cation, seriously doubling its authentici