Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1890-03-21
LOST IN THE FOREST.
potanist's Foolhardy Attempt to
Travel Without a Guide.

~itb b0tantcai estaDilshment In North
rl.o,ina. ! had business for the firm,
.s',,tcarried me into the neigborhooc Of
w. far.famed Black Mountain Range.
Wv errand accomplished, fingered in
w. yicinity for day or two, in order to
,"a little prospecting on my own ac-
count
40 ascent of Mount Mitchell, that
.a.yenward- soaring Monarch OF the
r,acts. y rendered doubly interesting be-
.mse Of It's superior altitude and OF its
Nsinnacle's enshrining the dust OF its in
ri.,nid discoverer--the story OF whose
..aric death has so often been repeated.
Having spoken of this intention to
..,o mountaineer with whom was stop
siuc he advised my going round to the
Rnpcombe County side, and there pro-
.,rnc guide to make the ascent with
wo AZ there were Bride paths cut from
.bat direction. However. he went on to
s,v if | did not care to take all this
,rouble. he could procure guide for me
=, this side. although, he cautioned me,
n.t would find the route exceedingly
sni,ph ana NOV II llbbIS dangerous.
Now. this idea Of taking guide with
ne was one did not relish much. In
aead it was the very last thing wanted
n 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-
tnrn. and what better could have than
10 oil ~
gloomy Blacks? Perhaps, also, might
discover new peak, perhaps even one
If superior altitude to the towering
Mount Mitchell, and thus hand nv
name down to posterity along with those
If DR.. Mitchell, General Clingman, and
other famous explorers.
Filled with these thoughts and aspira-
tons. procured a 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, 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 was of the opinion that, by keep
ing an eye to the direction, would have
but little trouble in reaching it.
| had been repeatedly told of the al
l.1
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 ac-
cusomed to using them, | had calcu-
lated that. by starting at daylight, /
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 | might be the better
prepared, in case | had to camp out, |
provided myself with blanket and a
Vi 1 a
roll, strapped across my shoulders.
Even in the light chestnut forests that
covered the lower slopes, had much
difficulty in finding my way. In many
places the trail was barely traceable.
More than once got completely turned
around and found myself doubling back
upon my own footsteps.
had never before been in the balsam
thlckets. Had ! been, | am candid
enough to admit that | would never,
with all my love of fame and adventure,
nave set out alone on what very soon
came to realize was a most foolbardy
Undertaking. The dense gloom of the
oaISams had but little more than en-
mloped me, when | began to wish | had
taSen the old mountaineers advice and
nave gone round on the Buncombe
county side, and assembled by the bride
pains IKE any other civilized mortal.
NV' only did the almost impenetrable
W'Ss reach away on every side, but
uuerioot In every direction stretched
seat beds of sponge-like moss. into
"nNh my foot sank, often above the
'%N'c ana yet left no impression
III VAN looked for the least sign of n
~" Not one was anywhere visible
NV even the trace of human being
was with extreme difficulty that | /
yu'u now make my way through some 1
p''es al all, Tor the balsam is tree of /
many branches and these, growing low /
|he ground form almost impenetrable I
| barriers
nao not gone very far, when / dis /
r ro.e that it would be simply mad
,orl, continue on my way unless .
n. "'u come across "A path of some sort. .
~ Tying to retrace my steps, found,
Ivy utter dismay, that had lost all .
"'uge as to my bearings. | was so
A. pi''ely turned around that hadn't
t.s '"sV laea OF the direction whence |
udl entered the forest.
%t uown for moment to think over
rt. situation | was assuredly lost, and
kn~a, was worse, hadn't the least
,on,' euge OF my whereabouts If
ho eeV a good look at the sun, |
,onS "s might have some idea of the
a,r' ought to pursue. But the dense,
svan ioiiage of the balsams excluded
sbou.s ray and although my watch
,he % Wv, me that twas fast nearing noon,
A., snt about me was, little clearer
'Da9 that of twilight.
,,r,os resting half-hour or so, /
lion VII again, with the determine
cma "ep In as straight course as |
sonI a possibly Judge. Added to the diff
nskir. mad previously experienced, of
hug my way through the dense. over