The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1890-05-03

A sad Tragedy That Happened I'm the Red.
wood Forests OF Mendoclno.


from camping hunt among the coust
mountains Of Mendocino. tells OF a re-
markable find among the great red
wood forests of that part Of the state. a
story which. for thrilling. weird, wood
land tragedy. excels.
La the northwestern part OF the coun-
~ late one afternoon. just before sun
set, while the hunters were making
their way TO camp. they noticed that
the rays OF the sun In the tree tops of
dense grove fell on and lighted up
4 white object high up among the
branches OF large madrona tree.
Approaching the foot Of the tree for
the purpose of getting nearer view of
the white object. they were astonishcd
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 II.
The barrel and lock were covered
with rust, indicating il 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 10 throw the white object
in the branches in a deep shade, max
ing IL impossible 10 make out what 1t
was.
AS IL was somewhat difficult 10 climb
the tree. they concluded To return ia the
morning aud make further nyestiga-
ton. Marking IL by placing poles and
fallen limbs against the trunk. they re-
turned 10 camp.
Next morning they returned 10 the
In ha L.f.r
had no difficulty in making ont 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 particle OF flesh on
the bones, and but few dangling rags.
Near the skeleton, aud lying across one
OF the limbs. was the frayed remains OF
al old coat.
Throwing the coat 10 the ground
Mills descended. IL having been decided
To leave the bones where they lay in
the tree, rather than throw them 10
the ground 10 be scattered by wild ani.
mails.
There was nothing TO indicate how
the man had met his death. or why his
gun should be on the ground aud his
skeleton in the tree.
They conjectured that the hunter
might nave been chased by bear and
had climbed the tree, and had accident
ally dropped his gun. which, striking,
the ground. had exploded and wound
eel the man MORALLY; 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.
search was then made in the re.
mains of the old coat. which was mold.
ed and matted together in 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 oblterated by
mold aud stain.
There was writing on the next two
or three pages. but IL could not be
decphered. The next few pages were
comparatively clean and the writing
perfectly legible. IL was a record OF
his last days in the tree. and read:
'lie is gone again. but she sits at the
foot of the tree How long
will this lastP For three days | have
been kept up in this tree aud am dy
ing with hunger and thirst. One Of the
bears always remains while the other
goes away for hours. Will
they never leave the treeP Shall | die
here. aud then fall 10 be- eaten BY theml
If | only had my rifle again
or drink of water. have eaten
nothing but the leaves Of the tree and
they are so bitter. The sun Il
nearly down and the male bear has re.
turned. They will both remain all
night It's morning again.
though | was eating in the slight
dreams last light. No; am dying OF
hunger and thirst. am growing
weaker. | have wept till there
are no more tears. | found myself try
ing 10 get out OF the tree last night. bu
ahe bears growled aud | came 10 my
senses. The bears are under
the tree. The ground is covered Will
them. There are hundreds OF them
| have been eating leaves and do no
feel hungry now. think Ill get on
Of this yet IL those bears will go away
The sun is going down again
won't write any more"
The following was probably writer
the same day. or II might have beer
written the following day; he writes
his last few lines. aud they are incoher
ent:
II had hard work TO get the book on
II -. ...,nt 1 hnun ted coal nxer limb