Los Angeles herald., 1892-08-21
A PULL FOR LIFE.


Harlan, the noted landlooker and specu-
lator. The latter phase of his occupa-
tion, however, has come in later years.
In the old times he was dependent on
his daily toll for subsistence.
He has comfortable home now, a
nice family and an assured income, so
that he can afford to talk lightly of his
past life while roughing it in the wilds
of Michigan and Wisconsin.
$50 you wish me to give you little
of my experience while looking land,
Jim" said Harlan.
assured him that nothing would
please me better, since l knew he must
have met with some interesting expert
ences during the long period of his tim
Der life. Jack was not given to elbow
ing his own bugle," yet at times, under
the mellowing influence of a hickory
fire on winters evening, he would talk
by the hour of the woods and his adven-
tures therein.
It was blustry night outside, and
Jack sat before the fire holding little
Bess, his youngest child, and smoothing
her dark ringlets with his big brown
hand. / could see that he was in a rem
iniscent mood, so / waited patiently for
him to speak.
"Do you know, Jim," he said at
length, II was never frightened but
twice in my life? have met with many
adventures, but nearly always could
see my way out somewhere, and man
aged to remain fairly cool through it all.
But on two occasions ! quite lost my
head, and very nearly my life."
nodded as he ceased to speak, and
he proceeded:
"It was ten years ago last November
that Dolph Wender and set out on
two weeks tramp, looking land in the
region about the headwaters of the
Muskegon. The weather was cool and
the air bracing, just the season Of the
year for big game, SO Dolph and l took
along our Winchesters, with plenty of
ammunition.
"We meant to bring down some game,
even should we find plenty of timber on
the land we had been sent to estimate.
/ was quite a Nimrod in those days, and
would rather hunt than eat.
"On the afternoon of the fourth day
we halted on the bank of large lake.
The land we desired to look over, on
which we were to estimate the amount
OF standing pine, was on the opposite
side Of the laks; Tog around would be
an all days tramp, while across the
water was matter of only six or eight
miles.
"If we only had boat, jack said
Dolph, I'VE could save two days tramp
"'We must find one,' returned. It's
not likely this lake has ever been plowed
by boats-Indian canoes, at any rate. l
see house over yonder, let us investi-
gate
"We did so and found an old fisher
man, who was the owner Of small skiff
in good condition-just the thing for our
purpose. The owner agreed to lend the
boat on condition that we would return
it soon. Of course we promised, and
were soon launched upon the water.
"We doffed our packs and laid them
in the bottom of the skiff. We each had
q belt, from which hung hatchet and
cartridges. Our rifles we placed care
fully in one end of the skiff. The craft
was small and had but one set of oars.
was something of an athlete in those
days, and 80 it seemed natural enough
for me to take the first turn at the oars.
Do1ph promised to spell me when half
our voyage was covered.
"We had gone perhaps mile from
land when the wind rose and sent the
white caps tumbling across the bosom
Of the lake. At the outset enjoyed
this. Our little skiff rose and fell like
an ocean steamer on the Atlantic. Pres
emily q great wave splashed over the
side, nearly deluging Dolph. The wind
was cold and cut like a knife, and l
could see that my wet comrade was
chattering with an icy chill.
"Let me take the oars he said. |
shook my head. A strange thrill shot
over me at that moment and realized
that we were in danger. Our only safety
lay in keeping the skif out of the trough
Of the sea. Each moment the waves
rolled higher and the breeze stiffened to
gale.
"Dolph crouched in the stern, his face
blue, his teeth chattering. He was
freezing, while was perspiring freely.
It was too late to turn back had we de-
sired. The water scurried along our
sides, splashing at times over the low
gdnwale.
"I dared not look ahead, but kept my
gaze fixed to the rear, upon the foaming
water and receding shore. We must
have been three miles out when Dolph
cried in great alarm, We're sinking,
gackr and ! thought the same myself
for the moment, as the stern of our craft
seemed to sink down, down, until the
great waves hung over us with awful
threatening. A bucketful of water
splashed into the boat, and then we rose
Oh the crest Of huge wave.
Were all right yet, Dolph,' said I,
although the smile on my face was but
q ghastly attempt at pleasantly. At
length found myself tiring under the
constant strain at the oars. looked
1ohgingly at Dolph. He seemed to nm
deTatand and moved as if to rise to his
"sNo. no, DON'T cried sharply. If
you get up now we are losti Keep your
seat. Twill hold the skiff alone.' The
task was harder one than | had bar
gained for, however. 1t was a very
difficult matter to dip the oars properly