The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-10-08
WAS IT A SPOOK?
Paul Pastnor, in the Pittsburg Dispatch.

Paul Pastnor, In the Pittsburg Dispatch.
In the fall of 1885, in company with a
| party of five others, I was camping on
Follensby pond, near Racquette Falls, in
the Adirondacks. We were deer hunt
ing and had with US two of the best
Saranac guides and five deer-hounds.
Follensby pond is irregular in shape,
! about three miles long and from one-half
to three-quarters of mile wide. Each
day the various members of the party
were stationed at different points around
the pond where deer were most likely to
take to water when pursued by the
hounds. Every watcher was equipped
with light Saranac boat and repeating
rife. If deer was seen swimming at any
distance from a battle-ground the near
est hunter put out in his boat and tried to
cut it off from shore If he succeeded in
doing this he could easily shoot the deer.
1t required a sharp eye and a strong
oar to secure the necessary advantage,
especially when strong wind was blow
ing and every running wave in the dis
lance looked like a deer's head The
watchers were usually stationed at con-
siderable distances apart and, owing to
the irregular shape of the pond, could sell
dOll SEC CdGu ObuSI , WdlCD-HGOuQQ.
Robin Rock was great boulder, near
the head of the pond, upon which a man
was always stationed when they were
putting out the dogs, as Just above it
there was favorite runway for deer to
come down to the water.
One perfectly still day, toward the
close of October, it fell to my lot to guard
this territory, and / rowed up there in
great hope of securing a shot, as the dogs
IN ha mt ont on ho ct IL ~
pond which usually resulted in driving
deer in at the head. / drew my boat up
on little shelf at the foot of the rock,
leaving the oars on the pins, with their
blades crossed over the stern. so that the
boat would be ready for immediate use
Then l took my rife ana climbed up to the
fiat top of the rock, where l could over
look the shores and the water for a long
distance in either direction
The sun was unusually bright and warm
for day so late in the season. There was
not breath of wind, and the pond Law be-
fore me as smooth as if it had been frozen.
l could hear the slightest sounds-the
scrambling of the red squirrels over the
trunks and limbs of the balsams behind
me; the low "chip-chip'' of the chicka-
dees, and the rustic of their wings as
they few from spot to spot; the hoarse.
far-off cry of mountain raven, and even
the dip and rattle of my nearest neigh
boris oars as he turned into his watch
ground, half mile or more below mine.
and out of sight. 1t was an idyllic. abso-
lutely perfect autumn day. The hills and
mountains all around were gorgeous with
color, and their reflection in the CLASSY
water of the pond looked like broad
floor of the most splendid mosaic
lay for an hour or more on the ton of
Robin rock, drinking in the beauty of the
scene and ENJOYING the genial warmth of
the sun. Then, away OF in the hills 10
the southwest, l heard a sound which
caused me TO start up TO a sitting posture
and draw my rife cautiously across nv
lap. II was the first faint bayof hound
which the guide had Just started upon a
fresh deer track, ! knew that the game
was afoot, and that il behooyed me no
Keep careful ana constant lookout over
that portion Of the pond which cotlld ba
seen from Robin rock.
The forenoon, however, wore away
without bringing the game 10 water