The Cook County herald. [volume] (Grand Marais, Minn.) 1893-1909, 1893-12-23

Otner side or the divide by this time,
and lower down than I. They could not
hear me, though there was tllmult OF
echoes. Every rock and every peak
seemed to have a voice to mock me
with. t.. f.,... .',- :
I followed in the thickening dusk by
such signs as could find, now broken
bush, now a track in the wood-mold,
now a splash Of blood from the wound
ed bear
Suddenly bit Of loose rock gave way.
I slipped and fell over the edge Of
the shelf down sheer precipice
Had struck the earth, should have
been smashed out Of life. AS it was,
I found myself in the very top Of
giant tree, three hundred feet and
mere from the earth. Tie springy up
per branches, broad and spreading, had
caught me lightly and gently on their
upper surface.
When had recovered from the shock
Of my long fall, I looked up About
fifteen feet to one side and Just out Of
reach lowered the sheer black rock
from which + had fallen. IT'S top was
now eighty or ninety feet above me.
No escape in that direction.
Round me on every side spread the
dark boughs of the forest. was af1oat
upon sea Of foliage. To try its depths
I climed to the lowest branches and
looked down.
No hope that way. The trunk Of my
tree, at the lowest branch of all, was
at least three feet in diameter. It in
creased gradually in gfrth all the way
down to the ground which must have
been more than two hundred feet be-
low. There the tree presumably reached
diameter of seven 0r eight feet. I
could no more slide down that trunk
than slide down the side of 4 house.
The neighboring trees were all Of the
same prodigious grDwth, and all desti-
tute OF branches for a great height
Having ascertained that there was no
way OF getting up or down beyond the
scope given by the branches, I climbed
as high as possible and called desper-
ately to my absent friends I knew
they would miss me, and would retrace
their steps in an effort to find me.
But darkness was falling, and I soon
saw it was too late to- hope for help
that night
| shouted long and loudly, but the
mountains seemed to laugh as they
echoed my voice. So soon perched,
silent and brooding, while the moon
peeped over the rocky wall and lit the
snowy peaks with a pale glory, and
shone on the dusky surface of the
woodland.
What could I do? What could my
comrades do for me, if they found me? :?
They had no means Of reaching me
from the top Of the cliff. Perhaps they
could descend and, beginning at the
foot Of the Tree, chop series Of holes
in the trunk, in which I could put my
feet and climb down.
But this would 'be labor Of days.
Meanwhile, what would become Of my
real estate deal and the business of the
syndicate? ! was like 4 mariner, ship
wrecked and 1n;sstheaded in the bar
gain.
However, there were ameliorating cir
cumstances. was. above the mosquito
line, high and dry, and the air was soft
and warm and still.
In my pack, which I had taken from
my shoulders and slung on bough, I
had some boiled bacon. a piece Of corn
bread and a pot of jam. So I made a
fairly good meal.
After supper I felt quite hopeful:
Stretching myself .en broad tangle Of
small branches which sloped in toward
the trunk and afforded q strong but
springy couch, I laid my head on my
pack, lit my pipe ;and gazed out upon
the moonlit beauty and grandeur
around me-,
I alternately smoked and doZed-I
cannot say slept-till daylight.
Once I heard the cry Of q cougar
above me on the srocks. Doubtless he
caught scent of me, but the leap from
the precipice to the tree was too tar,
even for him, and sHle left me IN peace
began to feel quite like a bird before
nv friends, in the course OF the mora
ing. came back along the trail, shout
ing at every few steps. They found me
at breakfast.
"Huuov' I called to the guide, as he
passed above me. The echoes contused
| him, and he stared about.
"Hullo! Where are you?" cried ne.
"DoWn here in a tree"
i was small object .on the top edf the
forest. but he soon made me out, with
sthe aid of my repeated shouting, ana
called the otl::rs, who soon came pant
ling I'D. They had followed the hear
|iinto the woods, and killed him just as
darkness came on.
Then they could only make camp and
wait for morning, firing signalshots
from time to time, which never heard.
because they were on the other side @f
the mountain wall. In the dry hill air
a. rifle shot is mere ''crack."
Now arose the question, How was
to lbe delivered? 1t was decided THAT
the shortest way was for two Of my
friends to go to the nearest settlement
and get all the rope they could find
'Fslis woulN take about three days, if
tlaey 'traveled fast. The guide and my
other conrade would camp KS near me
as possible, and keep me company.
When the two were gone, ms remain
ill.,. fgeld .Iesck Nelson, inquired, But