Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1893-10-20
ENGLISH JACK AND HIS CABIN.

ENGLISH JACK AND HIS CABIN.
whitening and flowing down from beneath
a skin cap, his leathery face, horny hands
and nondescript apparel are in keeping
with his surroundings.
l prevailed upon him to stand in front Of
his cabin while l took a picture of it. But
not until after l consented to let him put
on his best clothes, a suit which some ue
had given him, and a hat much too small,
would he be taken. and thus the pictur-
esqueness OF his appearance was lost.
A Crusoe Life.
Jacks life has been an eventful one.
Born in 1927, he followed the sea a great
part of his early days. For 81 years ho
sailed the world over in government and
merchant vessels under many flags. He
was wrecked five times-onceo on an island.
where he led a Crusoe life for two years
and was obliged to eat snakes, frogs and
similar food. He says he has eaten all
kinds of snakes except cobras, and even
now enjoys a live frog diet. Disgusting as
is the fact. I easily proved it by giving him
q quarter, for which he actually selected a
lively specimen OF a frog from among his
stock, which he says he keeps to fatten, and
swallowed it whole. 1 inquired if it didn't
kick after it was down, to which he re.
piled, "Oh, a little, but twill soon be
quiet" He went on to say that while in
the English service in China he was shot
through the arm. He was also in the
transport service in the Crimea and re-
membered Lord Raglan and Sir Colin
Campbell, who was created Lord Clyde after
the sepoy mutiny. He was in the service
in India during the mutiny and was among
the 500 recruits from the vessels in port out
of which $50 were killed. He was present
at the taking Of Delhi and assisted in cap
turing the king, receiving two shots in the
side and a bayonet wound in the face.
He says he never saw any large Ameri-
can city except New York, where he staid
for a few hours IS years ago. He has
lived in his present home some Is years
and subsists on the game he catches,
the products Of his little garden and the
berries and nuts the woods afford. He
has had some peculiar companions be-
sides his present family and at one time
had a dog and a deer, q pig and q lamb, all
of which he taught to drink his root beer.
A bear and a wolf have shared his hospital
ity at different times. For many years be-
fore his death a half, breed Indian named
Loris was q frequent visitor and companion
of Jacks.
He relates pathetically that once he loved
q fair English girl, but while he was away
on one of his voyages she died, and he
never loved another and thereafter did not
care to meet the people Of the world, pre-
ferring to have the mute inhabitants of the
forest as his companions.
A Perilous Adventure.
Jack is absent on his hunting trips DAYS
at a time and gives a vivid account of
what once befell him that is worth telling
here. "a dozen years ago." said Jack, ii
got into a serious scrape. Over this noun
tain and the next one there is a little pond
swarming with trout, but it is a hard climb
to get there, as there is no pass between the
mountains, and you have to 90 over the
top OF both. The pond is almost as high
as the ridge you see over there sticking it's
back up through the clouds.
Il started off early one morning and got
TO the pond about the middle of the fore
noon. 1t was a hot morning, but l never
saw trout bite so we'll. About the middle
Of the afternoon l had got trout enough
and was ready to 70 home, and then / felt
uneasy because off in the south and south
west the thunderclouds began to pile up
and knew there was a big shower coming.
Shower come quick up here. I've known
it all clear sky and sunshine, and in less
than Is minutes it would he black as night
n pour in torrents.
when / got on the backbone of the
ridge, I saw the shower coming, and it was
growing dark fast, and the thunder rum
bled in the south. l knew l should catch
it before ! got home, and l had got pretty
we'll down to the deep gully between the
two mountains when the rain came down
~e--s