The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1893-10-17
ENGLISH JACK AND HIS CABIN.

a skin cap, his leathery face, horny hands
and nondescript apparel are in keeping
with his surroundings.
prevailed upon him to stand in front of
his cabin while took picture of It. But
not until after ] consented to let him put
on his best clothes, u suit which some one
had given him, and a hat much too small.
would he be taken, and thus the pictur-
esqueness OF his appearance was lost.
Crusoe Life.
Jacks life he's been an eventful one.
Born in 1927, he followed the sea a great
part of his early days. For 81 years he
sailed the world over in government and
merchant vessels under many flags. He
was wrecked five times-once on an island.
where he led a Crusoe life for two wears
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 live frog diet. Disgusting as
is the fact, l easily proved it by giving him
quarter, for which he actually selected
lively specimen of frog from among his
stock, which he says he Keeps to fatten, and
swallowed it whole. l inquired ii it didn't
KICK after 1T was down, to which he re-
piled, "Oh, 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 i'll the Crimea and re-
mcmbered Lord Raglan and Sir Colin
Campbell, who Was create cd 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 bayonet wound in the face
He says he never saw any large Amcri-
can city except New York, where he staid
for few hours 35 years ago. He has
lived in his present home some 25 years
and subsists on the game he catches,
the products of his little garden and the
berries and nuts the woods afford. He
i.as had some peculiar companions be-
sides his present family and at one time
had dog and deer, a pig and lamb, all
Of which he taught to drink his root Deer.
y bear and q wolf have shared his hospital
ity Mt different times For many years be-
fore his death half breed Indian named
Loris was frequent visitor and companion
of Jacks.
lie relates pathctcally that once he loved
fair English girl, bur 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 Pcrilous Adventure.
Jack is absent on his hunting trips days
at n time and gives vivid account of
what once befell him that is worth telling
here. IA dozen years ago said Jack, II
got into serious scrape. Over this noun
tain and the next one there is Il little pond
swarming with trout, but il is n hard climb
to get there, rs there is no pass between the
mountains, and you have to 90 over the
top of both. The pond is almost rs high
as the ridge you see over there sticking its
back up through the clouds
II started off early one morning and got
to the pond about the middle of the fore
noon. 1t was hot morning, but | never
saw trout bite so well. About the middle
of the afternoon had got trout enough
and was ready to go home, and then felt
uneasy because oil il the south and south
west the thundcrclouds began to pile up,
and knew there was II big shower coming.
| Showers come quick up here. I've known
D., it all clear sky and sunshine. and in less
| than 10 minutes it would be black as night
| and pour in torrents.
When l got on the backbone of the
| ridge, l saw the shower coming, and it was
| growing dark fast, and the thunder rum
| bled in the south. knew should catch
! il before got home, and had got pretty
well down to the deep gully between the
| two mountains when the rain came down