The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1893-01-06
LOST ON NORTH MOUNTAIN.
A HUNTING TRIP THAT WAS NEAR
LY FATAL.
OvERTAKEN BY SNOW.

a Wllliamsport correspondent OF
the Philadelphia Press of Monday
writes the following story of an adven
ture on North Mountain:
Perhaps the most thrilling adven-
ture in this section during the hunting
season which is drawing to a close is
the experience of Zeke Campbell, of
Clinton Township, one of party of
six who spent several days deer hunt
ing on the North Mountain, at point
where the counties Of Lycoming, Sui
Ivan and Columbia join. Campbell
and his party had their headquarters
at Laporte, but after an unsuccessful
days hunt in that neighborhood con
cluded TO go further into the noun
tains and "bunk' in a cabin that is To-
Gated in one of the timber belts. Dur
ing the first night in the cabin a three
inch snow fell and made tracking ex-
cellent. They had no dogs, conse-
quently next morning when the crowd
started out it was arranged that two Of
the men should cover the low lands
in the capacity of chasers, while the
others hunted along the mountain
sides where the timber growth was
not so thick, and where the deer were
likely to run when chased from the
valley.
Campbell was selected as one of
the chasers, and had proceeded along
the middle of the valley scarce half a
mile when he ran across the track of
deer in the snow. 1t was headed for
the north, while his companion chaser
was to the south of him, so it fell to
CampbelPs lot to track the game. The
prints in the snow showed that the
deer was large one, and Campbell
kept sharp lookout ahead.
THE GAME IN SIGHT.
Suddenly coming into a partially
cleared space right at the foot of the
mountain, he spied the deer, a big
buck, slowly making his way up the
mountain side, fully 800 yards in ad-
vance of him. Every now and then
it would stop to browse off the young
scrub oaks, but kept far enough ahead
of him to preclude the possibility OF a
ball from his rifle doing effective work.
Finally the deer threw its head around,
and looking down over its shoulders
caught glimpse of Campbell. Another
instant and it was off like the wind up
the mountain. Following its track in
the fresh snow Campbell reached the
top of the hills, but could discover no
signs of the other hunters having been
there.
He gave the prearranged signal and
before twenty minutes had elapsed
the other men had put in their ap'
pearance. After consultation 1t was
decided to chase the big buck. Scat
tering again the men started over onto
the next mountain Campbell follow.
ing closely the track of the deer,
which skirted along the hillside for
nearly mile, then suddenly plunged
down into the valley below.
The trail was followed until noon
without catching another glimpse Of
the deer and Campbell, being in
strange woods, concluded that it would
be well for him to get his bearings and
start cabinward. After eating lunch
which he had deposited that morning
in his game pouch, he started on q
''short cut over the mountains in the
direction of the cabin, which he cal
culated to reach before dark.
IN A STRANGE COUNTRY.
When he reached the top of the
mountain he was surprised at the i'm
nense tract of timber that lay before
him to the south, extending over the
valley and covering the next range O
hills. A dense fog had settled dowr
into the valley, but Campbell had nc
fear but that he would be able to fnC
his way back to the bunking shanty
and such would probably have beer
the case had it not been for something
that occurred in the valley. Aftel
crossing small stream which fiowec
through the thick hemlocks in the
very heart of the valley, Campbel's at
tention was attracted bYpheasant tracks
in the snow, and he concluded to lool
them up. After fully half an hour hao
passed, during which time he hao
been intently following the tracks as
they wound in and out among briar
and rocks, Campbell suddenly foune
that in his circling about he had go
completely turned around. He coul(
not tell from which direction he ha(
entered the valley, for in hie chase OF
the pheasant tracks he had crosset
and recrossed the creek, so that hi
own tracks were nothing but puz
cling net work OF footprints
FOLLOWING HIS OWN TRAKEs,
Here was a pretty muddle. Th
foe hung thick and heavy, making
impossible to see more than fifty yard
in advance. He knew that in the val
lev II would oct dark early, and whic|