The Portland daily press., 1894-11-07
ON THE MOPANG.
A Portland Drummer's Experience
Deer Hunting.

Scenes and Adventures in the Woods
| "A week ago there started out from the vii
]age of Columbia Falls party of hunter s
consisting OF three persons. bound for the
! regions of Mopang' which are at the head
| of the Machias river. The party consisted
| of Timothy. the guide, man skilled in the
arts of woodcra1t ana one of the oldest
! hunters on the river, a young man of TWEEN
| ty, native of the town who had often.been
| on similar expeditions, and the writer the
only tenderfoot of the party These three
| were accompanied by young man built on
| the bean pole plan who was to drive them to
| their destination and come up at the end of
the trip after them and the game.
| After a drive of some fifteen miles to the
| north over the noted bluueberry plains of
Washington county they fo1ded Mopang
stream at Six Mile Dam and changing their
course to the northeat headed for the camp
which is situated in the Cripple Land,
near the foot of ''Old Buck mountain"
The camp was one built especially for the
accommodation of hunters and belonged to
the guide. 1t was structure of hemlook
boards eighteen by twenty-four feet. fitted
with hunks upon either side, a long table
and cook stove in one corner. 1t was To-
Gated on a little knoll at the foot of which
dubbed a little brook which empties into
Mopang at the loot of House Rock Falls"
The remainder of the first afternoon after
their arrival was spent in putting the camp
to rights, cleaning guns. ohopping wood
and making preparations for the expected
slaughter of the morrow. The evening was
spent in telling stories. all but the tender
foot, relating their experiences and marvel
Gus shots on similar occasions each trying
to Guido the other in his eyes, while at in
tervals Phil would venture a remark as to
what he ould do upon the morrow.
At an early hour the guide remarked that
1t was time to turn in as it was about two
miles to the new burn.''a favorite feeding
place for deer, and it would be necessary to
be there at the crack of day. as soon
after sunrise the deer retreat to the grassy
swamps where they stay during the day.
coming out only during che Light to feed.
Soon the silence was unbroken except by
the persistent gnawing of mouse which
had taken mp his abode under the floor OF
the camp. This mouse alarmed the tender
foot who reached out and rousing the guide
asked in a low voice as to the nature of
the beast which prevented him from falling
into the arms of Morpheus. The dIowsy re-
ply was 'Its porcu hog,'' with which
answer the tenderfoot had to be content al
though he made a mental note that he
would consult Webster upon the first OPP
portunity. Long, before sunrise Timothy
arose and by the rattle of stove covers and
dishes awoke the sleepers and said that
they had barely time to reach the hunting
ground before sunrise, SO amid yawns and
stretches they reluctantly turned out and
swallowing their breakfast, grasped their
rifles and hurried out into the early morn
ing. They patiently waited but it seemed
to be either fast day among the deer. or
else they had been forewarned of the army
of deer slayers near at hama and had re-
treated to the dense swamps.
After patiently waiting they returned to
the camp for dinner, empty handed, but
vera assured by the glide that that was
only one of the several tramps he had in
view and said that after dinner they would
visit ''Lany brook swamp and hoped for
better luck. On arriving at the swamp he
stationed them at the points where the deer
were most likely to come out and going
around to the other side came through it to-
ward them once in a while initiating the
bark of dog so as to drive any deer that
p6fCud uC6 lutSuL W uluQ6A WltulQ, OUT Dy
them. He had scarcely uttered the first
yeIp when out bounded three deer within
about a hundred yards of where the tender
foot was statione4., He deliberately aimed
at the leader and fired but alas she passed
as he afterwards desciibed it forty feet
at jump and at opaGe that would put to
shame the peerless Alix and diappea1 ed
again in the swamp followed by the other
=
the wood Phil again raised his gun and
taking careful aim pulled the trigger but
alas he had forgotten to pack the empty
shell and the firing pin clicked like
marine clock and left him standing in awe
struck wonder, to recover his first attack
of buck fever. On the way back to camp they
came across another new burn when
they determined to make another still hunt
till sunset in hopes of seeing deer that
might stray out to feed. Frank was on a big
rock near the edge of the swamp, Phil
away off to the westward and Timothy
to the southwark of him. They had waited
pa tiently till nearly dark when a low
whistle attracted their attention and Frank
was seen violently reckoning for the others
to come. They hurried to where he was
standing and all out of breath he said that
a bear was building his den in the edge of
the swamp and that they must come over
and help him shoot it. They hurried to the
spot as quietly as possible and could hear
cracking of bushes near the edge of the
swamp. Says Frank. He has been right
there ever since have been here, but | did
not dare go in and shoot him SO l waited
for him to come out" They all orept up to
the swamp but the bear was moving off
through the under brush farther into the
swamp and as it was now dark they gave
up the chase. Upon Investigating next day
we found wher he had been making his
evening meal upon berries that grew in
abundance there. If the veteran Timothy
had been there they might have Toasted
that night upon bear steak, but as it was
their supper consisted of corned beef.
more tired and Disguised crowd never was.
than these hunters when they returned to
camp. Their prospective venison had not
been brought in on account of the attack
of buck fever experienced by the tendertoot
and the bear steak was still roaming
among the swamps on account of the per-
sonaI desire of Frank to kill a bear single