The Portland daily press., 1895-11-18


Foxcrost, November 16-UncIe.. John
Cusack, the hermit of Moose Island, has
| lust sold part of his insular domain in
Moosehead Lake, and. to this extent, has
abdicated the long seelusion in which he
has dwelt for about thirty years. He re-
tains two hundred acres, upon which his
house and stable stand. -Four hundred
acres he has sold to wealthy woman,
said to be Southerner, who will build
there her summer residence
1t was near the close of the civil war
| that John Cusack, now a hale and hearty
man of 65 years. came from Reedfield,
Me-. and pitched his camp upon Moose
Island, which subsequently he bought.
He was a man of intelligence and some
education, who had studied law Here he
operated about the headwater of Names
great rivers in the Moosehead Lake
region. Energetic, industrious. and
temperate, he became famous on the west
branch of the Penobscot for his wonderful
skill in log riding, proficiency exercised
To Rr6dU dufdutdSO Ill SOpulhS UllO hS3
drives down the broken waters OF that
swift and turbulent stream.
Not long ago there appeared in print
an account of John Cusaek's feat in
crossing the Piscataquis river at Foxcroft
standing ON thirtyfiye pound binding
pole. Such performance is common
place one for him. Frequently, on a
wager or merely to exhibit his skill. he
has crossed the broad reach of West Cove
at the foot of Moosehead Lake, on a pole
as slender, and even when upheld by
nothing more buoying than lumber
mans piokpole AS to the matter OF q
boat 70 take him from his island to the
mainland he gives himself little trouble.
To leap upon a log, with slab or sapling
for paddle, propel himself across the
dividing channel, is as much a matter of
course with him as for an urban resident
to step upon a horse car.
With such a craft he sometimes has
made strange and adventurous voyages.
Once as the steamer from Kineo ploughed
down the lake through heavy sea. the
ships company were astounded by the
sight of man in mid-lake standing
breast high in the heaving waters, with
which he was battling in seeming pursuit
of small dog that sat in full view above
the surface a few feet ahead OF him. Inc
steamer, changing her course, slowed
down to pick up John Cusack, who was
making the fourth mile of a voyage with
an old tree root as his craft and his dog
as passenger He stood upon the larger
end of the root, thereby lifting the other
end above the water, and upon this up
raised tip the dog found safe, II not
quite dry, footing. The sight OF Uncle
John and his dog making similar,
though less venturesome voyages about
the lower part of the lake is not uncom-
mon, and the dog has learned to take his
place on the dry end of the stick or root
at his masters first word Of command
In his primitive castle on Moose Island
John Cusack lives on terms as patriarchal
and friendly with the dumb animals
which are his companions as did Robin
son Crusoe with his goats. In the sum
mer his sleek oxen, sheep and poultry
forage we'll for themselves over the slopes
and fertile meadows Of the island. In the
winter, should it chance that John
Cusack desires to go away to remain for
several days, he does not trouble himself
to import man to care Tor THESE
creatures. He pitches half ton OF hay
down into the middle of the barn floor,
scatters corn and grain around where the
hens can get to it, opens the barn door SO
that they eAn go to the spring for water
at pleasure and goes away for an indefi-
mite time with assured confidence that all
will be we'll at home.
Despite his secluded and celibate life
Uncle John is a bachelor-he has no
aversion to human society, but, on the
contrary, enjoys it, and he is especially
gallant and chivalrous to the fair sex. In
the solitude of Moose Island he doesn't
find much of field for conversation, but
he makes full amends when he energies.
as he often does. into the settled com
munities. Then, by the stove of a country
store or in hotel office, he can talk a
continuous streak, without pause for rest
or refreshpaent, for six hours at stretch.
and then stop, when time at last is called
as fresh and colloquial as at the be-
ginning.
In person the hermit of Moose Island is
short and active of motion, and his hair
and full beard are now sprinkled with
gray. He dresses neatly, but on his is
land domain he is prone to discard the
use of shoes and stockings as a needless
conventionality, and it is "a cold day
when he takes the trouble to don foot
wear for an informal trip to Greenville,
the nearest base of supplies.