The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-05-17
THE WooDsMAN,s JACKKy1FE.
He Could Ciothe and Feed Himself with II
II Cast on n Desert Island.

Sometimes a novelist sees At to cast his heru
and heroine on an island, uninhabited, and
out of the path Of ships. These heroes are a
lucky lot-fools for luck, as one may say. For
a day or two they have a pretty hard time of II.
but the novelist provides for them, very prop
erly. with n crystal clear spring of water. an
abundance of mussels and six-hundred- weight
turtles. the novelist also provides other
things which the hero ought to be able TO get
for himself. The hero usually has some cigars.
shawl, hat boxes, trunk, plenty OF clothes. some
prepared dry food. a jackknife. and some 9th.
er things of his own picking, while the hero
inc has a full line of dress goods. While tho
hero and heroine are hunting around looking
for a furnished fiat, as 1t were. night comes on,
and the first night Is passed sleeping on the
sand. hut next day the pair find the fiat and
go TO housekeeping, mourning their fate and
falling In love with one another.
II the heroes were not moro or less lacking
IN horse sense they would escape even that
first nights sleep in the sand, They would pu.
up a lesn-to shelter camp. such as any Adiron-
trunks MS high mp as he could reach with his
jaCkknife 10 get the bark, and never a night
canopy of heaven, exposed to the weather
Well, scarcely, Furthermore, the heroine
would have a bed Of leaves, and in the lack OF
DadclOthes. cOverllds of leaves, too,
all a w%oodsman would, absolutely need on
such a troplcal island as heroes are cast upon
but = knife would do, II a heroine were along
a pair Of trousers and a shirt would be useful,
TO keep the sun from blIsterlng his back. The
lean-to camp which he would put up with the
aid of his knife would be as comfortable rs IA
house. more 20 than the cave provided by tho
novelist, When the woodsman got hungry he
would cast about for a meal. Fire he would
have provided with two stones and some dry
wood dust, the borings of an insect. The clans
would be roasted as they were picked up, from
the beach, and, salt the sea water would pro
vide, When the meat, was cooked the shells
would open freely, and a mess would be pro
= thoroughly enjoyable meal. sheltered from
the sun In the lean, to, he would set deadfalls
and snsres made from, roots, or climbing vines
would be provided. What was not used would
be isrked like yenison or smoked IKE nam and
redhOt embers, the pith or trees, or pulverized
dried fruit might make pancakes and bread. or
pleasing sunstitntes' rish WoHiu oe DOH
wood hooks.
ADDED 20 these things, the woodsman would
make u bow and arrow Outtit. He would teach
the heroine how To Use them AS we'll as how to
set traps and snares. The chances are that
she alone IN a t"w days would he able 10 pro,
vidS a sufigiency Of food. All the bird and
IN the salt water OF the ocean and worked till
pliable ty the castaways' hands, stout fish lines
raiment he lacking clothes would be proS ided.
II IL happened Ia bo the birdI esting sep-
son, nests OF the larger birds would be raided
for the fresh eggs very likely dozens OF nests
would be found and an egg or two taken from
euch would be replaced from day to day. When
it came 10 dread spectre or beast the woods-
trail ID to It's den, lie would not worry for
weeks about a monkey that may have left its
tracks somewhere in sand, leaves, or mess. II
himself and a heroine or 80 with nothing hut
a ~iaCkknife, but any additional Tools and
things would be appreciated.