The Republican journal., 1898-01-27

and we look quickly around at each other
to see what is the matter, and find out to
our sorrow, for the repeater cracks again,
and this time proves fatal to our noble
buck. Ben, who is somewhat of PAGER,
had stolen the march on US by taking a
shorter cut, and had the honor of splitting
the first blood. Well, believe Ben was
the happiest man in the State of Maine,
and when choose Moss came running
up, his congratulations only added an
other feather to his hat. This is BEN S
first deer. The most delightful reminis-
cence of the average New England hunter
is the recollection of how he got his first
deer. The scene, even to its smallest de-
tail, is indelibly impressed on his mind,
and memory never proves treacherous to
him who would recall the experience, and
he is ever ready to tell his friends just
how the deed was done. The rest of the
party spent the day in exploring the
mountain.
During the night two caribou came
within ten feet of our tent, took circle
and headed for the swamps below. The
next morning was fair and fine and when
the cook called "Bean on table, all were
at their places and ate with will. We
got an early start and each man struck off
in different direction except ST and l, for
we had concluded to follow up the trail of
the two caribou that had visited our door
yard during the night. After having pro-
ceeded for perhaps four miles we entered
the swamp and were obliged to advance
with the greatest caution to avoid the
slightest sound which might betray our
presence and give the alarm. With two
men the risk of doing this is increased in
geometrical ratio.
The caribou we were tracking had evil
IDENTITY been started by our noise and we
| concluded to abandon the chase and look
for deer. Upon this stage of our journey
the noble forest of spruce through which
we had travelled bore only too plainly the
signs of man presence in the past and Of
his injurious disregard of the future. Dur
! ing the afternoon | strolled farther up the
mountain in the hopes of a shot at stray
/ deer and to have look at the lay of the
land. A bear track | saw and good deer
/ sign also. | had gone about mile in this
/ fashion and had stopped for a moments
rest when | heard a crash in the bushes
some distance ahead and almost at the
same moment saw fine doe coming in
my direction, but well up on the right. She
evidently had not sighted me yet, but
when about sixty rods away she stopped
and looked in my direction. The rifle
was already at my shoulder and before
she could bound away fired and through
the smoke saw her lying on the ground.
The report of my rifle had aroused the
the curiosity of Ben, who happened to be
quite near, and while | was bleeding her
he made his appearance. After dressing
her we took two straps which Ben had
around his waist, made them fast around
her neck and dragged her down the noun
tain to the four corners of the tote roads,
where we hung her up on a tree.
1t being quite late we now started for
camp. We had not gone mile when
big doe jumped up within twenty steps of
| yelled ''Well, shoot. shoot! Why in
the world don't you shoot?" shouted Ben.
Bang! bang, went my Winchester, but l
never touched her and Ben had to ring in
his Ballard to save her, which he did to
perfection. OF course he had the laugh
on me, but what did care. Twas think
ing of the fun we were having. After
dressing her we journeyed on, and on our
way we overlook Ed with a small buck on
his back which he caught mapping in a
ravne on the side of little knoll Upon
arrival at camp Ed and Frank dressed him
and we had some venison steak for sup
per. This was very young one and, ye
gods, what eating! All was merry as Il
marriage bell in camp.
The next day proved successful to "Si''
and Ed, both hanging up fine doe. ''Si''
shot his on his return to camp, as she was
about to cross the road, and Ed hung his
up after hard chase around the foot of
the mountain.
AT sunrise next morning we started for
the top of Old Katahdin, and at South
Branch dam we were joined by Ed Rogers.
This young man is a veteran of the woods
and very persistent in the chase. If their
are any caribou in the region he visits he is
pretty sure to find them. We pressed on
to McCloud's camps at the foot of the
mountain, where we ate dinner and had a
good rest, after which we started on the
hardest part OF our trip, that of climbing
the mountain trail, which is a new one
made under the direction of Ed Rogers.
Ii was hard climbing at first and Choose
Moss had dropped behind with fatigue,
but, after being relieved of his pack by
Ed. p. and Frank, he did very well, con-
sideripg his speed, which was slow. We
followed our leaders up the base Of the
mountain for three miles. We passed the
great timber chuteS of astonishing length
and upon an angle of about % degrees in
pitch, down which logs are slid one after
another from the great spruce forests
above to the yards near the McCloud' S
camps, where they are loaded on to sleds
and hauled to the river Frank, Ben and
Ed Rogers had gone ahead to get the fire
wood ready before dark.
One by one we arrived at the little log
camp at the edge of the timber lands on
top of the mountain, and last, but not
least, came old Choose Moss on his
hands and knees, a total wreck. But a
good supper and plenty of hot drink re-
vived our spirits and we turned in. The
bunk was seven feet wide and there were
St ven of us to use it. | had broken my
belt axe handle, SO | concluded to sit up
and make new one and tend the fire.
The rest had wedged themselves into the
bunk. The thermometer was below zero
that night and l had to keep the fire at
white heat all the time | sat there on
log used for deacon seat and slid from
one end to the other first too hot and then
too cold, until got hungry. Then l ate
a little, smoked considerable and dried
the leggings and gloves for the whole
crew. At midnight awoke Ed. P. and
exchanged places with him. 1t was the
! highest place | ever found ST whose