Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1899-09-29
LOST IN THE WOODS.
TWO VERMoNTERS HAVE AN UN-
PLEASANT EXPERIENCE IN MAINE.


Incarceration in Forest tire-spent "a
Week Finding Their Way out.
A special to the Boston Herald from
North Arson, Maine, says that one of
the most sensational incidents in the
history of Maine woodcraft is brought to
| light by the arrival in town recently OF
two sportsmen, +. l.. Mason and Maurice
j. Whitney of Barton, VT.
The gentlemen some weeks before
Sept. ! were at the Rangeley's. Sept.
they started from Cupsuptc lake of the
Rangeley system to visit the Dead river
region. They merely sought to kill
time until the open season for large
game.
They made what proved to be an al
most fatal mistake when they deter.
mined to make the trip without guide.
On Sept 2 they met one who directed
them by the nearest route to Flagstaff.
Not experienced in woodcraft they
easily lost their bearings, and when
night came on their second day they
were lost in the primeval forest of
Maine. They penetrated deeper and
deeper into the dense forest, on the alert
now to discover water with which to
quench their thirst, which was becom-
ing almost unbearable.
All that day until nearly sunset they
ploided on before they came upon a
small brook. Here they rested for the
night. Whitney, being the weaker of
the two. was completely tagged out
They took so much of the water into
their stomachs that it brought on dis
order that was weakening. The men
had had no food since the evening of
the day before.
In the morning Mason found his COM
panion suffering from high fever. Ma
son did not know what to do. lie dared
not 90 any distance from his mate.
However. he started out with his gun
along the bank of the brook, keeping
that in sight. He went up stream until
he came to an opening.
just as he entered this opening deer
came out of the bushes. While the
beast was drinking Mason fired. The
deer fell dead. He removed a quarter of
the carcass and started back to where
he had left Whitley.
When he reached the spot Whitley
was missing. Luckily, Mason heard his
friend beating about in the timber.
Rushing after Whitley, Mason came up
on him wandering, his mind deranged.
Whitley was inclined to fight and the
only way for Mason to secure him and
return him to the camp was to choke
him into insensibility and carry him
/ For five days the two men remained
in camp. Mason occasionally going up
the stream, where he found small pool
to secure brook trout, upon which he
fed his friend and himself. On these
excursions Mason always bound his
friend, so that he would find him upon
his return.
On the seventh day Whitley became
stronger and improved so fast that an
other effort was made to find civiliza-
ton. The men started out slowly, hug
cling the brook, believing that it would
take them to larger stream.
About noon of that day the air became
oppressvely hot and as afternoon wore
away smoke and ashes filled the air.
The knowledge that they were IN the
path of forest fire filled the lost men
with terror. They plodded on, Mason
for the most time supporting Whitley,
helping him until late in the afternoon,
when they began to see that they were
drawing near TO the fire. Mr.. Mason, in
telling the story. sail
1--WE halted. looked around me and
tried to learn which way the smoke was
drifting. feeling sure that that course
would be the best one for us to follow
There was but very little water in the
brook, but in places we had come across
, little pools large enough to hold both OF
US. By this time we could hear the
, cracking of the flames. and the sky was
! lighted as if by the sun. The air was
, more close, and 1t was hard to breathe.
"A spark fell into the pocket of my
5 hunting Jacket, and in little while that
side Of my coat was burning. | tool
Maurice in my arms and carried hin
across over rocks TO pool. We sal
down with our feet in the water and oul
heads bending nearly to our knees. We
2 stood this as long as we could; then We
got into the water.
( ~ cannot tell how long we lay in the
water. Burning branches from three tC
4, five inches in diameter fell into the bee
9 of the stream, half charred bark anC
T small limbs dropped into the pool and
drifted against our faces, and finally
9 when the trees on the right bank wer,
I afame, it became simply impossible tt
keep our mouths out of water for NOR,
/ than few seconds at time.
"When the heat had so reduced tina
. we could crawl out of the water we die
so. | managed to clear off the half
burned debris for space where w
might lie down. We removed our gar
ments and stood naked before the fire
Maurice soon tired of this and laid down
| kept my shoes on my feet and worked
all night long feeding the fire, running
, around, Jumping, slapping myself t.
keep up circulation. 1t was a night o
horror. Maurice was no trouble to M
then. He slept the rest of the night.
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