The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-08-04
Fishermen Chased by a Moose.
IFrom the Kew York Sun

FROM the New YORK sun.
Frank Crockett and William Meharr
have returned from a fishing trip to
Musquash Lake with the strangest
moose story of the season. It has been
known since last winter that two cows
and a bull moose were in the vicinity
of the point where they camped. They
were fishing about a hundred yards
from the shore catching pickereI one
day, when Crockett discovered a calf
moose swimming in the lake.
They watched the actions Of the
young moose for some time in astOnish-
ment. The calf would swim from one
point to another, making a distance Of
about 300 feet. His progress was slow,
and he appeared to be taking swim
ming lessons. At each point the little
fellow would take q short rest and
again make the trip, each time ventur-
ing into deeper water. Many times in
the progress of his practice he would
float mOtionless with nothing but his
nose out of the water. The wind was
blowing toward the fishermen and
brought the moose nearer to them each
time the little fellow found himself out
beyond his proposed course at the mo-
ment when he caught sight of the boat
Crockett and Meharr had remained
perfectly silent until the little fellow
had raised his head and began making
rapid progress for the shore. Then both
men dropped their fishing tackle. Me-
harr grabbed the oars while Crockett
pu1teQ the kllUCk rope ana soon d race
was in progress. Before the calf had.
gone a hundred feet the boat was up
alongside and Crockett grabbed him
with both hands around the neck. Me-
harr dropped the oars and assisted in
lifting the moose into the boat. The
little fellow was nearly exhausted with
fright and trembled like a poplar leaf
at first, but before Meharr had begun
to row he made desperate attempt to
escape, leaDing over the side of the
boat. He kicked vigorously, but was
again placed in the bottom of the boat
and this time his legs were tied with a
rope.
The fishermen were talking to each
other about the best plan for keeping
the prisoner without the knowledge Of
the game Wardens, when the moose be-
the forest. Almost with the first call
an answer came from the bushes on
the shore, a loud, mournful below, a
sound familiar to all hunters during the
moose mating time.
With the second cry from the calf the
COW moose move OVEN IN siighL on the Deaeh
water. believing and tearing the ground
with her feet. A splash of the oars at
ana she plunged into the water making
straight for the boat.
The speed with which she proceeded
through the water was marvellous. Before
the fishermen had realized her intentions
With ali his might straight for the center
of the lake. It was anybody's race for a
few hundred yards and the air was filled
with beats from the calf and orders to
Meharr from Crockett to pull for heavens
sake.
minutes and were cOngratulating them
selves, when all of a sudden the boat be
gan to decribe a circle and in spite of Me-
harris efforts It continued to go round and
round. The COW moose, that almost given
UP in despair, took second squirt and
gained until she was less than ten feet
away. Crockett then discovered that the
killick rope had fallen overheard or had
been kicked over by the calf and he be-
harr gave one desperate pull and broke
the right oar off close up to the rOwloclI.
Seing the situation Meharr abandoned the
idea of escaping with the prisoner and
proposed to set the calf free in order to
save the boat. He whipped out his jack
knife and began cutting the ropes that
bound the prisoner. Before his work
done the moose had reached the boat and
got both forward feet in over its side.
In a moment, the calf, Crockett. Meharr
and ali went overheard into the lake. Me-
harr and Crockett both made for the oppO-
site shore, swimming with all their might
The calf and COW moose went back to
the shore.
swimmers, but might have lost their lives
had not assistance arrived Just then. DR..
Johnson. Otis Taylor, Daniel Lane and
Noses Brown, who were fishing IN Sweet
Cove. heard the believing and yelling, and
leaving their fishing tackle, set out to see
what was up. johnson and Taylor arriv-
ed around the point in time to see the
boat tip over. Both Meharr and Crockett
The moose are still in the woods near the
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