The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1900-10-22
LOST IN THE WOODS.
Judge Cram Spent Many Hours Alone
in the Cold and Rain.

from northern Piscataquis county, bring
ing with him two deer as a result Of
ten days cunning trip, had an experience
on Houston mountain that he Will re-
member to the end of his days.
He was accompanied on the trip by his
wife and son and Mrs. Grams parents.
Mr.. and Mrs. Robert W. Lord Of Kenne-
bunk. They went up on the Bangor &
Aroostook railroad to Katahdin Iron
Works, climbed and descended the noun
tain to Houston Pond camp, and there
passed a week whose enjoyment was
marred only by bad weather and the oc-
curreuce referred to.
Having long enjoyed the reputation of
being one of Names best rifle shots, and
feeling thoroughly at home in the woods,
Judge Cram didn't engage the services
of guide, but Mr.. Lord employed one
for his own benefit. Judge Cram pre-
ferred to do his hunting all by himself. He
doesn't believe in a hunter1Weighing him
self down with clothing, and, despite the
advice Of the other sportsmen in the
camp, he wore that morni ng nothing but
thin cotton shirt, trousers, cotton
stockings, moceasins and little round
cap-no coat, vest OF underwear.
Mrs. Arnold offered to put up lunch
for him, but he didn't care to be both
cred with bag or hamper. 1t was ar
ranged. however, that Mr.. Lord and the
guide should meet him about noon, at
certain place on Little Houston. But
downpour in the forenoon brought Mr..
Lord and the guide back to camp.
Failing to meet the luncheon party at
the appointed time, Judge Cram resumed
his hunt, taking up trail in the direc-
ton Of Big Houston mountain. In the
afternoon he got on the track OF a deer
and kept on till he reached the top Of Big
Houston, where he overlook and shot the
coveted prize-a fine buck.
Some time was spent in stringing up
! the buck to a sapling, and marking the
trees SO that the carcass could readily be
located when the hunter returned next
morning. When Judge Cram started
down the mountain side, darkness was
rapidly settling over the valley. Soon it
became impossible for him to make any
percepstble progress and he made up his
mind that he was booked for night on
the mountain,
1t was still raining, with no prospect Of
let-up during the night. He con-
structed a temporary lodge of boughs,
but shutting out the peItlng rain was
beyond his power. He gathered some
strips Of birch bark and started fire,
but everything was so wet that the fire
needed constant blowing to keep it alive.
After two hours or more at trying to keep
the Goals aglow, he came to the conclu-
sion that he needed his ''wind'' for a
better purpose, and he abandoned the
attempt. Between long periods of violent
caiisthenics he caught an occasional
forty winks."
Thus the night wore on. Meanwhile.
despair reigned in Houston Pond camp.
John Arnold, his son, Mr.. Lord and the
guide started out, after supper, with Ian
terms and followed up the mountain road
some distance, exercising their vocal pow
ers at frequent intervals. Three gun
shots, fired as a signal, we're answered
by report from Judge Grams rifle. The
! sound seemed to come from the direction
of Big Houston. but was so indistinci
that the searchers were convinced of the
hOpelessness Of their quest.
The ''hallooing'" was heard down at
Wadleigh;s camp, on Houston stream
and some of his poplar cutters joined II
the hunt, but they too accepted the the
DRY that 1T was useless to begin an organ
lied search till after daylight.
/
J sleep on his couch in Porcupine lodge
1t is needless to add that he wasn't the
only member of the York county party
that PASSED bad night.
Early in the morning Arnold started il
one direction, his son ana the guide in
another, and some of Wadleigh's crew
came to ArnoId's camp and offered their
services.
About six O'Clock, after one of thu
searching parties had started out judge
Gram, soaked to the skin, and looking al
hungry as bear in early spring, ap
peared at the camp. The heartiness O
his reception can readily be imagined.
Between draughts OF steaming coffee
and mouthfuls of juicy venison, he re
| ~~~S~A NAO OOO4J VI Lib 0OfCAONAOs LII
wind was in his direction, he said, and hi
could hear the bail OF the searchers. II
response he shouted, at the top of hi
lungs that it was useless for them to at
tempt to locate him, and that he was al
right for the night, The wet stockingl
bothered him little, toward morning
and he pulled them off and made TN
journey to camp with them in his pock
cts.
Thanks to his remarkable physic cal con
dltion, due to ira lining which he has reg
ularly continued since he was stroke GA
on the Bowdoin college crew, Judge Gran
didn't even take cold during his long
night Of exposure.
When he and Mr.. Lord concluded thei
week 5 cunning at Houston Pond, thel
each had buck and doe to carry home
| with them.