Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1901-03-25
Death Rock.


Among the first to build his cabin
on the steep bank overlooking the
smiling valley of the Saco, was a man
who bore the name of Luke Garland.
With his wife and child he had
made the long journey through the
trackless forest, from the settlement
at Dover to this spot, which he had
selected for new home.
Once arrived there, he had hastily
thrown up a temporary shelter, COM
posed of rocks and bark stripped
from the trunks of the hemlock and
the birch, and, with his family
housed therein, he set to work to
build a stout. substantial cabin, that
would defy the elements and the wild
beasts and savages that roamed
through the forest.
It was the work of weeks to finish
it to his mind; but at last it was
completed, much to his pride and
satisfaction, and they took up their
abode therein.
This done, he turned his attention
to the forest below the banks on
determination of getting as large a
spot cleared as possible for the. recep-
ton of seed the ensuing spring. I'm
til then he had to depend upon his
rifle alone to provide the food neces-
sary for their sustenance.
But this was an easy task. The
forest and mountains abounded in
game, and when he went forth in
quest if it he never returned empty
handed.
For a couple of months after they
had become settled in their new home
all went we'll with them.
Lukes wife, who had at first felt
timid at being SO far removed from
neighbors, got over this in great
measure, and became contented with
her new home.
Now and then party of redskins
would make their appearance at the
cabin, causing a momentary sensa-
ton of fear; but as they appeared
peaceably inclined this feeling soon
passed off.
The cabin stood almost upon the
Notch to the regions beyond, and it
was owing to this fact that it had so
many visits from the red men.
Luke Garland always treated them
with courtesy, and, when food was
plenty in the cabin, they never went
away hungry.
Thus the summer passed and the
early autumn days were upon them.
Already the naples on the sides of
the mountains had donned their robes
of crimson and gold, and high on the
topmost bluffs the snow-white tracks
of winter became visible.
One day the settler took his rifle
and plunged into the forest in search
of a new supply of food. He was
not so lucky as was his wont, and
when at last he started deer his ill.,
luck pursued him, for instead of his
bullet bringing the game down it only
inflicted wound and the deer bound
ed swiftly away through the forest.
Hastily reloading his rifle, Luke fol-
lowed swiftly along the bloody trail.
From the amount of blood the crea-
ture was losing he felt sure that it
could not run far before it would
sink to the earth. But he had mis-
calculated the strength of the animal,
which led him over nearly mile of
ground before he came upon it, lying
dead in it's tracks.
Throwing the carcass across his
shoulder he lost no time in turning
his footsteps homeward.
For something like an hour he kept
steadily on his way and then his
course took him across the Indian
trail of which we have before spoken.
Standing upon it he hesitated for a
moment which way to take. To follow
it would make the distance home a
little greater; but then he knew that
the way was smoother, and this was of
> consequence, considering the burden
he bore.
He decided to take the trail, and
without further loss of time hurried
onward, but had gone hardly a dozen
rods before he paused abruptly. Cast
ing his eyes down at his feet as it were
by chance, he had seen something
that had instantly brought him to a
standstill. 1t was the imprint of a
woman's foot on the soft earth.
For an instant he stood as motion
less as though made of stone, gazing
upon it. He knew as we'll as though
he had seen her leave it there, that it
was his wife's.
In another instant the truth had
forced itself upon his mind--his wife
was being carried off by the Indians.
Perchance his child had been muir
dered and his cabin given to the
flames. The thought chilled his blood
and made his heart stand still.
But it was only for moment that
this spell vas upon him With
thud the carcass of the deer
struck upon the earth, and an instant
after Luke was bounding along the
trail, with but one thought in his