The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-08-18
IRON RANGE ANIMAL LIFE
DENIzENs OF WOODS BREAK TILE
MONoToNY OF CAMP LIFE

MONOIONY OF CAMP LIFE
The Porcupine and the Bear-Bruin an
Assidious Foraeer for Food of the
Miners-Deer and Squirrels Plentiful
and Not Much Abashed by the Pres
ence of Mankind.
1t might be assumed that life in
camps Of iron ore explorers on the
Western Mesaba range would become
monotonous, but such is not the case.
In the first place, the camps are so
plentiful that mining neighborhoods
are not many miles apart, and then the
woods themselves furnish much that is
interesting and often exciting, for the
Western Mesaba is a wilderness, and
full of game both big and little.
These animals have their own pecu-
liar ways of recognizing the presence
OF men and the welcome to their forest
home is more or less cordial according
10 the nature of the animal The moose
fesents the encroachment of mankind.
tie, above all other wild beasts Of the
forests, froWnS on all that saVors of
clVtllZatlon. The tinnid deer hovers
about the camps, and occasionally ex-
nlDlts a boldneSS that must sometimes
surprise Itself. The deer is bold ac-
cordlng as its experience with hunters
mas been much or little The bear.
with his curious mixture of Ignorance
and wisdom, always droll and interest
ing, never seems to be surprised at
anything. If man invades his terri
tory he may always be depended upon
to turn the visit to account if the
former does not watch out. Bruin will
not look for a chance to eat the man.
but he will eat up in twenty n1inl1tes ali
the grub that two men can pack if he
can get at it, and he is not easily driy-
en- away if he once gets q taste of
something that tickIes his palate lust
right
the porcupine is an animal that is
OF interest to anybody who is ac-
quainted with this peculiar beast and
It's haDlts. There is a fine for killing
one OF them, and there ought to be,
Tor the porcupine is the only animal
suitable for food that a man lost in
the woods, and without a gun. can
capture. They are often found on the
killed with a club.
For this reason men who snnnd
much time in the woods are preiudiced
against porcupines, and many kill the
ANIMALS at every opportunity Porcu-
pines are pest in a cer&ain way. Like
the bear, they ARE OUT for ANYTHING
worth eating that they can get hold
OF around a camp Unlike a bear,
however, they will eat things that in
experienced men would never dream of
their touching.
Porcupines Eat Dynamite.
Speaking of porcupines, a very
laughaple thIng happened at one of the
drills which is being operated half a
mile from Nashwau says the Duluth
News Tribune. Two or three porcu-
pines visited the place at night and
ate UP a large quantity Of dynamite.
Ihey then ate the handles off a couple
OF axes, being attracted, it is supposed,
by the sweat on the wood.
II TINS were not a true story it might
DE stated that one or more of the por-
cuplnes suffered a shock of some kind
aIter eating the dynamite, and ex-
pIoded. But so far as known thew
maze good with the deadly explosive
as an article of food, and live to this
day to tell the story in the porcupine
tongue.
- Ills ocliIlS CdI1ID a pear was aR-
cuStomed to drop around occasionally
at night to see if there was ANYTHING
DONG. One night he smelled some-
lnlng good to eat in the big tool chest
Whlch stood near the drill, and he pro-
ceeded to get at it. The bear rolled
the chest over few times and at last
tore the cover off. He had been at
tracted by the smell of some bread
ana Dutter and scraps of bacon The
pear must have had a great struggle
with the chest, for there was eyery
indication of it.
Al one OF the mining camps in the
nelghborhood of Nashwauk a bear wa,
accustomed to dropping suddenly out
OF the woods to the door of the cann
Kltchen. The cook tried to dynamite
DfuIn, but he was too foxy The cook
at last fired the dynamite Just to scare
MN, and it had the desired effect, but
ne was back the next day. Later he
was Shot
Deer take strange fancies sometimes
as IS attested by the actions of one
at Mallman'S camp on the west side
81 OXmde lake. A doe appeared at
the camp one day and the men did
all they could to encourage a better
acquaintance. The animal would eat
potato peelings, salt, sugar, etc, but
would allow nobody to touch her. The
man Who would injure that doe would
De severely dealt with by the mining
crew II they should catch him at it.
The red squirrels are a feature of
animal life of the Western Mesaba.
They simply swarm in that region.
They are the boldest and most sue
cesSful thieves of the animal king
dom there. At the camp at the Hawk
ms mine the cook spends all his spare
time shooting them, but without seem
Ihgly reducing their numbers.
The squirrels are so bold that they
Will steal slices of bread from. the din
ing room table, work the lids off the
dinner pals Of workmen whose duties
take them far from the camp, and COM
nit other amusing but aggrayating
depredations.
Squirrels Refuge.
John A. Longyear was standing near
the camp one day when a red squirrel
was closely pursued by a dog. There
was no tree handy, so Mr.. Squirrel
promptly made for Mr.. Longyear and
Scurried up to his shoulder where he
scolded the dog viciously. Mr.. Long
year, under the circumstances. could
Go nothing less than protect the little
animal that had reposed confidence
IN him in it's hour of distress.
Some people complain that mosoui-
toes are very bad on the Western Me-
SABA this year, but old Woodsmen and
explorers calmly assert that there are
none at all as compared with what
they nave seen. A we'll known Duluth
mining man, who is skilled in wood
craft, and knows northern Minnesota
better than the Indians ever knew If
says that there are no mosquitoes this
YEAR