Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1902-08-20
DEVIL TALES.
The Hold They Have on Residents in
Northern Maine.

NOrtHeFn MAINE.
No one knows who invented the devil
tales of northern Maine and Canada. They
were current when the first Yankee mis-
sionary penetrated the wilderness between
Portland and Montreal, and spotted out
path for Benedict Arnold and his hungry
men to follow when they marched
against Canada at the outbreak OF the
Revolution.
The original Indians were pantheists,
and all the French settlers in Canada were
Catholic, so 1t is hardly possible to derive
the flying terrishault and his associate de
mons from any mixture OF the two faiths.
Learned men who have investigated the
subject believe that the tales are a survival
of aged stories told by the French people
years ago to keep their children from run
ming in the woods and meeting dangerous
Wild animals.
A few weeks ago John Armstrong, up at
Shirley, learned to his cost how deeply
these ancient beliefs are rooted in Il e
minds of Canadian woodsmen. Arm
rong has drive on the West Branch,
and sent up crew of fresh men in June
to help in hurrying the logs to market.
They were farmers from New Bruins
wick who had never worked in the v GODS
before, aud were therefore easy prey for the
hardened woodsmen. First the woods
men told them that the mountain sides
aroond Churchill lake were infested with
wetheriicks, that were capable Of pulling
down log howell and carrying of horse.
AS a rule the wetherlick was not an
enemy to men. II new man on coming
to camp would leave pound OF plug to-
bacco on the howell steps in the first week
of his stay, no wetherlick would harm
him.
As soon as the old hands had made
levy OF tobacco in this way, they began to
tell about the sidehiIl winder, beast that
was halt rabbit and half panther, and
could RON as fast as cloud shadow when
it raced before a west wind across the
lake.
1t was clad in scale armor, SO no bullet
could harm its life, ana when hungry it
had been known 10 devour a campful of
men at one meal.
There was only one way of avoiding the
wrath of the sidehill winder. If new
man wished to escape this dangerous foe,
he must deposit a quart of liquor at the
forks of the logging road on the side of
the mountain. After drinking it, the
sidehill winder would feel gay, and try to
run around the base OF the mountain from
right to left, thus bringing its short legs
on the down hill side, and causing 1t to
travel so slowly that a swift man could
catch il, and choke it until 1t promised to
reform.
No sooner had the late arrivals paid the
price OF safety from the sidehill winder
than they were made acquainted with the
punishment the flying terrishault could
infiict unless it was kept supplied with
both whiskey and tobacco. According to
the reports made by the lumbermen, the
flying terrishault is a modern griffin with
leather wings, long bill with teeth on
both jaws, and eyes so bright that they
could be seen across the lake on dark
night. 1t had but one leg, which ter
minated in moustrous cloven hoof,
showing conclusively that it was closely
related to Satan.
The new corners had by this time been
among their associates long enough to
learn that they did not tell the whole
truth at all times, and when the fresh
demand for whiskey and double thick
plug was made, they suspected hoax.
To convince them the old lumbermen got
the carpenter to hew gigantic cloven
hoof from pine log. With this a series
OF tracks was made in the mud along the
stream.
The next morning when the cook went
along the stream in the wangen boat to
deal out the second breakfast to the crew,
he met fourteen very pale men wading
waist deep in the water, and hurrying for
the camp. He recognized them as the
crew lately sent in by Armstrong, and
asked them what they wanted.
aZe hyin' terrishault," they cried,