The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-10-19
CHAPTER

cLAPTER X.
Tor more than week Thorpe had journeyed through
hs forest His equipment was simple in the extreme
Attached to heavy leather belt cartridges
kro-pound axe and sheath knife. In pocket
posed compass. alright tin and
arawn on oiled paper OF district divided into sections
EoInc Few OF the sections We're colored indicated
tha, e eT to pa All ii b
repeating rife The pack. If opened. would have been
tackle twenty pounds or SO of -four package OF tea
sugar. slab OF bacon carefully wrapped in oiled CLOTH
salt suit Of underwear. and several extra pairs of
thick stockings. To the of the pack had been
strapped = frying pan. a tin pail and a cup.
OF man excepting always the
Many before. officials had careless
These latter stated always the section the township and
the range east or west by number All THORPE had to
DO Was to find TIE same figures on his map He knew
The map he had procured at United States Land
onace in Detroit. He had purpose OF
looking suitable bunch OF pine in the pen
Ursula, which the time practically untouched.
Access to the interior only on foot or
by river The South Shore Railroad had yet
smaller places along the coast numbering
at home: but they shipped entirely by water
Thorpe with the far-sightedness Of the pioneer
perceived that the exploitation OF the country
accessible as it seemed. for the carrying
trade would day realize that the entire waterway
OF the Lakes offered unrivalled outlet With
that discovery would begin country.
He resolved anticipate it, and acquiring hold
tngs before general attention should be turned that
obtain the best.
He without money and practically without
lively dollars half dollar quar-
cash down. But he relied the good
explorations would furnish, the wonderful advantage of
logging new country with the chair OF Great Lakes as
shipping outlet at its door, IN return for his In
formation he would expect half interest in the enter
prise
Thorpe by no means the first to money
northern pine Outside the big mill districts already
named cuttings of considerable size were already
way the logs which usually sold to the mills
OF Marquette Menominee.
But work was on a small scale and with an eye to
accomplished
purchasing forty and cutting dozen Thorpe's
map showed the forks Of important stream
section whose cooring Indicated private possession
Legally the had the right only to the pine nclud-
ing in the marked secons but If anyone had taken the
the district he would have found opera
lions going on for miles up and down stream The color
ed squares would prove to be not put SO many eN
being the ground The bulk Of the pine was
stolen from unbought State or government lands
This in the old days common enought trick
Thorpe perfectly conveisant with this state OF at
the coored districts his represented firms en-
gagged in steals of greater or less magnitude He vas
d hS enough If forced to do SO in
DER to prevent acquisition by another In his eNlora
ton. therefore he decided to employ the utmost crcu
spection He would pose hunter and fisherman
For week he 5ourneyed through magnificent timber
working always and more to the north until finally
low the shore of fairly large river
called the ossawinamakee 1t showed in common with
most streams size already taken. but Thorpe
hoped to find good the mouth After
hard walking with this object in view he found
himself directly north of bend in the river 50 he turn
through due south with the intention OF
striking This he succeeded in
pishtng twenty miles inland where also ne dscoV
cred wedeaned and recently used tIaa ieaans up me
river Thorpe camped night at the bend and then
follow the trail
som etes approaching leaving the river but
Keeping always in direction The country in general
rolling. Low parallel ridges OF gentle dechvity
Eded constantly his their valleys siopng
TO the river Thorpe had grander forest
Of pine than that which clothed them.
AT the ten-1nile point he upon dam. It was a
crude dam-but logs-whose consisted of strong
butresses santed and whose sheer was made
Embarked mbers laid smoothly side by side at the
required angle present its gate
Tho purpose OF the dam in this country did not
puzzle the least but its beildered HIM
Such constructions are often thrown across logging
streams proper intervals III order that the operator
may be independent spring frashets. The device
ts common enough but 1t is expensive People do not
build dams except the certainty Of some years OF log
hapDans TO navgabe the promoter must first get
Improvement from board of control appointed
by the State So Thorpe knew that ne han 70 oeai,
not with lunber-thief but With a great
co,nnany preparing TO log country big scale.
He continued his Journey AT noon ne came 10 aioth-
and similar structure here ne let ms I'acA anu
pushed ahead in light marching order. About eight
miles above DAM and eighteen from me bend
OF the river into sashing OF the year before
decapated stumps were already beginning 20 urn
brown with weather the tange of tops and limbs was
partially concealed by poplar growtas and Wild Tasp-
70 Thorre this particular clearing at of
the creates interest He scrambled and through
the ugly debris which for OF two after logging
operations cumbers the ground BY rather p!oionseo
search found what he sought. 'a seetion corners
tract which the government surveyor mac 4oit
marked The descriptions A glance at the map con-
nr9ned his suspicious. The sashng lay two mics
north of the sections designated as Neiohslns 70
parties government land
Thorpe down. lit pipe and did a little thinking.
He had that Very morning passed through beautiful
timber lying much nearer the mouth OF me river 'hai
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