Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1903-02-19

stations, were eSta DilSn6d every thirty
or forty miles. The route followed
the Wolfe and Wisconsin river for
more than hundred miles. Almost
every river and canon Of Northern
Wisconsin has its Indian trail,
forgotten it may be by both white
ndn and red. Of this generation, trOd
only 10y the berry seeking bear, the
tllhid deer and The migrating elk.
These mail carriers were selected with
great care. Only men accustomed to
the Widernt So and familiar with wild,
frontier life were employed in this
service, they were brave young men
whose love Of adventure principally
LED them away from their baunts of
civilization and whose wild untamed
nature found keen ZeSt and enjoyment
III the dangers and excitement Uf the
daring frontier life.
At The head waters of the WiScOn-
sin river, on The bank Of d lake, the
Hudson Bay Fur company had
established Il trading post. At this
station and III their employ, was Il
young man OF more than ordinary
ability, his dress was somewhat
singular lis black curling hair was
parted III the middle and Tell to his
shoulders. He wore q tight truCk of
smoked deer-s SKID, gayly Ornamented
with dyed pOrcupIne qulllS. His
mOCcaSins and lcgglngs were also
gaudlly decorated III The same manner,
and the latter mad in addition q line
OF lUng fringe reaching down the seam.
The LaIl stately form Of Dan (tUr by
that name we shall Know nlm), was IN
the highest degree athletic aud
vigorous. There was no SuperflulLy
anu indeed there seldom is among The
ACTIVE white men OF the frontier:
But every limb was compact ana hard.
Every sine" had It's tull tone ana
elasticity and the whole man wore an
air OF mingled hardlhuOd aud
buuyamcy. lie was with some
difficulty employed by the government,
To carry the mail from TINS station
north TO the iron range. On one OF
his trips in the tall, after d heavy
rain, while following all Indian Trail,
he came To Il Sapllng bent across his
path with Il fresh bidZe on the upper
slde. Dan could not only speak and
understand the Chippewa language,
but he knew the language OF the
tiail,-It medut turn here. He
stopped ana thought, but Obeyed The
signal, and turned from the trail On
tanks that IL friend ana not an enemy
had placed tne signal Oh the trail, and
that IT. Wound be Impossible TO cross
OH hIs accustomed log, DIS the water
WAS sweeping entirely over. He had
not gone Tar up The stream when lie
saw an Indian canoe in a patch OF
Wllu rice. He called i'll the Chippewa
language, ana The boat came slowly
tOWaIuS the shore. parting the Wild
Tice. IlutIl he saw an luuldn maiden
sitting i'll the canoe. She belonged to
the Chippewa TRIBE, but had d light,
clear complexion, ana when she smiled
two cleaning rows OF white teeth were
plainly visible, Her dress was Il tunIc
OF deer-skln made beautifully white
and oruamcnucu viii beads, III figures
more gay than tasteful. She leadily
consented 10 row INN across tile stream
auu he was soon ON his way 10 the
Iron range: but on his return trip he
found il very agreeable To ask aud
receive the Same favor
In All Dams life no passion had
entered his heart but the passion for
the VOID, nothing but things OF tile
forest bad found Il welcome there.
The river reCeded, and the regular
route was resumed.
Ine Indian trail has immense value
in the WILDERNESS. Ii may be the
thread on which d mans life hangs,
through vast stretches Ut the north il
was tile only line of communication.
No one man laid out these primitive
paths. They are the result of the
jolut Judgment OF generations of men
They are the product of centuries Of
travel 10y the red man, who camped
in the IrackleSS Wilderness many Gays
in order that the Trail should 90 right.
These trails crossed the range at just
the proper point. The white hunter
sees this: the engineer follows the
hunter, and the palace car rolls after.
The white mans trail Is laid by the
compass The lndlan laid his trail
bN the CONJUNCTION Of the stars and the
mountain peaks. Ii approaches Il
hll side with caution and follows Il
lake side with leISure. There is nc
mark OF the axe on such trail. 1t Is
never direct, but always lnuirect. 1t
alarms nuthlng,-it MOuS every wild
thing. 1t seems to love grass anu
waler,-it hngCrS by the side Of SunLit
streams and Keeps close TO The ripple
of waves Oh the beach of woodland
lakes. All that nature has she shows
to him who follows the Iudian trail.
She hides her choicest things from the
railroad, the turnpike and the lane:
TO tread it is to be made reverend OF
nature.
All of Dams taste inclined him tc
wild life. The great silence. the deeL
solitude fed his lonely soul with the
fouu t loyed. The deep pine forests
though Il wilderness, was thickly
peupled. The grass on all the terraces
WAS lrampled down by deer. There
were numerous tracks Of wolves anC
bears along the streams.
The Wild auinat> were kind oi
cOmpaniou TO him, and he never fel!
alone when they were about him. anC
he looked upon them aS something
belonging peculiarly TO himself
" hen the deep SNOW came, as he Wa.
returning from the Iron range, Will
his, dog team, he found deer close by
the trail, partly devoured by the
wolves. Securing heavy trap from
the lur company, he SET it by the
carcesS On his return the next day
he found 4 large gray wolf in ths
trap, and without gun or Other
weapon, he found 1t no easy matter u
dispose OF it with a club, and III ].
Short fierce fight he received a severt
wound in the foot and on reaching tht
station it was 50 painful that h,
found it impossible TO make hi
regular trip with the mail. He wa
very much worried as he thorough.
lea !zed that the tireleSs men, IN
-y.ngel OF the wilderness, the mission
ary OF civilization and the herald Of
lprpSSi yp ora cOuld NOT br00k delay