Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-10-30

THE next morning, Oct 9Th, we
travelled back on the spots until we
came to a little brook leading into
Five Finger and then explored up
this brook three miles or more but
found nothing, then went to another
brook, explored that and found two
steel traps set at beaver dam, and
at one place on the same brook where
the beaver dam had been cut away
and the beaver house destroyed. We
kept on up the brook, found other
beaver dams, one very large one,
forming a pond at least a mile long,
the largest pond | ever saw caused by
beaver dam: up on the side hill 1t
looked like a logging operation
The growth was popular and white
birch and it was all cut down. and the
roads where they hauled it to the
pond looked like logging roads. Here
we found q raft newly made evidently
to navigate on this pond. but no traps
On one of the beaver trails leadlnS
from this pond we found a large piece
of beaver fat that looked like 1t had
been scraped off recently. we eX-
plored further up the brook that DAY
but found no indications of any camp
We returned to the main brook ana
camped out the same as the night be-
fore The cartridges We're very thick
but we did not dare shoot one or chop
any wood, building our fire by picking
up dry sticks and old stubs. We did
not want to let them know anyone
was around, if anyone was near.
Oct. 18th we kept on exploring brooks
as we came to them on our way pack
to our canoe We had only taken
three days rations with US, expecting
in that time we would overhaul them
sure We got out that night TO our
canoe. Mr.. Theriault stald ana
watched, that they had not become
alarmed and try to leave in the night
and | went down river five miles 20
ConWorth's depot camp and got sup
plies, getting back early in the morn
ing of this day, oct, 8. we at once
struck up Five Finger brook, stlll eX-
ploring brooks, looking for signs OF
these men. We found nothing ana
camped out that night as before.
The next day, Oct. 9Th, we kept on
exploring brooks and about half-past
three ir the Afternoon we saw where
some one with calis in his shoe haI
stepped on a down cedar coming out OF
the woods to the brook. He had walked
the whole length Of it and we could sec
where he had stepped. We had also
seen that day where some one wearing
Calked shoes had stepped on rocks.
This cedar led toward a dense spruce,
cedar and alder thicket, very thlcl.
At the end of this cedar we found
where one alder bush had beer cut out.
We were confident some one had been
there very recently and had been to
the brook Tor water, using this cedar
for p.th. and we kept on and in about
40 rods v, ,nnec to tent This was
between lnl,e and four o'clock. We
looked the tent over, found nothing to
indicate that the occupants were trap
pcrs but from the clothes we found
we concluded there were four men &C.
cupying it. We found a little buck
saw they used to cut their wood so as
not to cur it with an axe to attract a.
tention, and little sheet iron stove in
ne teri they did their cooking on. We
drew back out Of it, careful to Leave no
indications we had been there We
dropped down stream mile or more
atiltt IdiHllti DtloiI' We liiouohs
they wolli, stay in their tent that night
and we would see them in the morning.
The next morning, Oct. 10th, about 2
A. M. we brealIasted and then, worked
our way slowly up the brook, thinking
perhaps they might take an early
start. We moved along 50 quietly that
| came near stepping on deer. She
rose right up under my face, and away
She sailed. We arrived at the cedar
before daylight and waited till it was
light, chen we moved as quietly as pos
Sible toward the tent. When within
about a rod of the tent I heard some
one say i'll the tent, in French, Come,
boys, get up. it's daylight 1t seems
they had oversight themselves. We at
once Went in front Of the tent
lone man was standing up outside
the tent, and three more in the tert
lying down. but want he scared. He
turned pale as a ghost and tremblcd
like Leaf. | never saw a man more
surprised. l was within three feet Of
him before he saw me. l bid him good
morning, asked MIN who they We're
where they We're from and what they
were doing there. The other three fell
lows SDI IlSlll up ullu CAME out. lie
first thing anyone said was Gard deS
chasse, are you game wardens? We
told them we We're. They said they
were the Parent boys, four brothers.
from S.. Anne, n. b., about five miles
above Van Buren, which is on tie Am
erican side. Mr.. Theriault knew three
Of them and they knew him. [ asked
them if they came in to trap. They
said yes, but had trapped none, only
setting up lines, as it was too early to
trap. said. Don't you know it is
against the law to trap without q Ii
oense? Even Americans can't trap
without Il license They said they
were ignorant of the law, they thought
they had a right to come-had been
told 50. | told them to pick up all their
things and get out.
Il had no evidence at that time to
convict Them of trapping, and I gave
them three days to get out, at the lon
geSt. There We're four of them and two
NJ uS-it vas twelve miles to the boat
My intentions were to nail them when
they got out to the river with their stuff
They cooked AMI ate their breakfast
and two OF them took a load of their
stun and Went with us to the river