The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1913-10-16
ARTIST LIVED TWO
MONTHS IN W|LDS
Starting Naked, Knowles Re-
turned Fully Glad.
USED SKINS As HIS RAIMENT
Had Lost Thirty Pounds, but 10 Well.
Lonesomencss Of the Forest One Of
the Worst Features and Nearly Drove
Him Mad-Had No Food and Lived
on Animals He Killed and Berries.


on Animals He Killed and Berries.
Boston.-Joseph Knowles, the Boston
artist, after q two months fight for ex-
istence In the forests of Maine. Is back
In civilization.
Clad In rudely dressed skins Of black
bear and deer and carrying In a pack
on his back a fire machine and other
tools he had fashioned to aid him In
living in a primitive way, Knowles
looked like a cave man. Thus ended a
test of hardihood aud endurance, OF
skill in %conquering a hostile environ
ment.
On Aug. A Knowles plunged into the
forests near Spencer lake. In Somerset
county, Me. lie was naked. He had
no weapons, no tools or implements Of
any kind. no food. lie promised to
come out of the woods fully clad and
In good health and physical condition.
He has kept his promise In every de-
tail.
He lost thirty pounds of weight in
the two months, dropping from 204
pounds to ia. His appearance clearly
told the tale of the hardships he has
undergone. From head to heel he was
scratched and bruised by the briars
and underbrush in which he lived for
sixty days. He is tanned almost black.
Over his neck and arms was a black
bear skin, cleverly fastened with thongs
OF deerskin. His trousers were of deer
skin, made Indian fashion, with the
hair inside. His feet were incased In
moccasins of buckskin, sewed with
sinew. He wore no hat. no sleeves, no
underwear.
On his back was a knapsack Of WOW
en- bark. 1t was filed with trophies
from the forest. Slung over his arm
were his bows and arrows. Sheathed
In buckskin a crude knife of horn
hung from his belt.
"My food largely consisted of fish,
deer meat, bear meat, spruce part
ridges and berries" said Knowles. l
found blueberries In the burnt lands.
/ am feeling In fine condition. I do
not believe every man can do what !
have done. but | feel confident that a
a with good health. a knowledge
Of the woods and resourcefulness can
accomplish the same thing. | believe
any one of the game wardens could
do it. | have satisfied a curiosity.
"The hardest thing OF all was the
awful lonesomeness. because Of which
/ came near coming out twice. The
isolation almost drove me crazy. Sew
eral times / have heard voices afar of
and that made 1t only the harder.
"The eating question is nothing;
neither is the dress. l have not suf-
fered any to speak Of from the cold.
1t was that awful lonesomeness.
For the last ten days / did little.
Up to that time l constantly aspired
to accomplish something. but my am
bition left me. During the last ten
days | believe gained ten pounds be-
cause OF this.
ION my trip up to Canada l simply
used the moss on the north side of the
trees to guide me. ! started on this
march to Canada the day after / wav-
ed the torch on the shore Of King and
Bartlett lake. When l got out l was
not sure whether 1t was Saturday or
Sunday. 1t was a pretty rough coun-
try. but my trip was largely down hill
all the way.
Il came through the deepest forest
because | did not dare to strike the
roads, for fear OF being seen before
time. Then from up In the mountains
] heard a wonderful thing. | heard the
whistle of a train. ! pressed toward
1t and finally came on the railroad
tracks,"
When questioned about salt. he said
he missed 1t very much for the first
few weeks. but after that he never
thought about 1t. When asked what
he would have to eat he ordered fried
salt pork and potatoes.