Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1914-07-31

tnlS DlTQ. Inc spruce pdIlIlu6e lS III
tamest bird in the woods. 1t is cas-
to catch them. They seem so stupi
that a man can nearly walk over then
before they take flight.
While 1 realized the chances of go
ing over and picking him up were re
mote, l knew of another almost SUR
way to get him. made a slip noos
of cedar lining bark, attached this t
the end of stick, and, cautiously ap
preaching the tree on which the par
fridge was perched, I carefully helC
the moose out in front Of him. HI
moved to one side, but made no effor
to fly away. His curiosity was aroused
and he began to watch the moose in
tently.
| AS I brought it a little nearer with
out the slightest hesitation the birt
stretched his neck forward and ran hi
head into the moose and was caught
There is nothing new in this meth
cd. Every old woodsman and guide
understands the process.
| During the weeks that followed
killed several partridges with my bow
and arrow. 1 made some arrows ou
of hornbeam slivers. Then 1 ground
some small stones into arrowhead:
and lashed them on to the notches or
the ends of the sticks with cedar
strands.
On the other end Of the arrow pu
feathers from the blue heron. These
feathers made the direction Of the ar
row true.
Altogether I got about ten birds dur
ing the experiment by means Of the
moose and my bow and arrow.
Since coming back to civilization
some one has asked me if 1 didn'
have difficulty in picking the birt
clean. 1 had to laugh at that. A par
fridge doesn't have to be picked!
To prepare a partridge for roasting
all you have to do is to make three
movements Of the hand. In fact, ont
movement will do it. First you take
hold of the back and breast of the
bird and tear it in two. In one hanC
you will find the breast and legs ane
in the other lot Of skin and feathers
Pull the skin down over the body anc
throw it back. Having disposed o.
the back, head and entrails, you viii
have left the legs and breast, ready
for roasting.
After 1 had done this 1 raked ovel
nv fire and placed the bird on a crotch
stick to roast.
In spite of having no salt that par
fridge tasted better by far than any
thing else I had had to eat in thu
woods.
| I have mentioned the lack Of sal
several times already but haven't gon'
into details about its not affecting me
I missed it and missed it greatly, bu
purely from a palatable standpoint
The lack of it seemed to have abso
llutely no effect upon my physical con
dition. l didn't really need it. From
what l observed l should say that th'
use Of salt is nothing more than
habit. 1t is used, in my opinion. no
because the system needs it, but be
cause it makes food taste better
Animals in their natural haunts arr
forced to go without salt indefinitely
1 believe their greediness when the!
do find it in the salt licks is due to tn
m hn nPp(
of it.
The following day was Wednesday
the 18th of August, and my birthday
l shall never forget that day. 1t wa
one of the hardest of all spent in TIT
forest.
It was hard because of the memo
ries that passed in endless array acros
my mind.
| Armed with birch bark reports ant
sketches, started for the cache OF
the outskirts of my domain, where
had made arrangements to leave sucl
things for the outside world. Thi
cache was known only to two guides
who came there once a week at sun
down.
| ALWAYS made it a point to visit th'
cache early in the day, so l would b
far away by the time the guides ar
rived for the birch bark l had left
The secret hiding place was located
in the twisted roots of a blown dowl
spruce.
| No message was ever put in for me
1 had given orders to the guides not u
do this, impressing upon them tina
ANYTHING whatever left for me woul'
spoil my plan of keeping absolutel!
out of touch with civilization.
Soon after breakfast on Au,. IL,
went after some birch bark down
Spencer lake. 1 had crossed the Spen
cerail and was following the western
shore when l heard something ahea'
of me. Looking through the bushes
saw a deer and a fawn feeding.
1 was just about to speak to then
when l saw a wildcat sneaking aloni
a log which hung over the water.
stood still and watched. The cat wa
watching the deer, although EVIDENT.
it didn't see me, for in moment /
backed down the log to the shor
again and sneaked off.
All at once a scream-an unearthl.
scream behind me-brOught down m.
attention from the skies. never hear'
a scream like it before.
AS ran back in the direction of tn
sound it came again, this time to m.
right. / turned and went in that di
rection. After a time l heard 1t one
more, louder and more terrifying thai
before and apparently on the left sid
of me. There was something horribl
about it,
Presently through the fallen treetop
saw two eyes. They disappeared il
a second. Again l heard the rustl
under the treetops lying on the groun'
and, jumping down, l rushed aroun'
to one side There lay the little fawl
on it's side, painting and bleeding.
AS drew nearer to help her to he
feet the frightened creature staggere'
up and ran few PAGES. But he