Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1914-07-17

1 believed there was too much arti-
fetal life at the present day in the
cities. 1 found myself comparing our
present mode of living with the wild,
rugged life of the great outdoors.
Then all of a sudden wondered If the
man of the present day could leave all
his luxury behind him and go back
into the wilderness and live on what
nature intended him to have.
In that thought came the birth OF
the idea.
That night l went down to the hotel
in Bradford and began talking it over
with several of my friends. At first
they all laughed at the absurdity of
man of today going back to the life
of the primitive man of yesterday.
remember as we sat around the fire.
place they asked me all kinds of ques3
tionS.
1 told them that in order to make
such an experiment interesting, II
would be necessary for a man to
enter the woods entirely naked, with
out even a match or a knife, and live
a stipulated time without the slightest
communication or aid from the out
side world.
What would you do for fire?' one
man asked me.
/ replied to that very quickly.
Another wanted TO know what food
L would be able to get in the wilder
ness and how l would get it without
weapons 1 mentioned a dozen ways
Then the conversation became like
game. Every one wanted to see If
he couldn't stick me in some way.
That night 1 couldn't think of a
single thing that would keep me from
undertaking such an experiment.
In the busy days which followed,
I promptly forgot all about the idea
Just as nine-tenths of all ideas are
forgotten. Not until the beginning OF
last summer did the thought take
hold of me again.
From time to time my friends
would jokingly inquire when l was
going to leave them and become a
wild man.
Then all of a sudden it hit me hard.
| Another mood seized me like the one
| had left in the cabin while pant
| ing the picture of the moose. l sald
and this time 1 meant it, I'll try
this stunt and demonstrate to the
people that there are marvellous things
to be derived from life in the great
outdoors"
When 1 told my friends that l real
| " was going to try the experiment
| during the months of August ana
ISeptember, they became serious IN
deed. They were not joking now
when they cried, "Do not think OF
such a thing!" They reminded me that
it might be easy enough to answer all
their theoratical questions satisfac-
torily, but to actually find fire and
| food and clothing would be imprac-
teal indeed, utterly impossible.
But my mind was fully made up.
| left Bradford Immediately for Bos-
ton to make preparations for the
trip. By preparations | do not mean
that / went back to the city TO train tor
the trip. / went to Boston simply to
discuss with other friends the plans
that were in my mind.
First of all, it was necessary for me
| to choose a location for the expert
ment. This was some task, inasmuch
as | desired to enter a wilderness far
away from civilization, where l would
not be bothered by people from the
outside world.
Finally l decided that 1 would go
| into the forest on the 4th of August,
| in what is known in the northwest
Maine country as the Dead River re-
gion.
This country is covered with heavy
black growth timber. Directly north
| is Bear mountain, below which
stretches Spencer lake. To the east
is Little Spencer, with Head noun
tain just beyond. Horseshoe pond
and the Spencer stream lie to the
southwark, and the domain is bound
eu Oh lle NeSl ny NliS anu LA
lake.
l selected this particular time for
the experiment because / wanted ii
TO be the most severe kind of Il test.
l was handicapped by civilizations
habits and comforts. My skin was
not tough. My muscles were not
firm, and my stomach was used to
seasoned and we'll cooked food.
However, still retained my knowl-
| edge of the woods. and it was on that
alone | placed dependence. 1t is in the
mind, | claim, the mind that has been
trained To know nature, that the
spark of complete independence is
retained down through the ages.
AS August / drew near, some of my
closest friends literally begged me to
abandon the idea. They warned me
that ! might become i'll and wreck my
| future health, or even lose my life,
and all that kind of talk. They were
good To me. and ! appreciated their
| feelings. but | knew they did not un-
dcrStand
| | knew better. | was confident.
| left Boston for Big"luw. Me-.
which is the end of the railroad in
that part of the country. From thcr"
| took the stage for eight miles to-
EustiS. Il village of fifty inhabitants,
situated ON the edge of the forest.
Then came something worse than
living two months alone in the forest
! ii ride for sixteen miles over the
King and Bartlett blackboard trail.
The terminus of this road brought
me To the King and Eartlett camps.
Directly in front of these camps is
the King and Bartlett lake. 1t was
Il mile across To the opposite shore
where, in the presence of profession
| al men and SportSmcn who were
stopping at the camps i'm the vicinity,