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

The drizzle had increased to
steady downpour, and the brown suit
of clothes which l wore became wet
through.
The time for my entering the forest
was about 10 o'clock.
The boats landed ut the foot OF
what is known as the Spencer trail,
which rises straight up the side OF
Bear mountain. and winds its way up
over the crest and down the other
side for five miles through the woods
to Spencer lake.
Here's your last cigarette cried
some one, offering me the smoke as
| began to take off my clothes.
took it and lit it and then went on
undressing. Presently l stood naked.
l took two or three final pulls OF
the cigarette, tossed it to the ground
and began to shake hands with every
one.
NV body was already glistening
with the rain, but it didn't bother me
any.
l waved my hand as a last fare
well to human companiOnship for two
months and started up the trail. AT
the top of the incline, where, in an
other moment, l would be out OF sight
among the trees, / paused and waved
once more to the waiting crowd be-
low. Then l struck out straight along
the trail.
l had left civilization.
/ don't remember a great deal OF
that five mile trip. My mind was
filed with all kinds of thoughts. l
kept saying to myself, Il shall keep
on going straight ahead into the
woods, where l shall not see any me
or talk with any one for two months"
Then the realization would come over
me that what food and comfort
obtained would have to come through
my own resourcefulness.
BY now l had reached the ridge of
Bear mountain and swung along
down the other side, where l easily
recognized the lay of the land, though
| had not seen it for ten years.
Presently / saw the surface of Spen-
Ger lake through the trees below me.
In order to avoid the Twin camps 1
swung off the trail to the right, cross
ing over deadfalls and plunging
through the tangled underbrush.
When l reached Spencer lake, /
| haf oh Of
with its background of endless trees
that rose up, up, and then to the sky
line, way beyond, and saw a rugged
picture. The sweep of rain hung like
Il filmy curtain between me and the
distant mountain forest, softening
the lights and shadows of every
thing.
For fully fifteen minutes l stood
there in the rain and studied that
wild stretch of nature. Three ducks
flew around in circle over the wat
er.
wasn't cold even then. Uncon-
scously | began to walk slowly along
the Spencer shore, wondering just
what | should do first.
To save my life | couldn't seem to-
make any connected plans. So | wan
dcrcd aimlcsSly along for some time,
finally reaching Il point some distance
below the KcmpShall camp.
Then | faced the heavy growth of
woods and plunged in. | had no par
ticular destination: I WAS just going
anywhere
Perhaps ] had gone two miles when
| found myself in Il spruce thicket.
BY now the afternoon was well along.
and hadn't done Il thing but wander
about.
had thought about building fire,
but SAW there was little chance with
everything dripping wet about me.
However. | decided To make Il try.
First hunted for Il good piece of pine
root to be used as Il base, then Il
stick for II spindle. Next | ripped off
Il piece of bark of the cedar. | tore
the inner bark into small strips,