The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1914-07-16
ENTER W|[DS TO !
STRENGTH OF MAN !
TO Make Paper on Which He'll
Write Experiences and
Draw Illustrations.

world. Before he emerged there were
many cOnjectures. Scientists said he
had undertaken the impossible; that
man too long had been accustomed to
conditions of the present. Others de-
clared he either had been or would be
killed by wild animals. The Maine
woods are full of them. Few believed
he would remain the full two months
and come out alive.
Knowles had been hunter and trap
per and guide in the Maine woods in
He loved animals and could make them
his friends. And he came forth in
triumph.
"My greatest suffering came from
loneliness" he says. "After the first
two or three weeks, after had accus-
toned myself to my surroundings and
the novelty had worn off, felt a great
longing for the sight of human face.
1T haunted me, that desire, and
dreamed every night of being back
among my fellow men, back In CON-
munion with those Of my kind. It was
like an awful thirst. I never wanted
to see anything so badly in my life as
did a human. The lowliest newsboy
on a city's street. the vilest outcast of
society, would have greeted as long
lost brother
Any one talking with Joseph
Knowles can realize his need Of hui
man companionship. He is a compan-
ionable sort Of man. Big and muscu-
lar, with pleasing blue eyes and iron
gray, thick hair, he clasps your hand
with a real mans clasp and says
"Howdy" with a real mans smile.
He is not the kind for keeping to him.
self, away from the haunts Of men.
Calls Salt Unnecessary.
While he was about it Knowles shat
tered another institution Of modern
men, or, for that matter, Of ages agone
that ingrained belief that man must
have salt or die. Knowles says man
does not need SALT and in that he
treads heavily on the toes of most ply
sicians.
Knowles had no salt when he went
into the Maine woods. He found none
there. But he lived and says he could
have kept on living without it.
II found that food did not taste so
good without salt seasoning" he said,
"but I found that 1 did not need it.
There is sufficient salt in the food we
eat and sufficient created in our bodies
to supply our needs. I found out after
I came out of the woods that there is
a tribe in Siberia that has no word for
salt. It is entirely unknown to them"
Knowles had only one object in view
when he went into the Maine woods.
That was to prove that man could ex-
list away from mankind, without the
aid of mans variety Of helps to living,
without the things man believes he
cannot possibly do without. When he
goes into the California wilderness,
where he has never been and there
fore is not familiar with, he means to
go step farther.
Wants to Prove Independence.
"This time l want not only to live,
but want to do something worth
while, to accomplish something besides
existence" he said. II want to prove
that man is not the dependable crea-
ture he believes himself to be; that If
he has to begin all over again, If he
has to start as primitive man started,
he can rise above his circumstances
and grow.
Il mean to manufacture for myself
clothing Of a finer grade than uncured
bearskin. mean to manufacture from
pulp make myself paper on which 1
will write my experiences and draw
my illustrations, I mean to draw
those illustrations in colors, painting
them in with colors and brushes I
manufacture myself.
II mean to build myself house and
furniture. On the last day I mean to
invite all who so desire to come into
the woods. I will have a banquet set
there on a big table have made my
self, and the banquet menu will have
all the things have been eating. And
mean that it will be a real, we'll
cooked, enjoyable NEAL"
Knowles impresses one as being able
to do as he says he will. He says that
If there is the slightest chance Of fail
ure he will be out Of the woods in
week. he won't stay in there to die.
! AS he did in the Maine woods, he will
communicate with no living creature
while at his self imposed task.
He will bring to some spot at the
edge Of the woods each week his story
Of his experience. But, as it was in
the Maine woods, no man or woman
will see him, and he will not see them
or have conversation with them. He
will live alone, with only his wild crea-
lures to talk with.
Extracts from Knowles diary on the
occasion of his last reversion to nature
are interesting at this time. ~.
| Writes Messages on Bark.
1.-The lining bark Of trees is the most
useful thing I have" he says in his
diary. 'There seems to be no limit
to the variety of uses it can be adapt