Baraboo weekly news. [volume] (Baraboo, Wis.) 1912-197?, 1914-09-24
AIOneIn The
Wilderness
CHAPTER K.

idly by. and, no longer fearing
molestatiOn from men in the
- Lost pond district, / returned
there.
In the meantime I had been living
anywhere in the forest, sleeping in the
open or under rude shelters thrown to.
gether IN a moment.
My cedar bark leggings had long
since worn out, and | travelled about
during the daytime with absolutely
nothing on. | didn't need protection
for my legs now, for they had become
as tough as leather.
When I reached my old lean-to /
found was practically out of food, 50
was obliged to go on another forag-
ing expedition. When you have OBJ
tanned things once it never seems very
difficult to get them another time.
soon rounded up some more trout
driving them from the big pools into
my own small artificial pools.
September was passing away. but
the bears had not entirely cleaned out
all the berries. managed to find
enough to supply my needs. j never
went hungry. ~@~
Each night l slept about six hours
and found that this was all the sleep
l required,
i I had a desire to accomplish some
one big thing while lived in the will
derness, and the biggest thing could
think of was to paint picture in color
right there in the forest. How / went
about this task | will tell in a later
chapter. This idea took complete pos
session of me. / figured out how
could get my color, my brushes and
even paper right out of the material at
hand in the woods. Then | set about
making experiments.
In my enthusiasm l often forgot to
eat
This ambition helped me mentally,
and did not suffer so much with
thoughts Of the outside world while
the idea held me.
Finally found that was neglecting
myself. / was getting thin. Out of
hCNSoSALy 1 was AOASSu " IOOh
after myself and let other things 60
l contented myself with writing an
occasional message on birch bark for
the outside world or drawing a char
coal sketch on the same material,
At least once a week, no matter how
far out in the wilderness l might have
wandered. | made a trip to the cache
to leave my messages. Once left
pair of cedar bark shoes. which had
discarded I wondered what people
would think Of them.
r Each morning | had no idea where
would be at night, Some nights found
me at Big Spencer, others at my lean
to on Bear mountain. and occasionally
l went back into the woods near Lost
pond.
Twice, out Of necessity when was
hungry, was forced to shoot a squirrel
with my bow and arrow roasted the
meat, and it was good eating.
Many times | saw rabbits, but
made no effort to trap them. l didn't
need them. But necessity compelled
AuC ~ DlALS OOWh SSN CAdi pau
While ! caught a few with the slip
moose. as | have already described. |
shot quite a number with nay bow and
arrow. The arrow would go clear
through the bird and pin it to the
ground.
One day. while strolling along the
trail / found a deer horn, which evi-
IDENTITY had been shed the year before
Its peculiar shape gave me visions of a
crude knife, so began laboriously to
scrape it. First filed the horn in two
by means of sharp rock Then |
filed off one sharp prong and ground
the blade to a keen edge with other
stones.
In order to make a good grip strip
ped the inner lining from the outer
covering of some birch bark. which has
the appearance of thin raffia. With
this fine shred fairly substantial cord
can be woven. | wound the handle OF
my new knife with this cord.
Later on | found another horn, but
didn't utilize it, simply carrying ii
around for luck.
Ny horn knife proved most practical
and useful 1t would easily cut meat
and later when | made my clothing ii
came in handy.