Baraboo weekly news. [volume] (Baraboo, Wis.) 1912-197?, 1914-10-15

/ uuOSL the JdckIlSuL, Ill Tie ueep SHOWS
| in winter. where the animals live in
yards, and along the trails in the open
places.
While have killed much game for
various reasons, | have passed hun
dreds of wild animals by when could
! easily have slaughtered them.
Friends with me have said, 'Why
didn't you take shot at that fellow"
l would reply to them by saying. 81
would rather see a wild animal run
ming than falling"
II
That trip of mine into the wilderness
| means that | was literally born again.
| The day came forth from the woods
was the beginning of new life for me.
| During my life in the world of civil
| cation | had never really given the
! time to think about things. l never
really stopped to consider all the great
advantages Of nature. | never review
ed in my mind the various experiences
i l had had in previous years in the
woods. did not stop to consider the
many interesting things that I knew
about animals, trapping. hunting and
| wOOdcraft.
| These two months in the forest | sat
time and time again in front Of my
campfire and really thought for the
first time in my life. 1t seemed as if
every experience l ever had came
back to me in the most minute detail.
This made my brain worth something
, to me. In a word. my two months in
the woods have been a wonderful edu-
cation. The experiment made me find
myself. 1t gave me perfect health. 1t
demonstrated to me that there were
thousands OF things in our present so
called civilized life that are unneceSsa-
~, in fact foolish, ridiculous, wastefuI
practices that stand in reality for moth
ing.
1t established for me the realization
that people are slaves to luxury, and
that luxury is making great inroads on
the mind and health.
My friends know that the notoriety,
/ which perhaps has come as a result of
this experiment. means nothing to me.
/ have always aspired to do my part in
the world, if l could but make start.
For every man it is hard thing to
start. | made up my mind one day
that l would get such a start. Then
the idea of this trip came to me just
as have previously described it,
l am glad that the idea stuck with
me. and am glad that gave the time
to think it out. The thought that per-
haps | was doing something was an in
centive. although many times in the
forest | wondered just what the people
on the outside were saying about the
experiment.
Perhaps the experiment will demon
strate to the man who is lost in the
woods that all is not lost. Perhaps
the thought that | existed for two
months without the slightest aid may
help a man under such circumstances.
/ sincerely hope so.
The one thing that stands out more
strongly than the rest perhaps. is the
health side of the question. | mention
this about myself just as | would tell
the story about any man because | be
lieve the comparative values to be of
vital interest.
On July 80. just before I left for the
northern Maine country, | was exam
ined by DR.. Dudley Allen Sargent.
physical director of Harvard univer-
sity.
At that time DR.. Sargent made the
following statement:
81 have made a thorough physical
! examination of Joseph Knowles of
Boston, and from the results l am GER
tain that if it is possible for any he
laan being to accomplish the expert
Iment. Knowles can do it.
His attempt to live like primeval
man will have a scientific value. 1t
will also have a practical value, de-
pending i'll extent Oh what he actually
laccomplishes in the woods.
Il believe it is possible for man to
revive many things which he has lost
during the progress of civilization
lThere is no question that in our adj
Ivancement from primeval life we have
dropped through disuse a great deal
Iof natural knowledge: our artificial
life has robbed US of ssnee OF or great