Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1914-08-18
CHAPTER y.
<;II;no = Daer With the Hands.


The days had been passing rapid
ly by, and, no longer fearing moles-
tation from men in the Lost pond
district, l returned there.
In the meantime l had been living
anywhere in the forest, sleeping in
the open or under rude shelters
thrown together in a moment
NV cedar bark leggings had long
since worn out. and L travelled about
during the daytime with absolutely
nothing on. / didn't need protection
for my legs now, for they had become
at tough as leather.
When reached my old lean-to L
found l was practically out of food, so
1 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. l 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 ma
enough to supply my needs. l never
went hungry.
Each night 1 slept about six hours
and found that this was all the sleep
1 required.
l had a desire to accomplish some
one big thing while lived in the will
derness, and the biggest thing l could
think of was to paint a picture in col
or right there in the forest. How
went about this task l will tell in
later chapter. This idea took COM
plete possession of me. l figured out
how could get my color, my brushes
and even paper right out Of the ma
terial at hand in the woods. Then
set about making experiments.
In my enthusiasm l often forgot to
eat.
This ambition helped me mentally,
and 1 did not suffer so much with
thoughts of the outside world while
the idea held me.
Finally 1 found that 1 was neglect
ing myself. 1 was getting thin. Out
of sheer necessity was forced to
look after myself and let other things
go.
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, l made a trip to the cache
to leave my messages. Once l left
pair of cedar bark shoes, which l had
discarded. 1 wondered what people
would think of them.
Each morning l had no idea where
1 would be at night. Some nights
found me at Big Spencer, others at
my lean-to on Bear mountain, and oc-
casionally l went back into the woods
near Lost pond.
Twice, out of necessity, when was
hungry, / was forced to shoot squir-
rel with my bow and arrow. l roast
ed the meat and it was good eating.
Many times l saw rabbits, but l
made no effort to trap them. l didn't
need them. But necessity compelled
me to bring down several partrldges.
While | caught u few with the slip
moose, as | have already described, l
shot quite a number with my bow ana
arrow. The arrow would go clear
through the bird and pin it TO the
ground.
one day, while strolling along the
trail. | found deer horn, which evil
IDENTIFY had been shed the year before.
Its peculiar shape gave me visions OF
q crude knife, so 1 began laboriously
to scrape it, First l filed the horn in
two by means of sharp rock. Then
1 filed off one sharp prong and ground
the blade to a keen edge with other
stones.
In order to make a good grip l
stripped the inner lining from the
other covering of some birch bark,
which has the appearance of thin
raffia. With this fine shred a fairly
substantial cord can be woven. l
wound the handle of my new knife
with this cord.
Later on l found another horn, but
l didn't utilize it. simply carrying it
around for luck.
My horn knife proved most prac-
teal and useful 1t would easily cut
meat and later when l made my
clothing it came in handy.
| was growing to be more and more
q part of the forest every day. When
ever / needed anything l simply went
and hunted for it. 1t was always