The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1919-02-27

exhausted AS he reached the sharp
ledge which formed the bank, he found
1t impossible to effect a landing, and
he drifted along with the tide some
distance till he was able to clutch a
bush which fortunately for him, grew
in creyice of the rock. To this he
chung with drowning desperation, and
after much effort, succeeded In draw
ing himself out OF the water upon the
ledge. Shivering with the cold. he
chafed his benumbed limbs and put on
his clothes and when he had sue
ceeded In some small measure in re-
storing the circulation of the blood, he
made the best OF his way into the
road, which he found at no great dis
lance, and endeavored to increase the
space between himself and the scene
of his captivity. But as may well be
supposed his long confinement on ship
board together with his exertions in
the water had so far paralyzed him
that his locomotion WAS slow and diff
ficult. and before gray morning
streaked the east" he struck into the
bushes, and lay quietly as possible
during the day without food-having
been foiled In his attempt to abstract
lOdl VI DTtdu Oue Vi the Out-
door ovens of the country by the
watchfulness of a large shepherd dog.
Twice he was no little disturbed by
the tramp and voices OF those whom
he supposed were searching for him,
and he shifted his quarters a little.
At night he came out of his hiding
place somewhat gaunt and hungry, 1t
Is true, but nevertheless good deal
refreshed by this period of repose, and
with a stout cudgel in his hand he
cautiously approached an oven in the
rear Of one of the cottages which lined
the road. Fortunately no cur raised
his dscordant voice and the poor flu
gitive was suffered TO depart with a
small loaf made of oatmeal, which,
however. was dispatched by him with
relish no ways inferior to that mani
tested by famished bear when he
succeeds in RECALLING himself upon a
mutton chop. Strengthened by his
meal he stalked over the narrow
caleche road which led up the Chau-
dere with a speed greatly accelerat-
ed by the apprehensions under which
he labored of recapture. At times
during his flight. he was a good deal
ny thC "dtSH Jugs oIduCut,
Tray. Sweetheart and all" but only
on one occasion was he seriously mo-
Tested when he laid about himself SO
vigorously with his cudgel. that with
whines and howls, they skunk back
content to leave him undisturbed. Dur
ing the night he purloined a couple of
chickens from roost, another load
of black bread and a pair of mecca
sins. which latter he discovered sus-
pended from the latch of the domicle
of the primitive cordwainer of the
habitans. and which he designed for his
own personal use. AS daylight APP
preached he again left the travelled
road and struck out across the long
fields which lined the highway. for
the woods in the rear. Crossing
patch of undug potatoes in the out
skirts of field. among some smoul-
dering logs which were undergoing
the process OF lingering hs filled his
pockets and shirt bosom with this pal
atable esculent, and was soon snugly
ensconced . in a secure hiding place,
after having roasted the food at one
of the fires. When the shades of
night again closed around him, he
sought the travelled road. again to
leave it as day approached; and thus
he performed the whole journey to the
upper settlement on the Chaudiere.
Previously to his reaching St.
Francis however, he underwent no
little anxiety regarding the manner in
which he should sustain life during
his journey across the long line of
starving wilderness which lay be-
tween the Canadians of the Chaudiere
and the American settlement at Nor
ridgewock. Harrassed by his solitude
In this respect, in addition to the anx-
iety he underwent regarding his sup
ply of daily food-for he was not al
ways successful. in his forages upon
the roosts and ovens of the settlers
he was one day making such slight
advance through the woods in the rear
of the fields as his plan of secresy and
watchfulness would admit Of. when he
came upon new road or patch, which
led back. probably to natural mea
dow; and occasionally he could hear
the ring of axes. some distance in ad-
vance. Concluding that the number
engaged in bushing out this path was
small, and that they would be less
likely to attempt to detain him If
hostile than when surrounded by their !
neighbors in the settlement, he de-
termined to approach them. make
known his situation and solicit assis |
tance-hoping that the feeling OF ma
tionality in opposition to British rule
would be strong enough in the hearts |
Of some of the French habitans to
favour him, IL they could do it Sc
cretly. Following the sound caused
by the choppers, he soon came upon a
fowling piece leaning against sap
ling with powder horn and shot
pouch attached. Rogers piercing eyes
slistened as he espied the firearm, and
he quickened his movements almost
to run. Taking it carefully into
his hands. he examined 1t with the
critical eye of hunter, and one
glance along the barrel assured him
Of its precision and great range 1t
was an Indian gun" of French manu-
facture exquisitely ornamented with
silver. and his instincts led him at the
first. to appropriate 1t to his own use,
and thus equipped take to the woods
and depend upon such game as he
could find for his sustenance. But
this impulse was soon overcome by
the sober second thought that prob |
ably the abstraction of so valuable a |