The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1921-03-29
SAVED BY rabbit
Lucky Catch Preserved Lives OF
Surveyors.
On tho Verge of Starvation in Cana
dian WiIds, Small! Creature Was
Godsend to Men and Dogs.

The flying survey that the engineers
of the Grand Trunk Pacific railway
made through the uneXplored forests
and mountains Of Canada was attend
ed by all manner Of harushlps anu
adventures. 1t is remarkable that so
few men lost their lives, for the work,
which was pushed forward winter aIu
SUMMER, was always filled with dam
gers. An experience related in Mr. r.
a. Talbot's book, The Making OF a
Great Canadian Railway" affords
graphic idea of the pains and pen
altes that many surveyors endured
in that silent, unpopulated country:
In the depths Of winter / was out
with one Of the surveyors on an ex-
ploration trip. We had four dogs and
couple of sleighs not heavily laden.
Somehow or other, owing to the
binding snow, we were delayed and
lost our way. The dogs had to 80
without food and we ourselves did not
taste q bite for three lays; nor DID
we catch sight Of the smallest specl-
men of game. One thing after anoth-
er was thrown off the Sleighs to ease
the plight of the dogs, grown so thin
from want of food that their ribs
showed through their skins. Only our
sleeping bags were retained. Through
the day we stumbled along on our
snowshoes, constantly falling over OBJ
stacles and bruising ourselves against
the trees. At night we lay down Dy
our camp fire, utterly exhausted ana
faint from hunger and cold.
1t was on the third morning that l.
deserted the faint footprints OF
Jack rabbit. 1t was the first sign OF
game that we had seen for three days.
l drew my companions attention to
the tracks.
"Stop right here and light a fire.
Well have something to eat this morn
ing or else I won't come back agaln!'
I cried excitedly as grabbed my gun.
I sped off with my eyes glued to
those scarcely discernible footprints.
But 1T was weary tracking; the trail
was as elusive a will-o'-the-Wlsp as
anyone could find in the forest. For
three solid hours followed It refent-
lessly, stumbling and falling wildly,
bruising my shins and tearing my
hands through the bush. '1'9
At last It disappeared into 'a1willoW
shrub. Crawling up warily, I:searched
the thicket, and there spied the quar-
ry. Fearful that in my excitement l
might, take too hurried an aim with
my rifle, miss, frighten, and lose the
animal, I crawled steadily forward on
nay hands and knees. When within
an arms reach made sudden spring
and caught it by the scruff' of the
neck. In trice it was dead;' but l
had captured sorry prize. Like our
selves, it was in sore need of food, for
it could obtain but slender susIenance
from the snow-covered ground.
l retraced my footsteps as hurried
" as / could. 1 found my eemrade
sitting before the fire holding HIS head
in his hands between his knees-an
abiect picture Of misery and despair.
In q few minutes the rabbit was
skinned and splitting merrily on an i'm
provised roasting jack. The skin was
cut into four equal parts and given
to the dogs. They devoured it raven
ously. Not an atom Of that rabbit
was wasted. The little bit of food put
new life into us and we pressed on
through the forest until finally we
reached our camp.