The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1923-09-20
auger which 1 had with me, and so
get some water to drink.


around. I had with me a hook and
line. l put a junk of pork on the
hook Il always carry some pork in
my pockebs) and let it down through
the ice. In about a minute I had a
bite; and to make a long story short,
| landed on the Ice a trout that weigh
ed just twenty pounds and one ounce"
why Ellis" said one of the laugh
ing crowd, how could you get SO
large fish through so small hole?"
well, to tell the truth" replied
the old hunter, 81 didn't understand
1t myself, but I've given you the facts
in the case and you can believe 1t or
not, just as you please. | never saw
such a trout before-it was long and
slim, and looked very much like an
eel"
AT this story all began to laugh
heartily, Ellis with the rest; and
whenever there was a chance, he
would interject his favorite and ha
bitual exclamation, Eyes, yes, God,
yes. Yes, yes, God. yes!"
I remember we'll of once seeing him
in the parlor of the Mt Kineo House.
1t was in the height of the fashion
able season and this popular hosiery
was literally crowded with visitors.
He had just come over from his home
camp, at Spencer bay, to purchase a
few needed supplies. His canoe had
been seen and watched with the glass
when far away, and as it approached
the house and came near enough to
show who was it's occupant, and it was
announced, that old Ellis, the hunter,
was coming, there was a general rush
for the wharf Some of the guests
had seen him before, and many had
heard enough of him to have their
curiosity raised to its highest pitch.
Not long after his landing and re-
ception, my attention was directed to
the parlor by the loud talking and
laughing there.
| ventured to look in; and such
sight! Near the center of the room
stood the old hunter with unshaven
face and long, dangling unkempt hair,
his arms pushing themselves a long
way out through his coat-sleeves, and
his pantaloon legs making a short
stop about half way between his knees
and ankles.
His face was all aglow with pleas
ant emotions, and the twinkle in his
eye showed that he was having as
much fun out of it as anyone.
He was evidently master of the sit
uation and apparently as much at
ease as II in his home camp. All
about the room, some sitting, some
standing. were fashionably- dressed,
cultured ladies and gentlemen, plying
the old man with questions about this
thing and that-asking him about the
signs of the weather as he had learn
ed them from long observation of
the heavens, and the fight of birds
and habits of beasts-and trying to
ascertain the secret of his success as
hunter.
God bless youi" said the old man,
don't you understand that you can't
catch an animal till you've found him?
| never learned natural history from
books, and so what | know about it
I've picked up in the woods by actual
observation and expreecneihnfflh
observation and experience, and a
pretty hard experience 1t has been, too.
1t didn't take me long to find out the
difference in the tracks of animals,
whether beasts or birds--to learn their
fayorite resorts, whether way up on
the sides of mountains, or down in
the lowlands, and close by streams
and rivers.
81 found out, too, pretty quick what
they lived on, and the changes which
the seasons made in their color and
mode of life.
And | tell you it's terrible inter-
esting If it don't scare you, to hear
animals talk.
i've sit in my camp down here on
Spencer bay night after night, and
listened to the sounds which reached
my ears. First an owl would boot
and scream, then, perhaps a fox would
bark, then a wolf would howl, then
the doleful cry of the loon, far out
on the lake, would be heard"
"Mr Ellis, please excuse me-" said
a young lady from Philadelphia, "but
| desire to ask you what you know
about offers"
"Know about them? If you had
seen and catched as many of them as
l have, l reckon you'd know something
about them. Now offers love to slide
down hill as much as any boy or. girl
ever did, and I've watched them en-
gagged in this sport many time. and
a knowledge of this habit suggested
to me a ready way of taking them"
"Mr. Ellis, I have heard that you
are a good story-teller, said a gem
tleman from Providence, r. l. "Will
you favor us with one?'
well" said Ellis, starting in at
once, 81 was returning from visiting
my traps one morning, when on max
ing little change In my course, !
saw before me, about 10 rods away, !
a monstrous bull moose. AS quick as
l could, l brought my rifle to my
shoulder and taking deliberate aim,
fired. The moose fell. Surprising
him to be dead, or the same as dead. |
] leaned my rife against tree and
walked quickly toward him. When !
within about two rods of him he rose
to his feet, jumped toward me, forced
me upon his neck and horns and run,
Jehu-like, through the woods. | held
on for dear lifht | thought the end
of my earthly pilgrimage had surely |
come and that l had fired my last