The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1933-07-21
Over the Long Portage.
Guy Cravens in the
Foley independently

Some years ago it was the writer's
privilege to sit in at boys winter
evening campfire in a cabin in the
north woods OF Minnesota. The central
figure of the group was a swarthy-
appearing woodsman of the old school,
Jack Linklater, half Cree Indian and
half Scotch, who was affectionately
known TO the boys as 'Buckshot."
Outside could be heard the occasional
whine of a sled huskie, seven OF which,
all Buckshot's charges, were chained
to trees nearby. Supper was finished,
the dishes were ''mucked up" each dog
had swallowed the last morSel of corn
meal and meat scraps, and the camp OF
some thirty young boys and four or
five leaders had settled down for an
evenings enjoyment before the CHEEKY
Fireplace.
The boys were then in the process of
getting BuckShot going" which was no
mean task, his ancestry vouching for
the fact that he was not a laxative
man. But the boys knew that many
gems of woodlore awaited them if they
could only get him started, and finally,
through much ingenious asking OF
questions Jack was embarked on an
exciting tale of the early frontier days,
and the group settled down with sigh.
Jack was not an eloquent speaker,
but at the same time had gentleman'S
command of the English language.
His tale progressed, with an occasional
"oh" or "ah" on the part of some wide
eyed youngSter, until it neared con-
clusion. Instead of merely ending the
adventure, the story was Skillfully
brought to a climax which contained
the lesson that in conquest of the
wilderness, or in ordinary life for that
matter, the thing that counts is to play
the game according to the rules OF
fairness, giving every ounce of energy
toward reaching the goal. THE wilder
ness has made hard rules, but they're
for your own good. If we follow them,
we will survive and succeed. If we
break them, we may succeed for time,
but failure is eventually certain and
we may perish. The same applies to
everyday life" Thus, without moral
impreSSionable boys one of the most
valuable lessons they could ever learn.
1t was our pleasure to know Jack
Linklater for some years, and we con-
Sidered him an ideal companion and
advisor for any growing boy. We know
of no crater compliment. His influ-
ence was always wholesome and in
spirational. He was the object of no
little hero-worship on the part of the
boys and his chief delight was in
giving them pleasure through teaching
them the secrets of the wilderness.
His death was what he would have
chosen, as he passed on while still &C
tive, and he died with his boots on"
Jack was not a man to speak much
of religion, and we are not certain
whether his faith embraced the Cree's
Great Spirit and the happy hunting
ground, or the white mans God. But
whatever it was, Jack departed over
tive, and he died with his boots on"
as he had always entered the wilderness
country he loved so well.
AS he swings his canoe into the
tranquil waters on the other side.
BuckShot can face whatever lies be-
yond with this certainty-that nor
thern Minnesota was favored in his
having lived life of friendliness and
service there. Many a boy in the range
country will quietly shed tear at the
knowledge that Jack Linklater will no
longer appear at campfire. A king
could ask no greater tribute