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PIONEER LIFE;

OR,

CJjirtg gears a punter.

i> * BEING

r i

SCENES AND ADVENTURES

IN THE LIFL OP

PHILIP TOME,

FIFTEEN \!A.nS INIEUPSETEE FOR COBWPLANTEB AND CHIErS ON THE ALLEGANY RIVER.

BUFFALO:

PUBLISHED FOE THE AUTII » E

1354.

Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1854, by James Faxon, i-n the Clerk's Office of the Northern District cf New York.

I N T R 0 D UC T I 0 N .

In presenting the following incidents of my life, to the public, I do not intend to claim for it beaut v of expression, for it is the production of one bom in the wilderness; one who is more conversant with the howl of the wolf and panther, and the whoop of the savage, than the tones of oratory, as heard in civilized life.

It is said that truth is often more strange than fiction ; and those in pursuit of the marvelous will not be disappointed in perusing these rage's. fhey are full of scenes in Border Life, accidc- and hair-breadth escapes.

The lover of the hunt will find faithfully por- trayed, the exciting scenes of the chase, the £ . with the elk, the wolf and the panther, and herein be enabled to gather the experience of nearly half a century as to the best mode of securing ever/ description of game to be found in- our fbrest3.

1

Yl INTEODUCTION.

The general reader will find it replete with scenes of wild, stirring and thrilling ^interest ; it being the narrative of one who, in all the scenes of border life was never conquered by man or animal. P T.

Corydon, Pa., April, 1854.

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I.

PARENTAGE AND EARLY LIFE, - - 9

CHAPTER U.

HUNTING THE ELK, - - 18

CHAPTER HI.

CAPTURING A LIVE ELK, - - -23

CHAPTER IV.

FACE OP THE COUNTRY, - - - - - 33

CHAPTER V.

FACE OF THE COUNTET— CONTINUED, - - 46

CHAPTER VI.

DANGER FROM RATTLESNAKES, - 55

CHAPTER VII.

WOLF AND DEER HUNTING-, 67

CHAPTER VHI.

ANOTHER ELK HUNT, - - - 74

CHAPTER IX.

ELK HUNTING ON THE SUSQUEHANNAH, 92

V1U COiXTEBls.

PAGE.

CHAPTER X.

ELK HUNTING ON THE SUSQUEHANN AH— CONTINUED, 109

CHAPTER XL

NATURE, HABITS, AND MANNER OF HUNTING THE

ELK, ----... 11^

CHAPTER XII.

ELK AND BEAR HUNTING IN WINTER - - 124

CHAPTER XHL

HUNTING ON THE CLARION RIYEE, - - - 139

CHAPTER XIV.

HUNTING AND TRAPPING, - - - * - - 150

CHAPTER XV.

THE BEAR — ITS NATURE AND HABITS, - - 164

CHAPTER XVI.

HUNTING DEER AT DIFFERENT SEASONS, - 176

CHAPTER XVII. nature and habits of the panther, wolf and

fox, 186

CHAPTER XVIII. <

RATTLESNAKES AND THEIR HABITS, - - - 193

CHAPTER XIX.

DISTINGUISHED LUMBERMEN; &C, - - - 202

CHAPTER XX.

REMINISCENCES OF CORNPLANTEE, - - 208

CHAPTER XXL

INDIAN ELOQUENCE, - - - 220

CHAPTER L

BIRTH AND EARLY LITE.

I was born March 22d, 1782, in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, near where the city of Harrisburg now stands. My parents were both of German extraction. They moved up the Susquehannah River about ninety miles in 1786, traveling in a keel boa' there being no roads or other mode of conveyance. They landed at a place called Farris Creek in what was then Northumberland county, and remained* there about four months, when the Six Nations oi Indians began to trouble the inhabitants on the west branch of the Susquehannah. We then moved back into Cumberland county, five miles from, Harrisburg, on the west side of the Susquehannah. At that time the Indians distressed the inhabitants for about eight- een months. We remained there two or three years, when, the Indians having become peaceable, we re- turned up the river, and stopped at Warry Run, about two miles above the junction of the two branches of the Susquehannah.

10 pioneek lite; or,

In 1791, my father purchased some land about seventy miles up the west branch of the river in the wilderness. He hired men and paid them in advance to build a house. They did not fulfil their contract, but having raised and enclosed it, left it without chimney, door, window, or floor, while the bushes ten feet high were left standing in the middle of the house. On the first of November my father started lor his residence, and loaded a keel boat with provis- ions sufficient for one year, irons for a mill, and a supply of clothing. He was six days going fifty miles. He then arrived at the mouth of Pine Creek, six miles from his destination, but could proceed no farther with his boat, on account of low water. He then hired ten canoes, and started with such articles ae he most needed. He arrived at his house the 20th of November.

It was very cold; the men had been dragging the boats, and the women were nearly frozen. "When within two miles of the house two of the men who assisted in building it asked the privilege of going ahead to make a fire. When we arrived in sight vre saw a large fire, which revived our spirits greatly, for the snow was falling rapidly, the wind blew cold. and we were chilled through. A hole had been left for a chimney, and a fire built on that side of the house, and when we arrived the men were cutting out the brush. My father asked why things had been left in this state. They replied that they could not induce the other men to proceed any farther with the' job. Father then demanded why they had

THIRTY TEAKS A HUNTER. 11

not informed him a day or two earlier, and was in- clined to be somewhat angry, when my mother inter- posed, and said if we could get through the first night it would do. We soon became warm, had our supper, went to sleep and passed the night very comfortably. The next morning all hands went to work and made a floor and chimney, and plastered the house, and accomplished it in two days. On the 25th my father commenced his mill. He had to hew and split out all the timbers to be used for building. He had also a race to dig and a dam to build, and he had it all finished by the first of March.

At that time game, such as bears, elk, deer and wild turkeys were very plenty in that section of the country. I had two brothers old enough to hunt, but they had no gun except an old musket which my father had used while training. In the morning we would frequently find the deer feeding within twenty rods of the house. Sometimes, wo would see a drove of elk, fifteen or twenty in number, crossing the river. At other times we saw bears traveling back and for- ward. But we had no hunters among the six men, and no gun but the old musket, and that was out of order. On the 5th of December two of our nearest neighbors, (who lived twelve miles distant) came to see us, bringing two guns and two dogs, but no am- munition. There was no powder or lead in that part of the country except what my father had, and he supplied them what they needed. They then hunted about two days for my father to procure him a supply of wild meat. Notwithstanding they were little

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THTBTT YEAB3 A HTTSTEP.. 13

I will now lay before the reader the height of the mountains, the kind of game that is to be found on them, and other particulars of the country, from the mouth of Pine Creek to the first point Every family owned a canoe for the purpose of traveling up and down the river. In winter they had good ice to travel on, which lasted about three months. That was the season in which the greatest amount of busi- tM done by the settlers. The mountains were about a mile in height, and abundance of deer, bear?, foxes, wolves and panthers, but no elk were fou: them.

The most successful mode of killing deer from the first of June to the last of September was to fire-hunt them, which was done in the following manner: The deer would come to the river after dark to eat the moss which grew on the bottom, and collect together about the ripples, in groups from three to ten. The hunters would build a fire of yellow pitch pine in the middle of a canoe and station a man in the stern to steer, and one or two more in front to fire at the deer. When there were no deer in sight they could push and paddle the canoe along. When they came within sisrht of the deer the canoe was allowed to float down with the current, and the steersman laid it in a position the most advantageous for those who were in the bow with guns. The deer would generally raise their heads and stand looking at the fire until the canoe came within a few yards of them. The hunters could judge by their movements whether thev would make a break or stand still until thev

II

came near them, and tired or not according to tha movements of the deer. When the deer attempted to run out of the water where the bank was bluff and steep, they would see their own shadows, and think- ing it was a dog or a wolf, would utter a cry and spring back into the water, sometimes coming near enough to the canoe to give the hunters two or three more shots at them. In this manner they would kill from one to four deer in one place. Having dressed and laid out the meat on the shore, they would pro- ceed down the river in search of another group. If the night was favorable, from three to ten deer were killed in this manner. On their return they would fish for eels, salmon and other fish, and take in their venison as they came along. Their canoes were capable of carrying from 2,000 to 4,000 pounds with safety. With a five-tined spear they would take from twenty to sixty eels and a large quantity of salmon; and in the morning return home with iish and venison bufficient to supply an ordinary family two months.

A woman belonging to a family residing on the bank of the creek, about half a mile above the first fork, was washing at the creek, accompanied by four or five small children, when one of them looking up the stream exclaimed, "What a handsome big red dog is coming ! " The animal made a halt on the top of the bank within fifty feet of the children, and stood looking at them. Another boy cried " It isn't a dog; it is a panther ! " At that moment a cat came out of the house, and the panther made a gpring at her, when she ran up a tree, followed by

HiafT YEARS A HUNTER. 15

the panther. The cat leaped from the tree, and the panther seized her just as she struck the ground. The family hurried into the house and closed the doors, and thus escaped. After the panther had devoured the cat he stood looking at the house and moved along the path. In about half an hour a neighbor came along with a dog and gun. The pan- ther continued to move slowly off, and the woman came out and acquainted the neighbor with the cir- cumstances. He immediately started in pursuit, and the panther being driven up a tree by the dog, was brought to the ground by a well-aimed shot. It was a very large one, measuring four and a half feet from the tip of the nose to the tail. ^ Two miles from that place, up Big Pine Creek, lived a family consisting of a man and three females. The house stood on a flat lying between the river and the rocky bluff, which rose to the height of forty or fifty feet. In the month of January the man was absent teaching school, and no one was left at home but the women. On the morning of a blus- tering day in the early part of the month, as one of the women was going to the river for a pail of water she heard a scream proceeding from the side of the hill, which sounded like the voice of a woman in distress. She returned into the house and told the others that she thought there was woman on the hill in trouble. They all went to the door to ascer- tain the source of the cries, when they saw moving toward them an animal which they took at first for a dog. When it had approached within fifty yards,

16 PIONEER LIFE ; OR,

they discovered to their horror that it was a panther. They retreated into the house and closed the doors. Three geese which belonged to the family were on the ice of the river ; the panther discovered them, and having captured one, he returned with it to his den among the rocks. After he had been gone some time, they went out together and procured wood and water enough to supply them until the next day. The following morning at about the same hour, the panther returned, uttering the same terrific cries, and carried away another of the geese. On the third morning he again made his appearance and took the remaining goose. He had now become wonted to the vicinity, and the terrified women were at a loss what they conld do. Their nearest neigh- bors were distant two miles in one direction, and three in the other, and any attempt to procure succor from that source would expose them to an attack from the animal which was prowling near. In order to prevent the panther from entering by the chim- ney, they covered it over witli boards taken from the floor, and kept up a fire all night. The next morn- ing, when the too familiar cries of their besieger were heard, they turned out the dog. The panther closed in with him, drove him against the door, and after a short struggle killed and carried him off. The morning following, Eice Hamlin, who lived about three miles distant, and who had been en- gaged to call on them once a week, to supply them with fire-wood and render any necessary assistance, paid them his customary visit. When he knocked

THTBTT YEAE8 A HUNTER. 17

at the door they demanded who it was that desired admittance. Upon learning who was at the door they opened it at once, and informed him of the visits of their unwelcome neighbor. lie entered, and they cleared the house of the smoke, which had become almost suffocating. As he stepped to the door to see if the panther was near, Hamlin heard his scream. He immediately started in pursuit, ac- companied by his dog. As they came up, the pan- ther jumped upon a rock about twenty-five feet high. Hamlin did not discover him at first, but kept up a search, supposing him to be up a tree. The dog saw the panther, but being unable to follow, kept running around in an uneasy manner. Hamlin at length happened to look up the rocks and his eyes met those of the panther, just as the latter was about to make a spring upon him. Instantly bringing up his gun, he fired with an unerring aim, and the animal came tumbling heavily to the ground at Hamlin's feet. The ball had penetrated its forehead. It was a very large one, weighing about two hundred pounds.

CHAPTER II.

HUNTING THE ELK.

In August, 1795, my father, Jacob Tome, Jerry Morrison and myself started for an elk hunt. Tak ing salt and flour with us, we pushed up our canoe to a place called Hound Island. After hunting two days among the islands, we became convinced tha< there were no elk there, although they were some times very plenty, collecting at this season in droves Morrison proposed that we should proceed to i point called Stony Lick, about seven miles back, on the east side of the river, at the second fork of Pine Creek, and twelve miles above their junction. My father readily consented to the proposal, as Morrison was an older and more experienced hunter than he. When we arrived within two miles of the Lick, wo discovered the tracks of two elks, a buck and a doe. We followed the tracks about half a mile, when we judged by the indications that they had taken a great leap, as if suddenly frightened. The trails from that place took a different direction. My father and Morrison followed the buck, while I took the track of the doe, keeping sight of my companions at the same time. Before I had proceeded far, I found some of the small intestines of the doe upon the

THEBTT YEAB8 A HUNTER. 19

ground. I called to the others to come, and before they arrived I found the entrails strewn all along the track. My companions now came up, and Morrison said it was the work of a panther. After following the track a short distance we found the doe lying dead, and bearing marks which fully confirmed Morrison's conjecture. She was completely disem- bowelled, her throat torn open, and her blood suoked. We skinned her, salted the meat in the skin, and put it away between two logs. We now resumed our route for Stony Lick, and encamped near there that night. About eight o'clock the next morning, while we were preparing to return to the meat we had left the previous day, and- see if it had been disturbed by the panther, we heard the roar of an elk. Morrison decided at once that it was the buck which we had been tracking, and started in pursuit, taking with him his dog. If he could not shoot him, he was to let the dog chase him down. My father and I re- mained at our encampment waiting to hear the dis- charge of Morrison's gun. After goinV half a mile he met the elk coming on his back track, and browght him down at a distance of about sixty yards. We cut off his horns, which were upward of ♦six feet in length, having eleven branches — six on one horn, and five on the other. The carcass weighed between five and six hundred pounds. Our next object was to get him down to the water where we could skin him. This was finally accomplished after three hours dragging and rolling. Father and Morrison commenced skinning the buck, and asked me if I

20 . pioneer life; of,

was willing to go where we had left the doe,"about three-quarters of a mile distant, and see if it had been disturbed. I roadily consented, on condition that they would allow me to take a gun and the two dogs. I was but thirteen years old, and they thought I would not venture so far from them. As I was starting away, I overheard Morrison saying to my father, " You will see him coming back soon " My father, however, said if I started he did not think I would return without seeing the doe. I went, and finding every thing undisturbed, returned to my companions. They finished skinning and salting the elk about two o'clock, and Morrison proposed to go himself over to Mud Lick, about two miles distant, on the east branch of the second fork, and see if any elk had been there, while my father and I were to watch for them at Stony Lick. We were to meet in the evening where we had skinned the elk. We went down to the Lick and concealed ourselves be- hind some logs. My father commenced mending his moccasins* and directed me to watch the Lick. I stationed myself in front of some roots, out of my father's sight. A small stream ran below me, in which were some very fine large trout. The stream was very shallow, and it occurred to me that if I could stop the water, I might throw out some of the trout So I slipped down to the stream, unper- ceived by my father, went up past him, threw an old log across, and gathered moss and stopped the water. Then I went below, and threw out some thirty fine large trout. My father looked after me, and seeing

THIJBTY TEAKS A HUSTEB. 21

what I was doing, asked me laughingly if that was the way I watched the Lick. I replied that I wanted some trout for supper. While I was stringing my fish I heard a stone rattle about a hundred yards below me. I turned, and saw a panther looking at nae. I sprang up the bank and informed my father what I had seen. Telling me to keep quiet, and make the dog lie down, he stationed himself behind a root having a hole in it, through which he pointed his gun, and waited the panther's approach. When it had come within three rods of us, it paused, with its fore feet upon the bank, and its mouth open, dis- playing a formidable array of glistening teeth. My father fired, and it fell back dead. The ball had passed through its open mouth, and broken the ver- tebrae of the neck. We cut it open and left it there. It was larger than any panther I ever Saw before or since, and I have seen some thirty : we supposed it to weigh between two and three hundred pounds. When we returned to the camp we found Morrison there before us. We now brought our venison toge- ther, and built a scaffold upon which we placed it to dry. It may be well here to describe the manner of preserving elk's meat in the summer. It is firs4- cut in thin slices, and salted down in the skin. We always carried a bag of salt with us for that purpose. Two large poles are laid across crotches about five feet high, and a number of smaller ones are laid across these. After the meat has lain a sufficient length of time in the skin, it is spread upon this scaffold, and a slow fire built under it. The fire is

22 pioneer life; ok,

gradually increased and the meat turned until it it dried through. In t'us state it is called jerk.

Leaving nay father to attend to this, Morrison and I started for home to procure horses with which to draw home our meat, going by way of the creek. It was twelve miles to the first fork, and four miles farther to Morrison's residence. I staid with Morri- son that night, and the next day went home, seven miles, took two horses and returned to Morrison's that night. When I arrived there, I found a man from Maryland, who wished to go into the woods and hunt elk. He took our horses, and Morrison's brother-in-law took two others, with whieh they started for the encampment, which they reached that night. The next day they loaded and came to Morrison's, and the following one we went home to my father's residence with his share of the venison and !>i<les

CHAPTER :il.

CAPTURING A LIVE ELK.

\

In 1799, my father being at Irving Stephenson'* tavern, at the mouth of Pine Creek, found there a large collection of men. A horse called the Blue Dun, was kept there. It was a very large and powerful horse, and it was with difficulty that three men could take him from the stable. My father witnessed the operation, and laughed, saying that he could take the horse from tbe stable without any assistance. The others disputed this stoutly, saying tliat the horse would kill him if he attempted it; upon which he offered to bet twenty dollars that he could perforin it. His offer was soon accepted, and as he had not the money by him, he requested the loan of twenty dollars of an acquaintance who stood near. The man readily granted his request, and offered to go halves with him. He felt confident, from his acquaintance with my father, that he would accomplish it. The money was accordingly staked. Stevenson then remarked that four were concerned, two on a side ; and proposed to add to the bet four bottles of wine and four dinners. The opposite party thought there was no risk, and were willing to bet any thing ; so the proposal was accepted. My

24r PIONEER LIFE ; OB,

father then stipulated that he should be allowed to strike the horse just as he chose. The opposite party insisted that he should not strike the horse, at all, and they finally left the matter to four men, who decided that he might strike the horse in any man- ner he chose, provided he did it no material injury. He then prepared to go into the stable. When they saw him so willing to perform his undertaking, they offered to withdraw the bet, fearing that Ire would be killed at the first movement. But my father said "No; what I have said, I will try to do." As he opened the door and went in, they tried to persuade him to abandon the undertaking, saying that he would lose his life. He replied coolly, " I have to die but once." He went up to the horse and spoke coaxingly, when it looked ill-natured and turned to kick at him. He struck the horse three times in lhc flank with his open hand, so sharply that it sounded like the crack of a whip. When he spoke to the horse again he stood and trembled. He then went to the horse's head to put on a bridle, when he appeared restive, and attempted to bite him. He spoke to him again, and struck him three times with a stick which he held in his hands so severely that the third blow brought him to his knees. The ani- mal now seemed subdued, and trembled from head to foot. My father then put the bridle upon him, which had not been done by one man alone for a year. He then spoke to the horse, wheeled him around and led him out of the stable. Seeing another horse lie begam to plunge, when my father struck him in

THIRTY YEARS A HUNTER. 25

!

the flank three times with his open hand, and the eecond and third blows brought him to his knees. As he dropped to his knees the last time, my father sprang upon his back. The horse went off very quiet and gentle, and he rode it to water, came back, dismounted, and led him around the yard by the bridle in sight of other horses, but yet he remained quiet and docile. He then made him jump three or four times over a horse-trough, four or five feet high. He now told the others that if they would give him a bottle of wine he would take him up a flight of stairs that led to the chamber-floor of the barn. They eaid if he would do it they would give him five bot- tles of wine. He took the horse by the bridle, and led him up the stairs and down, when they gave up the bets. The whole party began to drink wine pretty freely and to talk about elk-hunting. Steven- son stepped up to my father and asked him if he could catch a live elk. He replied that he could ; when Stevenson offered to bet him on it. My father asked him what he was willing to bet. Stevenson said he was willing to go any length, and would bet two hundred and fifty pounds. My father said he would accept the bet. Stevenson pledged a house, lot and tanyard worth about the amount, and my father ga*re seven hundred and fifty dollars worth of lumber, and two satisfactory sureties as security for the performance of the undertaking. The elk was to be between fourteen and sixteen hands high, and was to be caught alive and brought home in less than four months. My father finally asked to the middle f

2b pioneer lite; ok,

February, as there might be no snow in the oarly part of the winter to enable him to track them. Ste- venson said he might have till the first of March if he wished. The articles ©f agreement were drawn, the security given and the bargain concluded. It was then considered impossible to catch an elk alive, and all the old hunters said it was lost money.

The first of January, 1800, he prepared for his hunt, and started, taking two of his boys and a man named Maddock, with a horse, four dogs, and ropes sufficient to hold an elk. They ascended on the ice eight miles to Morrison's, told him what he had un- dertaken, and requested him to go with them, as they wished to get his dog, which was good to hunt elk. Morrison declined going, as he considered an attempt to capture an animal so powerful and dangerous to be attended with much peril, and chose to keep out of harm's way. My father therefore concluded to try it the next morning with the help he then had. We accordingly started out on the east side of Pine Creek, up a small stream called Trout Kun, which we ascended seven miles. "We then came to a spot where the signs in the snow indicated that six or seven elk had been about a week before. We determined to encamp there for the night ; and as the weather was very cold and the snow began to fall, we all set to work with an axe and two tomahawks and built a shanty of hemlock boughs. The next morning, as the wind continued to blow very hard, and the snow was falling rapidly, we concluded to remain there until the weather was more fovorablc. About eleven

THIRTY YEARS A HUNTER. 27

o'clock the wind ceased, when we started. We trav- eled until three, but as the snow had filled up all the niches, we could not find the tracks. The weather being clear and cold, my father proposed that two of us should remain and build a shanty, and the other two start out, each on different routes, to look for elk tracks. My father and older brother started out, while Maddock and I remained to build a shanty. The others came back about sundown. We had our shanty completed, my father officiated as cook, and in our snug walls of hemlock boughs we forgot the toils and perils of the chase. My brother reported that he had seen tracks in a muddy place where the elk had been the night before. The next morning we started about sunrise, and proceeded to the place where Jacob had seen the tracks, arriving there about nine o'clock. The elk had taken a southern direction. When we had followed them about nine miles we came to a place where they had been feeding, and the tracks were quite fresh. They had been gone, as we judged, about two hours. We thought it best not to disturb them that day, as it was nearly night. We accordingly made an encampment and stayed there that night. The following morning, the 5th instant, we started about sunrise, and after following the track about three miles and a half, we found where the elk had lain the night before. About a mile farther we discovered two elk, both bucks, and one a little larger than the other. We tied up all the dogs but one, and let him give them chase. The larger one stood and fought the dog, but the other, as

28 pioneee life; or,

soon as he saw us, turned and started off in another direction, and we let another dog go. As the second dog came up, the elk started off, taking a southeast course to Pine Creek^ which he crossed. We all started after him and followed as fast as possible for twelve miles, when we met the dogs coming back. It was now four o'clock in the afternoon, and after proceeding two miles farther, encamped for the night taking care to secure the dogs. The next morning, January 6th, we started before sunrise, and after going about a mile, came to a place where the elk had fought the dogs and beat them back. About a mile farther he began to feed, and there lay down and staid all night. We kept on until we came within sight of him and let the two best dogs go. The elk kept a southeast course about eight miles, the dogs pursuing very closely, when he turned and fought them, as we judged, about half an hour. He then struck a northern or northeast course, to cross Big Pine Creek. He then ran some four miles farther, when he again turned and fought the dogs. From there he took a north course and ran about eight miles farther, to the Stony Fork on the second fork of Pine Creek, There he stood in the water and fought the dogs. We came to within two miles of that place and encamped for the night. About mid- night the dogs came back to the camp. The old elk- dog appeared very uneasy, looking wishfully in the direction from which they had come in, from which we concluded that the elk could not be far off. In the morning we started again, and soon came to the

THIRTY YEARS A HUNTER. 29

spot where the dogs had held the elk at bay in the water as we judged, about four hours. After the elk left the water he hud gone about two miles and com- menced feeding. When we had proceeded a short distance, we found the elk lying down. He sprang up as we approached, and stood looking at us until we were quite near him. We then let loose the two dogs which had not run the day before. They pur- sued him very closely about six miles and stopped him, until we came up. We then let the other dogs go, thinking he would go to some rock where he could ward off the attack of the dogs. He however took a southern course toward Big Pine Creek, and after running about four miles, got upon a rock on five side of the hill. But here he was so warmly attacked that he could no4: maintain his position, and so he started on again, ran about four miles farther, and backed up against the root of an upturned tree, where he again stood at bay. We then endeavored, by standing upon the trunk of the upturned tree, to throw a rope over his horns, but did not succeed. He started again, taking a southerly course toward the second fork of Big Pine Creek, and stopped on a large rock. At sundown we stopped within two miles of him, and one of the party went forward a short distance, and discovered where he was by the barking of the dogs. We then concluded to proceed as it was a bright, moonlight evening, and reached the rock about eight o'clock. We built a large fire within a few feet of the rock, and about eleven o'clock, we made the dogs come and lie down by the fire. Ai

30 pioneer lite; ok,

two o'clock the elk lay down on the rock and began chewing his end. In the morning at daylight he arose, stretched himself, and walked aronnd the rock. We cooked onr breakfast, and all hands pre- pared for the contest. At eight o'clock we began to manoeuver. We tried at first to throw the rope over his head, bnt he jumped from the rock, and broke away. We then let all onr dogs after him, and fired our guns to, encourage them. He ran about half a mile, but the dogs pursued him so closely, and closed in with him so often, that he wheeled about and returned to the rock. We then concluded to divert his attention to the lower side of the rock by keep- ing the dogs there and throwing sticks and stones, while father slipped unobserved to the upper side, and with a pole about twenty feet long, threw the noose over his horns. All hands then went on the upper side of the hill, and fastened the rope around a tree, and made an ineffectual attempt to draw him from the rock. We next set the dogs on him behind, which drove him to the edge, when we gave a sudden pull and brought him off the rock, which was there about four feet high. He then plunged around, and became so much entangled that he had only ten feet of play. We then placed another long rope upon the other horn and carried it down the hill its whole length, tied it, and then loosed the first one. Two of the party then drove him down the hill as far as the rope would allow him. We continued in this manner to fasten the ropes alternately until we had worked him from tree to tree down the hill. We

THIRTY YEARS A HUNTER. 31

found this a slow and difficult manner of proceeding, as he was constantly becoming enangled, by his struggles, among the trees and underbrush. So we unloosed both ropes, and placed two men to each rope, and let one dog keep him going. When he went too fast, we could check him by snubbing the rope around a tree. He started and walked very gently till he reached the creek, which was covered with ice. This was about three-fourths of a mile from the rock where he was captured. We fastened one rope across the creek, which was about three rods wide, keeping the other in our hands, and drove him upon the ice, when he slipped and made several ineffectual attempts to regain his feet. We all went to the other side of the creek and dragged him across. As soon as he gained a footing he sprang up and walked up the hill toward us. We then fastened the ropes in opposite directions to give him no play, and as it was now four o'clock in the afternoon, we determined to let him remain here until we could bring a horse from Morrison's, to take him home. We accordingly cut and placed before him some elk- wood browse, which he ate, and my brother and Maddock went for the horse, leaving my father and myself to watch our prize. They returned at eight o'clock the next morning. We had cut a road through the underbrush about one mile to Big Pine Creek. We now secured him close up to a tree, and placed a large rope about forty feet long, over his horns, down near to his head, and then tied a smaller rope to the upper part of each horn. Wo

32

then attached the horse to the large rope, a man took each a small rope behind; and one of the hands started the horse. When the elk first started, he plunged about considerably, and became entangled in the rope ; but one of the hands drove him back, and we took a fresh start. At the end of three hours we reached Big Pine Creek, one mile from the place of starting. Here we met with no further ob- struction, as the ice was slightly covered with snow and had thawed a little, so that the elk found a good footing. We threfore proceeded without difficulty the next five miles, when we arrived at Morrison's, and placed our captive in a stable. Before we had taken the elk farther a heavy rain came on and broke up the ice in the river. Our horse ran off and was drowned, and we took our elk home, eight miles down the river, on a float. We wrote to Stevenson, informing him that we had captured the elk, and asking him if he was willing to give up the bet with- out having it conveyed to his house. He replied that he had learned of the capture, and that he cheerfully gave up the stakes without farther trouble.

This was the first grown elk that was caught alive on the waters of the Susquehannah. It was sixteen hands high ; its horns were live and a half feet long, with eleven branches.

CHAPTER IT.

FACE OF THE COUNTRY

The first bottom above the first fork of Pine Creek is one and a half miles long, and is called the Fork bottom. On the east side of the creek, there is a mountain about a mile and a half high, presenting a perpendicular, rocky side along the river, from twenty to thirty feet high. On the