Page:The Granite Monthly Volume 2.djvu/39

 AN OLD TIME TRIP IN NEW HAMPSHIRE.

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��companion felt that with their scanty- supply of food, now mainly salt pork, they dared not await a change of weath- er. Yet there was a vague feeling that their journeying might be worse than useless. Deciding on what they believed a course due east they again hurried for- ward over a broken region — an alterna- tion of sharp hills, ledges, low valleys and sometimes swamps, until a little past mid-da3 r ,when descending a hill they came upon the very brook where they had camped forty hours before ! One fact was now established— they had been traversing in a circle. Thinking it use- less to go further till the sun and sky should appear, they set to work to build a fire sufficient to dry their clothing and to cook their raw pork. By dark they had thrown up a light framework, and by a diligent use of their knives had procured a covering of birch bark. Pil- ing the huge broken limbs in front they lay down and fell asleep.

Scouts in the olden time were proverb- ial for awakening on the slightest provo- cation. Lovewell was aroused by what he thought the rustling of a bear. Reach- ing for his gun he saw the outline of an animal climbing an oak just across the brook. The first shot was followed by a tumble from the tree. It proved a veri- table raccoon, which, fattened on beech- nuts, was " as heavy as a small sheep."

The fourth morning was not unlike that of the day previous. The fog was still dense, but it soon became evident that the storm was past, and that the sun would soon disperse the mists. Dressing the raccoon, whose meat was security against famine, they anxiously watched the clearing up of the atmosphere. Sud- denly the mists dissolved and the sun- light touched the tops of the trees. The pioneers hastened up a long slope east- ward, and toward noon gained the crest of a high ridge. The sky was now clear, and climbing to the top of a tree, Gilson announced that he could see some miles to the east, a high and naked summit which must mark the height of land they were so anxiously seeking.

A SYLVAN DINNER.

With this solution of their difficulties

��came the sense of hunger. Notwith- standing the hardships of the three past days they had eaten sparingly. The remnant of their bread had been acci- dentally lost the day previous, but this was far more than compensated by the rich, tender meat of the raccoon. Luck- ily a supply of fat spruce knots was near at hand. Gilson set himself to the work of furnishing fuel and water, while Love- well attended to the culinary duties. The utensils of the modern hunter— fry- ing pan, coffee pot, plate, spoon and fork— were wanting. The only imple- ment in their outfit which could be of use was the jack-knife. The meat was cut into pieces two thirds of an inch thick and half the size of one's hand. Cutting several sticks two feet long, and sharp- ening them at each end, a piece of the salt pork and then a piece of the coon's meat were thrust upon the stick alternate- ly in successive layers — so that in roast- ing, the fat of the latter, as it dropped down, basted and furnished an excellent gravy to the former. One end of each stick was thrust into the ground so as to lean over the glowing coals. With occasional turning the dinner was in half an ho^ur ready to be served. Seating themselves on the bowlder by the side of which they had built the fire they fell to with sharp appetices. Rarely was a feast more heartily enjoyed.

NIGHT ON LOVEWELL'S MOUNTAIN.

It was past mid-day when the dinner was finished. Walking with renewed strength they reached the base of the mountain. The ground was wet and slippery and the climbing at times diffi- cult, but while the sun was yet an hour above the horizon the two men emerged from the low thicket which lies above the heavy growth, and stood upon the bald summit. Like all New Hampshire peaks whose altitude approaches three thou- sand feet, the crest of the mountain was of solid granite. The air had now grown quiet and the clear sunlight illuminated the landscape. The two explorers had never looked wpon so wide and magnifi- cent a panorama. Westward was the far distant outline of a range now known as the Green Mountains. To the north-

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