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Gift of the
Saturday Review of Literature

PIONEER LIFE; or,
THIRTY YEARS A HUNTER.
By Philip Tome.

With an Appendix.
By A. Monroe Aurand, Jr.

Reproduced from the Original Edition.

Ibionccr Xite:

OR,

XCbirt^ 15ear6 a IHunter,
BEING
SCENES AND ADVENTURES
IN the LIFE OF
IPbillp Zomc
FIFTEEN YEARS INTERPRETER FOR CORNPLANTER AND GOV.
BLACKSNAKE, CHIEFS ON THE ALLEGANY RIVER.

[ Re-Print of the Scarce Edition of 1854}

With a Preface
By Henry W. Shoemaker,
Chairman of the Pennsylvania Historical Commission,
And an Appendix
By A. Monroe Aurand, Jr.

Privately Printed by
THE AURAND PRESS
HARRISBURG, FA.
1928

LIMITED EDITION!
5 This edition is faithfully reprinted from one of
but few known copies! and contains an appendix
¦with ne-w material. 5 Less than 500 copies have
been printed; numbered and signed.
This is No-^-^^^t^-^^^-^O^

Copyright 1928
By A. Monroe Aurand, Jr.

PREFACE TO THE PRESENT EDITION.

With the republication of Pioneer Life; or, Thirty Years a
Hunter, by Philip Tome, -with notes and an Appendix, the
undersigned feels that it has fallen to his lot, with Mr. A. M.
Aurand, Jr., to help preserve one of the most valuable and
interesting records of early frontier life and history relative
to the State of Pennsylvania. x
But fe-vv copies of the small edition published by the Author
in 1854, are known to exist, and the last four copies sold at
retail, second-hand, at an average of $125.00 a copy. Evi
dently it must be scarce — neither the Library of Con
gress, Pennsylvania State Library, New York Public Library,
nor any of the other large historical libraries are known to
have a copy, save one, a library in Wisconsin. A copy was
presented to the Public Library, Williamsport. One copy is
in Baltimore, privately owned; three in Warren county, Pa.,
(two of them being in one library) , and two copies in the
library of the undersigned. Of these few, the last known
copy to come on the book auction market, was sold at the
Anderson Galleries, New York, March, 1928, for $140.00,
going to a man in Chicago.
The narrative is important in its relation to Pennsylvania
history — north and west. As the book has been in constant
demand for years, the difficulty of ever reprinting it became
more apparent, with the passing of the years, and no copies
turning up on the second-hand book market. The larger
libraries being without a copy, could not loan it. How
ever, the public are indebted to a scholarly gentleman who
loaned a copy to Mr. Aurand, Jr., the present publisher,
and from which the story, as it appears again, has been re
printed word for word.
The reader will find some Annotations by the publisher,
included in an Appendix, which have been sifted from various
reliable sources. It is inconceivable that doubts have been
cast on the authenticity of Philip Tome as a hunter, chron
icler, and even as an individual. In the vicinity of Corydon,
Warren county, where he spent his last days he is well re
membered, and the handsome home occupied by his grand
son, George L. Tome, testifies to the prominence of the family
in that locality. George Tome's daughter, Mrs. John Reid,

preface

occupies an enviable position in literary and social circles at
Oil City, where she is President of the Belles Lettres Club.
While Philip Tome infers that his ancestry was of German
origin, the family were in reality Huguenots, Gascons in
fact, where, in the vicinity of Auch, several variants of the
name are found. The present spelling of the name "Tome"
is nearer to the original French forms than the later German
ones. As the result of religious persecutions they escaped to
Switzerland, and later to the Palatinate, from whence they
migrated to Pennsylvania.
The intermarriage of members of the Tome family with
the Gamble, Humes, and Blackwell families who were among
the leading families of the Upper West Branch Valley of
Pennsylvania in Revolutionary days, shows that the Tomes
were affiliated with the best types of people of that region in
the earliest times, and accounts for the uncommonly good
English that Philip Tome wrote. The late Theodore Roose
velt once said that no matter how thrilling a hunting narra
tive might be it had no appeal to him if it was not good
literature. To such an exacting standard Pioneer Life, or
Thirty Years a Hunter would meet the erudite " f aunal
naturalist's " views exactly. As a work of literature, as well
as of absorbing interest this book by Philip Tome can be
unhesitatingly recommended as the great, outstanding con
temporary narrative of the Pennsylvania big game fields.
Henry W. Shoemaker,
Chairman of the Pennsylvania Historical Commission,
State Library, Harrisburg, Pa.
August 15, 1928.

VI

INTRODUCTION.

In presenting the following incidents of my life, to the
public, I do not intend to claim for it beauty of expression,
for it is the production of one born 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 pages, as they are full of scenes in Border
Life, accidents, and hair-breadth escapes.
The lover of the hunt will find faithfully portrayed, the
exciting scenes of the chase, the fight 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 every description of game to be found in our forests.
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.

TU

CONTENTS.
chapter page
I. Birth and Early Life  1
II. Hunting the Elk  7
III. Capturing a Live Elk  10
IV. Face of the Country  17
V. Face of the Country (continued)  25
VI. Danger from Rattlesnakes  31
VII. Wolf and Bear Hunting  38
VIII. Another Elk Hunt  42
IX. Elk-Hunting on the Susquehanna  53
X. Elk-Hunting (continued)  63
XI. Nature, Habits and Manner of Hunting Elk  69
XII. Elk and Bear Hunting in Winter  73
XIII. Hunting on the Clarion River  82
XIV. Hunting and Trapping  89
XV. The Bear — Its Nature and Habits  97
XVI. Hunting Deer at Different Seasons  104
XVIL Nature and Habits of Panther, Wolf and Fox- 110
XVIII. Rattlesnakes and Their Habits  114
XIX. Distinguished Lumbermen, etc.  119
XX. Reminiscences of Cornplanter  123
XXI. Indian Eloquence  130
APPENDIX
Who Was "Philip Tome? "  143
Tome Miscellany  151
Tomes in Warren County, 1850 Census  154
Warren County Records  154
Short Sketch of Cornplanter  15 5
Cornplanter Indians and Their Schools  157
Lycoming County  158
Potter County  159
Tioga County  162
Warren County-  1 64
Gazetteer of Towns, etc  165
Gazetteer of Rivers, Streams, etc  166
Biographical Index  168
Tome Land Warrants for Lycoming County  172
Abstracts from the Warren Mail  172
Bibliography  173

Iptoneer %itc

CHAPTER L
BIRTH AND EARLY LIFE.
I WAS born March 22d, 1782, in Dauphin County, Penn
sylvania, 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, travel
ing in a keel boat, 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 of Indians began
to trouble the inhabitants on the west branch of the Sus
quehannah. We then moved back into Cumberland county,
five miles from Harrisburg, on the west side of the Susque
hannah. At that time the Indians distressed the inhabitants
for about eighteen months. We remained there two or
three years, when, the Indians having become peaceable, we
returned up the river, and stopped at Warry Run, about
two miles above the junction of the two branches of the
Susquehannah. 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
for his residence, and loaded a keel boat with provisions
sufficient for one year, irons for a mill, and a supply of cloth
ing. He was six days going fifty miles. He then arrived
at the mouth of Pine Creek, six miles from his destination,
[ 1 ]

PIONEER LIFE; OR,
but could proceed no farther with his boat, on account of
low water. He then hired ten canoes, and started with such
articles as 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 ar
rived in sight we 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
not informed him a day or two earlier, and was inclined to
be somewhat angry, when my mother interposed, 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 25 th
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 with
in twenty rods of the house. Sometimes we would see a
drove of elk, fifteen or twenty in number, crossing the river.
At other times we saw bears traveUng back and forward.
But we had no hunters among the six men, and no gun but
the old musket, and that was out of order. On the 5 th
of December two of our nearest neighbors, (who lived twelve
miles distant) came to see us, bringing two guns and two
dogs, but no ammunition. There was no powder or lead in
that part of the country except what my father had, and he
supphed 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 skilled in hunting, and the
[ 2 ]

thirty years a hunter.
weather was unfavorable, they killed four deer, and two
large fat bears.
The nearest grist-mill was thirty miles distant, and no
road or other means of getting to it; nor had we any grain
except a little which we raised in the same manner as the
Indians. Every family had what was called a " family block "
or mortar, in which they pounded their corn into meal and
samp. The inconveniences which people experienced in traveling
at that time were great. From the mouth of Pine Creek to
the first fork was called twelve miles. The flats extended
four miles up the river from the mouth. On the west side
a high mountain, with steep, rocky sides hanging over the
river rose to the height of two miles and a half. There we
had to cross the river, as the mountain was impassable on the
northwest side. After traveling a mile on the southeast side,
another mountain obstructed our path and turned us back
on the west side again. We then traveled about three-fourths
of a mile, when we were compelled to recross to the east
side, and after continuing about a mile farther, a steep,
rocky mountain again intercepted our path, and it became
necessary to return to the west side, when we had a flat of
nearly two miles on the bank of the river. We then crossed
over to the east side and traveled a flat three-fourths of a
mile long, thence we crossed to an island which lay in the
center of the river. We crossed back to the east side from
the island at the mouth of the first fork of Pine Creek.
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 pur
pose 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 business
was done by the settlers. The mountains were about a mile
in height, and abundance of deer, bears, foxes, wolves and
panthers, but no elk were found on 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
[ 3 ]

PIONEER life; or,
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 sight
of the deer the canoe was allowed to float down with the
current, and the steersman laid it in a position the most ad
vantageous 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 they
would make a break or stand still until they came near them,
and fired or not according to the 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 shad
ows, and thinking 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 proceed 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 re
turn 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 morn
ing return home with fish and venison sufficient 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 wash
ing 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 spring at her, when she
ran up a tree, followed by 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 panther continued to move slowly off, and the
[ 4 ]

thirty years a hunter.
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
blustering 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 [a] woman on the hill in trouble. They all went to
the door to ascertain 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, they
discovered to their horror that it was a panther. They re
treated 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 re
turned 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 could do. Their nearest neighbors 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 prowl
ing near. In order to prevent the panther from entering
by the chimney, they covered it over with boards taken from
the floor, and kept up a fire all night. The next morning,
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, Rice Hamlin, who
C 5 ]

pioneer life; or,
lived about three miles distant, and who ha_d been engaged
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 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. He 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, accompanied by his dog. As they came up, the
panther 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 un
easy 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 imerring 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, weigh
ing about two hundred pounds.

[ 6 ]

CHAPTER II.
hunting the elk.
In August, 1795, my father, Jacob Tome, Jerry Morrison
and myself started for an elk hunt. Taking salt and flour
with us, we pushed up our canoe to a place called Round
Island. After hunting two days among the islands, we
became convinced that there were no elk there, although
they were sometimes very plenty, collecting at this season
in droves Morrison proposed that we should proceed to a 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, we 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 dif
ferent direction. My father and Morrison followed the buck,
while I took the track of the doe, keeping sight of my com
panions at the same time. Before I had proceeded far, I
foimd some of the small intestines of the doe upon the
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 dis
embowelled, her throat torn open, and her blood sucked.
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 re
turn to the meat we had left the previous day, and see if
it had been disturbed by. the panther, we heard the roar of
[ 7 ]

pioneer life; or,
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 remained at
our encampment waiting to hear the discharge of Morrison's
gun. After going half a mile he met the elk coming on
his back track, and brought 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 ac
complished after three hours dragging and rolling. Father
and Morrison commenced skinning the buck, and asked me
if I 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 readily 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 everything un
disturbed, returned to my companions. They finished skirm-
ing and salting the elk about two o'clock, and Morrison pro
posed to go himself over to Mud Lick, about two miles dis
tant, 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 behind 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 oc
curred to me that if I could stop the water, I might thrbw
out some of the trout. So I slipped down to the stream,
unperceived 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 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
[ 8 ]

thirty years a hunter.
below me. I turned, and saw a panther looking at me. 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, displaying
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 vertebra 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 sup
posed 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 together, 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 first 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 gradually increased and the meat turned
until it is dried through. In this state it is called jerk.
Leaving my father to attend to this, Morrison and I start
ed for home to procure horses with which to draw home our
meat, going by way of the creek. It was 12 miles to the first
fork, and four miles farther to Morrison's residence. I staid
with Morrison 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 which 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 hides.

[ 9 ]

CHAPTER III.
capturing a live elk.
In 1799, my father being at Irving Stephenson's 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 the stable without any assistance. The
others disputed this stoutly, saying that the horse would
kill him if he attempted it; upon which he offered to bet
twenty dollars that he could perform 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 acquaint
ance 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 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 manner 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 he would ie 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 cooly, " I have to
die but once." He went up to the horse and spoke coaxingly,
[ 10 ]

thirty years a hunter.
when it looked ill-natured and turned to kick at him. He
struck the horse three times in the 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 ap
peared 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 animal 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 he began to
plunge, when my father struck bim in the flank three times
with his open hand, and the second 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, dis
mounted, 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 said 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. Stevenson 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 gave $750 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 fi
nally asked to the middle of February, as there might be no
snow in the early part of the winter to enable him to track
them. Stevenson said he might have till the first of March
if he wished. The articles of agreement were drawn, the
[ 11 ]

PIONEER life; or,
security given and the bargain concluded. It was then con
sidered impossible to catch an elk alive, and all the old hunt
ers 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 undertaken, 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 Run,
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 favorable. About eleven o'clock the
wind ceased, when we started. We traveled 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 hem
lock 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 fol
lowed 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
[ 12 ]

THIRTY YEARS A HUNTER.
night. The following morning, the 5 th 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 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, tak
ing 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 6 th, 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 4 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 midnight
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 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 had 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 ap
proached, 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 pursued 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
[ 13 1

PIONEER life; or,
a southern course toward Big Pine Creek, and after running
about four miles, got upon a rock on the side of the hill.
But here he was so warmly attacked that he could not main
tain 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. At two o'clock the elk lay
down on the rock and began chewing his cud. In the morn
ing at daylight, he arose, stretched himself, and walked
around the rock. We cooked our breakfast, and all hands
prepared for the contest. At eight o'clock we began to
manoeuver. We tried at first to throw the rope over his
head, but he jumped from the rock, and broke away. We
then let all our dogs after him, and fired our guns to en
courage them. He ran about half a mile, but the dogs pur
sued him so closely, and closed in with him so often, that he
wheeled about and returned to the rock. We then concluded
to di-vert 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 sud
den pull and brought him off the rock, which was there about
4 ft. high. He then plunged around, and became so much en
tangled 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 found this a slow and diffi-
[ 14 1

THIRTY YEARS A HUNTER.

cult manner of proceeding, as he was constantly becoming
en[t]angled, by his struggles, among the trees and under
brush. 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. We 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 con
siderably, 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 obstruc
tion, as the ice was slightly covered with snow and had thawed
a little, so that the elk found a good footing. We therefore
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 without having it con
veyed to his house. He replied that he had learned of the
[ 15 ]

PIONEER life; or,
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 five and a half feet long, with eleven branches.

[ 16 ]

CHAPTER IV.
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
west side of the creek is a bottom a mile long, called the
Pine bottom. At the head of the Pine Bottom is a steep
mountain. On the west side also was a creek about five
miles long. Up this little creek was a favorite resort for
game, such as bears, panthers, and deer. The first three
miles from the mouth of the creek, the country is very-
rough, making a fit place for the abode of bears and panth
ers. This creek heads in a yellow pine plain, where there
are large quantities ' of iron ore, and some suppose that stone
coal is deposited there. A furnace to work the ore was
built in 1812. The ore proved good, but the furnace went
down in two years, in consequence of being too far from
a farming country. Crossing over, you arrived at a small
bottom, called Hamilton's. Proceeding on you arrived at
Black Walnut Bottom. We then cross to an island called
Boatman's Island, thence to what is called Boatman's Bot
tom, about two miles long, on the east side of the creek. In
the center of this bottom, from the east, comes in a little
creek, four or five miles long. Three miles up this creek is
a mountain where you find a great number of bears dens,
and places for the bears and panthers to live. Hunters
often kill bears in their holes in the month of February,
and sometimes panthers. The creek heads in the border
of a white Pine country called Hemlock Bottom. Then from
Hemlock Bottom cross over to what is called English Bottom,
about ZYz miles long; then cross to an island called Comfort
Wanderer's Island, then cross to a bottom on the west side
half a mile in length. Here puts in a large stream called
[ 17 ]

pioneer life; or,
the Trout Run. At the mouth of this run are perpendicular
rock, from thirty to fifty and a hundred feet in height.
This run Is eighteen miles in length, and five miles of It
comes from a yellow pine, beech, maple, and chestnut coun
try, leading to where elk used to live. The elk used to
come from the head waters of Young Woman's Creek, Ket
tle Creek, and Sinemahonlng. Young Woman's Creek emp
ties into the west branch of the Susquehannah, about eigh
teen miles above the mouth of Pine Creek, Kettle Creek
puts into the west branch about two miles above the mouth
of Pine Creek.
About the he^d waters of these streams was the favorite
range of elk, bears and deer. Elk and bears used to travel
from Kettle Creek and Young Woman's Creek, and come
down Trout Run, across Pine Creek, and up Mill Creek on
the east side of Pine Creek, three miles from its mouth.
The country is rocky; the elk and bears generally traveled
up the south branch of Pine Creek, this being a good place
for them to live. About fifteen or sixteen miles further
we come to the head waters of Tioga river, and the elk would
not go much further east in consequence of there being a
settlement at an early day. There the elk would stay part
of the winter and some times go back by Trout and Mill
Runs, but not frequently. From the head waters of the
Tioga to the Round Islands there were three elk licks. The
elk in the winter season used to stay near the head waters
of the streams, where feed was abundant. About April
they would go to the smaller streams where the feed was
earlier, and stay there until about the first of May. They
would frequently go to Big Creek, where the mountains
were high, and remain for some time. They would stay
among the mountains during the season of breeding, until
their young had obtained considerable size — say from the
first of May until the end of Jtme.
At this time large quantities of moss was to be found in
the bottom of the river In the shoal places when the elk
would come to the river in great droves to eat it; generally
in the evening. Sometimes they would come in the day
time, in droves of from thirty to forty, and could be seen
by the hunters, feeding on moss. They would generally
stay around the river until the middle of August, and if
they went away, they would return in three or four days.
Then they would go to the highlands, in the beech and
maple woods, where the feed was more tender and budding.
[ 18 ¦"

THIRTY YEARS A HUNTER.
They would keep near the salt licks in large droves: some
times as many as forty could be seen together near a lick.
I have endeavored to show how far the elk went east from
Pine Creek. We will commence at Trout Run, and en
deavor to describe the face of the country on the west side.
The first Bottom above Trout Run on the west side is called
Trout Run Bottom. The next Is a mile and a half In length,
called Sugar Bottom. Proceeding on, we arrive at Ned Huff's
Bottom, at the head of which comes in a large creek, twelve
miles long, called Ned Huff's Run. At the foot of Ned
Huff's Bottom was a favorite crossing for bears. I have
described the number of crossing places which were neces
sary in consequence of the hills putting in on both sides.
In traveling up or down the stream on foot or horseback,
we had to cross from bottom to bottom, and keep up the
beach of the river, there being no road, the mountains put
in so steep. In summer, when the water was very low, we
could sometimes pass two or three of these bluff points by
picking our way In the shallow water and on the stones.
When the water was unusually high there was great danger
from rattlesnakes which lay among the rocks. Each family
possessed a canoe, and when the water was not too low we
traveled In them up and down the river. During the winter
when the streams were frozen, we traveled In sleighs. The fol
lowing are some of the principal runways for bears and elk.
From Ned Huff's Creek to the head of Long Bottom was a
great runway for bears. From the head of Long Bottom
to Cedar Run, which came In on the west side of Pine Creek,
was three quarters of a mile. At its mouth were perpen
dicular rocks, from fifty to two hundred feet high, hanging
directly over the creek. The nooks between the rocks were
not more than four or five rods wide. On the lower side
of the creek were rocks from thirty to forty feet high.
Cedar Creek was thirteen or fourteen miles long. About
seven miles up the creek was a fork called the West Branch,
which headed toward Kettle Creek. Another branch called
Tawnerstock Branch, headed a northeast course against
Round Island. The elk would frequently go from the west
side of Pine Creek to the Round Islands to drink and eat
moss. When at the Creek they were on the trail that came
from the Tioga River. They would leave Pine Creek and
travel west to the Tawnerstock Branch, then to the head
waters of Kettle Creek, and thence to Sinemahonlng, the
greatest elk country known. The train continues from
[ 19 ]

PIONEER life; or,
Sinemahonlng on to the head waters of the Allegany River.
The first of the head waters of the Allegany on the elk trail
was called Potato Creek. The trail went still west to Stump
Creek. On the head waters of Stump Creek were large
numbers of elk, bears and deer. Stump Creek runs into the
Allegany River eighty miles above Pittsburgh. Then the
elk country and trail continues on the head waters of the
Kenzua Creek. From Kenzua Creek the trail continues
south to the head waters of Tionesta. I could not trace
the elk trail any further south from Tionesta than sixteen
miles, but bears and deer still went south. We then went
north to the head waters of Kenzua, where the trail of elk
continued west to the head waters of Tuneangwant. This
river, as nearly as I can recollect, is eighteen or twenty
miles long. It runs into the Allegany river twelve miles
below Olean. One mile above the mouth of Tuneangwant
was still an elk trail that went to Big Valley Creek in Cat
taraugus county. New York. From the head waters' of
Big Valley to Cattaraugus Creek was from four to six miles.
Cattaraugus Creek empties into Lake Erie twenty-eight
miles southwest of Buffalo. This is as far west as I know
elk to range. I came down the Alleghany river in the year
1815, and remained over night at an Indian house below
Olean, near where this runway crossed the Allegany. I
asked an Indian If he knew where there were any elk. He
replied that they were very plenty on the west side of the
river, and some few on the head waters of the Cattaraugus.
I told him that I wished to catch a live elk that winter,
and that I had caught three, each sixteen hands high. He
told me that he did not believe this, as they were so large
and powerful with such formidable horns that no white man
or Indian dare encounter them.
We will now go back to the year 1799, when I was sev
enteen years of age, and explain how I became acquainted
with all these runways, the art of elk-hunting, and the gen
eral appearance of the country. In the above year a com
pany of men were sent out by William Ellis, Samuel Wal
lace, and Henry Drinker, of Philadelphia, to survey the land.
They came up Pine Creek with a keel boat loaded with flour,
pork, sugar, chocolate, tea, and all kinds of clothing for
the men. When they arrived at my father's one of the
hands was sick, and wished to go home, saying that he could
not endure the hardships of the woods. The chief of the
surveying company whose name was Harris, asked my father
[ 20 ]

THIRTY YEARS A HUNTER.
If he could supply him with a hand. My father .said he
would like to but he could not spare his two oldest sons;
however, he had a son of seventeen who could be spared If
he would answer the purpose. Mr. Harris asked me if I
would go. I replied that I should be glad to, as I was anx
ious to go to the woods. We soon arranged our terms, when
my father took me into the house and gave me some advice
in regard to my new undertaking. He told me that if I
should become separated from my companions to be care
ful and not get lost; however, If this should happen I should
not go down stream, as the streams ran Into the river forty
or fifty miles apart, and I should be compelled to follow
down until I reached the river. He also directed me to take
particular notice when I saw an elk lick, or a place where
elk were plenty, as any Information on this point would
be of service whenever we should wish to hunt. I was very
much pleased with this last remark, as I was very fond of
hunting. We started the next morning, and went up the
river about twenty-one miles. We there unloaded the boats,
and all hands proceeded to build a large house and cover it
with bark. In two days we had It raised and covered, when
we left a man named John Church, with two pack-horses,
to finish it. We divided into three companies, each consist
ing of two men to carry chain, one to blaze, and one surveyor.
I went with Mr. Harris, as chain bearer. We commenced
on the east side of the stream, and surveyed back about six
teen miles. The following Sunday we laid by fifteen miles
east of Pine Creek. Our pack-horse man came to us about
twelve o'clock Monday with a supply of provisions for the
following week. We surveyed northward for two days, then
took a westerly course to Big Pine Creek, at a place called
Round Islands, having been twelve days In the woods. With
in this time I found three elk licks on our route. This was
near the last of May. The elk were on the small streams,
living on the new feed, and going toward Pine Creek to eat
the, moss. I then discovered where the elk crossed from the
east to the west. I found that on the west side there were
more indications of their going and returning, than on the
east side.
At Round Islands our pack-horse man again brought us a
supply of provisions. We then surveyed westward about
fifteen miles. Here we made an encampment, and were
again met by our pack-horse man with supplies. We then
surveyed east to Pine Creek, near our block-house. We had
[ 21 ]

PIONEER life; or,
then been out from our place of rendezvous about a month.
We were joined at this point by the three other companies.
One of our pack-horse men was anxious to change places
with some one else, as he was not accustomed to the woods,
and did not like to lie out alone for fear of wolves and
panthers. Mr. Harris asked if any of the men In the com
pany of surveyors was willing to pack. They all declined,
when one named John Strawbrldge asked me if I was not
willing to take the post. I consented to try It for two or
three weeks. On Monday all hands started from the camp
and two companies went to the west side to survey. On
Tuesday morning I took two horses loaded with provisions
and started for the two companies on the west side of the
river. I had to go about nine miles up the creek before
I struck off to the west. I was to remain by the creek that
night, on account of the pasturage it afforded the horses.
About three o'clock in the afternoon I unloaded the horses,
turned them out to feed, and made a fire. As I was seated
by my fire, I heard a strange sound proceeding from some
thing a short distance up the creek. It was now the last
of June, the season for the elk to come to the creek and eat
moss. I looked up and saw as many as twenty of them,
about fifty rods above me. I let them feed quietly, not
caring to disturb them. I ate my supper, looked to my
horses, which were feeding on the blue grass, and then went
to the river to look again at the elk. The stream was full
of them, eating the moss and drinking. Twenty-two more
had arrived, making In all forty-three.
In the morning after I had eaten my breakfast, I loaded
my horses and started. When I had proceeded about half
a mile up the stream, I found the pack-horse and elk trail
which I was to take. About three rods from the creek,
nearly the whole herd of elk I had seen the previous night
were lying in the trail. When they saw me approaching they
sprang up and ran on ahead, keeping the path and tearing
up the ground as they ran along, for a mile and a half, when
they turned off to the south and were soon out of sight.
I went north until I struck the district line, which I kept
for sixteen miles, when I encamped for the night, on the
head waters of Kettle Creek, finding good pasturage for my
horses. At night I was surrounded by wolves, which fright
ened the horses by their bowlings so that they came close
to the fire. I tied them near the fire, fearing they might
become so frightened as to break away and run home. The
[ 22 ]

THIRTY YEARS A HUNTER.
next morning, after proceeding six or seven miles, I arrived
about eleven o'clock at a corner where I was to meet the two
parties of surveyors. Neither party had arrived, and I saw
no pasture for the horses. When I had unloaded and made
a fire I commenced searching for pasturage. At length I
found, about three-quarters of a mile from the camp a small
brook running through a swale, affording tolerable pasture,
to which I led the horses. About dark one company of the
surveyors arrived at the camp. The next day about noon,
the other party came In, and we all remained there the fol
lowing night. One of the chain bearers was unwell, and they
wished me to carry the chain for him, and let him take my
place with the pack-horses. I consented to the arrangement,
and he returned to the blockhouse. In four days we had
completed the surveying which we had anticipated would
occupy a week, and accordingly had three days of leisure
before the next Monday. We were now at the head waters
of Kettle Creek, Cedar Run, and Sinemahonlng, which was
a good country, with abundance of elk and deer, and some
bears. We alj had fishing lines, and we determined to em
ploy the first day of our leisure in fishing. My comrade
and I descended Kettle Creek about seven miles. There I
found on the east side of the creek in the side of the moun
tain a large elk lick, to which I gave the name of Rock Lick.
It was very much resorted to by the elk. As we were re
turning we saw a trail leading to the northeast, which was as
fresh and distinct as If cattle had been traveling there. We
all met at our camp and had a mess of trout which would
have suited the palate of an epicure, had it not lacked the
addition of a little salt. As I had another day at my com
mand I concluded to employ It In exploring the country in
the vicinity of our camp to see If it was frequented by elk.
I accordingly started down the creek, and in going four
miles I discovered a great number of elk-paths. After pro
ceeding four miles farther down the stream I arrived at a
fork which had Its source near the head waters of the Alle
gany River. I then returned to the camp, and supped again
on trout, which some of our men had caught.
On Monday morning we commenced our final week's work
of surveying, and completed it, as we had anticipated, on Sat
urday afternoon, at a place called Pine Island. We then
started in pairs for our block-house. For a mile along the
creek the rocks rose perpendicularly to the height of one, two
and three hundred feet, and we were compelled to go two
[ 23 ]

PIONEER life; or,
miles to the northward of our direct route. We then de
scended a sort of gully, picking our way along the rugged
and broken rock, until we arrived within thirty feet of the
bottom, when a perpendicular precipice presented itself. We
crawled down the face of this by the crevices In Its surface,
until we reached a ledge about fifteen feet from the bottom.
On the brow of this grew a beech sapling, and near it an
iron-wood about ten feet high, with limbs nearly to the
ground. My companion, John Strawbrldge proposed to cut
down the iron-wood sapling and trim off the limbs, leaving
only a hook at the large end which we could attach to the
beech sapling, to assist us down the rocks. We accordingly
prepared our hook, when we disagreed as to who should first
make the perilous descent. Strawbrldge finally broke a
couple of sticks and presented them to me, to draw one,
and whoever had the longest should take the lead. I drew
the longest cut, and prepared to descend. As I was passing
down the pole, Strawbrldge, who was holding the upper end
of the pole, so that It should not slip off the beech sapling,
looked over the brow of the ledge and saw a large rattle
snake colled up in the exact spot where I would alight. He
instantly called out to me, with an oath, to stop, as a rattle
snake lay coiled up beneath me. I was now about six feet
from the top; to return was impossible, and it was with diffi
culty that I could maintain my position. I called to Straw-
bridge to throw the axe at the snake, which he did, and
fortunately hit it so as to disable it. But a new calamity
awaited me. A swarm of yellow wasps which were disturbed
by our sudden intrusion upon their premises, came at me,
striking me in my face and breast. I let go my hold and
dropped to the ground, striking within three feet of the
snake. Upon examination I found I was not much hurt, and
I called to Strawbrldge to come down. He refused, being
afraid of the wasps. I looked around and found a long
sycamore pole, which I cut, and placed against the rocks a
short distance from where I had descended. He came down,
and we started for camp, which was about four miles distant.
When we arrived we found four companies of surveyors
there. The next Monday morning, which was about the
5 th or 6th of August, I was discharged and returned home.
This was the last of my surveying, exploring elk countries
and searching for elk-licks that year.

[ 24 ]

CHAPTER V.
FACE OF THE COUNTRY (CONTINUED).
In the early settlement of the country, about the year 1792,
the manner of life of the settlers, and the hardships and pri
vations they were called upon to endure, rendered them
capable of bearing up under fatigue and exposure, which
those more tenderly reared would be unable to surmount. At
that time, panthers, wolves, bears, elk, deer, and other wild
animals filled the forest, and fish in great abundance, the
streams. A person could go up the stream to where a dam
had been built, and at any time with a hook and line could
in an hour catch trout sufficient for a large family a day.
Quite late one afternoon as I was fishing, I saw a great num
ber of trout trying to jump over the dam. Two thirds of
them succeeded in going over, but some of them would start
too far away, and fall upon the dam, where I could catch
them in my hands. While looking at them I contrived a
plan for catching them, which was to set up a board about
two feet in width, on the dam, to intercept them, and cause
them to fall upon the dam. I at once set to work, and
before leaving the place that night I placed boards the entire
length of the dam. Early the next morning I took a basket
and proceeded to the dam. My father asked me, as I was
starting, where I was going. I replied that, I was going to
get some trout. He said that I had not time that morning,
and that they did not want the fish. But I told him I would
return in a short time; when I arrived at the dam I found
as many as half a bushel of trout lodged on it. I filled my
basket as quickly as possible, and hurried home. On my
arrival there, my father expressing great surprise. Inquired
how I had caught so many. I Informed him; and ever after,
when the water was at a middle stage, we took in this way
a great many; but when the water was high they could go over
the dam. _We caught eels In great numbers by lifting up
the stones under which they were concealed, in the shallow
[ 25 ]

PIONEER life; or,
part of streams. We speared a great many of them by night,
in the following manner. Torches were made of yellow
pitch pine, split fine, about seven feet In length, which threw
a light so bright that we could see the fish on the bottom.
We went up the stream to fish, as the eels kept on the bars
and in the shallow water. My two older brothers and my
self went together; I would draw the canoe, and they take
the eels. Sometimes as we were out fishing, deer would come
to the river to eat moss, within sight of us. When we saw
them, we would all get into the canoe — one held the light,
another sat in the forward part of the canoe, generally with
two guns, and the third one sitting in the stern, would push
the canoe along the stream as carefully as possible. Some
times we could approach so near as to shoot them as they
raised their heads erect to look at the light. Sometimes they
would stand still long enough for the hunter to bring down
a second one with the other gun. At other times they would
start away, when we would wave the light, and as they as
cended the bank they would become frightened at their shad
ows, thinking it was a wolf or panther, and run directly
to the light, where they remained looking at it, till we could
get another and perhaps two more shots at them. In this
manner we would proceed up the stream from five to six
miles, and in that distance we could often kill from two to
four deer, and If the night was favorable we could catch
from sixty to a hundred eels, besides a quantity of salmon,
pike, and rock-fish. We woidd generally fish while passing
up the stream, and hunt in passing down.
Fish and venison being so abundant in the vicinity where
we lived, and very scarce at the mouth of Pine Creek,
twenty-six miles distant, we used them as articles of traffic,
and by exchanging them with inhabitants there, for wheat,
rye, corn, buckwheat, salt, leather, and other necessaries,
we obtained a supply of those articles. The night before
we were to start, we would go up the stream from eight to
twelve miles, and fire-hunt as we went down, arriving at
home in the morning, just as the others had the load ready
to start. We would then load in our fresh venison, and as
the river was rapid, we could go down in time to dispose
of our load and load for the return voyage before night.
As we had to ascend against the rapid current, this was more
difficult, taking two or two and a half days. Frequently in
hunting, the bears and wolves would follow us for the en
trails of the deer. Some times after killing a deer, we found
[ 26 ]

THIRTY YEARS A HUNTER.
It too lean to eat, when we would abandon It to the wolves
and foxes, which we could hear howling and barking in our
rear, guided by our fires. Occasionally a still more savage
panther would rush in and drive these from their repast.
When a deer was suitable for food we dressed it at once,
and they were thus sure of obtaining the refuse.
After the first of October, the mode of taking fish was to
make an oblique wall In the creek, letting it extend at the
upper end about twenty feet, and come together at the low
er end so near as only to admit the fish basket, which we
made of laths and timber. It being in the center of the
stream, the fish would mostly pass down between the walls
and enter the basket. We generally built the wall where
there was a slight rapid, leaving a fall of about eighteen
inches at the basket, into which the fish wOuld pass, and
could not escape. The first season that my father construct
ed a basket, he took pattern by some of his neighbors below
us. There came a rise of water about the last of October,
and we caught but few fish that year. The next season he
determined to put in a basket that would prove effectual
whether the water was high or low. He commenced build
ing in June, intending to be in season. He concluded to
construct it differently from any he had seen. He made
one wall shorter and at a sharper angle with the bank than
the other, thus bringing his basket nearer the shore on which
he lived, making it more easy of access, and left the lower
ends of the walls about ten feet apart, enabling him to put
in a large basket, and fastened the timbers so strongly under
the wall that the basket stood there seven years. When
winter came he let down the end of the basket and took off
the sides, so that the Ice could pass over it without injury.
The next season, when we wanted to use it, we had only to
raise the end and sides, and fasten the corners, and It was
ready for use. At that time there were no boats or lumber
rafts to run down, and only one family lived above us, eight
miles distant, so we only left an opening In our wall for
hunters to pass with their canoes. The second night after we
had finished it was rainy, and upon such nights the eels
played backward and forward over the ripples. In the morn
ing my father went down to the basket, and found seven
or eight large eels, and eight or ten salmon, with a quantity
of suckers and other small fish. We found our basket to be
very profitable from that time until the last of October.
We were so abundantly supplied with fish frorn this source
[ 27 ]

pioneer life; or,
that we used them to feed our hogs, and found them very
useful for that purpose, as we were compelled to keep them
in our enclosure to protect them from wild animals. About
the fifth of October, in that season, there came a rise of
water In Pine Creek. The succeeding night we caught about
two barrels of eels and three wagon loads of suckers. From
this time we continued to take from twenty to thirty or
forty eels besides a number of other fish nightly, until about
the tenth of Npvember, when there came another rise of
water in the creek, and in three hours we took two barrels
of good salmon and rock-fish, with four wagon loads of
suckers. At dark the eels began to run, when my father,
assisted by three of us boys and a man, began to carry out
the eels, but the other fish came In so rapidly as to dam up
the water, so that the eels would go over the sides of the
basket and as they were difficult to catch, we threw out
fish and eels to make room for the eels. Finding that we
were losing many eels in this way, my brother brought the
canoe, and placed It under the basket at a place where water
did not come, and raked the eels back into it as they came.
We made an opening in the basket, through which they fell,
and we found the plan to work admirably. In about ten
hours the river had risen so high as to overflow the basket,
which put an end to our operations for that night. We had
then carried out about twelve wagon loads of suckers, three
barrels of eels and two barrels of salmon and rock-fish, be
sides throwing a great quantity out of the basket, to keep
it from overflowing. We then built a good tight house of
slabs, into which we put our suckers, and threw over it a
large quantity of pine and hemlock boughs, to prevent their
freezing. We fed our fattening hogs for the next three
weeks upon fish, when we commenced feeding them corn,
and at the end of the next four weeks the pork was equally
as good as if fattened wholly on corn. We then kept three
hogs through the winter on fish. Our supply lasted until
about the middle of April. At that time, eels were worth
in that country, from five to seven dollars per barrel, ac
cording to the demand. Salmon and other good fish were
worth from four to six dollars a barrel. We estimated the
fish fed to our hogs to be worth no more than seven or eight
dollars as corn was very cheap at that time. If we had sold
our fish at a very low rate, the four barrels of salmon, at
five dollars a barrel, and five barrels of eels at seven dollars
a barrel, and the fish we fed to hogs at eight dollars (be-
[ 28 ]

THIRTY YEARS A HUNTER.
sides, two months of the year we caught enough to supply
thp family all the time,) this would show the value of our
fish basket for the first year. We estimated that the fish
caught in it was worth to us, at the lowest rate, from sixty
to seventy-five dollars, besides the supply for the family.
The trout caught that season, which we kept for the family
use, would have been worth twenty dollars more.
During the first few years of our residence here, we would
often look up the creek In the morning, and see a deer, com
ing at the top of its speed, followed by three or four wolves
— sometimes two on each side of the creek. We would
immediately prepare and go out to meet them. Sometimes
we captured the deer with very little trouble, but often the
wolves would catch and spoil it before we came up. In this
manner the wolves ran the deer from the first of July until
the last of January. During the winter, when the river was
covered with ice, the deer would fall into the air holes and
become an easy prey. We took off the skin and If the deer
did not prove to be very good, we would leave half of It
to the wolves, but if it was good, we left the refuse parts
to encourage them in pursuing the deer. Often while we
were dressing deer the wolves would stand within twenty
rods, howling most discordantly. We finally obtained a gun
and dogs, and turned our attention to hunting. We com
menced about the first of July, and continued until Novem
ber. The wolves and dogs hunting together, sometimes one
and sometimes the other obtaining the deer, and if It fell
into our hands we always left the wolves their portion to
keep them near, for we considered them of great assistance
to us In hunting. As there was no bounty on wolves at that
time, and we had no sheep for them to kill, we never de
stroyed them. They often aided us to three or four deer
in a week. When we were fire-hunting, and had killed a
deer, we often stopped to dress it, and left the wolves their
portion, and if we had not the fortune to catch one, we
would each fish and leave them, to keep them In our vicinity.
The howling of the wolves upon our track was generally
mingled with the scream of wildcats, and often they would
fight over the food we left them. Frequently when our
dogs were chasing a deer the wolves would take it from them,
and the dogs would sometime take one from the wolves in
the same manner. The wolves and the dogs would often
be in pursuit of the same deer, but when we were near
enough, we could generally take it from them.
[ 29 1

PIONEER life; or.
In the months of June and July we could often see from
two to five hundred fish sunning themselves In the shoal
water. The wildcats would stand watching them, and when
they approached near enough to the shore, they would seize
and bring out as many as three fish each, before they could
escape. The black fox would sometimes dive in water two
feet deep, and bring out fish. The red and silver tail foxes
did not dive, but watched along the shore and took the fish
in the same manner as the wildcats. We never killed them
when we saw them fishing, as their skins were not as valu
able then as In the fall and winter, but we would often
shout and alarm them, to see them run. At the proper sea
son, when their skins were good, we used to trap them. We
began to trap foxes about the beginning of November, bait
ing with fish, which we found to be the best bait. We would
roast an eel and trail it through the snow for some distance
to the trap, and they would follow the scent. We found
this to be the most successful manner of securing them.

[ 30 ]

CHAPTER VI.
danger from RATTLESNAKES.
The first season of our residence there the snakes were so
numerous that we used to clear the yard and build fires
around the house to keep them away. We were careful to
have the house made very tight to prevent their entrance,
and we closed the door early in the evening in the summer,
and did not open It until day-light in the morning for fear
of them, they were so numerous. Before we commenced
making fires around the house in the morning, we frequently
found the snakes lying in the yard near the house. One
morning quite early, as my father was leaving the house,
he heard a hiss like a goose nearly over his head. He paid
no attention to It, however, and on his return he cast his
eyes up over the door, and discovered a large rattlesnake
lying directly over his head, hissing and darting Its tongue
toward him. He killed the snake and went into the house
much alarmed, saying that he should leave that place, as he
feared we would all be bitten by the rattlesnakes. About
three days afterward, the hired man went on the roof of
the house to repair It, he found a large rattlesnake In quiet
possession, seeing which he was terribly alarmed, and jumped
to the ground. I then went to the roof and destroyed the
snake. On leaving the house we always put on a pair of
woolen socks and leggins over our shoes to protect our legs
from the snakes; this was a necessary precaution for many
years. Burning the woods proved of some benefit to us, as
the snakes would not come near a place where a fire had
been, for some time. About the first of August they came
in pairs, and should one be killed, the other would be found
at the end of even three or four days near the dead one.
Sometimes toward the end of August, thirty or forty could
be seen at one time lying on and among the rocks. My
brother and myself were hunting and fishing one afternoon,
and as we were pushing up the river in our canoe we passed
[ 31 1

THIRTY YEARS A HUNTER.
a rattle-snake's den, near which we counted forty rattle
snakes, some colled up, and others stretched out, simning
themselves. We went ashore and provided ourselves each
with a stick made similar to a flail, so that we could kill
them with a single blow. One then went below them and
the other above, and we killed all we could until we met.
We succeeded in killing thirty of the forty snakes which
we first counted. In killing so many snakes, we inhaled
so much of the poisonous effluvia as to make us sick. We
returned home immediately and took freely of sweet milk
and hog's lard, to prevent any more serious effects. Fre
quently when hunting we saw eight or ten snakes, but we
would only kill four or five of them nearest us, or that
were ugly. We never found them numerous at a greater
distance than three miles from the river, and there they were
near a brook or small stream. The country from near the
mouth of Pine Creek extending several miles up to a place
called the Big Elk Lick, was a great resort for them. Within
this distance there were six rattlesnake dens. The first den
was on the east side of the creek, near Clark's Bottom. Up
the creek, about nine miles above Clark's Bottom, was an
other. About two miles farther, at Black Walnut Bottom,
was a small island of about two acres, where we always found
great nurftbers of them. Still farther up the creek, about
nine miles from the last place, lying in the river, about
twelve feet from the nearest shore was a rock about forty
feet long by fifteen wide, called Rattle-snake Rock. On
this the snakes would often lie In piles. On the opposite
side of the river was another seventy feet long and twenty
wide, on which could often be seen forty snakes at a time.
In the year 1794, James King and a Mr. Manning went
on an exploring expedition up Pine Creek, to ascertain if
any elk were to be found, and also If any Indians were in
the neighborhood. They went up the stream above Big
Meadows. When about twenty miles up the creek, they
found the rattlesnakes so numerous that they were com
pelled to anchor their canoe in the middle of the stream
to avoid them. The first night they built a fire on shore,
and before morning three snakes made their appearance.
They then concluded it would be more safe in the canoe.
About the third day they arrived at the larger rock on the
west side of the river, and found as many as thirty rattle
snakes lying on the rock, sunning themselves. They pushed
their canoe to the other shore, and when passing the smaller
[ 32 ]

PIONEER life; or,
rock, they discovered on the top a pile of rattle-snakes as
large as an out-door bake-oven. They lay with their heads
sticking up in every direction, hissing at them. Proceeding
up the river a short distance, they could see, as they ap
proached the shore, snakes lying where they intended to
land. They therefore continued on a mile and a half to a
thicket of hemlock, which they knew the snakes would not
approach, and accordingly went ashore and prepared dinner.
About one mile and a half farther they arrived at the second
fork 'of Pine Creek. Here they saw about forty elk drink
ing In the creek, and as far as they could see they discovered
elk in the stream. They estimated that there were nearly
two hundred elk at the creek. The next day they pushed
up the creek about eleven miles, when they came to the
Round Islands, on the shore opposite which was a den of
rattle-snakes, about a quarter of a mile back from the creek,
in a rocky place. It being in the month of August, when
the snakes always come to the water, they saw in a space
of twenty rods as many as sixteen rattle-snakes, all about
a rod from the water. Not wishing to land in such com
pany, they proceed up the creek half a mile to a hemlock
thicket, where they landed and prepared supper. They then
dropped out Into the stream, and anchored for the night.
But they found troublesome neighbors on the water, as well
as on land. The gnats were so numerous and annoying that
it was Impossible to sleep. They accordingly laid pieces of
bark across the canoe, covered them with clay, and built
upon it a fire of rotten wood. This raised a smoke which
protected them effectually. The next day, about eight miles
further up the creek, they arrived at the third fork of Pine
Creek. On the west side, opposite the fork, they discovered
a large tract of cleared land, consisting of as many as a
hundred and sixty acres, to which they gave the name of
the Big Meadows. They were the first white men ever there.
It had been cleared by the Six Nations, and they thought
had probably been vacated for twenty or thirty years, but
they could still discern marks of corn-hills. A few hickory
trees grew next the river and along the foot of the hill, but
besides these not a tree or shrub was visible, and it was
covered with blue grass. On the opposite side of the creek,
near the fork, they found a plum orchard of twenty acres,
abounding with fruit. Between the plum orchard and the
creek was a tract of cleared land of about thirty acres, which
appeared to have once been a corn-field. In this vicinity
[ 33 ]

PIONEER life; or,
they found a great many elk and bears. As it was not the
season for the latter, and their fur and skins were of no
value, they did not molest them. They then ascended the
fork seven miles, when they arrived at a place which they
called Big Marsh. Here the country was more level, and
less rocky than it was down Pine Creek. From here they
returned to the Meadows, where they left their canoe, and
proceeded on foot twelve miles up the creek, where they
found a very large elk lick, and saw about sixty elk at the
creek, at one time. They killed one elk, and the others
became frightened at the report of the gun, and fled. When
they had killed and dressed the elk, one of them proceeded
about a mile further, and found an Indian camp, that ap
peared to have been occupied by as many as eight or ten
persons, but few days previous. On his return to his com
panion, he informed him of the discovery he had made, and
they concluded to return. They started accordingly, going
down the creek five miles to a small stream which they
ascended two miles, and encamped for the night. The next
morning they went to their canoe by a different course,
and descended the creek to the second fork. After ex
ploring, for two days, the country lying on the second fork,
they proceeded down the creek twelve miles to a place called
Hamilton's Bottom, and the following day arrived at the
town of Jersey Shore, which terminated their expedition.
They were hired by a company in Philadelphia to explore
the country for the purpose of locating land-warrants, and
were the first white men that ever penetrated the wilderness
lying on Pine Creek and its tributaries. The information
which thy obtained was of great Importance to us when
we first settled in this country, as it enabled us to find where
and how the elk lived, where the dens of rattle-snakes were,
and how to avoid them. When hunting the elk we fre
quently went to the dens of rattle-snakes to see how many
were visible at once. We used to burn the woods in May
to destroy the snakes; and another mode was to make a large
pile where they were the most numerous, and toward even
ing set fire to it, when the snakes would run into the fire,
and vent their impotent rage upon It, until they were burnt
to death. I hunted five years in this part of the country,
and in all that time I noticed that the rattle-snakes were
never seen farther than six miles from Pine Creek, and on
the smaller streams they were never seen more than two
miles from the waters. They were never found near the
[ 34 ]

THIRTY YEARS A HUNTER.
source of the small streams. I have taken particular notice
of the habits of the snakes, while hunting on various streams.
In the year 1816, I resided near Cornplanter's Town, on
the Allegany River. I made Inquiries of Cornplanter, then
the head chief of the Six Nations, concerning the rattle
snake, and he told me that thirty years previous they had
found the snakes as numerous from the place called Red
Bank to the State line, as they used to be at Pine Creek.
He said all the traveling In summer had to be done in
canoes, on account of them. The way they destroyed them
was to burn the woods in the same manner that we did. I
asked him If any of the people were ever bitten. He re
plied that the men were seldom bitten as they wore woolen
socks and leggins, but several of the women and children
had been bitten, and it proved fatal in some cases before
remedies could be procured. When they were obliged to lie
out at night in a place which was Infested by snakes, they
drove four crotches Into the ground, upon which they placed
poles, and across these they laid pieces of bark. In this
manner they avoided sleeping on the ground. In summer
they always kept a fire around the place where they slept,
to protect themselves while asleep. I asked Cornplanter
where he thought the bears, elk, deer and panthers were
the most plenty thirty years previous. He answered that
in the year 1786 he found the deer more plenty from the
State line to Red Bank, and about twelve miles back from
the river, than they were on Pine Creek. But he thought
bears were not as plenty, and that panthers were quite nu
merous on Kenzua Creek and the Tionesta and the country
between the head waters of those streams and the Susque
hannah river. Elk, he said were not as plenty on the Alle
gany as they were on Pine Creek; and beaver, otter, and
other animals valuable for their fur, he had found more
abundant on the Susquehannah than on the Allegany. Bears
were found in great numbers from the mouth of Conewango
Creek to Chautauque Lake. They had a crossing place
where they passed from the head waters of the Tionesta to
the lake. Fie said his two sons, Henry and John O'Bayle,
killed in one summer, fifteen bears on the banks of Chau
tauque Lake.
Soon after our conversation I again saw Cornplanter and
he told me that he had learned, by a letter from the Presby
terian Society, of Pittsburgh, that they intended to send a
preacher to establish a school at Cornplanter's Town, and he
asked me to send my children, as there was no school or
[ 35 ]

pioneer life; or,
place of Instruction near us. I told him that when they
sent the minister and teacher, I would give him an answer.
In about two weeks the teacher arrived. He was from
Virginia, and his name was Samuel Oldham. He was ac
companied by his wife. They were both pious people and
members of the Presbyterian Church. A man by the name
of George Hilderbrand came with them as intefpreter. He
had lived for several years among the Indians on the Alle
gany, and understood the language. After the teacher had
been here about two days, a man by the name of Walter
Seaman and myself went to see him and Cornplanter about
sending our children to their school. Cornplanter said he
did not know as they would be willing to teach our children
without pay, but he would be willing to do his part, as he
thought It would be an assistance in teaching their children
to speak the English language. He said that the minister
was expected to arrive the next Saturday evening, and preach
to them on the next Sabbath, and they could then ascertain
whether we would be permitted to send our children to their
school. I asked of Cornplanter the reason why the Quakers
left them about four years previous. He said the Quakers
did not keep the Sabbath, and he thought that was very
wrong; and they taught the children that he was no wiser
or better than any other man, and ought not to be considered
so. This displeased him very much, as he wished to be con
sidered the wisest and best of his tribe, and he told the
Quakers that they might go, as the tribe did not wish to
have them on their ground, or to have their children taught
In that manner. About four years before this the oldest
Indians removed into Cattaraugus County, New York. I
asked him if he did not regret to have them all leave him.
He replied that he was not sorry to have them go, as they
were better situated on their own land, and the young men
who were left would soon be grown up to take the places
of those who had gone. He also said that they were not
willing to be ruled by him, and he was quite willing that
they should leave. He asked me what I thought of the
Quakers. I said that I liked them very much, as they were
a very sober people, and did not drink or swear. He did
not coincide with me in my favorable opinion of them.
In the year 1817, as Cornplanter with his son and myself
were going down the river in a canoe from the state of
New York, where we had been at work, I inquired of his
son, Henry O'Bayle, if his father would be willing to talk
about -the wars and battles in which he had been engaged.
[ 36 ]

THIRTY YEARS A HUNTER.
On being questioned, he replied that it was a subject upon
which he was fond of conversing. I asked him what was
the first battle he was ever engaged in. He replied that it
was at Braddock's defeat. He was then seventeen years of
age, and engaged with the French and Indians against the
British. He said that there were about six thousand Indians,
and some few French. He supposed there were about double
the number of Indians that there were of white men. He
returned, after the battle, to his own place of residence.
There was a smaller number of Cornplanter's own tribe,
than of any other tribe then present. They had intended,
in case they were victorious, to continue their march to
Philadelphia, driving the whites before them, and compel
them to quit the country. But when the battle was over
and the plunder was divided, they became insubordinate
and could no longer be kept in order. The original plan
was therefore abandoned. On his return, Cornplanter in
formed his tribe of the dissensions In their army and said,
that in their then divided state it was useless to contend
longer against the British, and they had better make peace
with them as soon as possible. His advice, however, was
not followed. I asked him If he was ever on the Susque
hannah. He laughed and asked If any of my friends had
ever been killed there. I answered in the negative. He then
asked if the people on the west branch of the Susquehannah
did not entertain feeling of enmity against him. I replied
that nothing was cherished against him; that whatever acts
of hostility he had committed were undoubtedly instigated
by the British, and upon them, therefore, rested the blame.
Fie said this was true; that the British supplied them with
ammunition and paid them for scalps. I asked him how
many men had fallen by his own hand. He said he had
killed seven. I asked him If his half brother was not killed
there, to which he answered that he was, in an attack upon
a block-house, at Munsee hill, and that he was present him
self. I asked him if he remembered whether they intended
to set fire to the block-house. He made no reply to this,
but asked if I or any of my friends were there. I told
him that I was not there, being but a boy at that time, nor
had I friends there, but that I knew the man who shot his
brother; his name was Armstrong. I also knew another man,
by the name of Carr, who was In the block-house, and who
now lived within ninety miles of Cornplanter. Armstrong,
Carr and two others, were the only ones in the block-house
at the time of the attack.
[ 37 ]

CHAPTER VII.
WOLF AND BEAR HUNTING.
The following Is the manner In which wolves were hunted
during the early years of our residence in the country.
Early In May they were found near the heads of streams,
either among the rocks or In hollow logs. When they were
near, the hunter generally found paths which were formed
by the old she-wolf in passing to and from her den. If
none were visible, he imitated the howl of a wolf, to which
the old one, if within hearing, would reply, and thus betray
her retreat. If not successful in one place, he continued
his search from the head of one stream to another. Some
times they were found a mile or two from the head of
a stream, if there was any convenient place for them to den.
Occasionally the hunter could kill a deer, when he hung
up different parts of It where It would be found by the
wolves, and if upon his return, they had been taken, he
felt sure there were wolves in the vicinity. He would then
imitate the howl of a wolf, which would be answered if any
wolves were within hearing. If the young ones were found
in the absence of the dam, great care was used to leave
no indications of any one having been at the den. If the
hunter had no trap, he would climb a tree and wait the
approach of the old wolf. About the first of December
was the best time for baiting them with meat, as the old
ones weaned their young at that season, and the latter were
scattered over the woods. The wolf generally has from five
to ten puppies. The meat was sometimes roasted and drag
ged over the trail for thirty or forty rods before baiting
the trap with it. The most favorable time for trapping
wolves was during rainy weather, as the rain would obliter
ate the scent of the trapper. When there was no rain, it
was customary to carry along a pail of water, and sprinkle
on the tracks for the same purpose. When the hunter had
his traps set, he would climb into a tree and howl like a
[ 38 ]

THIRTY YEARS A HUNTER.
wolf until they collected near, when they would get into
the traps, or he could shoot them from his retreat. The
month of February was another favorable time for taking
them, as it is the season for them to mate, when they col
lect in great numbers. They can be easily taken in traps
at this season, as they are very ravenous, and will run any
hazard for the sake of the meat with which the trap was
baited. Another successful manner of taking them was in
what was called wolf -houses, which were constructed in the
following manner. A favorable place was found on the
steep side of a hill, in a place frequented by wolves In pass
ing from one stream to another. In the side of the hill
a hole was dug so deep that the upper side would be on a
level with the roof of the house. In this hole the house,
about ten feet square, was built and the same in height, of
beech and maple logs. The top covered with heavy logs,
leaving a hole five feet one way by two and a half the other.
Into this a trap door is fitted, with a spring underneath.
The bait is placed In such a position that the wolf, to reach
It, must step upon the trap-door, when it drops down
and precipitates the animal to the bottom, when it springs
back to Its place. If a female is the first to fall into the
trap, the others will keep running about over the trap door,
and one after another will fall In, until the greater part of
the whole pack is caught. The house is built several months
before the season for its use, to accustom them to it.
About the first of September the wolves commenced run
ning deer into the river. This Is another favorable season for
hunting them. When we saw a deer running and no dog
in sight, we were sure it was pursued by wolves. If we
wished to save the deer for our own use, we shot It before
it was overtaken by the wolves. We then let the deer lie
some time, and If the wolves were not too much frightened
by the report of the gun, they would come up to the deer,
when we could perhaps kill two or three of them. This
Is always done early in the morning, and the wolves lie still
the rest of the day. When I was a young man, steel traps
were scarce and dear, and we were compelled to invent
substitutes which would be unnecessary at the present day.
Bears were hunted and caught by us in the following man
ner. About the first of May they could be found at the
streams, turning over the stones along the shore in search
of fish with which to feed their cubs. The hunter had to
exercise great care to keep where the wind would not blow
[ 39 ]

pioneer life; or,
from him to the bear, as the latter would detect the slightest
taint of his presence. After killing the old one he could
some times take the cubs, but if they ran he concealed him
self and they would return in a short time. If he failed
to approach near enough to kill the bear, he let his dogs
after her, and she would soon climb a tree, followed by
her cubs, when he shot the old one from the tree, and then
withdrew with his dogs until the cubs descended and gath
ered around their dam. If he found It difficult to take
them, he could set traps or snares for them, as they will
linger near their dam for two or three days.
Another manner of taking bears was in houses, similar
to those used for wolves. They were made larger, being
generally ten by fourteen, and built upon a floor of large
logs, unless a large flat rock could be found in a convenient
place to build upon. The top was covered with logs or
rocks, so heavy that the bears could not raise them. The
door was in the side, and hung at the top. When ready
for use, the door was swung up and the bait connected with
it by a rope, In such a manner that the bear when it pulled
upon the bait, would loose the fastening, and cause the door
to fall down to its place, and fasten the bear Into the house.
In this manner we sometimes caught the old bear and cubs
at once. When they were secured In this manner, we could
convey them home alive in the following manner. The
eyes were covered, and the mouth muzzled. A rope was
attached to each foot, and one around the neck; to the
neck was also fastened a pole twenty feet long, and another
rope forty feet long, to which a horse was attached. A
man then went ahead holding the pole and two behind,
holding the ropes, to prevent the bear from going too rapidly.
When the weather was warm and the bear fat we had to
go very slowly. To tame them we used to attach a horse
to them and lead them around. If they were stubborn and
not easily tamed, we shut them up and fattened them for
their oil, which was valuable.
About the last of July and first of August, when berries
were ripe, was a good season for taking bears, either In
bear-houses or by shooting them. They were most plenty
where there were whortleberries; if they could find no
whortleberries, they would eat blackberries, and If there were
neither, they could be found where there were wild cher
ries. If not successful in taking them by means of bear-
houses, the hunter pursued them with dogs. When he
[ 40 ]

THIRTY YEARS A HUNTER.
came within sight of one he let the dogs loose, when the
bear would climb a tree, before running a great distance.
If the tree was so high that the beat could not be reached
without much difficulty, the hunter retired a short distance
and waited until it came down, when he would drive it up
another. If he was prepared with ropes, he could capture
It alive. My first experience in catching bears was In 1805,
In the following manner. As a large party of young men
and women were out picking whortleberries we discovered
a bear eating berries. Having eight or ten good dogs with
us, we thought it was a fine chance for sport, and accord
ingly gave chase. In a short time he ascended a tree, but
it was too high for our purpose, and we withdrew until
he came down, when we forced him up another. We con
tinued In this manner driving him from one tree to another,
until we had him up one about fifteen feet to the lower limb.
One of the young men proposed to take the bear alive, but
another said It could not be done; but I concurred in the
opinion of the first, and we began laying a plan to accomplish
it. In the first place we peeled bark, with which we made
ropes, with a noose in the end of each. We then made a
scaffold by the tree, upon which one of the party stood,
and with a pole slipped a noose over the neck and another
over the fore paws of the bear. We now had him in our
power, and drove him down the tree nearly to the ground.
We then tied a pole across his neck, each end of which was
taken by a man, and In this manner we drove him a couple
of miles, when we concluded he had given us sufficient
amusement, and cutting the ropes set him at liberty. Bears
from six months to three years old can easily be taken in
this manner, but the old ones are not so easily managed.
During the months of January and February was a favorable
time for taking bears by tracking them to their dens. When
the hunter had found the den, he approached it, well pre
pared with dogs and guns, and threw In burning sulphur,
which soon started them out. They could then be shot as
they emerged from the hole. It was necessary to be well
prepared, as the bears are very ferocious at this season, and
It would be a perilous adventure for one to rouse them
without plenty of dogs and guns. As many as five were
sometimes found In one den, but there was not generally
more than one.

[ 41 ]

CHAPTER VIII.
ANOTHER ELK HUNT.
In December, 1811, I went to Lycoming county, for the
purpose of catching a live elk. The hunting ground was
in the vicinity of Pine Creek. I was accompanied by my
brother Benjamin, then seventeen years of age, and three
men whom I had hired to assist me. On the 8th we start
ed, each man carrying a knapsack with provisions for a
week. We also took ropes sufficient to hold an elk. We
ascended Pine Creek about fifteen miles to a place called the
Lower Round Islands. Here we left the creek and climbed
a hill, the summit of which was two miles from the base.
After traveling in a westerly direction about two miles
we struck the track of three elk. We supposed, from their
freshness, that they were made the evening previous, and
by bucks. We followed the track about a mile and a half,
when we came up with them, and they wheeled and gazed
at us. We had four dogs with us, two of which we let
loose. The elk started and ran about four miles and then
turned and fought the dogs until we came up. We then
fired to encourage the dogs, when they singled out one of
them, and attacked him furiously. He took a westerly
course, with both dogs after him, while the two others went
to the north. We pursued the one the dogs were after.
He ran about eight miles, and then turned upon the dogs,
which soon tired out and came back, meeting us about four
miles from where they had fought. We continued on, and
encamped near where the elk had stood at bay. The next
morning we followed the elk about three-quarters of a mile,
and came to where he had left his westerly course and turned
to the south. About half a mile farther we came to where
he had been feeding, and had lain during the night, and dis
covered him about fifty or sixty rods ahead of us. We let
the two fresh dogs go, and they approached within a few
yards of him before he saw them. He then started, running
[ 42 ]

THIRTY YEARS A HUNTER.
about six miles, when he turned to fight the dogs, tired them
out, and they returned to us. We continued on, however,
to the place where the elk had turned upon the dogs. As
¦it was a very blustering day, and there was good camping
ground, we halted for the night. All of the hired men now
became discouraged. They said that our dogs were worth
less for elk-hunting, that they had gone thus far without
accomplishing any thing, and would probably not if we
continued the chase; and that they were tired and wished
to return home. I told them that the direction in which
the elk was then traveling led, toward home, and It was as
well to follow the track as to take any other course. Also,
that as they had engaged for an indefinite period, they were
under obligations to remain with me, if I desired it, until
we had caught a live elk. The next morning they concluded
to continue, and we started after the elk. We went two
miles and found where he had been feeding. A short dis
tance farther we saw him lying down. All the dogs were
then let loose, when they pursued the elk very closely, and
the whole party of us ran about four miles, whooping and
shouting with all our might, when we met the dogs re
turning. The men were again discouraged, and desired to
go home. I told them they were now going toward home,
and they might as well continue. Some harsh words fol
lowed, when I told them it was my business whether they
went home or not, and that I should not consider myself
bound to pay them if they did not remain with me until
I had secured an elk. They then concluded to go on, and
we followed the track about six miles, and arrived at a
high mountain, with steep, rocky sides, and within two miles
of the place from which we started, between Cedar Run
and Big Pine Creek, at the mouth of the former stream.
From there the elk took a westerly course again. On the
side toward Pine Creek many of the rocks rose two or
three hundred feet perpendicular. From appearances, we
judged that the elk had been on the rocks, awaiting the
dogs, and this would have been a capital chance to secure
him, if the dogs had kept up the chase. The men, thinking
that the elk had departed from the homeward course, wanted
to leave the track. I had been there before, and knew
where we were, but they were totally unacquainted with
the place. I pointed to the rocks and said, " If you wish
to go down the sides of that mountain and take a chance
of finding your way home, go; I shall keep on the track."
[ 43 ]

PIONEER life; OR,
But they concluded to follow me, and we again started in
pursuit of the elk. We went about six miles, to the east
branch of Cedar Run, in the forks of which we encamped
for the night. The next morning we proceeded about a
mile and a half, to the west branch of Cedar Run, where
we discovered the elk feeding. I told them to keep the
dogs quiet, and we would drive him up the hill, the sum
mit of which was about a mile distant. We followed him
about half a mile, when I told them to let loose all four of
the dogs, and to encourage them by firing a gun. The elk
then ran directly south about five miles, and turned to
the east. We walked on quite briskly. I told them that
the elk was going toward a famous elk-crossing, about six
miles distant, and half a mile from our starting-point, called
Black Walnut Bottom. This seemed greatly to encourage
them, and they pushed on, anticipating a speedy return home.
About a mile and a half farther, the elk ran toward a rock
which rose about two feet above the surface of the ground,
and was about twenty-five by forty feet on the top, but
for some unaccountable reason, turned away and passed on.
The nice scent of the dogs, however, enabled them to de
tect the cause at once, and they left the track of the elk,
and commenced barking furiously around a hole in the cen
ter of the rock. Two of the men, Francis and Fleeharty,
were In advance of me and when they arrived at the rock,
they sent all the dogs down the hole. In a short time a
bear made his appearance at the surface. The men drove
it back, but It still endeavored to force Its way out as often
as they kicked It back. I heard their shouts, and ran to
them, leaving two others behind with the gun. .Soon after
I arrived the bear retreated to his cave, and we listened,
expecting to hear a struggle between him and the dogs. We
were not disappointed, for In about ten minutes we heard
the barking of the dogs, and soon one of them rushed out
as fast as possible. Very soon another followed, and then
the two others came bounding out. The bear stuck his
nose again out of the hole, and I jumped upon his head
with both feet, knocking him back, and called to the men
to give me a club. While speaking I observed that Francis
had an axe upon his shoulder, but was so much excited that
he was not aware of It. The bear once more made his ap
pearance, and I asked Francis to give the axe to me. But
he called to me to stand out of the way, and giving the
bear a glancing stroke, the axe slipped from his hands and
[ 44 ]

THIRTY YEARS A HUNTER.
went rattling down the hole. We then kicked the bear
back, and kept him there, until the rest of the party came
up with the gun. Upon trial I found that it was wet,
and would not go off. I dried the pan and a second time
attempted to shoot, but with no better success. I then
picked out the caked powder, put some priming into the pan,
and told the men to stand back. The bear soon came to the
top of the hole, but paused upon seeing so many of us in
the vicinity. I fired into his mouth, and the bullet broke
his neck bone. He fell back, slid down the hole, gave a
heavy plunge, and all was silent. Our next object was to
bring our booty out to the surface. None of us wished to
enter the den, yet we were not willing to leave it there.
We finally concluded to decide it by drawing cuts, and the
longest two were drawn by Fleeharty and myself. We drew
again, to decide which should take the lead, and the lot
fell upon Fleeharty. A rope was placed around his waist,
and taking a torch in his hand, he started and I followed,
leaving orders with those above not to raise the rope until
I called. After descending obliquely about thirty feet, we
arrived at a precipice of about three feet, at the bottom of
which lay the bear on Its back. The fears of Fleeharty
magnified into a live bear each foot of the dead one, as it
lay in the flickering light of his torch, and, thinking he
had at least four bears to encounter, he screamed, " Pull me
up! " I quieted him, and taking the torch from his hands,
and peering down into the hole, I discovered the cause of
Fleeharty's alarm. I told him what I saw, and requested
him to proceed, but he could not muster courage enough
to descend the precipice, and I pushed him off, following
myself. As he struck the bottom, the torch fell from his
hands, and he set up a scream of, " Murder! Murder! " " Pull
me up! " " The bears are after me! " I picked up the torch
and showed him that all his panic was caused by one dead
bear. We then commenced exploring the cave, and found It
to be quite a curiosity. The room was, as I judged about
twelve by eighteen feet In size, and seven or eight feet high.
The ceiling was very smooth, with right-angled corners, and
on two adjacent sides were projections like seats about eighteen
Inches high, and fifteen wide, regularly formed, with well-
defined angles. They extended the entire length of their
respectives sides, while on the opposite sides was no such
formation, or traces of any. Every thing had an artificial
appearance. I called to those above to come down, and
[ 45 ]

PIONEER life; or,
make further researches. In the northwest corner was an
opening five feet high and three wide, which led to another
regularly formed room, eleven by sixteen feet, but with
out seats or any thing remarkable. In the north-s^est corner
of this room was an opening three feet by two, which led
into a long narrow passage. We entered and proceeded
about three rods, when our light began to burn dimly, and
the thought occurred to me that there might be half a dozen
bears or panthers concealed within, and if one should meet
us In that narrow passage, our situation would be neither
safe nor pleasant. I told the others my fears, and we ac
cordingly returned to the large room. As we concluded
that we could not find more comfortable quarters, we made
arrangements to stay there all night. From the moss, leaves
and branches which we found there, we supposed the bear
must have made this rock his habitation for many winters
— perhaps a dozen. We gathered some of the larger branch
es, and brought some dry wood from the outside, with which
we made a large and cheerful fire. In a short time the
smoke filled the room so densely that we were nearly suf
focated, before we could gather up our Implements and leave
the place. It was now nearly dark, and a cold blustering
night. There was no pine or hemlock in that region, with
which to build a shanty, and we stretched blankets across
poles and made a tent. We then built a fire, and as the
ground was covered with snow, we procured bark and brush
to lie on. When everything was prepared we ate our sup
per and went to sleep. The next morning after eating
breakfast, we went to the rock, to take out our bear. Two
of us entered the cave and tied a rope around the neck of
the bear. The three men on the outside pulled on the rope,
while we pushed, but we could not raise it over the ledge.
We then cut a pole about twenty feet long, which we used
as a lever, and by this means drew him out. We estimated
that he weighed between four and five hundred. We then
skinned it, tried out the oil, and cut up the meat. One
of the party took the skin, and as much of the oil as he
could carry, and each of the others took thirty or forty
pounds of meat. The rest we hung about twelve feet from
the ground, between two trees. We were then about three
and a half miles from home. We started again on the elk-
track, and kept It about two and a half miles, arriving at
the top of a high hill, within sight of home. From there
the elk turned to the northeast, when I told my companions
[ 46 ]

THIRTY YEARS A HUNTER.
they might go home, but I continued on the track for about
two miles, when the elk crossed the creek. I then left the
track and went home. When I arrived there I found all
my hands seated around the fire, talking about my elk-
hunting abiUties. All but my brother Benjamin said that
I could not catch an elk. They said that I was not like
my father, but more like other men, and all of my attempts
to catch a live elk would be vain. My brother, however,
insisted that I could catch one. I told them that I was
not so discouraged but that I should try again. I then sent
my brother to a place about twenty-five miles distant to
procure a man and good dogs, and some articles that I want
ed, and told him to join me with them at a place fifteen
miles up the creek. I went to another brother who lived
three miles distant, and told him that I wanted him to as
sist me in hunting, and that I would give him the hides
of all that we should kill, but If we should succeed in tak
ing one alive, I would pay him for his time and trouble.
He consented to go, and said that another man by the name
of Blackwell, who lived some eight or nine miles above,
had a good elk -dog, and would be glad to accompany me
on the same terms. We drove up there with a horse and
cutter, and engaged Blackwell. We started from there with
a two-horse sleigh and a supply of provisions, going to
what was called the Lower Round Islands, where we encamp
ed rfor the night, and sent back our team. The next day
we started on a westerly course, and after proceeding about
five miles, we found some old elk-tracks. They were so
full of newly-fallen snow that we could scarcely distinguish
them, and could only determine their direction by digging
out the snow and examining them. After satisfying our
selves on that point, we followed the tracks about three
miles, when we found a fresh track. The elk was going
toward the east, and I remarked that he would probably
cross at the Upper Round Islands, if we did not catch him
first. After following the track about three miles we ar
rived at a small hollow surrounded by rocks, with abun
dance of timber. As It was nearly night, and the weather
cold and stormy, we concluded to cut some hemlock boughs
and make a shanty. The next morning we started again
on the elk-trail, and after proceeding about two miles, we
found where he had been feeding. I went on ahead to re-
connoiter, and had gone but a short distance when I dis
covered him resting, chewing his cud. When the rest of
[ 47 ]

pioneer life; or,
the party came up, I directed them to loose two of the dogs,
of which we had three very good ones. The elk sprang up
and started off toward Lower Round Islands with the dogs
in full pursuit. When we arrived at the bluff overlooking
the creek, he halted upon a large rock on the brow of a
precipice of four hundred feet. From the lower side a
large fragment had been disengaged, and torn a path forty
feet wide and a mile long, to the creek, where It lodged,
and stuck about fifteen feet out of the water, which was
eight or ten feet deep. When I arrived I did not think it
prudent to rope the elk there, fearing he would jump off
and kill himself. I accordingly returned to the others, to
prevent their approaching so near as to frighten him. We
passed by him as cautiously as possible, built a fire and called
off the dogs. We thought that the elk would then come
off himself, during the night. Blackwell and my brother,
however, became impatient, and wanted to see the elk. I
consented but desired them not to disturb him, and to re
turn soon. When they came within sight of the elk, Black-
well observed that there was a good chance to rope him,
and my brother consented to try. They slipped the noose
over his head without much difficulty, with the aid of a
pole. They then attempted to draw the noose tight, and
at the same moment the dogs seized the elk In the rear,
when he sprang with one of the dogs clinging to him, down
the precipice. At a distance of four hundred feet, he struck
upon a sheet of ice which had been formed by water falling
from the rocks above, from which he bounded, and slid
seven hundred feet, stopping in a snow-bank, four hundred
feet above the creek, three hundred of which was a sheet
of frozen snow, and below that a perpendicular precipice of
one hundred feet. I heard the plunge and suspected the truth.
The men soon returned, and I asked what was the matter.
They answered evasively, saying that they were sorry for
what had happened. I told them my suspicions, and they
acknowledged that they were true. I took it good-humor-
edly, as it could not now be helped, and told them we had
better go after him. We started accordingly, going north
about a mile, and came to a brook that ran down through
the rocks, the bed of which we followed down to the creek.
We then descended the creek three quarters of a mile and
encamped under a projecting rock. My brother remained
to build a fire, while Blackwell and myself went farther
down to find, and If possible, to get the elk. We soon saw
[ 48 1

THIRTY YEARS A HUNTER.
his hind quarters projecting out of the snow bank far above
us. We followed a ravine which led obliquely up the steep
bank to a large rock which had arrested the impetuous de
scent of the elk, and above which he now lay. On the rock
stood a sapling, over which we threw a rope by attaching
a stone to one end. When we had secured the rope, we
resorted to our usual method of deciding which should take
the lead, as we both shrunk from the perilous enterprise of
scaling the rock by the aid of a slender rope, with , nothing
but a steep expanse of frozen snow between us and the brow
of a precipice of one hundred feet. The lot fell upon Black-
well, and sticking the tomahawk in his belt, he went up.
He then cut steps in the snow to the elk, which lay about
forty feet above the sapling. I followed him, but believing
the steps to be too small and unsafe, I requested him to slip
the tomahawk down to me that I might enlarge them. One
false step would have precipitated me down the crust of
snow and over the precipice. I reached the elk safely, and
we began to dig away the snow from the lower side, intend
ing to roll it out upon the crust and let it slide down the
snow bank. But Blackwell noticed that the sapling stood
In the course It would take and feared that It would go
with such force as to break it if he should hit it, and thus
cut off our means of returning. I called to my brother
to bring a pole with which to guide the elk, and then rolled
It out upon the crust. It flew down the snow, giving the
sapling a glancing stroke, and over the precipice striking
the Ice below with a heavy plunge. We retraced our steps
and arrived safely on the ice. The meat of the elk was
so badly bruised as to be of little value, but we obtained
enough for our immediate use, which we carried to the
camp. The next morning we skinned and cut up our elk,
Blackwell securing the meat for his dog, and my brother
took the skin. Soon after, Benjamin arrived with the man
James Gamble, and the two dogs he had been sent to pro
cure, In a sleigh, which gave the other men a conveyance
in which they returned home. Gamble, Benjamin and my
self started again for elk about one o'clock the same day.
After reaching the top of the hill, we struck a northwestern
course, and went about five miles when we encamped. The
next morning before we had proceeded three quarters of a
mile, we found where three large bucks had been feeding
during the previous night. About a mile farther we dis
covered them lying down, and let loose two of the best dogs.
[ 49 ]

PIONEER life; or.
One of the elk came forward to meet the dogs, the other
two started off to the south. The one which remained main
tained his ground for a time, but the dogs were so furious
that he finally started off in a westerly direction, ran eight
miles, and stopped to fight the dogs. From appearances we
judged that he must have remained here about half an hour.
We traveled on as fast as possible in a direct westerly course
toward Kettle Creek, for about ten miles from where the
elk had stopped, when Gamble remarked that the elk would
not stop in such open woods as we were then traversing,
and that we had better encamp. I told him that It could not
be more than two or three miles to Kettle Creek, and perhaps
he would stop on a rock In going down the hill. Accord
ingly we went two miles farther where we found good camp
ing ground, and as the others were tired and wanted to rest,
I told them to build a fire while I continued on to see If
I could learn any thing of the dogs. After running about
a mile I came to a high bluff where I stood listening until
I thought I heard them. I then ascended a tree which stood
near, when I could distinctly hear the barking of the dogs,
about two miles distant on the other side of the creek. I
called to Benjamin and Gamble, and they hurried along in
my track. When they had passed two or three rods by the
tree in which I was concealed I set up a yell like the cry
of a panther. They looked up the tree, and seeing a dark
object in the branches, they were very much frightened.
After enjoying their alarm a moment I laughed, and told
them to hurry on and I would come down Immediately.
We went In the direction from which the sounds proceeded,
crossed Kettle Creek on the ice, and found the elk on a rock
fighting the dogs. The rock was about fifteen feet by
thirty on the surface, and was fifteen feet above the creek
on the side next the creek, and four feet on the other. We
encamped within five rods of the rock, and prepared our sup
per. After some consultation, we concluded not to at
tempt catching the elk until daylight, as It was now two
o'clock at night. We accordingly called off the dogs, and
arranged It so as to take turns in watching him. I watched
for the first two hours, when he lay down and I awoke
Gamble, who was to take the next watch. In a short time
he laid down again, thinking the elk would not leave the
rock before morning. At daybreak I awoke and perceived
that the elk had gone, and the dogs were asleep. I soon
dressed and took the dogs to the rock and sent them af-
[ 50 ]

THIRTY YEARS A HUNTER.
ter the elk, which had taken the back track. I thought
that If the dogs found and attacked him he would return
to the rock. When I returned to the camp I found the others
dressing and told them what I had done. They thought we
might as well pack up and start In pursuit immediately after
breakfast, as they did not believe he would return to the
rock. In a short time, he came bounding back, and
again took his station on the rock. We found that we
could not rope him while he remained on the rock, and we
therefore withdrew and allowed him. to come off. He went
down to the creek, when I cut a large club and went on
the rock, telling the others to drive the elk back. They
let the dogs loose and he came toward the rock. As he
passed me, I gave him a blow with the club, which made
little impression on him, when I gave him two more with
all my strength, which dropped him to his knees. He rose,
wheeled around and went to the lower side of the rock,
against which he backed himself, and stood warding off the
attack of the dogs. I took a rope to that part of the rock
which overhung the elk, and threw the rope over his horns,
drawing it close down to his head. We then attached the
other end of the rope to a tree, and proceeded to build
around him a pen of logs, ten by twenty-two feet square,
and twelve feet high. When It was completed, we threw
in browse sufficient to supply him four or five days, and
then laid poles across the top, which we covered with hem
lock boughs, forming a snug and comfortable shelter. Be
fore leaving him, we gave him about twenty feet of slack
rope. We then packed up and started for home, encamp
ing that night about five miles below, on the west side of
the creek. The next morning, when we started, the snow
was three feet deep. We crossed Kettle Creek, and struck
a direct east course, expecting to reach a creek with which
we were acquainted, but missed our way, and struck Cedar
Creek, ten miles from where we had started in the morning.
As It was becoming dark, we provided ourselves with torches
of yellow pine, and started down the creek. After wading
five miles through water from two to ten inches deep, we
reached Big Pine Creek about two o'clock In the morning.
We had now either to wade through the creek, then very
high and full of slush ice, or to go around a mountain and
reach the creek at a crossing place a mile and a half below.
We finally determined to cross, If possible, where we were,
as we were nearer home, and on the opposite shore lived
[ 51 3

PIONEER life; or,
three lumbermen, who could afford us the refreshments we felt
we so much needed. I went out into the stream, to see
whether a crossing was practicable. The water was three
feet deep, unusually rapid, and a short distance below was
a deep hole, but I resolved to make the attempt. Return
ing to the shore I took hold of Benjamin with one hand,
while in the other I carried the axe; Benjamin took hold
of Gamble, who in his other hand carried a stick with which
to brace us against the force of the current. The bottom was
rocky, with moss growing upon It, which aided us In retaining
a footing. We finally succeed in reaching safely the other
shore, a distance of fifteen rods. Our dogs swam after us,
but the best one was carried down under the ice and drowned.
About four o'clock we reached the lumberman's, and they
immediately arose and prepared some refreshments, for us,
which we took, and without stopping to rest, we started
for my brother's, six miles distant. The traveling was so
difficult that we did not arrive there until two o'clock In the
afternoon. The next day, as I was quite lame, I hired four
men to go and bring the elk home. There was a kind of
trail to Kettle Creek fifteen miles, and from there to the
pen was ten miles. In the afternoon of the second day
they reached the place, but found that the elk had thrown
down the pen, gnawed off the rope, and escaped with twenty
feet of it. The party returned, and gave me an account of
my misfortune. I was still lame, and hired three others
to catch him. They were to have sixty dollars when they
had secured him uninjured, and assisted me to bring him
home. They started out with two good dogs, and had
not gone more than three miles before they found him en
tangled by the rope among the trees and bushes. They se
cured him, built a pen arovmd him, and leaving with him a
supply of food, came and informed me of their success. I
hired another man and proceeded to the spot. In four
days we brought him in — a large and beautiful animal,
with antlers five and a half feet long.

[ 52 1

CHAPTER IX.
ELK HUNTING ON THE SUSQUEHANNA.
When I lived on Kenzua Flats, In 1816, I went to see Corn-
planter, about catching some elk. He said that I could not
do it; that no Indian of the Six Nations had done it, or any
white man that he knew of. He said that young elk three
or four months old had been caught, but no live, full-grown
one could be — they were lords of the forest. I told him
that I had caught or assisted in catching and leading In three.
He asked how we led them, and I Informed him. He said
he did not know but it was possible, but he did not believe
I could take one that winter on the Allegany, as he thought
they were larger and wilder than those on the Susquehannah.
I told him that if he would show me the track of an elk —
I did not care how large — the larger the better; I would
willingly wager a small sum of money that I would bring
one In alive. He said that he could show plenty of elk-
tracks. I told him to find a man that I could hire, and I
would employ him. He brought a man who charged a
dollar a day, which I agreed to pay him on condition that
he would find a track. He said there was no doubt but that
we could find one. There was no rope to be procured ex
cept one that belonged to Cornplanter, for which he wanted
two dollars, but agreed to refund the money if I returned
the rope uninjured. I agreed to his terms, and left the
money. As we parted he wanted to shake hands, saying
that he never expected to see me again if I attempted to catch
an elk alive. The next morning the Indian I had engaged
joined me, and I entered into a partnership with a Mr. Camp
bell, each of us to stand half the expense and have half the
profits. We hired two other men who were to have all they
killed and half that we killed. On the third day of Jan
uary, Campbell and myself, the two white men, the Indian,
and four dogs started up Kenzua Creek. We went about
twelve miles up the south branch, and encamped for the
[ 53 ]

pioneer life; or,
night. The next morning we continued about six miles,
to the top of a hill, and halted. The Indian said we would
find elk within four or five miles of this spot. I proposed
to divide, Campbell, myself and the Indian each taking a
separate course while the two others should remain to build
a camp where we would all meet at night. Accordingly,
as soon as we had eaten dinner we all started, and remained
out until dark, when we met at the camp. No one had dis
covered any Indications of elk. The next morning I told
them we would hunt one day more, each upon a different
course. I took a direct easterly course, and the others chose
each his own route. At night all but the Indian came in,
without having discovered any signs of an elk. I told Camp
bell I thought it useless to hunt here longer, as there were
probably no elk in the vicinity. About eight o'clock one
of the party discovered the Indian coming in, followed
apparently by one of the dogs. He remarked that one of
the dogs was loose, and following the Indian in. I found
the dogs all In their places, and told the men I thought It
was a wolf they saw. At this moment he stopped and we
saw at a glance that it was a panther. We sprang forward
with our guns, when he turned and moved off. We followed
him two miles, without obtaining a shot at him, when we
returned to the camp. We paid the Indian and let him go.
I told Campbell I would not be disappointed in this manner,
but would hunt all winter rather than give up. We con
cluded to go to the headwaters of the Susquehannah, and
accordingly started on the eighth of January, going about
fifteen miles up the Kenzua, and encamped for the night.
The next day, when we had proceeded about twelve miles
we arrived at a plac« where a village now stands, but at
that time there was but a solitary house in which lived a
family named Smith. The man had gone to procure a bar
rel of flour, and since his departure a deep snow had fallen.
He had now been gone three days beyond the expected time,
and the supply of provisions and fuel which he had left
was nearly exhausted. In addition to the prospect of starva
tion which stared them In the face, his family were har-
rassed with the fear that he had perished in the snow. The
next day we prepared her a supply of fire-wood, left a loaf
of bread and flour enough to supply her for two days, and
promised to send a man back, on our arrival at the canoe
place. We arrived there a little before night, and engaged
a man named Burt to go back to the distressed family. He
[ 54 ]

thirty YEARS A HUNTER.
took with him some corn meal and potatoes, and we con
tinued on to Isaac Lyman's, about twelve miles farther. He
asked us to come in; we got to talking about elk-hunting,
and I asked him what a full-grown live elk would be worth.
He said from three to four hundred dollars. I asked him
if he would purchase one if I had the luck to catch one.
He replied that he had not the means, but would like to join
us, and would furnish three men, a horse, and all the pro
visions necessary, and have one-half the profits. After some
consultation, Campbell and I finally consented to accept the
proposal. The whole party, consisting of Campbell, myself,
three assistants, a horse and four dogs, started the next morn
ing, taking the road to the Susquehannah River. About
twelve miles from Lyman's we came upon the track of eight
elk, going west. We followed about four miles and en
camped for the night. The next morning Campbell, my
self, and one of the men continued on the track of the
elk, leaving the others to build a shanty. We went about
five miles, started the elk and killed one, with which we re
turned to the camp. We sent one of the men home with
the meat, and started with the other two for the Susque
hannah. The man who went home was to return to the
camp in three days, with a supply of provisions. After
traveling seven or eight miles, we came to where a large
drove of elk had been some time before. We hunted during
the day to ascertain what course they had taken, and about
five miles distant we came to where they had lain the pre
ceding night. Campbell and one of the men George Ayres,
went forward, while the other man and myself remained be
hind with the dogs. They were to call to us when they
saw the elk, and we were to let the dogs loose, though I
told him I did not believe there were any there we would
want to catch, as I thought they were all fawns and does.
After they had gone a short distance they saw them, and
counted forty-two. They called to us, and we let the dogs
loose. The elk scattered, and each of the dogs took after a sep
arate animal, but none of them stopped, and we did not kill
any. The dogs all came back that night, and the next
morning we went so[u]theast, and found signs of elk, but
they all appeared to be small ones. By this time Mr. Ly
man's hands wished to go home, so we told them we would
keep on to the southeast, and they might go. The follow
ing morning they said they did not like to go, as the tracks
might be filled with snow. We then said we would strike
[ 55 ]

PIONEER life; OR,
the road and they might go home from there, -while we
would go to our log hut, and procure some more provisions.
When we reached the road, we told them they might as well
go to the shanty and stay with us that night, as it was late.
We fotmd two men there with an abundance of provisions.
The next morning two men left, while Ayres and another
remained. We hunted the next three days without seeing
any tracks which we thought best to follow. We then came
back to the road, and the remaining two men left for home
with two dogs. We sent word by them to Lyman to send
provisions to the camp on Kettle Creek, where we should be
in a few days. We hunted the next two days without ac
complishing any thing, when we returned to the camp. On
our arrival there I told Campbell he might take his choice
to make a fire or kill some game. He preferred to kill the
game, and I proceeded to cut wood and make a fire. He
had not been gone more than half an hour when I heard the
report of his gun. He soon came in, dragging a large fat
deer, which enabled us to make an excellent supper. After
we had eaten, we began to talk about our success, when
Campbell said he would himt but three days longer unless
we were more successful. I told him I should hunt until the
snow went off before I would give up. The next morning
we went south toward Sinemahonlng, seeing no signs of
elk, and at night we returned to our camp. The following
day Campbell was somewhat unwell, and I told him If he
would remain and keep camp and dry some of the venison,
I would go out toward Pine Creek, to which he consented.
After proceeding about seven miles, I found where an elk
had been browsing. The manner in which the limbs had
been pulled down showed that it must have been a very
large animal. I hunted in the vicinity several hours to as
certain the direction in which he went, but the tracks were
so old that I could not decide. As I arrived at the camp a
man came along who said that he had seen in the road the
largest elk tracks he ever saw. I told Campbell of the in
dications I had discovered, and that the tracks were pro
bably those of the same animal. We Invited the man to
eat supper with us, as we were greatly dbliged to him for
the information he had given us. Campbell thought we
could not catch him, as we had not sufficient force. I told
him I could take the elk alone. The next morning we start
ed at daybreak, and found the tracks of the elk, going west.
A mile and a half farther he had lain the previous night.
[ 56 ]

THIRTY YEARS A HUNTER.
In a moment Campbell saw him, and cried out, " There he
stands: the largest elk I ever saw! " I let the dogs go, they
attacked him vigorously, and he ran south ten miles to Kettle
Creek. He then ran around a hill, and turned up the east
branch which he ascended four miles on the ice
when he broke through, into water about four feet
deep. Here the dogs worried him, as we judged, about two
hours, when he started again, ran up a hill, and halted on a
rock. The dogs pursued him to the rock, and then re
turned to us. We met them two or three miles from the
elk, which had taken a circuitous course, so that the track
at one place was but a fourth of a mile from the rock on
which he was stationed, while it was two miles to follow
the track. The dogs tried to go directly to the elk, but we
thought they saw something else, and compelled them to
keep the track, reaching the elk about dark. Campbell made
ready the rope, while I cut a pole about fifteen feet long.
He went to the south side of the rock with the dogs, to
call his attention in that direction, while I mounted the rock
on the north side, and endeavored to put the rope over his
horns with the pole. He wheeled and came toward me,
when I jumped from the rock, and he turned again to the
dogs. About eight feet from the rock stood a hemlock
tree, about two feet in diameter, with branches six or eight
feet above the ground. It occurred to me that if I could
climb this it would be an easy matter to slip the noose over
the horns of the elk. I made the attempt, but did not suc
ceed as my moccasins were frozen. I pulled them off and
tried again, but with no better success. I then took off my
coat, which was by no means pleasant, as the weather was
intensely cold, but it enabled me to climb the tree. Camp
bell then passed the pole and rope up to me, and called off
the dogs. I shouted, and the elk turned and advanced toward
me, when I slipped the noose over his horns, and with a jerk
drew it tight. I then descended and attached the end of the
rope to a tree about forty feet from the elk, and
we pulled him from the rock, when we left him
for the night. It was then half-past eleven, and we were
compelled to go three-quarters of a mile to find a suitable
place for encamping. Arriving there I was attacked
so severely with nervous headache that I could scarcely walk.
Campbell, in looking for a suitable camping-place, found a
shanty which had been built by a party of hunters the pre
vious night. We found here a bed of coals and plenty of
[ 57 1

PIONEER life; or,
wood cut. Campbell replenished the fire, and prepared a
decoction of hemlock boughs, which greatly relieved me.
He then cooked supper, and when we had eaten, it was two
o'clock. Our next thought was to procure assistance enough
to convey home our elk. The nearest settlement was forty
miles distant, and I told Campbell that as I was the stronger
I had better go. He said he preferred going himself, as he
did not understand how to take care of an elk. As he de
sired it I consented. He started the next morning, taking
with him the dogs, went to Cowdersport, the nearest set
tlement, and in 4 days returned with three men and a horse.
About ten o'clock one night during his absence I heard
bells on the east side of Kettle Creek. I walked down to
the creek, and as I reached the bank a sleigh drawn by two
horses drove Into the creek on the opposite side. The weight
of the horses broke the Ice the entire width of the stream, and
when they reached the bank they could not draw the sleigh
out of the water. The man then went to the hind end
of the sleigh with a bar of Iron, which he used as a lever,
and spoke to the horses. They made another attempt to
extricate the sleigh, and fell. He came to the forward end,
and for the first time saw me. He was startled at the un
expected appearance of a human form in that wilderness,
and cried out, " In the name of God, what are you? A man,
or a ghost? " I assured him that I was flesh and blood, and
he said I should have spoken to him. I replied I was so
intent in watching his operations that I had not thought
of speaking. He asked me to start the horses, while he went
behind and pushed with his lever. I told him it was useless;
the horses had already tried, and were unable to draw the
sleigh out. He went In, however, and spoke to the horses,
when they made another effort and fell again. I told him
to come out of the water and go to the camp, and I would
be there soon with his horses and sleigh. He was quite will
ing to accept my offer, and started for the camp. I detached
the horses from the sleigh, brought them to the top of the
bank and connected them by a chain which I found in the
sleigh to the end of the tongue. As they could now obtain
firm footing, they brought the sleigh to the top of the bank
without difficulty. Just as I was starting for the camp,
another man arrived at the opposite bank, with a horse
and cutter, and wished to cross. I advised him to leave
his cutter and ride his horse through the creek, which he
did, and we went to the camp together. On our arrival
[ 58 ]

THIRTY YEARS A HUNTER.
there we fotmd the other man in excruciating pain. His
clothes were so frozen before he reached the camp, that he
could scarcely walk, and he had nearly perished. They both
believed that they would have frozen, had It not been for
the assistance I rendered. The following morning as they
did not like to leave me there alone, I accompanied them
to their destination, ten miles distant, where we left the
sleighs and harness, and rode the horses back to the camp.
Quite early the next morning Campbell arrived with the
four men, the horses and sleigh. We immediately set to re
moving the elk, and in two days we arrived with him at
Cowdersport. We there settled with Lyman, he to be one-
half owner of the elk, and Campbell and myself, each a
quarter. Lyman sold one-half his share to a man named
Waterman, for two hundred and fifty dollars, the elk being
valued at a thousand dollars. We all four went with him
to Olean, forty miles distant, where we obtained twelve
dollars by exhibiting him. We then exhibited him at a place
six miles farther, and made six dollars more. At the latter
place a man bet five dollars that he could hold him by grasp
ing his nose with one hand, with his other arm around his
horns. He lost the money, however, the animal striking him
In the back with one of its hind feet, so severely that it
drew blood.
December tenth, 1818, I started out on an elk-catching
expedition, accompanied by John Campbell, Joseph Darling,
and an Indian named Billy Fox. The first day, Campbell
killed a fine, fat deer, and in the evening, at a distance of
seven miles from home, we regaled ourselves with a steak
from It. The following day we dismissed Darling, and sent
Fox to hunt for an elk-track, while Campbell and I dried
meat. Fox crossed Kenzua Creek, and went in the direction
of Stump Creek, where he found a track. He ascertained
its direction, and returned to the camp. The next morning,
as there was bright moonlight, we started at three o'clock.
We followed the track but a short distance, as it was an old
one. We ascended a hill, and found the track of an elk
which had passed that morning. After following the track
three-quarters of a mile, we saw the elk feeding upon moss.
We let loose our three dogs, two of which chased him to a
rock, while the other one turned and came back to us in a
short time, and the two, after stopping the elk, went to the
camp. When we reached the rock the elk had gone, but we had
one good dog, which soon sent him bounding back. We stood
[ 59 ]

PIONEER life; or,
aside and let him mount the rock, but when we attempted
to rope him he leaped from the rock at a place where it
was ten feet to the ground and ran down the hill. It was
nearly dark, but notwithstanding, we chased him about two
miles, when the dogs stopped him on another rock. In an
hour we had secured him. I then sent for men and a horse
to assist us in conveying him home, which was forty miles
distant. We arrived there in three days, and Campbell sold
his share for two hundred dollars. I soon after sold my share
for two hundred and sixty dollars, with the privilege of ex
hibiting him in Warren, which brought me fourteen dollars
and a half. This elk was captured with less trouble, ex
pense and time than any I ever caught.
A few days after, Morrison, Campbell and myself departed
from Warren on another elk-hunt. At Kenzua we hired a
man, two horses and four good dogs. We went to an old
camp, about sixteen miles distant, and sent back the man
and team. The next morning we started, and after travel
ing twelve miles we struck the tracks of two elk, which
we followed till we found them quite fresh, when. It being
late, we encamped. The day following, a warmi south
wind was blowing, accompanied by a drizzling rain, started
out, and when we had gone two miles we found where they
had rested during the night. Letting the dogs go, they
chased them twenty miles, when one of the elk halted upon
a rock. We arrived there about dark, and in half an hour
succeeded in capturing him. We then built a fire by the
side of a projecting rock, and my companions went to
sleep notwithstanding the rain and mud, but I sat up and
kept fire, as I could not sleep. In the morning the rain
ceased, but as we all felt the need of some repose, we con
cluded to remain there another day. We were now thirty
miles from the head of Stump Creek, thirty miles from Ken
zua. For that place Campbell and Morrison started the
next day, to procure a horse, as the easiest manner of removing
an elk was to lead it -w-Ith a horse. After going fifteen miles
Campbell returned, saying that he did not wish to walk so
far, when Morrison could do the business as well without
him. At the end of three days Morrison returned with a
man and a horse. In the meantime Campbell and I had
cut a road through the underbrush twelve miles. With our
increased force we started for Kenzua, arriving there in 2 days.
We had contracted with a Mr. Tanner, of Warren to take
the elk at five hundred dollars, If it was a large, handsome
[ 60 ]

THIRTY YEARS A HUNTER.
one, but as the one we had did not answer the conditions,
we sent word to him that he might take the elk at a lower
price, or we would take him east, where we would undoubt
edly find a good sale for him. Tanner said that If we would
take the animal to Warren, he would purchase it at some
price. We accordingly built a raft upon which we conveyed
It to Warren. When Tanner saw it he offered three
hundred dollars, if one of us would assist him in taking it
to Pittsburgh, and to the one who went he would pay a dol
lar a day. We accepted the terms, and I offered sixteen dol
lars to either of the others who would go and leave me at
liberty to return to my family. Morrison and Campbell each
offered me sixteen dollars If I would go, as they thought
I could manage the elk better than either of them; and Tan
ner offered me all I could make by exhibiting him until we
arrived within forty-five miles of Pittsburgh. I concluded
to accept the offer and set to building [a] cabin on a raft,
for the elk. We took him on board with the assistance of
a horse, and the next day started for Pittsburgh.
In 1822, Campbell and myself hired another man named
Avery, and - went out about twenty miles for an elk-hunt.
Having established our camp, Campbell and myself left the
next day, leaving Avery to keep camp. For three days we
hunted without any success, and returned_to the camp. Dur
ing our absence Avery had been kept in a constant state of
alarm by wild animals. Two panthers and eight wolves had
prowled around the camp, and so terrified him that he de
clared he would not again stay alone in the woods for all
the elk in them. We wanted him to remain until we had
taken an elk, which he agreed to do, If he could be with us
while we hunted. We accordingly took him with us the
next day, but when we returned to our camp at night, he
was nearly exhausted, having waded through deep snow all
day, and the following day was quite willing to remain In
the camp. At a moment when Avery was out for wood,
Campbell and I packed provisions sufficient for three days,
and when we left the camp, he supposed we would ¦ return
at night. For two days we hunted without finding a track
that we considered best to follow, and on the morning of the
third started for the camp, but soon struck the track of
a large elk, which had just passed and was within a short
distance. We let loose the dogs and gave chase. The snow
was two and a half feet deep, with a stiff crust, rendering
it extremely difficult for the elk to run, while the dogs could
[ 61 ]

PIONEER life; OR,
skip along over the crust, and worry him at every step. He
ran toward our camp seven miles, when he turned and stood
at bay upon a large rock. We roped him without much
difficulty, and watched him that night. The next morning
we started for the camp, arriving there about eleven o'clock,
and found Avery with a sad tale. He said that after our
departure the wolves kept howling around the camp, and as
night began to approach, an examination Into the stores re
vealed the cruel trick we had played upon him. When the
suspicion flashed upon his mind that he was doomed to pass
another night here, with no company, save that of the wolves
and panthers, which might possibly form a repast of him
before morning, he gave vent to his feelings in a flood of
tears. The next day he resolved to leave the camp, and go
home, but before he had proceeded more than a mile, he
heard the howling of wolves, and as he had no gun, he has
tened back to the camp. He had a good knife, an axe and
a tomahawk, and to these means of defence he added clubs
and pointed sticks. He also kept a large fire constantly
blazing, and built a scaffold about five feet high, on which
he slept. He had passed the time, notwithstanding all these
precautions, in constant anxiety, and was heartily glad to
see human faces again, but when he learned that we had
captured an elk, he was much more delighted. We all went
to a traveled road about fifteen miles distant, and from there
sent Avery to procure a man and horse, to assist in taking
the elk home, while Campbell and I returned to the camp.
On the second day after leaving us, he returned with a Mr.
Dixon and a horse. We started the next morning for our
elk, but when we arrived at the place where we had left
him, he was not there. He, as one had done several years
before, probably commenced licking the rope and continued
until it was chewed off, and escaped. We let the dogs loose,
and followed ourselves about two miles, where the elk stopped
among some logs. Now that we had him we resolved to
make sure of him, so we watched him all night, and the
next day took him to the camp. From there we traveled
by way of Kenzua, and In three days arrived at my residence
near Cold Spring, In Catarraugus county. New York. We
remained there a few days, and exhibited the animal, and
then went with him to Elllcottville, where we sold him for
one hundred and ten dollars. This was the last elk I ever
caught, the low price obtained for him making the business
so unprofitable that I abandoned it entirely.
[ 62 1

CHAPTER X.
ELK-HUNTING (CONTINUED)
In 1800, a party of four, my brother Jacob, George Wilson,
Joshua Knapp, and myself proceeded on an elk-hunt. Ex
pecting the campaign woidd last about six weeks, we took
an abundant supply of provisions, consisting of flour, po
tatoes, sugar, chocolate, corn, and a quantity of salt with
which to cure our meat. We were also provided with half
a dozen empty barrels for the meat, an Iron pot holding about
six gallons, a camp kettle, four axes, a broad axe, a chalk
line, a canoe howel, (an Instrument for scooping out canoes,)
a drawing knife, two augurs, six tomahawks, and several
pounds of powder and lead. Each of us took, besides, a
rifle, two knives, a quart cup, four shirts and two blankets,
not forgetting a supply of soap. Thus equipped, and ac
companied by four dogs, we set out, placing our effects in a
canoe, which two of the party pushed up the stream, while
the others hunted along the shore. We left on the 12 th of
October, starting for the Big Meadows. The second day
we saw seven elk, In the river, eating moss. As Knapp said
he had never killed an elk, I told him to take two of the
dogs and go. As the dogs started for the elk, two does
turned, advanced toward them, but as they met, the does
left the water ran down the stream about half a mile, and went
into the creek where Wilson and my brother happened to
be with the canoe. The does stopped in the water, where
it was three feet deep, and they shot them, dragged them
out of the water, and cut their throats. I then sent my
dogs after an elk, which ran into the stream from the east
bank, near where they were pulling the canoe over some
rapids. The elk approached within thirty feet of them
before they were observed, but they were so much excited
that they did not take good aim, and both missed. The elk
ran down the stream, about half a mile, when the dogs
stopped them, and Knapp shot one of them. Two of us
[ 63 ]

PIONEER life; or,
skinned and dressed the elk, while the other two made a
pine trough holding about four barrels, In which to salt ^he
meat. When the meat was cut from the bone and nicely
salted down in the trough, we "put It under a bank in a cool
place, and covered it over with large, flat stones, over which
we placed larger ones, and then rolled on two large logs
which we fastened down with withes. We then broke the
bones and extracted the marrow, of which, and the fat, we
secured forty-five pounds from the three elk. The next day,
leaving the meat there, but taking the tallow and skins, we
proceeded up the creek, and the second day killed two large,
fat does, which we dressed and quartered, and laid the meat
in the canoe. We arrived at the place of rendezvous about
two o'clock, and proceeded to erect a log house. When this
was completed, we tried the tallow, salted our meat, and
in two days set out with provisions sufficient for a couple
of weeks. Jacob and Wilson ascended the creek to the Big
Elk Lick. When they arrived there they counted forty-
seven elk in the vicinity. They tied up their dogs in blan
kets, so that they could not see, hear, or make any noise,
and shot eight elk, singling out the largest and fattest. When
the first ones fell, the whole herd commenced squealing,
creating such a noise as to make the ground tremble. The
men had but about a bushel of salt with them, and drove
away the rest of the elk, not wishing to destroy wantonly
more than they could save. Wilson was inexperienced In
elk-hunting, and was alarmed. He said that the elk would
strike the wounded one, run their horns against the trees,
and jump to a great height, some of them touching branches
fifteen feet high. On the day they started for the licks
Knapp and myself went up the Marsh Fork about five miles,
and came upon the track of seven elk, which we followed
Into the marsh and there encamped. The marsh contained
about two thousand acres and was surrounded by bluff hills.
In high water it was overflowed, but was dry in summer.
In the morning I ascended one of the bluffs, where I could
see the whole of the marsh, and discovered the elk about
half a mile off. After observing them awhile I descended,
ate breakfast, and we started out after the elk. I went
forward, telling Knapp to keep his dog back. As we ap
proached the elk they sprang to their feet and ran off. We
let the dogs loose, each taking after different elk. He fol
lowed his dog and I followed mine. In a short time I heard
the report of his gun, but followed on after my elk for
[ 64 3

THIRTY YEARS A HUNTER.
about seven imles, when I returned to the place where I had
left my companion. I asked him where was the elk that
I had heard him shoot. He replied that as he fired the elk
fell, and he supposed him dead. Laying down his gun and
bag of flour, he approached the elk, placed his foot upon his
antlers, and attempted to cut his throat, but as soon as the
knife touched his neck the elk sprang up, and seeing the
bag of flour, he rushed at it, struck his antlers through it
and ran off with the flour above his head. We started In pursuit,
and followed the track to a dry, stony ridge, where we could no
longer distinguish it, and we struck across to our camp, arriv
ing there a little after dark. As we had bread enough for only
two days, we concluded to go down to the block-house and
recruit. The others had been there before us, and left word
upon a shingle that they had killed eight elk, and there was
still a chance to kill more. They desired us to come up with
the canoe after the meat, which Knapp wished to do; but
I resolved not to join the others and incur their ridicule
until I had met with better success. Knapp said he should
take the canoe and meet the others, even If he was compelled
to go alone. I accordingly put up a supply of provisions
and prepared to hunt alone. Just before I started, however,
Knapp's courage failed, and he concluded to accompany me.
We proceeded up Big Pine Creek, in the direction the others
had taken. When we had gone about three miles we dis
covered five elk In the creek eating moss. I asked Knapp for
his gun, so that I could fire twice without loading. He
handed It to me, and remained behind, holding back his dog,
while I crept along to within sixty yards of them, with my
dog behind me. As one of them raised his head I fired, and
the elk fell. The others fathered around It, and I snatched
up Knapp's gun and shot another. The three others then
left the water and started up the hill. I let my dog go,
and he singled out a large buck, which he stopped about a
mile and a half ahead. I tried to drive him back to the creek
by throwing clubs, but he would not go. I shot him low
in the breast, so as to wound without killing him. This
started him toward the water, and when he reached it Knapp
shot him. We then brought up our canoes, which were
two and a half miles below, skinned the elk, put them into
the canoe, and proceeded with them to the block-house. Ex
pecting the other party down the next day, we left word
on a shingle that we had killed ten elk, and then left the camp
to hunt in the vicinity. We went down the creek and re-
[ 65 1

PIONEER life; OR,
turned about three o'clock. The others were there, and as
we approached the cabin we heard them say they wished they
had killed a few more, so as to have at least one more than
we. On going into the cabin they asked us where our other
seven elk were, as they saw but three. We replied that we
left them at the Big Marsh. They said it would be a difficult
job to bring them down. In which opinion we fully concurred
in our own minds, especially as the principal part of the
difficulty consisted In killing them. They sat in silence until
we told them that the elk we left at the Big Marsh were
still alive and at liberty, which piece of intelligence raised
their spirits greatly. When I Informed them of Knapp's ad
venture, they nearly went wild with merriment, lying on
the floor and rolling in an ecstacy of mirth. When their
merriment had subsided, it was judged that Knapp should
be randeled, inasmuch as he had transgressed an important
rule of the chase. The rule was that when a gun was dis
charged it should Instantly be reloaded, so that the hunter
would be prepared for any exigency; but Knapp had lain
down his gun empty, instead of reloading it, and thus lost
the game. The operation of randeling was the usual punish
ment among hunters for any neglect of duty, and consisted
in seating the offender upon a stool, while others, in turn
went up and pulled his hair, sometimes plucking out a few.
The odor of this adventure never left Knapp.
The following morning we took the canoe and all our
tools, and ascended to the Lick, where we intended to make
another canoe. No elk had been there since Jacob and Wilson
had made such havoc among them. The next day we con
cluded to start out, each one in a different direction, and to
meet again at night. Jacob tossed up with Wilson, and Knapp
with me, to decide which should take the west side of the creek,
that side being preferable. It fell on Wilson and me to take
the west side. I went down the creek to where a branch came
In and found there some old elk tracks, which I followed
until It was so late that I could not return to the camp that
night. I encamped on the elk-track, and spent the most
dismal night that I ever experienced. The wolves flocked
around me in droves, and their unearthly howling, mingled
with the dismal screeching of the owls overhead made a concert
of sounds that banished sleep from my eyes the greater part
of the night. I sat in my shanty, with my gun in one hand,
a tomahawk in the other, and a knife by my side. When
the wolves became unusually uproarous, I would send the
[ €(, 1

THIRTY YEARS A HUNTER.
dog out to drive them away, and If they drove him
in, I would fire in among them. At length, toward morn
ing, I fell asleep from sheer exhaustion, and slept until day
light, when I arose, ate my breakfast, and started again on
the elk-track. About four miles from where I had slept I
arrived at a creek running southwest and emptying into Pine
Creek at a point about five miles below the Lick. The elk
had ascended the creek, and thinking it would not be best
to follow I descended the stream to its junction with Pine
Creek. When I arrived at the mouth I found the others
there making a canoe, and the sight of a human countenance
was a welcome one to me, with the horrors of the previous
night still fresh in my mind. As I approached them I con
cealed myself and imitated the howl of a wolf. After the
lessons of the previous night, I made a very successful imi
tation, and thought I would try my powers by imitating
the cry of a panther. I repeated the cry twice, when they
all stood listening In considerable consternation, and one of
them cried out, " It is a panther! " My brother's practiced
ear, however, detected the fraud, and he replied that he
thought it was a two-legged one, and would soon make his
appearance. As I came up, they asked what luck, expecting
I had killed something. I marked three, and they asked, why
I had killed three elk up there. I told them to give themselves
no uneasiness about my elk, as they were as well able to
take care of themselves as ever. The rest of the party had
killed nothing. In about a week we had finished three good
canoes, each capable of carrying from twenty-five to fifty
hundred weight. We started on another hunt, examining the
country throughout, but could find no elk. We then com
menced hunting deer. Three men stationed themselves on
the creek, about a mile apart, while the other, with the dogs,
scoured the woods. When he saw a deer, he let a dog go,
which would chase It to the creek, and as it ran up or down
the stream, would come within shot of one of the men. If
the man saw another deer, he let loose another dog, and in
this manner we frequently killed three or four deer in a day.
In five days we killed fifteen handsome animals, one being
driven In by a wolf. We secured the skins, tallow, and meat,
and as the water was so low that we could not get over
the rapids with our canoe, we continued to hunt. In three
days we killed five more, when a rain caused a rise in the
water, which enabled us to start down with our canoes,
loaded with our tools and game. In five days we arrived at
[ a ]

PIONEER life; or,
my father's residence, where we divided our skins, venison,
and tallow, giving to Wilson and Knapp a few more than
an even proportion of the skins, as they had furnished a
greater share of the supplies. They also took the two large
canoes, and we the small one, and a rifle worth thirty dollars.
After our return that winter, we were very successful
in himting, my brother and myself killing forty-seven deer,
fifteen bears and two elk.

[ 68 ]

CHAPTER XL
NATURE, HABITS, AND MANNER OF HUNTING THE ELK.
The elk is a member of the same family as the deer, but
is a much more noble specimen than the common deer, grow
ing sometimes sixteen hands high, which is the height of a
medium sized horse, and often weighing six hundred pounds.
The buck is provided with large and beautiful antlers. These
grow the second year to the length of two or two and a
half feet, being sometimes a single spike, but often with one
or two branches. The sixth year the antlers are from five to
six and a half feet long, with several branches, the largest
number I ever observed being seven on one antler and six
on the other; the two which projected forward being from
fifteen to eighteen inches long. Between the nostril and the
eye Is an opening or vent through which they blow to pro
duce the pecidlar noise which is heard during the rutting sea
son, or when they are frightened. This noise in a doe re
sembles very nearly in tone the whinny of a horse, while that
produced by the buck Is not as shrill, being somewhat more
like the braying of an ass, but can be heard sometimes at
a distance of three miles. During the rutting season this
sound often betrays the elk to the hunter. He can easily
perceive whether It proceeds from a buck or a doe, and replies
to it In the tone of the Opposite sex, until the animal ap
proaches within shot. In the month of March the elk sheds
his antlers, and new ones begin to grow about the middle of
April, which arrive at their fidl growth In August. During
the process of their formation they are covered with a sub
stance of a reddish-brown color, called the velvet under which
course innumerable blood-vessels. At this period they are ex
tremely sensitive, but about the middle of August, when they
have attained their full growth, they lose their sense of feel
ing, and the animal begins to rub them against the trees to
remove the velvet. During this process the antlers have a
gory appearance, but at length the extraneous matter is all
[ 69 1

PIONEER life; OR,
removed, and they appear in their prefect state, seamed in
every direction by the traces of the blood vessels with which
they were covered during their growth. The tail of the elk
Is about five inches long, and is similar to that of a bear.
Their color in winter is a dun, which changes in April or
May to a hght reddish brown, except the hips,whlch are always
yellow, like those of a deer. The motion of the elk is an
ambling trot, which it will maintain for a long period, with
out apparent fatigue. Sometimes they will run six or seven
days before they become exhausted. In their manner of breed
ing as well as many other things, they resemble domestic cat
tle. They bring forth their young in May — rarely more
than one at a time, and never more than two.
The most favorable time for hunting elk is In the month
of August, when they herd together, and the bucks are very
fat. I have sometimes seen as many as sixty in one herd. At
this season they utter a peculiar hollow roar, which can be
heard at a great distance, and are constantly fighting with
each other. The hunter approached them cautiously with
dogs, and when near enough he let the dogs loose, and the
elk, instead of running, would face the dogs. The hunter now
crept nearer, and shot them, keeping himself concealed. They
would gather around their fallen companions, making a great
noise, which with the barking of the dogs, made it appear as
if the forest was full of them. In this manner I have fired
eight times, killing five, without being discovered. Not wish
ing to continue the slaughter, I then came out and shouted
at them, and even then they did not start, but stood as If
spell-bound. At length the whole herd turned and trotted off.
At this season they collect together in great numbers at the
elk-licks, where they remain a week or two. In one Instance
they assembled In such numbers at a lick that the trees
for an acre or two around were killed by the friction of their
horns in rubbing off the velvet, and thus destroying the bark.
When they met near the licks they would fight so that the
weaker ones could not reach the lick in three or four days.
From June to the middle of August they went to the rivers
to eat moss, remaining a short time, and then return to the
woods and scatter themselves until the first of November.
The does and fawns would collect in droves and remain to
gether until the last of March, when they would again scatter
through the woods. About the tenth of June the does would
leave their young at a little distance, and come to the river
for the moss in Its bed, and the tender feed which grew on
[ 70 ]

THIRTY YEARS A HUNTER.
the banks. If we saw a doe near the river without her fawn,
we started after her with our best dogs, and she would run
at once to where she had left her fawn, with which she would
take to the water. When the dogs pressed her hard, she would
turn and face them, to protect her fawn, until she had reached
a place where the water was deep enough to protect them
from the dogs. If we wished to secure the fawn we shot
the doe, and then sent the dogs into the water, plunging In
after them ourselves, to prevent them from destroying the
fawn. This was the most successful manner of taking young
elk. On taking them home we generally put them In a yard
with a calf, to which it would become much attached. They
were as easily trained to work as a colt or a steer. I have taken
full grown buck elk which were very unmanageable at first,
but after shedding their antlers they became tractable and
were easily broken to the harness, and were ever after very
gentle, except a short time in September and October, when
their antlers were full-grown. A female elk will stand and
suffer herself to be milked, and their milk is nearly equal to
that of a cow, both in quality and quantity. In my opinion
the elk would prove a valuable addition to our stock of do
mestic animals, if introduced among them. It possesses
strength and speed superior to any other cloven-footed ani
mal, while for food or milk they are equally valuable. Their
growth is very rapid, and they are easily kept In good condi
tion. Indeed, all the qualities which render the reindeer so
indispensable to the Inhabitants of Lapland, are possessed by
the elk. When domesticated, they become greatly attached
to the locality in which they were reared, and the animals
with which they have associated. A doe which had been
reared by our family with a cow, was taken twenty-four
miles from home to stay with another tame elk. After stay
ing there a month, the fence being left down it escaped and
started for home, leaving an animal of its own species for
those with which it had been accustomed to associate. It
was ten days in coming home, stopping in every corn-field
until driven out by the dogs. The men seeing it was a tame
one did not molest it, and it arrived home in safety. When
it met the cow which was its foster-mother, it manifested the
greatest joy, and ever after kept near her, jealously driving
away any other animal that approached.
When the first snow of winter comes, the elk paws it
away and feeds upon the grass and herbage under it. When
the snow becomes deep and crusted so that they cannot get
[ 71 ]

\
PIONEER life; OR,
at the grass, they browse upon a small tree called elk-wood.
This tree or shrub never grows more than five inches in di
ameter, and generally not as large. It has a scraggy top, and
is easily reached and pulled down by the elk. This shrub
must not be confounded with the one sometimes called moose-
wood, which has a very tough, fibrous bark, and the proper
name of which Is leather-wood. When the elk-wood is scarce,
they eat the twigs of basswood, elm, hickory or white ash.
In severe storms they seek sheltered places, under rocks, the
points of hills, or in hemlock thickets. A favorite resort
for them is in places where old trees have been blown down,
and a thick second growth of underbrush has sprung up. In
the spring they scatter through the woods, alone or In pairs,
seeking the heads of small streams, and other localities where
the young feed first begins to start. Before the axe of the
settler had leveled the forests in which they ranged, their
most frequented resorts In the Interior of Pennsylvania were
between the Allegany and the Susquehannah, and on the
west side of the north branch of the Susquehannah, from
the Loyalsock Creek to the New York state line. I have
found them most numerous in the western part of Lycoming
and the eastern part of McKean counties, on the head waters
of the Susquehannah and the Allegany.
The elk is the lord of the forest In which he ranges, no
animal inhabiting the same localities being able to conquer
him. Terrific combats sometimes ensue among themselves,
and I have often found them dead in the woods, with deep
wounds made by the antlers of their antagonists.

[ 72 ]

CHAPTER XII.
I ELK AND BEAR HUNTING IN WINTER.
In hunting elk in the winter, if the ice was strong enough,
we would go up the creek In sleighs; but if it was too weak
for that purpose we would take a hand-sleigh to carry our
necessaries. It was usual for two or three of the party to go
together; one staying along the river and watching, while
the others went in search of tracks, and when they found one,
followed it, and alarming the elk, it would generally make
for the rocks on the bank of the creek, where, being stopped
by the dogs, we could shoot them. Sometimes, after they
had received a shot, they would fall fifty or sixty feet down
the bank to the creek or towards it. When we shot them
some distance from the creek, we took out their entrails, and
sprinkled powder or sulphur around, to keep off the wild
animals, and left the elk there with its skin on, until we
could procure a horse to draw it to the river.
Bear-meat, at that time, brought a much higher price
than elk-meat; bear oil and bear-skins were also in great de
mand. The skins sold for from four to ten dollars. If we
saw a bear track when we were in pursuit of elk, we would
always leave the elk and follow the bear. From the middle
of January until July we did not make a business of hunting
bears or elk. In our winter hunts we used to go to the Round
Islands, and be gone from three to six days, killing, in that
time, from six to eight elk. Sometimes we would kill three
or four bears In one hunt. We seldom failed in killing a bear
after having found the track. The dogs would either drive
them up a tree or stop them. We owned three well-trained
dogs, if we put them on a track they would not leave it
for any other; they would always come when we called,
and never go until we gave the word. Whenever a bear
crossed the creek, the dogs always followed; if the water was
too deep for us to wade through, we had to construct a float
on which to cross, always keeping up the pursuit with sue-
[ 73 ]

PIONEER life; or,
cess. If the guns missed fire the dogs would manage to stop
the bear; they would not give up the chase unsuccessfully.
I have known them to tree a bear and remain by it two days.
During the three years that we lived at that place we never
lost one after we came up with It. The one that killed the
first of any kind of animal was to have the skin.
My brother killed from twenty-five to thirty elk and
twenty to twenty-five bears each year. I did not kill as
many. I usually killed from ten to twenty bears, and one
season I killed thirty-five elk. By fire-hunting, hunting In
the woods, and by hounding deer, my brother has taken as
many as seventy in a season. When the deer were fat, which
was about the last of October, we depended a great deal on
hounding them. About break of day we would send a dog
out after a deer; when he found one he would drive it towards
the creek where some of us were stationed to shoot it. If the
deer happened to cross the creek without our getting a shot,
we let another dog after it on the other side, to drive it to
the creek again. If a second deer came in sight during the
chase we let another go after it; and In this manner we have
had all the dogs out at once. Sometimes a dog would drive
one deer to the creek, and sometimes he would bring in two,
a doe and her fawn, or a doe and a buck. The three dogs
have, in this manner, in one chase, brought in five deer. In
that locality, I killed in one season, from the time we first
began to fire-hunt, in June, until the middle of January,
forty-seven deer. During one season, my brother killed, of
bears, elk and deer, nearly two hundred. The greatest number
that I killed, in any one season, of the same kind of animals,
was about one hundred and thirty.
In the month of June, 1801, my father with his family
removed to a more settled part of the country, twenty-two
miles down Pine Creek, near the west branch of the Sus
quehannah and within six miles of it. We took up our resi
dence in an old barn, which was partly occupied by another
family. I thought I had left all my hunting; out we had
been there but a short time when we were told that a bear
was making havoc among the sheep, hogs, etc., in the neigh
borhood, and that he was as large as a cow. My father had
retained only two rifles, one for himself and one for me, and
kept but two of the hunting dogs, as he did not expect to
hunt much down there. One day, just as we had arisen from
dinner, we heard a hog squealing, and our neighbors informed
us that the bear had seized another hog. I took my gun,
I
[ 74 ]

THIRTY YEARS A HUNTER.
and accompanied by one dog, started out to kill him. He
was about one hundred rods off, walking on his hind feet with
his back towards me, his fore paws firmly embracing the
nearly dead hog, which weighed one hundred and forty
pounds. He looked back occasionally as I approached him,
. and when I was within seventy yards of him, he dropped
the hog and turned toward me, standing erect, and making,
at the same time, a noise peculiar to the animal. I raised
my gun, and taking aim at a white spot on his breast where
the hair was parted, sent the ball through his heart. About
the middle of August, we were reaping wheat on an island
that my father owned, three-fourths of a mile above our
residence, when a boy, who had been procuring water at
a spring on the mainland, informed me that he had seen three
bears crossing the creek above. Taking my rifle, which I
always had with me when I went to work, I immediately
started in pursuit, and soon had the satisfaction of shooting
the largest of the three, but the others escaped, and I did not
think It worth while to follow them.
About the middle of September, when the corn was suffi
ciently large for roasting, the bears were in the habit of com
ing to the Island for it; we therefore took a number of poles
sixteen feet long, placed them in the ground, and connecting
the ends at the top secured them firmly with bark. A Dutch
man, who was In my company, thatched it from bottom
to top with rye straw, so that when finished, it had the ap
pearance of a stack of straw. This house was for the purpose
of concealing ourselves and dogs when the bears came to the
island, so that we could surprise them suddenly. The first
night we both watched, but did not kill anything. The next
night the Dutchman watched alone and succeeded In killing
a large bear. He asked me to watch with him the following
night, which I refused to do, and he watched alone, but
did not see any game. The next night I again refused to
watch with him, it being Sunday. He said It was not best
to let the bears eat the corn, and desired me to let him have
my dog. I told him to let them have a little corn on Sunday.
He watched but did not kill any. Three days afterwards he
told me that he had not seen any signs of bears, but that the
raccoons were troubling us; accordingly I watched with him,
and we killed two In the evening and four at break of day.
Our dogs would seize them and we would knock them in the
head with a tomahawk, or take them by the tail and dash
their heads against a tree. We did not watch again for
some time. [ 75 ]

pioneer life; or,
One night my father said there was every appearance of
raccoons having been in the fields. The Dutchman and I went
out to hunt them, but returned unsuccessful. Sometime af
ter that, he said he had seen the tracks of a large bear, which
had torn down considerable corn, and as he expected the bear
would return, he asked me to go with him and watch, but
I declined doing so. He watched alone, undisturbed by the
bear. At this season, the bears subsisted principally on the chest
nuts and acorns which were then ripening; so I told the
Dutchman that if we hunted any more for bears we would
go Into the woods, as they generally laid still when there
were nuts to eat. He coincided with me. A few weeks after
that, another bear commenced his ravages among the corn
which was in stacks; they would pull them down, making
great havoc. The Dutchman and I pursued him with the
dogs, came up with him, and the dogs worried him so that
when he came to a fence he was unable to get over. We
called them off and allowed him to pass over and go about
half way across the stream between the island and main land,
when we let our dogs go again. They caught him as he was
leaving the water, and soon treed him. We did not dare to
fire at him until morning, for should we only wound him he
would come down and kill our dogs. I returned home, but
Hans remained all night and at day-break shot the bear.
A few weeks after, we had a slight fall of snow, and I went
out after bears, but found none, though I killed two deer;
I skinned them and hung the venison up on such small poles
that the bears could not climb, and out of reach of the wolves.
About ten days after, more snow having fallen, we went out
again, but returned home unsuccessful, and hunted no more
until July, when the bears again commenced their depreda
tion by killing a calf belonging to one of our neighbors, after
which they killed several hogs. At that time the bears were
traveling from the west to the east. The Dutchman and my
self started out after the first and killed three which we had
driven up a tree. By the first of August we had killed six.
We did not hunt any except when they killed the hogs and
sheep. On the tenth of August I went twenty-two miles up
the creek to haul logs. We had to load them in the creek,
near what was called a bear run-way. At this time the
bears were going from east to west, and as they all crossed
the creek at the same place, they stepped in the same track,
so that it had the appearance of being the track of but one
[ 76 \

THIRTY YEARS A HUNTER.
bear. Occasionally when there were three or four bears to
gether, I would go down towards where they crossed and
throw stones and clubs to drive them back; but I could
never make them return up the hill; they would always go
down the stream a short distance, and so gain the opposite
shore, then come back on the bank to the old track. Every
time I saw a bear I marked It down, and In a month I counted
forty-three. I then went home, but returned to work again
In about four days. The first bear that I saw after my re
turn was a very large one — about as large as a common-
sized cow, and the largest I ever saw. I thought I would see
what I could do with him; so I waded Into the water about
knee deep, and commenced throwing stones at him. He paid
no attention to them or me either, but kept on his course
the same as though I had not been there. I was just beginning
to think of retreating, when I thought I would throw one
more; picking up a large stone, I threw it and hit him on the
forehead. He raised himself on his hind feet, uttered a sav
age growl and rushed furiously towards me. I ran to the
logs, caught up my axe and sprang upon a pair of timber
wheels, which were eleven feet high. Before springing upon
the wheels I looked around and saw him close at my heels. I
raised my axe. Intending to plunge it into his brain; but In
the excitement missed my aim, and the handle struck his
feet, which caused him to give another cry of pain. I was
now on the wheels, and took off my hat and shook It at him,
causing him to step back a little. I saw death staring me in
the face. I knew their nature so well, and knew that if he
got hold of me, he would not relinquish his hold until I was
dead; but soon he began to move slowly off, looking around
every few steps to observe my movements. When he had
gone about two rods I started the oxen, which were hitched
to the timber wheels, with a log loaded. As soon as I saw
the bear strike the trail I got off and hastened to my brother's
house, where I lived, to procure a gun. He had frightened me
worse than I ever was before or since, and I wanted to take
revenge. The house was a little more than half a mile distant,
and I reached it in a very short time. When I arrived there,
my' sister Inquired why I looked so pale, and If I was sick?
I told her; and taking my gun, tomahawk, and a hunting
knife, started in a direction to strike the trail about half
a mile from the river. In hopes of meeting the gentleman
and giving him a proper reception, but when I reached the
river I found that he had passed. During the next six weeks
they were not molested, and in that period I saw sixty-three,
[ 77 ]

pioneer life; or,
and my brother thirty-three, making ninety-six that were
seen crossing, besides those that probably crossed unobserved.
About the tenth of October they commenced crossing from
the west to the east, making a trail across my father's island,
which was planted to corn in five fields of ten acres each.
The Dutchman and I made another house between the bank
and a root, which served for two sides of the house. The
first night we watched we were unsuccessful, and did not
make another attempt for several nights. At length the
Dutchman, another man and myself went out to watch.
Three times in the night they rose and went out to look
for them^ but with no success. Just at break of day I awoke,
went to the door, and saw a bear coming. Taking my gun
and dog I stole out cautiously, leaving the others sleeping
soundly. The dog gave chase, and stopped him as he had
crossed the island and was about to plunge into the stream
on the opposite side. Here was an abrupt bank of about
eight feet, and as the bear attempted to descend this the
dog would seize him and he would turn upon the dog. When
I came up, the bear plunged off the bank, followed by the
dog, which continued to worry him in the water. Seizing a
moment when the bear turned to face the dog, I fired, killing
• him instantly. The men in the hut, hearing the report of
my gun, ran out to see what was my success, but I drew the
bear under the bank, where It could not be seen, and moved
off a short distance. When they approached me, they asked
me what I had shot. I replied that I guessed it was some one
below. They did not believe this, but told me they thought
I had killed a bear. I told them to come and see, leading
them to where I had left my booty.
About two weeks after the last occurrence, a boy belonging
lo a neighboring family came to us saying that there were
three bears in one of their corn-fields pulling down the corn,
and requested me to come and kill them. I accordingly took
my gun and rode over there. The old man and woman were
mounted on stumps, watching the depredations of their un
welcome visitors, all three of which I dispatched without
much difficulty. In two days I killed two more while they
were crossing the creek. I now hunted until the middle of
December, killing fourteen bears, and seventeen deer. When
the ground was covered with snow I took a dog with me
and treed them. When there was no snow I generally found
them on the ground eating acorns and chestnuts. In Febru
ary I was shown the tracks of two bears, which I followed
to a hole in the rocks, In which they were concealed. The
[ 78 ]

THIRTY YEARS A HUNTER.
man who accompanied me went into the hole with a pole
about twelve feet long, on the end of which was a lighted
match. He penetrated as far as was prudent, threw in the
match with all his force, and then hastened out. After wait
ing some time in vain for the bears to make their appearance,
we both went in with a lighted match and a gun. After
going in some distance, we found the opening so narrow that
It was very difficult to proceed, and we threw in the match
and beat a retreat. In about fifteen minutes we heard a rust
ling in the cave, and calling to my companion to stand clear,
I stationed myself where I could shoot them as they emerged.
As the first one made his appearance at the entrance, I fired,
and he fell dead. The other one rushed out over him, and
during the delay of reloading my gun, he obtained quite a
start of me. I set the dog after him, and after chasing him
two miles, he ran up a tree, and I shot him. This was the last
I killed until the first of May, when I shot one which was
very large and fat, having been but a short time out of Its
winter quarters. We estimated that it would weigh five hun
dred pounds. In June I shot one that was carrying off a hog.
I hunted no more for about three years.
In 1800 I removed to Black Walnut Bottoms, and the
next year I went fire-hunting, accompanied by a man named
Clark. We pushed up the creek about five miles, when we
made a fire and lay there until midnight. There was another
party below us which had hunted down the river since nine
o'clock without success. We started about half-past twelve
o'clock. I sat In front for the first three miles, killing nothing,
when I exchanged places with Clark. He had been seated
forward but a short time when he said that he saw twenty
deer, he could count them by their eyes. He observed that
they were very long-legged, and held their heads remarkably
high, for deer. As we floated nearer them we discovered that
they were elk. We both leveled our rifles to fire together, but
smoke from the torch blew into my face so that I could not
see to take aim. Clark fired, however, and one of the elk
leaped from the water, and fell heavily to the earth. Then
ensued a scene which I shall never forget. The frightened
animals rushed to the shore, and seeing their shadows on the
bluff bank, in the flickering light of our torch, took them
for new enemies, and turned again Into the water, roaring
so that the very earth seemed to tremble. They dashed down
the stream, a few rods, clashing their hoofs and antlers to
gether, then turned and again went to the shore a short dis
tance below us. During the whole time I was so blinded by
[ 79 ]

PIONEER life; or,
the smoke that It was impossible to use my rifle with any
effect. As they approached the bank they were again fright
ened by the immense shadows moving in front of them, and
dashing again into the water, they struck for the opposite
shore. We lay directly In the course they took, and In the
rush two of them leaped over the canoe beween Clark and
myself, and a third ran against one end and overturned it.
The light being extinguished, there was nothing to excite
their fears, and they all ascended the bank, and made off.
The water into which we were precipitated was about three
feet deep, and we reached the shore without difficulty. We
then righted our canoe and proceeded to bail out the water
with our hats. As it was a very large one, this was a work
of much labor. Our next object was to procure dry wood
and make a fire, which, as the rain was now falling quite
hard, was no easy matter. When Clark stepped upon the
shore, he was met by the warning note of a large rattle
snake which lay coiled up at his feet. He returned to the
canoe and proposed to float down to a more favorable place,
but I told him I should not go farther in our present plight.
I made the next attempt to land, and met with a similar
reception from another rattle-snake. I stepped to the canoe,
pushed up the stream, and once more stepped ashore, bbat-
Ing about me with a stick to find whether there were snakes
about, until I reached the top of the bank, which was about
ten feet high. On the top I found a half -decayed pine stump,
which leaned over in such a manner that the lower side was
dry. Calling to Clark, and informing him what I had found,
I proceeded to set fire to It. Fortunately, my powder had
kept dry, and In a few minutes the stump was enveloped in
a blaze. We then built a fire in our canoe, and pushed down
the creek, arriving at home about daybreak. I told Clark he
might have the elk we had killed, if he would go after It.
About ten days after, Clark and I started again on a fire-
hunt. Pushing up the stream about seven miles, we turned
and commenced floating down at nine o'clock. After pro
ceeding about a mile, Clark, who sat forward, saw a large
buck, a short distance ahead. He fired and wounded the ani
mal, when it wheeled and attempted to plunge over the canoe.
Clark held up his hand to protect himself, which frightened
him still more, and he sprang across the canoe, giving Clark
a blow between the eyes, with Its hind feet, which knocked
him prostrate. I asked him if he was hurt, and he replied
that he was nearly killed. I pushed ashore as soon as possible,
and took him out of the canoe. His face was bathed in blood,
[ 80 1

THIRTY YEARS A HUNTER.
and presented a ghastly appearance. Upon washing away the
blood I discovered that he was not as badly injured as I had
feared. There was a severe contusion in the spot where he
was struck, but the skin was not broken, and the blood had
dropped from the wounded deer. I then went after the deer,
which I found lying down, badly wounded, but not dead. I
finished it by a ball through the head, and dragged It to the
canoe. We floated down ,a mile, when we saw a buck and
doe eating moss. Clark fired, killing the buck, and the doe
ran ashore, when, becoming frightened at her shadow, she
leaped back toward the canoe. As she raised to spring over,
I hit her on the nose with a paddle, and she fell back Into
the canoe, when I cut her throat. We then floated down,
picked up our buck, and proceeded homeward with three
deer, one of which had not cost us even a shot.
About the first of the next December, I went on a bear-
hunt, accompanied by a man named Hamlin. We soon treed
and killed a large bear, which we dressed and hung up. In a
short time we met two more, one of which we killed. We
returned home, and the next morning started with a horse
to convey home our bears, and before we reached them we
killed another. This made a load for our horse, and we ac
cordingly started at once for home, and the next day went
for the first two. When we had loaded them and proceeded
a short distance, we killed another, which we were compelled
to leave and return for the next day.
About the middle of July, 1805, Morrison, Francis and my
self were out on a hunt. Going up the creek about five miles,
we commenced floating down, and soon shot a deer, which
we stowed away in our canoe. When we had gone a short
distance farther, two of us saw a deer in the stream, and both
fired at the same time, but neither appeared to hit it. We
re-loaded and directed the man who was steering to run the
canoe to the shore. We then stood on the shore, about thirty
rods from the deer, and each fired eight shots at it, as rap
idly as we could load, when our guns became so hot that we
were compelled to stop. The steersman had been holding up
the torch for us to see by, yet the position of the animal
was the same as when first observed. At each shot it had
seemed to spring up, each time higher and higher, and drop
ping into the same spot. We now threw sticks at It, to drive
it away, when it gave two or three leaps, and suddenly dis
appeared. This affair may appear somewhat strange to the
reader, as it did to me, but the facts are as I have stated,
and always appeared to me unaccountable.
[ 81 ]

CHAPTER XIII.
HUNTING ON THE CLARION RIVER.
In November, 1817, William Gibson, Joseph Hook and my
self started for the headwaters of the Kenzua Creek and Clar
ion River, to capture and bring home a live elk. They were
to defray all the expenses and own one-half the elk when
caught. They hired an Indian named George ' Silverheels, to
assist, paying him a dollar a day. On arriving at the head
waters of the Kenzua, we built a camp. Hook and myself
then went to look for elk-tracks, leaving the others at the
camp to cook provisions. About four miles northeast of the
camp we found the tracks of quite a herd, which we fol
lowed for a mile and a half, when we found where twenty-
nine had lain in the snow. We concluded to return to the
camp, but it soon became dark, and we found It very difficult
to follow our track back. We arrived there about eleven
o'clock, and Informed them that we had tracked twenty-nine.
I told Silverheels, in Indian, that I thought they were all
middling-sized does and fawns, and did not think there was
one we would wish to catch. The following day, each man
carrying provisions for six days, we set out, accompanied by
four dogs. About ten o'clock we reached the elk-beds. I
told them that we should find them not more than two miles
ahead, and proposed that one should go ahead and kill a couple
of them, and the others remain behind with the dogs. They
desired me to go and when I had proceeded about three-quar
ters of a mile I discovered about ten elk. I raised my rifle,
but It had become wet In coming through the snow, and
having a flint lock, would not go. I tried three times, when
the elk became alarmed, and I waited for the others to arrive.
I told Silverheels that my gun was wet, and if his was in
order, to follow with the dogs, and If they stopped the elk,
to kill one. They all went on, leaving me to unbreech my
gun. I worked at it about half an hour, unsuccessfully, when,
as the snow was falling very rapidly, and I feared to lose the
track, I started after the others, overtaking them about seven
[ 82 ]

THIRTY YEARS A HUNTER.
miles distant. I soon heard the barking of the dogs, and told
Silverheels he had better go on ahead, while we would remain,
lest so many should alarm the elk. When we heard the re
port of his rifle we went to him, and found that he had
killed an elk. Silverheels and myself continued on the trail,
leaving the others to dress the elk and prepare a camp for the
night. When we had proceeded three-quarters of a mile, we
found one of the dogs and an elk which Silverheels shot. It
was now quite dark, and we left it and went back to the
others. They had stretched the skin of the elk across poles
to form a shelter, but could not succeed in making a fire
outside, and were compelled to light one under the skin.
The snow was falling rapidly, which rendered it extrernely
difficult, and it was not until one o'clock that we finally suc
ceeded. In the meantime we suffered severely from the cold.
At daylight the snow had fallen to the depth of four feet,
and it was with much labor that we beat down the snow
sufficiently to procure wood. We were unable to reach the
elk which we had left out, until the second day, when we
dressed and brought it into the camp. We remained there
three days, drying our venison, and tramping down the snow,
but were unable to go a great distance from the camp. The
fourth day it thawed sufficiently to settle the snow a few
inches, and we left our camp, and after tolling through the
snow all day, encamped at night seven miles from our start
ing-place. The following day we traveled nine miles farther,
reaching our old camp. We remained here three days, wait
ing for a thaw. I told the others that I thought we might
find two or three large elk near where we had started the
small ones. Silverheels and Gibson objected to the idea of
going after them in the snow, but Hook consented to go
with me. The following day we went four miles, and found
the tracks of three large elk, which had passed the day be
fore. We followed them half a mile, and found them on the
side of a hill, eating moss. They were large, noble animals,
and each one would have been worth five hundred dollars if
we could have taken them. We thought It best not to at
tempt this, without the rest of the party and the dogs, and
accordingly returned without disturbing them, reaching the
camp about nine o'clock, greatly fatigued. Gibson and Sil
verheels awoke on our arrival, and inquired what luck. Hook
replied that we had started three fine elk, worth five hundred
dollars each. Upon this they became quite animated, and
Gibson said he would chase them two weeks, if necessary
[ 83 ]

PIONEER life; or,
to catch one. I told him he might follow them a month
without taking one, if the dogs would not go. The next
morning all set out, and at eleven o'clock arrived at the place
where we had left the elk, when I went on in advance, the
others following at the distance of a hundred yards. I soon
saw the elk, and halted till the others came up. They loosed
the dogs, but it was difficult for them to run through the
deep snow, and the elk gained upon them. I said it was use
less for us to make any further attempt, as the dogs would
soon return; but the others were eager to follow them, and
my objections were overruled. We followed them three miles,
when two of them struck off to the west, the other keeping
on a straight course, with the dogs after it. After going
another mile the dogs returned. It was now between three
and four o'clock, and we were all heartily discouraged. Sil
verheels said it was useless to go farther, as the dogs would
not go through the deep snow, which I had told them before.
They asked me what I thought It best to do. I told them
that as it was near night, we had better make a hemlock
shanty, and stay there over night, which we did, and passed
the night very comfortably. In the morning they again
asked my opinion about our next movements, and I told them
we could do nothing until the snow had settled so that the
dogs could run. We returned to our camp and waited two
days for a thaw, but the weather became colder, and we con
cluded to go home. When we had arrived within six miles
of Kenzua, Gibson gave out and could go no farther. We
made him a fire, arid when we reached the settlement, we
sent back a man and horse to bring him in. This was the
second time that I failed to take an elk alive, after having
attempted it, and in this case we should have probably suc
ceeded, had we not been prevented by the deep snow.
In August, 1820, I left Kenzua Flats, in company with
John Campbell and Robert McKean, for the headwaters of the
Susquehannah River, to take an elk. We hired two Indians,
named Morris Halftown and John Geebuck, with a pack-
horse, to assist us. I had never taken an elk alive, in sum
mer, but with good dogs I thought we might, as they would
be most likely to flee to a creek or river. I had killed many
that I might have caught if I had attempted it. We en
camped the first night on a small stream flowing into the
Kenzua, seventeen miles above the Kenzua Flats. The fol
lowing day Campbell, myself, and the two Indians went
to look for elk-tracks, each taking a different direction, leav-
[ 84 1

THIRTY YEARS A HUNTER.
Ing McKean to keep camp, take care of the horse, and cook.
We all returned at twelve o'clock, as had been agreed upon
except Halftown, who came in about half -past one, having,
about nine miles from the camp started seven doe elk and
fawns, and killed one of them. We all went to secure the
one he had killed, arriving there about dark. Campbell and
the two Indians skinned the elk, while McKean cut wood,
and I went in search of water. When I returned they had
dressed the elk, and we cut up and salted it in the skin. The
following day Halftown and Geebuck went down Stump
Creek to look for signs of elk. If they found the tracks
of large ones they were to return and Inform us, but if small
they were to follow and kill some. They took a supply of
salt, with which to cure the meat of any they might kill at
a distance from the camp. Campbell, McKean and myself
made a scaffold upon which to dry our meat, and when done
we spread out the meat, and Campbell and myself went
to hunt a camping-ground near a large lick, leaving McKean
to dry the venison. We found a suitable place about half
a mile above the lick, where we built a camp. The follow
ing morning we returned to where we had left McKean, load
ed the horse with our dried venison, and waited until noon
for the Indians to come in, when, as they had not arrived,
we marked our road so that they could find us, and went to
the other camp. The Indians joined us that evening. They
had seen some signs of elk, that had passed some days before,
but no fresh ones. The next morning they again departed
in direction of the Susquehannah and Stump Creek, to look
for elk, and should they find does or small bucks they were
to kill as many as possible. Campbell and myself started with
three days provisions and two dogs, leaving McKean in the
camp to take care of the horse. We went south toward the
head of the Tionesta, and about three o'clock came where
two bucks had passed the day before. Judging by the tracks
they were about three years old. They were heading toward
the lick near which we had encamped. We followed till
evening, and encamped on the trail. Next morning after
going four miles we found them. We let loose the dogs,
and they went off after the elk at a rapid rate, heading toward
the Kenzua. We followed as fast as possible, thinking to
catch one of them In some deep hole in the creek. We kept
on the track to the creek, found that the elk had gone down
the stream, sometimes in the water and sometimes on the
shore. We followed on for two miles, when we met our
[ 85 ]

PIONEER life; or,
dogs returning. It being a very warm day, we returned,
discouraged, to our camp near the elk lick. I told Campbell
that with six dogs, if they were not better than these, we
could not catch an elk, as they would not keep on the track.
Wnen we arrived at the camp, we found the Indians there,
but the horse had strayed away. It was now Saturday night,
and Campbell said that he did not wish to hunt horses on the
Sabbath. I said that It was not a day for such business, but
in this case I considered it a work of necessity, as he might
stray so far before Monday as to be lost beyond recovery. I
offered to go with the Indians, and leave the other two at
the camp. We started early the following day, and when we
had gone a short distance I directed Halftown to take the
Smithport and Warren road, where he could easily track it
if it had been there, as there was no travel on it at that
season, and If it had gone home, to follow and bring it back
to the camp as soon as possible. Geebuck and myself went
to where McKean had left the horse, and followed his tracks
across the Kenzua and up a high mountain. When we reached
the top of the mountain I told Geebuck that if he would
follow on and bring the horse to the camp I would give him
a dollar extra. I then went toward Tuneangwant creek and
then back to the camp, without having seen anything of the
horse. Halftown -was there without the horse, and soon after
dark Geebuck arrived. He said that he had followed the
tracks ten or eleven miles to a dry, rocky ridge, where they
could no longer be distinguished. He accordingly marked the
place and returned to the camp. Monday morning Campbell
set out with Geebuck in search of the horse, while McKean,
Halftown and myself went to hunt for elk. We took the
dogs and a supply of provisions for four days, going toward
Stump Creek. When we had proceeded seven miles it com
menced raining, and we hastily constructed a shelter, under
which we remained until the next morning. We then went
southeast to a small stream which we mistook for the Ti
onesta Creek. We soon saw signs of elk, although made some
days before. The tracks indicated large animals, and they
followed the ridge by the side of the stream. We followed
the creek several miles still thinking it was the Tionesta, until
we arrived at a place where some trees had been peeled, by
which Halftown knew the creek to be the southeast branch
of the Kenzua, and that he and his father had peeled that
bark twelve years before, and with it built a shanty, in which
they had wintered. We encamped here for the night, and in
[ 86 ]

THIRTY YEARS A HUNTER.
the morning resolved to give up the pursuit and return home,
thinking It quite probable that Campbell and Geebuck had
done so. We arrived at Kenzua at the same time with Camp
bell and Geebuck, but the horse had not been found. We
went to Campbell's house, where we took dinner and settled
our affairs, after which we sent the Indians back to camp
for our meat, cooking utensils, etc. We paid sixty dollars
for the horse, which with the provisions, wages of the In
dians, and loss of our own time made the total loss one hun
dred and twenty-six dollars, being forty-two dollars each.
McKean had agreed, In case we failed to secure an elk, to
assist me in building, half a day for each day I lost. The
great cause of the failure of our expedition was the want of
good dogs.
I will now give a short description of the mountains and
streams between Warren to Olean, on the east side of the
river, where I on[c]e hunted elk, bears, panthers and sables.
My first elk-hunting In this region was In 1816, and I con
tinued it for five years. During this time I traveled over
every part of this section of Pennsylvania and New York, and
became familiar with the country between the Allegany and
Susquehannah. In a circuit of ten miles around the head of
the Tionesta, I thought the pine timber was better than In
any other part of the region I have mentioned. The timber
region commenced about seven miles from the Allegany river,
two miles above Warren. The southeast branch heads in a
good farming country, covered with beech, maple, chestnut,
and some scattering wild-cherry trees, some of which latter
measured three feet in diameter, and not a branch within
fifty feet of the ground. Here were also white-wood trees,
four feet in diameter, with the lower limbs sixty feet
from the ground. The country round the mouth of
the creek was covered with a magnificent growth of pine and
oak. Hence to the head of Willow Creek Is a good farming
country, covered with oak, chestnut, beech, maple, and a
sprinkling of pine, hemlock and wild cherry. Around the
head of the Tuneangwant creek and on the south side Is
also a good farming country. I never hunted on the north
side, but have been told that It is as good a country for farm
ing purposes as the south side. From the Quaker Run to the
head of Tuneangwant, thence to Sugar Run, Kenzua Creek,
and on to the Tionesta, I have been familiar, and know it
to be good farming land. On the north branch of the Ken
zua I have seen Indications of stone-coal and have no doubt
[ 87 ]

PIONEER life; or,
there are large deposits of it in that vicinity, as well as around
the head of Willow Creek. Six miles from the mouth of
Kenzua Creek, on the north side, is good land for cultivation.
Also, up Sugar Run, about the same distance from the Alle
gany, is a fine tract of land. East from the head of Stump
Creek I think the land is not quite as valuable for farming
as It is farther north, toward the state line, beyond which
it is excellent. From the source of Stump Creek the land
is good for about ten miles, when the surface becomes very
uneven, as it is near the river, on most of the streams. Be
tween the Kenzua and Stump Creek I have seen cherry trees
from two to three feet in diameter, straight, and nearly sixty
feet to the first branch. White-wood Is also Interspersed
through this region, of the finest quality, and growing to an
immense size. Groves of small cherry trees, from six to fif
teen inches in diameter, were quite numerous, and similar
groves of white ash were often met with In places where the
first growth had been prostrated by the wind.

[ 88 ]

CHAPTER XIV.
HUNTING AND TRAPPING.
In November, 1821, in company with Walter Seaman, John
Campbell and George Morrison, I went on a general hunting
expedition to catch elk, hunt bears, deer and panthers, and to
trap foxes and sables. We hired a man named Goodwin, with
a horse, to act as porter to the expedition, and Marshall Whit-
comb as cook and camp-keeper. We were six In all, in a
double sleigh. Having gone about six miles we found the
tracks of a panther. I told Seaman and Goodwin that I must
go with the sleigh, and that they should follow the tracks,
and If they did not come up with the panther in two or
three miles to return and they would find me encamped at
night about three miles ahead. Campbell and Morrison were
forward, and Whitcomb had charge of the dogs. Seaman and
Goodwin took two dogs with them and followed the track,
finding It nearly parallel with the road. They had proceeded
but two miles when the panther came out from under some
rocks. Seaman fired and brought him down. I heard the
gun and called out to them. They answered, and soon I saw
them drag out a very large panther, weighing about two hun
dred pounds, and place it on the sleigh. Proceeding on we
found Morrison and Campbell making a fire for us; they had
not killed anything. We there encamped for the night and
arranged our hunting matters. The next morning Morrison
hunted on the north side of the road. Seaman on the south
side and I went on in the road, telling them that I would
stand as good a chance as either of them. We were all to
meet at four corners about seven miles beyond and encamp
that night. Three miles ahead was an open beech woods on
the side of a hill down which the road passed; and In the
road, at the bottom of the hill, trotting along towards me,
I saw nine wolves. I stepped behind a large beech tree and
waited their approach. A large tree with the leaves on had
fallen across the road about twenty rods from me, and the
[ 89 ]

pioneer life; or,
wolves came up and stopped behind it, so that I could but
partially see one of them. I fired at him and he rolled over
once or twice and then got up and ran west. I followed him,
but he would skulk around in the tops of fallen trees and
thickets. I fired at him three times at a great distance but
did not succeed in killing him. I followed him until three
o'clock in the afternoon and it was night before I arrived
at the place where I first shot at him. Then I had seven
miles further to go after dark to our encampment at the
four corners, which I reached about eleven o'clock, very
tired. During the night snow fell ten inches deep, and of
course covered the wolf's tracks, which prevented me from
following him the next day, when I should probably have
found him dead. During the day Goodwin returned to Ken
zua with the horses and sleigh, and was to come back with
but one of the horses. That morning Morrison and Whit
comb set forty sable traps, called dead-falls; they were so
constructed that when the sable came to eat the bait a small
log would fall and kill him. Seaman, Campbell and myself,
with two dogs, went forth on a hunt. We crossed the Ken
zua, and going south about twelve miles, found the fresh
tracks of a large sized elk, which we followed one mile and
found its bed of the night previous. We remained with the
dogs, and Campbell went ahead about a hundred rods, when
he saw a fine buck elk. He called to us to let the dogs go;
we did so, and the elk ran north toward Smethport, about
nine miles, and stopped on a rock. A deer pursued by two
wolves, passing near the rock, so frightened our dogs that
they left the elk and made for the camp. When we arrived
and saw the wolves tracks we mistook them for those of
our dogs, thinking they had gone after the deer. We follow
ed down the creek eleven miles to a settlement, and inquiring
for the dogs, were told that two wolves had brought In a
deer, but that they had not seen any dogs. We could not
credit this story, and searched until three o'clock, thinking
that the Inhabitants had concealed them. Seaman and Camp
bell returned to the camp, leaving me to keep up the search
for the dogs. The next day I went up Potato creek, where
a man said he had seen a handsome black hound, which I
thought must be ours. AH day I searched for the dogs up
the creek, and passed the night twelve miles from the set
tlement, still under the impression that the inhabitants had
concealed them. The next day I went to Smethport, and there
found a man who said there were people enough in the vicin-
[ 90 ]

THIRTY YEARS A HUNTER.
ity that would hide my dogs. I hired him to assist me in my
search, but of course we were unsuccessful. I remained at
Smethport that night, and the next day returned to the
camp, but found no one there except the dogs that I had
lost.'I knew then that the wolves had frightened the dogs from
the elk. In the evening the rest of the party came In from
hunting. I found that during our absence Morrison had killed
three deer, and Whitcomb had caught ten sables; Campbell
and Seaman had also each killed a deer since they arrived. I
inquired why they did not go elk hunting, as they had all
the dogs with them? Seaman replied that If the dogs had
stopped twenty elk, they could not have caught one, for
none but me could rope one. I said that perhaps they could
and perhaps not, but it might be that I could not do so my
self. I told them that they must prepare for another cam
paign. The next day I remained at the camp to bake bread,
and the rest hunted. I baked It in the ashes, and having good
success, finished by two o'clock. Then I took my gun and
went about a mile and a half, and came to the tracks of
seven deer. I followed them half a mile and found the deer
lying In a thicket. I got upon a log to see them, when a
large doe jumped up. I fired and broke her shoulder blade.
She ran, her fawn after her; and by the time I had loaded
my gun and was prepared to follow. Seaman's dog, who had
gnawed his rope and broke loose, came up and put off on the
track. I followed them about a mile, but it was so late that
I returned to the camp, where I arrived at eight o'clock.
The dog caught the deer and did not return for three days,
but when he came he looked fat and sleek, having eaten the
deer. When I arrived at the camp they inquired what luck I
had. I told them that if it had not been for Seaman's dog,
I would have had a fine doe, for I had wounded it and it
could not have gone far before I should have shot it.
I told them we must hunt for elk the next day, and that
they must build another camp on the south side of the Ken
zua, six miles from the main stream and twelve or fourteen
miles from the old camp, as I did not believe that there were
any more elk on the west side of the creek, where we were
now stationed. This they agreed to; but thought that Good
win (who had now got back with his horse) and Whitcomb
had better go and make the camp, and the rest start Im
mediately after the elk. We took four dogs with us and
were loaded with four days provisions. Crossing the Kenzua,
we went southwest about twelve miles, and found the tracks
[ 91 ]

pioneer life; or,
of seven elk, which we followed three miles and then en
camped for the night. The next morning we followed them
five miles and found the fresh tracks of the same elk re
turning. I said It was no use to try to take one alive, for
they were all does and young elk, and that we had better try
to kill them. Morrison and Seaman said they wanted to
be the ones to go on. So they went and we stayed behind
with the dogs. They were told to whistle If the elk saw
them and run so that they could not get a shot, and we
would let the dogs go. They had not gone more than a hun
dred yards when we heard them whistle. We let the dogs
loose and they stopped the herd about a mile distant. Mor
rison and Seaman came up with them in a few minutes and
shot three. After we had dressed them, Morrison and Seaman
wished to take the dogs and attempt to kill one or two more,
but I was afraid the dogs would not run, in consequence
of having been fed too much. The four elk ran together
about two miles, when three of them turned off to one side,
and all the dogs but mine returned. The men followed the
other dog and elk twelve miles, when they saw the dog lying
down beside a large log, and supposed that he had lain down
to rest, and of course thought the elk had gone on; but when
Morrison called to the dog, " Hunter, have you given out? "
he sprang over the log, gave a yelp and up jumped the elk.
It was so tired, however, that it did not go more than twenty
rods before Morrison killed it. One of the men procured fuel
whilst the other skinned the elk. They stretched the skin
on poles, made a fire near it but passed a very imcomfortable
night, as it snowed quite hard. The next morning, taking
their elk skin with them, they started for the place where
Campbell and myself had made quite a comfortable encamp
ment, arriving about eleven o'clock. I told them I thought
instead of having our new camping place on the Kenzua, we
had better make It on a road called the Kittaning road, as
we should not have so far to carry our game, to which the
others assented. Seaman then obtained permission to go home
and remain about a week, and the following day we proceeded
by way of the Kittaning road, to our encampment near the
Four Corners. On our road we found an old log house, which
was built at the time the road was made. The roof had fallen
In, but we decided to repair and make it our headquarters.
Whitcomb had caught twenty-three sables, and Morrison had
killed two deer. That night, for the first time In three weeks,
our whole party was together. The following day Morrison
[ 92 ]

THIRTY YEARS A HUNTER.
and Seaman went home, and the remainder of us proceeded
to the Kittaning block-house, which we fitted up for use.
Next day Goodwin brought In the three elk which had been
killed, and after dinner Campbell, Morrison and myself went
to hunting, and Whitcomb to set sable traps. After hunting
until the afternoon of the next day, we found the track of
a single elk, which we judged to be a young buck. We fol
lowed it seven miles and then stopped for the night. The
next morning we were early on the trail, and about ten
o'clock we found the tracks quite fresh, and knowing the
animal could not be far away, we let loose the dogs, which
soon came up with him. He ran near our second camp, keep
ing a west course. In his course he passed a fox-trap which
I had set several days before, and in passing, I discovered
that a large fox was in the trap. I dispatched him with my
tomahawk, and left him in the trap. The elk, still keeping
west, crossed two small branches of the Kenzua, and the
Smethport road, and then, turning north, ascended a moun
tain, stopping on a rock about twenty-five feet high. We
did not arrive until nine o'clock, when, on approaching the
elk, I observed to my chagrin that it was a doe. I com
municated my discovery to Morrison, who had the gun, and
he shot her. We then went down to the Tuneangwant, and
encamped. It was after midnight when we had our ar
rangements completed, and soon after a furious storm of hail
and snow set in which covered the earth to the depth of two
feet, before morning. The following day we skinned the elk,
and hung up the meat where It was killed. We then re
mained there a day and a half, waiting for more favorable
weather. The third day the weather became somewhat more pro
pitious, and we set out for the camp at the Corners, finding
it very difficult traveling, as the snow was three feet deep.
We arrived there about nine o'clock that evening, nearly ex
hausted, from toiling through the deep snow. Campbell and
Morrison were discouraged, believing it useless to attempt
catching an elk while the snow was so deep, and the next
morning we started for home, arriving at my house at Cold
Spring late at night. The next day I returned to Kenzua,
and offered Morrison and Campbell my share of every thing
but the sable skins if they would bring home the meat and
skins-. They did not wish to go, and accordingly I went alone
to the Kittaning block-house, where I found Seaman, Whit
comb and Goodwin, with forty sable skins and the meat of
[ 93 ]

PIONEER LIFE; OR,
four elk. The next day Whitcomb and Goodwin conveyed
to Kenzua the meat of the fifteen deer we had killed, while
Seaman and myself remained behind, resolved, if possible, to
catch an elk. The next day at noon it began to thaw, and
we set out with two of our best dogs, in search of tracks.
We returned to our block-house that evening. Seaman felt
considerably disheartened and proposed that we should give
up the hunt and go home. I could not abandon the Idea of
making one more effort, and to encourage my companion I
told him of my success two years before, when I took two
elk in less than a month, and received as my share three
hundred and sixty dollars. This gave him new animation,
and he said he would stick by me as long as there was a
flake of snow to track them by. The following day, when
we had proceeded about four miles we found some large tracks
which had been made about the time of the hail-storm. We
followed them until about three o'clock, when he concluded
that they must have gone to the rocks at the head of Mar
vin's Creek, and decided to return to our block-house, and
in the morning endeavor to strike the trail between that place
and the creek. The next day we found the track about three
o'clock, and followed until night when we made a comfort
able camp. Our spirits for the past day had not flagged, and
now that we seemed so near the object of our long and
weary hunt, we felt impatient for the morning, feeling con
fident that we should secure our prize before another night.
Indeed, we had already sold him In imagination, and each
was counting on his share of the thousand dollars it might
bring, while the lowest figure was not less than three hundred
dollars. We arose in the morning In high spirits, took a hasty
breakfast, and by daylight were on the track. About eight
o'clock the snow began to fall very rapidly, and soon obliter
ated every vistage of the trail. But the icy sheet did not lie
colder upon the earth that it did upon our hopes. We fol
lowed on In the best way we could until noon, when it was
impossible to proceed farther, and we encamped. By night
the weather cleared up, and the cold became intense. The
following night was the coldest one we experienced that
winter. The next day we decided to return home. We pro
ceeded to the Kenzua, which we descended on the ice to the
Kittaning road about three miles from the Corners, and then
went to our first camp, where we staid that night. We there
struck a balance of the profit and loss of the expedition.
The wages of the men amounted to thirty dollars; provision
[ 94 ]

THIRTY YEARS A HUNTER.
for ourselves and provender for the horse fifteen dollars; a
dog had been lost which had cost ten dollars; making a total
expense fifty-five dollars, besides our time. Of the four part
ners to the expedition, two were out a month, and other two
five weeks, making In all one hundred and twenty-six days.
The receipts were forty sable-skins and fifteen deer-skins at
seventy-five cents each; the panther's head brought a bounty
of six dollars, in all forty-seven dollars and forty-five cents;
which, with the venison, was all we obtained. The next day
we returned home. On our arrival at Kenzua I gave my
share of venison and elk-skins in the woods to my partners,
as I resided at such a distance that I did not think they would
pay for the trouble of conveying home.
In October, 1823, in company with John Campbell, Mar
shall Whitcomb and a Mr. Whitmore, I set out from Kenzua,
in a large canoe, of above three tons burthen, to hunt and
fish down the Allegany. We took with us four dogs and a
seine. At the Big Bend, three miles below Kenzua, we took
several barrels of fish of various kinds, among which were
salmon, muskelonge, and some remarkably fine specimens of
pike as well as white and yellow bass. We proceeded down
to Glade Run, two miles above Warren, where we caught two
barrels of fish and killed a fawn and buck deer. At the vil
lage we caught another barrel of fish. At Dunn's Eddy,
nine miles below Warren, we killed two deer, but took no
fish. One of the deer was a spike buck — the antlers running
up straight, without branches. Three miles below, at the
residence of Robert Thompson, we caught two barrels of
fish, among which were some immense muskelonge; and also
killed five deer. We then moved down about fourteen miles,
to White Oak Shoot, where we shot two deer. Returning
from our hunt, we again went to fishing with our seine,
assisted by a resident there, named Daniel Jones, and three
of his sons. Here we had a large haul, the weight of the
fish being so great as to break the seine. The water being
very clear, we could see an immense number of fish in the
seine; not less, as we judged, than thirty barrels. I jumped
in where the water was three feet deep, and held one side
of the seine, while Jones held the other, but in spite of all
our efforts, two-thirds of the fish escaped. We secured, how
ever, about ten barrels. The seine was so badly torn that it
occupied three of us nearly a day to repair it; while so en
gaged Whitmore, Campbell and the boys went out with the
dogs and killed three deen On drawing the net again, the
fish had all disappeared; and we caught but twenty or thirty.
[ 95 ]

PIONEER LIFE; OR,
At Horse Creek, seventeen miles below, we killed two deer.
That evening I was at Oil Creek, three miles below, and
there I heard that two men named Cams, had threatened, if
we hunted any farther down the river, to shoot our dogs, tar
and feather me, and then, if the others did not leave the
vicinity, to treat them to a coat of the same. I told my In
formant that I should come down there and hunt, and give
the Cams an opportunity of executing their threat, if they
could; but I thought it was a game at which two could
play. I considered their interference entirely uncalled for,
unless I killed a deer on their own land. Mrs. Holiday, who
kept a tavern for raftsmen, said they were ugly men, and
advised me to keep away, as she was unwilling to have an
old customer injured. The next day the Cams went down
to Franklin, five miles below their residence, and said that a
man named Tome, and two others, were hunting down the
river, killing all the deer, and that they would tar and feather
him, kill his dogs and send him home, if he came any farther
down. They asked a man named Thomas Hewling, who kept
a tavern there, what sort of a man Tome was. Hewling said
he was a good-natured sort of man, but if they attempted
any violence they would find trouble, as he was a stout,
active man, and not easily frightened. Campbell was ratKer
timid, and thought we had better leave the vicinity. I told
him that I should hunt there one day, at least, to see what
they would do. Whitmore went off with the dogs in search
of deer, and I told them if they would hunt down the river
to Franklin I would join them there at night. Whitmore
proceeded to hunt on one side of the river, and I on the other,
within fifty rods of the house of one of the Cams. Before I
had been there a long time, Catns came out and asked if I
was hunting in their vicinity. I replied that I was, as game
was more abundant there than where I lived. He said that
he would join me a short time, and I told him that I had
no objection to his taking an equal chance with me. Whit
more killed a deer in the water, and drove another into the
river which Cams shot, and we divided it equally with him.
On our arrival at Franklin we found Campbell there, with
a large buck which he had killed. The next day we killed
in that vicinity three deer, the following another, and the
next day two more, when we started homeward. While going
home, the water was so high that we did not try to fish,
except in one place, where we obtained over one hundred
fine salmon. We killed, during the hunt, sixty-seven deer.
This was my last hunting expedition.
[ 96 1

CHAPTER XV.
THE BEAR  ITS NATURE AND HABITS.
I HA-VE found the favorite haunt of bears to be In Lycoming
county, above Pine Creek, on the head waters of Larry's
Creek, and on the first fork of Pine Creek. I have also found
them near the head of Kettle Creek, Cedar Run, and Young
Woman's Creek. In the month of August they were to be
found traveling west, and crossing Pine Creek, twenty-four
miles from the mouth, where they had a beaten road that
might be followed fifteen or twenty miles. At that time
the bears were lean and their skins were worthless, we did
not, therefore wish to kill them. I have noticed that gen
erally every seventh year the bears travel west In August,
and return about the middle of October, but scattering wide
apart and paying no attention to the path. I have also
noticed that the winter succeeding the season in which they
travel west is a very hard one. In severe winters the bears
retire to the holes that they last occupied, whether it is ten,
thirty or sixty miles distant, and when started they go In
a straight course, not stopping for mountains, rivers or other
obstructions, and when one is seen traveling in a direct line,
without stopping, it is pretty certain that he Is on his way
to his hole. In very open winters they remain but a week
or two in their holes. In more severe winters when they
lie long in their holes the usual method is to smoke them
out. After ascertaining by the tracks, or by entering the
holes, that they are within, a cloth is covered with a mix
ture of lard and sulphur, ignited and inserted on a pole as
far as possible. The fumes of the burning sulphur will soon
drive forth any bears that may be concealed there, two or
three, sometimes taking up their quarters in one den. It is
well to have a dog along, as in case of there being more than
one bear the dog will prove useful in driving one of them
up a tree. I have mentioned this manner of hunting bears
In another place, but as I am about explaining their nature
[ 97 ]

PIONEER life; OR,
and habits, it might not be out of place to repeat it here.
Many suppose that the bear is constantly on the move, be
cause seldom seen at rest. The reason of this is that when
one who is not a hunter finds a bear, the animal has seen
him first, and moves off, while he supposes that the bear
was in motion before discovered. The truth Is that from
the middle of May until the same time in August, the bear
sleeps as much as any other animal. I have seen them dur
ing the day sleeping by a log or among the brakes, and oc
casionally I have surprised and killed a bear whUe asleep,
but not often, as they are worthless at this season. They are
very voracious, and this often tempts them into the settle
ments for forage, and renders them an easy prey to traps and
bear-houses. When he obtains sight or scent of any thing
he desires, he takes it, regardless of traps, and thus falls an
easy prey. I have described the manner of constructing
bear-houses. In another chapter. When berries and nuts are
to be found, he does not leave the woods, but in the absence
of these he helps himself without ceremony to any sheep,
calf or hog that may come within his reach. If a bait is
hung even within a few rods of a dwelling, they will come
for it, if they scent It. In one Instance a bear took a hog
weighing one hundred and fifty pounds from a sty within
four rods of the dwelling. The bear came in the early part
of the evening, and broke down the roof of the sty, the hog
protesting so loudly against the proceeding that the man In
the house heard his squeals, but suspecting the cause, he did
not dare venture out and face the bear, as he had no gun.
About half an hour after, I passed the place, and the man
informed me of what had occurred. I told him he should
have attacked the bear with an axe, if he had no gun. He
replied that he did not wish to risk himself in such company,
without a good weapon. On my way I passed the residence
of a young man whom I sent back with a gun. The two
went In pursuit of the bear, and found him feasting on the
hog, in a thicket, not more than twenty-five rods from the
house. They fired and the bear rushed with a loud growl out
of the thicket. Men and dogs took to their heels, but on
visiting the spot in the morning the bear was found dead.
He was very large, and the skin was valuable, and as he had
only made a beginning upon the hog, his hide and carcass
more than paid for the damage he had done. About the first
of November is the rutting season for bears, and at this
time the old he-bears keep up a noise which may be heard a
mile.
[ 98 ]

THIRTY YEARS A HUNTER.
They are very fond of honey, and when one finds a bee-
tree, he will not rest until he has obtained the honey. Once
while I was In the woods hunting I heard a noise like that
made by a bear while in a tree after nuts. It seemed some
what strange, as it was not the season for nuts, and after
reconnoitering for some time, I discovered a bear high up
on a dead pine tree, scratching and pawing at the wood very
Industriously. I resolved to ascertain the cause of his strange
conduct, and seated myself, where I could see the perform
ance. In about half an hour he had penetrated the shell,
and thrusting in his paws he brought them out loaded with
honey. The bees flew at him, stinging his head, paws and
tongue. He rubbed his head with his reeking paws, but did
not allow the stings to interrupt his feast for a moment.
He continued to gorge himself, and growl his impotent rage
at his little tormentors, until I had witnessed enough, when
I called loudly to him. He looked at me, but was so intent
upon his repast that he paid but little attention. I repeated
my call and swung my hat, when he comprehended the nature
of the Inturder, and letting go his hold he dropped to the
ground, and made a precipitate retreat. I allowed him to
move away unmolested, as the skin and flesh were worthless,
It not being the season for them, and I did not wish to kill
him out of mere wantonness. The bear has an instinctive
fear of man, and unless wounded will always flee from his
presence. When wounded they will fight with a despera
tion which renders It perilous to attack them. Once while
out on a deer-hunt, my wanderings having led me to a grove
of tall cherry-trees, I heard a crackling and rustling over
head. After looking and listening awhile I perceived a bear
in a lofty cherry-tree, gathering the fruit, it being the season
when it was ripe. He would break and drop to the earth the
large limbs which were covered with fruit, watching each
limb until It reached the ground, and If one lodged on a
lower branch, he went down and liberated it. I observed
his proceedings for fifteen or twenty minutes, and then con
cealing myself behind a tree, I called to him at the top of
my voice. If a sudden shock of an earthquake had pros
trated the tree In which he was stationed. Bruin could not
have experienced more astonishment than he exhibited at the
sound of my voice, breaking the stillness of the forest. He
raised himself erect upon his haunches and stood looking
eagerly around with a ludicrous mixture of astonishment and
defiance. I stepped out from my concealment, and again
[ 99 ]

PIONEER life; OR,
called, when, with a loud cry of terror, he slipped off the
limb, but while still grasping it with his fore paws he looked
to the ground. The tree leaned over a small precipice, and
if he relinquished his hold he must fall at least a hundred
feet. He hung there apparently balancing the matter in his
mind, for a few minutes, when his dread of man prevailed,
and gradually relaxing his hold, he fell heavily to the earth,
rolled up like a ball. He quickly recovered from the shock,
and straightening himself out, he made the best possible use
of his legs, and was soon out of sight. I allowed him to es
cape unharmed for the same reason as the one last mentioned.
With many I am aware this would not be considered suffi
cient reason for permitting a bear to escape, after having it
In my power, but I never wantonly killed an animal, when
I could gain nothing by its destruction. From October to
May their skins are good, and at this season I always killed
all I could. With a true hunter it is not the destruction of
life which affords the pleasure of the chase; it is the excite
ment attendant upon the very uncertainty of it which In
duces men even to leave luxurious homes and expose them
selves to the hardships and perils of the wilderness. Even
when, after a weary chase, the game Is brought down, he
cannot, after the first thrill of triumph, look without a
pang of remorse, upon the form which was so beautifully
adapted to Its situation, and which his hand has reduced
to a mere lump of flesh. But with us, who made our homes
in the wilderness, there was a stronger motive than love of
excitement for seeking out and destroying the denizens of
the forest. We did it in obedience to the primal law of na
ture: for the subsistence or defence of ourselves and those
whom we were bound by the ties of nature to support and de
fend. When neither of these demanded the destruction of
an animal, I never felt any desire to harm it. It is often
dangerous to meet an old she-bear with her cubs, although
the old one will endeavor to escape with her young, but the
simple creatures will often come directly up to a man when
they meet him, and the enraged dam will attack him with a
fury which leaves him no hope but in his weapon. If he at
tempts to flee, the cubs will follow him, which Increases the
rage of the old bear. A few years since, I was near the south
bank of the Allegany river, in Cattaraugus county. New
York, examining a road which had been made for drawing
logs, when I observed three black animals approaching me,
but thinking they were hogs, I paid no attention to them.
[ 100 ]

THIRTY YEARS A HUNTER.
When I again looked in the same direction they were but
a short distance from me, and I perceived that it was a bear
with two cubs. I was somewhat alarmed, as I knew the
ferocity of a bear when with her young, but knowing there
was no chance for flight, I seized a handspike and prepared
to defend myself the best I could. As the bear came near
she raised herself erect and advanced with open mouth. When
she was within reach I prostrated her by a blow upon the
back. She fell upon one of her cubs, injuring It severely.
This enraged her still more, and she sprang up and again
rushed at me. I struck her on the head, and she fell again.
She rose and slowly retired with the wounded cub. The other
cub ran off In another direction, and I attempted to capture
It, but it continually eluded me just as I had it almost within
my grasp. After chasing it nearly half a mile I finally suc
ceeded In taking it by throwing my coat over It. It was but
a little larger than a good-sized cat, and I carried It home
in a basket which I borrowed of an Indian who lived In the
vicinity. When a bear is attacked and wishes merely to act
upon the defensive, it stands erect and with its fore-paws
repels the attack. If It wishes to close in with the enemy,
it grasps it with its fore-paws, while with its teeth and hind-
paws it tears its victims to pieces. I know of but one animal
ranging our forests which I think capable of defending Itself
successfully against a bear — that is a buck elk with full-
grown antlers. I never knew of a contest between a bear and
an elk, but I have no doubt the elk would prove more than
a match. Bears seldom fight among themselves, and I never
witnessed but one instance of a conflict between two of them.
It was In November, a light snow lay upon the ground, and
in wandering through the woods I struck the tracks of
three bears. After following them some distance I arrived
at a place which had evidently been the scene of a desperate
encounter. The snow and shrubbery were beaten down and
the ground covered with blood. As there were no other
tracks in the vicinity than those of the bears, they were un
doubtedly the belligerents. Half a mile beyond were the
marks of another struggle. At this place one of the animals
had taken another direction from the other two, leaving no
blood in the track. He had probably become disgusted at
the conduct of his companions, and left them to fight it
out between themselves. I continuued on the track of the
two, and before night the dogs treed one of them and I shot
it through the head. Near by I found a shelter about four
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PIONEER life; or,
feet wide, and twice that length, formed by a projecting
rock, under which I dragged the dead bear, and prepared
to pass the night. The animal bore shocking marks of the
recent encounter, his throat and forward parts being so badly
lacerated that he could not have survived the winter. About
dark it commenced raining, and I considered myself fortunate
in having found so snug a shelter. About nine o'clock two
panthers made their appearance, and finding what was perhaps
their usual quarters invaded, they set up a screaming that
would have sent the blood to the stoutest heart. I took my
gun In one hand, my tomahawk In the other, while my dog
stood, near me, and I resolved, If they should attack me, to
give them a warm reception. They kept up their fearful
serenade until midnight, when they withdrew, and I heard no
more of them. In the morning all traces of the other bears
was obliterated, and I was accordingly compelled to abandon
the idea of any further search for them.
I have tamed at different times four bears, but disposed of
them when they were about a year old, except the one I have
now in my possession. I commenced training this one when
he was about a year old, at first using the lash freely, but
I soon found that whipping did not subdue him, but ren
dered him obstinate. I then tried milder means, and soon had
him completely under my control. I taught him to lead by
pulling gently upon the string, offering food at the same
time. He soon learned to follow whenever I pulled the string,
and spoke his name. After this he would perform anything
I ordered, if I could make him understand what I wished.
By persuasion they may be taught almost anything that a
brute can learn, but will not be driven. Sometimes however,
when they understand what is required of them, and refuse
to obey, it may be necessary to use the lash. When a com
plete mastery is once obtained over it, the bear is as easily
taught as any animal I ever attempted to train. They are
very irritable when touched from behind, and on one oc
casion as I was leading my bear through a gate, he hung
back, and a person struck him behind with a stick, when
he sprang forward and bit me severely in the leg. At another
time, while in the house, teaching him to walk backward,
he struck against a table, when he seized me by the hand.
He Instantly lay down and began to cry, knowing the whip
ping which awaited him. My bear will allow any animal
to approach him, but if they should touch him behind, he
resents it at once. In the months of July and August, when
[ 102 ]

THIRTY YEARS A HUNTER.
the weather Is very warm, bears require water In which to
wallow. They subsist, during the early spring, upon the
worms which they find under the bark of dead trees, as well
as under stones and pieces of wood. When the grass and herb
age begins to sprout they feed upon that, but at this season
they are always savage with hunger, and will attack any
animal which affords a prospect of a meal. It Is at this season
that they are the most troublesome to the settlements, for if
they once obtain a taste of a domestic animal they will prowl
around the settlement until July, when they can find plenty
of blossoms and berries, of which they are very fond. As
soon as nuts ripen they feed upon them, particularly acorns,
chestnuts and beechnuts.
My first serious adventure with bears was when I was
about fourteen years of age. Alexander Smith and James
McMuUen had left my father's house to hunt, and tracked
seven raccoons to their hole In the rocks. Having no means
of driving them out, they returned home. The next day we
prepared matches and yellow pitch pine torches, and I ac
companied them. When we arrived at the hole, Smith and
myself entered, while McMuUen remained outside to kill them
as they emerged. The entrance for twenty-five feet was high
enough to admit our walking upright, when it became nar
rower, and we were compelled to creep upon our hands and
knees. We penetrated as far as necessary, and then, throwing
in a lighted match, we lay still, waiting the result. Four of
the animals soon went past us, and the next moment we
heard the report of Smith's gun. Upon arriving at the out
side, however, we ascertained that he had not killed any of
the animals, having become so much excited that he had
fired at random. The next time Smith remained outside with
the gun, and McMullen entered the cave with me. We went
in about as far as before, threw our matches, and listened.
In a short time I heard a noise that I thought was produced
by some animals larger than a raccoon. I took the light from
the hand of my companion, and peering Into the hole I dis
covered two bears moving toward us. I told McMullen, who
secreted himself in a hole near the entrance. In attempting
to follow him, I stumbled, fell, and the bears passed over
me. Smith shot the largest one as It emerged from the hole.
He was a very large animal, weighing three hundred pounds.
As we had no dogs, the smaller one escaped.

[ 103 ]

CHAPTER XVI.
HUNTING DEER AT DIFFERENT SEASONS.
In the latter part of June, deer generally keep themselves
in the swales, or marshes, near the small streams, where the
grass starts the earliest. The usual method of hunting them
at these places was to encamp Ln the vicinity, and watch
early in the morning and late at evening, when they go out
to feed. If the woods are not open, the hunter ascended
a tree or eminence where he could command a more ex
tended view. When he discovered a deer, he slipped down,
and endeavored to approach It by another direction than the
one in which they were moving, as they always look behind
them for danger. It is always necessary for the hunter to
keep on the lee-ward side of the deer, as. their keen scent will
detect his presence and flee, long before he can approach
within shot, if the wind blows from him to the deer. The
manner of curing the meat Is the same as that of the elk.
It Is first cut from the bone in thin slices and salted In the
skin. It is easily preserved, less than a pint of salt with
a little saltpeter, being sufficient for a deer. When it has
lain from twelve to twenty-four hours, a scaffold is built,
upon which the meat is spread, and a slow fire built under
neath. If the weather was stormy, the skin could be spread
over the meat, and the drying still continued, the fire being
gradually increased until the meat was thoroughly cured.
In the mean time the hunter could continue his operations
without much Interruption, as the fire had no effect in
frightening away the deer. When I went on a hunt, I usually
carried a good supply of salt, and arranged it so that if I did
not return at the end of three days a man followed me with
a horse, bringing me supplies, and conveying home the ven
ison I had taken. During all my hunts I kept a constant
lookout for deer licks, and if I found none in a place favor
able for deer, I made one near an unfailing spring. The
manner in which I made the lick was to bore several holes
[ 104 ]

THIRTY YEARS A HUNTER.
In a black oak log with an augur which I always carried
with me for the purpose, and into them put about three
pints of salt, with a small quantity of saltpeter, and insert
a plug In each hole. The wood soon becoming saturated with
the salt, the deer would gnaw it. If I found a lick to which
the deer at the proper season resorted, I proceeded at once
to build a scaffold, in order that the deer might become ac
customed to the sight of It before I made use of It. If a
tree stood within three or four rods of the lick I built my
scaffold upon that. If there was no tree in a favorable
place, I set four crotches In the earth, lay poles across, and
make a screen of bushes or bark to conceal myself from the
deer. About a month after I had prepared a log, I visited
it, and If the deer had found it, I built a scaffold near It.
In hunting at these licks, I mounted the scaffold by a ladder
which I drew up after me, and patiently awaited the ap
proach of the deer. If none came during the day, I prepared
a torch of pitch pine, sometimes adding lard or bear's grease,
which I swung upon a pole reaching from the scaffold to
the ground. The torch was attached to a crane of withes
and bark, made to slide upon the pole, and slipped down
by a cord to within three feet of the ground. As the deer
came along, they would stop and stare at the light, forming
an easy mark for me. When alone in these expeditions, I
was always provided with two guns, a musket and a rifle.
If several deer came at once within shot, I fired the musket,
which was loaded with buckshot, and the deer frequently
stood fixed to the spot, not knowing which way to flee,
and I could kill three or four before coming down from the
scaffold. Besides the light near the ground, I had another
upon the scaffold, about as high as my head, and when fir
ing from the scaffold, I raised the gun above the range of
the deer, and lower It gradually until the end of the barrel
became dark, and then fire, scarcely ever missing my aim.
When I fired from the ground by torchlight, I pointed the
gun below the game, and raised it till the end became dark.
After killing the first ones, there is no further chance that
night, as the smell of the blood will frighten away the deer.
I generally had a companion and a dog, and one of us re
mained at a distance with the dog, while the other watched
from the scaffold. In the morning, if any were wounded,
we set the dog on the track, if we could not track It by the
blood without difficulty. About the tenth of November,
the deer begin to travel from one place to another, and by
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PIONEER life; or,
that time I had generally chosen my hunting ground. I
would take my station upon the summit of some hill, where
I could command a view in all directions. I would some
times mount a tree to the height of fifty feet. On one oc
casion I discovered from the top of a tree seven deer and
three bears. I descended and killed two of the deer, but the
bears escaped.
My first lessons in hunting were received from an old
hunter, named John Mills. He lived near my father's, and
wishing to remove to Canada, sold his farm to my father.
He then offered to sell me his dog, and teach me all he knew
about deer hunting, for fifteen dollars, which I accepted. I
had already hunted several years, but his Instructions were
of greater value to me than all my previous experience. The
substance of his Instructions I have given the reader. The
following autumn I went out on a hunting expedition, tak
ing with me the dog I had bought of Mills and another one
which I had previously owned. I followed the directions
I had received, and with a success which showed their value.
From the early part of October until the first of Feb
ruary I killed twenty-eight bears and a large number of deer.
Mills also taught me, among other things, how to train dogs
for hunting, as well as the kind of animals to select. The
usual resorts for deer at different seasons, which I also learned
from my Mentor are as follows. In June they frequent
beech and maple woods, or feed in the marshes bordering on
the streams. About the last of July they take to the high
lands, among the chestnut and white oak woods, feeding
on pea-vines and other herbage. In the hot weather of
August they lie in the thickest shades upon high hills, and at
this time the manner of hunting them Is to watch by a
spring, as near the summit of a hill as may be found. They
will come at evening to drink, and fall an easy prey to the
hunter as he lies concealed within a few yards. The last
of September the deer begin to leave the thickets and move
from one place to another, and for several months they are
constantly in motion. The hunter has only to station himself
near one of their paths, and shoot them as they pass. When
the first snows come they can be tracked to the places where
herds of them lie at night, and the hunter can keep near
a herd and pick them off with his rifle.
In 1805 a colony consisting of about forty families of
Enghsh people, made a settlement between the first and
second forks of Pine Creek. They cleared about two hun-
[ 106 ]

THIRTY YEARS A HUNTER.
dred and fifty acres of land, and built several good houses,
but being unaccustomed to the hardships and dangers of
pioneer life, they abandoned the settlement after struggling
along for five years. As soon as the coast was clear, the
deer from all the country around came to feed in the culti
vated fields and sunny pastures of the deserted settlement.
This afforded a capital opportunity for hunters, and the
place became a favorite resort for them. We would lodge
in the upper story of some deserted house, and In the morn
ing looking out of a window, could see perhaps forty deer.
I have often shot a couple of deer from the window before
leaving the house in the morning. From this congregation
of deer in the openings a man in the vicinity conceived the
Idea of entrapping them in fields cleared and sowed with
wheat or grass. The next season he accordingly cleared two
acres, partly on a hill-side, built a high fence around it and
sowed it with wheat. About the last of August, when the
young wheat had obtained a good start, he made openings in
the fence to admit the deer. When they had fed upon the
wheat for three weeks. It was gnawed so close that he closed
the fence for a few weeks to give It a fresh start. About
the first of October he again opened the fence for a week,
when he kept it closed till near the middle of November.
The deer had now become wonted to the place, and he made
places In the fence where they could easily leap Into the
field, but once in they could not get out. In a few days
he had two bucks and twb does in his enclosure. He killed
the bucks, and let the does stay In the field to decoy other
deer. This had the desired effect, and during the season
he took in this manner between sixty and seventy deer. This
method is successful only .where deer are numerous. The
wheat crop is not materially injured, if the deer are not per
mitted to remain on it too long. The best kind of dog for
hunting deer is a large variety, half bloodhound, a quarter
cur and the other quarter grayhound. I have had two dogs
of this kind, for one of which I paid ten dollars and for the
other six. They were of more practical value than four
smaller dogs would have been. When they were once in
chase of a deer, they would not lose one in ten. So famous
did they become for their prowess, that If any of the neigh
bors saw them running, they would exclaim, " There are
Tome's dogs; the deer cannot be far off." The deer could
never baffle them by any of their usual strategems, and they
often ran them down before they reached the water. Those
[ 107 ]

PIONEER life; or,
wishing to hunt successfully should always procure at any
cost, the largest and best dogs to be found.
A fawn when very young, can be easily tamed and kept
near the house. They soon become attached to their home,
and if removed twenty miles will find their way back in a
few days, unless forcibly prevented. I have never succeeded
in making a deer stand and suffer me to milk her, nor in
breaking one to the halter. They can be coaxed to follow,
but will not be led. A doe. If at perfect liberty, will re
main about half the time near the house where It was brought
up, and the other half In the woods, but never forgets to
return. When returning home, it always takes a straight
course, through , fields, streams and forests, unless attacked.
They are very quiet and good-natured in a domesticated state,
unless they have young, and then they will stamp, kick and
drive every other animal from them. The bucks, until they
are a year old, are very mild and gentle, but even then they
will not learn to do any labor. At two years old they are
very untractable, and cannot be subdued by whipping or
any other means, but will plunge at their keeper upon every
opportunity. At three years old it is dangerous to approach
them at any time after the middle of September, when their
antlers have attained their full size, until they shed them
in February. Their viciousness increases with their years,
and unless kept In a park they are very dangerous animals.
The color of the deer changes twice during the year. They
shed their hair the last of April, and In May their color Is
a bright red. By the last of October they are covered with
a short coat of a blue color. The color of the young fawns
is a light reddish-brown, beautifully variegated with small
white spots. About the middle of October these spots dis
appear, and they are then bluish, like the old ones. In No
vember their hind quarters become white in places. I have
seen In my life, two white deer. The first one I saw with
a drove of other deer eating moss in the Susquehannah river,
where I was fire-hunting. Three years afterward, I saw
another, while hunting for elk at night, fifteen miles above
the place where I had seen the first. I could have killed
both, but being such rare specimens, I let them go. They
are not a distinct species of deer, but are merely deviations
from the general color of common deer. Every seventh year
In April, they move west in herds of from three to fifteen,
generally going about thirty miles from their usual haunts,
and remaining, if undisturbed until some time in July. If
[ 108 ]

THIRTY YEARS A HUNTER.
they are molested, they return at once to their old haunts.
This disposition to fly in danger to their accustomed place,
is always shown by them, whether In a wild or domesticated
state. I knew a tame buck to disappear from its owner,
and nothing was heard of it for some time. At length it
returned one night, very weary, but with its bell on, just
as when It went away. It had taken up its quarters at a
farm fifteen miles distant, where it remained contented until
attacked by dogs. From the last of June until September,
deer are light and in good condition for running, and at this
season they are not easily run down. When driven to the
water by dogs at this time they will cross and run a long
time on the opposite side. By the last of October they are
very fat, taking immediately to the water when pursued, and
do not cross It, but run either up or down a mile or two,
so that the dogs lose their scent, and then leaving the water
lie down at a short distance, keeping a keen watch for their
pursuers. I always found It desirable to have a man and
dog at the water to watch for the deer, and with a good dog
they seldom escaped. A deer will not mate with any other
animal than one of its own species. If one is placed when
young, in company with a calf, lamb, or any other animal,
it will not, as might be expected, form an attachment for
it. The bucks are very quarrelsome, and during the running
season desperate conflicts often ensue between them, result
ing sometimes in the death of both belligerents. I have
often found two of them lying dead, at the season I have
mentioned, each bearing fatal marks of the other's antlers.
I once found one lying in the last gasp, his antlers interlocked
with those of another, already dead. A neighbor once found
two of them fighting with their antlers locked, and a doe
standing near. He first shot the doe and then both bucks.

[ 109 ]

CHAPTER XVIL
NATURE AND HABITS OF THE PANTHER, WOLF AND FOX.
The jaguar, American panther, or as it Is usually corrupted
by hunters, " painter " — is one of the most formidable ani
mals encountered in the forests of this continent. It belongs
to the cat tribe, and In its manner of springing upon its
prey, as well as In many other particulars. It resembles the
domestic cat. Its color is the same as the deer, changing in
May with Its new coat to a red, which changes again to a
bluish color in October. They subsist entirely upon animal
food, their usual prey being deer and rabbits. About the
first of January, is called the running season, being the time
when they mate. When the first snows of winter come,
they seek the rocky hills and sheltered places, where they re
main until driven forth by hunger, when they frequently visit
the farmyards of the settlers, and help themselves to any
sheep or fowl that is within their reach. From an Isrealitish
antipathy to pork, or some other cause, they never attack
a hog, passing by good fat ones to reach other animals. A
half-grown panther once entered a poultry-house at night,
making such a disturbance that it was heard in the dwelling
by two females, who were the only ones at home. They sup
posed it was a fox, and taking a loaded gun and a torch, they
went to the scene of the robbery. As they peered into the
poultry-house, they perceived the animal, but still ignorant
of its character they fired. The creature gave a yell that
thrilled them with horror, and dropping their torch, they
retreated to the house, but upon going out again, when all
was silent, they found the panther lying dead. The fe
males carefully conceal their young until they are half-
grown, and so effectually do they accomplish it, that during
a life time spent in the forest, I never found a nest with
young In It. I once saw a panther thrust her head out of
a hole in an old hollow tree, but as I had no gun or axe,
I went home, and in a few days returned and cut down the
[ 110 ]

THIRTY YEARS A HUNTER.
tree. I found in It a snug, warm nest, which she had oc
cupied with her young but she had seen me, and removed
them to other quarters. They seldom have more than one at
a time, and never more than two, which they probably rear
in holes near the tops of trees. The bear is the only animal
that can cope with the panther. I once witnessed an en
counter between a bear and a panther. From its superior
agility the panther had the advantage at first, but when the
bear becme enraged by his wounds, he grasped his antagonist
In his powerful paws, crushing and biting him to death al
most instantly. Its gait is the same as that of a cat, treading
stealthily along upon Its toes, when moving at leisure, but
when pursued or pursuing and it wishes to accelerate Its pace,
it moves in tremendous bounds, passing over the ground so
rapidly as to defy pursuit, but it can maintain this move
ment but a short time, soon becoming fatigued and ascend
ing a tree. When a panther is about to attack its prey,
it creeps noiselessly along until within a few yards of It,
when crouching flat, it pauses for a moment, with its eyes
dilated, Its tail quivering, and every muscle strained to Its
utmost tension, and then, with a sudden spring, it fastens
upon its victim, which it soon dispatches with Its teeth and
long powerful claws. From this peculiar manner of attack,
it is sometimes enabled to conquer even an elk, and I have
twice found elk, which had been killed by panthers; one of
them so recently that it was yet warm, and I killed the
panther within a short distance. I have attacked a panther
with eight dogs, for which it proved more than a match,
driving them all from the field. Notwithstanding its feroc
ity and strength, it is little feared by hunters, and many
of the marvelous tales of Its attacks upon men are undoubt
edly without foundation. It may be that in some Instances
they have been driven by hunger to attack the human species,
but with that Instinctive consciousness of man's superiority
which every animal exhibits, they will generally avoid him
If possible. I have often watched by the carcases of deer,
which had been killed and partly devoured by panthers, but
none ever returned for the remainder while I was near. They
are less numerous than any other animal ranging the same
forests, and are solitary in their habits, never herding to
gether like wolves and many other animals.
The breeding season for wolves Is in May, and at this
season they are very shy, keeping themselves scattered through
the woods, near the head waters of the streams, and seldom
[ 111 ]

PIONEER LIFE; OR,
approaching the settlement. An old she-wolf will occasion
ally sally forth and pick up a sheep. They generally have
three or four young at a time, and never more than seven.
The young wolves are weaned In November, when they have
attained their full size. When left by the old ones to shift
for themselves, they become nearly famished, and are more
troublesome to the settlements than at any other season.
In February, which Is the running season, they collect in
large gangs, and do much mischief. They will attack a dog
or any other animal that they can master. In 1822, while
hunting on the Clarion River, my dogs were attacked by
wolves. One of them escaped, but the other, a valuable
animal, was torn in pieces. Frequent and sometimes fatal
conflicts occur among themselves, and I have several times
found dead ones which had been torn in pieces by their com
rades. One night a gang of wolves passed my house, howl
ing and screaming fearfully, and chasing a dog to the very
door. The next morning I found one of their number lying
dead, and another was found a few miles distant. In the
latter part of May they begin to chase deer, and from that
time until the following March, they subsist principally In
this manner. In the winter, when the snow is deep, with
a crust upon the surface, It Is difficult for the deer to run,
and great numbers of them are destroyed by wolves. In the
spring, when it is more difficult for them to catch deer, they
live upon rabbits, frogs, fish, etc. I have often seen them
watching for fish in the Susquehannah. This river abounds
in a kind of fish called the white sucker, which lie in schools
near the shore, sunning themselves. The wolves come slyly
to the water and seize them, sometimes taking two or three
before the school escapes to deep water. When there was
no bounty on wolves, we did not kill them, as they were use
ful in driving in deer. Wolves never attack cattle, colts,
or hogs. They will Intermix with dogs, and I once knew an
old she-wolf to come into the settlement and entice away
a number of dogs. The next summer she was seen with
six half-wolf pups. The hunter shot her, and endeavored
to capture the pups, but they made their escape. Two of
them had spots on them exactly like one of the dogs. A
slut belonging to an Indian living at the head of Kenzua
Creek, had a litter of half -wolf pups. They were larger than
common dogs, very sharp-scented, and would some times run
deer. In stormy weather wolves take shelter under rocks
and in hollow trees, which in the early spring, they also
occupy at night. They generally come to their nests about
[ 112 1

THIRTY YEARS A HUNTER.
sunset, and the hunter can shoot them as they arrive, by
taking his station upon a tree or a scaffold, where they
cannot scent him.
Of foxes there are three kinds, the black, the silver grey,
and the red. The black fox is the largest and most valuable.
It is very sly and cunning, seldom approaching within three
or four miles of the settlement, and when hotly pursued, will
ascend any tree that leans. I have killed foxes which I sup
posed to be a cross between the black and the silver grey.
The silver grey is also very shy, and in size it is between
the black and the red. They subsist upon squirrels, rabbits,
mice and fish. The red fox Is smaller and more numerous
than either of the other varieties. Though they are not as
shy as the other kinds, they still possess so much cunning that
it is very difficult to catch them. The most successful man
ner of taking them is to track them to their holes when
there is a light snow on the ground, and set traps covered
with straw, near the entrance. The snow falling soon cov
ered both trap and straw, when the foxes, not suspecting
danger, would step Into the trap and be caught. Another
manner of trapping them Is to set a trap in a spring which
they frequent, and attach the bait to sticks which are set
In the water beyond the traps, and as the fox attempts to
reach it, he steps Into the trap. After his visits to the farm
yards, the fox strikes a direct course for his hole, and a
person by secreting himself near the path, can shoot them
as they pass. They breed In the same manner as dogs, the
litters numbering from three to six. They rear their young
in holes which they dig In the ground. Young foxes are
easily tamed, and will remain around the premises until the
season for mating, when they generally go to the woods, and
often remain. Red foxes generally stay near the settlements,
preferring to live in white ash or chestnut woods, near water.
I never saw a young black or silver-grey fox. So jealously
do they avoid the haunts of man, that but little can be
learned of Its habits. Indeed, the black fox is so shy as well
so rare, that Its very existence is by some regarded as fabu
lous, and It undoubtedly forms the foundation for many a
mystic tale which Is recounted in awe-struck tones by the
settler's children as they gather of a winter evening around
the blazing hearth of their log-cabin. I never succeeded
in running one down with hounds in the manner that red
ones are caught. One which I was once after with hounds
ran up a leaning tree and I shot it, but this was the only
case in which I was successful with dogs.
[ 113 ]

CHAPTER XVIII.
RATTLESNAKES AND THEIR HABITS.
Having always lived where rattle-snakes were numerous, I
have taken particular notice of their habits. It was only
after ten years observation that I learned the manner in
which they travel when they emerge from their holes, how
they propogate, and how they live at different seasons. It
is a common error to suppose that a new rattle is added every
year to their tail. I had two rattle-snakes which were taken
when about three years old, and both had by some accident,
lost all but one of their rattles. In three months three new
rattles had grown upon one and one upon the other. Rattle
snakes shed their skin In June. It first begins to loosen at
the tail, and gradually approaches the head, coming off en
tire a day or two after it is loose at the head. About this
time they collect together In large numbers, upon rocks near
the water. I have seen forty of them sunning themselves
upon one rock, and have heard others tell of seeing three
hundred together. When they have remained at these places
a few weeks, they mate and disperse. Many suppose that
the black ones are males and the yellow are females. This
is a mistake; as I have seen two of each color together. The
ones which I owned were both males, and one was yellow
and the other black. The black one was bitten by the other,
from the effect of which It died In about a week. In July
they lay their eggs In the sand on the margin of rivers and
creeks, a little above high water mark. The eggs are about
as large as those of a quail, and are all deposited at one
time. They always lay an odd number, seven, nine or
eleven. After leaving their eggs in the sand for about
four weeks they return and swallow them. I never saw
this done, but I have watched the place where the eggs were
deposited, and at the end of four weeks the eggs were gone,
the sand disturbed and the track of the snake could be seen.
An old man named James English has told me that he had
[ 114 ]

THIRTY YEARS A HUNTER.
seen them swallow their eggs, and at one time about the
middle of September, he saw a number of small snakes Issue
from the mouth of the old one, and as she moved on, they
followed. I cannot vouch for the truth of this as I never
witnessed any thing of the kind, but have killed snakes In
September, with live young In them. In my opinion the
snakes swallow the eggs when they are about to hatch, in
order to preserve the young until they attain some size. From
the middle of June to the middle of August, the male and
female are never far apart. The female takes the lead, and
the male follows within a short distance. If the female is
killed at this season, her mate will always be found near
her within three days. A person of my acquaintance killed
a female snake which he laid upon the limb of a small tree,
eight feet from the ground. In a short time its mate crawled
up to the limb and remained by its side for three days. After
the middle of August they disperse and retire to their holes.
I do not think, as many do, that they live together In
dens, during the winter, but that each one finds quarters
for itself, where it remains singly, until spring. While dig
ging for a mill-pit in January, I found a snake two feet below
the surface. It appeared to be frozen, but upon taking It
near the fire it soon revived. They have been found under
rocks and in other places, not more than a foot from the
surface. They are always found lying perfectly straight,
and as it is not probable that they emerge tail first from
their holes, they must dig another hole to come out of. The
rattle-snake moves very slowly, sometimes consuming a
month in going a mile or two to the water. They some
times lie upon the surface of the water and float some dis
tance, when In the water they become bloated, but soon
recover their natural size, after leaving the water. Besides
rattle-snakes, the country east of the Allegany mountains was
infested by copperheads, blowing vipers, black-snakes, racers
and hoop, or horn-snakes. The copperheads were not as
numerous as the rattle-snakes, but are much more venomous
and spiteful, striking at everything that comes within their
reach. The blowing viper is so named from its emitting
a hissing like that produced by the blowing of a goose. It
Is larger than the copperhead, but not as venomous, being
more so however, than the rattle-snake. The black-snakes
were very numerous, and so many are still found in all the
northern States that every one living there Is familiar with
their appearance. They are harmless, but very voracious,
using their powers of fascination to secure birds, squirrels
[ 115 ]

PIONEER life; OR,
and other small animals, which they afterward devour. The
racer is very log and slim, sometimes growing to the length
of eleven feet, while its diameter does not exceed an inch.
Their color is black, with the exception of white rings around
the neck. They glide over the ground with their heads
elevated about eighteen inches, as rapidly as a dog can run.
I was at one time while plowing, very much alarmed by one
of these snakes. I heard a hissing, but passed on without
paying much regard to it. When I again came around to
the place, it was repeated, but I passed on as before. When
I approached the spot the third time my curiosity was ex
cited, and I resolved to ascertain the source of the hissing.
When I was near the spot from which it seemed to proceed
my attention was called for a moment to my team, and when
I again turned my head, I was In contact with a racer,
eleven feet in length, standing nearly erect, and darting his
forked tongue, not more than a foot from my head. I sprang
back with a scream which startled one of the horses, and
plunging forward, it threw the other, broke loose, and run
to the house. Recovering myself, I advanced toward the
snake, when It settled down, and retreated to the hollow
in which it was first concealed. I halted at a little distance,
when it again raised its head erect, and stood eyeing me.
As I turned to run, the snake followed me, but retreated
when I advanced toward It. In this manner we chased each
other alternately across the field three times, when I picked
up a club and killed it. The hoop-snake, or horn-snake is
very rare. It is about five feet long, and an inch and a quar
ter in thickness. It is similar in color to a yellow rattle
snake, but the light spots are less dingy. Its tail terminates
in a black horn, four or five inches in length, and very sharp
at the point. When preparing to make an attack, it bends
itself into a circular form, and rolls over the ground like a
hoop, striking its spike with great force into the object of
its attack. So deadly is the venom contained in this spike
or horn, that It Is fatal even to trees. In one instance
with which I was cognizant, one of these snakes rolled at
a man, who avoided it, by stepping to one side, and the
snake, being under such velocity that it could not turn,
struck its horn into an elm tree with such force that it
could not extricate it. The snake died, hanging there. In
two weeks, and the tree was lifeless at the end of a month.
Notvirithstanding the deadly nature of a rattle-snake's bite,
they are easily destroyed by dogs which have been taught
how to attack them. The dog seizes it by the middle, and
[ 116 ]

THIRTY YEARS A HUNTER.
with a few vigorous shakes scatters it In fragments. If the
dog should be bitten, it immediately digs a hole in the ground,
in which it lies until the swelling disappears. I have always
found this simple remedy the best one which can be resorted
to for the bite of a rattle-snake. A young man of my ac
quaintance was once bitten, and I immediately dug a hole
in the ground, eighteen Inches deep, into which the leg was
placed and covered with earth. At first he experienced no
pain, but in a short time it became so severe that I was com
pelled to hold him down, but in three hours he fell asleep.
After sleeping two hours he awoke, and the leg was entirely
free from pain. Upon removing It from the earth, it was
very white, and the poison was all drawn out. Another rem
edy is a plant called rattle-snake-weed or ox-wood. It is
found upon low land, growing three or four feet high, with
a slender stem, and limbs like those of a sun-flower. Its blos
soms also resemble the sun-flower in form, but are much
smaller. The juice is pressed from the leaves, and applied
to the wound, as well as administered Internally. In the year
1804, a man named 'John English was bitten by a rattle
snake while harvesting. He was struck In the large vein
of the ankle, and in fifteen minutes the effects of the bite
were visible in every part of his body and face. We car
ried him to the house, and as soon as possible obtained the
weed, all of which required about half an hour. At this
time his jaws were set so firmly that we were compelled to
pry them open to administer the juice. He revived imme
diately, and we made a decoction of the weed, which we con
tinued to give him. In four days he was able to sit up,
but it was some time before he entirely recovered. A poul
tice of red onions, salt and gunpowder, applied to the wound,
and renewed frequently, is also an effectual remedy. Before
I was twenty-six years of age I had seen thousands of rat
tle-snakes, but had never witnessed an exhibition of the
powers of fascination which they are said to possess, and was
therefore Incredulous upon that point. A man in my em
ploy told me that he had seen It, but I could not be con
vinced until I had occular evidence. One morning in Au
gust, about the period I have mentioned, I saw a rattle-snake
upon the ground, with Its keen eyes fixed upon a rat, which
was about eighteen inches distant, and ad-vanclng slowly
toward the snake. In a few minutes it had approached
close to the snake, and just as the latter was about to seize
It, I struck the rat lifeless with a stick which I held
in my hand. The snake instantly coiled himself and
[ 117 ]

PIONEER life; or,
prepared to strike at me, when I held out the stick, and he
bit it with more venom that I ever saw exhibited. He drove
his fangs In with such force that I could feel the jar of the
stick in my hand. A blow from the stick immediately placed
him where he would never charm another rat. At another
time I saw a rattle-snake charming a large black squirrel. As
soon as the animal came within reach, the snake seized It,
but the squirrel, after dragging it about twice its length,
escaped. I have also seen black-snakes climb trees and charm
birds. I have heard many say that snakes of different kinds
will mate together, but from many experiments which I have
made I am convinced that this is an error. I once saw a
rattle-snake lying upon a rock beside the water, and finding
a water-snake at a short distance, I laid it upon the rock,
near the other. It instantly fled from the rattle-snake, and
continued to, as often as I placed them near each other. At
another time I placed a black-snake near a rattle-snake, and at
first the latter took no notice of the other, which exhibited
the greatest terror, but upon placing them together again,
the rattle-snake flew at It and would have bitten it, had it
not been too nimble, and eluded the stroke. The rage of the
one and the terror of the other Increased, as I continued to
place them near each other. When a rattle-snake and a
blowing-viper were brought together, both ran, each seem
ing to have an instinctive dread of the other. Finding a cop
perhead and a blowing- viper at the same time, I brought them
together, when the viper beat a retreat, but the copperhead
made no attempt to bite it. The last experiment I made was
to place together a water-snake and an eel. Contrary to
what might have been expected, the snake ran from the eel.
These experiments convinced me that there is no affinity
between snakes of different kinds, but that those which are
less venomous are kept In terror by those which are more so.
I have generally found snakes very numerous south of the
New York State line, between Tioga river and Lake Erie.
They were always very numerous east of the Allegany moun
tains, but the State of New York was never as badly infested
with them as Pennsylvania. I have endeavored, in a former
chapter, to give some idea of their numbers In the country
lying upon Pine Creek. West of there, upon the Sinema
honlng it was little better in this respect, but from there
to the Allegany river, the country was clear of them. They
were very numerous on both sides of this river, but were not
as troublesome north of the State line as they were nearer
Its mouth.
[ 118 ]

CHAPTER XIX.
DISTINGUISHED LUMBERMEN, ETC.
Lumber Is the great staple of trade In this section of coun
try, and among those most prominent in this business, none
stand higher than Guy C. Irvin. He has been justly called
the Napoleon of the lumber business. His name, person, and
character are known in every large town from Olean to
New Orleans. Coming into the section at an early day with
little capital save a vigorous and comprehensive mind and
an untiring spirit of enterprise, he has amassed a large for
tune, having owned more pine timber lands and sawmills than
any other individual upon the Allegany. When the business
was driven to Its extent in 1836-38, he frequently sent to
market twenty million feet of lumber in a single season, and
both shores for a mile above Pittsburgh are sometimes lined
with his rafts, waiting a rise of the water. I have been ac
quainted with him from childhood, and It Is In the hope that
young men will follow the example thus held up to them,
that I record his character and career. In his business opera
tions he never loses sight of the rights or welfare of the
laboring classes. I never knew him, upon any pretext, to
pay those running his lumber less than was agreed upon, but
on the contrary he has often made up, out of his own purse,
for the mishaps of those In his employ. Upon one occasion
he advanced seven hundred dollars more than had been agreed
upon for running two million feet of boards to Louisville.
He never hoards his money, but keeps it constantly In circula
tion, building mills, sawing and buying lumber and running
It from the head waters of the Allegany to points on the Ohio
and to New Orleans. He built a flouring mill on the Conne-
wango, seven miles from Warren. At the same place he also
built a gang sawmill, several single sawmills, and a railroad
for conveying his timber, together with the mansion where
he resides, which Is the most elegant and commodious resi
dence in the county. Besides these, the aggregate cost of
[ 119 ]

pioneer life; or,
which could not have been less than thirty thousand dollars,
he has built a flouring mill at Kennedyville, costing four
thousand dollars, and two double sawmills nine miles below
Olean. He was also a partner with Henry Saxton, In build
ing on the Indian Reservation a mill costing between eight
and ten thousand dollars, and a mill above the State line, on
the Allegany river, which cost some ten thousand dollars.
When his contracts have expired, the money is always ready,
and he has often advanced it before, when he thought the
work was progressing properly. I was once present at Louis
ville when he settled with his men for running eighteen mil
lion feet of lumber, two millions of It having been rafted
by me. I received a dollar and seventy-five cents per thou
sand, and some of the others two dollars. There were also
five or six millions of shingles, for running which he paid
thirty-one and a half cents per thousand. This large amount
was not only paid in full, but some who had met with ill
success and had still done their duty faithfully were paid
more than had been agreed upon. I once made a contract
to raft lumber for him, and three months before I com
menced operations he asked me if I wished any advance of
funds. I answered that I had done nothing yet, and could
not expect any advance, but upon his repeating the offer I
told him that if he was willing I would be glad to have him
advance sufficient to purchase provisions while I was rafting.
He handed me nearly two hundred dollars, which proved
very acceptable. I saw him next at Bucktooth mills, where
he came to see how I was progressing. He again offered
to advance funds if I desired it. I told him I would like
fifty dollars, as I wished to be prepared to pay off and dis
charge any hand that proved incompetent. He gave me two
hundred and fifty dollars, asking me if that would be suffi
cient. I have run seven million feet of boards for him in
3 successive years, and while engaged I never wanted money
without obtaining It. One season having met with bad luck,
he presented me with a hundred dollars. The secret of his
success I consider to be his punctuality in his business en
gagements; always doing as he agreed, so that the most im
plicit reliance could be placed upon his word. I think he
possesses more tact in selling his lumber readily and obtaining
good prices than any other lumberman I ever knew. His
mansion Is always open to every one, and his' urbanity and
affability is the same to rich and poor. No word of censure
was ever breathed against him until the failure of the Lum-
[ 120 ]

THIRTY YEARS A HUNTER.
berman's Bank at Warren, when for a short time reports
injurious to his reputation were circulated, but he outlived
them, and was almost the only one who paid his indebtedness
to the Bank. Whenever a transaction terminates to his satis
faction he is always willing to share his good fortune with
others, who have aided In bringing it about. At one time
while I was interpreter for the Seneca chiefs, I acted In that
capacity for them in negotiating with a number of persons,
one of whom was Mr. Irvin, for a lease of land on which
to build mills. It required two days to complete the ar
rangements, during which time my whole efforts were exerted
for the benefit of the Indians, but before going away, Mr.
Irvin gave me twenty-five dollars In cash, and said that I
had done so well for the Indians, I might have twenty-five
thousand feet of boards at the Bucktooth Mills, worth at
that time fifty dollars, saying that if I had not earned it
then he was sure I would some other time.
Mr. Irvin, in company with Edwin Sanderson and Mr.
Clark, of Vermont, are now erecting on Willow Creek, in
McKean county, the most extensive sawmill in that section
of country, to be driven by steam. In addition to two good
mills they now have, driven by water power. They are
the owners of about seventeen thousand acres of excellent
land, covered with pine, hemlock, maple, beech, chestnut and
oak. They are also building a plank road four miles in length,
from their mills to the river. They paid in cash for their
land, over seventy thousand dollars, and are paying cash for
every thing they require in building, thereby doing great
good to the inhabitants of the neighborhood — more than
any other establishment on the Allegany. They have also
built a number of dwelling-houses and barns. The steam
mill is expected to saw about thirty-five thousand feet of
lumber per hour. They "intend building this year a railroad
through their land, which, with buildings to be erected, will
furnish employment for a large number of persons. The
lands of these gentlemen still abound with bears and deer,
furnishing fine ground for the hunter. Corydon, at the
mouth of Willow Creek, Is a flourishing village, chiefly owing
to the enterprise of the gentlemen above-named.
Dr. William Irwin, who resides at the mouth of Broken-
straw creek, is considered the wealthiest man in Warren coun
ty. He owns a very large tract of fine land at the mouth
of the creek, a valuable grist-mill, a large double saw-mill, a
woolen factory, an iron foundry, the Cornplanter Hotel, a
[ 121 ]

PIONEER life; or,
store and a large tract of pine timber land, up the Broken-
straw, upon which are four or five stone dwellings. In ad
dition to the above, he is the owner of more than one him-
dred thousand acres of land In different parts of the country,
on which are many mills, stores and houses. His wife was
a most exemplary woman, devoting her whole life to deeds
of benevolence. Her active charity did not stop with feed
ing and clothing all the destitute within her reach, but she
was mindful of their spiritual wants, and opened a Sabbath
School in her own house, bringing in all In the vicinity.
Among her other good deeds she built at a cost of four
thousand dollars, a stone church for the Presbyterian congre
gation of which she was a member. Her earthly labors ended
soon after its completion, the first sermon ever preached In
it being upon the occasion of her funeral, and her remains
were the first laid in the adjoining graveyard. She was uni
versally lamented, and will long live In the memory of those
who knew her, as one of those upon whom the bestowal of
wealth is a blessing to all within their influence

[ 122 1

CHAPTER XX
REMINISCENCES OF CORNPLANTER.
Fe-w names are more distinguished In the frontier history of
Penna. than that of Cornplanter. His Indian name was Gan-
iodieuh, or handsome Lake. He was born at Conewangus,
on the Genesee River, being a half-breed, the son of a white
man named John O'Bail, a trader from the Mohawk valley.
In a letter written in later years to the Governor of Pennsyl
vania, he thus speaks of his early youth: " When I was a
child I played with the butterfly, the grasshopper and the
frogs; and as I grew up I began to pay some attention and
play with the Indian boys In the neighborhood; and they
took notice of my skin being of a different color from theirs,
and spoke about it. I inquired of my mother the cause, and
she told me that my father was a resident of Albany. I still
ate my victuals out of a bark dish. I grew up to be a young
man, and married me a wife, and I had no kettle or gun.
I then knew where my father lived, and went to see him,
and found he was a white man, and spoke the English lan
guage. He gave me victuals while I was at his house, but
when I started to return home, he gave me no provisions
to eat on the way. He gave me neither kettle nor gun.
a- * !!• " Little further Is known of his early life, beyond
the fact that he was allied with the French In the engagement
against Braddock, in July, 1775. He was probably at that
time about seventeen years old. During the Revolution he
was a war chief of high rank, in the full vigor of manhood,
active, sagacious, eloquent and brave; and he most probably
participated In the principal engagements against the United
States, during that war. He is supposed to have been
present at the cruelties of Wyoming and Cherry Valley, in
which the Senecas took a prominent part. He was In the
war-path with Brant during Gen. Sullivan's campaign, in
1779, and In the following year under Brant and Sir John
Johnson, he led the Senecas in sweeping through Schoharie
[ 123 ]

PIONEER life; or.
Kill and the Mohawk. On this occasion he took his father
prisoner, but with such caution as to avoid an immediate
recognition. After marching the old man ten or twelve
miles, he stepped before him, faced about and addressed him
in the following terms:
" My name is John O'Bail, commonly called Cornplanter.
I am your son! You are my father! You are my prisoner,
and subject to the rules of Indian warfare. But you shall
not be harmed. You need not fear. I am a warrior! Many
are the scalps I have taken! Many prisoners I have tortured
to death! I am your son. I was anxious to see you, and
greet you in friendship. I went to your cabin and took you
by force, but your life shall be spared. Indians love their
friends and their kindred, and treat them with kindness.
If now you choose to follow the fortunes of your yellow
son, and live with our people, I will cherish your old age
with plenty of venison, and you shall live easy. But if It
is your choice to return to your fields and live with your
white children, I will send a party of my trusty young men
to conduct you back in safety. I respect you, my father.
You have been friendly to Indians, and they are your
friends." The elder O'Bail preferred his white children and
green fields to his yellow offspring and the wild woods, and
chose to return. Notwithstanding his bitter hostility while
the war continued, Cornplanter became the fast friend of
the United States, when once the hatchet was burled. His
sagacious Intellect comprehended at a glance the growing
power of the States, and the abandonment with which Great
Britain had requited the fidelity of the Senecas. He therefore
threw all his influence at the treaties of Fort Stanwix and
Fort Harmer in favor of peace; and notwithstanding the vast
concessions which he saw his people were necessitated to
/ make, still, by his energy and prudence In the negotiation,
he retained for them an ample and beautiful reservation.
For the course which he pursued on those occasions, the State
of Pennsylvania granted him the fine reservation upon which
he resided, on the Allegany river. The Senecas, however,
were never well satisfied with his course in relation to these
treaties; and Red Jacket, more artful and eloquent than his
elder rival, but less frank and honest, seized upon this cir
cumstance to promote his own popularity at the expense of
Cornplanter. Having buried the hatchet, Cornplanter sought
to make his talents useful to his people by conciliating the
good will of the whites, and securing from further encroach-
[ 124 ]

THIRTY YEARS A HUNTER.
ment the little remnant of the national domain. On more
than one occasion, when some reckless and bloodthirsty whites
on the frontier had massacred unoffending Indians In cold
blood, did Cornplanter interfere to restrain the vengeance of
his people. During all the Indian wars from 1791 to 1794,
which terminated with Wayne's treaty, Cornplanter pledged
himself that the Senecas should remain friendly to the States.
He often gave notice to the garrison at Fort Franklin of in
tended attacks from hostile parties and even hazarded his
life on a mediatorial mission to the Western Tribes. He ever
entertained a high respect and personal friendship for Wash
ington, " the great counsellor of the thirteen fires," and
often visited him during his presidency, on the business of
his tribe. His speeches on these occasions exhibit both his
talent In composition, and his adroitness in diplomacy.
Washington fully reciprocated his respect and friendship.
They had fought against each other on the disastrous day of
Braddock's defeat. Both were then young men. More than
forty years afterward, when Washington was about retiring
from the presidency, Cornplanter made a special visit to
Philadelphia to take an affectionate leave of the great bene
factor of both the white and the red man. After peace
was permanently established between the Indians and the
United States, Cornplanter retired from public life, and de
voted his labors to his own people. He deplored the evils
of intemperance and exerted himself to suppress them. The
benevolent efforts of missionaries among his tribe always re
ceived his encouragement, and at one time his own heart
seemed to be softened by the words of truth; yet he pre
served In his later years many of the peculiar notions of
the Indian faith. In the war of 1812-14, when the Senecas
took up the hatchet In alliance with the United States, Corn-
planter appears to have taken no active part; but his son.
Major Henry O'Bail and his intimate friend and neighbor,
Halftown, were conspicuous In several engagements on the
Niagara frontier. Rev. Timothy Alden, President of Alle
gany College, who visited Cornplanter in 1816, thus describes
the aged chief:
" Jennesadaga, or Brant Town, Cornplanter's village. Is
on a handsome piece of bottom land, and comprises about
a dozen dwellings. It was grateful to notice the agricultural
habits of the place, and the numerous enclosures of buck
wheat, corn and oats. We also saw a number of oxen, cows
and horses, and many logs designed for the sawmill and the
[ 125 ]

PIONEER life; or,
Pittsburg market. In the year 1815, the Western Missionary
Society established a school in the village under Mr. Samuel
Oldham. Cornplanter, as soon as apprised of our arrival,
came over to see us, and took charge of our horses. Though
having many around him to obey his commands, yet In the
ancient patriarchal style, he chose to serve us himself, and
actually went Into the field, cut the oats, and fed our beasts.
He appears to be about sixty-eight years of age, five feet
ten inches in height. His countenance is strongly marked
with intelligence and reflection. Contrary to the aboriginal
custom, his chin is covered with a beard three or four Inches
in length. His house Is of princely dimensions, compared
with most Indian huts, and has a piazza in front. He is the
owner of thirteen hundred acres of excellent land, six hundred
of which encircle the ground plot of his little town. He
receives an annual stipend from the United States, of two
hundred and fifty dollars. Cornplanter's brother, lately de
ceased, called the Prophet, was known by the high-sounding
name of Goskakewanna Konnediu, or Large Beautiful Lake.
Kinjuquade, the name of another chief, signified " The Place
of Many Fishes," hence, probably, the name of Kenzua.
In 1821-22, the Commissioners of Warren county assumed
the right to tax the private property of Cornplanter, and
proceeded to enforce Its collection. The old chief resisted,
conceiving it not only unlawful, but a personal indignity.
The sheriff again appeared with a small posse of armed men.
Cornplanter took the deputation to a room around which
were ranged about a hundred rifles, and with the sentious
brevity of an Indian, intimated that for each rifle a warrior
would appear at his call. The sheriff and his men with
drew, determined to call out the militia. Several prudent
citizens, fearing a sanguinary collision, sent for the old chief
In a friendly way, to come to Warren and compromise the
matter. He came, and after some persuasion, gave his note
for the tax, amounting to $43.79. He addressed, however,
a remonstrance to the Governor of Pennsylvania, soliciting
a return of his money, and an exemption from such demands
against land which the state Itself had presented to him. The
Legislature annulled the tax and sent two Commissioners to
explain the matter to him. He met them at the court-house
in Warren, on which occasion he delivered the following
speech, eminently characteristic of himself and his race:
" Brothers: Yesterday was appointed for us all to meet
here. The talk which the Governor sent us pleased us very
[ 126 ]

THIRTY YEARS A HUNTER.
much. I think that the Great Spirit is very much pleased,
that the white people have been Induced so as to assist the
Indians as they have done, and that he Is pleased also to see
the great men of this State and of the United States so
friendly to us. We are much pleased with what has been
done." '^ * '^ " The Great Spirit first made the world,
and next the flying animals, and found all things good and
prosperous. He is immortal and everlasting. After finish
ing the flying animals he came down on earth and there
stood. Then he made different kinds of trees, and weeds of
all sorts, and people of every kind. He made the spring and
other seasons, and the weather suitable for planting. These
he did make. But stills to make whiskey to be given to
the Indians he did not make. The Great Spirit bids me
tell the white people not to give the Indians this kind of
liquor. When the Great Spirit had made the earth and its
animals, he went into the great lakes, where he breathed as
easily as any where else, and then made all the different kinds
of fish. The Great Spirit looked back on all that he had
made. The different kinds he made to be separate, not to
mix with and disturb each other. But the white people
have broken his command, by mixing their color with the
Indians. The Indians have done better by not doing so. The
Great Spirit wishes that all wars and fightings would cease.
He next told us that there were three things for our people
to attend to: first, we ought to take care of our wives and
children; secondly, the white people ought to attend to their
farms and cattle; thirdly, the Great Spirit has given the bears
and deer to the Indians. He Is the cause of all things that
exist, and it is very wicked to go against his will. The Great
Spirit wishes me to Inform the people that they should quit
drinking Intoxicating drink, as being the cause of disease
and death. He told us never to sell any more of our lands,
for he never sold lands to any one. Some of us now keep the
seventh day, but I wish to quit it, for the Great Spirit made
it for others but not for the Indians, who ought every day
to attend to their business. He has ordered me to quit In
toxicating drink, and not to lust after any woman but my
own, and informs me that by so doing I should live the
longer. He has made known to me that it is very wicked
to tell lies. Let no one suppose this I have said is not true."
* * * "I have now to thank the Governor for what
he has done. I have informed him what the Great Spirit
has ordered me to cease from, and I wish the Governor to
[ 127 ]

PIONEER life; or.
Inform others of what I have communicated. This is all
I have at present to say."
The old chief appears after this again to have fallen Into
seclusion, taking no part even In the politics of his people.
He died at his residence, on the 7th of March, 1836, at the
age of one hundred and upward. " Whether at the time of
his death he expected to go to the fair hunting grounds of
his own people, or to the heaven of the Christian, Is not
known." " Notwithstanding his professional Christianity,
Cornplanter was very superstitious. ' Not long since,' says
Mr. Foote, of Chautauque county, ' he said the Good Spirit
had told him not to have any thing to do with the white
people, or even to preserve any mementoes or relics that had
been given him, from time to time, by the pale-faces —
whereupon, among other things, he burnt up his belt, and
broke his elegant sword." In reference to the personal ap
pearance of Cornplanter at the close of his life, a writer
in the Democratic Arch, (Venango county,) says: " I once
saw the aged and venerable chief and had an interesting in
terview with him, about a year and a half before his death.
I thought of many things, when seated near him, beneath
the wide-spreading shade of an old sycamore, on the banks of
the Allegany — many things to ask him — the scenes of the
Revolution, the generals that fought its battles and con
quered the Indians, his tribe, the Six nations, and himself.
He was constitutionally sedate, was never observed to smile,
much less to indulge In the ' luxury of a laugh.' When I
saw him he estimated his age to be over one hundred years.
I think one hundred and three was about his reckoning of
it. This would make him near one hundred and five years
old at the time of his decease. His person was much stooped,
and his stature was far short of what it had once been —
not being over five feet six Inches, at the time I speak of.
Mr. John Strathers of Ohio, told me some years since, that
he had seen him nearly fifty years ago, and at that period
he was about his own height, viz: six feet one inch. Time
and hardship had made dreadful impressions upon that ancient
form. The chest was sunken and his shoulders were drawn
forward, making the upper part of his body resemble a
trough. His feet, too, (for he had to take off his moccasins,)
were deformed and haggard by injury. I would say that
most of the fingers on one hand were useless; the sinews
had been severed by a blow of the tomahawk or scalping
knife. How I longed to ask him what scene of blood and
[ 128 1

THIRTY YEARS A HUNTER.
Strife had thus stamped the enduring evidence of its exist
ence upon his person! But to have done so would, in all
probablHty, have put an end to all further conversation on
any subject — the information desired would certainly not
have been obtained — and I had to forego my curiosity. He
had but one eye, and even the socket of the lost organ was
hidden by the overhanging brow resting upon the high cheek
bone. His remaining eye was of the brightest and blackest
hue. Never have I seen one, in young or old, that equalled
it in brilliancy. Perhaps It had borrowed luster from the
eternal darkness of Its neighboring orbit. His ears had been
dressed in the Indian mode: all but the outside ring had been
cut away. On one ear this ring had been torn asunder near
the top, and hung down his neck like a useless rag. He had
a full head of hair, white as the driven snow, which covered
a head of ample dimensions and admirable shape. His face
was swarthy; but this may be accounted for from the fact
that he was but half -Indian. He told me that he had been
at Fr-^nklln more than eighty years before the period of our
conversation, on his passage down the Mississippi, with the
warriors of his tribe, on some expedition against the Creeks or
Osages. He had long been a man of peace, and I believe
his great characteristics were humanity and truth. It is
said that Brant and Cornplanter were never friends after
the massacre of Cherry Valley. Some have alleged, because
the Wyoming massacre was perpetrated by the Senecas, that
Cornplanter was there. Of the justice of this suspicion
there are many reasons for doubt. It is certain that he was
not the chief of the Senecas at this time; the name of the
chief in that expedition was Ge-en-quah-toh, or He-goes-In-
the-Smoke. As he stood before me — the aged chief in ruins
— how forcibly was I struck with the truth of the beautiful
figure of the old aboriginal chieftain, who, in describing him
self, said he was ' like an aged hemlock, dead at the top,
and whose branches alone were green.' After more than
a hundred years of most varied life — of strife — of danger
— of peace — he at last slumbers in deep repose on the banks
of his own beloved Allegany." — [From Sherman Day's His
torical Collections of the State of Pennsylvania.']

[ 129 ]

CHAPTER XXI.
INDIAN ELOQUENCE.
Their natural eloquence Is acknowledged by every person
who has heard their orators speak. In order, therefore, that
the reader may be convinced of this, I shall offer a few speci
mens, the authors of some of which were personal acquaint
ances of my own: SPEECH of CORNPLANTER.
(The Speech of Cornplanter to President Washington, at
Philadelphia, in the year 1790).
Father: the voice of the Seneca nation speaks to you, the
great counsellor, in whose heart the wise men of all the thir
teen fires have placed their wisdom. It may be very small
in your ears, and we therefore entreat you to hearken with
attention; for we are able to speak of things which to us
are very great.
When your army entered the country of the Six Nations,
we called you the Town Destroyer; to this day, when this
name is heard, our women look behind and turn pale, and
our children cling close to the necks of their mothers.
When our chiefs returned from Fort Stanwix and laid be
fore our council what had been done there, our nation was
surprised to hear how great a country you had compelled
them to give up to you, without paying to us anything for it;
every one said that your hearts were yet swelled with resent
ment against us for what had happened during the war, but
that one day you would consider it with more kindness. We
asked each other. What have we done to deserve such severe
chastisement? Father: when you kindled your thirteen fires separately,
the wise men assembled at them told us you were all brothers;
the children of one great father, who regarded the red people
as his children. They called us brothers, and invited us to
[ 130 ]

THIRTY YEARS A HUNTER.
his protection. They told us that he resided beyond the great
water, where the sun first rises; and that he was a king whose
power no people could resist, and that his goodness was as
bright as the sun. What they said went to our hearts; we
accepted the Invitation and promised to obey him. What the
Seneca nation promise they faithfully perform. When
you refused obedience to that king, he commanded us to
assist his beloved men In making you sober. In obeying
him we did no more than yourselves had led us to promsie.
We were deceived; but your people teaching us to confide
in that king, had helped to deceive us; and we now appeal
to your heart. Is all the blame ours?
Father: when we saw that we had been deceived, and
heard the Invitation which you gave us to draw near to
the fire you had kindled, and talk with you concerning
peace, we made haste toward It: you told us you could crush
us to nothing; and you demanded from us a great country,
as the price of that peace which you had offered to us, as
if our want of strength had destroyed our rights. Our chiefs
had felt your power and were unable to contend against you,
and they therefore gave up that country. What they agreed
has bound our nation, but your anger against us must by
this time be cooled, and although our strength has not in
creased, nor your power become less, we ask you to consider
calmly — Were the terms dictated to us by your commis
sioners reasonable and just?

SPEECH OF RED JACKET TO A MISSIONARY.
Friend and brother, it was the will of the Great Spirit that
we should meet together this day. He orders all things, and
he has given us a fine day for our council. He has taken
this garment from the sun and caused it to shine with bright
ness on us. Our eyes are opened, that we see clearly: our
ears unstopped, that we have been able to hear distinctly
the words that you have spoken; for all these favors we thank
the Great Spirit and him only.
Brother, this council fire was kindled by you; it was at
your request that we came together at this time; we have
listened with attention to what you have said; you requested
us to speak our minds freely; this gives us great joy, for we
now consider that we stand upright before you, and can
speak what we think, all have heard your voice, and all speak
to you as one man; our minds are agreed.
[ 131 ]

PIONEER life; OR,
Brother, you say you want an answer to your talk before
you leave this place. It Is right you should have one, as
you are a great distance from home, and we do not wish to
detain you; but we will first look back a little and tell you
what our fathers have told us, and what we have heard from
the white people.
Brother, listen to what we say. There was a time when
our forefathers owned this great land. Their seats extended
from the rising to the setting sun. The Great Spirit had
made it for the use of the Indians. He had created the buf
falo, the deer, and other animals for food. He had made the
bear and the beaver, and their skins served us for clothing.
He had scattered them over the country, and taught us
how to take them. He had caused the earth to produce
corn for bread, and this he had done for his red children,
because he loved them. If we had any disputes about hunt
ing grounds, they were generally settled without the shedding
of much blood; but an evil day came upon us; your fore
fathers crossed the great waters and landed on this island.
Their numbers were small; they found tribes, and not ene
mies; they told us they had fled from their own country,
for fear of wicked men, and come here to enjoy their re
ligions. They asked for a small seat; we took pity on them
granted their request, and they sat down among us; we gave
them corn and meat; they gave us poison in return.
The white people had now found our country, tidings were
carried back, and more came among us, yet we did not fear
them, we took them to be friends; they called us brothers;
we believed them, and gave them a larger seat. At length
their numbers had greatly increased; they wanted more land;
they wanted our country. Our eyes were opened, and our
minds became uneasy. Wars took place; Indians were hired
to fight against Indians; and many of our people were de
stroyed. They also brought strong liquors among us; it was
strong and powerful, and has slain thousands.
Brother, our seats were once large, and yours were very
small; you have now become a great people, and we have
scarcely a place left to spread our blankets; you have got our
country, but are not satisfied; you want to force your re-
hgion upon us.
Brother, continue to listen. You say that you are sent
to instruct us how to worship the Great Spirit agreeably
to his mind, and if we do not take hold of the religion you
white people teach, we shall be unhappy hereafter; you say
[ 132 ]

THIRTY YEARS A HUNTER.
that you are right, and we are lost; how do we know this
to be true? We understand that your religion is written
In a book; if it was Intended for us as well as you, why
has not the Great Spirit given it to us, and not only to us,
but why did he not give to our forefathers the knowledge
of that book, with the means of understanding it rightly?
We only know what you tell us about it; how shall we know
what to believe, being so often deceived by the white people?
Brother, you say there Is but one way to worship and serve
the Great Spirit; if there Is but one religion, why do you
white people differ so much about it? Why not agree, as
you can all read the book?
Brother, we do not understand these things; we are told
that your religion which was given to your forefathers, and
has been handed down from father to son. We also have
a religion which was given to our forefathers, and has been
handed down to us, their children. We worship that way.
It teaches us to be thankful for all the favors we receive;
to love each other, and to be united. We never quarrel
about our religion.
Brother, the Great Spirit has made us all; but he has
made a great difference between his white and his red chil
dren; he has given us a different complexion and different
customs; to you he has given the arts, to these he has not
opened our eyes; we know these things to be true. Since
he has made so great a difference between us in other things,
why may we not conclude that he has given us a different
religion according to our understanding? The Great Spirit
does right, he knows what is best for his children; we are
satisfied. Brother, we do not wish to destroy your religion or take
It from you; we only want to enjoy our own.
Brother, you say that you have not come to get our land
or our money, but to enlighten our minds. I will now tell
you that I have been at your meetings, and saw you collect
ing money from the meeting. I cannot tell what this money
was intended for, but suppose it was for your minister, and
if we should conform to your way of thinking, perhaps you
may want some from us.
Brother, we have been told that you have been preaching
to white people In this place; these people are our neighbors;
we are acquainted with them; we will wait awhile and see
what effect it has upon them.

[ 133 ]

PIONEER LIFE; OR,
SPEECH OF RED JACKET.
What! do you denounce us as fools and bigots, because
we still continue to believe that which you sedulously in
culcated two centuries ago? Your divines have thundered
this doctrine from the pulpit, your judges have pronounced
it from the bench, your courts of justice have sanctioned
it with the formalities of law, and you would now punish
our unfortunate brother (he that killed the woman) for ad-
herance to the superstitions of his fathers! Go to Salem!
Look at the records of your government, and you will find
hundreds executed for the very crime which has called forth
the sentence of condemnation upon this woman, and drawn
down the arm of vengeance upon her. What have your
brothers done more than the rulers of your people have
done? and what crime has this man committed by executing.
In a summary way, the laws of his nation and the Injunc
tions of his God?

SPEECH OF BLACK HAWK, ¦WHEN HE SURRENDERED HIMSELF
TO THE AGENT AT PRAIRIE DU CHIEN.
You have taken me prisoner with all my warriors. I am
much grieved, for I expected, if I did not defeat you, to
hold out much longer, and give more trouble before I sur
rendered. I tried hard to bring you into ambush, but your
last general, understands Indian fighting. I determined to
rush on you, and fight you face to face; I fought hard. But
your guns were well aimed. The bullets flew like birds In
the air, and whizzed by our ears like the wind through the
trees in winter. My warriors fell around me; it began to
look dismal. I saw my evil day at hand. The sun rose
dim on us in the morning, and at night it sank In a dark
cloud, and looked like a ball of fire. That was the last sun
that shone on Black Hawk. His heart is dead, and no
longer beats quick In his bosom. He is now a prisoner to the
white man; they will do with him as they wish. But he
can stand torture and is not afraid of death. He is no
coward. Black Hawk Is an Indian. He has done nothing
for which an Indian ought to be ashamed. He has fought
for his countrymen, the squaws and papooses, against white
men, who came, year after year, to cheat them and take
away their lands. You know the cause of our making
war. It is known to all white men. They ought to be
ashamed of it. The white men despise the Indians, and drive
[ 134 ]

THIRTY YEARS A HUNTER.
them from their homes. But the Indians are not deceitful.
The white men speak bad of the Indian and look at him spite
fully. But the Indian does not tell lies; Indians do not steal.
An Indian who Is as bad as the white men could not live
In our nation; he would be put to death, and eaten up
by wolves. The white men are bad school-masters; they
carry false looks and deal in false actions; they smile in the
face of the poor Indian to cheat him; they shake them by
the hand to gain their confidence, to make them drunk, to
deceive them, to ruin their wives [lives ?]. We told them
to let us alone, and keep away from us; but they followed
on, and beset our paths, and they coil themselves among us,
like the snake. They poisoned us by their touch. We are
not safe. We lived In danger. We were becoming like
them, hypocrites and liars, adulterers and lazy drones, all
talkers and no workers. We looked up to the Great Spirit.
We went to our father. We were encouraged. His great
council gave us fair words and big promises, but we got
no satisfaction, things were growing worse. There were no
deer in the forest. The oppossum and beaver were fled;
the springs were drying up, and our squaws and pappooses
without food to keep them from starving; we called a great
council, and kindled a large fire. The spirit of our fathers
arose and spoke to us to avenge our wrongs or die. We all
spoke before the council fire. It was warm and pleasant.
We set up the war whoop, and dug up the tomahawk; our
knives were ready, and the heart of Black Hawk swelled
high in his bosom, when he led his warriors to battle. He
is satisfied. He will go to the world of spirits contented.
He has done his duty. His father will meet him there, and
commend him.
Black Hawk is a true Indian, and disdains to cry like
a woman. He feels for his wife, his children and friends.
But he does not care for himself. He cares for the nation
and the Indians. They will suffer. He laments their fate.
The white men do not scalp the head; but they do worse —
they poison the heart; it is not pure with them. His coun
trymen will not be scalped, but they will, in a few years,
become like the white men, so that you cannot trust them,
and there must be, as In the white settlements, nearly as
many officers as men, to take care of them and keep them
in order.
Farewell, my nation! Black Hawk tried to save you, and
avenge your wrongs. He drank the blood of some of the
[ 135 ]

PIONEER LIFE; OR,

whites. He has been taken prisoner, and his plans are stop
ped. He can do no more. He is near his end. His sun
is setting, and will rise no more. Farewell to Black Hawk.

RED JACKET AND THE WYANDOT CLAIM TO SUPREMACY.
At a great council of the western tribes, assembled near De
troit, prior to the late war, the celebrated Seneca orator.
Red Jacket, was present, when the right of the Wyandots to
light the council fire, was brought up. This claim he stren
uously resisted, and administered a rebuke to this nation in '
the following terms:
" Have the Quatoghles forgotten themselves? Or do they
suppose we have forgotten them? Who gave you the right
in the west or east, to light the general council fire? You
must have fallen asleep, and dreamed that the Six Nations
were dead! Who permitted you to escape from the lower
country? Had you any heart to speak for yourselves? Re
member how you hung on by the bushes. You
had not even a place to land on. You have not
done p  g for fear of the Konoshloni. High claim, In
deed for a tribe who had to run away from the Kadarakwa.
" As for you, my nephews," he continued, turning to the
Lenapes, or Delawares, " it Is fit you should let another light
your fire. Before Mlquon came, we had put out your fire,
and put water on it; it would not burn. Could you hunt
or plant without our leave? Could you sell a foot of land?
Did not the voice of the Long House cry ' go! ' and you
went? Had you any power at all? Fit act, indeed, for
you to give in to our wandering brothers — you, from whom
we took the war-club and put on petticoats."

LETTER FROM REV. ASHER BLISS TO H. R. SCHOOLCRAFT.
Cattaraugus Mission, Sept. 4th, 1845.
Dear Sir: — Agreeably to your request, I forward you
some facts in regard to the establishment and progress of the
gospel among the natives of this reservation. The Cattarau
gus Mission Church was organized July 8th, 1827, (which
is a little more than eighteen years). It consisted of Mr.
Wilham A. Thayer, the teacher, his wife and twelve native
members. There have been additions to It from time to
time, until the whole number who have held a connection
with this church is one hundred and eighteen. Thirteen of
these have been white persons, and most of them connected
[ 136 ]

THIRTY YEARS A HUNTER.
with the mission family. Of the one hundred and five native
members, seven or eight have come by letter from other
reservations, so that the number who have united on pro
fession of faith is a little short of one hundred. Twenty-five
of these have gone to their final account. Some have died
in the triumphs of faith, and we humbly hope and trust
that they are among the blessed, in the kingdom of our
common Father. A number (as it was natural to expect
from converts out of heathenish darkness) have apostatized
from Christianity, and returned to their former courses.
The proportion of these is not probably more than one In
ten. Between sixty and seventy are now connected with
some of the mission churches. A few only have removed
to Allegany, Tuscarora, while the remainder still live on this
reservation. The effect of the gospel In promoting morality and civiliza
tion, may be learned in part from the fact that the public
worship of God has been steadily maintained ever since the
organization of the church, with members ranging from fifty
to one hundred, and sometimes one hundred and fifty and
two hundred as regular hearers of the word. A Sabbath
school has been sustained a considerable share of the time.
Many copies of the Holy Scriptures, and the New Testament,
together with tracts, Sabbath school books, temperance pa
pers, and religious periodicals, having been circulated among
the children and youth. Temperance societies have been
patronized by nearly all the chiefs and leading men on the
reservation. Pledges have been circulated and received the
signatures of a large majority of the population, of all parties,
on the Washingtonian plan.
Day schools for teaching the English language have been
kept in operation almost without interruptiori for more than
twenty years, under the patronage of the A. B. C. F. M.
During the thirteen years that I have superintended these
schools, nearly thirty different persons have engaged for a
longer or shorter time, as teachers. For the past year there
have been four schools under the patronage of the American
Board, and one under the Society of Friends. The whole
number who have been Instructed In the five schools is prob
ably not far from one hundred and twenty-five. The at
tendance of a part has been very Irregular, sometimes attend
ing no school at all. Several of the earliest pupils In the
mission schools are now heads of families, well informed.
Industrious, frugal, temperate and religious, and in good
[ 137 ]

PIONEER life; OR,
circumstances. Some are interpreters, some teachers of
schools, and others engaged in transacting the business of the
nation. You can, sir, best judge of the Influence of the gospel in
promoting worldly prosperity, when you have fully com
pleted the census which is now being taken. When you
count up the framed houses, and barns, the horses, cattle,
sheep and hogs, the acres of Improved land, with the wagons,
buggies and sleighs, clocks and watches, and the various pro
ductions of agriculture, you can easily conceive the differ
ence between the present, and thirty years ago. I suppose
there was not then a framed building of any description,
and scarcely a log house, properly so called, no teams, no
roads, no ploughed land, and but small patches of corn,
beans and squashes. What an astonishing change!
As to the capacity of Indian children for improvement,
my own impression is that there is no essential difference
between them and white children. The fact that Indian
children usually make slow progress In studying English books,
can be accounted for in three ways: 1. They generally have
little or no assistance from their parents at home. 2. They
are irregular In their attendance on schools, for want of or
der and discipline on the part of parents. 3. Being ig
norant of the English language, it Is a long time before they
comprehend fully the instruction of their teachers.
These circumstances operate to make the school room a very
dull and uninteresting place to the teacher, and the reflex
Influence gives the scholar the same appearance. When they
can once rise above these circumstances, and overcome these
obstacles, they make good proficiency In their studies.
Believing that these statements cover the ground of your
Inquiries, I subscribe myself, dear sir.
Respectfully and truly yours,
ASHER BLISS.

LETTER FROM REV. WILLIAM HALL TO H. R. SCHOOLCRAFT.
Allegany Mission, Sept. 8 th, 1845.
Dear Sir: — Your inquiries in relation to the state of re
ligion, education, etc., among the Indians of this reservation.
If I rightly understand them, are briefly answered as follows:
Christianity very much prospered here during the four
years next preceding the past.
The number of church members during that period was
[ 138 ]

THIRTY YEARS A HUNTER.
nearly tripled, and very encouraging additions were made
to their knowledge and zeal. But the past year has been one
of stupidity and drought.
There has, however, been four additions from the Indians
made to the church, by profession of faith, and two whites.
The present number of Indian members is about one hun
dred and fifteen. The number of whites is eight. Seven of
the Indian members are under censure.
I have sustained three schools during the past summer,
in which about eighty Indian children have been more or
less taught. One of these schools, whose whole number is
only about thirty, gives an average attendance of nearly
twenty-five. In this neighborhood the population is suffi
ciently compact for a farming community, and the younger
parents are partially educated.
In the other neighborhoods, the population is very sparse,
and the parents very ignorant. The consequence is, that
the daily attendance falls short of one half the whole number
of scholars, and cannot be called regular at that. Many do
not get to school earlier than half past eleven, and very
few earlier than ten, and half-past ten. Those who attend
regularly, evince a capacity to acquire knowledge, equaling
the whites, and one of our schools will suffer nothing. In
comparison with common country schools.
I am, dear sir. Yours, &c.,
WILLIAM HALL.

LETTER FROM REV. GILBERT ROCKWOOD TO HENRY R.
SCHOOLCRAFT.
Tuscarora Mission, August 1, 1845.
Sir: — In the following communication you can make use
of such statements as you may deem proper. If all the
statements should not be necessary for your official objects,
yet they may be Interesting to you as an individual.
This mission was commenced about fifty years since, un
der the care of the " New York Missionary Society." It was
transferred to the " United Foreign Mission Society," In 1821,
and to the " American Board of Com. for Foreign Missions,"
in 1826.
The church was organized in 1805, with five persons.
The whole number of native members who have united since
its organization Is one hundred and twenty-three. The
[ 139 ]

PIONEER life; or,
present number of native members is fifty- three; others five,
total fifty-eight.
Between July 1st, 1844, and July 1st, 1845, there were
only three admissions, two by profession, and one by letter.
About one-third of the population attend meeting on the
Sabbath. Their meeting house was built by themselves,
with a little assistance from abroad.
They have also a school house, the expense of which was
nearly all defrayed by themselves. There is but one school
among them, which is kept the year through, with the ex
ception of the vacations. The teacher Is appointed by the
American Board. The number of scholars the past year, is
not far from 50.
I have been among these Indians now nearly eight years.
I can see that there has been an advance, both in their moral
and physical condition.
It Is within the memory of many now living among them,
when drunkenness was almost universal; now, comparatively,
few are Intemperate. A majority of the chiefs, are decid
edly temperance men, and exert a salutary influence. They
have a temperance society, and hold frequent meetings. They
utterly forbid the traffic in intoxicating drinks on their own
soil. The marriage relation is being better understood by them,
and more appreciated. More of the young men and women
enter into^the marriage relation, in the regular christian way,
than a few years ago. Four couple have been regularly mar
ried the past year. Nimiber of deaths, 8; an unusual num
ber since I have been among them.
There is besides the church, above referred to, a Baptist
church, organized a few years since, the particulars of which,
I am unable to give. For any information you may wish re
specting it, I would refer you to James Cusick, their minister.
On the whole, there Is much to encourage the philanthro
pist and the christian in labors for the good and well being
of the Indians here, although we meet with many obstacles
and difficulties In the way.
They are becoming more and more Industrious in their
habits, as the appearance of their farms, and the amount of
produce, and their personal appearance will testify.
With these brief statements, I subscribe myself.
Yours, truly,
GILBERT ROCKWOOD.

[ 140 ]

WHO WAS " PHILIP TOME? "
There may have been many persons who have asked this
question; we have no doubt of that. We asked the same
question ourselves, for a long time. Fact is, we didn't give
up the question until we were fortunate enough to secure
for a short time, a copy of the book entitled Pioneer Life;
or, Thirty Years a Hunter; being scenes and adventures
in the life of Philip Tome, etc.
The scarcity of the book made it almost Impossible to get
a starting point, with which to begin any research for in
formation as to Philip Tome, or any of his name. Eventu
ally we were privileged to examine a copy, to find that Philip
Tome "was born In Dauphin county, near Harrisburg, in
1782." Completing a study of it, with its detailed accounts of
hunting deer, capturing elk alive, etc., we became more or
less exercized, fearing that we might be reading "stories" of
adventures, with only a grain of truth. We then commenced
a thorough research of various bibliography, and were finally
convinced that Tome, in giving the dates, streams, names of
men and places, mileage, etc., that he did, must also have
given more than a grain of truth in his account.
Our first object was to satisfy ourselves as to whether
there was any one by the name of Tome living in Dauphin
county at the time he claims birth. There appeared none
of similar spelling in the Dauphin county records available
to us for the years at the close of the 1700's. A search
through assessment lists for Paxton township, Dauphin coun
ty, for 1785, reveals the name "Jacob Toma," being that of
the father of Philip Tome. The same name appears on said
list for the year 1786, but in 1787 it has disappeared. From
that fact it would appear that the Assessor made his rounds
early enough In 1786 to get the elder Toma on his list, for
it was in that year that Philip says they moved to Farris
creek, Northumberland county, and where they remained
for four months.
"Farris" creek does not find Its way into print, therefore
we are at a loss to know just where it was. From the number
of miles given, however. It would appear that the elder Toma
had gone up the West Branch far enough to have passed
Williamsport, and from the similarity of the sound of "Far-
[ 143 ]

PIONEER life; or,
ris" and "Larry's" creek, we are inclined to place his residence
in the vicinity of the latter stream.
Of Jacob Toma's (Tome) intention to settle In the neigh
borhood of Pine creek, years before he eventually did so, we
have no doubt, for he had a survey made of some 400^4 acres
of land along the West Branch, as shown by the following,
which we copy from the official Land Records in the Depart
ment of Internal Affairs, at Harrisburg:
"A Draught of a tract of Land called  situate
In Nittony Valley adjoining land of William Webb and
others In Bald Eagle township in the county of North
umberland, survey'd on the 25 th day of November 1785
for Jacob Tome by virtue of his warrant dated the seven
teenth day of December 1784, containing Four Hundred
Acres and one Quarter with the allowances of Six P
Cent for Roads &c Jo. J. Wallis, D. S.
To John Lukens Esqr
Surveyor General"
This was "returned 22 Novemr 1794" in the name of
Nicholas DIehl, Patentee, showing that Jacob Tome, for
some reason or other, failed to take up the original site that
he wanted, and had surveyed. The reader will note that the
survey was made soon after the purchase of November 5,
1768, and which was not thrown open to settlers until 1784,
after another treaty at Fort Stanwix.
Nicholas DIehl, according to the 1790 Census, was a resi
dent of Reading Borough, with 2 males under sixteen years,
and 2 females.
After the short stay of four months at "Farris" creek,
the Tomes moved to Cumberland county, "five miles from
Harrisburg," where they remained for "two or three years."
Here the Census Enumerator in the First Census Report for
the newly established Republic, found them, as appears In the
report for 1790, called Heads of Families. The census re
port for the eastern part of Cumberland county shows the
name Jacob Toma: 1 adult male; two white males under
16 years and two white females, including heads of families.
(See Tome Miscellany for names of other brothers and sis
ters not mentioned during the course of the narrative).
Note that the name is sometimes spelled "Toma." Philip
states that his parents were of German extraction. It is no
uncommon matter for father and son to write their names
differently, and this would be no exception. The father must
[ 144 1

THIRTY YEARS A HUNTER.
have written It this way, for it is not likely that the Assessor
in Dauphin county, and the Census Enumerator In Cumber
land county, would have written It the same way, unless that
was the way it was being commonly written. Col. Henry
W. Shoemaker in Allegheny Episodes, says: "The Pennsyl
vania Dutch are the most adaptable race in the world, alter
ing the spelling of their names, their genealogies and tradi
tions with every generation." But it matters little, as to
an a or an e, for the facts of the case fit so perfectly.
In 1791, Jacob, the father, purchased land up the West
Branch of the Susquehanna. They arrived at the mouth of
Pine creek, "six miles from their destination." Philip Tome
at first glance gives one the Impression that his father reached
his destination, "less six miles." Probably a mistake on his
part, or the printer's, for later on (page 74), he says that
in "June 1801, my father with his family removed to a
more settled part of the country, twenty-two miles down
Pine creek, near the West Branch of the Susquehanna, and
within six miles of it." On page 26 he, mentions "twenty-
six miles to the mouth of Pine creek." These figures would
pretty generally place the first settlement of the Tome fam
ily at the Slate Run fork of Pine creek.
A perusal of any good map of Pennsylvania, or of Lycom
ing county, shows along the public road, and also on the New
York Central railroad, leaving Jersey Shore, a town called
"Tomb," about six miles from the mouth of Pine creek,
which empties into the West Branch about two miles south
west of Jersey Shore. The town evidently was laid out on
the site of the Tome family settlement in those parts In the
year 1801. The first post office at Tomb, was established
about 1851, with Henry Tomb (a son of Jacob ?), as first
postmaster. Aside from the village of Tomb's Run, or Tomb, which
is located on a forked stream whose branches are also called
Tomb's Run, and which empty into Pine creek, east bank,
we note another stream called "Tomb Run", just south of
Slate Run, and on the west bank, and a railroad called "Tomb
Run Branch." Just south of the town of Cedar Run, Is
"Jacob Run," perhaps named for Jacob Tome?
It is our belief that the names Toma, Tome, Tomb, Thom,
Thome, etc., of which there were a number of families in
central and southern Pennsylvania In the late 1700's, were
pretty nearly all of the same "family."
As a further record of the father's residence along Pine
creek, we present, for our readers, some excerpts from the
[ 145 ]

PIONEER life; or.
History of Brown Township, Lycoming County, 1892, edit
ed by John F. Meginness, one of the most careful and depend
able writers of historical matters, in years gone by. However
accurate most of us strive to write, sometimes we err in fact
or judgment, and we must caution the reader to read care
fully what Meginness has to say with regard to early settle
ments of Lycoming county, as follows:
"White settlers penetrated this wild region at an early date,
attracted no doubt by the fine fishing and hunting it afforded.
Jacob Lamb is credited with being the first settler at the
mouth of Slate run. He moved his family from Milton up
the river and creek In ten canoes, and reached his point of
destination in November of that year. Benjamin Lamb,
son of Jacob and Jane Lamb, was born in the month of
March, 1795, at the mouth of Slate run, and he is believed
to have been the first male white child born that far up Pine
creek. "Jacob Lamb was an active and enterprising man. He
erected a grist and saw mill In 1796. They were small im
provements, no doubt, but they met the demands of the
times. His mills were the first of the kind in what is now
Brown township.
"William Blackwell settled near the county line in 1805.
He was soon followed by Andrew Gamble, John Morrison,
and Jacob Warren. Philip and John Lamb, sons of the
pioneer, erected a saw mill in Black Walnut Bottom in 1811,
which was operated by them for several years, when it passed
into the hands of Bernard Duffry.
"The Tomb family was also among those who settled early
on Pine creek. Philip Tomb (Tome) in his Pioneer Life, or
Thirty Years a Hunter, says that in 1791 his father purchased
land far up the creek, and hired men to build a house, etc."
Meginness goes on and says "He (Philip Tome) relates some
marvelous hunting, fishing and snake stories. Panthers came
to the houses sometimes, bear prowled about, and droves of
elk were often seen crossing the creek. He describes how his
father, with the assistance of two or three others caught an.
elk alive, on a bet of £250, and took it to Stephenson's tavern
near the mouth of the creek. The feat was regarded as a
very daring one among the hunters. This was the first elk
caught. It was sixteen hands high, and had horns five and
a half feet long with eleven branches.
"Mr. Tomb's (Tome's) hunting and snake stories excel
anything related by Munchausen. In course of time he sold
out, and crossing the Alleghanies, located in Warren county,
[ 146 ]

THIRTY YEARS A HUNTER.
where he died (1855). Members of the Tomb, family still
reside on Pine creek, but they are not given to relating such
wonderful stories as their great ancestor."
Meginness either did not know or realize, while editing the
History of Brown Township, that the names Lamb and Tomb
meant the same. Tome, or else permitted one of the most
remarkable coincidences of modem history to creep by with
out mention of it. We suspect a discrepancy In his remarks
just previous, where he refers to the Lamb people, and our
answer is that in ordinary long-hand writing the word Lamb
and the word Tomb are so much alike that editors, and print
ers alike, are apt to err, and to be unable in such words
as this, to read aright! Suffice it to say that there were
hardly in this case, a man by the name of Jacob Lamb, and
also one Jacob Tomb, who left Milton and moved up the
West Branch to Pine creek; nor were there two persons who
hired ten canoes, moving up Pine creek and reaching their
destination (Slate Run) In November (20th) of that year
(1791)! Nor two sons, named Benjamin, born In March,
1795, at Slate Run.
Meginness suddenly drops saying nice things about the
Lamb family, which to all appearances seems to have been
none other than the Tomb (Tome) family. He takes up the
narrative with Philip Tome "whose hunting and snake stories
excel anything related by Munchausen." From here on Me
ginness has the story of Philip Tome all right, the latter
having moved to Warren county, as stated. But the West
Branch historian might have been more kind to Tome, who
has been recalled by Col. Parker, and others, to have been
all of what Tome says of himself: "One who, in all the
scenes of border life was never conquered by man or animal."
Col. Henry W. Shoemaker, In Extinct Pennsylvania Ani
mals, 1917, writes: "Philip Tome, In his Thirty Years a
Hunter, tells of Rice Hamlin killing a panther on the Ti-
adaghton weighing 200 pounds. About 175 pounds was a
good average weight for a mature Pennsylvania Lion. Tome,
who also was probably the greatest of all Pennsylvania hunt
ers of big game, has recorded many of his hunting adven
tures in a book entitled Thirty Years a Hunter. He was a
sportsman as well as hunter, never killing recklessly. Though
he makes no recapitulation of panthers which fell to his un
erring bullets, his descendants estimate that he killed at least
500 of these noble animals. One of his grandsons, George
L. Tome, a noted hunter, resides at Corydon, in Warren
county."
[ 147 1

PIONEER LIF]^; OR,
Again in Allegheny Episodes, by Col. Shoemaker, we read
that among the early settlers In Warren county, "were the
family of Philip Tome, that indomitable Indian-looking nim-
rod, author of Thirty Years a Hunter, whose prowess In the
forests of Northern Pennsylvania will never be forgotten
while memory of the big game days lasts." In the narrative
from which the previous quotation is taken, we also read:
"Philip Tome and even old Cornplanter himself tried his best
to save him," etc.
The writer of the present Appendix to Tome's book, has
"run down" nearly every name mentioned in Pioneer Life,
and we shall let the reader judge from our offerings whether
or not Philip Tome would have been as inaccurate with
respect to his hunting stories, etc., as he was accurate with
his names of streams, places, years, and especially of his neigh
bors and hunting companions.
Philip Tome must have been fairly well read, enjoyed a
good command of English, and been possessed of no little
of the "ordinary common sense," and in his introduction cau
tions the reader, saying that "truth Is often more strange
than fiction." He probably realized that a life spent almost
entirely In the forest of the undiminished game days, hunt
ing, fishing, etc., that his experiences would far exceed those
of the average hunter and sportsman.
To have been an interpreter for Cornplanter and others,
shows that the savage, or half-civilized red man must have
had an implicit faith In the character, integrity and honesty
of Tome.
The names of many of those with whom Tome went on
hunting expeditions would seem to be recognized now to
be among those of fairly well-to-do gentlemen, business men,
and others who stood out in a prominent way In the pioneer
days. It would not have been so easy for us to show as
many of them elsewhere in this Appendix, as it has been
our pleasure to place there for the reader, if they had not
been of the aggressive, progressive and prominent type.
We have no doubt that Tome's experiences were just about
as narrated by him — that being true and unusual, they
are stranger than fiction.
In the History of Warren County, by Schenck and Rann,
Chapter XLIX, writing of the history of Corydon township,
we read:
"Corydon township was erected by order of the court on
the 20th of March, 1846, from territory then recently set
[ 148 ]

THIRTY YEARS A HUNTER.
off from McKean coimty. It consists of a long narrow strip
of land occupying the extreme northeastern corner of the
county, and Is bounded north by Cattaraugus county, N. Y.,
east by McKean county, south by McKean county, and west
by Kinzua and the Allegheny river, separating it from Elk
township. The drainage is furnished entirely by the Alle
gheny river and its numerous tributary streams, such as Corn-
planter run, Whiskey run, Tracy run, Willow creek and
Sugar creek.
"There was no settlement In the present limits of the
township until as late as 1827. In 1817 James Richards
passed through the land on his way to Cincinnati, and his
daughter, Mrs. Luclnda Morrison, Is now a resident of Cory
don. The first settler in town was undoubtedly Philip Tome.
* * "¦ As early as 1816 Philip Tome was living near
the present site of Kinzua, but he soon went away and did
not return to this part of the State until 1827, when he
came to the territory now in Corydon from Lycoming coun
ty, and built a rude shanty for a temporary dwelling place,
on ground now in the center of the road which terminates
between the store on the village corner and Hale's Hotel.
He came down the river In a canoe, striking across from
Canoe Place to the river. He died on the 30th of April,
185 5. A year previous to his death he wrote and published
an interesting book entitled Pioneer Life, or Thirty Years a
Hunter, which Is filled with his own adventures, some of
them of the most thrilling description. He was a great
hunter, and was for fifteen years interpreter for Cornplanter
and Governor Blacksnake, Indian chiefs on the Allegheny
river, and familiar characters to the students of the early
history of Pennsylvania. Philip Tome's eldest son and second
child, John C. Tome, was the first male white child born in
town. The first female child born in town was Martha
Forbes, daughter of Abel Morrison. The descendants of
Philip Tome in Corydon and other parts of the county and
State are very numerous."
"William Case, father of Squire Case, immigrated to this
town very soon after the settlement of Philip Tome, and
built his house about ten rods north of the hotel. He mar
ried a daughter of Philip Tome, and is now living, having
survived his wife. Contemporary with Abel Morrison were
his brother Rice Morrison, who settled about sixty rods below
where the ferry now crosses the river, where he died only
a few years ago, and Russell M. Freeman, who built his house
on the east side of the street, near the present ferry, and about
[ 149 ]

PIONEER life; OR,
on the site of Flavius Morrison's house. After a number of
years he moved away. Several years after this early settle
ment, Ira Butler and George Smith hved on Butler's Run
in the wood on the eastern part of the present farm of
George W. Tome, and there they undertook to make brick,
without very flattering success, however, and after the lapse
of a few unpropitious years they emigrated."
Philip Tome appears by these references to have been recog
nized by historians of the northern part of the State, as more
than an ordinary hunter. We quote from a statement by
Colonel Parker, of Gardeau, McKean county. Pa., a famous
hunter in his day, which followed somewhat after the years
of Tome. Colonel Parker Is an authority. He says In Mc-
Knlght's History of Northwestern Pennsylvania:
"The biggest set of elk antlers ever captured in the Penn
sylvania woods was secured in the Kettle creek country by
Major Isaac Lyman, Philip Tome, George Ayres, L. D. Spoff-
ard, and William Wattles. Philip Tome was a great hunter,
and the famous interpreter for Cornplanter and Blacksnake,
the great Indian chiefs. He came over from Warren county
to help Major Lyman capture an elk alive, and the party
started in on the first snow, with plenty of ropes and things.
They camped, but the elks were in such big herds that they
couldn't get a chance at a single buck for more than a week.
Then they got the biggest one they ever saw and gave chase
to him. They started him from his bed on Yocum Hill.
The dogs took him down Little Kettle creek to Big Kettle,
and up that two or three miles. There the elk came to bay
on a rock. He kept the dogs at a distance until the hunters
came up, when he left the rock and started away again.
Tome, knowing the nature of the elk, said that all they
had to do was to wait and the elk would return to the rock.
They dropped poles and fitted up nooses. They waited nearly
half a day, and then they heard the buck coming crashing
through the woods, down the mountain-sides, the dogs in
full cry. He mounted his rock again. The hunters he did
not seem to mind, but the dogs he fought fiercely. While
he was doing that the hunters got the nooses over his im
mense horns and anchored him to surrounding trees. They
got the elk alive to the Allegheny river, and floated him on
a raft to Olean Point. From there they travelled with him
through New York State to Albany, exhibiting him with
much profit, and at Albany he was sold for five hundred
dollars. That elk stood sixteen hands high and had antlers
[ 150 1

THIRTY YEARS A HUNTER.
six feet long, and eleven points on each side, the usual number
of points being nine on a side."
Orlo J. Hamlin, (1803-1880), who was not likely any
close relative, if at all, to Rice Hamlin, kept notes on the
history of early McKean county in the 1800's, and we quote
from him as follows: "1800 (about), Corydon township
settled by Philip Tome and others from the West Branch of
the Susquehanna '^ * 1810-12 (about), Hamilton town
ship settled by George Morrison and others of the West
Branch of the same river * * "
TOME MISCELLANY
Mrs. Carrie B. (Tomb) Sides, of Jersey Shore, July 7, 1928,
Informs us that she can add but little to our account of Philip
Tome, except that "there is a story of Jacob Tomb having
a pair of elk broken to the harness which he drove; this was
January 1st, 1800."
Mrs. Sides adds: "My father's name was John Snyder
Tomb. Father had a second cousin by the name of Jacob
Tome, of Port Deposit, Maryland, who built the Tome Insti
tute. He always spelled his name "Tome." Our branch of
the family used the b. "Tomb" I believe was the original
way. I know that my grandfather, George Tomb, came
from Milton; he settled on Pine Creek. Tomb's Run was
named for that family. Father's Uncle Henry Tomb lived
at Tomb's Run; he has a grandson living at Tomb's Run,
by the name of Lewis Tomb. There was another brother
who lived in Tiffin, Ohio, by the name of Benjamin Tomb;
he had two sons, Thomas and George; they are all dead. My
Aunt, who is Miss Amanda Tomb, lives at Bryn Athyn, Pa.,
with a niece, Mrs. John Beatty."
It may be of interest to our readers to know that there is a
"Jacob Tome Institute," one 6f the finest preparatory schools
in America, located at Port Deposit, Maryland. An inquiry
brought the following reply from the Director of the Tome
School, Dr. Murray P. Brush: "So far as we know Jacob
Tome (founder of Tome School), had no connection with
Philip Tome. The baptismal certificate of Jacob Tome gives
him as the son of Christian and of Christiana Thom, and the
date August 13, 1810. The place of his birth was Manheim
township, (York county ?), Pa."
[ 151 ]

PIONEER life; or,
In York township, York county, 1790 Census, we note the
name Christan Them, head of family, with 3 males under
16 years, and 2 females. The close similarity of this, with
the name given as father of Jacob Tome, may serve to show
the York county and Maryland relationship of the various
families called Tome.
Mr. George Tomb Bush, of Belief on te. Pa., informs us
that "Jacob Tome, (also spelled Thom; and a southern branch
spelled Toombs, and since family name spelled Tome) , at one
time lived In Dauphin county, about 1782, where Philip was
born. Jacob Tome died In Northumberland county at the
age of fifty, but cannot name the date; probably not long
after 1800.
"Jacob Tomb's first wife Is unknown, but had the follow
ing children, named John and Jacob. The second wife was
a Jane Snyder, who had the following children, viz: Philip,
George, Mary Elizabeth, Catherine, Benjamin, Henry. Mary
Elizabeth married Andrew Gamble, and Catherine married
James Gamble, well known names of Lycoming county.
Henry married Ann Blackwell. George married Jane Humes
and lived at Jersey Shore. George and Benjamin became big
government contractors, building dams in the river; canals,
bridges, etc. George built the famous "Camel Back" bridge
at Harrisburg, as well as many miles of the first Pennsylvania
canals from Harrisburg to Lock Haven, and several dams be
tween for supplies of water for same.
"Jane Snyder, whom Jacob married (secondly) , was an
aunt of the afterwards Governor Simon Snyder."
Mr. J. M. English, Jersey Shore, Pa., descended from one
of the earliest settlers in Lycoming county, communicates
the following: "Numerous stories are told of the prowess
of the early settlers in the Pine Creek Valley. These fellows
were not without their love of adventure and excitement.
It is told by the oldest living citizens that one man who had
an idea that he was a stronger one than his neighbor went
to him to try conclusions with him just for the fun of it.
He found his man at his shaving horse making shingles, and
stated his errand. "That suits me," said the shingle-maker.
A short time later as they shook hands "good-bye," the man
who had come off second-best said, "that's settled and I won't
have to worry over it any longer."
"Another man who had some such suspicion In his mind
[ 152 ]

THIRTY YEARS A HUNTER.
went to try conclusions with a man named Philip Tome, but
after seeing Tome take up a barrel of cider and drink out
of the bunghole, forgot to state his errand and went back
home. "In regard to the abundance of fish and game of that
period mentioned by Philip Tome, Claudius English and a
companion as late as 1825 went up the creek on a hunting
trip. They hunted at Blackwell's, and in two days' time
killed ten deer, two bears, and an elk. These they loaded
on a "dog-raft" and brought them home.
"The first permanent settler In the Pine Creek Valley was
John English, who bought an island of 29 acres and some odd
square rods, and built on it In 1784. He lived there almost
continuously until old age made it necessary for him to ac
cept a home with his son William, (known by all as Uncle
"Billy"), at English Centre, Pa. He died while on a visit
to his daughter, Mrs. Thomas Ramsey, 2nd, at RamseyvlUe,
Pa., and is buried on English Island, the land he bought and
lived on. A memorial erected by the Antes Fort Chapter
of the D. A. R. marks his grave.
"His son Claudius, the hunter mentioned above, was born
in 1785, and was the first white child born in the valley."
In the History of Lycoming County, 1892, we note the
following: "Opposite the mouth of Cedar Run John S. Tomb and Son
operate a steam saw mill on a large scale."
"There are some good farms along Pine Creek. '• '¦ ^
The Tomb family — one of the oldest — Is well represented by
numerous descendants of the venerable patriarch, Henry
Tomb, who did so much to develop the township (Watson) .
In Brown Township, we read: "Churches and Schools: —
The first religious exercises were held at the house of Jacob
Lamb (Tomb), in 1805, by Rev. William Hay.
"The first school was opened and taught by John Campbell,
a Scotchman, at Black Walnut Bottom in 1806, and tradition
says that he taught seven days in the week."
NEWSPAPER CLIPPINGS.
Mr. and Mrs. I. C. Tomb, of Corning, N. Y., Mrs. J. M.
Gohl, and Miss Emma Tomb, of Washington avenue, attended
the funeral of Mr. W. B. Tomb, at Slate Run, on Sunday. —
Jersey Shore Herald, July 2, 1928.
[ 153 ]

PIONEER life; or,
TOMES IN WARREN COUNTY, PA., 1850 CENSUS
The following names may, with almost a certainty, be
counted as relatives. If not descendants, of Philip Tome, in
Corydon township, Warren county. Pa., in 1850:

Age

Name Occupation Born

68

Philip Tome, farmer Pa.

64

Mary Tome Pa.

22

John Tome farmer Pa.

^

Hiram Tome, lumberman Pa.

22

Annette Tome N.Y.

10

Adelbert Tome Pa.

41

Benjamin Tome, lumberman Pa.

34

Cynthia Tome N.J.

15

Henry Tome, lumberman Pa.

14

Esther Tome Pa.

11

Juliet Tome Pa.

10

Sarah Tome Pa.

6

Nancy I. Tome Pa.

4

George Tome Pa.

2

O. F. Tome Pa.

32 George Tome, lumberman N.Y.
29 Ann Tome Conn.
6 Rebecca Tome Pa.
In 1878, in the Historical Atlas of Warren County, we find
in the Corydon township directory, the following names,
presumably all descendants of Philip Tome: Hiram Tome,
lumberman; George L. Tome, farmer, with 29 acres; and
G. W. Tome, farmer, with 30 acres, all with address at Cory
don. Fifty years later (1928), this list of Tomes ought to
be greatly augmented.
WARREN COUNTY RECORDS
Deed.— Vol. D: 475.
Enoch Gllman and wife (Permilla) to Philip Tome. Con
sideration $20.00. One sixth of Island "being the first Is
land below the York State line containing two acres and sev
enteen perches." Also one fourth of water privileges "over
and above the water privileges granted by the said party of
[ 154 ]

THIRTY YEARS A HUNTER.
the first part to Russell M. Freeman & Abel Morrison for a
single mill."
Witnesses— Wm. Gibbs and Josiah Hall. Date — August
9, 1830; Acknowledged — ^August 9, 1830; Recorded — March
24, 1832.
Deed.— Vol. D: 564.
Philip Tome of Corydon, McKean county. Pa., to Aaron
Wheeler of Bustall, Ontario county, N. Y. Consideration
$1500.00. Sawmill on island in Allegheny river in Warren
county. About a mile below the New York State line.
Fourth mill from east shore and west? mill In the establish
ment built by Keyes and Convers. With water privileges.
Also undivided one sixth of island to which dam of mill is
attached with one fourth of all water privileges over and
above those granted by Enoch Gllman to Russell M. Free
man and Abel Morrison.
Witnesses — ^Wm. Gibbs and James L. Baker. Date —
March 26, 1832; Acknowledged — ^Aprll 5, r832; Recorded —
September 27, 1832.
Deed.— -Vol. E: 204.
Philip Tome of Catteraugus County, N. Y., to Jonathan
Thompson, of McKean county. Pa. Consideration $1200.00.
One half of shore mill on McKean shore and one eighth of
island in the Allegheny river on which the mill dam is at
tached opposite the village of Corydon "It being the same
property contracted for, between the parties verbally, some
time in June one thousand eight hundred and thirty, and
followed immediately by possession on the part of Thompson
and not being able to make a good title until now."
Witnesses — ^Wm. Gibbs and Morris L. Gibbs. Date — Feb.
19, 1833; Acknowledged — Feb. 19, 1833; Recorded — Sept.
5, 1833.
SHORT SKETCH OF CORNPLANTER
This history would be Incomplete, without some additional
notice of the earliest settler of Warren county, Gy-ant-wa-
chla, alias John O'Bail, alias the "Cornplanter." He was a
distinguished chief of the Seneca tribe of Indians, one of the
confederate Six Nations, celebrated before and during the
Revolutionary War. Cornplanter was a half-breed, the con
temporary of Washington, about the same age, a valiant
warrior of his tribe, and of superior sagacity and eloquence.
[ 155 ]

PIONEER life; or.
He fought on the side of the French, during the French and
English struggle for the northwest of this continent, com
mencing with the battle of the Monongahela, on the 9 th of
July, 1755, and resulting Jn Braddock's defeat and death.
During the Revolutionary War, he, as a chief of one of the
Six Nations, was in league with, and fought on the side of the
British. Immediately on the close of the war, being deserted
by his British allies, he saw that the true policy for his tribe
and race was to accept the situation, and make friends with
their future masters. This he hastened to do, and was ef
ficient in bringing the Six Nations Into friendly treaties with
the government. He was himself one of the negotiators and
signers to the treaties of Fort Stanwix and Fort Harmar,
ceding large districts of land to the United States.
He maintained his allegiance most faithfully and efficiently
during the Indian war, from 1790 to 1794, rendering valu
able assistance to the general government, and in the protec
tion of the western frontiers of Pennsylvania. For these
services, among other rewards, he received from Pennsylvania
permission to select one thousand five hundred acres of land
from her unappropriated territory, for himself and his pos
terity. Among his selections he chose for his own occupancy a
tract of six hundred and forty acres of land on the west
bank of the Alleghany river, fourteen miles above Warren,
together with two large adjacent Islands. Here he located
himself and family about 1791, and resided until his death
in 1836, at the age of one hundred or upwards, and here
his family and descendants to the number of eighty-five still
reside. In 1866 the Legislature of Pennsylvania authorized
the erection of a monument to the memory of the old chief
tain, which was done under the supervision of the writer, at
a cost of $5 50, and now marks the grave of one of the
bravest, noblest and truest specimens of the aboriginal race.
Three of his children were present at the dedication of his
monument In 1866 — the last of whom died in 1874, at the
age of about one hundred years. — Hon. S. P. Johnson, in the
Historical Atlas of Warren County, 1878.

[ 156 ]

THIRTY YEARS A HUNTER.
CORNPLANTER INDIANS AND THEIR SCHOOLS
The Cornplanter Indians are a family of the Seneca tribe,
occupying a reservation of between eight and nine hundred
acres on the west bank of the Alleghany river. In the north
eastern portion of Warren county. They are the descend
ants of John O'Bail, a half-breed, better known as the cele
brated Cornplanter. Cornplanter was the head chief of his
nation, and appears to have been the most powerful and
influential chief of the Six Nations. Cornplanter gave his
eldest son a good education, which he used for the basest pur
pose of fraud, involving often the Interests of his father, who
appears to have attributed all to his son's education. This
circumstance gave rise to a strong prejudice in Cornplanter's
family against education, which, for a time, thwarted all
efforts to establish and maintain schools among them.
In the year 1820 Samuel Oldham, a Quaker (probably a
Presbyterian, rather than Quaker, on account of Cornplant
er's dislike for the Quakers whose teachings did not agree
with Cornplanter's ideas — See page 36 — ^A.M.A.) minister,
established a private school in a log house, and taught more
or less for nearly fifteen years. No more school was had
among the Indians until 1856, when Rev. L. L. Spencer, then
County Superintendent, was riding along the east side of
the river, and seeing several Indian children, conceived the
idea of starting a school for them. He drew up a petition
and presented It to the State Legislature through Hon. D.
Lott, then a member for the county, who secured the pass
age of an Act to establish a school among the Cornplanter
Indians, and $100 was annually appropriated for Its mainte
nance until 1872 or 1873, when the appropriation was in
creased to $300 per year.
In 1857 the chief procured $200 from his nation for the
purpose of building a school-house, and that year a good
frame school-house was built. Miss Julia L. Tomes was
the first teacher. Messrs. Benjamin Tomes, J. E. Woodbeck,
and Rice Morrison rendered essential aid to Rev. L. L. Spencer
in the establishment of this school. The Indians at present
take pride in their school, and it is in a flourishing condi
tion. Mr. Marsh Pierce, an Indian, is the chief educational
man among them at the present time. — N. R. Thompson,
Esq., in the Historical Atlas of Warren County, 1878.

[ 157 ]

PIONEER life; or,
LYCOMING COUNTY
Lycoming county was taken from Northumberland by the
act of 13 th April, 1795. It then comprised all the north
western part of the State beyond Mifflin, Huntingdon, and
Westmoreland counties, and as far as "the Alleghany river.
Its limits have been curtailed by the successive establishment
of Centre, Armstrong, Indiana, Clearfield, Jefferson, Mc
Kean, Potter, Tioga and Clinton counties.
The population of the county was originally composed of
Scotch-Irish and Quakers, from the lower counties of the
State, and their descendants still occupy the valleys, together
with many Germans and others from Pennsylvania and New
York. The purchase of land by the proprietary government at
the treaty of Fort Stanwix (present site of Rome, N. Y.),
Nov. 5, 1768, then known as the "new purchase," opened
the way for the settlement of the whites on the West Branch.
Previous to this date, the valley had been occupied by a few
straggling bands of Shawanee and Monsey Indians, who had
retired from the lower valley of the Susquehanna; and oc
casionally parties of the Senecas came down to hunt, or more
commonly to fall upon the defenceless families of the fron
tier. The Indians dwelling here were visited by David Braln-
erd, and by the Moravian missionaries, about the years 1744
to 1746.
During several years previous to the purchase, the Scotch-
Irish rangers of the Kittatlnny valley had often visited the
valley of the West Branch, extending their excursions as far
up as the Big Island, for the purpose of cutting off hostile
parties of Indians, and their practised eyes had not failed to
notice the extreme fertility and beauty of the land. Accord
ingly, no sooner was the purchase known, than a crowd of
these adventurers flocked In, and when the land-office was
opened in April following, it was besieged by a great num
ber of applicants, and it became necessary to decide the prior
ity of location by lottery. The purchases were limited to
300 acres for each individual, at £5 per 100 acres, and one
penny per acre quit-rent. An allotment was made of 104,000
acres to the officers of the provincial regiments, who had
served during the Indian campaigns, and who were desirous
of settling together. Soon after the purchase of 1768, a
question arose between the settlers and the government,
whether Lycoming creek or Pine creek was the English name
for the stream call Tiadaghton In the treaty; and the question
[ 158 ]

THIRTY YEARS A HUNTER.
remained unsettled for sixteen years, when, at another treaty
at Fort Stanwix, 1784, it was learned from the Indians that
Tiadaghton meant Pine creek.
Stockade forts were erected at each important settlement
along the West Branch, as places of refuge for families In
times of Invasion. Some of these were garrisoned by con
tinental or provincial troops; others were defended by the
settlers of the neighborhood. There was a block-house near
the site of Lock Haven, commanded in l'778 by Col. Long.
Samuel Horn's fort was on the right bank of the West Branch
a little below Chatham's mill, and 3 miles above the mouth
of Pine creek. Antis' fort was also on the right bank, at
the head of the NIppenose bottom.
Just above Pine creek, and north of the road to Lock
Haven, is one of those ancient circular fortifications of earth,
so well known in this State and Ohio. The banks are be
coming gradually obliterated by the action of the elements.
Near the fort, and on both sides of the creek, are ancient
Indian burylng-grounds, from which bones and trinkets have
been occasionally disinterred by the whites. Tradition says
that two hostile tribes once lived on each side of the creek.
A very flourishing settlement has recently grown up at
the forks of Pine creek, eight miles northwest of Jersey
Shore [Tomb's Run?]. A large double saw-mill has been
erected, several stores, tavern, etc.
— Day's Historical Collections of Penna.
POTTER COUNTY
Potter county was separated from Lycoming, by the act
of 26th March, 1804. The county comprises the high, roll
ing, and table-land, adjacent to the northern boundary of
the State, lying on the outskirts of the great bituminous coal
formation. Its streams are the sources of the Alleghany, the
Genesee, and the West Branch of the Susquehanna; and a
resident of the county says that all these streams head so
near together, that a man In three hours may drink from
waters that flow into the Gulf of St. Lawrence, the Gulf
of Mexico, and the Chesapeake bay, respectively. The names
of these sources are the Alleghany, the Genesee, the East
branch of Sinnemahoning, Kettle creek. Pine creek, and Cow-
anesque creek.
The history of the early pioneers is one of extreme toil
and hardship, yet health and competence have been their re
ward; and where they found nought but a howling wilder-
[ 159 ]

PIONEER life; or,
ness, traversed only by the Indian, the bear, the wolf, the
panther, the elk, and the deer, they now see cultivated fields,
abounding with cattle and sheep, and an industrious popula
tion, furnished with mills, schools and manufactories. The
following extracts are from the correspondence of respect
able citizens of the county. An early settler, Benjamin Birt,
Esq., says:
"In the year 1808 an east and west road was opened thru
Potter county. Messrs. John Keating & Co., of Philadelphia,
owning large tracts of land In the northwest part of the
county, agreed with Isaac Lyman, Esq., to undertake the
opening of the road. In the fall of 1809 Mr. Lyman came
in, with several hands, and erected a rude cabin, into which
he moved in March, 1810. He then had but one neighbor
in the county, who was four miles distant. I moved In on
the 4th May, 1811, and had to follow the fashion of the
country for building and other domestic concerns, — which
was rather tough, there being not a bushel of grain or po
tatoes, nor a pound of meat, except wild, to be had in the
county; but there were leeks and nettles In abundance, which,
with venison and bear's meat, seasoned with hard work and
a keen appetite, made a most delicious dish. The friendly
Indians of different tribes frequently visited us on their hunt
ing excursions. Among other vexations were the gnats, a
very minute but poisonous Insect, that annoyed us far more
than musquitoes, or even than hunger and cold; and in sum
mer we could not work without raising a smoke around us.
"Our roads were so bad that we had to fetch our provisions
50 to 70 miles on pack-horses. In this way we lived until
we could raise our own grain and meat. By the time we
had grain to grind, Mr. Lyman had built a grist mill; but
the roads still being bad, and the mill at some distance from
me, I fixed an Indian samp-mortar to pound my corn, and
afterwards I contrived a small hand-mill, by which I have
ground many a bushel, — but it was hard work. When we
went out after provisions with a team, we were compelled
to camp out In the woods; and, if In the winter, to chop
down a maple-tree for our cattle to browse on all night, —
and on this kind of long fodder we had to keep our cattle
a good part of the winter.
"When I came here I had a horse that I called "Main de
pendence," on account of his being a good steady old fellow.
He used to carry my whole amily on his back whenever we
went to a wedding, a raising, a logging-bee, or to visit our
[ 160 ]

THIRTY YEARS A HUNTER.
neighbors, for several years, — until the Increasing load com
prised myself, my wife, and three children— five in all.
"We had often to pack our provisions 80 miles from Jersey
Shore. Sixty miles of the road was without a house; and
in the winter, when deep snows came on and caught us on
the road without fire, we should have perished if several of
us had not been in company to assist each other.
"The want of leather, after our first shoes were worn out,
was severely felt. Neither tanner nor shoemaker lived In
the county. But "necessity is the mother of invention." I
made me a trough out of a big pine-tree, into which I put
the hides of any cattle that died among us. I used ashes for
tanning them instead of lime, and bear's grease for oil. The
thickest served for sole leather, and the thinner ones, dressed
with a drawing-knife, for upper leather; and thus I made
shoes for myself and neighbors.
"I had 14 miles to go In winter to mill with an ox team.
The weather was cold, and the snow deep; no roads were
broken, and no bridges built across the streams. I had to
wade the streams, and carry the bags on my back. The ice
was frozen to my coat as heavy as a bushel of corn. I worked
hard all day and got only seven miles the first night, when I
chained my team to a tree, and walked three miles to house
myself. At the second night I reached the mill. My cour
age often failed, and I had almost resolved to return; but
when I thought of my children crying for bread, I took new
courage." Mr. John Peat, another old pioneer, in a communication
in the Forester In 1834, says:
"It will be 23 years the 23d day of May, 1834, since I
moved into Potter county. Old Mr. Ayres was in the county
at that time, and had been In the county about five years
alone. In the fall before I came, three families — (Benjamin
Birt, Major Lyman, and a Mr. Sherman) — amoved into the
county. The East and West State Road was cut out the
year before I moved In.
"It was very lonesome for several years. People would
move in, and stay a short time, and move away again. It
has been but a few years since settlers began to stick. I
made some little clearing, and planted some garden seeds, etc.,
the first spring. We brought a small stock of provisions
with us. On the 3d day of July I started, with my two
yoke of oxen, to go to Jersey Shore, to mill, to procure flour.
I crossed Pine creek eighty times going to, and eighty times
[ 161 ]

PIONEER life; or,
coming from mill, was gone eighteen days, broke two axle-
trees to my wagon, upset twice, and one wheel came off In
crossing the creek.
"Jersey Shore was the nearest place to procure provisions,
and the road was dreadful. The few seeds that I was able
to plant the first year, yielded but little produce. We how
ever raised some half-grown potatoes, some turnips, and soft
corn, with which we made out to live, without suffering,
till the next spring, at planting time, when I planted all the
seeds that I had left; and when I finished planting, we had
nothing to eat but leeks, cow-cabbage, and milk. We lived
on leeks and cow-cabbage as long as they kept green — about
six weeks. My family consisted of my wife and two chil
dren; and I was obliged to work, though faint for want of
food. "The first winter, the snow fell very deep. The first
winter month, it snowed 25 days out of 30; and during the
three winter months it snowed 70 days. I sold one yoke
of my oxen in the fall, the other yoke I wintered on browse;
but In the spring one ox died, and the other I sold to procure
food for my family, and was now destitute of a team, and
had nothing but my own hands to depend upon to clear my
lands and raise provisions. We wore out all our shoes the
first year. We had no way to get more, — no money, nothing
to sell, and but little to eat, — and were in dreadful distress
for want of the necessaries of life. I was obliged to work
and travel in the woods barefooted. After a while, our
clothes were worn out. Our family Increased, and the chil
dren were nearly naked. I had a broken slate that I brought
from Jersey Shore. I sold that to Harry Lyman, and bought
two fawn-skins, of which my wife made a petticoat for
Mary; and Mary wore the petticoat until she outgrew it;
then Rhoda took it, till she outgrew it; then Susan had it,
till she outgrew it; then it fell to Abigail, and she wore It
out." — Day's Historical Collections of Penna.
TIOGA COUNTY
Tioga county was separated from Lycoming by the Act of
25th March, 1804; In 1806 the seat of justice was established
at Wellsboro.
Until the year 1796-97, Tioga and the neighboring coun
ties were a howling wilderness, entirely cut off from the West
Branch settlements by the lofty barrier of the Alleghany
[ 162 ]

THIRTY YEARS A HUNTER.
mountains — and trodden only by the beasts of the forest,
and the savage on his hostile expedition to the lower settle
ments. About that time a Mr. Williamson of New York,
an agent for Sir William Pulteney, first opened a rough wagon
road through this wilderness, across the mountains from the
mouth of Lycoming creek, to the sources of the Tioga, and
thence down that river to Painted Post in New York. This
road was made at the expense of Sir William Pulteney for
the purpose of rendering his lands in the State of New York
accessible to German or other emigrants coming up from
Philadelphia and Baltimore. Old Mr. Covenhoven (Crown-
over) of Lycoming county, and Mr. Patterson, superintended
the workmen on the road, who were principally German re-
demptioners. This road became a great thoroughfare, and
was extensively known as the "Blockhouse road," from a
log-house, (called blockhauss by the Germans,) erected by
Williamson near the mountains for the accommodation of
travellers. After the opening of this road, many of the pioneers from
the Wyoming country, and from New England, came into
the eastern part of the county, and took up lands under the
Connecticut title. For quite a number of years, the un
certainty of this title gave rise to much wrangling and liti
gation. A Mr. Gobin, an assistant-surveyor under the Penn
sylvania title, was shot in his camp, but not killed. At
length the litigation was ended by the compromise at Tren
ton: the settlers quietly acknowledged the validity of the
Pennsylvania title, and compromised their claims with the
agents of the landholders from Philadelphia. A large por
tion of the lands. In the eastern section of the county, be
longed to the Bingham estate.
Soon after the cutting of the Block-house road, Mr. John
Norris, from Philadelphia, first came, about the beginning
of the year 1799, to the southwestern part of the county,
as an agent for Mr. Benjamin Morris, who owned lanTls in
that region. He was accompanied by his brother-in-law, Mr.
Mordecai Jackson, then a young lad. On Mr. Norris's ar
rival, he erected a grist and saw mill, on the waters of Little
Pine creek, just within the boundary of Lycoming county.
This establishment was generally known as Morris's mills.
After remaining at Morris's mills for five or six years, and
Inducing some half dozen settlers to immigrate, Mr. Norris
removed to the vicinity of the Big Marsh; and subsequently.
In 1807, to within a mile of Wellsboro. The mill at that
place had been built the year previous, (1806,) by Samuel
[ 163 ]

pioneer life; or,
W. Fisher, of Philadelphia; and the same year the county seat
was fixed at Wellsboro. Among the first settlers, at or near
Wellsboro, besides Mr. Norris, were Benjamin W. Morris,
David Linsey, Alpheus Cheney, and Daniel Kelsey, Esq.
— Day's Historical Collections of Penna.
WARREN COUNTY
Warren county was taken from Lycoming county by the
act of 12th March, 1800. On the 16th March, 1819, the
county was fully organized, and the seat of justice fixed at
Warren. Previous to the year 1827, that part of the county south
east of the Alleghany river was but little known or explored,
and the land abandoned by its owners was principally sold
for taxes; but since the titles could be perfected, settlers
have moved in, and found the region to be well timbered,
supplied with abundant water-power, and containing much
good arable land.
At Irwinville, James Harriot built the first mills, about
the year 1812, or 1813. Messrs. Faulkner, Wilson, Smith,
and Hall were the first settlers near Pine Grove, about the
years 1816-20. The McKInney family were also early set
tlers: John settled on Brokenstraw, and Barney and Michael
on the Conewango. Major Robert Andrews, and Messrs.
Hicks, Wilson, Youngs, and Kinnear, were also early settlers
on Brokenstraw. Most of them were lumbermen. Tomes,
an Irishman, and Daniel McQuay, also settled on Brokenstraw.
The settlement of Warren county, more than of any of the
neighboring counties, was greatly retarded by the miscon
structions and litigation resulting from the land law of 1792,
and the peculiar management of the Holland Land Company.
— Day's Historical Collections of Penna.

[ 164 ]

THIRTY YEARS A HUNTER.
GAZETTEER OF TOWNS, &c.
Big Marsh. Marsh creek forms the Third fork of Pine
creek. The village of the same name is three miles from the
fork, but Big Marsh would likely be in the vicinity of Mans
field. Big Meadows. According to our calculations this would
be in the vicinity southwest of Ansonia, in Shippen town
ship, Tioga county.
Cold Spring. Along the Alleghany river. In New York
State, about seven miles north of the State line, and about
ten or twelve miles from Tome's later home, at Corydon.
Cornplanter's Town. In Corydon township, Warren Co.
Coudersport. Established in 1807. Named for a young
officer of General Lafayette's staff. Major Coudert.
Dunn's Eddy. Now a town by same name. May have
been named for Henry Dunn, an early settler in Warren
county. There was also a Jeremiah Dunn, noted as a jury
man In the famous "Hook Murder Trial," in 1824.
Four Corners. Not unHkely In the vicinity of Kane.
Franklin. Laid out under an act of 1795, in about 700
lots. Formerly Venango.
KIttanning. Built on the site of an old Indian village
which was burned on the morning of the 8 th of August,
1757, by Colonel, afterwards General John Armstrong.
KIttanning Block House. Concerning this, we quote from
a letter from Mr. J. E. Henretta, of Kane, Pa., 1928: "I
have gone over this book rather carefully and find that on
one of his (Tome's) hunting expeditions he describes a night's
camp on a stream approximately 17 miles from Kinzua, at
a point where a small stream enters the Kinzua. Subsequent
matter regarding this hunting trip clearly identifies this place
as that point where Hubert Run enters the Kinzua. A little
later on in a story of this same hunting trip he refers to a
Block House, and Fort, built at the Cross Roads. This is
undoubtedly the intersection of the military road that for
merly ran through Kane, with the old KIttanning Road. In
fact, he mentions the KIttanning Road in his description.
The location of the Fort or Block House I have under inves
tigation with residents of Kane at the present time and we
have It pretty definitely placed as being near the water tower
in this town."
Warren. By an act of 18 th April, 1795, the to'wn of
Warren was directed to be laid out, to contain 300 acres.
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PIONEER life; or,
GAZETTEER OF RIVERS, STREAMS, Sec.
Cedar run. A stream which empties into Pine creek at the
village of Cedar Run, northwestern Lycoming county.
Clarion river, or Great Toby's creek. Rises in Sergeant
township, McKean county, and flows a southwesterly course
through Jefferson county, etc., into the Alleghany at Fox-
burg; length, 70 miles. In 1832 it was said to be navigable
for 5 5 miles, with boats.
Conewango creek. Rises in Chautauqua county. New
York, flows southerly into Warren county, and emptying into
the Alleghany at Warren; length. In Pennsylvania, 13.5 miles.
Farris creek. From its not appearing In print anywhere,
would likely be none other than a mis-nomer for Larry's
creek, Lycoming county.
First Fork, Pine creek. "Twelve miles," would be at the
present town of Watervllle; Second fork, at the town of
Lloyd, Tioga county; Third fork, southwest of Ansonia,
Tioga county.
Kettle creek. Rises in Elk township, southwestern Tioga
county, flows circuitously through Potter and Clinton coun
ties into West Branch Susquehanna at Westport.
Kinzua (Kenzua, Kinjua,) creek. Rises in Keating town
ship, central McKean county, flows southwest to near Mt.
Jewett, thence northwest into Warren county, to Alleghany
river, emptying at Kinzua; length, 34 miles. The same;
South branch, rises in Hamlin township, southwest McKean
county, flowing westerly and northwesterly to Kinzua creek,
near Root run; length, 12 miles.
Loyal Sock creek. Rises in Forkston township, southwest
ern Wyoming county, flowing westerly Into Sullivan county,
to Forksvllle, thence southwesterly into Lycoming county,
to the West Branch of the Susquehanna at Mon tours ville;
length, 59.5 miles.
Lycoming creek. Rises in Canton township, southwestern
Bradford county, flowing southwesterly into Lycoming coun
ty, to West Branch Susquehanna at Williamsport; length,
34.5 miles.
Marsh creek. Rises in Duncan township, south central
Tioga county, flowing northwest and southwest into Pine
creek, one mile southwest of Ansonia; length, 20 miles.
Marvin's creek. Empties into Potato creek, at Smethport.
Pine creek (Tiadaghton) . Formed by the junction of Gush
ing creek and Genesee fork, at West Pike, Pike township,
eastern central Potter county; elevation 1,450 feet. The
[ 166 ]

THIRTY YEARS A HUNTER.
course is easterly into Tioga county to junction of Marsh
creek; thence southerly into Lycoming county; thence south
westerly and southeasterly to West Branch Susquehanna river,
being Clinton-Lycoming boundary for last 4.5 miles. The
mouth is about 2 miles southwest of Jersey Shore. It is 72
miles in length. The drainage area is 973 square miles, em
bracing portions of Potter, Tioga, Lycoming and Clinton
counties. The channel is sinuous, through deep, steep-sided
valleys, with rough, rocky bed.
Potato creek. Formed by junction of East and West
branches, in Norwich township, southeast McKean county,
flowing northerly to Alleghany river, with its mouth about
1 mile south of Larabee; length, 19 miles.
Round Island. Tome, In August, 1795, with his father,
and Jerry Morrison, went up Pine creek, to "Round Island."
A glance at "Tanner's Map of Penna." for 1 846, shows Round
Islands about 1.5 miles below what is now Tiadaghton, Del-
mar township, Tioga county. Also — there is a "Round Is
land" in Clinton county, just east of the Cameron county
line, on the Sinnemahoning.
Sinnemahoning creek. Formed by junction of Driftwood
branch and Bennett branch, at Driftwood, flowing Into Sus
quehanna at Keating; length 16 miles. The First fork,
formed by junction of Prouty branch and Ayer Hill branch,
central Potter county, flowing into Sinnemahoning creek at
Sinnemahoning; length 31 miles. The First fork. East fork,
has Its source In Summit township, Potter county, flowing
southeast to First fork, and emptying at Wharton; length,
16.5 miles.
Stony fork. A village of this name lies about 5 miles
southwest of Wellsboro, on Stony fork creek, one of the
branches of Babb creek, flowing into Pine creek at Lloyd.
Tioga river. Rises in Armenia township. In western Brad
ford county, flows southwest Into Tioga county, thence
northerly into New York to Chemung river. Its length in
Pennsylvania is 45 miles.
Tionesta creek. Rises In Watson township, southern War
ren county, flowing northeast, then southeast and south
westerly to Alleghany river, at Tionesta; length 5 8 miles.
The same — South branch, rises in Highland township, north
west Elk county, flowing northwest through Forest county,
into Warren county, to Tionesta creek, near Barnes; length,
15 miles.
Tuneungwant creek. The East and West branches rise in
Lafayette township, McKean county, emptying into the main
[ 167 ]

PIONEER life; or.
Stream at Bradford; length 14.5 and 9 miles, and the main
branch in Pennsylvania, 3 miles, respectively. The main
branch empties into the Alleghany river in New York State,
6 miles above the line. Commonly known as "Tuna" creek.
Warry (Warrior ?) Run. In Northumberland county,
but more than "two miles from the junction of the North
and West Branches." Tome likely meant the stream that
empties into the West Branch at Watsontown.
Young Woman's creek. Rises in Stewardson township.
Potter county, flows southerly to Clinton county, emptying
into the West Branch Susquehanna at North Bend; length,
16.5 miles. BIOGRAPHICAL INDEX
A^very,  . Unable to find.
Ayers, George. Mr. John Peat, an old pioneer. In a
communication to the Forester, In 1834, says: "It will be 23
years the 23d day of May, 1834, since I moved into Potter
county. Old Mr. Ayres was In the county at that time, and
had been In the county about five years alone. In the fall
before I came, three families — (Benjamin Birt, Major Lyman
and a Mr. Sherman) — moved into the county."
Burt,  . Undoubtedly Benjamin Birt, who settled In
Potter county in 1811. (See Mr. Birt's statement In the
Chapter on Potter County ,\ on page 160).
Campbell, John. In Conewango township, Warren
county, in 1808, a John Campbell, a single man, was assessed.
Carns,  . The only place we could locate the name
Cams, was in the 1790 Census. In Franklin township, West
moreland county, 1790, we find listed one James Carns, with
1 male under 16 years and 1 female; two other Carns, James
and John, are enumerated in Washington county, in 1790.
In the History of Venango County, we note that in Richard
township, among the early settlers (about 1800) were several
members of the Karns families; later on we note the names
of Abraham, Williams, Jacob, Isaac and James Karns.
Darling, Joseph. In 1816 we note James Darling, in
Brokenstraw township, Warren county, assessed with a saw
mill. Wra. T. Darling, of Corry, and George Darling, of
Spring Creek, in 1878, were likely descendants.
Gamble, James. Philip Tome's sister Catherine married
a James Gamble (see Tome Miscellany) ; another sister, Mary
Elizabeth, married an Andrew Gamble. We find Andrew
[ 168 ]

thirty years a hunter.
Gambles, heads of families, 1790 Census, in northern MIffUn
county and Chester county; and a James Gamble, also a
family head, in York county. Lacking more definite data
it would be hazarding a guess as to which Gamble, If any of
those just mentioned, moved to Lycoming county in 1805,
as noted in the History of Lycoming County.
Geebuck, John. Probably one of Cornplanter's trust
worthy and reliable hunters, such as Tome could easily get
along with.
Gibson, William. The nearest we can come to this
name is Widow Gilson, assessed in Conewango township, War
ren county, in 1816.
GooD'wiN,  . In 1806 we note a Joseph Goodwin, a
single man, assessed In Warren county, with 1 cow; again
in 1816. In 1808, there was assessed in Conewango town
ship, one Jacob Goodwin, with 600 acres, 2 horses, 2 cows,
2 oxen, 2 in-lcts in Warren, and Yz saw-mill.
Halftown, Morris. One of Cornplanter's chiefs was
known as Half -Town, and these two, with other chiefs, were
at Philadelphia, October 29, 1790, where the former addressed
the Supreme Executive Council.
Hamlin, Rice. A ¦ man by this name taught school in
Kinzua township, Warren county, . after 1825. May be the
same. Ten miles south of Smethport, on Potato creek, one
of the branches of the Alleghany river, is the town of Ham
lin. Hewling, Thomas. No such name or similar name In
Pennsylvania Census for 1790. Must have been a new
comer. Hook, Joseph. Search of various histories fails to reveal
any Joseph Hook, but Jacob Hook has prominence on account
of his trial for murder; also on account of his circulation of
a large amount of doubtful paper currency on some eastern
bank which had failed. Jacob Hook came to Warren county
about 1812 (said Judge Wetmore), and died about 1829 or
1830. Knapp, Joshua. We note a town In New York State,
just across the line, called Knapp's Creek. In 1797 Moses
Knapp, Samuel Scott, Joseph and Andrew Barnett, removed
from their home at the mouth of Pine creek, to near the
present site of Brookville, at Mill creek, sometimes called Port
Barnett. Here they erected, after some "labor" troubles
with the Indians, a saw mill. The boards were run to what
is now Pittsburgh, in 1801. Moses Knapp was the pioneer
pilot. "Joshua" and "Moses" Knapp must have been rela-
[ 169 ]

PIONEER life; or,
tives from the uniform use of Bible names. We suspect that
Moses might have been the older of the two living in 1800,
from the fact that at that time Joshua had "never shot an
elk," while Moses was then in "big business." Moses Knapp
moved to what is now called Baxter, in the spring of 1821,
and while cutting timber he got a foot and leg crushed so
that his limb had to be amputated above the knee, the opera
tion being performed by Drs. Stewart of Indiana, and Rankin,
of Clarion county, that same year. We note a village called
Knapp about four miles south of Wellsboro.
Lyman, Major Isaac. "Major Isaac Lyman, the agent of
the Keating (Land) Company, came in 1809 and founded
Lymansvllle, where he built the first grist-mill constructed
from lumber cut with a whip-saw on the Keating farm." —
Hon. M. E. Olmstead, in Lycoming County Centennial Pro
ceedings. Maddock,  . A "Richard Madocks" lived in North
umberland county, 1790, with 1 adult, one male under 16,
and four females; also a "Peter Maddocks," In the same coun
ty, with 1 adult male and two females.
McKean, Robert. The only names of Robert McKean
we find are in the 1790 Census: 1 adult male, 1 male under
16 years, and 2 females, in Washington county; and 2 adult
males, 2 males under 16 years and 1 female, in Mifflin county.
McMullen, James. We find names such as this in Cum
berland, Bucks, Chester, Washington and York counties in
1790, but none in Northumberland, nor near the present lim
its of Lycoming county at the time mentioned, 1796.
Mills, John. Listed In the census for 1790, with 2 adult
males, 2 males under 16 years, and 4 females, in Northumber
land county. On page 669, History of Lycoming County,
we read: "It is claimed that the first white child born at
the mouth of the run (Tomb's) was Abigail Mills, daughter
of James Mills, In 1786."
Morrison, Jerry. On page 665, History of Lycoming
County, we read: "Among other early settlers may be men
tioned Jeremiah Morrison" (likely about 1790-95). Jerry
Morrison Is listed In Heads of Families, 1790 Census, in
Northumberland county, with 6 adult males, one male under
16 years and one female.
About the year 1795 the venerable James Morrison (who
died in the year 1840, at the age of 104), took up the large
island at the mouth of the Kinjua creek; he was also owner
of Morrison's Island, at the mouth of Morrison's creek, a few
miles above Warren. A town, Morrison, in western Mc-
[ 170 ]

THIRTY YEARS A HUNTER.
Kean county, is probably named for him. He is also listed
in the 1790 Census, with 2 adult males, 4 males under 16
years, and 2 females, next to the entry of "Jerry Morrison,"
which see. Also, In same county, and same page of census
report, we find Ephraim Morrison, with 1 adult male, 1 male
under 16 years, and 4 females, and Samuel Morrison, Senr.,
with 2 adult males, 1 male under 16 years, and 2 females.
Thus we find any number of Morrisons around In 1790.
Morrison, George. This being in 1821, and so many,
many Morrison families about, we did not attempt to check
this name, though it may belong to the family of James
Morrison, of Warren county.
Seaman, Walter. This name appears among the list
of traverse jurors for the first Court of Quarter Sessions in
Warren county, on Monday, November 29, 1819, His name
appears on several other occasions as that of juror In important
trials In that county.
Silverheels, George. He is said to have been one of
the Indian prophets, and also to be a brother of Chief Corn-
planter. Smith, Alexander. Is listed In Heads of Families, 1790
Census, with 1 adult, 1 male under 16 years and 2 females,
in Northumberland county.
Tanner,  . Tome evidently meant Archibald Tan
ner, who was one of the first merchants in Warren. Tanner
brought his store goods from the Ohio Valley, up the Alle
ghany in a keel boat. Tanner built, in 1816, the little one-
story frame building which stood on the banks of the river,
at Warren, for so many years. Mr. Tanner was the first
treasurer of Warren county.
Thompson, Robert. W'as assessed In Brokenstraw town
ship, Warren county, in 1816. There Is a town by the name
of Thompson's Station, in Warren county, probably also
known as Gray's Eddy, in old river transportation days.
Whitcomb, Marshall. Not found in any bibliography.
However, in Warren county, in 1878, there were living
Messrs. Joel, C. K., N. J., E., and G. Whitcomb, who un
doubtedly were descendants of Marshall Whitcomb.
Whitmore,  . In 1816, there appears on the assess
ment list for Brokenstraw township, Warren county, the
name Parsons Wetmore, and Lansing Wetmore, the latter a
prothonotary, clerk of the courts, etc., in 1819. Subsequent
ly became a Judge.
Wilson, George. There are numerous entries in the
[ 171 ]

pioneer life; or,
name of Wilson in the 1790 Census, for Northumberland
county, which, from their close arrangement In the list, were
possibly neighbors. Among them we find one George Wilson,
single.
TOME LAND WARRANTS FOR LYCOMING CO.
Land Warrants, for Lycoming county, were issued early in
the last century to the several Tombs, as follows:
"No. 5, George Tomb, 20 Jany 1815; No. 11, Benjamin
Tomb, 12 Feby 1827; No. 12, Samuel Tomb, 17 July 1829;
No. 14, George Tomb, 24 Feby 1830; No. 16, Samuel Tomb,
6 April 1830; No. 17, Samuel Tomb, 6 April 1830; No. 18,
George Tomb, 5 Augt 1830; No. 21, Benjamin Tomb, 25
April 1831; No. 22, Benjamin Tomb, 11 Novr. 1837;" etc.
ABSTRACTS FROM THE "WARREN MAIL."
death notices.
Frank Tome, son of John and Annette Tome, died 28 April
1854, in Corydon, aged 2 years, 7 months and 12 days.
Sabra Tome, daughter of John and Annette Tome, died 4
May 1854, in Corydon, aged 1 year and 21 days.
Philip Tome, Sr., died 30 April 185 5, In Corydon, aged
73 years, 1 month and 8 days,
marriage notices.
John Tome, of Corydon, and Annette Johnson, of Har
mony, Chautauqua Co., N. Y., 21 Sept. 1850, in Corydon.
Benjamin Crooks and Rebecca Ann Tome, both of Cory
don, married July 3, 1860, in Corydon.
Masten James and Nancy Tomes, married October 6, 1861,
(in Warren) . WILL HIS dream come TRUE?
The Harrisburg Telegraph, June 12, 1928, in an editorial,
inquires: "Will the dream of John Tome, of Washingtonboro (Lan
caster county), who died a few days since, aged 97, come
true? Tome followed the old Pennsylvania canal all his
days, until the floods and the railroads combined to close the
old waterway to traffic. Then he anchored his boat in the
river and waited patiently for the canals to come back. He
made the boat his home for many years, and believed to his
dying day that one of these times the country would be only
too glad to turn again for cheap transportation to the old
canals."
[ 172 ]

THIRTY YEARS A HUNTER.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Warren Centennial, 1895.
History of Venango County.
History of Warren County, 1887.
Works of Col. Henry W. Shoemaker.
History of Lycoming County, 1892.
Historical Atlas of Warren County, 1878.
History of Northwestern Pennsylvania, 1905.
Historical Collections of Pennsylvania (Day's).
Colonial Records and Archives of Pennsylvania.
Lycoming County Centennial Association Report, 1896.
Heads of Families, State of Pennsylvania, 1790 Census.
History of McKean, Elk, Cameron and Potter Counties,
1890. MAPS
Pennsylvania State Highway.
Atlas of Pennsylvania, Bien, 1901.
Historical Map of Pennsylvania, 1875.
Railroad Map of Pennsylvania (Dept. of Internal Affairs).

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