his pocket and a compass, two very important guides. He never set his traps on Saturday, and he was very strict in keeping the Sabbath.* As the spring advanced, he made preparations for returning home, by falling a birch tree for a canoe. These leisure months of spring were so spent in the last years of "the seven years war." At this season they came in contact with no Indians. It was a dangerous but profitable business. By the use of his traps and the sale of his pelts he paid for his farm. Once a year Mr. Philbrook and wife would go to Boston in one of their sloops, and with their pelts buy whatever they needed for the next year, having some years an overplus of a stocking full of silver dollars. Since the hose worn in those days, with breeches, were long, the amount was very convenient, as they became due, to cancel the notes given for the land. The first kind of lumber shipped to Boston was white oak staves which were sent to wine growing countries to be made into wine puncheons. The next articles sent from the settlements of Long Reach were rift shingles and clapboards, as the time for mills to saw them had not yet come. It is said that the descendants of this early family in Maine "were characterized by dark hair, dark eyes, generally clear complexion, and that they were sober, upright, earnest people." As an illustration of the dangers attending the hunter in his lonely life, I may relate an anecdote concerning one of this family. He had removed the snow from a small spot of ground and built a sort of shed, enclosed on three sides, and covered with bark and brush to shelter him in the night from falling snow and rain, and he used to build his fire in the open air on the side of his camp not enclosed. Returning one evening from his toilsome trip of hunting the game, he kindled his fire, prepared his frugal meal, aud then retired, with his feet toward the fire, to rest upon a primitive bed of evergreen branches, and soon fell asleep. About midnight he waked, and looking at the fire which had now burned down low, he saw two fiery eyeballs and a ferocious beast glaring at him from the * This family have not forsaken the faith of their fathers. In 1885, Rev. Charles E. Philbrook, son of Joshua of Bath, the writer of the above, was a home missionary in Sierraville, Cal., with a parish some 30 miles long, and his sister is now the faithful helpmate of a city missionary. opposite side of the glowing embers. There was no more sleep for him when it seemed that the wild beast intended to make an early breakfast upon human flesh. He gently drew his gun to his face, and aimed it at the animal, so that if it crouched to leap upon him he could shoot. He did not dare commence the battle, lest he should fail to kill the creature, and be wounded himself, or perhaps killed, in the conflict. So they watched each other till just before daybreak, when the wild beast gently walked away and was seen no more. He never knew what the animal was, but supposed it must have been a catamount or American panther, which, when wounded by the hunter proves a very dangerous foe. It has a wide range, being found, it is said, from Canada in the North to Patagonia in the South. In 1861, Samuel S. Philbrick of Andover, great grandson of Jedediah1 of Kingston, says, “Not one of the Philbricks within the circle of my knowledge has been low and reckless; but generally they have been smart, industrious and intelligent." Of John M. Philbrook, born at Ossipee in 1807, who died an humble Christian in 1861, it was said, "he was noted for his truthfulness, honesty and industry, so that he was called Honest John."" It is said that when one of his sons who had been to college, and studied law in opposition to the advice of his mother, she remarked, "If all the world were as upright as the Philbrooks there would be no use for lawyers." Quite a large number of the family have been teachers in common schools and other higher institutions, of whom the late John D. Philbrick, L.L.D., was the most widely known, having been for near twenty years Superintendent of Public Schools in Boston. Ezekiel Philbrook, brother of Elisha, was long famous as a teacher of common schools, taught more than eighty different terms, some quite long. At a venerable old age he has now retired to his farm in Freeport, Me., and in his last days is gladdened by the knowledge that so many of his numerous offspring have appreciated the value of the instructions he used to give in the school and in the family. Edwin Philbrook, a graduate of the Illinois Normal School, has taught many years, being professor in the High School at Decatur, Ills., and many others of both sexes have been useful in this occupa ion. |