8 North Shore Heritage Memories

TALL TALES OF THE MOUNTAIN

Desolation and Defeat

In the late 1800's Joshua Calhoun and two of his friends lit out across the mountain to explore new lands. After they had walked about ten miles up a small creek which they had never been they came to a fork in the creek. They saw a small clearing, they decided to stay the night because dark was coming.

The next morning it was very foggy, so foggy Joshua look down and said we can not see our feet for the fog, I have never seen a more Desolate place. Later that day the fog lifted so they lit out up the other fork of the creek. After about five miles they sat down to fix supper, some fish they caught earlier that day.

Later that night it began to snow, so they built up a big fire. Joshua set one of his boots to close to the fire. The next morning one boot was burned, badly, so the other men cut the tongue out of their boots so Joshua could patch his boot. These men spend two days and nights in the new land. When they got back home their familys ask where have you been. Joshua said new land new name also, so when Joshua wife ask Joshua said because of the fog the first night we called that fork of the creek Desolation, because of the burned boot we called the other fork of the creek Defeat.

DESOLATION AND DEFEAT

NOW THAT IS A TALL TALE

By David Monteith

April 27, 2003

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Turkey Tale

I use to sit on my Dad's knee, and say tell me that turkey tale. Dad would start out by saying, Mary my wife would say it is almost thanksgiving. John we need a turkey for Thanksgiving dinner, go shot one for us.

I went turkey hunting one morning I only had one shotgun shell. So I new I could not miss so I had to get real close to a turkey. As I struck out across the mountains I got to the top of the hill and heard a turkey gobble way down the hollow. I bent down pulled up a blade of grass put it to my mouth and went like a hen turkey. I heard the tom turkey gobble back at me. I took off down the hollow got real close but instead of one turkey there were three, so I said which one should I shoot, so I took sharp aim and pulled the trigger. My shot split the limb, the turkeys toes dropped in the split of the limb, now I had three turkeys with one shot. I clumb the tree cut the limb off, but the turkeys flew off with me. When I finally got the turkeys to the ground I told myself nobody will believe me, but there is more to the story.

I started walking back home I had to cross a creek so I had to waded, when I got to the other side I felt something in my pants legs, I look down and saw two trout in each pant leg, I tied my pants legs with my shoe laces to keep the fish there.

I went on through a field saw a rabbit running from me I laugh at that rabbit but a button flew of my coat and killed the rabbit. When I got back to the house Mary said did you get us a turkey for Thanksgiving. When I told my wife what happen she laugh, but I had three Turkey, four trout and a rabbit all with one shot. Now that is a real turkey tall.

Told by John Monteith to his son David Monteith