George Washington Sears (1821–1890)

***Not this Edition, This book published by The Adirondack Museum in 1962***

It was fun to travel back in time to my childhood with this book. Little had changed in the wilderness areas one hundred years later, and I often say I lived in the Adirondacks before it was fashionable. While some may find his narrative boring, I retraced his steps and compared them to my time at Moose River and Blue Mountain Lake. I had no other locations to compare, since I had not been to most of the others; unfortunately, women were not often invited into the wilderness, even in the 20th century. I felt the ache of my shoulders on the carries (portages) though,, and smiled in familiarity at the concoctions used to keep the black flies at bay. I remembered my own days of getting acquainted with class 4 rapids on the Hudson and the Delaware and the prayers that swiftly followed unplanned moves of the watercraft (whitewater raft with guide and open canoe).I was excited to hear about the most casual interactions with Adirondack legends Mitchell Sabattis and Alvah Dunning.

I was a little surprised at how many ill and dying people "Nessmuk" ran across in the camps. Although one branch of my family ended up in the Adirondacks due to the purported "air cure" espoused by Robert Louis Stevenson and Dr Edward Trudeau, it had been reputed long before that to be a place where people could go and be healed from mysterious illnesses. Tuberculosis and cancer plagued them and shortened their lives, without any other treatment known. His matter-of-fact relations of death have always been a feature of the landscape since accidents and illnesses happen, without the proximity of doctors or hospitals. His article, "A Night Race Against Death" is an acknowledgement of what is to be and an acceptance of mortality with the bargaining for one last important request. A graphic description of a thunderstorm, or perhaps a passing tornado within a rainstorm, brought me back to the great storms we used to watch move across the valleys as we sat on the open porch watching the power and beauty of nature.

The cadence of his speech and writing confirm the author had indeed spent some time in the Adirondacks, and I could hear the unique pronunciation of some words there that are not the same as they are in the rest of the English-speaking world. I was happy to find a good number of words and literary references that I didn't know and needed to research. I couldn't avoid comparing the writing in these very popular articles in Forest and Stream to current articles in more "lofty" publications, including major newspapers today. I didn't bother trying to get a Flesch-Kincaid reading on anything, but I'm sure it would have been interesting.

Some people today, and possibly in his own day, would have considered this a wasted, vagabond life. He did not amass a great deal of money and did not live to a very old age. There is no indication of what his widow thought of his choices in spending time on this earth but she did stay married to him and outlived him by many years. Knowing his health was failing and his time was at an end in his beloved wilderness, he lived his life in enjoyment of what he wanted to do. How many of us will be able to say the same? Sears did have some sharp observations on the mismanagement and greed that has always plagued this part of the country. It was cold comfort to realize this had been going on for well over one hundred years, probably since 1609. If you don't have the time or ability to actually get away to the mountains, you can (time and place) travel to the Adirondacks with George Washington Sears, a man whose name has been lost to history. Almost. His literary pictures survive.… (mehr)

This slim volume is written with surprising erudition and humility and is frequently humorous and full of the wisdom and confidence that is the fruit of direct experience.

Nessmuk's diagnosis of our propensity to over-work and the failure to balance this with restorative recreation (rather than frenzied consumer-driven "vacations"), along with his casual but clear-eyed criticism of wasteful practices (taking more than one needs - be it wood or game) gives the book a subtle moral stance. He advises certain techniques or materials to ensure that camp is safe and comfortable and that campers maximize their leisure in and enjoyment of their surroundings - but it is easy to conclude that the general push towards simplicity builds a sort of ethics in those who practice it (at least, during their stay in the woods) as well.

Some of the things he talks about seem amusingly or wistfully outdated (e.g. going "frogging" with a piece of red felt on a fishing line) since it is nearly 90 years on from the time of his writing (and many of his woodland treks that he describes were taken 40 years before that).

While clever, some of his cooking methods may seem outmoded, and some of his shelters may seem overly-elaborate since we have lost the need or knowledge for many of the skills a person would likely have had in his generation (waterproofing your own cotton using lye?). He also seems to go back and forth either providing excessive detail, or more often insufficient detail depending on the task.

That said, there isn't anything described that seems foolish or unworkable, and the majority of his advice remains just as helpful and true as it was when he first published it. He also provides plenty of wry anecdotes to explain why you might want to heed his suggestions (usually by highlighting the humorous folly of other campers, hunters, etc. in contrast) which alone make this book a simple pleasure to read.… (mehr)

A non-fiction account from one of the most noted Adirondack guides of the late 19th Century. Originally published is 1920, Sears colorfully describes skills and tools he found essential while spending most of his life out of doors. His recollections provide insight to what the environment and life was like in the Upstate New York wilderness around the turn of the last century. Original illustrations reproduced give the reader detail and an understanding of techniques described. I would recommend this book to secondary social science students studying New York and the Northeast. Additionally, this would be a great read for high school Earth Science students as Sears continually stresses the need for conservation and preservation of all natural resources.… (mehr)