1854 Huggleston 4WD steam wagon, great read

**Landy110** · 18th July 2010, 09:49 AM

July 27, 1855:

The farther we stray from civilization, the farther Felix strays from sanity. Last night he unleashed his explosive rage upon me, insisting that I address him as Mister Huggleston, as it is only proper and appearances must be kept up.

Appearances? To whom? Perhaps to the Buffaloe, or the Prairie Dogs, or his herd of bears? We have seen no man for five months.

So great was his rage that he did fetch up a piece of wood from the tender and attempted to beat me with it. I held him off easily, and when he had exhausted himself I bound him hand and foot. If he is to act as a madman I shall have to treat him as such. And call him as Felix, because madmen cannot be afforded the privileges of gentlemen. One must keep up appearances after all.

September 9, 1855

Today we encountered a party of Sioux, and I was able to converse with them. I shall relate that conversation:

Me: I greet you in peace. My name is Fire Maker [a pretty fair translation]
Sioux: We greet you in peace. I am Great Buffaloe. Your prisoner appears uncomfortable.
Me: He is no prisoner, but he is mad. He has visions of men and things that are not here, and will not wake from his dream. He is called Huggleston, Man Who Is Chased By Bears.
Sioux: I see no bear.
Me: I see no bear. Only he can see the bears.
Sioux: Those are the worst kind of bears.

**disco2hse** · 18th July 2010, 03:03 PM

Clearly either one of them had good contacts because M. Nobel had not had his patent confirmed yet.

**Landy110** · 19th July 2010, 05:37 PM

Entries from both journals, Stoker's first:

Jan 1, 1857: I can scarcely believe that we have spent an entire year struggling across the Rocky Mountains, with no end in sight. We ran out of ammunition months ago, so I now hunt with a bow and arrow fashioned from pine. Pine is abundant here, but game is not as we are stuck at a high elevation and will be for many months to come.
Felix is blithering full time now. Most days he does not know who or where he is. Today he appears to be Napoleon, but I am not sure and am disinclined to ask.
I must say this is not the quick jaunt that Felix proposed to me so long ago on the streets of Philadelphia. How long ago that seems! "Oh come with me Stoker, it shall be a grand adventure and we shall return as heroes!" Now I wonder if we shall return at all. How could I have been so gullible to trust this madman with my fate?
I must go, as the Emperor is chewing his restraints again. How I wish I knew the ingredients of the Blackfoot remedy. Daily clouting him unconscious cannot be good for him.

Huggleston:
1 Jan 1857: a grand New Year awaits us and victory in russia is assured the winter damn damn damn the endless winter my horse is frozen hide like iron and a most uncomfortable saddle but going nowhere nowhere but victory shall be ours where is my army have they all run off cowardly frenchmen do not deserve a leader such as i to victory victory victory victory do i eat my horse who is this demon who torments me the bears the bears even in my palace there are bears or at least one bear who is most unpleasant i shall send for a bear and more whisky but i eat my horse

**digger** · 20th July 2010, 08:05 AM

Man! that STOKER should have 'clouted' that DAMN DAMN DAMN little emperor a little harder and finished the job!

cheers
digger

**DiscoSaffa** · 20th July 2010, 09:01 AM

Originally Posted by Landy110

........Daily clouting him unconscious cannot be good for him..........

ROFLMAO!!

Can't be doing him any good, but must have been darn satisfying for Stoker.......

**hgsuzuki** · 20th July 2010, 05:37 PM

This thread is gold, DAMN GOLD I TELL YOU!!

Please more Landy110!!

**Landy110** · 20th July 2010, 06:47 PM

Damn, damn damn you all, inceasantly baying for more.

**Landy110** · 20th July 2010, 06:54 PM

Stoker's journal April 9, 1857:

O Felix, what have you done? Today I awoke with a great lump on my head, and bound hand and foot as well. Looking about the cabin, I see a bear trap beside my bed. Fortunately Felix is no better with knots than at planning expeditions, and I soon freed myself.
The Steam Waggon is gone, but it should not be hard to track. So great is its devastation that a blind man could do it. I hear the whistle blowing in the distance. As we are still in the mountains I should be able to catch him up in a matter of hours.

Huggleston's entry from that same day:

AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!! HA HA!!! AHAHAHAHA!! AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! WOO WOOOOOO!

**digger** · 21st July 2010, 01:58 AM

OK Ive done some research about this virtually indestructable vehicle that seems to have been going where no other could go...

I think Ive found a photo!

could this be it? or is this from later in this journey???

HUDDLESTONS DECENDANTS.jpg

more I say damn you more....

Originally Posted by Landy110

Damn, damn damn you all, inceasantly baying for more.

oh I mean, If,my good man you could see your way clear to facilitating the virtual forthcoming of further information about this obviously significant event, I would be most obliged and would find myself in your debt sir.....

good enough? now MORE DAMN YOU MORE!!!

**Don 130** · 21st July 2010, 09:32 AM

there are some great photos of the model and very amusing miniatures of felix and stoker to be seen here:
[ame=http://www.rccrawler.com/forum/showthread.php't=257687]1854 Huggleston Steam Waggon - RCCrawler.com Bulletin Board[/ame]

Thread: 1854 Huggleston 4WD steam wagon, great read

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