Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1850-03-08
From the Portland Advcrtiscrl
Life in the Logging Swamp.

We have Just returned, (says a porso
in the employ of Colonel c., in a let
ter from a friend in this city, dated Bangor
Jan. 9th, 1S50) from Woods Tour Of 20
miles. | expected, when left home, t
have gone TO the Waters of the st. John
but found when we arrived at Patter. ON
of us must return to Bangor for more Pro
visions and men. On my return despatch
ed four teams with Flour, Beans &c, &c
AS soon as | can hire men, | shall return
to Patter-probably on Tuesday next, will
the necessary supply. shall leave Ban
gor on Sunday, 1t is fine doing in tn,
woods this winter visited twelve of ou
camps. In each, we have fourteen mer
and five oxen. The men are fine, health,
looking fellows
The business of logging is the first stcI
in the numbering trade, and has always
been We. y important branch Of the idus
try Of Maine. Some Of our readers know
all about it. Others may have visited the
camps so as to have some idea Of that kind
of life, but many, we have no doubt, know
but little about ii.
Those who have no experimental knowl-
edge Of a life in the woods are very apt tc
look upon it as dreary and uncomfortable.
But the inmates Of the camp will tell YOU
a very different story. Suppose we look
IN upon them and sec for ourselves. Come.
then, reader with US, whoever YOU NAV be,
(ifyou are lady we have no objection, for
you will the more enjoy the new style of
house, keeping, we shall witncss.) and ride
with us 10 the camp! We will not 90 away
down east, for lady would hardly think
1t worth whlic TO 90 so far, (as Sam Weller
says about matrimony) to learn So little. -
So we will take You to some camp nearer
home. We may find it somewhat difficult
however to find, short Of long ride, GEN
uine old fashioned logging camp; for the
clearings' and settlements have SO en-
chroac he'd upon the forests. that logging
has sadly deprecated in this part Of the
State. Modern inventions and luxurics.
such as boardca camps with floors, cooking
stoves, bread as is bread &c, baked at
home by the good wife, and the habit of
running out Of the woods almost cvcly Sat
Lrday night TO SEE the wife and KISS the
babies, wash up and shave and pat ON a
clean shirt, have made sad havoc oithc DO.
ctry and romance Of old fashioned looginc.
If yon please, my good lady we will take
) Oh TO no such poor apology for camp as
that.
Here is the logging road. 1t cannot be
mistaken, for, while in the main road we
have found LIGHT footing and HEAVY tray.
cling very tatiguing TO a horse, the log
glng road is very smooth and hard
onder IS the smoke curling up from the
comp Now we hear the reverbcratino
sounds the strokes Of the axe, and the
tall giant Of the forest totters and falls.
Now we have arrived near the camp. A
sentinel dog announces our approach. III
he Is LITTLE dog, he gives first a slight
yclp, then as we draw near, such a success
'ion Of yiclping and barking as MIGHT be
to thieves and robbers but need
not tgl9hten us. As we approach still !
nearer, this picket guard will dive through ,
some hole, into the camp, his heels twick |
ling in the air as if he had turned a som.
arset. hen he will turn round. SLOWLY |
and but partially emerge from his hole. and |
continue hns yelping. We shall have hard |
work to pacify him, unless we leave the
premises or his master comes to quiet him. |
lie has not intelligence enough TO deter.
mine with certainty, whether we are
friends or enemies, nor self reliance
enough to wait calmly, observe our move
nents, and conduct himself towards us in
1 civil and proper manner. But ifthe doc |
S large and intelligent animal, we shall |
nr tUrn
vows, as we first come in sight. But
when he sees who we are, at least as soon
rs he discovers that one is lady, he as.
umes an air first Of digniied ciyility, and
hen OF cordial welcome--as if he was
heartily glad to see little company land
lady too y to relieve the monotonv of his
lie IN the woods. He ushcrs us into tbe
lamp not with a flourish of Humpets like 4
hat which prefaCed the receptions at cas-.
les in ancient days, but with a flourish of
AZ quite as appropriate and far more sig-
llflcant oftrue cordiality. There is vast
Inference in the characters of dogs as well
IS men.
The camp is made of logs, so notchod and
Matched at the ends as to bring the lors close
ogether the whole length. A little mortar and {
moss have closed up all the remaining crcvices.
nd good bank of earth around the bottoms. I
ompletes the work and makes all snug and {
The fire is in the centre of the
amp. AS it now is the middle of the afternoon, {
he fire is not burning very briskly.-But there t
capital chance for q fire, and plenty of Goals
start it,-and when it is once started, it has i
othng to do but burn. II is not fctterod or
onfined by the rules of chimnies or stove fun /
els. he smoke goes straight up to the skies q
bove through a spacious aperture, without I
ny crooked windings. The draft is not al {
Ways the best, but with the aid of few Leards
r cclaPboards, stuck round the edges of tho
vide aperture, il is rendered loerabe No
nan can endure smoky house and scold- \
ng wife (no allusion TO you madam) boh at tire 4
anne time. Bat little smoke in the camn. S
'here there is no woman 10 make fuss about G
= Is not much minded, On ore portion of the c
oals and embers is large kettle of leans. S
FLat beautiful great nice piece OF corn fed S
ork IN 1t. The man has forgotten to cover
hem over, and few Goals and cindcrs are
pread over the top--bul the most of them can I
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