The Georgetown news., 1856-01-03
The Wood Chopper.

The wood-yards on the Mississippi are
sometimes of a size corresponding with the
magnitude Of their surroundings. We have
seen twenty thousand cords of wood in one
pile the value of which as it lay upon the
ground was seventy thousand dollars. We
can hardly comprehend what must be the
aggregate amount of all the fuel consumed
in one year upon the Western waters-
These large yards, however, result from q
combination Of capital and enterprise, and
are exceptions rather than characteristics
1t is quite a relief to the traveller, after
many days confinement, to get out at one
OF these temporary hnding-places, and if
the chief wood-chOpper be at leisure, much
valuable information is often obtained 1t
IS singular fact, that when a steamer halls
a woodward, no direct answer to any ques-
tlon IS ever obtained. We believe there
has been no exception to this rule even in
the memory OF the oldest steamboat captain
or the river. The steamer is desirous of
getting ash wood provided it is seasoned
The captain, as his boat approaches the
Shore places his hands to his mouth. and
forming them into tube calls out,
What kind of wood is that?' The reply
comes back,
Cord wood
The captain, still in pursuit of informa-
! tiOn under difficulties, and desirous of learn
ing if the fuel be dry and fit for his purpose,
bawls out,
How long has it been cut?'
-Four feet, is the prompt response.
The captain, exceedingly vexed, next in
quires, What do you sell it for?'
Cash. returns the chopper, replacing the
corn-cob pipe in his mouth, and smiling be-
nignly 'on his pile
WOod-yards are apparently infested with
mosquitoes-dpparentiy infested. Such is
the impression Of all accidental sojoumers;
but it is strange delusion, for though one
may thiuk that they ill the air, infame the
face and hands, and if the Arkansas spe-
cies, penetrate the flesh through the thickest
boots, still upon inquiring of any permanent
resident if mosquitoes are numerous, the in
variable answer is,
Mosquitoes not about here; but a
little way down the river they are awful
) thar they torment alligators to death, and
sting mules right through their hoofs.'
| Squire Blaze was model wood-chopper.
: He settled at low water at place so in
: tested with 'snags' that the fat-boatmen
: christened it the Devils Promenade 1t
: lies at the mouth of Dead Mans Bend
! just at the foot Of 'GOuge-yOur-eye-out Isl
and Here he prospected' woodward,
| and soon after, exchanged some of his dry
} goods for whisky and tin cups; and then,
for the accommodation Of travellers, he con-
nected grocery to his other occupation.
! His early life had been 'divarsifed,' and he
gave some Of the principal incidents with
great Zest.
Having served for long time as first
mate on raft, he grew ambitious for high
: er distinction. By one of those magical
: elevations SO peculiar to a new country, he
! got possession of a 'starn-wheeler,' and en-
: tered the 'pine-knot business, the pursuit of
which took him so high up Red River, that
: he says 'he got sometimes clean out of the
way of taxes His pride was to be called
'captain;' his ambition, to run a race. Cir
cumStances occurred that brought about the
: Wished-for consummation. We give the
: particulars in his own words:
4 was coming down Little Crooked
/ with full head of steam on, when | over
r tuck the Squatter Belle, loaded like myself,
r with pine-knOts, and bound for the MassiS-
=. sipp The race was excitin', a perfect
scrouger-the steam yelled and the hands
5 swore; you'd although the whole univarse
! was poundin sheet-iron. Twas no use-I
y was always a misfortunate man: the Fairy
Queens ingin THAT was my boat had light
D weights on the safety-valye, and the furna-
ces got chobed with rosin. The Squatter
Belle was getting ahead; twice l raised my
rifle to shoot her pilOt-for you see | didn't
like to get beat, when | smelt something
uarn, and the next knew l was lodged in
the limbs of dead cypress, thirty-two feet
six inches from the ground. This was the
proudest moment of my life. l arterward
cot limner to draw the scene, and when
the picter was finished, l chopped ont a
frame for it myself What grieves me-
continued Squire Blaze, with unusual feel
ing, what grieves me is, that my title of
captain didn't stick, and I've been called
squire ever since.
Sadness overspread Squire Blazes coun-
tenance for moment, as he referred to the
unpleasant circumstance of losing his we'll
earned title Of Captain but lighting his
pipe, with resignation visible upon his in
telligent features, he concluded
But the wood-choppin business amt SO
bad, though; and if it wasn't for the freshe8'
overfowing the 'dryest location and the
best landing on the river and the low wa
ter keeping the steamboats, off, I'd have
nothing, bless God, to complain of, so long
as hog meat is plentiful, and whisky keeps
at a price whar poor man has a cnaiice'