Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1860-04-12

well.started, full. blown fire in the pine wood''-
The people in the north west and south west,
from tho Mississippi to the Rocky Mountains,
have seen the prairieson irs-a fearful andsub-
lime spectacle, they tell u.s. Alabama and else
where have had their cane brakes roaring and
cracking with furions heat and curling smoke;
and the chesnut gatherers in the mountains have
furnished the dWellers on the plain with splendid
and picturesque night views; but all this will
not suffice to give you, and your readers, an ad-
squste idea Of the origin, nature, objects and
results of the burning Of the pine barrens Of
lower Carolina. ..
1 am fearful shall fail in doing justice to 80
inspiring q theme. I am unwilling to mar
subject 80 we'll calculated to enlist and employ
talent of high artistic and economic grsde-yet
having sdventured thus far, / will not retreat;
but disclaiming any purpose Of exhausting the
subject, and beseeching the lenient and charita-
BILE attention OF your numerous and respectable
readers, will Discourse Of frein the pine vOodsi
More than uinetsen.t .twentisths Of the area Of
the low cosarry is openpine 6arren-there being
scarcely any underground; and the land being,
Tor the mosspart, leyel and moist, and the climate
genial, there is o good, not to say abundant,
growth of grass, much Of which is untouched
by the stock, and remains in the winter as stub
ole. Add to this the pine straw and burrs, which
sre very combustible and which also lie thick on
the ground then the pine knots, more combus-
ribls still; then logs Of, lightwood, siretehing
over all the land; then staudipg dead timber;
then the bruised or hacked live pines, exuding
from seams or chaps, streams and splotches cf
pine gum, dry, rich and ready to blaze; thenthe
Try bark; and add TO- these conditions, . dry
.pell in March with the wind oareering and roai-
iug through the open and stately forests Of pine
timber, and you have the happiest concurrence
sf elements Of fast fierce and furious buruing
that could be desired by any malevolent genius
Of destruction. More than half Of the region
through which Ipass monthly, has been burned
If within the last six monthsrsome BY accident
and some, Of set purpose. Some desire the bar
rens to be burned for the sake Of the range for
cattle-thus giving the fresh crop Of grass
tstter chance. Some burn tho woods about them
in order to procure assured safety tor tner
fences and dwellings. A negro told me that
de bun de woods to kill de snake and de skeeta
(musquito).' Caf6es speaks for himself The
former reptile is in the way bis night waking;
the latter insect binders his achieremen's In the
noddiDg and sleeping line).
An up-country man will be for time at aloss
to understand the work going ON In patsids fsnee
corners, In the, winter and early spring. The
object is TO keep Of the fire; all churchesand
outbuidngs are carefully raked round as pro-
lection from the all devouriug flames. SO much
for general information as to dangers and pre-
cautions, evils and beae6tsl NV rs4a s&FF
But what Of the pine woods on fire Well
will describe one BY which r was surrounded,
and with which ] became intimate, and can,
therefore, describe from personal observation at
the time. Returning home on Sunday. p m.
early in March-wben mile or two from my
house, / found the smoke filling thewoods before
me, and rising into the upperheayens. Iqnick-
eued my speed, Of course. found no one pass
ing; this increased my anxiety, as all the force
At my place, if at home, yere up-country folks,
and had no experience In managing forest fre'
on such a scale but fortunately / found ell
safe. he'runuing lines OF dame had been ar.
rested at the public road just beyond me. The
FIRE was discovered about noon, learned, 10 the
direction Of the river; and the neighbt rs turned
"ut, en- nasse, to fgdt Jsre-and right erAyetS did
they carry on the not ana variable so-n'ct. @fhe
battle ragged Tor hall oay owes On estent OF
country about z miles oy"' ana es night snere
was the appearance OF truce;e II noLa compiete
victory, there was Q, lusi. oae OF the grand
maneuvres at the outset, atfer scanning the:di-
rection Of, the.wind and bearings OF the adsan-
cling columns Of smoke and q ftme, Is, array f-e
against fire. They set out fire against y, and
hen follow up their advantage by ketPing
burned space in the rear, on which thsts ~ no
;ombus'ible material and ouer which through
SCOT and smoke they may retreat irom hos ar II
not from something worse. You see'ia this item
how that. II the WIND IS noe TOO maea against
'hem, Greek meeting Greek puts a. az eng to tle
strife; but then, often, these dead pinss on hrs'
with wind to help, s'stters tue SPARKS aai p sces
II dry sapwood' anu deieats s inc oe't en- eaSo ..
Or sometimes hts'e necx nee OF Ian Is ieft - I'M
hurued. and the persistent anu unS'eiains- 2 my
'reaks through tue oa'"a'A aod es's y .h'
Ind then look out Tor Fences aud oasi i'inst' ana
10 your hrst work over ags'nl Tn's nfe VAS
however, quelled for the time that same night;
but on the morrow the dead timber was sill
burning-ftrees had been falling all mighty and
the neghbors above and arc around na me, thought We
had better haisn the ournins ana % saie. |