The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1862-08-11
COMMUNICATIONS.
From our Regular Correspondent
Letter from the Backwoods of Maine.
No. S-From Kineo to Kntdhdin.

No. S--From Kineo to Kutdhdin.
DEAR PRESS A Maine lumber camp is
truly, unique structure. know of no style
of building resembling it in any degree, except
the log cabin of the West, and, from this, it es-
sentialy differs. The winter logging-camp is
usually located upon the bank of stream near
the scene ofthe numbering operations and, as
natural consequence, the approach to it in
the summer or autumn is through a swamp
We found such an avenue of approach to the
camp on the East branch formerly used by
VIM. Johnston of Bangor. The canoes could
be brought to within an half-miIe Of the camp
and from that point we were compelled to
walk or wade through marsh of uncertain
depth.
Around the camp there is an oppressive
odor Of sawmill and wet slabs. Mouldy chips
are scattered about in all directions and among
the chips are bits of broken harness, old snow
shoes and damaged axes. Everything outside
the hut looks as If party Of foragers had found
this place In one of their expeditions and had
determined to leave all moveables In the most
absurd places. Old pork-casks are placed on
the top Of the roof in an artistic manner, while
the chimney of logs is surmounted by a large
pair of broken moose-horns.
There are three buildings-one for the lum-
bermen themselves, one for the cattle, and the
smallest one is for storing provision and hay.
We have time to notice, particularly, only the
first This Is constructed wholly of logs and
"splints" or @splits" made Of cedar for lining
portions of the interior. The door by which
one enters, is hardly large enough for flour
barrel to be carried through, and We are OBJ
liged to stoop very low as we go in. The floor
is the ground.
In the centre Of this is a square platform of
fiat stones upon which the FIRE is built, the
smoke finding Its way out ofthe large hole in
the roof as it best can. On either side of this
fiat hearth, and placed as near the side of the
building as can be, Is a bed of boughs, extend
ing the whole or nearly the whole length of
the camp. At the farther end is deep but
small cellar, called, in the vernacular, "pota-
toe hole" and in this the vegetables are kept
from freezing during the long winter months.
Rreaching beyond this "potatoe hole in both
directions is table of stout, hewed planks
supported by large cedar posts. This is the
furnishing Of the lunberman's camp and there
is no upholstery indicating efIeminacy in it or
any part oft The only piece of furniture be-
sides the table is the "Deacon's Seat" and this
cannot be truthfully called an article of luxu-
ry; in fact it is the reverse. 1t is long bench
of the hardest pine, running from the table to
the door on each side of the fire. How it ever
got Its name of "Deacons Seat, it is almost
impossible to conjecture. have heard one
man explain it in this way,-when most of the
crew are lying in the beds at evening, playing
cards or telling stories by the freight, the So
ber silent ones sit on this bench to avoid inter-
fering with the fun in which they do not feel
like participating, and to also avoid telling
their story in turn. Perhaps the majority OF
the crew have invented this bench as an in
strument Of torture for those who will not Join
in their sport. Among those who have al
ways had so much "esprit de corps" as lumber
men have shown, it would not be strange il
they looked with some disdain and even dis
like upon those who refuse to unite in the ioy-
iality of camp recreation.
When the camp is abandoned in spring, the
provisions remaining are deposited in the po-
tatoe-hole, and by common consent of all
woodsmen are to be used by hunters and ex-
plorers only in cases of necessity. On more
than one occasion we have been Obliged to ex-
anime such cellars in order to find food when,
by some mischance, we were unable to reach
the main party before our own provisions gave
out; and never have we, in cases of real nec-
essity, been disappointed in finding something
of which hungry people could make tolera,
BILE meal
Back of this Camp of Johnston's is singu
lar pile of mountains which present from diff
ferent points such difiere mt appearances that
they can be recognized only with difficulty
And to one ascending or descending the east
branch of the Penobscot, the main mountain
seems to pass along almost by your side. From
tn singular effect which it produces, it has
been named by the lumbermen, "The Travel
ler." From its summit beautiful view of thu
Lake Matagamon can be obtained. The Lake
is partially hidden by the projecting spur O
the mountain described in former communi
cation. This partial eclipse of the lake gives
to the scene very picturesque appearance
and reminds one very forcibly of the mountain