The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-07-02
THE CAMP OF THE WOMEN.
AN EXCURSION FROM SANTA BAR
BARA TO GAVfOrA PASS.
Five Independent \ ouns American Women
Camping Out IN Sosthern Caiifernia-A
Pleasant Outlook California Birds.

Fross the Cowisi. Journal
CAMP CONTENT, May 16-Kate Bronson
Is native Of New York. She has deep-olne
ewes, black hair. and a most exqdisiteIy fair
mplexiop. Sne Is a fine musician and de-
won't Presbyterian-one Of those sweet, unselhsh
girls VINO have not bit OF originality, never
have been known to make witty speech. but
who are beloved bv every one, and TO whon
people turn for help aid comfort instinotively
when trouble overt ,kes or death bercaves them.
Aboie Halls Il n native Of Massachusetts,. She
IL a brunette. slender and wirv 10 form, quick
aud nervous Ia motions, decided and sensitle
In ner opinions, anectiona'e In he 1T, and de-
monsiraiiv In manner. As the" Hoosier school
a Christian" she Is also a poetess' botsnist,
Ipinersloeist, nehologist, and taxidermist.
Lizzie X. Pc shing u IA native ~ Pennsylvant'.
prettiest hand and foot IN California. She Is a
brilliant writer, Hne elocutionst, IL blessed will,
a dry, droll manner, aud has conundrum or
story for every occasion. she Is a Msthodist,
and schoiar. You already know her by her pet
San Louie Anderson Ia a native Of Ohio. She
has golden iir, blue eyes, dark eveiashes and
eyebrows, slender form, fascinatint manners,
areumen tAtivs turn OF mind. The languages
and bones are her speoialties. She csn say more
sad n sss y bsr f@y oas ~
that nickname having been given her a. Ann
Arbor.
As even the Oldest Inhabitants had never
heard OF hve ladies' starting alone ON camping
tour, and as the men shook their ads and the
old ladies' held up their hands IN horror when
the subject was suggested, 1t VIA thought by
the young ladies' to be worth u trial. Three
young professors of Santa barbara College hint
ed at dangers, ana suggested " an escort was
desired they would he happy, sc. 1; but the
girls held meeting in our parlor, and while
agreeing that the professors were nice young
men, and the m ost agreeable gentlemen In ints
Barbara, they preferred to take this camping
We hired a quiet, gray haired tssmster, who
furnished his help. wagon, and mules for Is a
day. We borrowed a tent ana packed two bar
rels with provisions, took four blankets and a
pillow tat wnoh old oam pers laugh) apiece,
bottle OF wbiskey for snake bites, and fishing
tackle, gun and rifle and, dressed In the oldest
Saturday morning for the celebrated Gaviota
Pass. AT noon the tablecloth IA spread under
After lunon we pack everything hurriedlv into
the barrel again, and then, wrapped In our
noatiDg clouds and dancing leaves. Mr.. Bishop
sits at a distance on a boulder, smoking MS
pipe coDtentedly. Peace broods over US. and
our hrst hating place we christen Camp Con
tent.
THE CAMP.
CAMPUS MuLIKRUN, SATURDAY. Evening, 10
oclOck.-You notice we have brancned out into
the classics. In plain English our camp 10
termed " The Camp of the Women" and we
have 40 few living Latin friends see no use In
putting It In tn It langu ige. We got here after
dark, our sinRletree having broken, and the
ropes with which II was repaired not being
strong enough to bear the weight OF the whole
progress slow, but after dark we reached a
fne ground In sight OF the ocesn, shaded by
8, NJ.
soon have n rousing camp fire. and while we get
supper MIR. Bisnop pitches our tent. make the
coffee good and strong. l am writing by tue
freight, sitting 10 my tent door. 10 has long
pole and Is Jumping by Its aid over the nre
Percy ~ wrapped IN carriage robe OF white aud
red, and standing by the fre with ner hair hang
ing in two long braids down her oacK. Kate aud
Abbie are unpaoking things from the wagon.
Outside the oak trees shadow, the moonlight
floods the scene, showing us blosso ms ali about,
and the towering mount iins near by. We see
moving things 10 tue bushes. and already hear
the coyotes bowling In the distance, but We are
very brave. OF course. Az last 4 sA'. Come,
girls, rs time 10 turn In" Kate brings ner 1T
ne BIBLE from the tent. and, stat, standing BY the
In hymn, ana think Gods angels are not far
away when la the forssts OF C-liforuia our girls
his evening leave three OF the party asleep
In the teut, and the other one sits under tree
cleaning her guns. wander alone down the
grassy ravine tnat leads to the ocean. What
more nttins place shall l mud to spend
the closing hours of sabbath day.
50 beautiful. Back of me, In IA gIeen hollow,
our tent stands under giant oak. and back Of
that mountain rises, and back OF that otner
mountains lift their heads. On either hand
see flower decked hills: aud the little brook
that cnatters over tue stones has folio we'd after
me, and run with Its noisy story down to the
sea. Before me the great Pacific rolls her cease
loss song. Fitting over ner blue waves the tiny
sail-boats hover and snowy-bieasted gulis are
rocked.
At camp l fad them all busy. 10 has Just
brought IN some quail. and the work OF cleaning
them Is no easy matter; but whom the evening
shadows gather in the glen we are all seated
around big bed OF oak Goals, each one OF Us
holding slender stick, ave feet In length, on
which quail are strung, aud when the birds turn
brown and the juice begins to bubble through
the tender skin, we exclaim wildly, VINO says
can't broil quailY" And 10 again finishes
tue mocking strain, " Yes, who says III Who
says women cant eat auail2 Show me VINO says
It," And We all flourish the quail above our
heads and shout.
time Tor the past two days h as been so occupied
that l have neglected writing. The county
through which we have passed has been piano.
rama of lovely views. Up hill aud down contin-
uslly; ron Que wooded canon over n h Oh ele-
walton and down into another wooded canon, In
the bottom Of which a stream has always to be
fordod. We have scarcely been out OF sight OF
tue ocean during the whole trip. Yesterday was
Percy's brthd ~, and we got up grand dinner
for her, and drank her health In Jainaic ginger.
She bad received eight letters from her home
and friends before leaving Santa Barbara,
marked Not to be opened until the ttn.' she
brought them with her, and yesterday morning
we gathered around her To see what the birth
day Iettsrs contained. They are loving home
letters from the father and mother, from whom
she has been parted Two years. They hope In a
few weeks To see her at home again, entirely
cured Of the rheumatism, for the relief OF which
she came to this climate. IL they could look at
her now, during this trp-sleeping ON the bare
ground, tramping around Ia the dewy grass, sit
ting bareheaded by the camp IRE until twelve
O'Clock at night, getting her feet soaking wet on
the beach-tney would not recognize their lava
lid daughter.
COLLECTION OF birds.
Our camp tonight looks like regular trap
pers den, Apoie Is making collection Of the
wild birds OF California. 10 shoots them, we all
help skin them, and for pay A0oie has offered TO
stun duplicates Of some of her birds for US. We
have now drying on our tent one pelican, two
sehgulls, one road runner, two orioles, two
doves, six quail, six black birds (red, yellow,
white, and black winged, one snipe, two blue
birds four red breasted grosDeaks, eight wood
peckers, three linnets, one room. one ruby
crested humming bird. Forty-two birds In
forty-eght hours. have always supposed II to
he a very delicate and tedious task to prepare
birds for stunug, but under AObie's tuition we
have succeeded admirably. As soon as tue bird
run a string through the nostrils, and hang tue
bird up by the mead for twelve nour,, until the
feathers are set. Then an incision Is made in
breast with a penknife, the skin drawn hack
carefully from the breast to the knee Joints
which are severed by the knife, the wing joints
are broken In tho same manner, then the skin Ia
pulled over the head to the eyes, which are sep
ardted by tho point OF n hair-pin. and a few
strokes OF the penknlfe around the beak com
pletes the work, ana the body drops from the
feathered epidermis AS neat and smooth as al
petTs, and arsenic are sprlnkled on the birdskin
and after being exposed TO the air a few hours
II Is ready to PACK, and can be set up or mounted
years hence. Ii may seem to persons, AS II did
To me few weeks since, To be heartless ano
unwOmanly thing TO DO able TO tear the deal
little songsters to pieces, and that II required
nerve TO do II. Hut any woman who has nervt
to sclld and pull the feathers out of u dead
| chickens breast can skin bird.