Daily Republican., 1879-09-06
HUNTING CAMP GROUNDS.
4 Rum to SOuthw w0Od-ExplOr1nG
the FoRost-A Mungry Party
Food and Rest Fennd ~ Ferasor
Browns Unsueo oossful Results.

AuSu, As0Vs NAL AsOUAAoVAS NOVs - ~
and Mr.. Biggs, of New Cas-
tie, Rsv. J. D. Rigg and DR.. Booth, Of
Newport, Rev. J. Sheppard, Isaac
Woodrow and s. Herssy.
Armed with a huge watermelon sup
piled by the providence ofMr. Woodrow,
and by sundry baskets and bundles
by two or three others, thu
party left on the 1880 train and after
a delightful ride up the turtuous Red
Clay Creek to the snuff mills, and from
thence across the back bone Of the ooun
try through Kaolin at Hockessin,
Southwood is reached at noon. A
couple Of hundred rods below, the party
was let out at the edge of huge 70
mantle forest lying undisturbed in its
pr, mitive beauty where in earlier days
wild beasts roamsd At freedom and the
aboriginss woke up the denizsns Of the
fsrsst with their whoop and war dance.
DR.. Caldwell, Dr.. Booth and Mrs.
Sanderson not growing faint hearted at
the thought Of redskins and wolves,
but being firmly impressed with the
idea that their presence was demanded
on important business at home, came
back on the rsturning train at l2.45 P.
M, reducing the remainder Of the COM
pany to twelve, just the number sent
out once before to spy out the land
across certain river (Jerdan we think }
and To bring hack repOrt,
Going down q steep bank from the
railroad, crossing fence and passing
up path embowered in rustic beauty,
the party with Mr.. Woodrow and his
watermelon in the lead followed a ra-
vine which led to the centre of the
dense forest.
Here a lovely spot for camp meet
ing was decided upon high and dry
with just the right pitch Of grade, suf.
fency of shade and capital drainage,
where the longest avenue Of tents
would fail to reach the edge of the for
est, and there were grand springs Of
water. Here was place just suited
for the preachers stand; and here was
another and still another for large
meeting tents and some even of the
company chose locations for their tents,
provided that it agreed with the au.
thorities. Yes, this was just the spot.
The three Revs. Riggs, Robinson, ,Ridg-
way tested the acoustic qualities of the
place, inthe voices echoing and reechO
ingaway off carried from underbrush to
tree top, without as much as bringing
back the answering WINNER Of sleepy
screech owl.
II was soon found out however that
amongst this party of twelve there were
some foolish virgins who had brought
no oil with them in their lamps. San
derson looked smilingly into his little
basket. Sentman kept his cabba we'll in
hand, and If Sheppard had two small
fishes, he kept them we'll concealed un-
der severa wraps of shawl straps that
made cons derable of a show, but in
these days Of spiritual degeneracy there
was not one who would attempt to
multiply Sheppard's sandwiches, and
the contents of Sentman's cabba and
Sanderson's basket.
There was nothing left for the impovi:
dent nine to fall backon but Wood
rows watermelon and the twitching of
nine stomachs reminded nine Of these
Woodland pioneers that more than a
watermelon would be required to ap-
pease the cravings in nine empty
stomachs. Something had to be done.
A council was called and Wilson and
Hsrsey were appointed foraging com
mittee to go out and explore the goodly
land beyond the forest where sundry
thrifty looking farm houses jauntily
sat upon the hills. Striking bee line
for the open country the committe, af-
tor traversing ravines Jumping over
brooks, ,leaping fences, crawling through
hedges and ::crossing railroad tracks,
found themselves III front of the man
sion farm house of friend Evan Brown:
where the latch string still hung on
the outside, (some of lis had been there
before.)
Met by the winning smile of Mrs,
Brown, who in her scrupulously neat
brown Quaker dress, white cap and
white pinafore, though pressing three
score and ten, looked prettier than the
founced and powdered belle OF Is or 20,
We were ushered in cool comfortable
parlor and invited to seats. Our er-
rand was soon told and our inquest met
with no denial. Three o'clock was the
hour fixed. Friend Evan found time to
leave the dusty precincts. of his oat
threshsr few minutes to bid US well
come. Armed with such welcome in
telligence and lsavning our companion
Mr.. Wilson, still suffering from a recent
illness behind to enjoy the comforts of
Friend Browns parlor and books, We
fastened back to inform our hingry
of our success.
Our call as we returned was answer
ed by the ten left behind in the depths
Of the forest, and soon we were with
Them again, and right glad were they
to hear the good news.
Having an hour and half more time
10 spare an exploration OF the woods
was commenced. Another and still
another splendid site for camp meet.
ing was discovered. Woodrow's water
melon was d. molished in quick time,
a knife having been found in the COM
pany to cut it open. The semi.circu-
lar hunks reached from ear to ear, and
Rigg, Robinson and Ridgway, led the
way in scooping in the juicy jelly with
extended in the vain effort to
Another half hour wandering brought
the party through by paths, through
uuderlimbs that had to be pushed aside,
down hill and up and across ravines,
to Gull mushrooms and rare
fungi that grew in abundance, out into
the open day light once more BY the
edge Of q oornfela, Leaving here our
friend ssndsrson 80 intent on pushing
forward to tho rich treat that had been
,-gU nF ~Fg .gH