The daily gazette., 1879-06-17
Making Shingles I'm the Dismal
D swamp.

As we plunged deeper into the swamp
the trees increased in size. Here and
there black pool Of water lay cleaning
sullenly, hiding, as it were among a
thick growth of rank ferns and veno-
inous-looking flowers. Vine-covered cy-
presses rose high aloft, the inevitable
streamers of gray moss hanging motion
lessly pendent. The noise of the shingle-
cutters sounded ever more clearly, like
the rapping of gigantic woodpecker-
"tap, tap, tap; tap, tap, tap"-as they
chopped out the shingles, the sound of
the invisible workmen and an occasional
burst of laughter echoing mysteriously
in the gloomy and otherwise unbroken
solitude; and so we came upon the shin
| gle centre.
The workmen had just excavated a
a log, the butt or root part within few
inches of the surface Of the ground, the
stem at the farther end some two or
three feet below. At about twenty feet
distant from the butt young man was
busy saving through the log. His cheeks
were hollow, his features angular, gen.
eral cadaverous look betokening chill,and
fever. The saw had handle only at
one end, like the instrument used for
cutting ice. The sharp end struck deep
ly into the ground at every movement,
but was not dulled, because of the en-
| tire freedom from the grit of the soil,
composed as 1t is of decayed bark and
vegetation.
We watched with interest, taking a
sketch in the mean time, until the log
was sawed through. 1t now made sec
ton about twenty feet long, and compari-
lively easy to handle. The gang, composed
of half a dozen hands, now set to work
to raise 1t from its restlng-place, with
long levers of stout saplings, the process
accompanied by many grunts and oaths.
1t was picturesque sight-the men in
their red and blue shirts straining and
tugging at the giant log that lay in its
long grave-like cavity. AT length it
starts at one end with sucking noise as
it leaves its oozy bed, Its gradually raised
to to the surface, and finally rolled bodi-
ly out of its excavation to the fresh air,
where it lies like some newly disinterred
antediluvian monster, huge, black, and
Shiny.
GA purity good log" says one of the
meD,as he draws the sleeve of hi s red shirt
across his sweatbeaded brow.
When the log is thus finally raised it is
sawed into sections each about two feet
in length these are then split down to
the requisite thickness for shingles. The
logs are first discovered by means of a
sharp ir6n stake, which is thrust into the
ground wherever slight mound-like ele-
vation betokens the probable presence of
log or logs beneath. 1fthe point ofthe
stake strikes the hard surface of wood In
stead of sinking easily in the morass, the
soil is cleared away, and square foot of
the stump exposed. The practiced eye
of the shingle man can tell at once
whether the log is useful, the requisites
for use being straight grain throughout,
with no knots, soundness and no decay,
If sound, good log, it is then uncovered
sawed through, and raised.
When the log was completely raised,
our guide resumed his work, splitting the
sawed sections up into shingles. Taking
seat on one of the dryest of the fallen
logs, he took large "chunk" upright be-
tween his knees. He used broad knife
blade, with long wooden handle, which
he placed on the log, driving it into it
with heavy hardwood mallet such as
is used by sculptors and stone-carvers.
At little distance from him a shaggy
looking fellow with red shirt and patched
trousers was sitting at shingle horse,
shaving the split stabs of wood smooth
and tapering. Beside him lay pile of
clean, crisp-looking shavings, emitting
that odor peculiar to well-seasoned cy-
press. The horse used is the ordinary
cooper's horse, and needs no special de-
scription. From this point the shingles
are carried to the roadside, to be handy
for transport rtation.-HowARD PYLE, II
Harper's Magazane for July.