New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-07-01
HOW WE LIVE.

IrRoM A STAFF CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUNE
BAYONET CAMP, June 10.
We had been in camp few days when Albert
Durer rode over from Santa Barbara to join u.s.
with his blankets and sketch book strapped to his
saddle Our settlement by this time was pretty
well ordered facing two sides of the open green
which we call the Plaza On The east side, Dnrer
the guide and the Doctor lie in row. each under
his own tree. They desplse tents. The Doctor
sleeps on a cot the sacking OF which we brought
with us. while the frame was made on the spo''
The beds Of his two beiehbors are OF Wiiio"
branches and piece of mosquito netting Just covers
the face On the north side are two wall tents
ten. feet by twelve, occupied by Ferguson. Cadmus
and Diana. They have cot beds. and Cadmus anu
Diana have thin mattresses besides. as wei as
covering of brght-colored ticking for the floor.
These tents at opposite ends OF the row. DO
tween them All Hing has a small A-tent, near MS
Kitchen and the establishment is completed by
dining DOM which consists of a rustic table covered
with enameled cloth and protected by cotton
awning; above 1t spreads largo willow whose
trunk hited up with shelves and pegs. answers ior
u side board. The kitchen is furnished WIN
capital little stove of shcetron three feet long,
eighteen inches high and eighteen inches wide. with
O pipe which telescopes and packs inside There Is
an open fire moreover for the kettle and the broier
and Dutch for baking
By the first hint OF dawn the sportsmtn are astir;
and as the lazy Others lie looking pnt OF their open
tents-for
"a strange drowsness possesses them;
1t IL the quality of the climate -
they watch the dark forms creeping to the milk
pitcher for a morning draught. and then stealing
silently into the bush with their rods, OF climbing
the steep hill with shotgun aud rifle. Durer and
the Doctor can aways7be depended upon fora
good string of trout; and Ferguson, who mas
slipped naturally into the Office OF dairy-mald gives
ms every day an abundance of thick cream With
oatmeal porridge and cream. trout Just IRON 'he
brook. good fresh bread and biscuit. aud excellent
co,ee-vith bright sun Illuminating the tower
ing hills and cool shadows lying all over the valley
camp and the fragrant morning
Full of noises,
Sounds and sweet that give delight and hurt not
orr breakfast is feast fit tor kings Inc horses,
which grow very friendly in the intimacy OF this
woodland life. require our care for while IN the
forenoon: there is always some work to be done
about camp; and luuch-tme is upon us before we
are aware. We lie IN the shade during the after
moor heats we read aud we write letters; Fer.
guson and Durec take out their sketch books; the
men battle In the brook tie horses are saddod Tor
"a ride up the branching canon and at u we are
served with luxurious dinner. in the preparation
of which All Hing takes mighty pride lilo has
a happy knacK in soups. refined yet sumptuous
taste in savory sews, and true genius for bronng
Shall we ever forget the game pie which he brought
to the table one evening in the Dntch oven when
had baked III half dozen Jender quails. a half
dozen delicious Wild pigeons, a havorlng OF man,
dine proportiou of potatoes wealth OF noble gravy
and a perfect crust-these were the features 81 the
great dish whose memory baapts us. "Oh. that
pie ~ is the daily exclamation; there can never
bo Al eh another SO far wo have had fresh beef
and mutton from Nordhoff: but we like much
bett-r the provisions we furnish from our per-
manent stores or capture near the.camp We have
learned the secret of making nectar. soper has
brought us fresh honey from his ranch, and We NIX
il with cream Tor dessert. )ove certainly never
tasted anything better.
| The Yucca, or Spanish bayonet. from which we
have named our camp. is one of the most imposing
flowers in the world. The plant itself is bunch OF
bayonet-like leaves stiff and sharp enough to In
lict painful wound and a foot or foot and balf
in length growing close to the ground Out of this
cluster the single hower-stalk rises to a height of
about fifteen feet. The flowers cream white,
about two and q half inches in diameter pendulous
| ON delicate stems in horizontal racemes which
spring from the stalk in lengths so regularly grad
uated that the mass of blossoms presents the APP
| pearance of gigantic white oval, about six feet
| long and two feet wide In tho middle tapeIing
gracefully above and below. The specimen erected
| IN our Plaza when named thu camp has seventy
racemes each containing from ten to thirty flowers
This gives about 200 OF 100 blossoms for each
| stalk: and they she'd heavy, hy-like porfumo
| whose strength ~ commensurate with their grand
pYoportions These stately plants seem to be climb
ING the PERCEPTIONS mountains, and standing like
seutrss on the crest of the ridge am afraid it will
seem prosaic if add that the fuca Is good to eat
| Albert Durcr brought in the top OF young one
which had not vet burst into flower 1t locked ike
a stalk of asparagus four feet long and as thick
| a mans wrist The tender top. cut in pieces and
| stewed with cream sauce made pleasant addi-
ton 70 our dinner. 1t tasted something like satisfy
| and something like srtchoke; and good deal
| like Yuca. believe that IT is favorite dish with
/ Spanish Californians.
soper went away last week TO Look after his bees
alttle and lett Harvey in his place. Harvey is an
English sailor, having been carpenter on board
war. and he presents one Of the oldest COM
poupds OF Bill Bobstay and Leatherstocking which
! IL ia possbe TO imagine. There is nothing he can
| not do with ropes anu hatchots; and he is never
no happy rs when he is climbing ridge after ridge OF
trlckcss mountain, with rifle on MS shoulder.
deer in remote prospect and nothing to eat since
Yesterday. He generally starts just before neal
time: and nobody has the least idea 6when he will
cums back. must confess that his luck so far has
not bean proportionate with his zeal but We are
still too near civilization for venison. Besides
tho close season for deer lacks q few days Of its
end, and perhaps the deer respect the law. Harvey
and Durer and the Doctor mounted their horses the
otber evening and rode some miles mp rough ra-
vine which leads toward the heart of tho mountains
above us. They tstheEsd their animals when 1T
was too dark to penetrate further, spread their
blankets In front Of q blazing fire, and slept there
till 4 in the morning Harvey as might DO ex-
pectod of q sailor turned woodman. developed
great talent for yarns. and entertained his coapan
ions till late at night with stories OF the sea and
thu forest I was particularly pleased with an