The Middlebury register and Addison County journal. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1883-1885, 1883-02-02
A CALIFORNIA LOGGING CAMP.
Life Among the Redwood Trees fthe Pacific
Const Range Region.

Const Range Region.
The following graphic extract is from
an article by Ernest Ingersoll. on "a
Redwood Logging Camp" in Harper s
MdgaziRe:
1t is curious social life existing in
these forest communities, the member
ship of which is constantly changing,
and whose scene is annually shifted.
AT this camp there were only two fam
lilies, but they had nothing to do with
the housing or feeding of the sixty or
more men (half Chinese who messed
by themselves, and slept in slab shan
ties near by, the Cinnamon having a
group of well-mottoed houses to them
selves.
John Chinaman is in force here, as
everywhere, for all help-work. His
slight, wiry frame, with its shoulder
under the lever, shows as much tough
strength as that of his burly white
neighbor, and he grinds all day at the
feed cutter, or totes kegs of water, bal
anced across his neck, up and down the
rough declivities from morning till
night, without seeming to tire out or
ever thinking of holiday. His it is
also to manage the kitchen of the
camp.
John, where can we get something
to eat ?" we ask, as the sun begins to
send level beams between the rudy
pillars of the soldiery sequoias.
"Heap catchum cook house," he an
swers, and follow his beck, our expert
ence shows him capital bread-maker
and beefroaster, but not a careful
washer of dishes.
The men had gathered in the long
wooden shed for supper, eating on
wooden tables, but with an abundance
of furniture and plentiful bill of fare.
Supper was hurried through this even
ing, for the men had on hand frolic
which had also the serious purpose of
Kidding the camp Of an obnoxious old
boar that had acquired troublesome
taste for the blood Of Monaghan shanks
whose shrunken lines could i'll spare
the commodity. Reinforced with
great heartiness by the Chinese contin-
gent, the whole camp therefore turned
out on boar hunt, assisted by several
dogs even more diverse in breed than
their masters. The improved weapons
for this sort of chase, l understand, are
rifles, spears and knives; but here were
to be seen only a club or two and some
ropes looped with lassos, except that a
valient wielder of the brush brought
up the rear with a six-shooter tightly
clutched in his red right hand. The
advance was not incautious. That pig
had long made himself respected to the
extent that when he appeared every
man not only gave him the right of the
road, but FASTENED to climb upon
stumpso as to run no risk of incOmmod-
ing his swineship in the least by his
presence.
1t was not long, however, before
series of energetic grunts were heard
ahead, and the army stoppsd, the artist
mounting very high stump. He said
he thought they had stumbled on
bear, and he wanted to be where he
could fire over the heads of all the men.
Though only black and bristling pig,
bear of the biggest kind could not
have held the army at bay more thor
oughly. If he had charged, tremble
to think what might have happened;
but he rushed away into the bushes
and ran into a corner, where he became
the victim Of strategy, and was pres
emily bound and led forth into degrad-
ing captivity, followed by procession
ef one artist, store of grinning lum-
bermen and mob of chattering and
dancing Chinese, for the intention was
not to kill him, but only to eradicate
his pugnacious propensities.
This done, the painter put up his
pistol, and we all adjourned to the big
Phanty, where some of the men pulled
Pff their boots and stretched themselves
n restful ease upon their hunks, while
pthers shufiled the cards for ga little
kame," or did odd jobs OF tinkcring.
1t was a strange and interesting pic
ure the interior of the big shanty made
s the darkness of the outside with
rev all the light from within, and
1T the walls and the faces illumined
ply by a great fire of resinous redwood
hunks built upon a raised earthen
earth that occupied the whole centre
the cabin, and the smoke of which
kcanpd I'M a big bell-hOoded fine in the