New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-09-14
TIE AplRoNpACKs.
uowtrtooRrn My TENT,


We went into tho Adirondack irosh nom 'h' w
.,,riorce of a SIMMER m the California mountains
,,b,re we tran,p,rcd all cut camp eQuipae"' ma-
,,,e and supplic. on the backs of onr horses anu
lived ON remote heights ina easy familiarity WIN
nature. There We had reduced civilization 10 us
SIMPLEST expression. We slept IN the open aIf, we
dined under an aged tree, we hunted our food our
kitchen was the Ice side oi heap OF stones ana
forget how many things We cooked IN the same
sauccpan "rhat." said | To Diana, as the uae
way t. camp out Now. IN the AdnondacAs am III
formed that camping has been made ridiculous Nv
over sophisication. People spoil the inh ny 'Huu'E
ing too many artificial wants They eat on c"'',
mates and sIeep between sheets. have even hear"
something about spring beds; ana Nno" nv"
who went into the woods with a Steihw"y P'tu'
- III po.,bovoo's Sonatas al summer We
will show how the thing ought to be done 10 oeEih
,~;,h I confirmed rs tossed a stew pan across the
roou, ave don't need that We were on "u'
Knees before pile OF utensils which Dlana n'u wv
,ected from all parts Of the honSe for the use " ".
ovrelition There was tacit underS'ah"Iu3 '"'' :"
dividing the labor of packing II should he h'r l""'
-: =. nj THINGS IN and mine to leave things out
She had done her part with great lhoiouE'"''''
and was determined to do mime. Deal L" it'"",
frances ! scattered the TINS with y fulhi'NS ui""'
1t ost rose from the ruined collection with a
f.elt ~ al
redurtion patiently until tried to eliminate h"ge
olofn,dish Al that she drew the line. But
said | - hing Of roughing it with chahng-''
opd a snirit-ap" "Wcll" she replied, " thnN oil
,ald ,,ravv - submitted. Aftcrvard, had reason
ia think that if she had had her way httle more
hut let MS not anticipate.
4Yon see" said l., after crowding the PotS an"
pans into an old trunk. along with my h'n'nS
boots a few carpenters tools, and various o'"o'
,s.f,,l things and reducing what the custom house
declarations cali wearing apparel IN actual use
and other personal effects not merchandise 10 INC
measure of two pprtmanteau',-" you see '"'' Wv"
we get into the wilderness we shall Journey 'h'Iell
bv canoe We shall paddle gently along the ch'.h
of mountain lakes aud trout streams, pushing ASIDE
the brush and the lily pads and startling the deer
and now and then we shall have to transport every
thing bv hand Tor more procry speaking, by back
around rapids or across bogEy carry. We must
take nothing. therefore, which the guide cannot put
upon his shoulders'
allow romantic" interrupted Diana.
ayes. And ii is quite clear that with our tent
and blankets aud all that tinware. and camp-StoNe'
and the provisions. we are too heavily loaded al
ready. We shall knock up a hut of boughs Tor our
dininrroom, and some sort OF rustic shelter for
cooking. and rustic chairs. and a table Il have
bought three pound, of nails ON purpose
"No. hut really" cried Diana, e think we must
Mt least have two camp-stools suppose we want to
eli down when we first arrive =
ave will sat ON the ground
But suppose il rains' And then don't you re-
member howitvas in California; The guido began
a. make a chair for me the first day, aud it wasn't
finished until the week before W. broke mp, ana
had 70 SIT all summer on a box OF oatmeal
added the camp stools but stipulated for the
Lirl. which fold up small We reached Paul smith
with seven bales aud boxes, aud was sarpris'd
that ~ large quantity ct freight made 50 ltto
impression upon the people AZ the hotel lo my
hcs,tating inquiry whether place could b" found
for all that stun until we were ready to set mp the
camp .hc nuuchu,.ut answer was made, Oh yes
that amt much
II was early IN the season when we arrived 'h'lo
vcr, few boordcrs ut the hotel the placid eNpahSe
nj The Lower ST. Regis Lake IN front OF the house
wa, ve\el bv few canoes the tall woods IN IN" rear
were oi,iet,x except for the tWtcIiue of birds; the
IDLE Guide. throngcd the hotel Office, waiting to be
hired Here and there on the opposite shore of the
lake a tent cleaned among the trees, but there
WAS te to suggest the crowd and the gayety which
would characterize this spot later IN the summer
II was pleasant, in the genial June weather. 10
watch the shadow OF the mountains IN the qulet
water. OF seated in grove OF pines, To follow Win
the eve the course OF an occasional boat as II
threaded the winding channel among PUSHES when
oneus from the further end of the Lower st. Regis
into the sill more beautiful lakes south Of It. Most
of the camps Law of there beyond the marshes and
the wooded hills; and to look at the campers
tiartn oil Or Their boat voyage, loaded with tents
barrels bedding and trunks was like witnessing
fhe deplrtule ol some adventurous expedition. Cur
first bus ue,, of course was To engage ga de, ana
then W. proceeded to choose the ground IOr our
settlement.
Avovaee through the two st. Regis Lakes, and the
heautiiul little SpltGre Pond. which lies between
them satisfied us that all the very good places on
those flvorItc waters were occupied 10 be sure
Oh the many mlcs OF shore there were only score
or 50 Of camps but many things are necessary for
a comfortable camp that available sites are haTd
IN find The ground must not he too low; tic soil
must be dry and sandy; there must be shade and
vet not that dense growth which the black flies aud
mosou;toc, love: there must he a free current Of
air: aud the water. which is the only highway OF
Tue woods must be close at hand. 4 man who has
established a camp in tho Adrondacks acquires by
the ctouette of the wilderness which has almost
the force Of law, a sort of squatters right to the
same ground as long as he chooses TO come back
10 it. and nobody Will think of moltstng OF crowd
ing him. Not many of the campers had yet moved
in. when we padded along the steep shores, but
there were signs of possession on every tempting
headland and guides were busy getting things INTO
order Frankly was not soTy that there was no
room for MS Exquisite as | found the scenery OF
the Upper ST. Regis. it seemed to me that life there
Wa, gong to be extremely fashionable. his,
said to Diana " is moro like water n1placc than
a wilderness and we want to wear old clothes, TO
lie on the ground
L" Yes" said she, d" know; but there is ope thing
do want, and that IS a floor for our tent
"Nonsensew / exclaimed. We are going to find
a nice. dry, clean place; can throw up a little
ridge around the tent that water cannot iun m
we have rubber blankets and thick shoes; besides,
II doesn't rain much-Only once III a Whllc-and
as told the Guido. we are gong % r0ngh II. lie