St. Landry democrat., 1889-07-06
Old Time Log Rolling.
BY COL, r. D. RICHARDSON.

In all heavily timbered sections OIL eue
South this was the great plantation event.
and connected as it was with slave tl,nes'
can never again return as we saw IL then.
Our experience came to US away oack Ia
the twenties, not far from Woodvllle,
Miss, where many ''lodge" went up In
that "vast wilderness" of shade, Where
Sunlight seldom ventured in" The coun-
try was new, and openingup fields was
the great business of the day. NO man
thought of rolling his own logs but 1t was
only swapping work; Smith this week.
Jones next, and the next somebody else
(perhaps Stamps, the uncle of jeff DaVlsl'
and so on through the whole neighborhood.
The timber had all been cut down-say
hundred acres-laps and small growth
burned off with the cane brake, so only the
giant trunks of the forest remained scat
tered over the ground, all cut up in suit
able length for rolling, For this purpose
a day was set and due notice sent around the
neighborhood. All knew that a certain
number of the best men were wanted, ana
how proud these were of the honor when
selected. Ample preparations were made
for feeding the multitude, which was
very important item. Hand spikes of the
best hickory were in good supply, six feet
long, for often after the conflict was over
their broken lances showed how hercely
the conflict had ragged. The day came, and
it was like marshaling the ''clans" to see
the different plantation squads come up with
high resolve stamped on their ebony faces,
each to do his duty or tall in the attempt.
The first thing was to divide the whole
force into squads of about twenty men,
with captain for each. generally some
popular negro selected for his prowess on
other fields with long experience in the
business. Often mixed up in this log
rolling army were white men and boys,
boasting of their strength and anxious to
show off their young manhood. They
were called on by the captain to lift against
any one, white or black, and it was dis
grace to back out. After early breakfast
the work commenced line stakes were set
running through the ground, each squad
taking all inside. With a rush and yell
they 90 at it, and their first log is an i'm
mense one, almost as high as their heads
has to be levered up to get their spikes
under, ten strong men on side. sis you
all ready ober dar2" shrieks the captain.
"All ready" comes from the other side.
Cup wild her, bullies."~ Then comes an
unearthly scream, mingled with the shouts
and groans, as they stagger off under this
fearful load. "Here you are, men let her
down." and it rested in it's funeral pile,
which was added to till of sufficient size
for log heap. Then came the next and
the next, all of about uniform size, but to
be added to by the trash gang, composed
of old men, women and children, who fol-
lowed, picking up the rubbish and piling
it on the heaps, which were soon in light
blaze. When the excitement got up to
fever heat and the squads to running
against each other, it was something fear
full to hear their yells and see their frantic
gestures. There was too much risk of in
jury among the logs to be increased by
stimulants; negroes cost too much money,
and we do not remember ever to have seen
any whisky about. All were in high glee,
and no stopping to talk or foolishness, but
the work went straight ahead till they
blew the horn for dinner. Then all came
up to some spring branch or shady place,
where stood the cart loaded with substan-
tial things that negroes love SO well. He
is no epicure, but a very hearty feeder,
and in eating, with him, it is one thing at
a time and do it well.
And here was often seen more of their
prowess than in the field, for it was the
common saying that the negro was great
at log rolling, but greater at the trenches;
was mindful of the apostolic injunction to
seat what was set before him, and all of it;
was not particular, but pork and corn
bread seemed to be his specially. After
dinner came the resting hour, and here,
stretched out on the ground, they fought
| their battles DER again. Some of them
"way back on de Santee riber, in ole Cali
ma, where bully after bully was
broke down, but it wasn't him. Oar was
de quality folks wild the ladies cum in de
carriage to look on, and nobody, black or
white couldn't stand up no longer'n him"
To be the Samson of the neighborhood,
seemed to be their highest ambition, SO
much more laudable than the ring master
of to-day, worshipped by the few, scorned
by the many, Gt should be by all
"Time's up, boys !" comes from the clear,
ringing voice of the overseer, and away
they move to where they left off at their
last log heap. In this way the work goes
on from day to day, according to force and
the size of the field, till the last log is
piled up, and like thousand little volca-
noes, belching out their flames. All is
then left to the home hands to mend up
the heaps day by day and finish the burn
ing. To see them of dark night going
around those burning log piles, doubling
some and mending others, the spiteful
sparks shooting up like sky rockets, and
hear their everlasting low, weird melody,
is never to forget it. Finally all is over
and nothing but "ashes to ashes" where
but a few months before stood the grea.
gloomy forest. And thus field after field
was added, till beautiful plantations spread
themselves, afterwards the admiration OF
the world.-LG. Sugar. Boaol.