The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-11-13
IN A MAHOGANY CAMP.
SCENES IN THE DEEP FORESTS OF
BRITISH HONDURAS.
How the Hard Wood Is Prepared for
Market-The Big Trees Are Scattered
Through Forests of Underbrush and
Yines-Something About the Men.


! cutting and rafting has reached the state
department from Consul Burchard Be
! lize, the capital Of the British possessions
in Central America, now a city of consid-
erable commercial Importance, owes its
origin and wealth TO the mahogany
cutters During the first half of the pres
ent century princely fortunes were quickly
accumulated in the business, especially by
those who had the good fortune to secure
contracts from the English government
for the mahogany, which was formerly
largely employed in naval architecture.
Since iron and steel have taken the place
of wood in the construction of public yes
sells the mahogany trade has decreased to
a notable extent, although it is still large
and profitable.
The expense ard difficulty of getting out
the wood are much greater. Few trees can
now be found near river of sufficient
water to float the logs Having selected
and secured a suitable locality and ar
ranged with one of the exporting houses
of Belize to advance the means in provi-
slons and cash to carry on the work, the
mahogany cutter hires his gang of laborers
for the season. Nearly all labor contracts
are made during the Christmas holidays,
as the gangs from the mahogany works all
congregate in Belize at that time. The
men are hired for a year at wages ranging
from Sl2 to SO per month.
N THE WOODS.
All work in mahogany cutting Is done
by tasks. The best laborers are out at
daybreak and generally finish their task
before IL o'clock. The rest of the day can
be spent in fishing, hunting, collecting In
dia rubber and sarsaparilla, or in working
up mahogany into dories, paddles and
bowls for all of which they find ready
market. Game and fish are abundant.
The regular ration for laborer in this
country consists of four pounds of salt
pork and seven quarts of -four per week,
which is delivered to him every Sunday
morning. The abundance of game and
wild fruits enable the mahogany laborer
to save large part of his rations, which
be either sells to his employer or sends
home to his family.
The owner or Overseer of mahogany
works is a distinguished parsonage within
the district of his operations. He lives
well, often lUXuriously, and has many and
varied sources of enjoyment. His rustic
dwelling in the forest is supplied with
every comfort and many luxuries. He
travels up and down the river in a bateau
made of mahogany and fitted up regard
less of expense for enjoyment and con-
venience.
The mahogany tree hunter is the most
Important and best paid laborer in the
service Upon his skill and activity largely
depends the success of the season. Ma
hogany trees do not grow in clumps or
but are scattered promiscuously
through the forests and hidden in dense
growth Of underbrush, vines and creepers.
1t requires a skillful and experienced
woodsman to find them.
HUNTING THE TREES.
No one can make any progress in trop-
ical forest without the aid of a machete or
heavy brush knife. He has to cut his way
step by step.
The mahogany is one Of the largest and
tallest of trees. The hunter seeks the
highest ground, climbs to the top of the
highest tree, and surveys the surrounding
country. His practiced eyes detect the
by its peculiar foliage he counts
the trees within the scope of his vision,
notes directions and distances, then de-
scends and cuts a narrow trail to each
tree, which he carefully blazes and marks, /
if there is a rival hunter in that |
vicinity. The aXmen follow the hunter |
and after them 30 the sawyerS and hewers. |
To fell = large mahogany tree is one |
days task for two men. On account of /
the wide spurs which project from the |
trunk at its base, scaffolds have to be erect /
ed and the tree cut off above the spurs, !
which leaves stump from ten to fifteen |
leet high, waste of the very best wood.
While the work of telling and hewing is |
n progress other gangs are employed in |
making roads and bridges over which the |
ogs are to be hauled to the river
The trucks employed are clumsy and |,
antiquated contriyances which no Anleri- |
,an would think of using The axles and |
boxes are imported from England, and the |
)ther parts OF the truck made on the |
ground. The wheels are of solid wood, |
made by saving off the end of a log and |
itting iron boxes in the center.
No tire or spokes are needed. New wheels
ire in constant requisition, and repairs
'ause frequent and expensive delays.
Most of the trucking is done at night by
orchlights made of pitch pine. The oxen
ire fed on the leaves and twigs of the
lreadnut tree, which gives them more
trength and power of endurance than any
Dther obtainable food.
GETTING LOGS TO MARKET
The trucking is done in the dry season,
md the logs collected on the bank of the
liver and made ready for the floods which
'ccur on the longest rivers in June and
Iuly, and on all in October and November.
The logs are turned adrift loose and caught
'elow near tidewater by boOms. Indians
nd Caribs follow the logs down the river
II Jutpans 70 release those which are
aught 10y fallen trees or other obstacles in
he river. No little judgment and expert
nee is required 10 determine at what ex-
CT stage of the food the logs should be let
oose. Should the water rise at what they
all "topgsllant food" before the logs
each the boom many of them would be
arried over the banks and left high and
Try in canebrakes and thickets or covered
ip by sand and rubbish. From the boom
he logs are RATED 10 the embarcadero and
for shipping.
The manufacturing process consists in
awing off the log ends which have been
'ruised and splintered by rocks in the
ranslt down the river and in refining aud
chewing the logs by skillful workmen,
rho give them a smooth and even surface.
The logs are then measured, rolled back
nto the water at the mouth Of the river,
nd made into RATS 10 he taken 10 the yes
el, which Is anchored outside Of the bar.
his Is a laborious and risky operation.
ften resulting in serious losses to the ship
er or the owners Of the vessel. according
D the conditions Of the bill Of lading lr-
esponsible natives construct and conduct
he rafts 70 the vessel, and it frequently
appens, especially in bad weather and by
ross careleSsnesS, that logs break away
rom the RATS aud are carried away ont to
ca, to be deposited finally on the shores of
stands or the mainland, where they are