The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-08-23
CUTTING MAHOGANY.
The Work of Handling "A Giant Tree
in the Tropical Jungle.


While the camp is being made the hun
ter is off exploring. The precious swiet-
enia mahogani does not grow in clumps
and groves like our pine and walnut, but
each monarch stands alone in solitary
state amidst dense growth of other huge
trees. its trunk concealed by a wild tangle
Of vines orchids and underbrush, requir-
ing the closest attention of the experienced
wOOdsman to detect IL. In a tropical will
derness, where the trees are so thick that
one can hardly force mis- way between
them, the whole hung with an impenetra-
BILE mass of verdure, as with a curtain,
their mingled tops a solid wall which
makes eternal twilight below, and every
trunk twined round and round with creep
ers-it is not an easy matter to distinguish
species. The hunter climbs the tallest tree
that he can find comparatively clear, and
from its top his practised eyes detect the
foliage of the coveted mahogany. He then
counts the trees in line notes carefully the
direction, distance and every landmark
slides down from his leafy observation
and proceeds TO cut and blaze q trail to
his find" This done he marks the tree
with his machete and returns to camp
Each man in a company is assigned his
particular work-some to fell the trees,
others TO cut truckroads through the jun
gle, others to collect and haul the wood
and water etc The cutters turn out from
camp as soon as it is light enough to see
which in the tall dense woods means
much later hour than in the regions where
the sun has better chance to show it.
self; and generally by noon tree cutting
for the day is finished. All work is done
by the task system. which is said to be
the only way of handling native labor;
that is one mans "stent" is to cut two
trees. from to 10 feet in circumference;
two men are given three large trees TO
| bring down, or four men are detailed to lay
low some forest giant perhaps twenty-five
feet in circumference.
To the tenderfoot that seems a task i'm
possible of accomplishment. Owing to its
enormous buttresses the trunk cannot be
cut near the ground. so the aXmen are
Obliged to rig up a platform ten, fifteen
twenty or as many feet high as the butt
ress extends. These platforms are called
"barbecues," though how that word APP
plies nobody but an Englshman who
prides himself on correct use of the lam
guage can say. The barbecue" is made
of slim poles, one on each side of the
tree. The axmen mount this platform,
with one foot on each pole, two men to a
tree, on opposite sides, and rapidly fell
the tree. 1t is a marvel how men can
stand on these slender poles and chop
down enormous trees; but they do it, and
quickly too. In an incredibly short time
the stately monarch of centuries totters
and falls, crashing its way through the
crowds of smaller trees. The trunks and
branches are then squared and are ready
for transportation. In telling a valuable
tree every precautiOn is taken against
breaking or splitting it and thus spelling
the lumber This manner Of cutting on a
platform seems very wasteful. as il leaves
in the stump an average of 400 feet Of the
best part of the tree, so far as beauty of
grain is concerned-to say nothing of the
gnarled and twisted roots, which bear the
same proportionate additional value that
our walnut roots do to the rest of the
tree; but no better way has yet been de-
vised. Three hundred trees are consid-
cred a good seasons work for one camp,
each tree yielding 1000 feet of timber on
| a modest estimate OF the average.
When the mornings stent is completed
the men are free the rest Of the day to
hunt. fish, sleep or gamble, to search on
their own account for Indian rubber. sar-
saparlla and other marketable products
of the woods, or to make canoes paddles
/ bowls. etc, from the mahogany stumps
for their own use or to sell when they re-
turn TO the haunts Of man. The logs are
| hauled to the camp at night. so as 10
avoid the intense heat of the day. Where
the place is not too remote, oxen do this
part of the work.