Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1900-04-21
CHAPTER XVIII.


My old tutor at Elton used to say,
quoting some wise saw that "a lazy
boy made lazy man. Just as a crook
ed sapling makes a crooked tree.
1t was fortunate for me, however,
while on the island Of Alphonso. that
my habits were those of activity, and
that was never Emphatic by nature.
After dawn next morning we. set
about the erection of a hut, though
we had no other tools than a small
Ratchet and our claspkniyes. With
these we cut or tore down a great mum
Der OF large branches, and stuck them
in the earth, selecting a place where
two angles OF impending rock conven-
iently enough formed two solid walls
FOR cur edifce, leaving us but two
others TO erect.
AS Tom Lambourne said. "the fellow
who cannot use a hammer or AK is only
half man" so we all worked hard
with sdch implements as we had, until
our hut was complete.
We left an entrance next the rocks
by which to creep in and out, and
I then matched or built over the inter
! twisted branches with turf. torn mp by
/ our hands, and with broad plantain
4 leaves. creepers and all kinds of ten
drills that had toughness and consist
/ ency woven TO form a roof
At the erection of this most primi-
/ tive wigwam We toiled the whole day,
f save during the scorching interval at
noon, and ere nightfall It was complete,
with piles Of dried leaves and seagrass
for couches and bedroom furniture.
{ Therein we placed all our provisions
the three bags Of bread. two kegs
of rum (Which. by unanimous consent
we're placed under the sole supervision
of Hislopl; our four casks of water
we're also brought ashore, though there
was no lack OF pure springs on the
island
In this wigwam were also placed ON
blankets, the sails and tackle of tn,
longboat, and then the succeeding day.
were spent in accommodating provisions
(as we looked forward with dread t
our last biscuitl. and signal-post wat
erected on the mountain.
with Probsrt, the carpenter, anC
Henry Warren 1.-TWO OF our stoutes
hands). Tom Lambourne and / wen
upon this duty.
Alternately carrying upon our shout
ders or dragging in our hands tn
studding-sail boom, we toiled through
wild and untrodden wastes toward tn
summit of the great and yet nameles
conical mountain that rears its lionel,
scalp to the height of five thousan,
feet above the waves of the Southern
sea.
The hope that on reaching its sum
nit we might descry sail was an ad
ditional incentive TO toll up the stee
slope without lingering by the way.
On leaving a fiat savanna OF sedg
grass we reached series of woode
ridges, which form the base of til
mountain, at every step rousing cloud
; of birds, especially a species of black
cock, and twice in the jungle we cam
upon the lair OF wild boars OF gres
, size aud such feroeity OF aspect ths
we were glad TO shrink astern of Ia
, tooed Tom. who carried the Ratchet,
This jungle was exceedingly difficu
+ Of penetration. owing to its densit.
the number of Wild aloes, with creel
. ing plants, prickly pears and oth'
! tropical weeds, of what kind | kno
, not, twined about them, II was Ii
: eral wilderness of serrated gra'
| blades, yellow gourds and gre;
. squashy pumpkins, like gigantic veg
+, table marrows, all woven into an ii
/ extricable network of leaves, tendri
and branches.
r In other places We had to force
; passage through thickets of rich
: Powered shrubs and tall plants, wit
{ mighty leaves. the general greener
of the landscape being increased
r the many runnels of fine spring watt
I which poured down the assures of Il
t mountain into the plain we had lei
e BY the sides of these runnels "
!, frequently paused and making a GU
a OF large leaf, filled Il with the COG
I 1.NI y