The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1901-08-16
ADrRoyDacK HouE MaKING.
The Cu,d~ Wa sf t<iabiishias Himself
On Camp IN the Woods .

] IN amp w tuf "ooess
! There are s,ifi -ome hunters who ~ into
{ rough camp in The AdirUndacks without
the aid 81 Persian apparatus and y" arph-
ance- Of civilization. Even thcsr. To hc
SURF, do MOI -con wire nails and cross
cut saws for emergencies once met ~ ih"
Use ~ wooden pegs aud the wood-
mans ave. hut the beet guides are able 10
work wonders with n few simple tools and
the honely skill acquired through long
experience Of the woods. Two or three
guides armed with the implements Of their
trade will In a few hours transform a bat OF
the untamed Wilderness into a convenient
and comfortable abiding place
The ground Of the Adirondack wilderne-n
j. covered with such q growth OF moss and
such a deposit ~ pine needles hal u Affords
an excellent foundation for the rough camp
of the hunter Clearing a nearly level
rpacc twenty-five feet square 81 hrestneh
undergrowth the guides are ready Ia iegin
the building Of the rough camp. u - an
unvri,ten law of tho wilderness that "a
hunter NAV cut a. much timber ~ ie NAV
need for building his camp aud maintain
ing ms camp hrp. Few hunters abuse
this privilege 10y cutting down large Trees
OF spreading forest Hrs.
Enough trs.z from six to eight inches IN
diame,er are feIlrd Ia furnish suitable logs
1NI viz HUI IINN " ~ ~ NV 49,
house. Sometimes. indeed. the hut - wholly
of logs save the bark roof. Sometimes "
l. almost wholly Of bark. When the camp
J. not to lie occupied long. IN" logs M" bulit
up only two and a hall Ia three isr'' ana a.
a niIc upon three sides only. The fourth
side IL left open.
I~mnedistciy oyar ,his u;rning NJ a suit
abL, h light. u placed the rdgcion oi ~"
h uss supported 10y n tall upright pnle on
.itu side of the opening. The roof - "A
canvas tent -fy. which opens n the rear To
tie top OF the log wall. and IN front en-
tends a few feet beyond the ndgepole. ~ a.
u form a pant roo = Ior'h over W" open
front. Guy ruIs.s tied to poles set well
outside the opening tn the right aud TO the
left, hold the fy secure IN front ana " -
secured In The same fashion al the rear.
The gables % the houss arr made OF canvas
or Of bark nailed to the logs.
Tn. work of building such q house Is well
worth y ~novice's watching, for the guides
! ply their axes with astonishing precision
/ and skill. Atree - fellcd with a few strokes,
almost a. quickly sawn into suitable Lengths,
and then the logs are notched ana IAN
with the utmost neatneSs and grest speed
Whenever II H. necessary short pieces OF
round wood are notched and placed between
the logs so "a TO preserve the level OF the
rising structure. The chinks that remain
are filed with the thick moss which covers
| the ground almost everywhere IN the forest
and the result II a watertight structure
clean. -wee, smelling and comfortable.
Much 81 the interior Of the cabin II given
up TO the beds. These are made by taking
spruce houghs Of moderate sire, thristing
one end into the ground and laying the
thickly feaihered ends over one another
\ until there IL n deep covering Tor the whole
space TO be given up To the q Next
over tho spruce boughs Is laid a thick cover
ing OF Young balsam boughs which are al
once soft and elastic. Over the green
mattress thus made are laid rubber blankets,
and over these again warm woollen blankets
Other woollen blankets cover the sleepers.
such n he'd h. warm, fresh and elastic, None
j. more likely To insure sound sleep ana
pleasant dreairs.
Twelve or ffteen feet In front Of the
cabin II placed the camp fire. a permanent
part of the camp. There GO to the making
OF this sylvan hearth two large logs. placed
three aud a half feet apart. and a. much
smaller wood a. may bc needed The large
logs are expected 10 last several days,
and are not ~ much 20 furnish heat as for
! latter consists Of drv birch bark and dead
pine boughs for kindling, and whatever
wood comes handy for the larger fuel.
Here are cooked all the bread. meat and
vegetables that 20 10 feed the camp. A
tin oven plsc.d In front OF the glowing
ernters, roast meats and bake- johnny cake,
and in the same fashion, a wire gridile
broils steaks. ham and chicken. Bread u
toasted on the griddle or on forkcd stacks.
The fire serves not only for cooking but
also for comfort. companionship and
R~thetic decoration. Its heat and smoke,
blowing across the mouth Of the cabin,
! afford warmth and keep Oh insects. It's
blaze and sparkle make loneliness impos.
sihle even 20 the man left sole occupant OF
the camp. it, faint blue column. rising
amid the trunks Of the great trees with the
solemn silence Of the wilderness all round.
adds = singular grace and a subtle suggeS-
tion Of the human presence To- the scene.
The surroundings Of a wl-ely chosen
Camp site are always delightful Great
pines rise $50 fce, above the ridgepole Of
The cabin. a lesfy screen Of bal~am sur.
rounds the Who'll" camp, a thick carIe' OF
moss. heautifed with curious lichens.
brilliant mushrooms and ferns Of many
varieties. stretches a. far n the eve can
reach.
A few wards beyond the space cleared
for the convenience Of the camp, hegins n
tangle Of fallen irs- In every stage Of
decay, from that Of mere heaps forest
mold Ia tha, of the fallen giant whose leaves
are still green. though h. hear r. rotten.
4 spring rising naturally from the spongy
ground, OF discovered by the Use 81 the
shovel. furnishes the camp with whole
sotne water. Within a hundred yards
ho~s the little stream or sparkles the lake.
the ono or the other the invarablc high
way Of the hunter. Snugly laid ashore
amid the tall grass or the alders are the
long narrow canoes. - light Of draft that
they can H. driven through all hut the shall
lowest streasns, and ~ light in weight that
fhlN Fdu ~ NdFTbN WI wv" ptTb W Nnt kNhlF
whom rapids ar shadows make navigation
impossible. !
Nj tho sights and sounds and odors are
Of the WILDERNESS. The Squirrel chatter-
overhead. the kingfishcr dives aud e~rearis.
tho little paths 81 the creatures .kir tho
stream. the fresh smell of pine and balSsm.
of sweet fern aud wild cherry constantly
assail the no~trl-. mingled with the whole
some, pineent, crHusotic odors ~ the ever
living camp fire.
Their j. nowhere n Earring note. what
ever suggests civilization il thrust out of
sight The costumes ~ the hunters. tn"
brown faces 81 the guide. and all tho APP
;~sointincnts ~ the camp arc ettuned In III"
wilderness The killing 81 deer and the
catching 81 fish are nerelv incidental tn
the return - nature. With sornehardly more
than an excuse Tor tho complete SEPARATION
from brick and asphalt, the LEDGE and tho '
counting house, and all the sordid Carrs
that, mako UP the daily hyc- - tho-e who
dwrn Ia Ciii'~