The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-12-30
To Be Four Miles Long

The Nendoeino redwood country is
not the pleasantest place to be in dur
ing rainy weather. Once the wet sea-
son has regularly set in. the belt that
stretches for miles north of the Gualala
river along the coast, presents about
as cherries and dismal a prospect as a
depressed Imagination would care to
picture. Life, however, is stirring at
such times. The freshets which then
occur upon the river carry down Inn
mense quantities of timber to the coast,
where it is collected, assorted and held
ready for transport to San Francisco or
other commercial centers. This, of
course entails activity commemorate
with the fall of the rain and the extent
of the freshet.
The Gualala river is the natural
drain for the great basin of the Men
docino redwoods, and though it's actual
course Is short compared with other
California rivers. its north, middle and
south forks together form a very re-
spectacle aggregate of water highway
the logging business on which Is by no
means the least of the industries of
the state. Two or three winters ago
CHANGED to be in this section of the
country, just as the first heavy rains
have it, had got caught in the district
lying between the middle and south
forks of the Gualala river When
heavy rains set in il is no uncommon
thing for the jewellers between the
forks to be kept water-bound for sew
eral days at a time, with the alterna-
tive OF either crossing the swollen tor
rent or making difficult passage over
the FLASHING, SOggy mountain divides
=. -, 4
country. Such was the state of affairs
when I found myself Unexpectedly
caught at a small logging camp near
the banks of the creek, thankful
enough, however, under the eircum-
stances, to have shelter over my head
roaring fire to sit at, and a bunk to
turn into when l got ready.
RAINS a-eomin' down purity lively"
remarked one of the three Woodslnen
who occupied the cabin. as he finished
cleaning the supper dishes and lit his
pipe. "Startin' In purity early, amt it.
Jim? '
WAL, no." replied the party adj
dressed from the bunk, where he was
lying stretched upon his blankets. read
ing some old papers by the light of a
candle. I reck'lect it comm down
heavier nor this afore January Sew
enty-six, warn't it, Bill, when the
forks was a-boomin', an we cuddent
make the Point for nigh onto two
weeks?"
The third parsonage, addressed as
Bill assented with a nod of the head,
from q stool before the fire, where he
sat with his chin upon his hands.
mo, nor ] wouldn't keer to make the
Point on sech a night as this OBJ
served the first parsonage who spoke.
as he drew up a stool beside Bill and
myself, and puffed away at his pipe
ITS a matter of some difficulty,
then. crossing the river. is it?'' / asked,
with a tinge of anxiety, as 1 knew very
well that the Point" alluded to was
the settlement of Stewards Point, to-
ward which / was then travelling, and
to get there it was necessary to cross
fhe fork of the river we were now on.
well. stranger. l should remark. .
said Bill. who had hitherto said noth-
ine looking up. The fords is all up.
the crick hez riz more'n five feet senst
mornin', and there's nary bridge 'cept
ye- take the logs, and it's a mighty
dangerous thing to do. ev'n fur a
'sperionced hand, let alone a tender
foot. Why. fust thing We know'd. the
hull nile might break up, an ye'd find
yerself at the Point quicker'n we had
use fur, ev'n s'posin' ye didn't git
crushed to sawdust or drowned afore