The Kendrick gazette. [volume] (Kendrick, Idaho) 1892-1968, 1906-06-29

produced a spliced stick about twelve
feet long. About two feet from either
end he notched the young tree until he
could bend the extremities upward; and
having 80 bent them, he secured the
bent portions in their places by means
of flashing Of rawhide. The spliced trees
now presented the rude outline Of the
section of boat. having the stem, keel
and stern all in one piece. This having
been placed lcngthwise between the
stakes, four other poles, notched in two
places, were dashed from stake to stake,
running crosswire to the keel, and form
Ing the knees. Four saplings were now
bent from end to end of the upturned
portions of the keel that represented
stem and stern. Two Of these four were
placed above, as gunwales; two below, as
bottom rails. At each intersection the
sticks were dashed firmly with fishing
line. The whole framework being com
plete, the stakes were drawn out. and
there lay upon the ground the skeleton
Of boat eight feet long by three broad
Frere, whose hands were blistered and
sore. would fain have rested; but the
convict would not hear Of it. "Let us
fiuish," he said. regardless Of his own
fatigue; "the skins will be dry If we
STOP"
Il can work no more" said Frsre.
sulkily: IT can't stand. You've got mus
cles Of iron. I suppose. haven't"
"They made me work when I couldn't
stand. Maurice Frere 1t is wonderful
what spirit the cat gives a man. There's
nothing like work to get rid Of aching
well. what's to he done now"
Cover the boat. There. you can act
the fat to melt. and sew these hides to-
gether. two and two. do you ,sees and
then sew the pair at the necks. There
is plenty Of catgut yonder."
Don't talk to me as II I were dogw
says Frere, suddenly. "Be civil, can't
Your
But the other. busily trimming and
cutting at the projecting pieces Of sap
ling. made no reply. It IL possible that
he thought the fatigued lieutenant be-
meath his notice. About an hour before
shutdown the hides were ready. and
Rufus Dawes, having in the meantime
interlaced the ribs Of the skeleton with
wattles, stretched the skins over IL with
the hairy side inward. Along the edges
Of this covering he bored holes at inter-
walls. and passing through these holes
thongs Of twisted skin. he drew the
whole to the toprail Of the boat. One
last precaution remained. Dipping the
pannikin into the melted tallow. he
plentifully anointed the seams of the
sewed skins. The boat thus turned
topsy-turvy. looked like huge walnut
shell covered with red and reeking hide.
or the skull Of some Titan who had been
scalped. "There" cried Rufus Dawes
triumphant. "Twelve hours In the sun
to tighten the hides, and she'll swim like
duck"
The next day was spent In minor prep
arations. The jerked goat-meat was
packed securely into as small a compass
as possible. Water bags were impro-
vised out of portions of the intestines of
the boats. Rufus Dawes, having filed
these with water. ran a wooden skewer
through their mouths, and twisted It
tight, tourniquet fashion. He also strip
ped cylindrical pieces Of bark, and hav-
ing sewed each cylinder at the side. At
ted to it bottom of the same material.
and calked the seams with gum and nine
tree resin. Thus four tolerable buckets
were obtained. One goat skin vet re-
manned. and out Of this It was determin-
ed to make a sail. ''The current was
strong" said Rufus Dawes, "and we I,
shall not be able to row far with such
oars as we have got. If we get a breeze
1t may save our lives" 1t was impos- |
sible to "step" a mast in tho frail has
ket structure, but this difficulty vas over
come by a simple contrivance. From
thwart to thwart two poles were bound, ,
and the mast, dashed between these poles |
with thongs OF rawhide. was secured by
shrouds Of twisted fishing lire running
fore and aft. Sheets of bark were placed
at the bottom Of the craft, and made a
safe flooring. It was late In the after
noon of the fourth day that these prep
arations were completed, and It was de-
cided that on the morrow they should
adventure the Journey. eve will coast
down to the bar" said Rufus Dawes,
and wait for the slack of the tide. 1
can do no more now"
CTo Ls continued.)