The daily morning journal and courier., 1907-03-30
CUTTING MAHOGANY.
PROFITABLE INDUSTRY WHICH
 EMPLOYS

They are Cut and FIOated Down the River to the Coast with the Flood Much Skill Required.
 Belize, the capital of the British pos sessions in Central America, now city of considerable importance, owes it's origin and wealth to mahogany cut ting. Since iron and steel have taken the place of wood in the construction of public vessels the mahogany trade has decreased to notable extent, al- though it Is still large and profitable.
 The expense and difficulty of getting out the wood are much greater. Few trees can now be found near river of sufficient water to float the logs. Hay ing selected and secured suitable To- caiity and arranged With one of the exporting houses of Belize to advance the means in provisions and cash to carry on the work, the mahogany cut ter hires his gang for the season
 Nearly all the labor contracts are made during the Christmas holidays, as the gangs from the mahogany woods all oongregate in Belize at that time. The men are hired for year, at wages ranging from twelve to twenty dollars per month. They generally re- ceive six months wages in advance, one-half of which is paid in goods from the house which wurnishes the capital.
 Early in January, the works are commenced. Camps for banks" as they are called, are organized at con- venient places on the margin of some river in the district to be worked. Temporary houses matched with palm leaves are erected for the laborers, and substantial building for the store and wdelling of the overseer
 All work in mahogany cutting is done by tasks. The best laborers are out at daybreak and generally finish their task by eleven o'clock. The rest of the day can be spent in fishing, hunting. collecting India rubber and earsaparilla, or In working up mahoga- ny into dories, paddles and bowls, for all of which they find ready market, Game and fish are abundant the for ner consisting of two varieties of hogs (warree and peccary) deer and ante lopes, tapir (mountain cow), monkeys, two varieties of wild turkeys, armadil- los. gibonets, Indian rabbits, part ridges, quail, macaws, parrots, etc.
 The rivers abound in excellent fish and the supply of terrapin and iguanas is inexhaustible. The regular ration for laborer in this country consists of four pounds of salt pork, and seven quarts of flour per week, which is de- livered to him every Sunday morning.
 The abundance of game and wild fruits enables the mahogany laborer to save large portion of his rations, which he either sells to his employer or sends home to his family.
 The owner or overseer of mahogany works is distinguished parsonage He lives well and has many and varied sources of enjoyment. His rustic dwelling in the forest is supplied with every comfort and many luxuries. He m -tafssst~efs up and down the river in a ba- teau made of mahogany and fitted up regardless of expense. His crew con- sists of from twelve to twenty skillful rowers, generally Indians, and a cap tain, cook and waiting boy, He camps out at night on the bank of the river, where savory dishes are prepared, which would puzzle the uninitiated. No menu is considered complete with out entrements of monkey and iguana cooked la criolia, delicious even to the uninittated.
 The mahogany tree hunter Is the most important, best paid laborer in the service. Upon his skill and activi- ty largely depends the success of the season.
 Mahogany trees do not grow in clumps and clusters, but are scattered promiscuously through the forests and hidden in a dense growth of under brush, vines and creepers. It requires a skilful and experienced woodsman to find them.
 No one can make any progress in tropical forest without the aid of a machete or heavy brush-knife. He has to cut his way step by step, The ma hogany is one of the largest and tallest of trees. The hunter seeks the highest ground, climbs to the top of the high est tree and surveys the surrounding country.
 His practiced eyes detect the mahog- any by its peculiar foliage; he counts the trees within the scope of his vision notes directions and distances, then de- scends and cuts narrow trail to each tree, which he carefully blazes and marks.
 The axemen follow the hunter and after them go the sawyers and hewers To fell large mahogany tree is one days task for two men. On account of the wide spurs which project from the trunk at it's base scaffolds have to be erected and the tree cut off above the spurs. which leaves stump from ten to fifteen feet high, waste of the very best wood.
 While the work of felling and hewing is in progress other gangs ara em- ployed in making roads and bridges over which the logs are to be hauled to the river.
 One wide truck-pass, as they call it is made through the center of the dis triet occupied by the works, and branch roads are opened from the main avenue to each tree. The trucks employed are clumsy and anticipated contrivances, which no American would think of using, The wheels are > of solid wood, made by saving off the Mend of a log and fitting iron boxes in
 Q center. No tires or spokes are
 eded. New wheels are in constant
 quisition.
 Most trucking is done at night by
 cchlights made of pitch pine The
 sn are fed on the leaves and twigs of } bread-nut tree, which gives them
 re strength and power of endurance