Baraboo weekly news. [volume] (Baraboo, Wis.) 1912-197?, 1914-08-06

and shelter and was getting enough
to eat Already began to feel that
] would never again think of such a
thing as calling 1t off," but that l
should be able to stick 1t out the full
time. Perhaps it was because | mad
the companiOnship of fire.
Fire was my greatest asset In the
woods by far. With fire you have
got about everything. 1t would be diff
ficult-in fact, do not believe a man
could get along for any length of time
in the wilderness without it. First OF
all. it aids you in a hundred ways
Next, 1t is comfort-a wonderful com
fort.
When made my fire bigger would
say to myself. Here, | am making
room for another fellow" Then for
hours ! would sit in front of 1t. think
ing of my friends and of the outside
world From time to time / would
catch myself talking out loud TO my
self. The mere fact that | felt that
imaginary people were there made 1t
so much easier t. De alone.
AS comfort producer fire is second
to nothing in the world. AS ] took
back on it now it seems as If it did
about everything for me.
Outlines | would run across a log.
which was too heavy for me to carry
! would get busy making fire beneath
1t and burn it in two Then. il the
pieces were still too large. would
burn them in two again and so on IN.
til had chunks light enough TO
carry.
I hadn't been in the forest long be
fore the vision Of a bow and arrow
danced before me. ! realized that it
would, Of course, require lot Of pa
tience to make such a weapon, but
knew | could do it. Until | could OBJ
tain some rawhide | knew | should
have to use the twisted lining of the
inner bark of the cedar for string
But such as it was. it would be vastly
better than nothing.
Here the fire came to my aid again.
In the midst of a tangle created by the
uprOOting Of a maple tree which as it
fell had crashed into a horn beam, car
rying it with it, | found a hornbeam
silver, which I knew was the best kind
of wood with which to make my bow
Such a stick in the rough hasn't the
slightest resemblance to bow.
Then | built a fire and let the stick
burn for awhile, turning it now and
then to get an even char. With
sharp rock l would then begin to
scrape off the char, after which proc
ess the stick would be returned to the
fire until new char had burned. II
scraped and charred that stick until
/ had reduced it to one inch in thick.
ness And all the while the fire had
been seasoning it nicely for me. With
the rocks | smoothed and rounded it
perfectly. When it was done | had a
formidable weapon, which aided me
greatly in after days.
1t would be impossible for me to emu.
merate the things fire will do for a
man if be will only let it and steer 1t
1t will cook his food, as it cooked mine.
If there are vicious animals in the
forest it will keep them away. All
man would have to do. if attacked.
would be to throw a burning brand
into the bushes, and the creature
would run quickly away. 1t might be
starving, but it would not come near
the fire.
Again, fire made several clearings
for me when | wanted to get rid OF
the tangle and underbrush. 1t smok-
ed my fish. and it even broke my
rocks, Many times / cooked my food
on heated rocks. which were perfect
~ clean and very handy.