Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1918-11-08
THREE WEEKS IN A
Maine LOGGING CAMP

MAINE LUUUlNU UHWT
Rev. Howard a. Clifford of Bruins
wick has been in the big wooks. pass
up :, the Bemis region, and he
writes very interestingly Of life in the
Maine woods, as follows. under date
of Nov. 5;
For three weeks I have been in a
logging camp near Bemis-40 miles
above Rumford. The log cabins are
by Lake Richardson and close to the
forest of white birch and other trees.
On account of war conditions no work
| is to be done this season, but the boss
and wife from Nova Scotia were do
ing the last things. The woman was
a fine cook. We took a lot OF pro-
visions and all shared together in the
big log cook house. We had deer
to eat and some cartridges. with such
food as apple and mince pies, rice
pudding, hot biscuits. elegant corn
bread. coffee. doughnuts. etc. My
friends thought they could see me
gai., about five pounds.
We had the good weather after a
delay Of two days at he foot of the
lake by a gale. A calm morning
camp. where the kind owner gave US
the use of the cabins. Much Of the
time W, had our cabin door open day
and night, and no bears came to eat
us. Often | had the fun to build
fires on the shore, as birch bark and
chips and waste wood was abundant.
1t was a joy to live in Gods out of
doors with little noise except few
motor boats. Near uI were a few
costly cottages Of rich people, but
most Of them are closed. A few
persons care for the dams which con-
troll the water for the Androscoggin
river. The water from these great
lakes passes Rumford. Lewiston and
Brunswick and gives power to great
mills.
We had one snow storm which
made conditions favorable to get
deer for our table. Later we had
almost summer DAYS and it was -
degrees warm one day.
For two weeks we had no mail ex-
cept Boston paper which came to
the boss. and when we got the papers
for three days all were eager to get
news of war and the epidemic. At
last had ten letters and was glad
to get good report of all the family
news from Maine. Michigan. Penn
sylvania and France all at once in
these momentous days. 1t was Won
derful to be alive and read of the
noisy world and its deeds back in the
silence of the forest. One Sunday
night Rev. J. NJ. Frost read US the
sermon by Rev. Talmage on the deer
hunt and the men sang a hymn.
Over this same route j came 30
years ago with Rev. Or. e. 0. Thaycr,
now in San Francisco. We drove
from Monmouth to Rumford and
South Ann and got to Bemis camps
by steamers. Bemis is now y station
of the railroad and Capt Barker has
his camps in other places. Yes, the
same Capt. Barker still lives and is n
wonderful man for camp life.
We read some stories and found
these lines:
Mighty drops of water
Little drops OF milk.
Make the milkman's daughter
Dress in finest silk
My friends we're mighty hunters.
Gut as | never use gun. it was my
part to keep the homo fires burning.
When they came tired and wet from
the nunt for deer. they were glad of
the fire in our log cabin For many
days they got only partridges. but on
the last morning We heard the guns
and about two o'clock we heard q
shout in the camp as they brought. a
buck and baby fawn. At night |
hung my watch on a log and used
fash light when any hunter awoke 10
ask the time.
When we started for home we
missed the train at Bemis by five
minutes but we had a happy visit
with Ed. S. Cummings. We had the
fun Of an open fire and splendid an
pies IN his elegant camp one evening
with discussions Of war and life in
the woods. Many poets have written
OF society and solitude and we need
both. Far from the city is good
place for every toiler TO find rest.