The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1922-08-03
"reminiscences of n Winters Camping
Trip
LBy Roland T. Pattenl


ton, My older brother, Milton,
wished to do something to make the
stay pleasant SO he organized a camp
ing party to go into the Onawa Lake
and Benson Pond region. Beside
myself and my brother the party in
ciuued Arthur Henderson and his son
samuel young man of about my
own age. The equipment consist
Ell OF the usual blankets, camp sup
plies, several rifles, fishing tackle. etc.
The first ten or eleven miles we went
by team, and after that hauled our
luggage on two moose sleds which
we brought for the purpose. These
were broad runnere1 affairs built ra-
Their narrow and long, so they could
be worked between the trees. We
struck into the woods near the first
Greenwood pond in Elliotsville, hop
ing to reach camp on the shore of
Lake OnaWa that night. AS | re-
member it we were on old trails that
afternoon, so that we did not have
to wear snowshoes. other parties
had been through before us, and had
trodden the snow enough so that we
could go along without much slump
ing About nightfall we arrived at
the camp of two men who were
spending the winter cumming. 1t
may be they were hunting and trap
ping also, but gathering spruce gum
was their principal business. Their
tools for this work were very sim
pie. A Ratchet and big knife har-
vested everything they could reach
in that way. They had chisel to
reach. it seems higher up. | think
they could gather and clean about
hree pounds a day They receiv-
. ID about a dollar a pound delivered
at the settlements. 1t was a per-
iod of moderate wages, and this they
seemed to- think a very profitable en-
ployment.
They were very hospitable. and
took us into their camp which was
Of logs and quite generous proper
tons. A sleeping platform ran
around all four sides except for the
place occupied by the entrance. The
heating arrangements were decided
ly primitive. The roof was left open
FOR about half it's area at the center.
Under this roof opening there was a
log and earth embankment built up
o about the level of the sleeping
platform. On this a fire of ample
proportions was maintained. A
wooden hood slanied downward from
the roof opening all the way around
This must have been intended to
create a draft upward and outward
ar bp ,,F
lid work to some extent that way
Now and then. however, a change in
he wind would drive the smoke down
md conditions in this respect were
"athcr uncomfortable. ~ course.
he snow and rain fell directly onto
he fire, but fuel was plenty and it
vas kept going lively enough to defy
I'll weather conditions.
Under the most favorable construc-
ion it is said that s. per cent of heat
generated bv coal pnd wood goes up
chimney. In that camp would sup
nose 100 per cent or more must have
round its way out, but, but this could
not have been quite true because it
was comfortable enough as to tenn
pcrature most of the time.
We had a regulation camp supper
'round that big fire, and then the
older ones told stories for their own
entertainment, and surely to the in
terest of young Henderson and my
self. They were of adventures on
he spring drive with plenty of hunt
ng and trapping episodes sprinklcI
IN. | remember one yarn of a pan
ther dropping cut of a tree onto a
deer, which the narrator had already
covered with his rife. He changed
his aim a little, and killed both ami
mails at the one shot. / think |
must have fallen asleep dreaming
about panthcrs Along toward morn
ing young Henderson awakened me.
md in an awestruck voice command
ID that | listen. did so and very
soon heard a strange wall. whbb
seemed to come from way up the side
If Boarstone Mountain 1t was re
heated several times. and ono of the
gun men, who was also awake, told
us it was the cry of a panther.
The next day we crossed Lake Ona-
wa, followed over the divide, and dcs-
cended onto Big Benson Pond. We
had expected to camp there, but for
some reason or other kept on to Lit
tie Benson. Here We found rude
shelter which some one else had made
against tho SIDE of an enormous bowl
der. 1t was nothing more than
a few trees which had been cut ana
leaned against the rock, the branches
and leaves being left on. a very
simple arrangement of logs at the
base of the rock offered the only OPP
n0rtrnitv for fires. When we had
cut fresh bows and spread some
blankets we found there was ju&
about room FOR four people to lie
down. 4 part of our equipment we
stored outside, and the balance was
chuckod into the far corners of our
little shelter. The place did well
enough for rough life We were living,
but IL had a serious disadvantage af-
ter each snow storm. Tho heat of
our fire would melt the snow rs it
lodged on the branches OF our lean
to. and. of course. it would come run
uinr through unrcstrained. I re-
member ono night waking with .
small stream trickling down onto my
check and part of the time into my