Camping and woodcraft - Scoutmastercg.com

BARK UTENSILS 267as ii^uch as fifty yards in length. The old-timeIndians used to say that bark cords were better thanhemp ropes, as they did not rot so quickly fromalternate wetting and drying, nor were they soharsh and kinky, but, when damped, became as sup^pie as leather. "Our bast cords," they said, "arealways rather greasy in the water, and slip moreeasily through our hands. Nor do they cut the skin,like your ropes, when anything has to be pulled.Lastly, they feel rather warmer in winter."The fibers of tamarack roots, and of hemlock,cedar, and cottonwood, are similarly used. DanBeard says: "I have pulled up the young tamaracktrees from where they grew in a cranberry 'mash'and used the long, cord-like roots for twine withwhich to tie up bundles. So pliable are thesewater-soaked roots that you can tie them in a knotwith almost the same facility that you can your shoestring.. . , Each section of the country has itsown peculiar vegetable fiber which was known tothe ancient red men and used by them for the purr>osesnamed. . . . Dig up the trailing roots ofyoung firs or other saplings suitable for your use,test them and see if they can be twisted into cordagestout enough for your purpose. Coil the greenroots and bury them under a heap of hot ashes fromyour camp-fire, and there allow them to steam intb.eir own sap for an hour, then take them out,split them into halves and quarters, and soak themin water until they are pliable enough to braid intotwine or twist into withes. Don't gather rootsover one and one-half inches thick for this purpose."The long, tough rootstocks of sedge or saw-grassare much used by our Indians as substitutes fortwine. Baskets made of them are the strongest,most durable and costliest of all the ingenious productsof the aboriginal basket -maker. The fiber isstrongest when well moistened. The stringy rootsof the catgut or devil's shoe-string {Cracca or Te-