Ferndale Union High School - Tomahawk Yearbook (Ferndale, CA)

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A Squirrel's Adventure Although I was but a little ground squirrel, I watched the Indians with awe and wonderment kindling a great fire down by the lake. The fire and the water in the lake were soon quarreling. Each claimed that he could do the most damage in the world. The water said, What could you do? Oh, I could burn everything and everybody up in the world, replied the fire. Oh no you couldn't, said the water, f'Lets try, said the fire. Allright. At this the iiames of the fire leaped to the tops of the forests, but the water rose higher and higher. The fire was soon raging on the high mountain tops, but only to be quenched by the water. Having witnessed all this I plainly saw that if something was not done there would soon be no more fire in the world. Even if I wasn't very large I thought I might do something. What could I do? What could I do? Finally a thought came to my mind. I at once began to hunt out some timber that would resist fire a long time and at last decided upon the oak. I strapped this to my back and fastened a coal to it. I now went to a high rocky cliff, thinking I would here be safe from the angry waters. Below me I saw mountains disappear and the Hre was grad- ually being consumed by the raging waters. Closer and closer came the water to me as I stood on this high position. Now it had reached me. What must I do? All that is left is to swim, but at just this moment I was swept off of my feet. For many days I swam in the water, taking precautions not to let the water see the coal on my back. At last there was no more smoke in the world. Almost all the animals had either been burned to death or were drowned. By this time the coal had burned through the wood and was eating into the flesh on my back. Finally the flood began to decrease and the water returned to the lake. Water had con- quered fire. Once more I set my feet on land, but was nearly exhausted. Immediately I built a large fire and the animals that were left came and dryed themselves. The hair on my back was singed to a brown and ever after l bore this mark, which constantly reminded me of my great adventure. VERNA HAWLEY, '10. . iii, 413: 4 .1 N .- ri qu -Lf .R J '53 . , I '- 'f , V' v 1- ' i'1'3il:-p S fi' -ee as ,. fp- . - , ' - ELI ' '37 , ' ' Aiff' - 'D 1--. 143- A 'L , 1 ,SZ P'-Y 4,,,L 'Q-. -sg 2 . -f -' 'TLA fi- - I 5 L.. . '., ' ,..... Q S ' ' -L - r A ,V ' , - W W I .,,.,,.,e.e- ... - , -Mg-..:f

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As the Tree Falls Early one beautiful morning last July, l started out with a party of friends to witness the logging operations in a nearby lumber camp. For several days We had heard the tremendous crash- es and the trembling earth quiver as each monarch left its proud place among its fellow redwoods and fell to earth, but could see nothing of the work, only the cloud of red-brown dust that rose. As we crossed the river nothing broke the stillness of the morning, save the murmur of water hurry- ing over the nearby riffle and the occasional shrill, distant squeal of the donkey engine at work. This was the only incongruous note that seemed to reveal the presence of an enemy in that peace- ful scene, where the heavy fringe of redwood forest came down almost to the water's edge on the one side and towering cliffs rose abruptly on the other, making the picture one of wild, majestic beauty. After walking a short distance on the river bar, we entered the shadows of the royal trees themselves. Here silence brooded over all, no bird note was heardg the sky was not visible and only occasionally would a few rays of light iind their way through the heavy foliage. They would make a path of gold through the green gloom and light up dim aisles among the cathedral spiresf' Up the heavy bark of some of the trunks crept the graceful poison ivy, covering the seamed sides with delicate green tracery. As the woodland road wound in and out, the way grew lighter and soon we were emerging from the half-light. A turn of the road revealed an open space, and here in the glare of the sun- shine the entire aspect was changed. Desolation was on every hand. The whole tract seemed covered with fallen tree trunks, lying side by side, peeled of their bark, reminding one of descrip- tions of battlefields, where countless heroes had perished in a mortal tight. Onward we went, walking on the huge trunks, in the direction of the engines whose screams were now much louder and more insistent, Soon a very rough roadway appeared where the earth was torn up and every appearance was given that some resisting object had been dragged along it against its will. Farther on were standing trees not far from the railroad track, where one of the donkey engines was stationed. Now we could hear the forces at work, the noise of the engine was al most deafening, but leaving its immediate neighborhood we heard the steady chop of the ax, as its ringing blows were aimed at a tree's sturdy butt, and from close by came the rythmic swish, swish of the cross-cut saw. From a safe position we witnessed every stage of the progress of a redwood from its proud place in the forest to its railroad journey to the mill. After selecting the tree, expert woodsmen studied every detail of its position, and after calculations had been ma.de, a stake was placed which the tree should drive in the ground. Then the choppers took their places and made a V-shaped cut on one side. Meanwhile all the debris was being cleaned from its path, and a cradle was pre- pared to receive it. This was done to prevent destroying it as one fine redwood was smashed to pieces the morning we were there through some carelessness in its felling. After the choppers had inflicted a terrible gash in the tree's side, the sawyers came and began cutting on the opposite side, carefully wedgiug the tree over as they worked. Finally the work was done and the crucial moment has arrived. The workmen continued to push in the wedges until presently the tree began to move. Very, very slowly at first, but gathering speed as it descended until the mighty giant crash- ed to earth with awful force. The roar of its terrible fall reverberated up and down the opening. Sometimes in the spring when the sap is up, as the tree falls, it will catch its bark against a stump or projection and jump like a yellow snake from its skin, coming out perfectly peeled and slippery. After it was down and the peeling process was finished, the sawyers again attacked it, dividing it into tremendous sections. Then came the work of the donkey engine. A very strong cable was bound around one of the sections, and the other endwas controlled by the engine. At a signal from the superintendent the power was turned on and instantly a tremor passed through the awkward monster. It immeditely began to 'move and right quickly did it follow the leading of the cable up to the track where the flat cars were awaiting their burden. The cable's tremendous power spun one log around so rapidly that the log seemed almost to have life. The powerful engines soon lifted the great logs up on the cars, then piled them one above the other until there were three tiers. Men quickly bound them with great chains, then the locomotive backed in and away they went, over the railroad tracks to the mill. The whistle sounded for noon and our party left with feelings of mingled wonder and regret, wonder at the marvels of modern commercial methods and deep regret at the passing of the beautiful redwood grove, knowing that in one year only a barren waste would be left, with blackened tree stumps and charred timbers as mute witnesses of the former beauty. EMILY E. KEOHAN, '08.

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Wild Flowers in the Vicinity of Ferndale Few people appreciate the Wealth of wild, fiowers growing round and about Ferndale. There is scarcely any time of the year, if a person is inclined and is interested in flowers, but that buds and blossoms of some species may be culled from our fields and mountain sides. ' One of the first flowers that makes its appearance in the spring is the Trillium, a member of the lily family, and no church or Easter decoration is complete without a bunch of these daintily colored blossoms. Little companies of these plants maybe seen upon low flats, under the trees, where the soil is rich. The flowers have a strong heavy fragrance, and are exceedingly variable in color, .ranging from pure white to deep wine. Closely 'following the Trillium, come the white Daisies, which dot the fields and pastures. They are generally pure white, with an occasional rose color, and thrive best in a sandy soil. I have seen them flourishing even in old river beds, where you could scarcely distinguish them from the white stones. The Wood or Yellow Violet also blooms in the'spring. This modest little violet is found com- monly in the woods, where it often carpets the ground with its leaves. Another violet comes at this time which has a violet or purple colored blossom. These flowers generally grow in moist places, and vary in the length of their stems, When the first clear, beautiful note of the lark the buttercup is here. The fields are generally nature. The blossoms are of a rich yellow and live. The Genies Iris, on account of the bright and rainbow-winged messenger of the gods. lt has a according to the season and locality of the growth. is heard, the skies blue and grass green, we know full of them, bringing a gladness to the face of the plants prefer the marshy places in which to varied hues of its iiowers, was named for the beautiful purple or lilac-colored lily, which seems to have a certain marked individuality. It thrives well upon the lower slopes of our well drained hillsides. Again it is often found in the rich soil of the moist woodlands about Francis and Wil- liams' creeks. Baby Blue Eyes, Sunflowers, Shooting-Stars, Indian Pinks, Wild Onions, Wild Sweet Peas, Batchelor Buttons and Bleeding Hearts all abound on the hills south of the public school grounds. The delicate blossom of the Baby Blue Eye vary greatly in size and the color of blue. General- ly it is a bright blue and is called by some California Bluebell. The Sunflower has a large blos- som of rich yellow, with a brown center. The others are so familiar to us all that they need no description here. One of the oddest and most beautiful flowers The Wild Ginger comes to us during the months of April and May. lt grows of our many shaded streams, where it seems to A dull colored bud begins to appear and when at length expanded, the blossom looking for its prey. The leaves of this plant, when crushed, have a fragrance caniphor. This species grows abundantly along Scarlet flowers are so rare, and nature is so of the Indian Paint Brush are especially welcome. along the borders as they gurgle by. resembles a spider similar to that of enjoy the gossip of the brooks Price and Howe creeks. chary of that beautiful hue The dense tufts make brilliant dashes of color that the blossoms which are very noticeable amid the greens of spring time. that grow in our vicinity is the Mission Bell. It is unrivaled in elegance, for every line is a study in grace. The plants maketheir appearance in early spring, and later produce an abundance of blossoms. The flowers are mottled, and vary in shades from dull green to purple. There modest colors blend so nicely into the scene about that it is diflicult to see them. The bright canary colored blossoms of the common Monkey Flower are a familiar sight, fringing the streams and peering over the banks as if to see their own loveliness reflected there. The flowers are of a handsome yellow, having a pair of ridges running down their open throats, and may also be known by its musk scented light green herbage. ' False Solomon's Seal is one of the prettiest plants found in our woods during the spring sea- SOI1, It HHS H graceful, dI'00Di11g tG1'1d9HCY, Which shows the handsome spreading leaves to full ad- vantage, and its few delicate little white blossoms are a Htting termination to the sprays. Near and about our town, even before the frost is entirely over, the leaves of the Skunk Cabbage IDHY be S6611 DHShiI1g their Wal' UU thI'0l1gh the Standing water in marshy localities. They attain great size and are of a rich wax-velvet green. When the plants are in bloom, they are very hand- some and the stalk continues to grow until its yellow blossoms become brown. 'During the same season comes the California Poppy, whose charms are difficult to exaggerate.