in the lumber fields who have been
blinded in a similar manner.

There are two sorts of axes in general use among the lumbermen; but the
double-bitted axe (131 _A_) appears to be the most popular among
lumberjacks. My readers, however, are not lumberjacks but campers, and a
double-bitted axe is a nuisance around camps. It is always dangerous and
even when one blade is sunk into the tree the other blade is sticking out,
a menace to everybody and everything that comes near it. But the real
old-fashioned reliable axe (131 _B_) is the one that is exceedingly useful
in a camp, around a country place, or a farm. I even have one now in my
studio closet here in the city of New York, but I keep it more for
sentiment's sake than for any real use it may be to me here.

XX

AXEMEN'S CAMPS

The Stefansson Sod Shack

NOW that we know how to wield the axe we can begin on more ambitious
structures than those preceding. We may now build camps in which we use
logs instead of poles. Most of these camps are intended to be covered with
sod or earth and are nearly related to the old prairie dugout. The sod
house is used in the arctic regions because it is warm inside, and it is
used in the arid regions because it is cool inside. You will note that the
principle on which the Stefansson is constructed (Fig. 135) is practically
the same as that of the Pontiac (Fig. 36); the Stefansson frame, however,
is made of larger timbers than the Pontiac because it not only must
support a roof and side of logs and sod but must also be able to sustain
any quantity of snow.

First erect two forked upright sticks (Fig. 132), and then steady them by
two braces. Next lay four more logs or sticks for the side-plates with
their butt ends on the ridge-pole and their small ends on the ground as in
Fig. 133. Support these logs by a number of small uprights--as many as may
be necessary for the purpose. The uprights may have forks at the top or
have the top ends cut wedge-shaped to fit in notches made for that purpose
in the side-plates as shown by Fig. 133 _A_. The shortest uprights at the
end of the roof should be forked so that the projecting fork will tend to
keep the roof logs from sliding down. The roof is made by a number of
straight rafters placed one with the butt in front, next with the butt in
the rear alternately, so that they will fit snugly together until the
whole roof is covered. The sides are made by setting a number of sticks in
a tre