Canadian Forestry Journal, July, 1915 



121 



From a Fire Ranger's Diary 



A AA'ooJsman who Preaches on Forest Protection after Churcli 



Service — Fiiihting the Hig Blaze 



TJR' courageous calibre of many of 

 the fire rangers employed in the Cana- 

 dian woods has been givt-n frequent 

 and WfU deserved testimony. The 

 healthy, strenuous life, isolated from 

 'civilization,' continually demanding 

 vigilance and resourcefulness has 

 been the picturesque mark of much 

 Canailian fiction, and not a little 

 {.oetry. 



Here, however, are some real pages 

 borrowed fi-om a real ranger "s report. 

 A more enthusiastic chami)ion of the 

 rights of the forest can scarce be 

 imagined : 



■"Spent Sunday in eonvei'sing with 

 church-goers on the Divine plan of 

 Forest i-y for the proper usage of man, 

 pointing out that the Creator made 

 all things for a Pood purpose and for 

 the proper use of mankind. Uphold- 

 ing the Poorest as being one of the 

 chief handiworks of the Almighty, 

 and that all should look upon and 

 venerate same as sacred in future. 



■".Monday. — "Weather cool. Route 

 travelled, northwards, by canoe, ^^'l•y 

 good green timber in parts, for all 

 purposes aTid should be well protected, 

 ^lay be most of the mileage of today's 

 travel is in the bounds of the Indian 

 Reserve; if so. they have all the tim- 

 b»M- they require for the next genei-a- 

 tion if not attacked by fire. However, 

 as most of the country is interlaced 

 with creeks and waterways in abund- 

 ance, forming islands innumei-alile. 

 .some ])arts will always escape the dan- 

 ger of fires. 



'"Tuesday. — On the southeast shore 

 I noticed the ravages of fires, may be 

 ten years ago. The bu.sh is all drj'. 



with a new growth of saplings and 

 will '){) years hence be serviceable for 

 the use of humanity if protected care- 

 fully. As the wind was blowing a 

 strong gale we were unable to travel 

 any farther than five miles owing to 

 the force of the elements against mus- 

 cular compulsion. 



Another day. — "On close observa- 

 tion of natural growth on these 

 islands it makes me feel a.shamed of 

 maidiind in thoughtlessly being the 

 chief cause of forest destruction. In 

 walking through this island it made 

 me feel like going through a sacred 

 sanctuarv. 



■"Having been wind bound for so 

 long we were in good trim for a good 

 ])a<ldle and this we did with a ven- 

 geance as we made about 50 miles to- 

 day. 



"Having received a verbal message 

 from our Chief Ranger stating that he 



wanted to meet me at . I made 



ha.ste to connect with him. We tra- 

 velled for about fifteen hours and 

 camped on two small islands, being 

 too dark to travel farther. We camped 



with Rev. ^Ii-. and his two men, 



talking chiefly Fire! 



' ' " A fire I Look ! Look ! ' was the first 

 notification of huge columns of black 



smoke by the residents of . On 



looking in the direction, alas! it was 

 too true! A huge bush fire was rag- 

 ing. Who did it ? The fire ranger 

 will have to look after it or we will all 

 be burned out of the settlement. Be- 

 sides, the fearful destruction it will 

 cau.se to the country ! Overhearing 



