King Spruce, A Novel

Author of
Copyright, 1908, by Harper & Brothers.
All rights reserved. Published April, 1908.

TO A. B. D. MY COMRADE OF TRAIL AND CAMP
When the trees have been cut and trimmed in the winter’s work in the woods the logs are hauled in great loads to be piled at “landing-places” on the frozen streams, so that the spring floods will move them. Most of the streams have a succession of dams. On the spring drive the logs are floated to the dams, and then the gates are raised and the logs are “sluiced” through with a head of water behind them to carry them down-stream. Thus the drive is lifted along in sections from one dam to another. It will be seen that Pulaski D. Britt’s series of dams on Jerusalem constituted a valuable holding, and enabled him to control the water and leave the logs of rivals stranded if he wished. The collection of water and quick work in “sluicing” are most important, for the streams give down only about so much water in the spring.
When a load of logs is suddenly set free from the cable holding it back on a steep descent, as in Chapter XXVI., it is said to be “sluiced.”
When there is a jam of entangled logs as they are swept down-stream, if it is impossible to find and pry loose the “key-log,” it is sometimes necessary to blow up the restraining logs with dynamite.
When the floating logs are caught upon rocks, and the men are prying them loose, they are said to be “carding” the ledges.
A “jill-poke,” a pet aversion of drivers, is a log with one end lodged on the bank and the other thrust out into the stream.
The “cant-dog” is illustrated on the cover of the book.