Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1907-08-03


OF trades such as that of the steeple-
Jack, but very few Wide World read
ers, imagine, have any knowledge
of what is, perhaps, the hardest and
most hazardous occupation on earth
-"river-driving.
Mr.. r. j. Davis, who now resides
in the Northwest Territories of Can
ada, knows, perhaps, as much as any
man living OF the dangers and fas-
cinations Of this trade, which should
more properly be called log-driving.
Born as he vas on the shores of
one of those vast inland seas that 30
belle their Insignificant title of
"lakes," and that, Joined by rivers,
form a chain across Eastern Canada,
he early acquired love of the water
only known to those that have to de-
pend upon 1t for a living.
Gigantic floating islands of logs,
sometimes half mile in length, lay
moored to the shore almost at the
door of his home, awaiting the
floating village of "river-drivers" to
steer them to the mills, where they
are sawn into timber. Here is the
story of Mr.. Davis evolution as a
driver, told to me by himself.
1t is life that seems to get hold
of one after year or two. You are
generally wet through for twelve
hours out of the twenty-four; ten Of
you sleep IN IA CweIve by nrteen foot
shanty, you live on fried everything,
"black strap" treacle, and stewed
tea; you go to bed at 10 and get up
at 3; you are everlastingly cursed
and never praised by the foreman,
your life Is in danger more or less
all day long, and you never get more
than $35 a month for work that is
worth 500. Then why stick It
it?" you say, and all can answer is.
Just give 1t fair trial for a year
and then you'll know"
AS children we used to run out,
across the booms of logs, which is a
| good deal harder to do than you
might suppose. One OF us, perhaps,
would fall through, but such an acct
dent never aroused any comment
from our companions. They would
rush on heedlessly, hopping from
log to log like lot of monkeys, and
leaving the unfortunate one to sink
couple of feet below the surface of
the water, bob up, hit his mead
against an unresisting log, and gen.
| orally scratch and bruise himself
thoroughly before 3crambling like
| half drowned kitten to the surface
once more. That is how we learned
not to mind a ducking, and also to
| shift for ourselves when we did get
one.
Have you ever tried to stand up
! right on a log perhaps foot across
the butt, out in an open lake, keep
| ing your balance to every roll and
| dip of the log? Well if you hat you
would realize better the marvellous
balance of the man who not only has
| to do this, but also maneuvre other
logs down the current with a long
pike pole, chain booms together with
numbed fingers, and, in fact, do the
whole of his days work while bal
anclng on twirling, twisting, half
submerged tree trunk.
At the age Of thirteen had t. get
out and eCrn my own living. Times
were hard, and every one who las a
sound pair Of arms and legs has to
work for ~ right to occupy the
earth down on those Eastern lake
| shores.
One morning along came an alli-
gator boat" towing a floating colony
of river-drivers to work the boom of
logs that lay moored out in the lake.
Here was my chance. My brothers
and sisters haC been packed off to
school, and l was left to chop wood.
Why should l chop wood for love
when / could drive logs for $35 a
month? l was off across that boom
of logs like a jack rabbit, and soon
found myself surrounded by a good
natured ring of grizzled faces.
whats the matter with the kid?"
asked the foreman, gigantic, beard
ed man in long leather boots, as he
surveyed me from head to foot.
Flows chances of a job?" asked,
with as much dignity as l could as
sumo.
A roar of laughter floated over the
lake and echoed through the NAPLES
far up the banks, but 1t didn't abash
me in the least
You all think you're awful
smart" remarked, scathingly, but
Ill stand on log with any one of
you for the job. If I'm put off I'll
on Oft HIT o
you can't put me off l want work at
$12 month for start"
There was twinkle in the fore
mans eye as he said, Done! Jack,
try him twirl."
The next minute l found myself
standing on one end of a small pine
log, and my adversary, a hulking
"driver" with spikes half an inch in
length on the bottom of his boots,
on the other.
Slowly at first the log began to
turn In the water, in answer to the
pressure of my adversary's spikes,
then quicker and quicker, till it fair
ly spun round, with my naked feet
pattering "way on the hard ba.k
ike woodpecker's bill. Then, sud
denly, my willy foe would stop 1t al
most dead, and l had to wave my
arms like a windmill to keep my Nal-
ance, but kept it.
All the time shouts ~are going up
from the camp raft, GO it, kid!
Stick to him! He can't get you!"
First this Wv, then that, the log
twirled; next, by way OF variation,
the lumberman would takeAa play
full jump and send me and my end
of the log clean-out Of the water.
And then-well, / don't know exact
ly how 1t happened, but there was a
frantic waving of long arms, and six
feet OF river-driver spiashed into the
lake, to reappear more in the SEM
blance Of playful hippopotamus!