29 



ration before described is, or ought to be, completed, and 

 the dry season, or time of drawing down the logs from the 

 place of their growth commences. This process can only 

 be carried on in the months of April or May ; the ground 

 during all the rest of the year being too soft to admit of a 

 heavily laden truck to pass over it without sinking ; and al- 

 though the rains usually terminate about February, yet from 

 the ground being so soaked wath rain, the roads arc seldom firm 

 enough for use till the first of April. The mahogany cutter's 

 harvest may be at this time said to commence, as the resuk 

 of his season's work depends upon a continuance of the dry 

 weather: for a single shower of rain would materially injure 

 his roads. It is therefore necessary that not a moment 

 should be lost in drawinir out the wood to the river. 



The number of trucks worked, is apportioned to the 

 strength of the gang, and the distance generally from six to 

 ten miles. We will, for example, take a gang of forty men, 

 capable of working six trucks, each of which retpiires seven 

 pair of oxen and two drivers ; sixteen to cut food for the cat- 

 tle, and twelve to load or put the logs on the carriages ; tlu^ 

 latter usually take up a temporary residence somewhere^ near 

 the main body of the wood, it being too far to go and return 

 each day to the river side or chief cstablishuKMit. From 

 the intense heat of the sun, the cattle arc tmable to work 

 during its influence ; consequently, they are obliged to use 

 the night-time in lieu of the day, the sultry effects of which 

 it becomes requisite to avoid. The loaders, as before men- 

 tioned, being now at their station in the forest, the tru(k3 

 set off from the barquadier about 6 o'clock in the evening, 

 and arrive at their different places of loading about 1 I or 12 

 o'clock at night ; when the loaders, who are then asleej), are 

 warned of the approach of the trucks by the cracking of the 

 whips carried by the cattle-drivers, which are heard at u con- 

 siderable distance ; they arise, and connnence jilacing the logs 



