The 07'igiii of Rafting Timber. 341 



splasliiiif;- on both sides. On the ponderous machine were cattle of 

 all kinds, some bleating, some bellowing, when they perceived the 

 heifers peaceably grazing on the banks. A whole village seemed to 

 live on this float — on this prodigious construction of fir." So early as 

 the time of Cardinal llichelieu the French began to bring from the 

 I'yrenees timber for masts for their navy ; but as the expense was 

 very great, the attempt was abandoned, till it was resumed in the 

 year 1758 by a private company, who entered into a contract with 

 the minister for supplying the dockyards with masts. After 1705, 

 Government took tliat business into their own bnn.d; but it was 

 attended with very great ditPiculties. 



So soon as the floating of wood began to be a profitable undertaking 

 in Germany, it was fixed upon for taxation. Hence, therefore, arose 

 the float-regal, which, indeed, on account of the free use granted of 

 rivers, the many regulations requisite, and its connection with the 

 forest-regal, can be sufficiently justified ; but when and how originated 

 the term "j/'«s [iraiicc " has long puzzled the learned. In the German 

 and kindred languages no derivation of it can be found. One con-- 

 jecture is the following : the lakes and streams belonged to the 

 Wassenaers, who kept swans, geese, and ducks upon them. When 

 the brewers were desirous of clearing the water from the duckweed 

 (which was used in making beer), which in Fritsch's German Dic- 

 tionary is called Enkii'ijrvi-:, in order that it might be fitter for use, 

 they were obliged to pay a certain sum for permission ; and when 

 the practice of floating timber began, the floats disturbed the ducks, 

 and destroyed the plant on which they fed, and the proprietors of 

 floats were on this account obliged to pay a certain tax also. 



Into the modern system of floating timber, as practised in America 

 and Furope, it is not necessary to enter, the operations being so well 

 known, our present object being to show how the practice ori- 

 ginated, and witli wlimn. 



^^®v* 



