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have to be cleared of obstnictions, falleu timber, etc., so that 

 the pine logs may be floated down to the main river. Tracks 

 have also to be cut through the scrub, about 18 feet in width, 

 and sets of " skids " laid down so that the logs may be rolled 

 into those channels or into the river. Hence the forests 

 are traversed by numerous skid roads winding in all direc- 

 tions, to suit the trees successively cut down. In some places 

 the floods occasionally rise high enough to enable boats to be 

 used and the logs floated out over the ferns and undergrowth. 



After the logs are cut to their proper length and stripped 

 of their bark, they are branded at the ends with the initials 

 or mark of the owner, — letters generally an inch in height, — • 

 punched into the wood with a smart blow of a hammer. 

 Doherty told me he had known cases where as much as two 

 inches had been sawn off the end of a log so branded, with a 

 view to its appropriation, and the brands made in the 

 above manner were detected by putting boiling water on the 

 new faces or ends, whereby the old marks became visible ; — the 

 punching process affecting the fibres to an extent that a brand 

 by hot irons would not. 



After the logs are in the river commences the work of 

 " clearing down " whenever there is a flood. The logs on 

 their passage down get jammed at eddies, stranded on low 

 banks, or otherwise detained. Two men go in a dingy, one 

 to pull, the other with an iron-pointed prodder to release 

 the logs and push them into the current. The dingies are of 

 the shape commonly used about the Huon, — square stem 

 and stern, and without keel, so that they are quickly turned 

 round and easily guided by experienced hands. From the 

 narrowness of the river in many places, this is the best sort 

 of boat for coming down the rapids. This work is attended 

 with considerable danger, and requires skill and presence of 

 mind. Henry Longley and his mate Buxton were drowned 

 in the Huon when so employed about three years ago. To 

 the honour of the Port Davey piners, they are always willing 

 to devote part of their time to show the special dangers of 

 the river to any new comer. I came down from the Bark 

 Hut Creek in one of these dingies, to see the nature of the 

 river ; and although there was only a small body of water I 

 enjoyed the trip. The scenery is beautiful, especially about 

 the Bay of Islands and the Davey Uapids. There are many 

 rapids in the river, all with characteristic and well known 

 names : in fact every eddy or remarkable spot has a local 

 name, as well as the creeks, plains, and hunting-grounds about 

 the Port, which do not always coincide with those on the 

 official plans. 



The dwellings occupied by the piners when up the river are 



