NOTES AND QUERIES. 171 



workmen who laid a large quantity per day. Special sleepers and 

 curved rails were laid at the bends in the track, the rail on the out- 

 side of these being slightly raised, so that the loaded trollies might 

 take the curve easily. The gullies were negotiated by building 

 bridges of planks and trestles (see Plate V. Figs, i and 2), 

 the first trestle being the shortest, and each succeeding trestle a 

 foot or so taller, until the deepest part of the gully was passed, 

 when the difference in size became reversed. Planks were laid 

 over the trestles, and the lines laid over these. The trestles were 

 laid on broad boards to prevent them sinking into the soft 

 ground, and the whole structure answered its purpose admirably, 

 standing as sound and firm after the timber was removed, as it 

 did when first erected. 



Light four-wheeled trollies (Fig. 3) were used, capable of bearing 

 a load of two tons, and were drawn by a pony on the level and up- 

 grades. The inclines, where not too steep, were managed by simply 

 letting the trolly and load go down by its own weight. On the 

 steep down-grades, of which there were only two, one of the 

 wheels was fixed by inserting a "sprag," or piece of wood or 

 iron, between the spokes, thereby locking the wheel. It could 

 then be safely drawn down by the pony. 



The trees were drawn in sledges from either side of the 

 plantation, close to the tram line, where they were loaded on the 

 trolly. A strong flat-bottomed sledge with oak runners was 

 first used, but later on a new form was introduced having the 

 runners shod with -|-inch iron, which was continued upwards and 

 inwards to more or less of a point, somewhat resembling the bow 

 of a boat, the width of the sledge being 3 feet. This was found 

 a distinct improvement, as it became quite easy to draw a 

 fully-loaded sledge out and in among the standing trees, over 

 stumps, boulders, and other obstacles. The sledge glided 

 easily over and past all obstructions, and its construction reduced 

 the strain on the horse. The whole plant worked wonderfully 

 well, was quickly laid, enabled the timber to be cheaply and 

 effectively removed, and was quickly taken up again, to be stored 

 away for future use. At a time like the present, when so much 

 timber is being cut and removed over difficult ground, a more 

 extensive use might be made of the simple contrivance 

 described here, and this would help to reduce working expenses 

 and to check waste of material. 



Geo. Mowat. 



