INTRODUCTION 19 



break in two or to wallop around it horseshoe shape 

 and hang there. 



This was a very serious affair and the usual comment 

 by the deck crew was that "He (the pilot) made an 

 ape's tail of her." 



Aside from that derived from experience and ob- 

 servation I gained a lot of information about rafting 

 from George Tromley and Stephen Hanks who were 

 engaged in the work from the start; from E. W. Du- 

 rant, James Hugunin, George Rutherford, J. M. Haw- 

 thorne and others who learned the river while pulling 

 an oar on floating rafts before steamboats were used to 

 tow them. 



I learned most from Sam R. Van Sant who built the 

 first real raft-boat. He was my employer for four years 

 and my associate in business for forty years thereafter. 

 He was always well informed about the rafting business 

 outside of our own boats and their operations. 



All these men I have mentioned were not only intel- 

 ligent gentlemen but careful in their statements and 

 dependable for their good judgment and their honesty. 

 They never gave me what the slang users call "a bum 

 steer." 



In the material I had saved up to use in this work 

 were the lists of raft-boats, their owners, their masters 

 and home ports found in the appendix. These were 

 made out by Captain Van Sant and myself and pub- 

 lished in local papers. We were careful in preparing 

 these lists and know they are correct. 



Lists of pilots, engineers and mates were made out 

 later from memory. The list of pilots is complete for I 

 had excellent help to make it so. I know the other lists 

 are not complete but we could do no better. 



I have been greatly assisted by many kind friends 



