512 JOURNAL. [PART in. 



in the stern of the boat, so as not to come in 

 contact with the floating trees, snaggs, planters,* 

 &c., obstructions most likely very numerous in 

 that river. But, the placing the wheels behind 

 only saves them ; it is no protection against the 

 boat's sinking in case of being pierced by a 

 planter or sawyer.f Observing this, I will sug 

 gest a plan which has occurred to me, arid 

 which, I think, would provide against sinking, 

 effectually ; but, at any rate, it is one which can 

 be tried very easily and with very little expence. 

 I would make a partition of strong plank ; 

 put it in the broadest fore-part of the boat, right 

 across, and put good iron bolts under the bot 

 tom of the boat, through these planks, and 

 screw them on the top of the deck. Then put 

 an upright post in the inside of the boat against 

 the middle of the plank partition, and put a 

 spur to the upright post. The partition should 

 be water-tight. I would then load the fore 

 part of the boat, thus partitioned off, with lum 

 ber or such loading as is least liable to injury, 

 and best calculated to stop the progress of a 

 sawyer after it has gone through the boat. By 

 thus appropriating the fore-part of the boat to 

 the reception of planters and sawyers, it ap- 



* Trees tumbled head-long and fixed in the river, 

 t The same as a planter, only waving up and down. 



