54 THE PINE-TREE, OR 



ness for pitch or resinous substances. In the course of my travels 

 through the forest, I have often seen Fir-trees which contained 

 large quantities of balsam, with their bark entirely stripped from 

 the trunk by these craving depredators. Under the impulses of 

 this peculiar appetite, they sometimes tear even our bateau to 

 pieces for the tar with which it is besmeared. If injured beyond 

 the means of repair, we are compelled to pursue our journey down 

 on foot. Perchance we may fortunately meet some Indian trap- 

 per with his frail canoe, which we charter for a portion of the 

 journey, until another boat, or means of conveyance, can be se- 

 cured. Were any of my readers ever on board the Indian's bark 

 canoe ? Some, doubtless, have been, and such will bear me out 

 in the declaration that the voyager experiences emotions pecul- 

 iarly agreeable. As a conveyance, it seems to occupy a space 

 between riding and flying ; not in respect to its speed, although 

 this is considerable when the paddle is vigorously applied, but its 

 fairy-like buoyancy quite dissipates the idea of one's gravity. 



Having determined, during the exploration, upon the territory 

 from which we wish to cut and haul our logs, we proceed to ob- 

 tain permits from the state or proprietors, which secure the ex- 

 clusive right to cut timber within the bounds of the grant for 

 a stipulated price ; so much per thousand feet, board-measure, 

 which varies from one to eight dollars per M., according to the 

 quality of the timber and its convenient location to the lake, 

 river, or stream upon which it is to be floated to market. Among 

 other preliminaries which anticipate the winter operations of 

 lumbermen is the " putting up" of large quantities of meadow 

 hay. 



Skirting the stagnant sections of rivers and streams, extensive 

 strips of meadow land spread back to the border of " uplands," 

 whose outlines are distinctly denned by immense forests which 

 hem in these large areas, sometimes embracing many thousands 

 of acres. This intervale is covered with a heavy growth of 



