14 THE FOKEST LANDS OF FINLAND. 



on it the moving person operates. To the left side of the 

 head there is attached a string of logs, joined end to end, 

 where they are hewn thin, and through a hole about an inch 

 in diameter they are tied together with twigs twisted like a 

 rope, each end of this being twisted or tied up into a knot 

 not likely to slip. One log is thus added to another, and 

 thus with another and another, until a sufficient length 

 has been prepared. When the last is attached to the right 

 side of the head and there is formed an extensive loop or 

 circle of connected logs a chain, of which these are the 

 links. This is called the body of the koxhell, and into the 

 interior of this circle are tumbled, without any determined 

 order, the logs which are to be floated away. Into these 

 lake koshells there are put from 4000 to 8000 or 10,000 

 logs ; and sometimes, as a prevention against rupture in a 

 storm, there is superadded to the encompassing chain of 

 logs a thick rope. 



'The sea koshell differs somewhat from the lake koshell. 

 The head consists not of one layer, but of several layers of 

 logs, either laid in alternate directions, or, if all be in one 

 direction, bound very firmly by cross logs. Short logs 

 are generally employed, the so-called seven archfne logs, 

 about 16 feet long, What is of first importance in these 

 is their power of resistance, as they are frequently sub- 

 jected to the strain of severe storms, and in view of this, the 

 logs in the body of the koahell are all laid in regular rows. 

 The first row following the head may consist of 45 logs, 

 the second of 50, the third of 60, and so on, increasing till 

 the row in the middle of the body may consist of 150 logs, 

 after which the number in each successive row diminishes, 

 till the body presents the outline of a lengthened ellipsis. 

 Besides this, in several places the ends of the body are 

 connected by means of logs fastened across them, so as to 

 keep the koshell more compact. Koshells formed thus can 

 withstand very severe storms. They may contain from 

 1200 to 3000 logs, but not more. 



' Such koskelh are generally towed by steamers; and to 

 show how much cheaper the floatage of timber by koshells 



