42 THE ADIRONDACK. 



mass separates so far, that he can no longer step from 

 one to another, and after looking about a moment, he 

 quietly seats himself astraddle of one, and darts like a 

 fierce rider down the current. 



These logs are carried twenty and thirty miles in 

 this way, passing from small streams to larger ones, 

 through lakes and along rivers, and are finally brought 

 up at the wished-for spot by poles across the river, 

 which stop their further descent. Several different 

 men club together to drive the stream, and here they 

 pick out each one his own, by the mark he has placed 

 upon it, as you have seen a farmer select his sheep 

 in a pen containing several flocks. 



This marking logs like sheep, was entirely new to 

 me, and somewhat droll. I could imagine the owners 

 at the place of rendezvous, (i. e., of the logs,) selecting 

 them in somewhat the following manner: one cries 

 out, " well, neighbor Jones, is that your log ?" '' Yes." 

 " How do you know ?" " Oh, it has my mark — crop- 

 ped on both ears and slit in the right ; and here is one 

 belonging to you with a bob-tail, and a knot in the 

 forehead." 



This "driving the river,". as it is called, is one of 

 the chief employments of your backwoodsmen in 



