REDWOOD LUMBERING. 39 



of donkey engines, now generally in use in all redwood log- 

 ging camps, and which work most advantageous ly in " snak 

 ing '' these massive logs from deep gulch or steep hill-side 

 to convenient points, where oxen can handle them with ease, 

 the number of teams formerly worked has been largely re- 

 duced. 



Transporting logs to the landings, either for trucks or 

 railroad, or to the dumps in the larger streams, is over a " skid 

 road " by "snaking," The '' skid road " is built of compact- 

 ly laid, small, round timber, twelve feet in length. The 

 " skids " are cut from young timber, one-third to one-half 

 greater in diameter, and placed six feet apart would come 

 under the head of a Corduroy bridge. The " skids " are barked 

 and smooth, as also are the logs ; hence, as the latter have 

 only a bearing on the former at every six feet, the " drag " 

 upon the oxen is comparatively light. To ease the pull still 

 more, a " bucket-man " walks abreast of the log while in mo- 

 tion, and splashes upon the "skids" water from a bucket 

 usually a five-gallon oil can with an improvised handle. Some 

 loggers use " dope," a mixture of cheap tallow and tar, be- 

 cause of the necessity of its less frequent application to the 

 " skids " to keep them '' slippy." 



Next to the cook in importance at a logging camp, and 

 perhaps his peer, is the ox-teamster, or, as the loggers will in- 

 sist in dubbing him, the " bull-puncher." He is usually tac- 

 iturn in presence of the crew, but no doubt satisfies his ambi- 

 tion as a conversationalist while using his budget of emphatic 

 words, calling upon his team to exercise their draft qualities 

 in ' snaking " a big redwood. The " bull-puncher '' not only 



