NEW ENGLAND FENCES 227 



than either the pole or the brush fence, but be- 

 longed to the same period of plentifulness, even 

 cumbersomeness, of timber. The great logs, gen- 

 erally pine, were laid straight, overlapping a little 

 at the ends, on which were placed horizontally 

 the short cross-pieces, which upheld the logs next 

 above. These fences were usually built three logs 

 high and formed a very solid wooden wall, but at a 

 lavish expense of material, for one of the logs sawn 

 into boards would have fenced several times the 

 length of the three. I remember but one, or rather 

 the remains of one, for it was only a reddish and 

 gray line of mouldering logs when I first knew it, 

 with here and there a sturdy trunk still bravely 

 holding out against decay, gray with the weather 

 beating of fifty years, and adorned with a coral- 

 like moss bearing scarlet spores. 



From behind the log and brush fences, the prowl- 

 ing Indian ambushed the backwoodsman as he 

 tilled his field, or reconnoitered the lonely cabin 

 before he fell upon its defenseless inmates. Through 

 or over these old-time fences, the bear pushed or 

 clambered to his feast of "corn in the milk" or 

 perhaps to his death, if he blundered against a 

 harmless-looking bark string and pulled the trigger 

 of a spring-gun, whose heavy charge of ball and 

 buck-shot put an end to his predatory career. 



After these early fences came the rail fence, as 

 it is known in New England, or the snake fence, 



