SCOUTING FOR TIMBER IN THE EASTERN PYRENEES 



1195 



gentle and rock- free to boulder strewn and, in cases, pre- 

 cipitous slopes. As a whole it was, as Captain Wilson 

 expressed it "Some logging chance." 



We were convinced that the timber was there but the 

 question of how to get it out was unanswered. That 

 this could be done, and profitably, was evidenced by the 

 fact that Spanish civilian contractors were hauling out 

 four cubic meter (1,000 feet B. M.) loads of logs per 

 trip to Quillan, from 20 to 35 kilometers (13 to 22 miles) 

 distant, at from 25 to 35 francs per cubic meter. An 

 average of two trips in three days was made, giving a 

 return of approximately $28 per M feet B. M., or $19 

 a day. A pair of stout oxen, a heavy two-wheeled French 



the logs from stump to mill. A railroad was dismissed 

 because of the heavy and expensive rock work entailed in 

 reaching the plateau with consequent extended period of 

 time for completion. The established road bed was too 

 narrow and tortuous to permit a narrow gauge installation. 

 There was no favorable location for an incline, such an' 

 artificial arrangement not having been provided for by 

 nature in forming the topography. A cable, well installed, 

 would work to advantage if cable were available, but cable 

 was as scarce in France as bon-bons. So it narrowed down 

 to a horse job for the woods and motor trucks for the haul 

 to the railroad point, with the oxen and two-wheeled 

 carts as a reserve. The disappointment of the writer is 



SO NARROW IS THE GORGE THROUGH WHICH FLOWS THE RIVER AUDE, NEAR QUILLAN, IN THE EASTERN PYRENEES, 



THAT THE ROAD HAD TO BE TUNNELLED THROUGH THE ROCK 



cart and plenty of "vin rouge" in a goat skin sack con- 

 stituted the transportation equipment. At first blush the 

 method seemed antiquated and inefficient but after observ- 

 ing the manoeuvring of animals and loads through and 

 over almost impassable places for stock one was forced 

 to the Ford conclusion that "it takes you there and gets 

 you back." My belief was that, all factors, including cut- 

 ting restrictions, considered, a copious supply of oxen, 

 two wheeled carts, "vin rouge" and select Spanish woods 

 phrases would be the most economical transportation 

 method for the operation. 



The American mind naturally turns to machinery to 

 assist in meeting engineering problems and the examiners 

 in this instance were not exceptions. Railroad, incline 

 and cable were all considered as a means of transporting 



that he could not have seen the competition which would 

 have ensued between the Spanish and American con- 

 testants for the road and capacity loads. 



The next prospect for investigation was some fir timber 

 on the State Forests of Hares and Carcanet, about 20 

 miles above Axat on the Aude River. One follows the 

 gorge previously mentioned in reaching these forests 

 from Quillan and is more impressed with the attractive- 

 ness of the country to the tourist in search of rushing 

 streams and precipitous slopes than to the timberman in 

 search of a mill prospect. Our earlier experience, how- 

 ever, had taught us to reserve our decision until we were 

 actually within the forest. 



The Hares and Carcanet were not so desirable as the 

 forests in the Quillan group, but to those in need of 



