THE LIVE OAEERS. 125 



Presently he sees the wood-cutters, who, light- 

 ly attired, shouldering their bright axes, proceed 

 to their toils. On the opposite sides of some far- 

 spreading oak they station themselves, while, 

 with continuous blows of their keen-edged im- 

 plements, they strive to cleave its mossy far- 

 shooting roots. One of their companions ascends 

 another tree stem. Proceeding cautiously, he 

 climbs to the height of perhaps forty feet from 

 the ground, then stops — measures himself on the 

 trunk of which he boldly stands, and wields 

 with strong muscular arm his well-tempered 

 steel, till soon the trunk remains connected only 

 by a thin stripe. Then shaking with all his 

 might, the huge log is seen to swing, suddenly 

 give way, and striking the earth with its weight, 

 the crash of its fall is heard to re-echo through- 

 out the neighbouring space. Then, when the 

 wood-cutter has slidden by the aid of a grape- 

 vine to the ground, the rest of his party con- 

 gregate to examine the fallen trunk. 



This they cut at either end, and if it is proved 

 sound, they proceed to take its measurement, 

 and lay out the timber for use by the aid of 

 models, showing the different forms and sizes 

 required. On the discovery of a good planta- 

 tion, the cutters, or Live Oakers as they are 

 called, build themselves log dwellings, in which 

 to slumber by night, and take their repast by 

 11* 



