174 



FELLING TIMBER 



saw was to come through^ to prevent the mis- 

 chief of splitting the butt. 



Whilst they were at work thus below, a man, 

 seemingly quite unconcerned at their opera- 

 tions, climbed up, with a rope in his hand, as 

 near as he could to the top of the tree ; and 

 having, as we understood, been a sailor in his 

 younger days, he briskly descended by that 

 rope ; and offered, when half way down, for a 

 pot of beer, to continue there half an hour ; 

 they working the mean time as briskly as they 

 pleased ; but the master said that he did not 

 pay him to win wagers or to lose them ; and 

 found him a more safe employment below : — 

 nor were any of us sorry for the turn he had 

 given to the proposal. 



Nothing shews the great strength of oak 

 timber more than the process of sawing the 

 trees down ; for, as in the present instance. 



