about the beginning of that month, to search the woods. He cuts his way through the thickest parts of the forest, and climbs the tallest tree he can find, from which he minutely surveys the surrounding country. At this season the leaves of the Mahogany tree are invariably of a yellow reddish hue, and an eye accustomed to this kind of exercise can, at a great distance, discern the places where the wood is most abundant. He now descends, and to such places his steps are directed, without compass or other guide than what observation has imprinted on his recollection, and he seldom fails to reach the exact spot to which he aims. The tree is commonly cut about 10 or 12 feet from the ground, and a stage is erected around it for the axe-men, who are employed in levelling it. A sufficient number of trees being felled to occupy the gang during the season, they commence opening roads to the nearest river, which operation usually amounts to two-thirds of the labour and expense of bringing the Mahogany to a place of shipment. If the trees are much dispersed, miles of road and many bridges are made towards them. The roads being cleared of all brushwood, hoes, pickaxes and sledge hammers are required to level down the hillocks and break the rocks, and loosen the stumps which impede the wheeled trucks on which the logs are carried. The roads being formed generally by the end of December, the cross cutting, as it is called, commences; and when the sawing is completed, the logs are placed in whatever position will admit of the largest square being formed according to the shape which the end of each log presents. They are then reduced by means of the axe, from the round or natural form, into the square; although some of the smaller logs are brought out in the round, yet, with the larger description, the making them square is essential, not only to lessen their weight, but also prevent their rolling on the truck or carriage. In the month of March, all the preparation before described is, or ought to be, completed. This is the dry season or time for drawing the logs from the place of their growth to the river. This can only be carried on in the months of April and May, the ground for all the rest of the year being too soft for heavily laden trucks. The roads are seldom fit for use until the 1st of April, when the Mahogany Cutters harvest may be said to commence, as the result of their work for the season depends upon the continuance of the dry weather. A gang of forty men is capable of working six trucks; each of which requires seven pair of oxen and two drivers, sixteen men to cut food for the cattle, and twelve to load or put the logs on the carriages. The intense heat of the sun prevents the cattle being worked under its influence, consequently they are obliged to labour in the night instead of the day time. The logs are laid upon the truck by means of a temporary platform, which is laid from the edge of the truck to a sufficient distance upon the ground, so as to make an inclined plane. They are then carried to the river and thrown into it, having been previously marked with each owner's initials. From the end of May to the middle of June, torrents of water are discharged from the clouds, and the Rivers swell to a great height. The Logs are then floated down, being followed by the gangs in pitpans (a kind of flat-bottomed canoe) to disengage them from the overhanging trees, until they are stopped by a boom placed at some situation convenient to the mouth of the River. Each gang then separates its own cutting by the marks on the ends of the logs, and forms them into large rafts, in which state they are brought down to the wharves of the Proprietors, where they are taken out of the water and undergo a final process of the axe, to make the surface smooth. |