r trip.

Those of us who have ever paused to watch a group of farmers working
out their road taxes, must have gathered a formidable impression of
road-clearing. And the few of us who, besides, have experienced the
adventure of a drive over the same highway after the tax has been
pronounced liquidated, must have indulged in varied reflections as to
the inadequacy of the result.

Radway's task was not merely to level out and ballast the six feet of
a road-bed already constructed, but to cut a way for five miles through
the unbroken wilderness. The way had moreover to be not less than
twenty-five feet wide, needed to be absolutely level and free from any
kind of obstructions, and required in the swamps liberal ballasting with
poles, called corduroys. To one who will take the trouble to recall
the variety of woods, thickets, and jungles that go to make up a wooded
country--especially in the creek bottoms where a logging road finds
often its levelest way--and the piles of windfalls, vines, bushes, and
scrubs that choke the thickets with a discouraging and inextricable
tangle, the clearing of five miles to street width will look like an
almost hopeless undertaking. Not only must the growth be removed, but
the roots must be cut out, and the inequalities of the ground levelled
or filled up. Reflect further that Radway had but a brief time at his
disposal,--but a few months at most,--and you will then be in a position
to gauge the first difficulties of those the American pioneer expects
to encounter as a matter of course. The cutting of the road was a mere
incident in the battle with the wilderness.

The jobber, of course, pushed his roads as rapidly as possible, but was
greatly handicapped by lack of men. Winter set in early and surprised
him with several of the smaller branches yet to finish. The main line,
however, was done.

At intervals squares were cut out alongside. In them two long timbers,
or skids, were laid andiron-wise for the reception of the piles of logs
which would be dragged from the fallen trees. They were called skidways.
Then finally the season's cut began.

The men who were to fell the trees, Radway distributed along one
boundary of a "forty." They were instructed to move forward across the
forty in a straight line, felling every pine tree over eight inches in
diameter. While the "saw-gangs," three in number, prepared to fell
the first trees, other men, called "swampers," were busy cutting and
clearing