n that it was
reserved for the royal navy. It was not until about the year 1811 that
the reservation of White Pine trees was no longer insisted upon by the
crown.

The masting business was a very important one in the early days of New
Brunswick. Vessels were built expressly for the trade, and, being of
large size, and usually sailing under protection of a man-of-war, soon
became the favorite passenger ships.

The development of the masting industry proceeded very rapidly after
the arrival of the Loyalists, but even before that date it had
attained considerable proportions. Sir Richard Hughes wrote to Lord
Germaine on the 30th April, 1781, that upwards of 200 sticks for
masts, yards and bowsprits had been cut, squared and approved by the
King's purveyor at the River St. John in the course of the last fall
and winter, and that one of the navy transports was then at Fort Howe
loading a cargo of masts.

The year the Loyalists arrived, Captain John Munro, in reporting to
General Haldimand the state of settlement of the country, said:--

"On the River St. John are the finest masts and spars that I have
ever seen. I saw at Fort Howe about six thousand pounds worth. Two
ships were loading when I left that place. I suppose there were
masts sufficient there to load ten ships."

The masts, spars, bowsprits and other timber, having been prepared in
the woods by the workmen, were hauled to the water by oxen. Trees
growing near the stream were "bowsed out"--that is, hauled with block
and tackle to the river's bank. In the month of March it was customary
for the King's purveyor to certify the number and sizes of the sticks
that had been brought to the stream, "trimmed four-square and fit for
rafting," and on receipt of the purveyor's certificate the contractor
was at liberty to draw one-half of the money due on the fulfilment of
his contract, from the naval storekeeper at Halifax. The masts were
rafted and floated--or towed by sloops--to Fort Howe, where they were
stored for shipment in the mast pond.

The mast pond was a little cove to the west of Portland Point, just
east of the site of the present Portland Rolling Mills. The situation
will be seen in the accompanying plan. It was closed and fenced in by
the British government for the purpose of receiving the masts.

[Illustration: St. John Harbor]

A few words now concerning William Davidson, who may be said to have
been the first man to engage in lumbering on the