necessary to cruise the woods over a wide area selecting trees that
grew not far from the banks of the streams which might be "bowsed in"
by oxen with block and tackle. In consequence of the competition with
Mr. Davidson the hire of a yoke of oxen became as high as seven
shillings and six pence a day and difficult to obtain at that. The
exigencies of the situation were such that Hayes and Peabody ventured
to press into their service a pair of fat oxen that had been sent down
the river from St. Anns by Philip Weade for an entirely different
purpose. This was displeasing to Hazen & White who wrote: "We are much
surprised that you stopped the particular pair of oxen which we
desired last Fall to be stall fed for the use of the officers of the
garrison here and ourselves, which hath left them and us without a
good slice of beef."

It is rather a curious circumstance that very soon after Francklin,
Hazen and White embarked in the masting business they found
themselves at logger heads with William Davidson, whose workmen they
had for two years been endeavoring to protect from interference on the
part of the "rebels" and Indians. In point of fact Mr. Davidson
suffered greater annoyance at the hands of Samuel Peabody and his mast
cutters than he ever experienced from the rebels or the Indians. Under
the arrangements at first made with the government of Nova Scotia, a
good deal of latitude was allowed the mast cutters. Mr. Davidson had
a special order to cut masts, yards, etc., for his Majesty's
service, wherever he could find them. Under this roving commission
his workmen came into contact on several occasions with those of
the other contractors and in a very short time there was bad blood
between them.

Samuel Peabody, who had charge of the operations of Francklin, Hazen
and White, was a man of resolute and somewhat aggressive spirit.
William Davidson on the other hand, possessed all the energy and
determination for which the Scotch race is noted. The state of affairs
on the River St. John in consequence of the rivalry created by the
masting business was not at all harmonious. The sentiments of the
people were divided. There were some who sided with Hazen, White and
Peabody while others took the part of Wm. Davidson and Israel
Perley--the latter being in Mr. Davidson's employ. A couple of letters
of the period will serve to show how the rivals regarded one another.

Samuel Peabody writes as follows:

Maugerville, 2nd N