o "ride
any kind of a log in any water, to propel a log by jumping on it, by
rolling it squirrel fashion with the feet, by punting it as one would
a canoe; to be skilful in pushing, prying, and poling other logs from
the quarter deck of the same cranky craft." Altho the logs are carried
by the river, they have to be "driven" with amazing skill and bravery.

[Illustration: Fig. 17. Log Driving on the Ausable River.]

The climax of hardship and courage is reached when a "_jam_" is
formed, Fig. 18. Sometimes one or two logs are caught in such a way
as to be locked or jammed and then soon other logs begin to accumulate
behind them, till the whole river is full of a seemingly inextricable
mass. Sometimes these jams can be loosened by being pulled apart, one
log at a time. A hundred men can pull out an amazing number of logs
in a day. The problem always is to set free or cut out certain "key"
logs, which lock the whole mass. Following is a description by Stewart
Edward White of the breaking of such a jam:

The crew were working desperately. Down on the heap somewhere,
two logs were crossed in such a manner as to lock the whole.
They sought those logs.

Thirty feet above the bed of the river six men clamped their
peaveys into the soft pine; jerking, pulling, lifting, sliding
the great logs from their places. Thirty feet below, under
the threatening face, six other men coolly picked out and set
adrift one by one, the timbers not inextricably imbedded. From
time to time the mass creaked, settled, perhaps even moved
a foot or two; but always the practised rivermen, after a
glance, bent more eagerly to their work. * * * Suddenly the
six men below the jam scattered. * * * holding their peaveys
across their bodies, they jumped lightly from one floating log
to another in the zig-zag to shore. * * *

[Illustration: Fig. 18. Log Jam. Adirondack Mountains, New York.]

In the meantime a barely perceptible motion was communicating
itself from one particle to another thru the center of the
jam. * * * The crew redoubled its exertion, clamping its
peaveys here and there, apparently at random, but in reality
with the most definite of purposes. A sharp crack exploded
immediately underneath. There could no longer exist any doubt
as to the motion, altho it was as yet sluggish, glacial. Then
in silence a log shifted--in silence and slowly--but with