already blazed on his former 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