of large logs. One good-sized
log will carry your weight easily, but a small one will sink beneath
you.

If you have two long, strong ropes you can use them for binding the logs
together; if not you must make the ropes from fibre of some kind. Daniel
C. Beard in his book, "Boat-Building and Boating," tells of making a
very strong rope of the inner bark of a chestnut-tree which had been
killed by fire. The fibre torn off in long strips must be twisted by two
persons, or one end may be tied to a branch while you twist the other.
When two are twisting one person takes one end, the other takes the
other end, and, standing as far apart as possible, each twists the fibre
between her fingers, turning it in opposite directions until when held
slack it will double on itself and make a double twist. The ends are
then brought together and the rope kept from snarling until it is bent
at the middle and allowed to double twist evenly all the way to the end.
The fibre rope will be a little less than _half_ the length of the
original strands, and it should be about the size of heavy clothes-line
rope. The short lengths of rope must be tied together to make two long
ropes. Use the square knot in tying to make sure that it will not slip.
When the knot is wet it will be quite secure.

[Illustration: The raft of logs.]

=Primitive Weaving Method=

For tying the logs together use the primitive weaving method. Lay three
lengths of rope on the ground, one for the middle and one each for the
ends of the logs. Roll one log along the ropes until it rests across the
middle of each rope, then turn each rope over the log, forming a bight
as in Fig. 37. Bring the lower rope over the upper (Fig. 38) to form a
loop, and turn it back over the log (Fig. 39). This leaves the log with
three loops of rope around it, one end of each rope lying on the
ground, the other end turned back over the log. Now roll another log
over the lower ropes up close to the first log (Fig. 40). Bring down the
upper ropes over the second log (Fig. 41), cross the lower ropes _over_
the upper ones and turn them back (Fig. 42). Draw the ropes tight and
push the logs as closely together as possible; unless your logs are
straight there will be wide spaces between. Roll the third log over the
lower ropes and make the weaving loop as with the other two, _always_
crossing the lower rope _over_ the upper (Fig. 43). Continue weaving in
new logs until the raft is the required width,