Show MAST MAST TREES FOR OR THE 60 CROWN W 4 mark of the broad arrow was war placed on pines in the plymouth colony in the provincial charter ot of 1691 under which the plymouth colony and the province ot of maine were united with massachusetts it was waa provided that all trees of the diameter of 24 inches and upward of 12 inches from rom the ground growing upon land riot not heretofore granted to any private person should be reserved to the crown b r the furnishing of masts for or the royal navy Ilar harpers pers weekly ob ii erves A surveyor general of woods was appointed to see that this provision of the charter was carried into effect near the coast all white pines of suitable dimensions were marked with the broad arrow three cuts through the bark with an ax like the track of a crow this was the kinia kinga mark long after the revolution had obliterated the royal authority met men who wha had been taught in boyhood to respect the kings mark hesitated to cut stich buch trees in felling a tree it was necess necessary arr to bed it 11 to prevent its breaking this was done by cutting the small growth and placing small trees across tho the hollow so that there should be no etrain upon one section mari more than upun upon another when the monster pine struck ground the mast was hauled out of the woods corb on one strong bled whether in winter or summer and so BO many oxen were required that the hind pair were often choked in crossing a hollow being hung up in their yoke by the pulling of those ahead of them A mast hauling was a great event and ever everybody Y body within walking dis tance came calne to see it |