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He was absolutely indefatigable and day and night was up in the line sighting good positions and studying the enemy. The latter were distinctly alert as they showed by their behaviour on the 24th and 25th when we not only made no progress, but had several casualties. First, on the extreme right, an "A" Company patrol tried to reconnoitre the Epinette East Post by night.
Thanks to the fine birch-trees, that grew in abundance around, our boat-builders had procured the very best bark. The canoe was now completed all but the "paying," and that would not take long to do. The gum of the épinette had to be boiled, and mixed with a little grease, so as to form a species of wax. In less than an hour the thing was done.
It is used for "paying" the seams, as well as any cracks that may show themselves in the bark itself; and without it, or some similar substance, it would be difficult to make one of these little vessels watertight. But that is not the only thing for which the epinette is valued in canoe-building; far from it.
Francois had his part to play, and that was to collect the resinous gum which was distilled, in plenty from the trunks of the epinette or spruce-trees. This gum is a species of pitch, and is one of the most necessary materials in the making of a bark canoe.
Soon after 4-0 a.m. we were all in our assembly positions the three attacking Companies along a line running N. and S. about 300 yards E. of Epinette Road, with our left just North of Rue du Bois; the Support Company 100 yards behind them. Battalion Headquarters were in Epinette East Post with an Orderly Room and rear Headquarters in Loisne.
François had his part to play, and that was to collect the resinous gum which was distilled in plenty from the trunks of the épinette or spruce-trees. This gum is a species of pitch, and is one of the most necessary materials in the making of a bark canoe.
It is used for "paying" the seams, as well as any cracks that may show themselves in the bark itself; and without it, or some similar substance, it would be difficult to make one of these little vessels water-tight. But that is not the only thing for which the épinette is valued in canoe-building; far from it.
Thanks to the fine birch-trees, that grew in abundance around, our boat-builders had procured the very best bark. The canoe was now completed all but the "paying," and that would not take long to do. The gum of the epinette had to be boiled, and mixed with a little grease, so as to form a species of wax. In less than an hour the thing was done.
On the extreme right we had pushed forward across the road where they were opposed in the centre by Epinette East Post, and on the left by some houses in the Rue itself, to both of which the Boche was still clinging tenaciously. The extreme left platoon was about 200 yards up the Rue de Cailloux and occupied one of the old keeps in the Sailly Tuning Fork Vielle Chapelle Line.
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