was perfectly continuous. They were then carefully lowered into the gushing torrent.
Baldric thought that they would then attach this line of poles to the near and far end of the pier, release the upstream end, and merely allow the tied poles to work their way out into the current until the far ends grounded themselves on the far side. Instead, the line of poles were let out very slowly and carefully into the current by means of a series of long guy ropes, that served to keep them in alignment. Baldric intuitively saw the sense in this, for it was then he realised that the pressure of the water would otherwise have bent and broken the logs like so much kindling.
The next phase began when a huge, burley man with a line tied round his waist and carrying a rough pole with a sharp spike protruding from one end, put a pair of sharp-cleated boots upon his feet and fought his way across the river, often fighting his way through calf-deep torrents of white water as it surged over the floating log barrier. When he finally gained the other side, standing precariously, he raised the pole above his head, drove the spike into a log at his feet, shinnied up
the pole, and to a chorus of cheers, bowed as he stood upon the far side, triumphant.