Robert Mullen (1849-1936): The Journey to Quebec City

If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant: if we did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome.

Anne Bradstreet (1612 - 1672)


Once the spring thaw came, the rafts were released. Robert Mullen made a journey at least once on one of these rafts. These men were called Log Drivers; only the most experienced loggers were sent on this trek. Hundreds of these cribs would be bound together to form giant rafts measuring thousands of feet long. The log drivers made sure the raft didn't get stuck on the narrowing edges of the river or stuck on rocks.

Rafts were floated down the Ottawa River to Quebec City; the journey taking 2 months. Small huts were on the raft for the men to sleep. Once at Quebec City, the wood was loaded onto ships and sent back to Europe.