Some of the traps we would drive crotched stakes and lay poles in them and then cover with hemlock boughs to keep the snow off.
Then build a cover over this space or fire, by first setting two crotched stakes about four feet apart and five or six feet high, back three feet from the log.
I now made a rack or gridiron by driving four crotched stakes in the ground about the embers and then laid small poles across in the crotches to form a rack to spread the venison on over the coals.
We then cut crotched stakes and drove them in the ground on each side of the ranks, and laid poles in, then placed cross poles on and covered with hemlock boughs.
A stout crotched stake driven into the ground about twenty feet, at the back of the coop, will answer every purpose, and the coop may be constructed wherever desired.
In place of the "spreader" a crotched stick is used, the crotch of which catches around the peg, the other end being supplied with a notch as in the case of the spreader.
When the snare is set, the crotched end of the bait stick will thus rest near the earth, the notched end only being lifted in order to reach the catch piece.
This is secured to a post or crotched stick, as a prop, and the spearman stands near the burning mass with his spear in readiness.
He noticed two willow wands lying crossed on the ground and pegged down with a crotched stick.
They soon had a fire going in the open space in front of the four tents, with a log rolled close to it, and the coffee-pail hung on a crotched stick, set aslant the log and braced in the ground.
Two hours later, Benny Ellison, strolling homeward, with gun over shoulder, and two pickerel dangling from a crotched stick, espied something gleaming in the grass by the roadside.
The ends of these poles should be pushed into the earth and fastened with crotched sticks.
In the middle of the top board bore a hole and put a crotched stick in for the lever to rest on.
With the crotched stick, he pinned Shaggycoat's neck to the ground, while with a piece of buckskin thong taken from his pocket he made a tight fitting collar for the beaver's neck.
Finally a plan came to him, for he went to the alder bushes and cut a crotched stick, and another stick which was straight.
The Ornithologist and I fell unobtrusively to the rear, while the dauntless Pan led the van with a crotched stick.
Arrived at the camp, we found two huge iron kettles suspended on a pole, which was supported by crotched stakes, driven in the ground, and each half full of boiling syrup.
The company were soon arranged around the rude tables, which were rough boards, laid across poles that were supported by crotched stakes driven into the ground.
Two crotched stakes were driven firmly in the ground.
Then he fixed a crotched stick over his fire and hung the birch kettle upon it.
Adrian remembered that his mate had spoken of it at the time, when by some carelessness, they had not secured the crotched sapling on which they hung their birch kettle.
Along the beach was a row of crotched poles, most of them still upright, where the numerous tents had stood.
At the bottom of the cavity a bright fire blazed, and several kettles were hung over it by forked sticks suspended from a horizontal pole, which was supported at each end at the proper height by a crotched stake.
There was a straight and slender ridgepole, to which the roof-ropes were attached, and this ridgepole rested upon two crotched poles at each end of the tent, set wide apart with the crotched ends uppermost and interlocked.
There was abundance of spruce, but David had considerable difficulty in finding saplings or bushes which would afford crotched poles of the proper size.
Two strong crotched sticks were stuck in the ground some six or eight feet apart, and a pole laid upon them, to which by the help of some very rustic hooks two enormous iron kettles were slung.
The two Gridley boys fished on in silence, adding frequently to the two crotched stick "strings" that flopped on the end of the pier.
As they went up the stream Dick cut and trimmed two crotched sticks on which to string the fish they might catch.
For answer Greg held up a crotched stick with not a single trout dangling therefrom.
I next place a pole about 5 inches thick by 10 feet long across from one crotched stake to the other.
By placing 2 crotched stakes in the ground like the first pair about 5 feet from them, and placing a pole across the tops and then two short brace pieces between these two top poles.
Near the fire crotched sticks supported a pole on which clothes, robes, or moccasins could be hung when wet.
If nicer yet, he may order a low hollow chamber of three sides of banked snow, and a superstructure of crotched sticks and cross-poles, with canvas thrown over it.
The simplest and cheapest kind of shed is formed by poles or rails, the upper end resting on a strong horizontal pole supported by crotched posts set in the ground.
The end of the horizontal supporting-pole is placed on the stack-pens when the stacks are built, and the middle is propped by crotched posts.
Midway between the central fireplace and the wall were planted 4 to 8 large crotched posts about 10 feet in height, on which heavy beams rested, these serving to support the roof.
This is explained in the following account of the construction and arrangement of such a dwelling: "Its construction was begun by drawing a circle on the ground, and on the outline setting a number of crotched posts, in which beams were laid.
Two strong crotched sticks were stuck in the ground some six or eight feet apart and a pole laid upon them, to which by the help of some very rustic hooks two enormous iron kettles were slung.
Fires were kindled, and the crotched sticks driven in the ground to boil the kettle for the evening meal.
On long portages, camp-fires were kindled and the kettles slung on the crotched sticks for the evening meal.
To the gunwales amidships two of the men fastened a couple of small crotched posts.
In the latter stood two stout crotched stakes, firmly braced--the handiwork of Pedro and Lourenço.
He returned, carrying a long, large bamboo, and a crotched stick.
