Hand-spike

This person used a single hand-spike, holding up the upper end and sallying back. When the log rolled back it caused the hand-spike to spring forward, and, before he had time to relinquish his grasp, it flung him head-long forward, like an arrow from the hunter's bow, down the embankment into the water; when recovered, he was dead.

To be sure, we soon found that we were out and wide in our calculations, so when brought to our bearings we began to take kindly to the lay of our watches in scrubbing and wooding, as there was no hand-spike snubbing or squeak of hard words.

74. To unfold the hand-spike. Grasp the hand-spike pivot handle with the left hand and disengage the spring knob from its seat and rotate the handle. Then grasp the hand-spike with the right hand and unfold it engaging the hook. Then rotate the pivot handle to its initial position, engaging the catch in its recess.