5 Jobs From History That Were Absolutely Terrifying

Log Driver – Riding Timber Down Rivers

Log drivers, also called river pigs, stood on floating logs as they were driven down rivers to sawmills. They used long poles to keep the logs moving, break up jams, and avoid falling into the freezing water. The job was so dangerous that drivers often drowned or were crushed between logs. In Canada, the logging industry relied on them for decades. The work was seasonal, brutal, and terrifying. One wrong step meant you were pinned underwater with nothing you could do about it.