rotched
sticks, was a pot, and soon the mistress was preparing supper. It was
dark before we had settled for the night, which was so warm that
sleeping under the trees was no hardship. Jabez covered the dying fire
with damp litter, the smoke of which kept off the mosquitos, which
pestered us dreadfully.

In the morning Jabez was the first to be stirring. Giving me two pails
he directed me to go to a house I would find a bit down Yonge-street to
get water, and, if they had it, some milk. The house I found and also
the well, but how to draw water out of it I knew not. There was nobody
stirring until my awkward attempts to work the bucket brought a man out.
I told him who I was. 'You are an emigrant and this is the first
sweep-well you have tried to work. Well, now, you have got to learn,'
and he showed me how simple it was. He was much interested when he heard
of our party and of their camping out. 'Stay a minute till I tell
mother.' Coming back to the door he cried to me to go on with the water
and he would fetch milk after a while. The porridge was ready when he
and his wife appeared with the milk. He called his wife mother, which we
thought strange. She was a smart, tidy woman and was soon deep in advice
to our housekeepers about bush ways of doing things and bush cookery.
After they had gone their children, three in number, came shyly round
and watched us with open-eyed curiosity.

Jabez was in haste to get us moved to our own location, and to do so had
provided two oxsleds. Taking charge of one and Sloot of the other they
dragged the first loads over the bush track, all the men, except the
master, following. On returning for a second load, Jabez reported Brodie
and Auld were pleased with the land and that Allan and the children were
having a wash in the pond. How to get grannie through the woods
concerned the master. Jabez solved the difficulty by making a
comfortable couch on his sled, on which she rested, with the master on
one side, Robbie running alongside of the ox, and myself following. So
slowly and carefully did the ox step that grannie was little
discomposed. On stepping from her rude conveyance, she gazed in wonder
on the pond and the forest that encompassed it. 'This is our new farm,'
shouted Allan in her ear, 'A' this ground and the lakie?' 'Yes,'
answered Allan. 'An thae trees?' 'Yes,' replied her grandson, 'father is
laird of it all.' She stood for a minute or two as if dazed; and then a
light came to