ty of the mill. The great difficulty to be overcome in
that undertaking, was the transportation of the timber. By cutting the
trees most favourably situated first, logs were got into the pond
without much labour; but after they were in planks, or boards, or
joists, they were quite seven miles horn the head of the Stairs, in the
vicinity of which it was, on several accounts, the most desirable to
dwell. Had the Abraham been kept on the stocks, until the necessary
timber was brought from the mill, across the plain of Eden, she would
have been well seasoned before launching; but, fortunately, that was not
necessary--materials sufficient for her were got on board the ship, as
mentioned, with some small additions of inch boards that were cut to
finish her joiners' work.

Months passed, as a matter of course, while the schooner and the mill
were in the course of construction. The work on the first was frequently
intermitted, by little voyages in the other craft, and by labour
necessary to be done in preparing dwellings on the Peak, to meet the
rainy season, which was now again near at hand. Past experience had told
Mark that the winter months in his islands, if winter a season could be
termed, during which most of the trees, all the grasses, and many of the
fruits continued to grow and ripen as in summer, were not very
formidable. It is true it then rained nearly every day, but it was very
far from raining all day. Most of the rain, in fact, fell at night,
commencing a little after the turn in the day, and terminating about
midnight. Still it must be very unpleasant to pass such a season beneath
canvass, and, about six weeks ere the wet time commenced, everybody
turned to, with a will, to erect, proper framed houses. Now that the
mill was sawing, this was no great task, the pine working beautifully
and easily into almost every article required.

Heaton laid out his house with some attention to taste, and more to
comfort. It was of one story, but fully a hundred feet in length, and of
half that in depth. Being a common American dwelling that was
clap-boarded, it was soon put up and enclosed, the climate requiring
very little attention to warmth. There were windows, and even glass, a
small quantity of that article having been brought along by the
colonists. The floors were beautiful, and extremely well laid down; nor
were the doors, window-shutters, &c., neglected. The whole, moreover,
was painted, the stores of the ship still