west
sixty-three miles, and north and south about fifty,--the Reef being a
very little west and a very little south of its centre. Of this surface
it was thought something like three-fourths was dry land, or naked rock.
This would give rather more than a million and a half of acres of land;
but, of this great extent of territory, not more than two-thirds could
be rendered available for the purposes of husbandry, for want of soil,
or the elements of soil. There were places where the deposit of mud
seemed to be of vast depth, while in others it did not exceed a few
inches. The same was true of the sands, though the last was rarely of as
great depth as the mud, or alluvium.

A month was consumed in making the allotments, and in putting the
different proprietors in possession of their respective estates. Then,
indeed, were the results of the property-system made directly apparent.
No sooner was an individual put in possession of his deed, and told that
the lot it represented was absolutely his own, to do what he pleased
with it, than he went to work with energy and filled with hopes, to turn
his new domains to account. It is true that education and intelligence,
if they will only acquit themselves of their tasks with disinterested
probity, may enlighten and instruct the ignorant how to turn their means
to account; but, all experience proves that each individual usually
takes the best care of his own interests, and that the system is wisest
which grants to him the amplest opportunity so to do.

To work all went, the men forming themselves into gangs, and aiding each
other. The want of horses and neat cattle was much felt, more especially
as Heaton's experience set every one at the sand, as the first step in a
profitable husbandry: wheelbarrows, however, were made use of instead of
carts, and it was found that a dozen pair of hands could do a good deal
with that utensil, in the course of a day. All sorts of contrivances
were resorted to in order to transport the sand, but the governor
established a regular system, by which the lighter should deliver one
load at each farm, in succession. By the end of a month it was found
that a good deal had been done, the distances being short and the other
facilities constantly increasing by the accession of new boats.

All sorts of habitations were invented. The scarcity of wood in the
group was a serious evil, and it was found indispensable to import that
material. Parts of Rancocus Isl