Agency) were next exercised in the daily use of arms. A master of
ordnance was also appointed to repair the small-arms, and to make up a
quantity of cartridges, as well as to arrange minor details for service.

But their chief difficulties arose from the necessity of clearing the
heavy forest from the neighbourhood of the town, and of keeping a
constant nightly watch: a duty which required no less than the services
of twenty men; but, arduous as these were, they were carried on with
unremitting diligence by all whose health remained unaffected by the
climate.

At the commencement of the third week after his arrival, the Agent was
attacked with fever; and, a few days after, his wife, whose affectionate
devotion had induced her to accompany him, was seized with symptoms
fatally. The sickness, from this period, made so rapid a progress
amongst the last division of emigrants, that, in a short time, there
were but two of their number who were not on the sick-list.

Notwithstanding the domestic calamity, and the enervating debility which
bowed the energies and spirit of the Agent, he continued, at every
intermission of fever, to direct the operations of the colonists, and to
organize such a plan of defence as he considered necessary to secure the
safety of the settlement; so that, in the event of his death, they might
not be deprived of their security.

To accomplish this purpose, five heavy guns were stationed at the
different points of a triangle, which enclosed the whole town; each
angle resting on a point of ground, sufficiently commanding to enfilade
two sides of the triangle, and to sweep over a considerable extent
beyond the lines. These guns were to be covered by musket-proof
triangular stockades, of which two would be sufficient to contain all
the settlers in their wings. The brass piece, and two swivels, mounted
on travelling carriages, were stationed in the centre, ready to support
the post exposed to the heaviest attack: these detached works were to be
all joined together by a paling, intended to enclose the whole
settlement; meanwhile, the Martello tower was to be carried on with all
possible speed; and it was hoped that this, when completed, would almost
supersede the necessity of the rest, and form an impregnable barrier to
the efforts of any native force; while the tangled brushwood, and
newly-felled trees, were to form a formidable and impracticable hedge
forest side.

With all the details of this plan,