t. I also put in four acres of wheat on the top of the hill
near the castle, in the fall of the same year, the yield of which was
upwards of forty bushels to the acre--a good yield for any country,
especially when it is considered that at least one-twelfth of the
ground may be fairly deducted for stumps of trees, stones, and other
obstructions, usually found in all new clearings. I believe, however, I
may say without exaggeration, that the Company's tract may safely
challenge any other block of land of the same dimensions either in
Canada East or West, for fertility of soil, average yield per acre, or
healthiness of the climate.*

[* "The Canada Company's Huron tract is known to be one of the most
healthy and fertile settlements in Canada. The tract in the year 1842
contained 7101 souls. In June last year (1849) the Huron district
numbered 20,450 souls, according to official reports, exclusive of the
townships of Bosanquet and Williams. The Canada Company's tract now
contains a population of 26,000 souls, showing an increase of 18,900,
and that the population has nearly quadrupled itself in seven years--a
progress of settlement of a tract of country scarcely exceeded in any
part of the North America."--Information to Emigrants by Frederick
Widder, Esq.]

I bought a small log-house and town-lot, or rather the good-will of
them, from a French Canadian, putting myself in his place with the
Company, with whom I completed the purchase. The situation was very
pretty, commanding a fine view of the Lake. I immediately prepared to
build a suitable house, to receive my wife and family, whom I had been
under the necessity of leaving behind me in Guelph, till I could make
suitable preparations to receive them here.

At this time, there was only one saw-mill* in the whole Company's
tract, and that was ten miles up the river, situated near the mouth of
a large creek, which flowed into the Maitland. This mill was built
close to one of the finest pine-groves in the block.

[* "In no situation can settlers be distant from a mill, as there are
at convenient places distributed throughout the tract twelve grist-
mills and twenty saw-mills, and the facilities for communication are
very great; for seventeen of the townships are bounded on the one side
by the great roads traversing the tract in two directions for one
hundred miles in extent, and six of them are bounded by the Lake on the
other side."--Statistics published by the Canada Co