ew
settlement. Here and there, amid the stumps of trees, were scattered
tents, shanties, and log-huts, either finished or in the course of
erection. Women were cooking over fires in front of their rude
dwellings, while their children played around. Oxen, urged on by the
cries of their drivers, were dragging up huge logs to form the walls of
the huts. Drays were conveying sawn timber from the banks of the broad
stream which flowed by on one side--a saw-mill, turned by its water,
being already busily at work. A little way off, the tall trees were
falling with loud crashes before the woodmen's axes, engaged in
enlarging the borders of the settlement. While here and there arose
edifices of greater pretensions than their neighbours, with
weather-boarded sides and roofs. Several broad roads intersected the
projected town at right angles, from which, however, no attempt had as
yet been made to remove the stumps of the trees; while all around arose
the dark wall formed by the forest, closely hemming in the clearing,
with the exception of the single opening through which the travellers
had made their way.

"This is a wild place, indeed," said Donald, as he surveyed the scene.

"It was wilder a few months ago," answered Mr Todd. "It is our task to
reduce it into order, and ere long we shall see handsome houses, gaily
painted cottages, blooming orchards, green pastures, and fields waving
with rich corn, in lieu of the scene which now meets our eyes. But we
have no time to lose. We must select a spot by the river for the new
settlers to camp on, obtain a supply of wood for their fires, and get
some shanties put up for the women and children and old people."

Mr Todd and his attendants dismounted at the door of the chief inn. It
was also a store, at which every iron article, from a plough to a
needle, all sorts of haberdashery and clothing, groceries, stationery,
drugs and beer, wines and spirits, could be procured, as the proprietor,
who shook hands with the new arrivals, informed them.

Donald was soon actively engaged under Mr Todd in the duties of his
office, and from that day forward till the close of the summer he had
very few minutes he could call his own, with the exception of those
granted during the blessed day of rest. He now learned to value the
Sabbath more than ever, when he could rest from the toils of the week,
and leave his surveying staff and chains, his axe and note-book, and
turn with earnest fait