f raised and newly shingled, and are as comfortable as
can be expected. Indeed, the hut is admirably adapted for summer
weather, as we can shake hands between the logs.

"`The weather is very hot, although there has been much more rain this
season than usual. There can be no doubt that this is a splendid
country, both as regards soil and climate, and it seems a pity to see
such land lying waste and unimproved for so many years. It far
surpasses my expectations, both in natural beauty and capabilities. We
have a deal of work to do in the way of fencing, for at present
everybody's livestock is running over a large part of our land; but we
haven't got money to buy fencing! Then we ought to have two horses, for
the boy that was sent to me from the Reformatory can plough; but again,
we haven't a rap wherewith to buy them. One reason of this is that in a
new place a fellow is not trusted at first, and the last two hundred
dollars we had went in tools, household furniture, utensils, etcetera.
We have been living on credit for an occasional chicken or duck from our
neighbours, which makes but a poor meal for three--not to mention baby,
being very small--and George, that's the boy, having a tremendous
appetite!

"`I walked into town twice to try to get some meat, but although there
are ostensibly two butchers, I failed to get any. They actually wanted
payment for it! Heigho! how I wish that money grew on the trees--or
bread. By the way, that reminds me that there are bread-fruit trees in
the South Sea Islands. I think I'll sell the farm and go there. One
day I had the good luck to rescue a fine young chicken from the talons
of a big hawk, upon which we all made a good meal. I really don't know
what we should have done had it not been for the great abundance of
blackberries here. They are fine and large, and so plentiful that I can
gather a bucketful in an hour. We have made them into jam and pies, and
are now drying them for winter use. We have also hazel-nuts and plums
by the cart-load, and crab-apples in numbers almost beyond the power of
figures to express. There is also a fruit about the size of a lime,
which they call here the "May apple," but which I have named
"omnifruct," as it combines the flavour of apples, pears, peaches,
pine-apples, gooseberries, strawberries, rasps--in fact, it is hard to
tell what it does _not_ resemble. But after all, this is rather light
food, and although very Eden-like living