Wyandotte

etful of his on

eling of the

to catch the

n transport

l oblivious dr

eathed lau

civ

hat they had passed the line of his estate, and were approaching the spot where they were to dwell. The stream was so small, and the girding of the forest so close, that there was little range for the sight; but the anxious wife a

improvement of the "Knoll." There is a pleasure in diving into a virgin forest and commencing the labours of civilization, that has no exact parallel in any other human occupation. That of building, or of laying out grounds, has certainly some resemblance to it, but it is a resemblance so faint and distant as scarcely to liken the enjoyment each produces. The former approaches nearer to the feeling of creating, and is far more pregnant with antic

are, had all been drawn by oxen, and burned. This left the entire surface of the four hundred acres smooth and fit for the plough. The soil was the deposit of centuries, and the inclination, from the woods to the stream, was scarcely perceptible to the eye. In fact, it was barely sufficient to drain the drippings of the winter's snows. The form of th

cessory to civilization. But the captain's authority, if not his better taste, prevailed; and the boundary of felled trees and brush was completely concealed in the back-ground of woods. As yet, there was no necessity for cross-fences, the whole open space lying in a single field. One hundred acres were in winter wheat. As this grain had been got in the previous autumn, it was now standing on the finest and

-dam. To her all appeared like magic, and her first question would have been to ask her husband to explain what had been done with the trees and stumps, had not her future residence caught her eye. Captain Willoughby had left his orders concerning the

lar height, having a summit of about an acre of level land, and falling off on its three sides; to the east and west precipitously; to the south quite gently and with regularity. It was this accidental formation which had induced the captain to select the spot as the site of his residence; for dwelling so far from any post, and in a place so difficult of access, something like military defences were merely precautions of ordinary prudence. While the pond remained, the islet was suscepti

customed to the craft, the men had erected a building of massive, squared, pine timber, well secured by cross partitions. This building followed the wall in its whole extent, was just fifteen feet in elevation, without the roof, and was composed, in part, by the wall itself; the latter forming nearly one-half its height, on the exterior. The breadth of this edifice was only twenty feet, clear of the stones and wood-work; leaving a court within of about one hundred by one hundred and seventy-five feet in extent. The roof extended over the gateway even; so that the space within was completely covered, the gates being closed. This much had been d

stream, washing his feet, after a long day's hunt. "No t'ink him better dan be

n, Nick; for I have already pa

al, cap'in--see what grea

covery, Nick, is

ning. "Give him back 'e beaver, if you no like he discovery

rld! Here--there is a dollar for you; the quit-rent is paid

n. Yes, Nick wonderful commerant!

shaking hands, good-humouredly, with Mrs. Willoughby, who rather liked

e view; "bye 'nd bye, he'll bring potatoe, and corn, and cider--all 'e squaw

n the wilderness," Mrs. Willoughby observed, in a somewhat melancholy tone; for

his eye, at such moments; the feelings of youth and earlier habit, once more asserting their power. Twenty years before, Nick had been foremost on the war-path; and what was scarcely less honoura

ut here, among ole beaver bones?" he said, sideling up nearer

nd children in, at need. The road to Canada is not so long, but a red-skin can make one pa

o about, I s'pose?" sa

ng locked out of one's house, at times. But, what do you think of

left, and he all go away. Why you make him stone, first;

; that's the reason. I took as much stone as was necessary, and the

st dat. How you get hi

hill, Nick, as you see; and then there is a deliciou

asked Nick, with hi

he gate, and a little to the

n, "no left--no right--which si

n the stream winds round directly underneath the rocks, behind the house, and wafer could be raised from that,

n mind him. When you t'ink red-skin come ag'

nd I see no prospect of any new quarrel, very soon. So long as the Fren

soldier do, cap'in, if so much

Nick. But my hatchet is

ry bad to put anyt'ing where he forget; partic'larly tomaha

ll be among ourselves, Nick.--The government at home, and the peo

mo'der and pale-face darter no

us of seeing the inside of her house, as well as its outside, and I must refer you to that honest

which followed the sinuosities of the stream, to which it served as a sort of a dyke. Nick took the captain at his word, and turning about he met t

grad you come--good fellow t

as positively the first red man the Irishman had ever seen. "How do Mike! Ould Nick be ye?-

ee you, Mike--hope we live together like go

now, if I want any sich compan

ick; all one, all to'ther. Mak

e when you arn't wanted, or yer not of yer father's

hut, in he wood--where he want

some prodigious and sudden change in his appearance. When he thought he had got a good position for manly defence or r

can't you keep at home, and let a body carry these cloaks and bu

. Carry t'ing for da

Madam Willoughby by

aw, mean him. Carry bundle, b

n--"Did a body ever hear sich a liar! Why, Misther Ould Nick, Madam Willoughby wouldn't let the likes of ye touch the ind of her garments. You wouldn't get the

r he so well knew this was his common reputation, that he

man can do wid ye, in fair fight! If I only knew what ye'd got about yer toes, now, under them

ck never been to school. Call 'e

bull, though ye gore me. What brought ye into this paiceful sittlem

ishman standing on the defensive, and, to own the truth, not sorry to be rid of him. Unfortunately for the immediate enlightenment of Mike's mind, Joel ove

rathure?" asked Mi

re, at the Hut. He may be sai

it! Why do ye tolerate the vagabond

etter, you'll like him better. Come; up with the bundles, an

us in sich company!--Wil

'll like him yourself wh

I'm sure I never fancied the crathure but it was in just some su

white, all of which had got to be a little confused in consequence of a night or two of orgies, succeeded by mornings in which the toilet had been altogether neglected. His dress, too, a blanket with tawdry red and yellow trimmings, with ornamented leggings and moccasin

e is! To think of such a thing's spakeing to the missus! Will I fight him?--That will I, rather than he'll say an uncivil word to the likes

termined to make a merit of necessity, by letting his friend into the truth, thereby

ir of surprise--"And why do you

oured crathure an Injin Joel. Is

ould board a devil! The fellow's a Tuscarora, and is as well

uard as to lie about his own name. Och! he's a roarer, sure enough; and then for the tusks you min

d met an American devil, and it required no little argumentation to persuade him of the contrary. We shall leave J

. The wall was not only solid and secure, but it was really handsome. This was in some measure owing to the quality of the stones, but quite as much to Jamie's dexterity in using them. The wall and chimneys, of the latter of which there were no less than six, were all laid in lime, too; it having been found necessary to burn some of the material to plaster the interior. Then the gates were massive, being framed in oak, filled

e usual offices, done and furnished. This comprised all the front on the-eastern side of the gateway, and most of the wing, in the same half, extending back to the cliff. It is true, the finish was plain; but everything was comfortable. The ceilings were only ten feet high certainly, but it was thought prodigious in the colony in that day; and then the plastering of Jamie was by no means as unexceptionable as his stone-work; still every room had its two coats, and white-wash gave them a clean and healthful aspec

ered for various purposes of household and farming economy. All the windows, and sundry doors, opened into the court, while the whole of the exterior wall, both wooden and stone, presented a perfect blank, in the way of outlets. It was the captain's intention, however

appiness beamed on her handsome face, as she followed her husband from room to room, listening to his explanations. When they entered their private apartme

lmina," he asked, "can you give up Albany, and all the comforts of your friends' dwellings, to be satisfied in a home like this? It is not probable I shall ever build again, whatever

member how far we are removed from any succour, and how sudden and fierce the Indians are in their attacks. Twice have we, ourselves, been near being destroyed by surprises, from which accident, or God's providenc

all, besides seven women, and could use seventeen or eighteen muskets and rifles on an emergency. No tribe would dare commence hostilities, in a time of general peace, and

or many times their own number, when unprepared. I do hope you will have the gates hung, at l

. "As for Beulah and Maud, let them come when they please; we shall always hav

Hugh, but do not let the gates b

at home, and everybody willing to work. Saturday next, I intend to have a review; and, once a month, the year round, there will be a muster, when all the arms are to be cleaned and loade

the rooms, expressing her satisfaction at the care which h

can appear comfortable in a cold climate, was spread on the floor of Mrs. Willoughby's parlour--a room that served for both eating and as a sala, the Knight's Hall of the Hut, measuring twenty by twenty-four feet--though in fact this carpet concealed exactly two-thirds of the white clean plank. Then the chairs were massive and even rich, while one might see his face in the dark mahogany of the tables. There were cellarets--the captain being a connoisseur in wines--bureaus, secretaries, beaufets, and other similar articles, that had been collected in the cou

been puzzled to say whether the woman was the cousin, or aunt, or step-daughter of Mari', or all three. All the women were hard at work, Bess singing in a voice that reached the adjoining forest. Mari'--this name was pronounced with a strong emphasis on the last syllable, or like Maria, without the final vowel--Mari' was the head of t

a hand, and some want a foot. Plate to wash, crockery to open, water to b'ile, dem knife

re you are, scolding away as if you had been in the place

s dis--come away from dem plates, you Great S

le short of two hundred, estimated in pounds, and a certain facility she possessed in destroying crockery, while 'Mony went by the milder

em, says I, this is Hunter Knoll, and not Allbonny--here no store--no place to buy t'ing if you break 'em; no good woman who know ebbery t'ing, to tell you where to find t'ing, if you lose him. If dere was onl

g us game--you'll never have an empty spit, Mari', as long as he

Nick,

his appearance, and you see he has brought already several par

somewhat of a martinet in his domestic discipline, it had ever altogether exceeded his authority, or his art, to prevent these bursts of merriment; and he led his wife away from th

ur tale does not require us to follow them minutely for, the few succeeding years, though some furth

hese last were, so remote from other settlements as to render highways, for some time, hopeless, he saw no use in endeavouring to anticipate the natural order of things. It would only create embarrassment to raise produce that could not be sent to market; and he well knew that a population of any amount could not exist, in quiet, without the usual att

l drove of fat beeves and milch cows found their way through the forest to Albany, and the proceeds returned in the shape of foreign supplies. The rents, and the interests on bonds, were left to accumulate, or were applied to aid Rober

; was occasionally seen at Johnson Hall, with Sir William; or at the bachelor establishment of Sir John, on the Mohawk; and once or twi