The Log House by the Lake | Page 5

and villages, rising at intervals on British
territory, directly across our vast continent, united to those which have
already appeared in British Columbia."
Mr Ashton having made all the enquiries in his power as to eligible
localities, set off with Philip to select a spot for the future abode of the
family. He was advised to rent a partially cleared farm, but his sons
especially entreated that he would purchase a tract of wild ground, that
they might have the satisfaction of feeling that with their own hands
they were bringing their own property from a state of nature into one of
cultivation. He yielded to their wishes, though, perhaps, the plan he
was advised to adopt would have more rapidly afforded them a return
for their outlay, and some of the luxuries of civilisation. Mr Norman
casually enquired the direction in which they proposed prosecuting
their search, and on hearing that it was to the north, he remarked that he
might possibly meet them.
We need scarcely say that the Ashton family employed their time
profitably in seeing all that there was to be seen in Toronto, and that
they made excursions to Hamilton, and to several other towns
accessible by railway. Mr Ashton lost no time in searching for the
desired locality, and he and Philip soon came to the conclusion that it
was not a thing to be done in a hurry. Fortunately Mr Norman did meet
them, and with his assistance they at last found a spot to suit them.
"The next thing you will have to do is to get fixed" he said, laughing.
"You will soon find out the meaning of that term, I guess."
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Note. "Get fixed" is the American cant term for settled.
CHAPTER FOUR.
Towards the close of a bright summer day, several wheeled vehicles
were progressing slowly along a broad but roughish road cut through

the forest in the northern part of the peninsula of Upper Canada. In
colonial phrase, they were all waggons; but some carried luggage only,
and one of them human beings, with a small amount of personalities, in
the shape of carpet bags and hat boxes between their feet. This vehicle
was a long shallow box, or it might be called a tray on wheels, with
four seats across, each calculated to hold three persons, and with a box
for the driver. The baggage-waggons were of the same build, without
the seats, and were heavily laden with chests, casks, bales, and bedding,
with other household furniture. They must have been stronger than they
looked, to withstand the violent bumpings and jerks they received as
they progressed along the chief highway as yet opened up in that part of
the country. The nature of the road varied very much, according to the
character of the land over which it passed: now it was of corduroy--that
is to say of trees laid across it, the interstices filled up with clay or sand.
In a few places in the neighbourhood of saw-mills, planks had been
placed diagonally across the road, secured to sleepers beneath, and over
these bits the horses dragged the vehicles at a speed which made the
travellers wish that the whole road was formed in the same manner.
This they found was called a plank road. How the machines could hold
together, or the limbs of the occupants escape dislocation, seemed
surprising as they surged over the first-mentioned style of road. Now
and then the foundation of the road was of rock; and this though even
rougher, caused no fear of its letting the carriages sink through. Here
and there gravel appeared and allowed of firm footing; but the worst
parts of all were those undelightful spots called cedar swamps, across
which neither plank nor corduroy had been thrown, and which caused
the travellers to doubt considerably whether they and their vehicles
would get across or sink beneath the treacherous surface. In such cases,
however, all hands uniting with ropes and poles, the waggons were
dragged across.
No one could complain that the road did not go direct for its object; on
it went, up and down hill, and across bog and stream, with the same
vanishing point between the dark tall thick growing trees ever a-head.
Most people would have become very weary of what they had gone
through and of the prospect before them, but the travellers now
proceeding along the road were the Ashton family; and Mr Norman had

prepared them fully for what they were to expect, besides which they
were always inclined to make light of difficulties of every sort and
kind.
Their last day's journey was drawing to a close. As they mounted to the
top of a ridge of hills over which the road led, in the distance was seen