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up my stomach with spirits, so I have given them up altogether.
Besides it saves money, and does not lead a fellow into expensive
habits, and I want to do, and get on. I am sure you will approve
of this step. -In answer to your question about books, it is a
journey of 30 miles, and back, over very bad roads to the nearest
booksellers shop, and books are much more expensive here than at
home. It is in the States they are cheap, not in Canada.-
To a Friend about the same date, I am sorry that I have hitherto
been unable to write you, my apology is, my time has been, and
is, so fully occupied, that I have even found it difficult to write
home. There is so much to see, do, and learn, in a new country like
this. A man out here must do almost everything, we have about
30 acres cleared on our Farm. Last June, I had never stood between
the handles of the plough, but now I have been obliged not only
to learn to Plough, but to break in a span of horses (young ones) that had
never ploughed before. It gave me a novice, in both arts, (ploughing
and horsebreaking) a great deal of trouble, and sorely tried one's pateince
but I have managed with them to plough up, nearly 40 acres, this fall
and to manure 10 acres more. Then again, the chopping - Englishmen
at home, have no idea what an American axe can do. I found them
very awkward customers to handle at first, but I have been much
more fortunate than many are. I have not cut my foot with one,
though twice the axe has glanced, and cut off, or rather shaved off