fire, and, sure enough, the stick
chimney had caught and communicated to the garret, and in a few minutes
the whole of the upper part of the house was in flames. Our visitors,
who had not gone beyond the threshold, joined with the family and
labourers in getting out the furniture as fast as possible. Nearly
everything was saved from the lower part of the house, but all that was
in the garret was lost. The garret had been used as a store-room, and
contained cases which had not been unpacked since they came from New
York, but were left until a better house could be built. These
things--linen, bedding, and some nice little articles of furniture, and
various little nicknacks which were prized beyond their value--were a
great loss: but the greatest loss was a box or two of books. These were
not to be replaced this side of New York, and to a young family the loss
was irreparable. A part of Pope's works, a copy of Milton's Paradise
Lost, Buchan's Family Medicine, and a Testament with commentaries, were
all that were saved. A small quantity of plate also, which had not been
unpacked, was found in a very unsatisfactory state. The family took
shelter in a house built for and occupied by the miller and his family,
sending them to a smaller tenement. The situation was airy and
beautiful, and, with a few alterations and improvements, was more
comfortable than the first log-house. This my mother rather regretted,
as discomfort would have hastened the new house. Although allusions were
made to New York, no time had yet been named for their return. My father
used to assure my mother and friends that he would go as soon as she
said the word; yet these remarks were always accompanied by a
particularly humorous expression of countenance.

"About this time the London district was separated from the Western, and
composed what now forms the counties or districts of Middlesex, Elgin,
Huron, Bruce, Oxford, and Norfolk. The necessary appointments were made,
and the London district held its own courts and sessions at Turkey
Point, six miles above us on the lake shore. The people, in a most
patriotic manner, had put up a log-house, which served the double
purpose of court-house and jail. The courts were held in the upper
story, which was entered by a very rough stairway, going up on the
outside of the building. The jail consisted of one large room on the
ground floor, from which any prisoner could release himself in half an
hour unless guarded by