wo
horses, pigs, geese and poultry and guinea-hens. The breakfast consists
of coffee, bread and butter, eggs, beef or mutton with buck wheat cakes
resembling crumpets also blackberry pies and potatoes; nearly the same
at dinner, and again at supper with tea. Make their own sugar from the
maple; a hole is bored into the trees; a chip placed below to guide the
sap into a tub; this is done with about a hundred trees at the beginning
of April; a fire place is made in the woods and the pans are hung over
by means of long wooden hooks, and the sap is boiled down into sugar, a
supply for the year. They make their own candles and soap, the latter
from the wood ashes. Went to see many people who appear very comfortably
settled. Noah surprised the family by consenting to go with us.

FRIDAY, AUGUST 22ND.

John is married and settled in Rhode Island: Ann a nice spirited girl
employed in tailoring and has seen a good deal of society. Mary a most
cheerful and pleasing young woman married to a young man Aery Gridley, a
carpenter and also farmer, a steady active young man not too good for
her. James assists his father but prefers the joiner's business; Hannah
rather lusty, does a good deal in the house and also assists Ann; Martha
the youngest, her spine injured in her youth, a very sly little person
and says very droll things. Noah often affected when talking of old
friends in England; related some grievances of the family not treating
him with respect, particularly his two sons. The daughters too fond of
visiting and dressing. This evening a neighbour's dog catches an animal
called a woodchuck somewhat resembling a beaver; it is considered good
food and indeed is to be prepared for dinner. Mary and her husband came
about eight and returned about half past ten. Besides woodchucks they
eat the black and grey squirrels, the yellow and striped are not liked;
both are killed because they devour the grain, a large cat frequently
catches them. Two horses are great favourites with all the family, the
best was hurt last Christmas by a cow. They have two waggons.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 23RD.

The breakfast profuse as usual. Went to watch logs being sawn to be
burned, chiefly hemlock, a species of pine; other sorts brought home for
fires; went out to gather blackberries; all the neighbours very sociable
and kind, particularly attentive to Alice when poorly. Nothing like
stealing is known; most of the houses without a lock or bolt. Alice was