“The Harvest! the Harvest! how brightly the sun
 Looks down on the prospect! its toils are begun;
 And the wheat-sheaves so thick on the valleys are piled,
 That the land in its glorious profusion has smiled. 
 The reaper has shouted the furrows among;
 In the midst of his labour he breaks into song;
 And the light-hearted gleaners, forgetful of care,
 Laugh loud, and exult as they gather their share.

Agnes Strickland.

About noonday, we all proceeded to the harvest-field, headed by our host and his lady, and her fair daughters.  As soon as we arrived at the scene of action, a sickle was placed in the hands of Madame Von Egmond; and she was requested to cut and bind the first sheaf of wheat ever harvested in the Huron tract—­an honour of which any person might be justly proud.

“Lord! thou hast blessed the people,
 And made the plant of bread
 To spring, where’er beneath thine eye
 Fair Nature’s carpet spread. 
 Earth’s thirst drank in thy freshening rain,
 Earth’s bosom wooed thy sun,
 Beautiful grew the golden grain,
 Like prize of labour won!”

What were the red battle-fields of Napoleon, in comparison to this bloodless victory, won over the forests of the Huron!  The sight of that first sheaf, cut by the gentle hand of woman, was one that angels rejoiced to see; while the fruits of his conquests were such as might well make “the seraphs weep.”

Madame Von Egmond handled her sickle something better than a mere amateur, which make us conjecture it was not the first sheaf she had ever cut and bound.  As soon as this interesting ceremony was over, we gave three hearty cheers for the Canada Company.  A horn of whiskey was served round, in which we pledged our host and hostess, and drank success to the settlement.

On our return to the house, we found a capital dinner awaiting us.  Indeed, the old soldier had spared neither pains nor expense in providing handsomely on the occasion.  After the cloth was removed, a nice dessert was laid out, consisting of almonds and raisins, oranges, and red and black raspberries.  The two latter dishes are easily procured, for they grow more plentifully in the angles of the snake-fences in Canada than blackberries do in England.  They are a delicious fruit, and particularly grateful in a hot day to the weary traveller.

I need hardly describe our evening’s entertainment, save that “we ate, drank, and were merry.”  Indeed, it would have been difficult to be otherwise with Doctor Dunlop as one of our companions.

END OF THE FIRST VOLUME.

* * * * *
LONDON: 
Printed by Samuel Bentley & Co. 
Bangor House, Shoe Lane.