His first error was in the selection of persons to fill the various offices belonging to the Company.  For, instead of appointing men who had long experience in the country, and who were, therefore, practically qualified to superintend the workmen by their experience of all the requirements of a new settlement, he filled these situations, for the most part, with inexperienced young men, recently arrived from the old country, who, of course, could know nothing of road-making and bridge-building, and were, therefore, incapable of directing a number of workmen.  Then, again, most of the hands employed on the Company’s works were new settlers, and, of course, knew nothing of chopping, house-building, or clearing land; and yet these men were paid just as much as if they had served a long apprenticeship in the country.  If Mr. Galt’s appointments had been judicious, there is no doubt, in my mind, that half the outlay would have produced greater results.

It was arranged that I should meet Mr. Galt at Toronto, in April, at the commencement of the spring operations.  At the appointed time, I again waited upon him, when he ordered me to Guelph, to take charge of the department, as formerly agreed upon between us.  He then introduced me to Dr. Dunlop and Mr. Prior, who kindly invited me to take a seat in their waggon, which would leave for Guelph in a few hours.  The former gentleman is well known in the literary world, as the author of the “Backwoodsman.”

During our journey, I found that he deserved his celebrity for good companionship, which was fully borne out on this occasion.  He could, indeed, speak well on any subject.  He was full of sound information, and overflowed with anecdote—­in fact, his way of telling a story was inimitable.  He had a fund of wit, which seemed almost inexhaustible.

My fellow-travellers left me at Mr. Galt’s house, near Burlington Heights, where, after taking some refreshment, I again proceeded on my journey, and ultimately reached Guelph on the afternoon of the second day.

The situation of the town I found exceedingly pleasant, and well watered.  It was built in an angle, formed by the confluence of the rivers Speed and Eramosa.  The town-plot also abounds with copious never-failing springs, of the purest water.

I found some twenty or thirty log-houses, about as many shanties, a large frame-tavern building, a store, two blacksmiths’ shops, and the walls of two stone-buildings, one of which was intended, when finished, for the company’s office.  Besides these edifices, Dr. Dunlop and Mr. Prior had each a good house, and there was the Priory, a large log-building, afterwards occupied by the superintendent.  This was pretty well, considering that a year only had elapsed since the first tree was felled.

Mr. Galt, in his “Autobiography,” has given an account of the founding of the town of Guelph,* and how Mr. Prior, Dr. Dunlop, and himself, cut down the first tree—­a large sugar-maple, whereupon the Dr. produced a flask of whiskey, and they named and drank success to the new town.  This was on St. George’s day, April 23rd, 1827.  Eighteen months after this, by Mr. Galt’s orders, I had the stump of that tree inclosed by a fence, though, I make no doubt, it has long since decayed.  The name of the founder will, however, remain,—­a better and more enduring memorial.