July 3—­The Sabbath rest beneath our own roof was sweet.  Mary pleased and happy and mother proud of the house.

July 4—­Leaving to Gordon the finishing of our shanty, the rest of us tackled with might and main Auld’s.  How quickly Jabez and Sal can hew down a tree is a wonder to me.

July 5—­Auld moved his belongings into his shanty this evening, though it is not half done.  Gave Jabez money to bring out with him on Monday morning the iron-fixtures for our fire-places and the lime for the chimneys.

July 6—­On going out this morning saw a deer with her hind drinking at the far end of the pond; beautiful creatures.  Thank God for the Sabbath.  Without it we would have broken down with our hard toil.

July 7—­Jabez brought word from Mr Bambray that he wanted us on the 9th to give us our deeds.  Told me he could not finish out a month, as he had expected.  Business had become brisk in Toronto, and his brothers needed his help.  He started at once to build the chimney in Brodie’s house, so that we could see how to do the other two.  In laying the floor a 6-foot square had been left uncovered for the fire-place.  In a frame of heavy elm logs that fitted the spot, puddled clay mixed with sand was rammed hard.  Two jambs were built with brick which Jabez had brought and across them a thick plate of cast iron, which was to support the front of the chimney.  The back of the chimney and sides had the few stones found in digging the cellars, and on top of them was laid more brick until the ceiling was reached.  Care had been taken to build in a crane to hang pots.  From the floor of the loft squarely cut pieces of cedar, 2 inches thick, were laid in clay mortar, and as the work went on were plastered with the same mortar inside and out, until the top was two feet above the ridge-board.  Jabez said there was no danger of the cedar sticks taking fire.  They were so well-beded in the clay that when it hardened the chimney was all one piece.  If it fell, it would not break.

July 11—­Brodie, Auld, and myself accompanied Jabez on his going to Toronto.  Mr Bambray had arranged everything and in an hour we had paid him and each of us had his deed.  We asked him about securing a road to our lots.  He said two blocks of bush lay between them and Yonge-street.  Both were owned by a man who was holding to sell, and he was afraid any influence we could exert would not compel him to make the road, though that was the condition on which the government had given the land.  Met in the tavern several emigrants eager to get lots, all discontented with their treatment at the government office.  One said he would go to Illinois.  Asked how he would get there.  Told me by Buffalo and lake Erie; land sold there at $1.25 an acre and no bush to clear.

July 12—­Tired and rainy.  Auld and Brodie came over to square our accounts.  From the time we left the ship till we got into our shanties, we lived in common.  Found Brodie had least money and more mouths to fill.  His wife said she did not fear—­they would strachle through until they got a crop.  We had a long talk about getting a yoke of oxen, which we must have.  Offered, if I got them, they would pay me in days’ work.  I decided to put up a stable to be ready when I bought a yoke.