although the wood had made such a growth over the original blaze.]

We had some difficulty in avoiding one or two small swamps and a high
hill, but finally succeeded in finding a good line of road; and so
accurate was our surveyor and engineer in this, his first attempt, that
his line actually struck the little chopping* of not more than a
quarter of an acre where poor G. lay. [* This gentleman, John Reid,
Esq. is now a deputy provincial surveyor and county engineer. As a land
surveyor there are few better in the province.]

It was past three o'clock in the afternoon before the road was
completed and the litter made, the last being effected by cutting two
iron-wood poles eight feet long, and fastening them together by broad
straps of bass-wood bark three feet apart. A blanket, doubled, was then
laid over these straps, upon which we placed the poor man, whose
bleeding wound had been stopped with some difficulty.

It appeared that a small twig had caught the axe, which caused it to
glance in its descent, and struck the instep of his right foot, making
a gash about five inches long, the edge of the axe coming out at the
sole of the foot. It was a dreadful cut,--one of the worst I ever saw--
and I have seen and dressed a great many axe wounds since my residence
in Canada.

Mr. G. was a very heavy man, and as _only_ four persons could
conveniently carry him at once, we found it very hard work. I was
completely done up when we reached the house.

Mr. Reid and his family did everything in their power to make him and
his wife comfortable. Mr. Stewart, his brother-in-law, kindly sent for