familiarity of the colonial manners, had little chance of concealing
their peculiarities from an attentive observer.

Mr Q---, of course, was always to be found there, drinking, smoking
cigars, and cracking jokes. To a casual observer he appeared to be a
regular boon companion without an object but that of enjoying the
passing hour. Among his numerous accomplishments, he had learnt a
number of sleight-of-hand tricks from the travelling conjurors who
visit the country, and are generally willing to sell their secrets
singly, at a regulated price. This seemed a curious investment for
Q---, but he knew how to turn everything to account. By such means
he was enabled to contribute to the amusement of the company, and
thus became a kind of favourite. If he could not manage to sell a
lot of land to an immigrant or speculator, he would carelessly
propose to some of the company to have a game at whist or loo, to
pass the time away; and he never failed to conjure most of their
money into his pockets.

At this time a new character made his appearance at C---, at Mr.
B---, an English farmer of the true yeoman breed. He was a
short-legged, long-bodied, corpulent little man. He wore a brown
coat, with ample skirts, and a vast expanse of vest, with
drab-coloured small-clothes and gaiters. B--- was a jolly,
good-natured looking man, with an easy blunt manner which might
easily pass for honesty.

Q--- had sold him a lot of wild land in some out-of-the-way
township, by making Mr. B--- believe that he could sell it again
very soon, with a handsome profit. Of course his bargain was not a
good one. He soon found from its situation that the land was quite