OUR REMOVAL TO NOTTAWASAGA.
In the autumn of 1835, we were favoured with a visit from Mr. A. B.
Hawke, chief emigrant agent for Upper Canada, and a gentleman held in
general esteem, as a friend to emigrants, and a kind-hearted man. He
slept, or rather tried to sleep, at our shanty. It was very hot weather,
the mosquitoes were in full vigour, and the tortures they inflicted on
the poor man were truly pitiable. We being acclimatised, could cover our
heads, and lie _perdu_, sleeping in spite of the humming hosts outside.
But our visitor had learnt no such philosophy. He threw off the
bedclothes on account of the heat; slapped his face and hands to kill
his tormentors; and actually roared with pain and anger, relieving
himself now and then by objurgations mingled with expletives not a
little profane. It was impossible to resist laughing at the desperate
emphasis of his protests, although our mirth did not help much to soothe
the annoyance, at which, however, he could not help laughing in turn.
Mosquitoes do not plague all night, and our friend got a little repose
in the cool of the morning, but vowed, most solemnly, that nothing
should induce him to pass another night in Sunnidale.
To this circumstance, perhaps, were we indebted for the permission we
soon afterwards obtained, to exchange our Sunnidale lot for one in
Nottawasaga, where some clearing had been done by the new settlers, on
what was called the Scotch line; and gladly we quitted our first
location for land decidedly more eligible for farm purposes, although
seventeen miles further distant from Barrie, which was still the only
village within reasonably easy access.
We had obtained small government contracts for corduroying, or
causewaying, the many swampy spots on the Sunnidale road, which enabled
us to employ a number of axemen, and to live a little more comfortably;
and about this time, Mr. Young being in weak health, and unequal to the
hardships of bush life, resigned his agency, and got my brother Thomas
appointed temporarily as his successor; so we had the benefit of a good
log-house he had built on the Nottawasaga road, near the Batteau creek,
on which is now situated the Batteau station of the Northern Railway. We
abode there until we found time to cut a road to our land, and
afterwards to erect a comfortable cedar-log house thereon.
Here, with a large open clearing around us, plenty of neighbours, and a
sawmill at no great distance, we were able to make our home nearly as
comfortable as are the majority of Canadian farm-houses of to-day. We
had a neat picket-fenced garden, a large double log barn, a yoke of
oxen, and plenty of poultry. The house stood on a handsome rising
eminence, and commanded a noble prospect, which included the Georgian
Bay, visible at a distance of six miles, and the Christian Islands,
twenty miles further north. The land was productive, and the air highly
salubrious.
Would some of my readers like to know how to raise a log barn? I shall
try to teach them. For such an undertaking much previous labour and
foresight are required. In our case, fortunately, there was a small
cedar swamp within a hundred paces of the site we had chosen for our
barn, which was picturesquely separated from the house by a ravine some
thirty feet deep, with a clear spring of the sweetest and coldest water
flowing between steep banks. The barn was to consist of two large bays,
each thirty feet square and eight logs high, with a threshing floor
twelve feet wide between, the whole combined into one by an upper story
or loft, twenty by seventy-two feet, and four logs high, including the
roof-plates.
It will be seen, then, that to build such a barn would require
sixty-four logs of thirty feet each for the lower story; and sixteen
more of the same length, as well as eight of seventy-two feet each, for
the loft. Our handy swamp provided all these, not from standing trees
only, but from many fallen patriarchs buried four or five feet under the
surface in black muck, and perfectly sound. To get them out of the mud
required both skill and patience. All the branches having been cleared
off as thoroughly as possible, the entire tree was drawn out by those
most patient of all patient drudges, the oxen, and when on solid ground,
sawn to the required length. A number of skids were also provided, of
the size and kind of the spring-poles already described in chapter XI.,
and plenty of handspikes.
Having got these prime essentials ready, the next business was to summon
our good neighbours to a "raising bee." On the day named, accordingly,
we had about thirty practised axemen on the ground by day-break, all in
the best of spirits, and confident in their powers for work. Eight of
the heaviest logs, about two feet thick, had been placed in position as
sleepers or foundation logs, duly saddled at the corners. Parallel with
these at a distance of twenty-feet on either side, were ranged in order
all the logs required to complete the building.
Well, now we begin. Eight of the smartest men jump at once on the eight
corners. In a few minutes each of the four men in front has his saddle
ready--that is, he has chopped his end of the first log into an angular
shape, thus /\. The four men in rear have done the same thing no less
expeditiously, and all are waiting for the next log. Meanwhile, at the
ends of both bays, four several parties of three men each, stationed
below, have placed their skids in a sloping position--the upper end on
the rising wall and the lower on the ground--and up these skids they
roll additional logs transversely to those already in position. These
are received by the corner-men above, and carefully adjusted in their
places according to their "natural lie," that is, so that they will be
least likely to render the wall unsteady; then turned half-back to
receive the undercut, which should be exactly an inverse counterpart of
the saddle. A skilful hand will make this undercut with unerring
certainty, so that the log when turned forward again, will fit down upon
its two saddles without further adjustment. Now for more logs back and
front; then others at the ends, and so on, every log fitted as before,
and each one somewhat lighter than its predecessor. All this time the
oxen have been busily employed in drawing more logs where needed. The
skids have to be re-adjusted for every successive log, and a supply of
new logs rolled up as fast as wanted. The quick strokes of eight axes
wielded by active fellows perched on the still rising walls, and
balancing themselves dexterously and even gracefully as they work, the
constant demand for "another log," and the merry voices and rough jokes
of the workers, altogether form as lively and exciting a picture as is
often witnessed. Add to these a bright sky and a fresh breeze, with the
beautiful green back-ground of the noble hardwood trees around--and I
know of no mere pleasure party that I would rather join.
Breakfast and dinner form welcome interludes. Ample stores of provender,
meat, bread, potatoes, puddings various, tea and coffee, have been
prepared and are thoroughly enjoyed, inasmuch as they are rare luxuries
to many of the guests. Then again to work, until the last crowning
effort of all--the raising of the seventy-two-foot logs--has to be
encountered. Great care is necessary here, as accidents are not
infrequent. The best skids, the stoutest handspikes, the strongest and
hardiest men, must be selected. Our logs being cedar and therefore
light, there was comparatively little danger; and they were all
successfully raised, and well secured by cross-girders before sundown.
Then, and not till then, after supper, a little whiskey was allowed.
Teetotalism had not made its way into our backwoods; and we were
considered very straightlaced indeed to set our faces as we did against
all excess. Our Highland and Irish neighbours looked upon the weak stuff
sold in Canada with supreme contempt; and recollecting our Galway
experience, we felt no surprise thereat.
The roofing such a building is a subsequent operation, for which no
"bee" is required. Shingles four feet long, on round rafters, are
generally used for log barns, to be replaced at some future day by more
perfect roofing. A well-made cedar barn will stand for forty years with
proper care, by which time there should be no difficulty in replacing it
by a good substantial, roomy frame building.