Page:Early western travels, 1748-1846 (1907 Volume 4).djvu/149

 miles further on the right is a very good, new, two story house, clapboarded, and painted white, and a large horse mill; and half a mile lower on the opposite shore is a large unfinished house, lately purchased by a Mr. Long from Col. Clendinning, who began to build it nine years ago.[97] It resembles a church, and is not only a good feature in the prospect, but impresses the traveller with lively ideas of the advanced state of population of the neighbouring country.—Close to it is a small hamlet, or quarter, of a few cabins, the whole in a beautiful situation on a high bank commanding a view of Eight Mile island, just below, and both banks of the river, which are here well inhabited and very pleasant.

Two miles lower is Six Mile island, very small, and half a mile beyond it on the left is a house most delightfully situated, commanding the whole vista of the river seven miles up to Leading creek, with the two intermediate islands. The house is sheltered from the northern blasts of winter by a fine grove purposely left standing, when the surrounding farm was cleared.

I observed that in general, from Le Tart's falls, trees were left standing very tastily in places where they can have a good or pleasing effect, particularly the gigantick beeches along the margin of the river.

About a mile lower down, we met a large canoe, paddled against the stream by five well drest young men, while a respectable looking elderly man steered. They had five very smart looking girls with them, and, from their gaiety, were apparently returning from some frolick—the epithet used in this country for all neighbourly meetings for the