Page:The crater; or, Vulcan's peak.djvu/240

 234 THE CRATER; grow and ripen as in summer, were not very formidable. It is true it then rained nearly every day, but it was very far from raining all day. Most of the rain, in fact, fell at night, commencing a little after the turn in the day, and terminating about midnight. Still it must be very unplea sant to pass such a season beneath canvass, and, about six weeks ere the wet time commenced, everybody turned to, with a will, to erect proper framed houses. Now that the mill was sawing, this was no great task, the pine working beautifully and easily into almost every article required. Heaton laid out his house with some attention to taste, and more to comfort. It was of one story, but fully a hundred feet in length, and of half that in depth. Being a common American dwelling that was clap-boarded, it was soon put up and enclosed, the climate requiring very little attention to warmth. There were windows, and even glass, a small quantity of that article having been brought along by the colonists. The floors were beautiful, and extremely well laid down ; nor were the doors, win dow-shutters, &,c., neglected. The whole, moreover, was painted, the stores of the ship still furnishing the neces sary materials. But there was neither chimney nor plas tering, for Heaton had neither bricks nor lime. Bricks he insisted he could and would make, and did, though in no great number ; but lime, for some time, baffled his inge nuity. At last, Socrates suggested the burning of oyster- shells, and by dint of fishing a good deal, among the chan nels of the reef, a noble oyster-bed was found, and the boats brought in enough of the shells to furnish as much lime as would put up a chimney for the kitchen ; one apartment for that sort of work being made, as yet, to suffice for the wants of all who dwelt in Eden. These various occupations and interests consumed many months, and carried the new-comers through the first wet season which they encountered as a colony. As everybody was busy, plenty reigned, and the climate being so very delicious as to produce a sense of enjoyment in the very fact of existence, everybody but Peters was happy. He, poor fellow, mourned much for his Peggy, as he called the pretty young heathen wife he had left behind him ir Waally s country. END OF VOL. I.