CLEARING LAND. 65 



those who had speculated in land have suffer 

 ed grievous disappointment, and that of those 

 coming under the description of gentlemen 

 who had attempted to convert the forest into 

 corn land by the force of money, the greater 

 number quickly got rid of it and then either 

 betook themselves to other pursuits, or as 

 sometimes happened, becoming disgusted and 

 reckless, gave themselves up to dissipation. 



There is, however, one description of per 

 son to whom a settlement in these forests may 

 prove tolerable the labourer, and especially 

 the hardy Highlander who glad to escape 

 from privation at home and delighted to roam 

 at large, may with his own hands and assist 

 ed by a family of sons, erect a rude hovel of 

 log, gradually clear a quantity of land suffi- 

 cent for a subsistence, and in the course of 

 time come to possess a small property, the 

 height of his ambition. Except to such per 

 sons clearing land here cannot be attractive 

 or made remunerating. 



The objection which in most cases applies 

 to the cultivation of waste land on a large 



