HAMILTON, TO THE GRAND RIVER. 149 



CHAPTER XVIII. 



Journey on the Banks of the Grand River Corduroy Roads- 

 River-side Vegetation Cradling Settler from Edinburgh 

 Reserve of the Six Nations Nellis Settlement Indian Notices 

 Settler from Perthshire First Settlers Gentle Children 

 Agricultural Notices Great Heat Drinking Water Raising 

 p ee Brantford Oak Openings Paris Gait Guclph 

 Waggoner at Table Face of the Country Dutch Hotel. 



WE rose very early next morning, and rode in a hired wag 

 gon to a friend s near Albion mills, where we breakfasted, 

 and set out for the Grand River, accompanied by a third per 

 son, to whom I had written to hold himself in readiness for 

 the excursion. The road was tolerably good, until within 

 four or five miles of the river, which then consists of almost 

 one unbroken line of corduroy, on reaching which we returned 

 the waggon, and walked the remainder of the journey. A 

 corduroy road, or, in the language of the country, crossway, 

 is formed of the trunks of trees, laid close to each other, so 

 that animals and carriages may pass without touching the 

 ground. It is formed wherever the soil is wet, and may be 

 considered log pavement. We came in contact with the river 

 at Brant s tavern, where a wooden building was erecting of 

 some pretensions, and continued our walk down the left bank, 

 where Mr W resides, about two miles below the tavern. 



The soil from Hamilton to the Grand River is chiefly clay, 

 of good quality, and well settled, with exception of the Indian 

 reserve on the banks of the river. From Brant s tavern to 



Mr W s, the road is beautiful, the banks of the river 



being fringed with plum, cherry, apple-trees, and hawthorn, en- 

 cled with the wild vine, the foliage of which was particularly 

 rich. I have often remarked the luxuriance and beauty of 

 river-side vegetation, and more especially in America, which, 

 no doubt, is in a great measure owing to the copious supply 



