PART III.] MORRIS BIRKBECK, ESQ. 535 



settlers that I particularly knew were Connec 

 ticut men. Men with families of sons. Men 

 able to, do as much in a day at the works neces 

 sary in their situation as so many Englishmen 

 would be able to do in a week. They began 

 with a shed; then rose to a log-house; and next 

 to a frame-house ; all of their own building. I 

 have seen them manure their land with Salmon 

 caught in their creeks, and with pigeons caught 

 on the land itself. It will be a long while be 

 fore you will see such beautiful Corn-fields as 

 I saw there. Yet nothing but the danger and 

 disgrace which attended their return to Con 

 necticut prevented their returning, though there 

 they must have begun the world anew. I saw 

 them in their log-huts, and saw them in their 

 frame-houses. They had overcome all their 

 difficulties as settlers ; they were under a go 

 vernment which required neither tax nor service 

 from them; they were as happy as people could 

 be as to ease and plenty; but, still, they sighed 

 for Connecticut ; and especially the women, 

 young as well as old, though we, gay fellows 

 with worsted or silver lace upon our bright red 

 coats, did our best to make them happy by 

 telling them entertaining stories about Old 

 England, while we drank their coffee and grog 

 by gallons, and eat their fowls, pigs and sau 

 sages and sweet-meats, 'by wheel-barrow loads ; 



