UNCLE IN ENGLAND. 283 



off rapidly within the last fortnight, as it thaws 

 a little every day, while the sun is hot. 



" The buds are all swelling, and I have heard 

 one or two new birds of late but they stay 

 up in the high trees, and I have not been able 

 to see them. We have numbers of dear little 

 tomtits, and some sparrows and crows. I used 

 to despise all these at home, but here I delight 

 in them, they are like old acquaintances. When 

 we first came here, I heard an eagle very often, 

 but he has deserted us. 



11 I am surprised at the nice green herbage 

 that is under the snow ; by which, and. the de- 

 cayed leaves, it has been preserved from the 

 frost. The children bring in plants every day ; 

 the mossos and lichens are all quite new to me. 



" The deep snow has much delayed the clearing 

 of our land ; next week we are to have five men 

 here to cut down trees, choppers as they are called; 

 we have one at present, and it is astonishing 

 with what dexterity and speed he fells these huge 

 hemlock pines, nearly one hundred feet high. It 

 is almost sublime to see them stoop their dark 

 heads slowly, and then fall ; very gradually at 

 first, but soon increasing in rapidity tearing off 

 the neighbouring branches, shaking all the other 

 trees, and coming down with a crash that makes 

 the whole forest echo the sound. The Ame- 

 ricans from the United States are employed to 

 chop, as they are more expert than people from 



