TORONTO OF OLD. 4^1 



hard, to reproduce what in the west of England are called cohwalls ; but either from an error 

 in compounding the material, or from the peculiar character of the local climate, they proved 

 unsatisfactory. The Sheppards, early proprietors of land a little further on, were a different 

 family and spelt their name differently. It was some members of this family that were momen- 

 tarily concerned in the movement of 1S37. 



In Willowdale, a hamlet just beyond Shephard's, was the residence of Mr. David Gibson, 

 destroyed in 1837 by the Government forces. We observe in the Gazette of January 6th, 1826, 

 the announcement, " Government House, York, 29th December, 1825. His Excellency the 

 Lieutenant-Governor has been pleased to appoint David Gibson, gentleman, to be a surveyor of 

 land in the Province." In the practice of the profession indicated he was prosjierous, and also 

 as a practical farmer. He likewise represented North York in the Provincial Parliament. 

 When the calm came after the tumult of 1837, he was appointed one of the Superintendents 

 of Colonization Roads. He died at Quebec in 1864. 



A road turning off at right angles to the eastward out of Willowdale led to a celebrated camp 

 meeting ground, on the property of Mr. Jacob Cummer, one of the early Gennan settlers. It 

 ■was in a grand maple forest — a fine specimen of such trysting places. It was here that we 

 were for the first time present at one of the peculiar assemblies referred to, which, over 

 the whole of this northern continent, in a primitive condition of society at its several 

 points, have falflUed, and still fulfil, an important, and we doubt not, beneficent function. 

 This, as we suppose, was the scene of the camp meeting described in Peter Jones' Autobio- 

 graphy. "About noon," he writes on Tuesday, the 10th of June, 1828, "'started for the camp 

 ground. When we arrived we found about three hundred Indians collected from Lake Simcoe 

 and Scugog Lake. Most of those from Lake Simcoe have just come in from the back lakes to 

 join with their converted brethren in the service of the Almighty God. They came in company 

 with brother Law, and all seemed very glad to see us, giving us a hearty shake of the hand. 

 The camp ground enclosed about two acres, which was surrounded with board tents, having 

 one large gate for teams to go in and out, and three smaller ones. The Indians occupied one 

 large tent, which was 220 feet long and 15 feet broad. It was covered overhead with boards, and 

 the sides were made tight with lathes to make it secure from any encroachments. It had four 

 doors fronting the camp ground. In this long house the Indians arranged themselves in 

 families, as is their custom in their wigwams. Divine service commenced towards evening. 

 Elder Case first gave directions as to the order to be observed on the camp ground during the 

 meetings. Brotlier James Richardson then preached from Acts ii. 21 ; after which I gave the 

 substance in Indian, when the brethren appeared much affected and interested. Prayer-meet- 

 ing in the evening. The watch kept the place illuminated during the night." The meeting 

 continued for four days. 



Where tlie dividing line occurs between York and Markham, at the angle on the right was the 

 first site of the sign of the Green Bush, removed afterwards, as we have noted, to the immediate 

 outskirts of York ; and to the left, somewhere near by, was a sign that used to interest from 

 its peculiarity, the Durweston Gate : a small white five-barred gate, hung by its tojimost bar 

 to a projection from a lofty post, and having painted on its lower bars " Durweston Gate," and 

 the landlord's name. It was probably a reproduction by a Dorsetshire immigrant of a familiar 

 object in his native village. 



Not excludmg from our notes, as will be observed, those places where Shenstone sighed to 

 think a man often "found the warmest welcome," we must not forget Finch's— a great hos- 

 telry on the right, which we soon reached as we advanced northward, of high repute about 

 1836, and subsequently, among excursion parties from town, and among the half-pay settlers 

 of the Lake Simcoe region, for the contents of its larder and the quality of its cooking. Another 

 place of similar renown was Crew's, six or eight miles further on. When for long years, men- 

 especially Englishmen, called by their occasions away from their homes, had been almost every- 

 where doomed to partake of fare too literally hard, and perilous to the health, it is not to be 

 wondered at, when, here and there, at last a house for the accommodation of the public did spring 

 lip where, with cleanly quarters, digestible viands were to be had, that its fame should speedily 

 spread ; for is it not Dr. Samuel Johnson himself who has, perhaps rather sweepingly said, 

 " there is nothing which has yet been contrived by man by which so much happiness is pro- 

 duced, as by a good tavern or inn." 



Where a long slope towards the' north begins soon after Finch's, a village entitled Dundurn 

 was once projected by Mr. Allan McNab, afterwards the famous Sir AUan, acting, we believe,. 



