90 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES 



dually wore away from the south side of 

 the lake, but the great mass of it still hung 

 to the north side with some snow visible on 

 its surface. By the 21st the elevated 

 grounds were perfectly dry, and teeming 

 with the fragrant offspring of the season. 

 When the snow melted, the earth was 

 covered with the fallen leaves of the last 

 year, and already it was green with the 

 strawberry plant, and the bursting buds of 

 the gooseberry, raspberry, and rose bushes, 

 soon variegated by the rose and the blossoms 

 of the choke cherry. The gifts of nature 

 are disregarded and undervalued till they 

 are withdrawn, and in the hideous regions 

 of the Arctic Zone, she would make a con- 

 vert of him for whom the gardens of Europe 

 had no charms, or the mild beauties of a 

 southern climate had bloomed in vain. 



Mr. Williams found a delightful occupa- 

 tion in his agricultural pursuits. The horses 

 were brought to the plough, and fields of 

 wheat, barley, and Indian corn, promised to 

 reward his labours. His dairy furnished 

 us with all the luxuries of an English farm. 



