120 
MODE OF BUILDING MUD-WALLS. 
14 April, 
to mock the wretched, dirty mien of the house. A large low- 
spreading tree, of an indigenous species of willow, was the only 
plant that could afford the house the least shelter from the wind. 
The out-buildings, of which there were many, were not, in ap- 
pearance, inferior to the dwelling-house ; and, like that, they were, 
built of mud. 
The process for making walls of this kind, is extremely simple, 
though not expeditious ; and can only be practicable where earth of 
a suitable quality is found. This, if too clayey, shrinks and cracks 
and, if not sufficiently so, crumbles and moulders away : but, with a 
good proportion of sand or grit, added to some ferruginous par- 
ticles, it forms a wall not much less durable than those which 
are built of bricks. For this purpose, it is made into a mud, which 
must be well tempered, and sufficiently stiff to remain in layers of 
about a foot in thickness, without falling out of shape. No kind of 
mould or form is used in this process ; but the earth is merely laid 
on with a spade, and, when half dry, the sides are pared smooth. 
When one layer is perfectly dry, but not sooner, another is laid on ; 
and thus, from time to time, repeating the operation, the wall may 
be carried up, if required, to the height of a second story, while, at 
the same time, the thickness necessary for supporting that weight 
need not be greater than one-half more than is generally requisite 
for a brick wall of the same height. These operations can only be 
carried on in the dry season of the year. Such materials, it may be 
remarked, cannot be used with advantage in climates where the 
thermometer sinks much below the freezing point; as alternate 
rain, frost, and thaw, would occasion a wall of this sort to crumble 
away in a little time. When such buildings are white-washed, which 
I have often observed in other parts of the colony, they look very 
neat, and are not easily to be distinguished from those which are 
made of bricks and stuccoed. 
This fine valley was but thinly inhabited : not more than 
two or three other farm-houses were in sight ; yet, were the land 
properly appropriated and well managed, it would, there can be 
little doubt, support an industrious population of far greater amount 
