MILITARY AND CIVIL. 33 
     
    
   
   
    
     that figure may be set down as being the number of its settlers 
     
     during the first year of its existence. 
     
    
   
   
    
     The winter wore on, and at length the long bright days of 
     
     spring came, awakening new life in the infant settlement. The 
     
     flashing blade rose and fell under the skilful guidance of the 
     
     axe-man and the work of clearing the forest proceeded quickly. 
     
     Nature, too, resumed her gayest; the woods became green and 
     
     full of life; songsters of the grove built their little dwellings and 
     
     sang amongst the branches. Here, too, huge stumps of falling 
     
     trees and piles of brushwood,—fruits of the woodman’s labor 
     
     during months of toil and care came to view. Large open 
     
     spaces were visible in various directions, yet a great deal 
     
     remained to be accomplished. 
     
    
   
   
    
     This virgin forest, as indeed was the Whole Island, comprised 
     
     of evergreen fir trees, mingled with the verdant foliage of the 
     
     oak, beech, birch, maple, ash and poplar, while the majestic 
     
     pine and hemlock spread their branches over an undergrowth 
     
     of hazel, elder, aspen, juniper, cedar and thick tangled brambles, 
     
     and beneath their shady branches coveys of partridge, wild 
     
     pidgeon, cranes, crows, hawks, owls and many other kind of the 
     
     feathered creation found a cool retreat from the scorching rays 
     
     of the summer’s sun; whilst other animals common to this 
     
     woodland, such as the fierce wild cat, savage bear, and cunning 
     
     fox had place of refuge amongst the underwood and thicket, 
     
     where prowling in savage freedom, disturbed by no rustling 
     
     of leaves or cracking of boughs, stealthily approached some 
     
     unsuspecting victim, when with a fatal bound would overcome 
     
     and destroy whatever it might be. Here from tree to tree, gay 
     
     little squirrels were leaping, and bonny rabbits browsing at their 
     
     leasure, while minks and musk-rats swarmed the creeks and 
     
     streams, burrowing deep in their banks for places of safe retreat. 
     
     In various places the ground was richly clothed in sarsaparilla, 
     
     mountain-shrub, maiden-hair, whortleberries, raspberries cran- 
     
     berries, blueberries and strawberries, whilst to the gentle breeze 
     
     the rank thistle nodded its crimson head. Intervening were 
     
     tracts of marsh or bog land, overgrown with plants, moss and 
     
     wild flowers, the secret homes of creeping reptiles and leaping 
     
     frogs. Here, as evening drew her mantle over the uninhabited 
     
     forest, followed by delightful balmy nights laden with fragrant 
     
     perfume, could be heard warbling, fairy-like notes, loud and 
     
     shrill, while thousands of unseen songsters joined in the chorus 
     
    

    
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