32

27.

Wednesday 29 Jan 1809 [sic]
A very fine day. V had a mind to
go to Kingston this morning for Maud
but I persuaded him to wait till tomorrow.
So after dressing 6 chickens and eating
dinner and looking 40 times across the ice
to see if he could make a discovery of some
one coming across, he said he would go
himself over the river and get Ray McIntyre
to help him saw wood over on Dailys chopping.
He started out with club in hand trying
the ice every step, and I, with marine glass
in hand watch him every step, till he is near
the other shore, when I saw 2 men come out
and met him, then V turned back and the other 2 men
came over with him. They were Ray and
Mr James Smith. Well they all got talking
about strawbery culture and different varieties,
cream separators, and they drank some
cider or a lot of cider and their tongues wagged
tremendous - all talking at once. I dont do
all the work I intended to do today.
I asked V aside what Smith came for. V
said Smith had come visiting. He is an
[margin]
awful loud visitor, but a very good looking man.