On the morning after the funeral, Robin, with Mr. Waft, returned to Babelmandel, by the way of Olympus; and Mr. Hoskins and I went to examine the land between the rapids, where I was swung upon the tree, and the great Falls where we had so nearly all perished. It was a space somewhat more than two miles in extent along the river; and the more it was examined, the old man was the better pleased with it.

In the course of this “’splorification,” I was well instructed, by the fatigue and trouble I had in climbing over the trunks of fallen trees, and finding a way through the swales and swamps, that I had not been ordained for the hardships of a backwood life. Mr. Hoskins, who was by many years my senior, did not suffer the tenth part that I did,—usage and longer limbs made him fitter for the business.

The examination of the land took up the better part of two days, and obliged us to spend a night under the starry tester of the heavens, with but the green leaves of the forest for our bed-curtains; it was the last, however, I spent unsheltered in the woods; for, upon reflection, feeling the deficiency of strength in my limbs, which had been my infirmity from childhood, I resolved to stick to the store, and to leave to robuster adventurers the outdoor toils of the new settlement: for the purpose of Mr. Hoskins, on deciding to make a spec of that location, was to lay out a town, and to invite settlers by liberal temptations, counting I would take charge of it: but in that he had reckoned too fast. He was not, however, displeased with me for declining the proposal, as I partly expected he would; on the contrary, he assented to the justness of my objection, and only requested me to give what help I could occasionally in the way of advice; for by this time he began to entertain a high opinion of my judgment. All this was arranged in a satisfactory and friendly manner between us as we returned to Julius Casar's town, where having rested ourselves another night, we set out next morning, with a team from the mill, for Olympus, to settle with the agent for the purchase of the land.