This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1883 Excerpt: ...before our eyes. The situation altogether was so agreeable, that here also I resolved to make a settlement, to be visited occasionlly, and, after resting awhile and talking the matter over, we set to work to build a cottago such as we had lately finished at Woodlands. Our'experience there enabled us to proceed quickly with the work, and in a few days the rustic abode was completed, and received, by Ernest's choice, the grand name of Prospect Hill. My chief object in undertaking this expedition had been to discover some tree from whose bark I could hope to make a useful light boat or canoe. Hitherto I had met with none at all fit for my purpose, but, not despairing of success, I began, when the cottage was built, to examine carefully the surrounding woods, and, after considerable trouble, came upon two magnificent tall straight trees, the bark of which seemed something like that of the birch. Selecting one whose trunk was, to a great height, free from branches, wo attached to one of the lower of these boughs the rope ladder we had with us, and, Fritz ascending it, cut the bark through in a cirele; I did the same at the foot of the tree, and then, from between the cireles, we took a narrow perpendicular slip of bark entirely out, so that we could introduce the proper tools by which gradually to loosen and raise the main part, so as finally to separate it from the tree uninjured and entire. This we found possible, because the bark was moist and flexible. Great care and exertion were necessary, as the bark became detached, to support it, until the whole was ready to be let gently down upon the grass. This seemed a great achievement; but our work was by no means ended nor could we venture to desist from it, until, while the material was soft and pliable, we had ...