an abundance of good cheer.
** The cradle is a scythe of larger dimensions than the common hay-
scythe, and is both wider in the blade and longer. A straight piece of
wood, called a standard, thirty inches long, is fixed upright; near the
end of the snaith, or handle, are four fingers made of wood, the same
bend as the scythe, and from six to seven inches apart, directly above
the scythe, and fixed firmly into the standard, from which wire braces
with nuts and screws to adjust the fingers. These braces are secured to
the fingers about eight inches from the standard. The other end of the
wire is then passed through the snaith and drawn tight by means of a
screw-nut. These machines are very effective, and in the hands of a
person who understands their use will cut from two to three acres a-day
of either wheat, oats, barley, or rye.]

At eleven o'clock, cakes and pailfuls of tea were served round. At one,
we were summoned by the sound of a tin bugle to dinner, which we found
laid out in the barn. Some long pine-boards resting on tressels served
for a table, which almost groaned with the good things of this earth,
in the shape of roast lamb and green peas, roast sucking-pig, shoulder
of mutton, apple-sauce, and pies, puddings, and preserves in abundance,
with plenty of beer and Canadian whiskey. Our bees proved so
industrious, that before six o'clock all Mr. Burke's hay and rye were
finished cutting. Supper was then served on the same scale of
profusion, with the addition of tea. After supper a variety of games
and gymnastics were introduced, various trials of strength, wrestling,
running, jumping, putting the stone, throwing the hammer, &c.

About nine o'clock our party broke up, and returned to their respective
homes, well pleased with their day's entertainment, leaving their host
perfectly satisfied with their voluntary labour. One word about bees