In a fortnight's time the walls were finished, and the bullock
carts were dispatched to Rosario to fetch lime, as Mr. Hardy had
determined to plaster the inside walls to keep in the dust, which
is otherwise continually coming off mud walls. By this time a
considerable extent of land was plowed up, and this was now planted
with maize, yam or sweet potato, and pumpkins: a small portion, as
an experiment, was also planted with potato seeds, but the climate
is almost too warm for the potato to thrive.
Upon the return of the carts with the lime the partition walls were
built with the bricks. The walls finished, all hands went to work
at the roof. This Mr. Hardy had intended to have had regularly
thatched; but during his last visit to Rosario he had heard that
the Indians frequently endeavored in their attacks to set fire to
the roofs, and he therefore determined to use tiles. The carts had
to make two journeys to Rosario to get sufficient tiles and lath.
But at last all was finished; the walls were plastered inside and
whitewashed out; the floor was leveled, beaten down hard, and
covered with a mixture of clay and lime, which hardened into a
firm, level floor.
It was exactly two months from the date of their arrival at the
farm that the doors were hung and the finishing touch put to the
house, and very pleased were they all as they gave three cheers for
their new abode.
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