Beyond the kitchen were the ruins of several out-buildings that had fallen by reason of their age, or been blown down during a gale.
Having thus made a hasty exploration of their new home, the party returned to the landing, to which their goods were being unloaded from the lighter by Jan and the crew.

Leaving Mrs.Elmer and Ruth here, Mr.
Elmer and Mark crossed the river to the village to see what they could procure in the way of teams and help.
Of the twenty houses in the village, many of which were in a most dilapidated condition, only two were occupied by white families, the rest of the population being colored.

There were no stores nor shops of any kind, the only building not used as a dwelling-house being a small church very much out of repair.

The white men living in the village were away from home, but from among the colored people, who were much excited at the arrival of strangers in their midst, Mr.Elmer engaged two men and their wives to cross the river and go to work at once.

He also engaged a man who owned a team of mules and a wagon, and who would go over as soon as the lighter was unloaded and could be used to ferry him across.
On its return to the other side, the canoe was followed by a skiff containing the newly engaged colored help, whose amazement at everything they saw, and especially at the canoe, was unbounded.