een an old lady in a white cap and spectacles,
who would have talked to me about my soul. I was amazed when my aide
introduced a handsome, stately young woman, who proceeded to reason
the question as if she thought her reason, and experience too, worth
as much as mine."

Sir George at last consented to allow her the use of a Government
building, a low wooden one. Her room was seven feet by seven feet.
Rats ran about in it in all directions, and then alighted on her
shoulders. But she outgeneraled the rats. She gave them bread and
water the first night, lit two candles, and sat up in bed reading
"Abercrombie." There came never less than seven nor more than
thirteen rats eating at the same time. The next night she gave them
another feast seasoned with arsenic.

The home for the immigrants given her by Sir George had four rooms,
and in it at one time she kept ninety girls who had no other shelter.
About six hundred females were then wandering about Sydney unprovided
for. Some slept in the recesses of the rocks on the Government
domain. She received from the ships in the harbour sixty-four girls,
and all the money they had was fourteen shillings and three
half-pence.

She took them to the country, travelling with a covered cart to sleep
in. She left married families at different stations, and then sent
out decent lasses who should be married.

In those days the dead bodies of the poor were taken to the cemetery
in a common rubbish-cart.

By speeches and letters both public and private, and by interviews
with influential men, Mrs. Chisholm sought help for the emigrants
both in Sydney and England, where she opened an office in 1846.

In the year 1856 Major Chisholm took a house at Nyalong, near
Philip's school. Two of the best scholars were John and David. When
David lost his place in the class he burst into tears, and the Blakes
and the Boyles laughed. The Major spoke to the boys and girls
whenever he met them. He asked John to tell him how many
weatherboards he would have to buy to cover the walls of his house,
which contained six rooms and a lean-to, and was built of slabs.
John measured the walls and solved the problem promptly. The Major
then sent his three young children to the school, and made the
acquaintance of the master.

Mrs. Chisholm never went to Nyalong, but the Major must have given
her much information about it, for one day he read a portion of one
of her letters which completely des