the first
recognitions were over, he proceeded to acquaint his father with what he
had done. He had obtained from a Canadian farmer forty ewes of very fair
stock, although not any thing equal to the English; but the agent had
worked hard for him, and procured him twenty English sheep and two rams
of the best kind, to improve the breed. For the latter he had to pay
rather dear, but they were worth any money to Mr. Campbell, who was
quite delighted with the acquisition. In selecting the sheep, of course
Henry was obliged to depend on the agent and the parties he employed,
as he was no judge himself; but he had, upon his own judgment, purchased
two Canadian horses, for Henry had been long enough at Oxford to know
the points of a horse, and as they turned out, he had made a very good
bargain. He had also bought a sow and pigs of an improved breed, and all
the other commissions had been properly executed; the packages of skins
also realized the price which had been put on them. As it may be
supposed, he was full of news, talking about Montreal, the parties he
had been invited to and the people with whom he had become acquainted.
He had not forgotten to purchase some of the latest English publications
for his cousins, besides a few articles of millinery, which he thought
not too gay for their present position. He was still talking, and
probably would have gone on talking for hours longer, so many were the
questions which he had to reply to, when Martin came in and announced
the arrival of the _bateaux_ with the stores and cattle, upon which they
all went down to the beach to see them disembarked and brought up by the
soldiers, who were at work. The stores were carried up to the door of
the storehouse, and the sheep and horses were turned into the prairie
with the cows. A week's rations for the soldiers were also brought up
from the fort, and the men were very busy in the distribution, and
carrying them to the little temporary huts of boughs which they had
raised for their accommodation, during the time they worked for Mr.
Campbell. Before the evening set in every thing was arranged, and Henry
was again surrounded by the family and replying to their remaining
interrogatories. He told them that the Governor of Montreal had sent
them an invitation to pass the winter at Government-House, and promised
the young ladies that no wolf should venture to come near to them, and
that the aids-de-camp had requested the honor of their hands