man, that they might ascertain if he had made any discoveries
relative to the Indians. Sunday, as usual, was a day of rest from
labour; the services were read by Mr Campbell, and the evening passed
in serious conversation. Mr Campbell, although usually in good
spirits, was certainly not so on that evening. Whether it was that the
severity of the winter which had set in and the known long duration of
it which they had to encounter had an effect upon his spirits, he was
melancholy as well as serious. He more than once referred to their
former residence when in England, which was a very unusual thing for him
to do, and by degrees the conversation was turned in that direction,
and, although no one said so, they all felt what a change there was in
their present position from that which they had been forced to leave.
Mrs Campbell, who perceived that a gloom was gathering over the whole
party, made several remarks tending to reconcile them to their present
lot, and, after a time Mr Campbell observed, "Perhaps, my dear
children, it may be a divine mercy which has sent you here to this
wilderness; true it is that we are removed from civilisation, and shut
up here by a severe winter, deprived of the enjoyments and pleasures
which were to be found in the society which we were compelled to leave;
but let us also bear in mind that we are removed from the many
temptations which might have there assailed us."

"But still, papa, you would be very glad if circumstances would permit
us to return to England; would you not?" said Percival.

"Yes, my child, I should, and even if I had remained here so long as to
have become attached to the place and to the isolation which at first is
felt so irksome, I would still return to England and to society, if I
had the means. As Christians, we are not to fly from the world and its
temptations, but to buckle on our armour, and, putting our trust in Him
who will protect us, fight the good fight; that is, doing our duty in
that state of life to which it shall please God to call us."

"But if ever we were to return to England, there would be no chance of
our living as we did before we left it, would there, papa?"

"I see none, my dear boy; but we never know what is in store for us.
Should any of us ever return, I presume it would be to live in a more
humble way; and for my part, I should prefer that it were so, for
although I trust I did not greatly misuse that wealth which I so long
supposed to