p so far. Mr Campbell had spoken about, but not finally
settled for, the cows, and therefore was glad to accept the Governor's
offer. This message was accompanied with a note of invitation to Mr
Campbell, the ladies, and Henry and Alfred, to take a farewell dinner at
Government House the day before their departure. The invitation was
accepted, and Mr Campbell was introduced to the officer commanding the
detachment which was about to proceed to Fort Frontignac, and received
from him every assurance of his doing all he could to make them
comfortable. The kindness of the Governor did not end here; he desired
the officer to take two large tents for the use of Mr Campbell, to be
returned to the fort when the house had been built, and they were
completely settled. He even proposed that Mrs Campbell and the Misses
Percival should remain at Government House until Mr Campbell had made
every preparation to receive them; but this Mrs Campbell would not
consent to, and, with many thanks, she declined the offer.

CHAPTER SEVEN.

THE STORY OF PONTIAC.

Although it was now the middle of May, it was but a few days before
their departure that there was the least sign of verdure, or the trees
had burst into leaf; but in the course of the three days before they
quitted Quebec, so rapid was the vegetation, that it appeared as if
summer had come upon them all at once. The heat was also very great,
although, when they had landed, the weather was piercing cold; but in
Canada, as well as in all Northern America, the transitions from heat to
cold, and from cold to heat, are very rapid.

My young readers will be surprised to hear that, when the winter sets in
at Quebec, all the animals required for the winter's consumption are at
once killed. If the troops are numerous, perhaps three or four hundred
bullocks are slaughtered and hung up. Every family kill their cattle,
their sheep, pigs, turkeys, fowls, etcetera, and all are put up in the
garrets, where the carcases immediately freeze hard, and remain quite
good and sweet during the six or seven months of severe winter which
occur in that climate. When any portion of meat is to be cooked, it is
gradually thawed in lukewarm water, and after that is put to the fire.
If put at once to the fire in its frozen state, it spoils. There is
another strange circumstance which occurs in these cold latitudes; a
small fish, called the snow-fish, is caught during the winter by making
holes in