the future. Life is like this sea-now calm, reflecting the glorious brightness of heaven; now disturbed and turbulent, overcast by gloomy and terrific storms, as we have seen today. But these storms will pass away, and, to the humble and the grateful heart, will be succeeded by happiness."

66

"Yes, my love, wherever your cheerful mind has influence, there must be happiness and comfort at last."

"And if happiness should indeed fly from us, my dear Ferdinand, life is the more like this great ocean, the passage to a different world, where the weary are at rest."

"True, my dear, I believe it; your gentle, unobtrusive, but sincere piety, will set my heart quite right at last; I feel convinced of it; you will guide me to heaven."

"Oh, may it be granted! it is my daily prayer. With that gracious aid we shall be happy, whether in the wild regions we are going to visit, or at our own beloved home."

"But if we are happy in the simple life, Constance, that we are going to lead, can you wish for more? Enjoying freedom from oppressive forms, living for ourselves and our dear child, could we wish to quit such happiness, even though we were in the polar regions? Yes, we shall be at liberty! You will command your time, which you always value so much; and my affection will, you know, be devoted-must be devoted, to you alone!"

Constance sighed, changed colour, was going to speak,—but he went on

"You are too delicate for much exertion yet; come, let us retire, the air is chilly, and our little boy has played about so much with the good-natured captain, that he has fallen asleep. What shall I do with him? you are too weak to leave; I must send for his maid."

At this moment one of the passengers, a silent young man, the deep melancholy of whose countenance had excited Mortimer's interest, started forward and sprung to his assistance.

"I will carry the child down, sir," said he; "you need not leave the fainting lady."

Having deposited the child in the cabin, in the care of the maid, he offered his farther services, which, not being required, he hastily withdrew.

The next morning, when Mortimer met him on deck, he expressed his thanks for his assistance, and politely requested to know his name.

The dark countenance of the young man was agitated, and the stern expression of his eye was forbidding while he said, "My name, sir, is of no consequence; it is enough that I am miserable."

He withdrew while he spoke, marking, as he had already done during the voyage, his absolute dislike to hold intercourse with Colonel Mortimer; yet, whenever he could, unobserved, do any kindness for the child, he seemed pleased, and his severe countenance softened into a benevolent melancholy.

Mortimer was mortified and surprised at his advances towards acquaintance being thus rejected; but he could not force an explanation, and could only resolve to treat him on his part with perfect silence.

In a few days the joyful cry of "Land! was resounded through the ship, and they had the satisfaction of entering the St Lawrence.

To see the great western world in its natural state, uncleared and uncultivated, and the natives, while yet unshackled by civilisation, were the objects of Mortimer's projected wanderings, to visit first the unsettled possessions of Britain, and either establish himself there, or proceed to the remote western territories of the States.

Constance forbore to express her doubts in regard to the degree of satisfaction he was likely to derive from his observations; anxious to convince him of her confiding reliance on him, and hoping by sympathy in his pursuits, to preserve the privilege of being his companion-a compensation for any inconvenience she might suffer.

Having made all necessary arrangements at Quebec, they proceeded up the St Lawrence, till within some miles of the lake of the two mountains, when they landed, and taking a westward course, made their way without difficulty among the French Canadians, or Abitans, as they are usually termed. The hospitality and kindness of this people were invariable. Their simple, amiable manners and moral life were very attractive, while their natural politeness and cheerful content formed a remarkable contrast with the rough, though perhaps more sincere, manner of the British settler.

Mortimer had procured at Quebec a sort of carriage, adapted for the country they were going to explorein fact, scarcely more than a waggon. The weather was hot and dry, the days still long, and the novelty of the journey was interesting to all the party, except the maid-servant,

who wondered and murmured at the lonesome and outlandish places to which her master chose to take his family.

Mortimer's own man, who had followed his beloved colonel through all his Indian campaigns, and had spent many a night, like him, on the ground without pillow or blanket, wrapped only in his military cloak, was well qualified to assist in exploring a strange land, and in contriving substitutes for the comforts it was impossible to procure. With his characteristic perseverance, Mortimer, overcoming every obstacle, advanced through the forests, till at length their progress was interrupted by the Ottawa. The beauty of this river was extreme-" a line of silver mid a fringe of green "-refreshing to the eyes, and, after the sombre twilight of the woods, most delightful.

Pleased with its picturesque and varied banks, they wandered along its course for several days; then, crossing the river, they entered the upper province; and, resuming a north-westerly direction, passed through woods alternated with swamps, and plains rich in beauteous wild-flowers, and covered by the strawberry, everywhere offering them in profusion the grateful refreshment of its small but highlyflavoured fruit.

Many places were so unsuited even to the rude vehicle which conveyed the Mortimers, that they were frequently obliged to walk; the driver making way for the waggon by cutting the tangled branches as he passed.

Determined to avoid the richer settlers, Mortimer preferred the poor unpretending farmers to the vulgar and impertinent who considered themselves as gentlemen. Hospitality is so customary to all the inhabitants, that wherever there was a clearing, the travellers were sure of a kind welcome to the humble fare of the family. And when admitted to share the scanty means of those who were themselves almost destitute, Mortimer liberally rewarded their generosity, and cheered them by his sympathy. Sometimes the shelter of the rude shanty was gladly accepted by them; and Mortimer observed with much interest this first abode of the settler, often amusing himself by assisting in the progress of its erection. A shanty is a simple shed of logs, usually built with but one opening, which serves for both window and entrance. The roof is formed of the bark of either the birch or the bass wood, or of shingles.

The furniture, as rude as the building, was probably manufactured by the wood-cutter after the hours for out-door work.

After a day of fatigue, Constance often enjoyed the most refreshing repose on the homely bed in the shanty, consisting of the small elastic branches of the hemlock pine, which, laid over one another on the floor, and sufficiently covered, gives excellent sleep to those who have earned it by their labour. And they observed, that even where the luxury of a bedstead is possessed by a poor emigrant, its posts are usually formed of rough undressed wood, and the bottom made of a coarse network of bass-wood bark interlaced.

A shanty was a constant delight to Noel; active, inquiring little boy, he was alive to all he saw, and anxious to have everything explained. The works going forward amused his busy mind, and the contrivances and substitutes for the utensils to which he had been accustomed, gave endless diversion to him. It was play to him to use a large chip instead of a plate (a common substitute for it), and to watch their simple mode of baking, by placing their cakes on cinders, piled up with layers of ashes between.

The auger and the axe were in general the only tools used by those poor beginners, and it was surprising how much was effected with them. Wooden pegs answered as nails, and, besides fastening the logs together which formed the wall, served also as supports for the shelves on which stood their little store of cups and spoons, which were perhaps merely made of wood, cut and hollowed with a penknife.

Many a day closed when neither house nor shanty were to be seen; and then Mortimer pitched a tent, made a fire of dry wood, and they were satisfied with the shelter of the forest. Constance found amusement in the novelty of their mode of travelling, while her habits of observation gave an interest to all she saw, and therefore increased that of Ferdinand. The gigantic trees, the wild flowers, the birds, all new to her, attracted her notice-and the journal and sketchbook varied her occupations. She thus preserved her cheerfulness, and wisely refrained from inquiring what was to be their destination for the winter.

Still going westward, yet making slow progress through woods that seemed to her interminable, they had stopped one afternoon to rest, during the heat of the day, beneath the