It was two o’clock when we descended the hill in front of the house, that led by a side-path round to the road, and commenced our homeward route.  I thought the four miles of clearings would never be passed; and the English Line appeared to have no end.  At length we entered once more the dark forest.

The setting sun gleamed along the ground; the necessity of exerting our utmost speed, and getting through the great swamp before darkness surrounded us, was apparent to all.  The men strode vigorously forward, for they had been refreshed with a substantial dinner of potatoes and pork, washed down with a glass of whiskey, at the cottage in which they had waited for us; but poor Emilia and I, faint, hungry, and foot-sore, it was with the greatest difficulty we could keep up.  I thought of Rosalind, as our march up and down the fallen logs recommenced, and often exclaimed with her, “Oh, Jupiter! how weary are my legs!”

Night closed in just as we reached the beaver-meadow.  Here our ears were greeted with the sound of well-known voices.  James and Henry C—–­ had brought the ox-sleigh to meet us at the edge of the bush.  Never was splendid equipage greeted with such delight.  Emilia and I, now fairly exhausted with fatigue, scrambled into it, and lying down on the straw which covered the bottom of the rude vehicle, we drew the buffalo robes over our faces, and actually slept soundly until we reached Colonel C—–­’s hospitable door.

An excellent supper of hot fish and fried venison was smoking on the table, with other good cheer, to which we did ample justice.  I, for one, never was so hungry in my life.  We had fasted for twelve hours, and that on an intensely cold day, and had walked during that period upwards of twenty miles.  Never, never shall I forget that weary walk to Dummer; but a blessing followed it.

It was midnight when Emilia and I reached my humble home; our good friends the oxen being again put in requisition to carry us there.  Emilia went immediately to bed, from which she was unable to rise for several days.  In the meanwhile I wrote to Moodie an account of the scene I had witnessed, and he raised a subscription among the officers of the regiment for the poor lady and her children, which amounted to forty dollars.  Emilia lost no time in making a full report to her friends at P—–­; and before a week passed away, Mrs. N—–­ and her family were removed thither by several benevolent individuals in the place.  A neat cottage was hired for her; and, to the honour of Canada be it spoken, all who could afford a donation gave cheerfully.  Farmers left at her door, pork, beef, flour, and potatoes; the storekeepers sent groceries and goods to make clothes for the children; the shoemakers contributed boots for the boys; while the ladies did all in their power to assist and comfort the gentle creature thus thrown by Providence upon their bounty.