CONCLUSION.

It was on the island of Blejinie, the last of the Aleutian group, at the

extreme south of Behring Sea, that all the colonists of Fort Hope at last

landed, after having traversed eighteen hundred miles since the breaking-up of

the ice. They were hospitably received by some Aleutian fishermen who had

hurried to their assistance, and were soon able to communicate with some English

agents of the Hudson's Bay Company.

After all the details we have given, it is needless to dwell on the courage

and energy of the brave little band, which had proved itself worthy of its noble

leader. We know how all struggled with their misfortunes, and how patiently they

had submitted to the will of God. We have seen Mrs Barnett cheering every one by

her example and sympathy; and we know that neither she nor those with her

yielded to despair when the peninsula on which Fort Hope had been built was

converted into a wandering island, when that island became an islet, and the

islet a strip of ice, nor even when that strip of ice was melting beneath the

combined influence of sun and waves. If the scheme of the Company was a failure,

if the new fort had perished, no one could possibly blame Hobson or his

companions, who had gone through such extraordinary and unexpected trials. Of

the nineteen persons under the Lieutenant's charge, not one was missing, and he

had even two new members in his little colony, Kalumah and Mrs Barnett's godson,

Michael Mac-Nab.

Six days after their rescue the shipwrecked mariners arrived at New

Archangel, the capital of Russian America.

Here the friends, bound together by so many dangers shared, must part,

probably for ever! Hobson and his men were to return to Fort Reliance across

English America, whilst Mrs Barnett, accompanied by Kalumah, who would not leave

her, Madge, and Thomas Black, intended to go back to Europe via San Francisco

and the United States.

But whilst they were still altogether, the Lieutenant, addressing Mrs

Barnett, said with considerable emotion-

"God bless you, madam, for all you have been to us. You have been our

comforter, our consoler, the very soul of our little world; and I thank you in

the name of all."

Three cheers for Mrs Barnett greeted this speech, and each soldier begged to

shake her by the hand, whilst the women embraced her affectionately.

The Lieutenant himself had conceived so warm an affection for the lady who

had so long been his friend and counsellor, that he could not bid her good-bye

without great emotion.

"Can it be that we shall never meet again?" he exclaimed.

"No, Lieutenant," replied Mrs Barnett;" we must, we shall meet again. If you

do not come and see me in Europe, I will come back to you at Fort Reliance, or

to the new factory you will found some day yet."

On hearing this, Thomas Black, who had regained the use of his tongue since

he had landed on terra firma, came forward and said, with an air of the

greatest conviction-

"Yes, we shall meet again in thirty-six years. My friends, I missed the

eclipse of 1860, but I will not miss that which will take place under exactly

similar conditions in the same latitudes in 1896. And therefore I appoint a

meeting with you, Lieutenant, and with you, my dear madam, on the confines of

the Arctic Ocean thirty six years hence."

End of Part II