Page:Diary of ten years.djvu/65

 49 was very cold; so much so, that even this unexpected excitement gave me no renewal of warmth, and after a sleepless night, having talked with gratitude over our most providential escape, I arose to labour in the garden, in which I was occupied with little cessation until three o'clock, and ended the day with a most charming evening party, at Mr. Tanner's house. But the greatest event of all is to be told: a soldier has brought me from Dr. Millegan two packets of letters and newspapers (with some of my father's handwriting too), from you, dear brother. This, then, is the packet which I lamented as lost—oh the joy of receiving it! you were all well—may God be praised! Long before this time your affectionate and anxious hearts must have received tidings from your poor emigré. But to go on with my details, in each and all of which you are so intensely interested:—

On Sunday the 10th I filled, as I have so often done before, the office of chaplain to about twenty persons. On returning, still thinking of the lost packet, and home, and all its endearing associations, I found what I deemed a prize, in the present condition of my larder, in the form of a floating fish—a mullet, about two pounds weight! What a dinner I shall have! to say nothing of some young cabbages from my own garden; but, alas! without the orthodox accompaniment of bacon.

12th.—While I was reading a letter in a Derry paper, Mackey came in, and on examination recognised it as his own production, written in his boyish days to his father, or some other relative in the North of Ireland: whimsical coincidence! We remained awake almost all Thursday night in retracing recollections of our friends and contemporaries; and I read so eagerly the news in the Derry papers that I put my eyes out of writing order, and idled away the ensuing day in paying and receiving visits from a gentleman, and a lady too, who afterwards sent me an invitation to dine about two miles and a half from Hermitage, with Mr B. Think of the dissipation of society on the Swan River! I walked to