Page:Memorials of Capt. Hedley Vicars, Ninety-seventh Regiment by Marsh, Catherine, 1818-1912.djvu/33

Rh We have now come to the close of his life of general recklessness, chequered, and of late frequently, with strong religious impressions — convictions of sin, which resulted in vigorous though short-lived efforts at reform. Of this portion of his life, a valued friend of his, then belonging to the 97th, has lately written the following short notice:

"From the first day I saw Vicars at Zante, in 1846, I was struck with his manly air and the peculiar, open truthfulness of his eye. He was at this time quite taken up with the gaieties of the island. We quitted for Malta, whence, in 1848, we sailed for Jamaica. During the voyage he used to dress as a sailor, and delight in making himself useful to the crew. In Jamaica he had the advantages of attending an excellent ministry, and of witnessing the beauty of consistent religious character in the family of Dr. McIlree, the surgeon of the 97th, which had their effect upon him. But this all passed away on his being withdrawn from these influences, by being ordered to the Lowlands to sit on court-martial, where he was again led away by unavoidable association with ungodly companions. At this time, as I afterwards heard from his own lips, he totally neglected prayer and the reading of the Bible, and consequently lost the power of resisting temptation. A long period elapsed before a second conviction arose, and this appeared to be sudden, and lasted till he left Jamaica. He frequently came to me for prayer and the study of the Scriptures, either at my own quarters or at a brother officer's."

The 97th left Jamaica for Halifax, Nova Scotia, in June, 1851. Almost immediately after landing, he was ordered to Canada, to take charge of volunteers for a regiment there. It was in the autumn of this year that he visited the Falls of Niagara, and his journal is written with deep and enthusiastic delight,