desires, which are not easily gratified elsewhere. There were many others, whose qualifications for colonising could scarcely be considered very promising, and amongst them was the hero of our story. Without a profession, and having failed in obtaining a cadetship or any other suitable appointment, Hugh Raymond determined, at the age of twenty-one, to seek in Victoria, for such an opening in life as the land of his birth did not afford: but before we trace his fortunes further, it is our purpose to inform the reader, in as brief a manner as possible, of a few necessary particulars to the elucidation of our story. Perhaps we shall serve our purpose best by introducing him to the little party who had assembled on the evening of Hugh's departure, which consisted of four persons.
Old Mr. Raymond, a retired commander in the British navy, who had been a widower for some years, his two daughters, and a young lady an attached friend of the family—Hugh included. We take this early opportunity of imparting the fact, that the attachment was mutual. The young lady, to whom we have drawn attention, was an orphan, and her guardian was a lawyer named Jarrol, who resided in the neighbourhood. We will not hazard the reader's patience, by dwelling too long upon the occurrences, always more or less painful, attending a parting interview; the indulgent reader's sympathies must supply the blank we leave.
The breaking day found the family astir.—The old commander's rheumatism was more troublesome than usual—the girls were looking pale and dejected, and Hugh assumed a cheerfulness he could scarcely be expected to feel. For a great part of the night he had been packing, unpacking, and repacking; forgeting and remembering things he should want on the voyage. He had been trying his hand at sewing in buttons, and sundry other simple operations of the kind; he had even
