ian and I were born. Our father, Mr Dennis
Macnamara, who was a prosperous merchant, had settled there soon after
his marriage with our mother, and we had been brought up with every
comfort we could desire. Uncle Paul Netherclift, our mother's brother,
who was employed in our father's house of business, resided with us; as
did our cousin Arthur Tuffnel, who had lately come over from England to
find employment in the colony.

Our father was generally in good spirits, and never appeared to think
that a reverse of fortune could happen to him. One day, however, he
received a visit from a person who was closeted with him for some hours.
After the stranger had gone, he appeared suddenly to have become an
altered man, his vivacity and high spirits having completely deserted
him--while both Uncle Paul and Arthur looked unusually grave; and young
as I was, I could not help seeing that something disastrous had
happened. My fears were confirmed on overhearing a conversation between
my father and mother when they were not aware that I was listening.

"We must start without delay. I must not allow this opportunity of
retrieving my fallen fortunes to pass by," I heard my father observe, as
he pointed to a paragraph in a newspaper which he held in his hand.
"The Spanish Government have passed an edict, permitting all foreigners
of the Roman Catholic religion to establish themselves in the beautiful
and fertile island of Trinidad, where they are to be protected for five
years from being pursued for debts incurred in the places they have
quitted. Now, if we can manage to get there in safety, my creditors
will be unable to touch me, and I shall soon have the means of paying my
debts and recovering the position I have lost."

"But, my dear husband, it would soon be discovered that we are not Roman
Catholics; and we should be placed in an embarrassing, if not in a
dangerous position, were we to do as you propose," observed my mother in
a tone of expostulation. "You would not, surely, have us conform, even
outwardly, to a religion in which we have no faith?"

"Depend on it, no questions will be asked, as it will be taken for
granted that all persons settling in the island belong to the ordinary
form of religion sanctioned by the Government," answered my father.

My mother sighed, for she saw that my father was wrong, and that,
blinded like Lot of old by his desire to obtain worldly advantages, he
was ready to sacrifice the religi