ng to write a story?"

Somewhat amused, I replied that I did not know what to think, but I
would try if he wished me to do so.

"Do so," said he, "and go to work at once"--or words to that effect.

I went to work at once, and wrote my first story or work of fiction. It
was published in 1855 under the name of "Snowflakes and Sunbeams; or,
The Young Furtraders." Afterwards the first part of the title was
dropped, and the book is now known as "The Young Furtraders." From that
day to this I have lived by making story-books for young folk.

[Illustration: THE HALL.]

From what I have said it will be seen that I have never aimed at the
achieving of this position, and I hope that it is not presumptuous in me
to think--and to derive much comfort from the thought--that God led me
into the particular path along which I have walked for so many years.

The scene of my first story was naturally laid in those backwoods with
which I was familiar, and the story itself was founded on the
adventures and experiences of myself and my companions. When a second
book was required of me, I stuck to the same regions, but changed the
locality. When casting about in my mind for a suitable subject, I
happened to meet with an old retired "Nor'wester" who had spent an
adventurous life in Rupert's Land. Among other duties he had been sent
to establish an outpost of the Hudson Bay Company at Ungava Bay, one of
the most dreary parts of a desolate region. On hearing what I wanted he
sat down and wrote a long narrative of his proceedings there, which he
placed at my disposal, and thus furnished me with the foundation of
"Ungava."

But now I had reached the end of my tether, and when a third story was
wanted I was compelled to seek new fields of adventure in the books of
travellers. Regarding the Southern seas as the most romantic part of the
world--after the backwoods!--I mentally and spiritually plunged into
those warm waters, and the dive resulted in the "Coral Island."

It now began to be borne in upon me that there was something not quite
satisfactory in describing, expatiating on, and energising in, regions
which one has never seen. For one thing, it was needful to be always
carefully on the watch to avoid falling into mistakes geographical,
topographical, natural-historical, and otherwise.

For instance, despite the utmost care of which I was capable while
studying up for the "Coral Island," I fell into a blunder through
ignorance in rega