15 



After remaining- his full term in Athabasca, Campbell re- 

 moved east on his appointment to the charge of the Swan Kiver 

 district. Here he was in charge till 1871, when he retired from the 

 service with the rank of Chief Factor. His children were educated 

 in Edinburgh, and he spent the time in coming and going from the 

 land of his birth to the western land where he had seen so many 

 adventures. In 1880, he took up land in Riding Mountain, 

 Manitoba, erected buildings upon it, and to this home gave the 

 name Merchiston Ranch. It was his delight to come down once 

 or twice a year to Winnipeg, attend to necessary business and 

 spend a few weeks meeting old friends and recalling old times. 

 This was his life till May 9th, 1894, when he passed away after 

 a short illness at the ripe age of 86 years and a few months. 

 He was buried at Kildonan, a large company of old friends 

 following him to his tomb. 



OUR ESTIMATE. 



As we examine his life and recall his character, we are 

 impelled to give an estimate of our old friend, Robert Campbell : 



(1) He was a man cast in an heroic mould. His bravery, 

 decision of character, honesty of purpose, and devotion to duty 

 stand out prominently during the period of nearly 40 years in 

 which he served the Hudson's Bay Company. 



(2) His deeply religious nature maintained its fervor and 

 devotion during the long period of service among heathen 

 savages in the far west, and among scenes of competitive trade 

 and at times debauchery and even bloodshed. It was his 

 delight in earlier days to pay visits to Kildonan, and in his later 

 years to the Church of his fathers in Winnipeg. He was a 

 friend of all good men, and was a man of singular modesty. 



(3) Though marrying somewhat late, he was exceedingly 

 domestic in his habits and was intensely devoted to his wife and 

 children. His success as a fur trader was recognized by his 

 company; he was always a favorite of Sir George Simpson ; and 

 he was singularly free of the arts by which subordinates seek to 

 ingratiate themselves with their superiors. 



(4) His work as an explorer gave him his highest distinc- 



