about four o’clock in the afternoon
For some time it had been manifest to all who saw her , that her latter end was drawing nigh ; and therefore , as I had kept up a correspondence with her daughters , Mrs. Macadam and Mrs. Howard , I wrote them a particular account of her case , which brought them to the clachan . They both came in their own carriages ; for Colonel Macadam was now a general , and had succeeded to a great property by an English uncle , his mother 's brother ; and Captain Howard , by the death of his father , was also a man , as it was said , with a lord 's living . Robert Malcolm , her son the captain , was in the West Indies at the time ; but his wife came on the first summons , as did William the minister . They all arrived about four o'clock in the afternoon , and at seven a message came for me and Mrs. Balwhidder to go over to them , which we did , and found the strangers seated by the heavenly patient 's bedside . On my entering , she turned her eyes towards me , and said , `` Bear witness , sir , that I die thankful for an extraordinary portion of temporal mercies . The heart of my youth was withered like the leaf that is scared with the lightning ; but in my children I have received a great indemnification for the sorrows of that trial . '' She then requested me to pray , saying , `` No ; let it be a thanksgiving .