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' errata d to It e pel u re, ;on A 1 2 3 32X 1 2 3 4 9 6 1^ V] v^ ^^ y \ ^ PASSAGES /y^' V IN THE LIFE OF A SOLDIER, OB, MILITARY SERVICE IN THE EAST AND WEST. V >: BY LIEUT.-COLONEL SIR JAMES E. ALEXANDER, Knt., K.CX.S. FCLLOW Oi' Tlib- ROVAI. UEOOaAPUICAL AND ASIATIC SOCIRTIES, &C IN TWO VOLUME.S, >. • * * _ • • • • • « • • • • • •• • LONDON: HURST AND BLACKETT, PUBLISHERS, SUCCESSORS TO HENRY COLBURN, 13, GKEAT MARLBOROUGH STREET. 1857. The Rigbt of Translation is reserved. • y.K4 m \ LONDON: Printed bv Schulze and Co., 13, Poland Street. * * • * ••-• •• ••• • • • • • ••• ••: •..• •'* • • ' t • • . • . • • • * • . 0/' "W^ -^ 'V'- ^.iK; RESPECTFULLY INSCRIBED '•■ii TO MAJOR GENERAL SIR GEORGE AUGUSTUS WETHERALL, K.C.B.. K.n. THE ADJUTANT GENERAL TO THE FORCES, BY ONE WnO HAD THE HONOUR OF SERVING WITH HIM 'ft IN INDIA AND IN AMERICA. CONTENTS ■m THE FIRST VOLUME. CHAPTER I. 1 1 General view of Canada — Its Wild and Civilized Regions — Author's position there vrith the Commander-in-Chief — Political excitement and serious riots at Montreal — Destruction of the Parliament House — The Governor- General assailed — Death of Lieut.-General Sir Benjamin D'Urban 1—26 CHAPTER II. Canadian Watering Places — St. Leon Springs — Freshness of a Summer morning — Author continues on the Staff — Excursion on horseback to the Eastern Townships — The St. Francis Kiver — Lake Massiwippi — Pretty Girls — Lake Memphramagog — The Water Serpent — The Buckboard — Annesation — A frontier Custom House — Montreal — Deer Driving — Journey to Lake Chateauguay — Old Bellows — The Hunter's Shanty — American Sportsmen — Their Rifles —Hunter's Equipments — Fishing — Porcupines. 27 — 50 VI CONTENTS. CHArTER III. llarly rouse for Shootiiif^- Sunrise — Lake Fish — A run-n\fny Slave — " Cau she make good Bread ?"--Shootiugby Torcli- light — A Sermon in the Bush— Sketeh of the Batth; of Chateuuguay — Killc Chihs and practice recommended — A Shooting Shanty — DilVfront Hillcs— Globe and Bead Sights— Ritlc Powder — Elfcets of RiQes — Tiic telescope sigiit — Claymores against Sharpshootiug on the plains of Abraham 57 — 86 CIIAriER IV. ( II '' i American Watering-place — Fort Hamilton — The celebration of Independence — Lord Elgin revisits Montreal — Fancy Dress Ball — A Mountain Boulevard proposed — Attack of u Snow Fort — Model Commanding OlUeers — Temperance Lecture by Barnum — Mr. Gough— Groat Fire in June — Followed by a most disastrous one in July — Author loses his eflects — Visit to the Great Falls of Shewenegan. 87—112 CHAPTER V. Propose to visit the United States' Military Academy — Com- panions on the Journey- -The Situation of the Academy at West Point— The Buildings— The Halls i.f Study— The Cadets — The Riding School — Description of a Field Gun — Dinner at the Superintendent's- -The American Uniform — Bowls — The Mess — Reminiscences of the Mexican War — The Cumanchees — Fort Putnam — Regulations of the U.S. Military Academy — Visit to General Wool at Troy 113— IGO CONTENTS. VII CHAPTER VI. Alessandrn Gavazzi — TTc arrives in Canada— Lectures at Toronto and Quebec — Describes the Inquisition — A Itiot ensues at Quebec— Quelled by the Trouj)s— Gava/zi pro- ceeds to Montreal — Anticipations of lliot tiicrc — The Battle Ground — Gavazzi's exciting Address — Its effects — A fight -The Troops called out — They Fire on the crowd — Casualties - Mayor Wilson—The Coroner's inquest — Opi- nion on the causes of the loss of Life. . 1(51 — 195 ijlfw-i CHAPTER VII. r The White Mountains of New Hampshire — Portland in Maine — The Foundery — Cape Cottage — The Portland People — A notion of Canadians — Sermon of Bishop Lee — Glei\ House — Directions for Waiters — Visit the Crystal Palace, New York — Fellow Jurors — Mr. Collins — General Scott — Strange petrified Group — The bearded Lady — High tide of Enterprize — Discussion on Slavery — Accom- pany the Administrator of the Government to Quebec — Amusements there — A Snow Fort — Snow Shoe Races — Great Ceremony to re-inter the Bones of Warriors — Burn- ing of the Parliament House — Visit the Lower St. Lau- rence — The Habitans — M. Bonenfant — Trout, Salmon and Whale-Fishing 19G— 222 ■-I' CHAPTER VIII. Propose to visit Lake Superior — Suggested Yacht Voyage — Leave Montreal for the West — American Settlers, anec- dote of one — The Victoria Railroad Bridge — Progress of the Country — Firewood difficulties — Toronto — Leave for /! vni CONTENTS. Lake Simcoc -Dillieultics on u Hail — Bush Travelling on Wheels — Tunsiouers — A break down — ilcueli Pcnetan- guishinc — Tlic Voyage on Lake Ilnron— Shcbanoning— Indian Settlements — Tlu; Bruce Copper Mines- Bears — Agreeable Sailing -The Sault St.-Marie — The new Ship Cunul— Indians Fishing — A Canoe Voyage — Remarkable objects on Lake Superior The live great Lakes — Mines — Shoot the Kapid of" Tin; Soo" — The interesting island of Miehiliniaeinac - Incident at Lake St. Clair — Detroit — Story of a Widow- Uamilton — Berlin — German Settlers — Return to Montreal 223—271 CIIArTER IX. Leave America for the Scat of War in the East — Embark at Boston -Fellow passengers and their peculiarities — An Abolitionist — Arrive iu England — Ordered to Cork — General Mausel — Doings of young Soldiers — The Author is done by Old Women — The Saldauha Transport — Messing on Board —A tilt against the Rum Cask — O'^cupations on Board — A Fire Parade— The Coast of Spain — Beautiful Yacht-sailing throi gh the Pillars of Hercules — Scene of a Wreck — The Coast of Africa — Pantalaria — Arrive at Malta — Excursion there — The Climate — Advertisement of a ge- nius — Sail for the isles of Greece — The Ship on Fire — The Dardanelles — Constantinople — The Hospitals at Scutari — The fatal Slide — A pugnacious Priest — The Opera — Roguery — The Bosphorus — The Black Sea — Anchor at Balaklava 272—300 PASSAGES nr THE LIFE OF A SOLDIER. CHAPTER I. General view of Canada — Its Wild and Civilized Regions — Author's position there with the Commander-in-Chief — Political excitement and serious riots at Montreal — Des- truction of the Parliament House — The Governor- General assailed — Death of Lieut.-Gencral Sir Benjamin D'Urbau. The mention of Canada, the most important of the colonies of Great Britain, immediately revives in the minds of those who know this valuable possession, the recollection of a great extent of country, watered by mighty rivers, garnished with great lakes and magnificent cataracts, vast forests covering the virgin soil, and in various portions rendered picturesque by ranges and groups of lofty mountains. In the remote parts of Canada, the country is VOL. 1. B t^ m PASSAGES IN i^'\]i> still left to the Indian, the red-man with his leather hunting shirt, leggings and mocassins, his conical bark lodge or wigwam, and the light canoe. With these children of nature, the bear, the great moose deer, and the karibou may be hunted, and the salmon, bass and white-fish caught, and all the adventure and romance of the woods and wilds may be enjoyed. Whereas along the line of the great St. Lawrence and some of its tributaries, the settlements are cutting deep into the forests, and fields of corn wave over the river vallies, steamers force their way against the rapid current, and on the banks rise pleasant dwell- ings and large stirring commercial cities. A few of our statesmen have visited Canada, alas ! too few. I saw the Earl of Carlisle there, also the Earl of EUesmere and Lord Stanley, If the country were better known by those who sit in high places, it would be more appreciated. It is very desirable that it should remain attached to Great Britain, as much so as Scotland and Ireland, and if the citizens of Canada were looked on in exactly the same light at home as Yorkshiremen or Welch men, and if from Canada and all our other colonies, THE LIFE OF A SOLDIER. which may wish it, representatives could be sent to the Imperial Parliament, the stability of the vast colonial empire of Great Britain might be materially strengthened and perpetuated. Objections might be raised to this, but they could be met and answered. Having lived many years in colonies, I know their value and something of the feelings of the people. Of European descent, whether British, French or Dutch, they are entitled to European con- sideration. In the beginning of 1848, 1 was on the staff of a highly distinguished officer, and most faithful servant of the public, the late Lieut.- General Sir Benjamin D'Urban, G.C.B., and commander-in-chief of the forces in British North America, with whom I had previously served at the Cape of Good Hope. His Ex- celleicy, after his long and honourable career, no\. ^. referred quiet and retirement, and instead of living in Montreal, kept house forty miles below the city, at the village of Sorel, where he had a government country-house, park and I garden. Sorel is at the mouth of the Richelieu River, which here empties itself into the St. B 2 r^ ■^ Mir '■'■f.w •^''wH ,A^- ^^m ^'^ *■:;■; ''W.i. m PASSAGES IN \: Lawrence from the south. The village is composed of brick and wooden houses, scattered along straight and wide streets, a square is in the centre, dark forests of pine are close at hand. The inhabitants are chiefly French Canadians, connected with the river navigation, and the place used to be enlivened with the presence of a detachment of soldiers, who occupied pallisaded barracks commanding the channel of the St. Lawrence. Sorel is healthy, and is also convenient for reaching Montreal or Quebec. The spring and fall are pleasant at Sorel, and may be enjoyed with the assistance of a boat, and making excursions in various directions; but the summers are hot as at other places in Canada, (except towards the mouth of the St. Lawrence), whilst in winter, we had for months dry, cold and clear weather, and the usual sleigh driving and snow-shoeing on the light and broad raquette. In 1849, the Earl of Elgin was Governor General of British North America, he had \ lately administered the government of Jamaica. I Lord Elgin is well known as a public officer of great ability, close attention to business, and of THE LIFE OF A SOLDIER. great oratorical powers. His Excellency resided at Monklands, three miles from Montreal. Some of the ministers at this time had heeu disaffected to the British authorities, during the rebellions of 1837-38, and though there had been great political excitement, yet the wheels of government worked with tolerable smooth- ness till the spring of 1849, when the following serious occurrences took place. The season was an open one, the St Lawrence was early free of ice, and, owing to the unexpected arrival of vessels with merchan- dize at the port of Quebec, it was deemed advisable that his Lordship should proceed, on a short notice, to parliament on the 26th of April, to give the royal assent to a Customs' Bill, which had that day passed the Legislative Council. Lord Elgin deemed it expedient, at the same time, to dispose of the other acts, in which the two branches of the local parliament, had, at an earlier period of the session, concurred, and which still awaited his lecision ; among these was the act to provide for the indemnification of parties in Lower [Canada, whose property was destroyed during the rebellions of 1837-38, with respect to which ;^^-J m If i ' 'i • I, PASSAGES IN much excitement had been excited in and oxiit of parliament. Many persons had disapproved of the mea- sures respecting rebellion losses in Lower Canada, which had been introduced by the government, and which the local parliament had passed by large majorities ; and, in the minds of others, to use the language of a despatch^ " It stirred national antipathies, which designing politicians sought to improve for their own selfish ends." The British party in Lower Canada, who had turned out most loyally and gallantly in the rebellion, could not brook that those who had pursued an opposite course should now entertain the idea, that their losses, during the rebellion^ should be made good, and that a tax should be imposed for this purpose. The British party imagined, that, by the Indemnity Bill, all indiscriminately who had suffered loss during the rebellion would be indemnified, whether they had turned out against the government or not ; while it was alleged by the opposite party, that, after due inquiry, only those who had incurred losses by no fault of their own should be indemnified. THE LIFE OF A SOLDIER. The parliament was denounced as French in its composition, and the government as subject to French influence; and doctrines had been broached with respect to the right which belongs to a British minority, of redressing, by violence, any indignity to which it might be subject from such a source. When Lord Elgin left the Parliament House, after giving the Royal Assent to the bills above alluded to, among others the Rebellion Losses Indemnity Bill, as he entered his carriage (which was escorted by provincial cavalry) he was received by a crowd with hootings and groans, whilst a knot of individuals, respectably dressed, pelted the carriage with various missiles collected at the spot. The Houses of Parliament were under one roof, the building was formerly the St. Anne*s Market, which had been fitted up for legislative purposes after the seat of government, which had been at Kingston, was removed to Montreal. Besides two spacious halls, for the Legislative Council and the Legislative Assembly, well furnished, and ornamented with handsome pictures of her Majesty, there were valuable libraries belonging to the above two bodies, ii ""►•■■vol V*' .. .. -i* ■ .' .'. ' *■ • JP ' I i '■';■'.»?.•; ' :M . *■• : '■:' ■ ■•^' ii'i 8 PASSAGES IN I i and archives and records of the United Pro- vinces. Notwithstanding the great excitement which prevailed outside the Parliament House, after the Governor-Gener:\l had retired, the house con- tinued in Session, and, apparently, in perfect confidence, although Sir Allan Macnah had warned the party of the ministers, that it would be advisable to call for military assistance, as the •populace were understood to be in a state of ferment, and a riot might be expected. It soon became known that a public meeting had been called; a caliche passed with a bell, and a person announcing the meeting to take place in the Champ-de-Mars, at eight o'clock, was heard from the house ; the fire-bells were also rung in the city to create excitement. Accordingly, at the Champ-de-Mars, a large number of persons assembled; the sloping bank and the stone steps there were crowded with persons, many of whom bore torches. Some inflammatory speeches were made on the occasion, with reference to the Rebellion Losses Bill, &c., and suddenly there was a cry, " To the Parliament House l" THE LIFE OF A SOLDIER. The crowd immediately organized themselves hastily into a sort of procession, and then ran down, in an excited state, to the Parliament buildings. It was nine o'clock, and the House of Assembly was engaged in discussing the Judicature Bill for Lower Canada ; there was neither police nor military in the way, when a loud shout, mingled with yellings, gave the members unmistakable evidence that a riot was fermenting outside, and immediately after a number of stones were driven through the windows. The strangers' gallery was immediately deserted, some of the members escaped by it, and others took refuge behind the Speaker's chair, whilst the stones continued to be thrown incessantly. The missiles came, at first, from the front of the building, but presently they came from the back also, till very little glass was left in the windows. There was a short cessation in the attack, and several of the members again entered the House from the lobbies ; but the stones were again thrown, and fell in the centre of the hall, through the shattered windows; then a cry was raised from the library end of the building — " They come !" and the members ..;:-f! ' ■:^X 10 PASSAGES IN J and clerks there, rushing across the hall, dis- appeared at the opposite end. A dozen persons now entered the Hall of Assembly from the library end, armed with sticks; one of them, a man with a broken nose, walked up the steps, arid seating himself in the Speaker's chair, said, in Cromwellian style, and waving his hand, " I dissolve this House !" The others then commerced the work of destruction : the papers were struck off the members' desks into the middle of the floor with sticks; some tore up the benches, and hurled them also into the middle of the floor, whilst others threw their sticks at the chandeliers and globe-lights on the walls, and demolished them. The splendid mace, silver-gilt, and orna- mented with the Imperial crown and Canadian beavers, lay under the table, as the House was in Committee; but one of the rioters seeing it, he seized it up, and carried it off on his shoulders, when the Sergeant-at-arms, whose province it was to guard the mace, rushed upon the man who bore it, and endeavoured to rescue it ; but he was overpowered by others, and the mace was borne into the street. THE LIFE OF A SOLLIER. 11 The Honourable "William Robinson, M.P.P., and Colonel Gugy, M.P.P., exerted themselves to expel the rioters from the House. Sir Allan Macnab assisted to save the Queen's picture; when suddenly a red glare of light from below showed that the building had caught fire. It is not believed that the rioters had any inten- tion, originally, to lire the Parliament House ; they certainly wished to testify their indignation by pelting and hooting those who had been instrumental in passing the obnoxious Rebel- lion Loss Bill, but meeting with little or no opposition in the work of destruction, and heated with passion, they probably broke the gas-pipes, and thus thj fire rapidly spread to all parts of the building. Sir Allan Macnab, the Honourable Mr. Badgeley, Mr. Turner, editor of the " Courier," and others, tried to save some of the valuable books in the library of the Assembly ; the other picture of the Queen in the Council-Chamber was also carried out by Mr. W. Snaith, Jan., and Mr. Hargrave — it cost £500, and was painted by Partridge, and for a time disap- peared. But now the flames spread so rapidly that ?? m^ ■i ' . iM '■'ft m 12 PASSAGES IN every one was obliged to seek safety in flight ; and Sir Allan, Mr. Badgeley, Mr. Steers, and Mr. Macfarlane were pursued by the flames, were scorched, and were eventually taken off a gallery with ladders. The flames now enveloped the whole of the building, and the military having been sent for, when too late, could only keep back the crowd, which drew up on the footpath to view the conflagration, which illuminated the whole city, and rolled its black volumes of smoke towards the Montreal mountain. Some fire-engines tried to play on the building, but ineffectually ; however, they saved some neighbouring houses which had caught fire — also the Grey Nunnery. There was a smart breeze blowing, and burning paper in great quantities was carried along the ground in flakes of fire. It was altogether an imposing, but a very painful sight, chiefly on account of the destruction of the two valuable libraries, and a large portion of the public records of the province. The Pilot Office, where the ministerial paper was printed, was visited by the mob, and the windows de- molished ; after which, for that evening, the work of destruction closed, and the morning THE LIFE OF A SOLDIER. 13 sun looked on the smoking and empty walls of the late Houses of Parliament. On their way from the Parliament building, the mob escorted the person carrying the mace, in a caliche, and when they came opposite Donegana's Hotel, where Sir Allan Macnab lived, a cry was raised that the mace should be left in his keeping, as the late popular Speaker ; but a struggle taking place for its possession, some of the beavers were broken off. However, the mace eventually was carried into Sir Allan's room. I happened to come to Montreal from Sorel, on private business, at this time, and found the city in a ferment, the Parliament Houses smoking, and the inhabitants in the greatest state of agitation and excitement, the troops under arms, and all the appearance of another rebellion. The Commander-in-Chief now arrived from Sorel, accompanied with the other members of his Staff,* and made arrangements for the suppression of riot and disorder ; but for a whole month the city continued in a ferment — * Captain Kirkland, M.S., Major G. Talbot, and Captain Virginius Murray, A.D.Cs. (iiPwa m if yij m - .-Si '■'il 14 PASSAGES 7N SO roused had the people become — so infuriated against each other were parties — the British, or the old Loyalists, and the French, or Ministerial party. The Government now made several arrests. Messrs. Heward, Montgomerie, Mack, Esdaile, and Ferres were taken into custody, and marched off to gaol, on the plea that they had excited and headed the rioters at the destruc- tion of the Parliament House. The people threatened to rescue them, and beat and in- sulted several of the members obnoxious to them, who came in their way — as Mr. Holmes, Mr. Watts, Mr. H. Boulton. The military were drawn across the street at the old Govern- ment House, in N6tre-Dame Street, where the ministers were sitting in council ; and the mob continued to hoot and pelt the members of the ministry and their supporters who attempted to come out of the conclave within. The soldiers every now and then cleared the ground, by marching to and fro with fixed bayonets, and the people always retired before them, cheering and laughing — as there was, of course, no iUt- feeling between them and the soldiers. At night, the assemblage in front of the THE LIFE OF A SOLDIER. 15 Government House became more dense; sig- nals were passed among the crowd, and sud- denly, a large body (which I followed to ascertain their intention) moved off towards the St. Antoine suburb, where, attacking the resi- dence of the Prime Minister, Mr. Lafontaine, the stables were destroyed by fire, and the house ransacked inside ; the furniture being broken, feather-beds emptied to the wind, books tumbled from their shelves, and the whole house reduced to a wreck. Fortunately for the family, they escaped before tiie rioters arrived. The mob moved so swiftly and silently, that the military did not reach the house of Mr. Lafontaine — who omitted to have a guard there, after the warning he had had by the destruction of the Parliament House — till the mischief was done. The rioters next visited Mr. Drummond's house; there they found a guard, and no damage ensued. At Messrs. Baldwin and Cameron's boarding-house, the windows were broken ; also at Dr. Wolfred Nelson's residence, and at the houses of Messrs. Hincks, Holmes, and Charles Wilson. The Executive had in a manner left the city '■■■vm; \M0 in m Ik r m ♦',» 16 PASSAGES IN I m n ^ I i,;- i for two days in the hands of a mob, though a powerful military force only waited the requisi- tion of the civil authorities to turn out and maintain the supremacy of the law ; and now, perhaps, because the military had not come up in time to prevent the unexpected move on Mr. Lafontaine's house, the singular expedient was resorted to of arming with cutlasses and pistols young French Canadians, Irishmen, &c., "for the protection of lives and property." If the householders had been asked, they would im- mediately have turned out as special constables, and acted with the two strong regiments in garrison, the 19th and 23rd. The drilling of the armed constables during the night at the Bonsecours Market, occasioned an im^mense ferment among the opposite party. They again organized themselves, and were marching to disarm the constables by force, when they were met by Major-Gencral the Honourable Charles Gore, and Colonel Gugy, who harangued them, said the arming was a " mistake," and that next morning one part of the population should not be armed against the other. The mob was accordingly pacified and retired. If they had gone on there would have THE LIFE OF A SOLDIER. 17 been a fearful scene of bloodshed. The officers who stopped them are deserving of great credit. - Another riot was excited by the arrival from Quebec of a deputation to offer protection to the Governor-General ; but the members of this deputation learning that they would probably be met on the wharf by an angry mob, prudently left the steamer, and landed in the outskirts of Montreal, and entered the .city in the evening, without exciting observation. The loyal inhabitants of the city now held a meeting, and put forth an address, signed by two hundred respectable names, inviting the citizens to preserve peace and order. This had, to a certain extent, a tranquillizing effect ; but a new source of uneasiness arose from the ministry having arranged to get up an address of confidence in the Governor-General, and deciding that his Excellency should receive it in town, instead of at his official country residence at Monklands. Lord Elgin, accordingly, drove into town in his carriage and four, to receive the address at the Old Government House. His Excellency was accompanied by the Honourable Colonel Bruce, his brother and military secretary, Lord VOL. I. c ^^ ¥ ■■■■■: i-t'M .■■'■■mm • .••>'»"'!T '■•V';i ?>* 18 PASSAGES IN Mark Kerr, and Lieutenant Grant, A.D.C. ; and he was escorted by Captain Jones troop of Provincial Dragoons. The infantry were drawn up opposite Government House. As his Lord- ship entered the city, he was assailed by a shower of stones in the Haymarket and Great St. James Street, thrown by some stout me- chanics in fustian jackets; and again as he proceeded along Notre-DameStreet ; he was obliged to keep his hat before his eyes to guard his face from the missiles, and entered Government House, carrying with him a two- pound stone, which he picked up from the bottom of the carriage — altogether most unusual treatment for her Majesty's representative to receive, and very painful for us to witness. There was a great and angry crowd in the streets, and expecting his Lordship's return by the same route he had passed along, the rioters had made preparations for obstructing him, and for upsetting his carriage, by drawing cabs across the street ; but in accordance with the maxim of the renowned Rob Roy, " never to return by the same road you went, if you expect any trouble ;" when his Lordship re-entered his carriage, instead of turning round, he directed THE LIFE OP A SOLDIER. 19 the carriage to proceed straight forward ; and, doubling on the mob, he passed rapidly along St. Denis and Sherbrooke Streets, to gain Monklands by a circuitous route. When the mob perceived this clever manoeuvre, they were much exasperated ; and, rushing on foot and in cabs by bye-streets to intercept the carriage in Sherbrooke Street, a considerable number came up in time to assail it with stones at Molsou's Corner. Colonel Bruce's head was cut and bled. Colonel Ermatenger, police magis- trate, was stunned, also Captain Jones; and every panel of the carriage was stove in. The escort was not loaded ; or several lives would have been lost. The postillions, as the rioters were crowding on in front, turned sharp up the the Mile- end-road, and, by good and rapid driving, soon cleared the excited multitude. His Lordship reached Monklands in safety, though he had certainly a very narrow escape from personal injury. The exasperation was so great against him for signing the obnoxious Rebellion Losses Bill. About this time, there was some bloodshed, in consequence of the ministers and their friends having given a political dinner at Tetus Hotel c 2 I. ■.' ,' '-it' \ ': .'ti f. ;• 20 PASSAGES IN I' ■'i;'., to a deputation from their party in Toronto. Toasts were given, and there was a good deal of cheering. This was answered hy groans from without. A crowd had collected, and empty bottles having been imprudently thrown out at them, stones were returned, and an at- tempt made to force the door, which was resisted with knives and pistol-shots. Two or three of the mob were wounded, and the house ran the risk of being fired, had not a strong party of the military (horse and foot), under Colonel Hay (commanding 19th Regiment) promptly arrived and quieted the disturbance. Mr. Lafontaine's house was again attacked, but this time, he being prepared for the mob, they were received with a volley of musketry from the windows, which taking efi^ect fatally on a young man named Mason, the rioters dispersed. At the Coroner's Inquest, Mr. Lafontaine being present to give evidence, the hotel, where it was held, was set on fire from above ; and an at- tempt was made to do violence to Mr, Lafontaine in the confusion, but a party of the 71st High- landers saved him. When the house was burning, and the flames rushing down stairs, two sentries of the 71st THE LIFE OF A SOLDIER. 21 moved about at their posts in the house, as if there was nothing the matter, all the rest of the people had fled. A gentleman looking back, and seeing the soldiers, called to them to come out at once. They coolly answered, " We have got no orders ;" and it was not till a sergeant was found to take them away that they would leave their posts. I had occasion to be much out about this time, a great part of one night, when Colonel Tache, commanding the armed constables, was drilling them by lamplight, and marching them to and fro before the Bonsecours markec. It was difficult to persuade him, so full of martial ardour was he, that it was better to house them, armed as they were with cutlass and pistol, and keep them ready for action in the market, than to provoke an attack on them by the opposite party, all ready for a fight as they were. I saw the attack made, and people wounded at Tetus Hotel, and then had a long hunt to recover the large pictures of her Majesty carried off from the Parliament House, no one seemed to know where, the night it was burnt. I found them in obscure places in the outskirts of the city, and it was gratifying to be able to lodge them ■■'I'-'f,!. ■.'■■■'!. ■i-l' 22 PASSAGES IN •'. l:',\ Si : 1*' for a time in the General's sitting-room. They were afterwards repaired ; and when the Par- liament held its sittings in a new building of Mr. Hayes in Dalhousie Square, they were placed on the walls, and things were beginning to assume an air of comparative tranquillity, after a month of intense anxiety and excite- ment; and then occurred the closing scene of a painful drama. Sir Benjamin D'Urban, with the officers of his staff, lived at Donegana's Hotel. He had much to harass him, and, from the state of the weather, in May, cold and variable, he was un- able to take air or exercise abroad. He had previously, at Sorel, suffered from sore-throat ; and, from his hard service in various climates, his system had been much tried, though naturally with a fine constitution. He was a remarkably well-made and soldier-like man, with prominent features, of great mental energy, a high order of intellect, and of chivalrous courage. He had complained for several days " of not being worth much." He ate very little ; but we hoped, that when all was quiet at Montreal, and he could get back to his favourite woods and walks at Sorel, all would be well. But it mi THE LIFE OP A SOLDIER. 23 was otherwise ordered by Divine Providence, which he devoutly feared, and nothing else. The shock was great to me, as an old and devoted follower of his Excellency, when, on the morning of the 25 th May, whilst walking before breakfast along St. James' Street, a cab rapidly drove up, and an orderly dragoon in it, said : " Sir Benjamin is just dead, and I am going to Monk- lands to Lord Elgin with a message." Alas ! it was too true : one of the bravest and most ac- co/nplished British officers had ceased to exist. Sir Benjamin had risen and partly dressed, and was found by his son Colonel D'Urban, Deputy Quarter-Master-General, trying to write a letter in his sitting-room; but his hand seemed to fail him. The Colonel asked to write to his dictation, and his Excellency dictated a letter on public business to Lord Elgin with remarkable clearness, then retired to his bed- room to dress for the day ; but, seized, as was supposed, with a choking in the throat, he sat down by the side of the bed on which he leant, and was found by his servant expiring. Medical aid was summoned ; but the world had closed upon him at the age of seventy-two, and he died like a true soldier, at his post of duty. . .Ill 'Ai ,''."• iv .'."•>';■'-•■' ■'lift §^ ■■Ah.-\ 24 PASSAGES IN II- I - ir « '.f; I r-: \'\M i'i By his desire, I had got him some volumes of interesting reading, and I found his mark where a traveller has reached the verge of a great extent of prairie, with an undefined horizon ! Sir Benjamin D' Urban had received a cross and five clasps for Busaco, Albuera, Badajoz, Salamanca, and Vittoria, Pyrenees, Nivelle, Nive and Toulouse. He entered the army in 1793, as Cornet in the 2nd Dragoon Guards. In the following year obtained a troop, and accompanied Sir Ralph Abercrombie's expedition to the West Indies. In 1803, was appointed Superintendant of Instruction in the Military College at Marlow, and served as Lieutenant- Colonel 89th regiment, in the expedition under Lord Cathcart, in 1805. He served in the Peninsula and France from the autumn of 1 808 to the end of the war in 1814, and was never absent. In the end of 1808, and beginning of 1809, having been then in the Quarter-Master- GeneraFs staff of the forces in Portugal, he was employed by Quarter-Master- General Cradock in observation of the French corps on the frontiers of Castile and Estramadura. In the execution of this duty, he was with Sir Robert Wilson in his operations between Ciudad THE LIFE OF A SOLDIER. 25 Rodrigo and Salamanca, and afterwards with the Spanish army of General Cuesta, upon the Tagus and Guadiana, and at the hattle of Medelin. He was then selected to be Quarter- Master-General of the Portuguese army, of which Marshal Beresford had himself taken the colli iiiand, and returning to Portugal joined it accordingly. In this appointment, he continued to serve throughout the war, occasionally em- ployed, however, in charge of a corps of Portuguese cavalry, which he commanded at Salamanca and Vittoria; in the other actions, for which he received decorations, he was in the performance of his duties on the staff. Sir Benjamin was Colonel of the 51st King's own Light Infantry, had been Colonel of the Royal Staff Corps, and administered the govern- ments of Antigua, British Guiana and the Cape of Good Hope, at which last he conducted, to a successful termination, the Caffre war of 1835, and suggested those measures for the restraint and well being of the Caffres, which, at first rejected, have since been wisely adopted. His military funeral took place on the 28th of May, and was attended by 10,000 spectators, and an obelisk erected to his memory in the 'm. -■mm •■■■■■ \-K-i' ■ .-": .■■'i,i>'M 26 PASSAGES IN 1 1'- ■'Ml Victona Road Cemetery, Montreal, by the officers serving in Canada, records, " He died as he had lived, in the faithful discharge of his duty to God and his Sovereign." The Parliament was prorogued by Major- General Rowan, (now Lieut.-General Sir William Rowan, K.C.B.) a Peninsular and Waterloo officer of high character, and experienced in Canadian affairs, from having been military secretary to Sir John Colborne, (Lord Seaton), during the rebellions of 1837-38. General Rowan was now appointed to command H.M. forces in Canada, and Lord Elgin ^"»roceeded to Toronto, as th*^ seat of government, after which it was transferred to Quebec. THE LIFE OF A SOLDIER. 27 CHAPTER II. Canadian Watering Places — St. Leon Springs — Freshness of a Summer morning — Author continues on the Staff — Excursion on horseback to the Eastern Townships — The St. Francis River — Lake Massiwippi — Pretty Girls — Lake Memphramagog — The Water Serpent — The Buckboard — Annexation — A frontier Custom House — Montreal — Deer Driving — Journey to Lake Chateauguay — Old Bellows— The Hunter's Shanty — American Sportsmen — Their Rifles —Hunter's Equipments — Fishing — Porcupines. In Canada, there are certain watering-places, where in the hot summer months sea bathing is enjoyed, at others, mineral springs, the fresh air of the woods and exercise restore the health of those " in cities pent." The Caledonian springs on the Ottawa, have been long frequented. I visited, with my small family, the St Leon springs in the summer of 1849, then a new and interesting watering-place. The water here • •■■••■s,'4 "■■•■"■ V-'%M >» " '■m .',('. 28 PASSAGES IN !■ is salime and rather agreeablo to the taste, and the locality is twenty-one miles from the town of Three Rivers on the St. Lawrence. The road lay through a country smiling with cultivation, and dotted with the farm-house.o of French Canadians, till the wooded and picturesque banks of the Riviere du Loup, fringed with water lilies, are reached, where stood the " Spring-house " which received us. The "Fountain of Health" bubbled up abundantly, with seats round it under a roof; before breakfast the water is aperient, after, it is a tonic. It was a wonderful relief to escape from the heat, dust, confinement and disease of a city, and to find oneself in the coolness and quiet of the St. Leon springs. At our feet, the river glided slowly past, and on it, for sevoial miles up and down, there was very good boating and fishing ; on both sides of the river the shelving banks were clothed with fine forests of mixed timber, the tall pines overtopping the aspens, constantly shivering in the breeze below. In the morning the air was most delicious, fresh and scented with the balsamic smell of the green woods, in which the Canadian robin was heard, mingling its rich notes with the plaintive strains THE LIFE OP A SOLDIER. of the Kennedy bird. An hour's drive, and a walk of a mile and a half, conducted one to a water-fall as high as the famed Niagara. Health and pleasure were cheaply acquired, at the charge of a dollar (45. 2d,) a day at the St. Leon Springs. I continued for some time at Sorel, after having been requested by General Rowan to join his personal staff. I made an excursion in August on horseback, with Lady Alexander, Miss Stayner, the daughter of the Post-Master- General, Mr. S. Stayner, and Mr. C. Freer, round the lake and mountain region of the Eastern townships, then almost a terra incognita to the inhabitants of the Canadian cities, but soon I suppose to become to the lovers of the picturesque, like our Cumberland lakes, Killarney. or the Scottish highlands. Gold, iron, and other metals are found there. Wheat, Indian corn, oats, potatoes, are also raised there. The winter is less severe than at Montreal, and there is no lake fever as in some other parts of the west. Besides our saddle horses, with a cape strapped on in front for a shower, we had a light one-horse t:.-:'r ' *" ■J!. tl" mi 30 PASSAGES IN cart, driven by a groom, for our carpet bags, con- taining a complete change of raiment, also some good tea ; but we trusted to the houses by the way-side for the rest of our provent. Grey soft hats and blue veils saved the head and eyes from the heat and the glare. We usually rose at five, took some milk and bread, and mounting, rode some fifteen miles before breakfast, leisurely, at the marching pace of dragoons, then breakfasted and halted till the afternoon, reading and drawing during the heat of the day. Mounting again, we rode about the same distance as before, then stopped for the night where we coulJ find accommodation. We went by the St. Francis River with its bright and rapid stream enlivening the valuable farms on its banks, by Drummondville, Mel- bourne, Sherbroke and Lennoxville, to the great Lake Memphramagog, and found that for purity of air and variety of prospects, and for mountain, forest and lake scenery, and for its attractions to the sportsmen, in fishing and fowiii;g, the region of the Eastern townships far exceeded the famed lakes of England, very beautiful though they be. But as I said, these ^^ ^^ THE LIFE OF A SOLDIER. 31 townships were not appreciated, and a few years ago were not resorted to by persons in search of information, health or recreation. On our way to the great Memphramagog, the charming Lake Massiwippi, seven miles long, deep, overshadowed with a wooded mountain, diversified with bays and headlands, and abound- ing in capital fish, bass, pickerel, &c., arrested our attention. The thriving farmers there were busy with their hay harvest, the ox teams were fat and lusty, and as a good climate and fine scenery are usually indicative of a superior race of people, the men were strong and tall, and among the women there were some of the prettiest girls we had seen in Canada; a traveller might be apt to stop them on the road and ask them about distances (which he might know as well as they did) in order to have the opportunity of admiring them. A Massiwippi wife might sound odd, but let bachelor settlers " go and see." It would require the aid of poetry to describe the noble Memphramagog, where " Nor fen, nor sedge Pollute the pure lake's crystal edge .•■''»'r-4'!'!iw ..'.V.i'. ■•« •■ in.'* ■.*■■■'•' .■..4'* 32 PASSAGES IN .4 ■•<; A !• Abrupt and sheer the mountains sink At once upon the level brink ; Far in the mirror bright and blue Each hill's huge outline you may view." Its scenery, in due course of tinne, will cause the inditing of many verses ; a poetic tempera- ment would there be speedily developed and matured. The lake is thirty miles long, and four broad, its wooded islands number a score. Its greatest portion is in British territory, its upper end belongs to our enterprising republican neigh- bours ; there is u Scotch settlement within our lines at " the Point," where information may be got regarding the prospects of a farmer there. The Owl's head, from whose summit Montreal mountain may be seen, towers to the height of 2300 feet, and when one stands directly opposite to it, the resemblance to a recumbent lion is very striking. The sugar loaf mountain is also a fine and bold elevation ; beneath the shadow of these the lake is at least 500 feet deep. Moose deer are sometimes shot on the western flanks of these mountains, and the hunter can steal on flocks of wild ducks, either advancing on them THE LIFE OF A SOLDIER. from the woods when they alight on the bays of the lake, or suddenly coming on them round a jutting headland in his canoe. Gulls screaming wildly, are constantly seen dipping their white wings in the wave, and picking up dead fish, also shoals of fish sparkle on the surface at sundown. As usual there ^s a tale oi* a great water serpent under the waters of Magog, and as we rowed along to visit Skinner's Cave (where a man of that name took refuge with his ox team when he encountered a storm on the ice) we saw, fishing with a hundred feet line, for the spotted lake lunge or salmon, the sturdy borderer Hewett, who professed to have seen the monster several times, when it appeared to be " as thick as a mill-log forty feet long, and with a head like a horse." However, our strong shouldered boatman, George Dimond, had never encountered this leviathan, though he had lived forty years on or by the lakes. Below the outlet of Magog, on the bright and sparkling river, there is capital fly fishing ; it is obtained by hiring a canoe with a man to pole it up stream, who, if he make a mistake in " setting " his pole, will occas'.on a wetting and VOL. L D {■ ■•■'J >*S_ ■Wis .■> .'•1 -^ ■'Ji- >■•. ■.■■.'l.UJJ.i ■■•' ":>i^^'^'S ■ >\> '■''■^■•A'-'-j'.'-.'. " < y >■:,, -i :■!■'.> ■■ :*t r.v r-p-.,. :• •. .K•'"'■ , ,, '. ,* ,1- ■ ■ • ■ ■ ,'.■•*■■, . •.,» '"' ■■■">;■; :'^m '. *■ . I-' 34 PASSAGES IN 'r- ; a swim to the fisherman ; but this is part of the excitement of sport ! Taking a last look at this lake region, we will say that a more attractive one for a painter could not be found, a fore-ground enriched with waving plumes of fern, diversified with blue and yellow wild flowers, and rocks right and left, in the middle ground, green fields ; beyond them, fine birch and maple trees standing high above the lake, and descending to its margin ; across the broad water, mountains shaggy with primaeval forests, above all, massive clouds set in a cerulean ground. How different all this from the dry and stony deserts of Damara land in Africa, where we had formerly wandered, and were often reduced to the greatest straits in the midst of savage men and beasts. Shefford and Orford Mountains, not far off, are loftier than those about Magog. From the latter, 4500 feet high, eighteen lakes may be seen at once. There is fine Alpine scenery about the Brome Lake, and the village of Waterloo is beside a beautiful lake and mountain. Lake Megantic is in a region of game. Where wild- fowl " most do congregate" is at Missisquoi Bay, an inlet of Lake Champlain. Here at Philips- THE LIFE OP A SOLDIER. 35 burgh we saw, for the first time, a long carriage called a " buck-board," which is used about there, and which might be adopted elsewhere, in newly- settled countries with rough roads. A ten or twelve-feet plank rests on the axles of four waggon-wheels. The plank is fixed to the hind axle, but revolves, by means of a block and pivot, on the fore one. There is a seat on the middle of the plank (which is its own spring), for two persons. The whole looks smart when neatly painted, and the cost is only twelve dollars ; whereas a light waggon, affording the same ac- commodation, costs 50 dollars. Having the wheels, a house-carpenter caa make the rest; and so one may go along " sparking" for a partner, on a buck-board. On this agreeable journey, round the southern frontier of Canada, I became aware of the ex- istence of a party to annex Canada to the United States after the late troubles at Montreal ; and I was in one of their places of meeting. Fortunately, their proceedings came to nothing. I was also impressed with the absurdity of the relations then subsisting between Canada and the United States, by which the latter imposed 20 per cent duty on the produce of the former, D 2 .■ • >. 1-v !■■■•• t-HV mm 1'; ,vv'g-j !'i.'.'V> VMS 36 PASSAGES IN Rt i m !• U' and droves of cattle and horses, and sheep in large quantities were taken over the lines from Canada at 5 per cent., and even less. Thus at an American village near the frontier, there was a custom-house officer who imposed a duty of a quarter of a dollar on Canadian two-year-old heifers, the value of which might be nine dollars a-head, and three quarters of a dollar on three-year-olds, and on other bestial in the same proportion. There was great traffic through this village, and it throve apace ; but this custom-house officer was one day changed, and another was sent in his place, who began to exact higher duties, and the flocks and herds took another route. The Yankees then acted in their own peculiar manner. They avoided social intercourse with the new official — " he had no friends." His board was doubled at the inn, and he was threatened with Lynch law. All this had its effect. They got back the " old man," and all went on quietly and comfortably as before. Again, an American cattle-dealer would come into Canada, buy 200 head of lean cattle for a small sum> say in February when forage is scarce, then drive them to the lines, and scatter them THE LIFE OF A SOLDIER. 37 on the ice. Who was to know if they were Canadian or American cattle ? and so he would get them across without any duty at all. The promulgation of these and similar facts, perhaps tended to lead to reciprocity between Canada and the United States, to effect which great object, Lord Elgin laboured hard and successfully. After Great Britain had liberally opened her ports to the Americans, they could not well exclude Canadian produce, and at the same time derive benefit from the navigation of the St. Lawrence, and participation in our fishing grounds ; yet what a disturbance the enlistment of a few " loafers" lately occasioned ! We returned to Sorel. Afterwards we took up our residence at Beaver Hall, Montreal, where were the duties and gaieties usual in a garrison town, marching and drilling the troops, sleigh-driving and snow-shoeing, balls and mu- sical entertainments, A few families met at each other's houses alternately for the practice of music — an agreeable arrangement for the winter. Having been previously employed on a Govern- ment exploration and survey in the forests of New Brunswick, to facilitate communication between Canada and the maritime provinces, M WUv ■. ■■'*im ;•■,, ■■>vrJi Vm m % .'■: ■Mi 38 PASSAGES IN . t,v 'ii'p\ and develop the resources of an unproductive, though valuable region, I got habituated to the woods, and was not happy without an oc- casional break to smell the fresh pines. We accordingly now propose to " drive the deer** at the Chateauguay Lake — " How divine The liberty for frail, for mortal man To roam at large among unpeopled glens And mountainous retirements, only trod By devious footsteps — regions consecrate To oldest time/' Forest, lake, and mountain, in their untamed wildness, still occupy vast regions in the northern portions of the great state of New York, west of the great inland sea of Cham- plain, and the lovely waters of Lake George ; woodsmen and trappers are found scattered here and there in small communities, or in solitary shanties, (log huts,) in these great solitudes, where still roam the moooe deer, with its palmated horns and huge bulk, the brown Vir- ginian deer, panthers, lynxes, bears, foxes, racoons, and other game, animals and beasts of prey. The Beaver, Oswegatche, Racket, Sara- nac, and other clear and rapid streams, are THE LIFE OP A SOLDIER. 39 occasionally visited by the huntsmen and fishers from more civilized regions, and here, life in the woods may be enjoyed to its fullest extent — the sensibilities being powerfully influenced by the clear skies and solemn hills overhead ; the dark woods and bright waters around ; and the air redolent of the balsamic odours of the silent wilderness. It was early in November, the weather was bright, and the first snow lay lightly on the ground, when I left Montreal, to cross the Canadian frontier and journey towards Lake Chateauguay, situated in the region above des- cribed ; a favourite haunt for the deer, and, in the summer, affording abundant sport to the fisherman. I intended to join the " camp" of two American sportsmen, who iiad gone on before, and who had engaged all the dogs about the lake, for the purpose of driving the deer to the water, and there securing then: for their winter supply of venison. Neither they nor myself were of that class of sportsmen (so called) who kill for the mere gratification of destroying the creatures so bountifully provided for the use of man ; and, for my own part, I think there is as much gratification in wander- .■.■^■::7,-'lJ:Ki,,i 40 PASSAGES IN ■'%'.l ■ , ing among fine scenery, and in the adventure of the chase, as in the actual " bagging" the denizens of the woods and wilds. Let it be remembered also, that woodcraft is a very essential part of military training. Crossing Lake St. Louis to La Prairie, and journeying through the flat country towards the south, I fell in with an artillery officer and a clergyman ; our conversation turned on moral reform, temperance, and similar topics. "A mild answer turneth away wrath," and, in a similar manner, had the worthy pastor managed to get rid of a nuisance. He disliked smoking ; and, seeing the driver proceeding to light his pipe beside him, he ventured to remonstrate; the driver took no notice of this, but com- menced smoking, when the clergyman taking two apples out of his pocket, said — " I have two good apples here; will you take one?'* The driver did so, ate it, and put away his pipe. Passing St. John's — a military post for the Canadian rifles, we reached Rouse's point, on Lake Champlain, where the Americans have a stone fort, to command the navigation of the River Richelieu, flowing towards Lower Canada. An illustration of the customs still prevalent in •A, THE LIFE OP A SOLDIER. 41 this section of country, was shown by a traveller who arrived here. On applying to the landlord of the hotel for a bed, he answered, ** they are all full ; but," said he, pointing to an English- man, " I dare say that gentleman will not object to share his bed with you." The Briton how- ever replied, " I do object ;" when the other indignantly rejoined, " Well, I dare say I can get some other gentleman to sleep along with me, anyhow." From Rouse's Point I journeyed to Chateau- guay village, or " Four Corners." Here lay, in 1813, the army of General Hampton, previous to the daring attempt to penetrate to Montreal, by the Chateauguay river ; and which resulted in a gallant and successful action, by a body of Canadians, in defence of their country. We shall close this paper with an account of this useful lesson in bush-fighting. x On enquiring my way to an inn, in order ^o get a waggon to go on to the hunting-ground, an American sportsman, with, his " wiping rod" in his rifle, directed me where to find one. Shouldering my leather-bag, I was met by the landlord, who, relieving me of it, walked on before, with the remark, " Considerable heft Air '^ , ','? "ir •j: -i . • ^^*^ ■.♦•V-"-p'".ii^ ■•4..'"C».i :■#-.- ''X:-* ■ ■■ . . ■ '1, 42 PASSAGES IN • » % ■ ■f ! ffl' '! ' ! ' ' 1 ' ll ■ll m (stuff) in this bag, I guess ?" " Can I get a waggon to go on to Lake Chateauguay, this evening ?" I enquired. ** You will be froze up," said he, " before you get half-way. I would not go for the best five dollars in the country ; mud freezes to the wheels till you can't see through them, and there's too little snow for sleigh-runners." Bargaining to get away at dawn next morn- ing, I comforted myself with tea, (as did half-a- dozen other wayfarers) accompanied with soft toast and plain bread of very excellent quality, corned beef, and smoked venison, biscuits and honeycomb ; and, wrapping myself in my plaid, slept well on the outside of a bed. In almost all countries, in small inns, for a night, this practice is safer for health than getting between the clothes ; and it should not make much difference to old campaigners whether they sleep ready dressed or not. Next morning, " inspanning" a pair of horses in a light waggon, ^nd placing in it my gun, axe, and wallet, we travelled, with much plunging, over a partially -frozen road, and passed some clearings, with frame and log-houses, raised by French, Canadian, and Irish settlers ; but the ■:a THE LIFE OF A SOLDIER. 4a best ** locations" had been selected by the more acute Americans, on higher and better land ; and not in hollows like the others. At length, a broad patch of water appeared through the forest; it was part of the lower Lake Chateauguay, backed by a wooded hill ; and before us, in a clearing, was the respectable- iock'ng " Hunters* Inn," of Mr. Bellows ; himbjlf an old and retired hunter, and the father of some sturdy sons, " well used to the bush." " Old Bellows," who was seventy years of age, (and was playing with his grand-child; whilst the mother, a remarkably fine young woman, stood by to complete the group) had been that) years about the lake, and slain his 800 deer, was full of anecdotes about " the wild." Among other facts in Natural History, he said that he remarked that here the salmon tribe spawned in October, the ovce lay dormant all the winter, and were vivified in spring. There are two Lakes Chateauguay, an upper and a lower, connected with " narrows." The upper lake, wliere there are no settlements, is five miles long, the " narrows" four, and the lower lake is two miles in length. I asked Mr. Bellows for a boat to go to the Upper Lake, ■,(?.■■ , '.'T,, .■•.01 1 . .'.I - -i-i 'Mi 44 PASSAGES IN .. ■ *■■ " i;.H: »-ri, and he said his best boats were away, but " there was a machine" at the landing I might have. I got iato this tub-like conveyance, with a stout lad, and we pulled and paddled towards the narrows. I thoj'^ht I should have had my hands frost- * bitten, i;he cold being great on the water ; and, also, as »"ny companion said, " it started snow- ing." We had noble views of hill and forest, far and near, as we pas;L>ed up the narrows ; a wooded island was at " the outlet," and then the fine broad Upper Lake opened on us, with Lyon Mountain, and other lesser eminences rising in the S.E. The only signs of man were a wooden, uninhabited lodge on another island, and one on Indian Point. We looked about for the smoke of the fires of those we were in search of, and presently heard the baying of a hound in the forest, evidently in pursuit of a deer, and driving it towards the water ; then the sound of chopping directed us to a log hut or shanty, where we found black Jacob, the cook, boiling a kettle outside, whilst near him a fine deer hung by the heels from a branch. The shanty, backed by the pine woods. H> i THE LIFE OP A SOLDIER, 45 formed a picture of a temporary forest home. From the extremity of a stove-pipe, projecting from the bark roof, curled a thin wreath of smoke; a fringe of icicles depended from the> eaves, and the walls were composed of round fir-trees. A small dog-kennel, a miniature of the house, was close to the door. Inside there were a rough table and benches, sporting gear hanging from nails, mess tins and plates on shelves, and blankets and tarpaulins rolled up in corners, and which, at night, covered the fioor to form the hunters' beds. After refreshing with some cold meat and biscuit, we pushed again into the lake, and steered for Indian Point, a commanding head- land of gneiss rock, projecting into the deep and clear water; from this a grand prospect was obtained of Lyon mountain opposite, appa- rently some thousands of feet high, and now powdered with early snow, whilst below were swelling ridges, dark with the evergreen firs. Light, fleecy clouds floated in the transparent American sky, and the glad waters sparkled in the sunlight. Two hunters, in grey coats and leather leggings, were watching anxiously for the deer mm s iimi ' V .V'"' ■ J ^4^1 •^ ■■■..'■■'V-V^. >:;,';■■ v';i^P^ i''>'».'K''.y.''-.'^ ,. '...•■, .«'m."',' ^>i;'..;.■ . '■,'*v "> '■' •■'.r^r^ 46 PASSAGES IN (.•.■ emerging from the woods and taking the water, and their boat was ready to pull towards the game. Most people fancy that slaying deer in the water is a very easy matter , it may be so when the lake is smooth, but it is very dif- ferent when there is a swell on, and the deer has got a considerable start of his pursuers. It is so diflicult to take aim then, that before one deer was killed by a party of three hunters, on a stormy day, upwards of twenty shots were fired at him, and, after six rounds, one of the hunters laid his rifle down in the boat in despair, and the poor animal was eventually secured by the stroke of a paddle. After some tarry at Indian Point, we pulled towards " Split rock," also a favcurite look-out. The baying of the unseen hounds in the woods, was now followed by a shot, and the appearance of Louis Bellows, and presently a plump doe lay at the bottom of our boat. This deer, the Cervus VirginianuSy is found from the banks of the St. Lawrence to the shores of the Gulf of Mexico ; of graceful mien and elegant form, its coat varies in colour ac- cording to the season of the year, in summer a reddish brown, and in winter, when the indivi- THE LIFE OF A SOLDIER. 47 dual hairs become tubular like a bird's quill, they are of a greyish russet colour. The weight of the Virginian deer is one hundred pounds and upwards; the horns of the male resemble two crescents in front of the eves, with the prongs pointing forwards, so that it is sur- prising how they manage to get through the bush. The long ears are in constant motion to catch the slightest sound, and the soft large eye of exceeding beauty, would disarm many a hunter if viewed closely. The wanton destruction of this or of any other of the gifts of Providence, provided for the sustenance of man, is most reprehensible, but we have never scrupled to indulge in the chase in moderation, particularly as we never have yet assisted to slay the feri' ■ ■/:.■ ■■*(»•■ •. . ••• ',•■,-■ .V:..:i''S,M--fA.t.: ■Mi'::*:K^[ :■ : .;'>:t M* MA »;>L„ '.Ji, ■ ,h.'.-M PASSAGES IN \ Hi I' 1 ■ i:-*.^ and if thev did not take the water (in which ti^ey swam, shov/ing their heads and part of their backs) they would try to conceal them- selves in a bush or in the top branches of a fallen tree ; one was shot in this last position. In the afternoon, no more deer being inclined to take to the water, the dogs were brought into the boats, and we rowed and paddled back to the shanty. My comrades in the chase, Mr. Harrison Stephens and Mr. Fellers, were both excellent shots with the rifle, the former was also a most expert salmon and bass fisherman. Till middle age, he had been extensively and successfully engaged in the mercantile profession, when, finding that too close attention to business was injuring his health, he wisely abandoned his desk in sum- mer, and took to the woods and streams, and immediately recovered his physical energies. The rifles which these Am.erican sportsmen used were the " Wesson" and the " James," both very excellent of their kind; the first weighed eight and a half pounds, the other twelve pounds, which were suited to the size and weight of those who carried them. To load men of all sizes, and varying in strength, THE LIFE OP A SOLDIER. 49 with the same heavy weapon, had better be avoided if it is possible to do so j as has been often clearly shown by that practical soldier, Colonel Leach. The small conicj:! balls of the Wesson rifle, thirty-five to the pound, were most carefully cast, and smoothly turned or " swedged ;" they were without belts or projections on the surface, were solid throughout, and were loaded with a ramrod with a cup, and introduced into the barrel by means of a loading, or false muzzle (fixed whilst loading with pins) so as to give them the true direction into the piece with two taps from the " starter." I saw that these small balls made wounds through and through the deer, and in practising at trees with the Wesson rifle, the ball penetrated five inches into the green hard wood at sixty yards. The sight was carefully adjusted to the right or left, after repeated trials from a fixed rest, by a graduated index at the muzzle, and there was a globe sight, flat, circular and with a hole in the middle, fixed behind the breech. The strength of the powder having been ascertained, the proper quantity was carefully weighed in small scales, and though the powder employed VOL. I. E •,V,.- .,>;vCM ■fV* •,■■■.';< r,-r''^S ' I ,ti. ■■ •■ » ^*■T.«C3;i ,% -^^^'■'^ ,:■ >i. .'J *Am ' • .'..'."S'+tL ■t' •• . ■ ♦.'SI "■■ I- ', '\ ■^■■J3 50 PASSAGES IN •'^ .«:. was Hazard's Kentucky-rifle-powder, which soils very little, the use of the wiping rod was frequent, so careful and particular are the American hunters. The attitude for correct shooting is important ; thus, for " off-hand" shooting, or without a rest, if the rifleman has to fire at an object, say north of him, he fronts his body due east^ his legs being firmly fixed and apart, and then aims to the north, pressing back his right shoulder witn the butt; this position will be found much more steady than the usual one. "The Kentucky dodge," is a crooked iron from the hip, supporting the left arm. I prefer as a rest, kneeling, an iron ramrod, swivelled, and the small end fitting into a hole drilled near the muzzle. This rest is always at hand, cannot be lost, and it is evident that a line of kneeling musketeers, with arms in rest, and waiting for an advancing foe, would assuredly produce a terrible effect, when they opened their fire. The "James" rifle was provided with a telescope, in appearance like a large ramrod, which was placed along the barrel, when required for long ranges, 500 yards and THE LIFE OF A SOLDIER. 51 upwards : the balls used were conical and solid, like those for the Wesson.* On African expeditions, and when the country afforded that cover which enabled one to creep upon and close with the large animals of tho chase, 1 found that, for a long day's work, a light-rifled-carbine was sufficient; one, the range of which was 200 yards, and throw- ing a ball, 24 to the pound — one-third pewter and two-thirds lead, hard and heavy. When not in the act of creeping, the carbine had best be slung, and a light six foot pike be used as a walking-stick, for the hills and rough ground generally : it is also a capital weapon for offence, is much more " handy" in fencing than a musket and bayonet, or rifle and sword ; whilst a loose strap round the middle, and a pike butt, like a fishing-rod, converts it into a rest ; and, for want of rests, what a quantity of valuable ammunition is constantly wasted ! Half-a-dozen of these pikes, piled three and * General George Hanger, in his singular book on Sport- ing, on Rifles, &c., says he prefers a rifle with a twist one whole turn; the barrel 3 It. 3 in. long, its (the barrel's) weight, six pounds at least, and carrying balls thirty to the pound. I prefer a piece, stock and all, weighing nine pounds for average-sized men. E 2 'i'i %..;-rf|j 'i'-'Al;} ■t -■IfJ 7». U>';,,r'^ ■'H. :^m 52 PASSAGES IN three (or the same numher of muskets, with cleaning-rods in two of them), with a turn of a ridge rope round two, and pegged down to the ground at the " ends of the tether,'* make a good ranger's tent ; the cover at the hack, (with triangular ends) being light striped tick- ing, "2 ft. by 10 feet, weighing 8 pounds: in front is the fire. A bell-tent, with its pole, pegs and mallets, weighs ^"b lbs. Our poor fellows suffered much from rain and cold during some of the patrols in Kaffir-land, having no rangers' tents, and being unable to transport the heavy bell-tent.* With a light and sun-proof hat, a blouse and flannel shirt, and strong trousers, easy shoes, a complete change in a waterproof haver- sack, a rolled blue blanket at the back, a large powder flask, a long ball pouch round the waist^ two men out of six carrying 2 lb. axes in a belt, one the light tent in a piece of waterproof stuff to sleep on, and three men, meat and biscuit, and all with strong knives and strong * When first in Kaffir -land I wis not a warp of the ad/pu- tagea of a ranger's tent and not till I had, for some time, used one iu American explorations. THE LIFE OP A SOLDIER. 63 ■ '■'■'V.'ir • • '•*• ifl mess tins, rapid forays may be made in wild countries by hardy and active partisans. The Highlanders, Swiss, Tyrolese, KafBrs, &c., use long walking-sticks, among their hills, whilst the inhabitants of plains may not appreciate their utility to diminish fatigue or for partisan warfare. Aftar this roving digression, let us return to the Lake and its denizens. I observed, in retired bays of the lake, wild fowl of various kinds, which did not seem to tiave been much disturbed as they quietly swam about and fished, till the hunter, concealing himself behind a young fir-treo set up in front of him in the boat, was pulled within shot of the birds. The black duck, with its yellowish-red bill, was seen ; also the handsome goosander, or sheldrake, with its fine crest, its slender bill, black head glossed with green, black back, breast and belly white, and cinnamon-coloured neck, swam lightly on the waves, or suddenly disappeared beneath them. Before we settled ourselves for the night, I went oif in a boat, to assist in lifting the gill- net, twenty yards long by one deep, which had been set all day on a shoal, on which there was mm 1^ C'r '■■■Mm .■■'•■■- . ■-••■. ■ ■■> -t j %■ \ w- t\i: *v "f.VJ X 3 ..- >hi'»' ■ • Jta^r , : ... ■*-i>'M 54 PASSAGES IN K n '4 .*^ .^,^ 'IV' ■'" :i^' Hi VI. f J If six feet of water opposite the outlet of the Upper Lake. We found entangled in the meshes, half-a-dozen white fish, two or three pounds weight each, and of delicate flavour, for our evening nneal ; of which, also, sheldrake formed a part, and which our hlack cook had deprived of their fishy tast, hy boiling them in three waters, and then stewing them. We fared sumptuously and vvitlj keen appe- tites, on fish, flesh, and fowl ; told hunter's stories afterwards, and tried, in vain, to relieve one of the dogs, which was brought in with his face swelled from the quills of a porcupine, two of which animals had been " treed" and shot ; but which our hunters disdained to bring in for the pot, though the meat is good eating, if it is both boiled and roasted to soften the " crackling." The north American Porcupine is a remark- able quadruped ; and, though one of the most slu^^gish in creation, is admirably adapted for tiie locality it inhabits, and is well defended from the weather and from its foes, by its fur, hair, bristles, and quills. Its form is thick set with an arched back, its colour black, except where the white ends of the quills, showing I THE LIFE OF A SOLDIER. 55 beyond the hair, give a mottled appearance ; its feet, arnticd with strong claws for burrowing or clinfibing trees, are prevented sinking into the snow by the lateral arrangement of the hairs : its strong incisor teeth enable it to feed on roots and bark; it also consumes fruit and grain. Its quills are easily detached from the skin, and, as wc saw by our unfortunate hound, inflict terrible wounds by switching with its tail, the barbs at the tips of the quills working them into the flesh and causing great swelling and irrita- tion, and thus, for the time, rendered the sufi:erer useless. The quill3 of the African porcupine are very long; and here being no occasion for much hair for warmth there, the quills clash with the motion of the animal. In the war of 1835, I have mistaken the rustling of the quills on a night-march, for the noise of a bundle of Kaffir assegaes. Our assistant hunters, four in number, two of the Bellows' family. Stores and Avery, were in the habit of trapping sable (ermine) minx, martin, &c., in the wild country to the west of us, in the direction of the Racket river ; and where, also, stray beavers are seen, and panthers Miff :*t '• ■■■■■'■■ ^ m '""''''■'■■ ^-'iM. '.••' ,:,■ '. MM 68 PASSAGES IN ■t .,'■■ id'. 'I .- 'X^ TJfflj^ '* m ni \p'f ¥■'■■' 11 h-\l Springing about for a short time, to supple the limbs and give an appetite for breakfast, I returned to the shanty, where Jacob, the cook, had prepared a savoury stew ; and, at half- past five, the three boats were launched and rowed up the lake past the Ouleout brook, and posi- tions were taken up at Split rock, Indian Point, and the Western inlet. The sunrise was splendid behind the snow-powdered head of the Lyon mountain, and was ushered in with orange and golden clouds ; till the dark woods and wateis of the lake were lighted up, we had rowed through mist clouds which floated away towards the north. This day, with so bright a beginning, we had no success among the deer, which had gone off towards Ragged Lake, so named from its in- dented shores; perhaps the deer were scared, thinking, probably, that there would be ice on Chateauguay, in which case they avoid the lake. Ruffed grouse, though here called partridges, and white fish were killed. These Alhamegs, or white fish (the Coregonus Albus of the salmon family) are the most delicious of i'resh-water fish in America, and seem partial to cold, deep, and clear water. They are blueish grey on the •if THE LIFE OF A SOLDIER. 59 back, lighter on the sides, and white on the belly, and are very deep for their length. One never tires of eating white fish — or, as one of the hunters said, " I am death on the fish." In Lake Chateauguay, besides the white fish, of excellent flavour, there are two other es- teemed fish, the lake trout, the salmo confinis of Dekay, which attains a weight of from 15 lbs. to 20 lbs., and the well-known speckled trout, which rarely exceeds three pounds or four pounds, and its delicacy of flavour has ever been fully acknowledged. The short and thick Ontario salmon has been caught here, but it is rare. My friend. Dr. W. Agar Adamson, one of the best fishermen in North America, (and I may also add, highly distinguished in the pulpit) has found that for fly-hooks, bodies of fiery brown and claret are the most killing for these western waters. The trout, like other denizens of this new country, have not got very fastidious appetites, so that when they are on the feed, almost any fly will take them. It is recommended to fishermen who venture on Jakes like Chateauguay, whilst gently fly-fishing along the shores, to have a second rod, trolling ■ ■-V- ■'■ ■.■■■■jW'i'-' -.:-;:'; Mm 60 PASSAGES IN '4 f.'''J a real or artificial minnow after the boat, about eighteen or twenty yards behind, and there is a great secret of success in a long rod and line. The most deadly way of fishing in these North American lakes, and the simplest, and far before the minnow, is the spoon. A thin piece of brass or silver, shaped like a table-spoon without the handle, is attached to a stout line (linen line is the best) by means of gimp and a swivel, and double or triple hooks are fixed to the lower end of the spoon, this apparatus revolves in eccentric circles in the water, when trolled from a canoe or boat ; fish of the largest size are attracted by it, and either hook them- selves on it whilst trying to seize it, or are hooked by it, whilst incautiously examining it.* In sitting by the fire at night, and entering into conversation with Jacob, he said he had run away from slavery in Virginia, because he felt no security there. On asking him to explain, he answered, " I may have a good master, who does not ill-use me, but he may gamble, and lose me at cards, and I may get * This year, a piece of white metal, twisted like a cork- screw and with a fish's head, was in fashion — its motion throdgh the water being very inviting. i!' *■ THE LIFE OF A SOLDIER. 61 into bad hands ; this makes our coloured people always uneasy; besides, the fine is 5,000 dollars and six months' imprisonment, if any one teaches us to read, and many of us wish very much to learn, so we * clear out,' when we hav . the chance." A thin crust of ice began now to form on the shallow parts of the lake, and in the Narrows ; we were afraid of being frozen in — and eleven deer (on the water, on the shore, and in the forest) having been secured, into the stomach of one of which I caused some white fish to be sewn, as the best means of carrying them, to give a treat to friends in Montreal — we rowed back to Bellows' on Saturday night, and tarried the Sabbath there. It was worth while to go into the country to eat the delicious bread, such as Mrs. Louis Bellows made with " milk emptyings," or milk, flower, and salt mixed and warmed, to form a yeast, to raise the bread with. Young American farmers, in selecting a wife, usually inquire, " Can she make good bread ?" and this is very important for comfort, when " remote from cities." In Midsummer the usual way of shooting the deer at Lake Chateauguay, (and as I also ■ .',■ •^;i',"v»-^'.-.j..'j,.-> <,j . •'.' ,■■,,'1' • .'.#,/•»,, -J ■-' ' -irl ■'<^^.<;i:';..^V;^>-■■.^.'| ry ,:■:■• ■;kfi ■m 64 PASSAGES IN yy% pause, an old man entered in a dark green coat, wearing his grizzled hair in the apostolic style, blue gloves on his hands, and a red sash about his waist; ^he last an excellent article for comfort and support in travelling, '.rbis re- verend pastor bore in his hand a carpet-bag, containing his sermon, &c., and, looking de- liberately round the assemblage, before he mounted to the desk or pulpit, he authoratively turned out certain parties, who had taken possession of two or three seats on the left of the pulpit, and then directed that these seats might be filled by the father and the female relations of the young deceased. After prayer, the aged minister addressed riis congregation in a sober, earnest, and staid manner. "The Providence of God, my dear friends," he said, " has caused us to assemble here this morning. Two weeks ago, when the father of brother Abner was in my house in sweet sleep, the soul of his son took flight, but his memory is not obliterated here. Brother Miles was in some way prepared for the blow when he took leave of Abner, who went to Boston for the benefit of the change of air, and for advice, but from whence he never returned. My texts are in THE LIFE OF A SOLDIER. 65 1 2th chapter of Ecclesiastes, * Remember thy Creator in the days ov thy youth ;* and again, in Job the 14 th chapter, ' Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble,* If I preach to you now from these texts, it is in the infirmity of the flesh, for since four winters ago, when I went to li\'e at Malone, I have not been able to keep my health. " Job, my friends, had many afflictions ; he thus gained experience as well as instruction ; he was a man well qualified for giving instruc- tion ; he was at one time very rich ; the first blow fell on his property, then his children were taken away, and lastly, his health being gone, he cried out, ' Have pity on me/ *' First, * man that is born of woman is of few days ;' years arc not mentioned, but days ; so we should be prepared to live by days, and number our days. Here I first preached to the parents of some of those assembled before me. My congregation consisted of fourteen, and two of them children," Here Stores got up and opened the door of the stove, when the minister said, " I wish you would not put more in there," when Stores answered, " I am not VOL. I. F I'* . m V .•*•■•• ^ •>: «i "'? ,>> •■■.■ .-:■%- t3 "i■:.-^■^'^;i■.• .WVJ ••«";>■ :•',■;■ ^W'ii ' ■ it-' f-^ncl i '(".1 . "iffil. ^■■" ..••44 (y6 PASSAGES IN 1 1 1 H'. ■..'- I ;.: ,1; going to ;" and certainly I found the heat re- quired no augmentation to it. " Secondly, * His days aro full of trouble ;' more diseases fasten on man than on all brutes ; if" them, diseases are >ot i .0 nany ^orms and shapes as in ihe hun 'v» f imily ; with the rich and with the poor, it • , a ntinual struggle with the King of Terrors, and we see the strong and the weak borne down in the struggle. " Third, ' He cometh forth as a flower ;' see how many efforts are now made in our villages to cultivate flowers ; but did you ever ask a tender mother if she ever gathered flowers that were half so fragrant as a child's caress ; but, as Squire Beaver remarked, what a change may take place in a few hours. Odious 1 As to our deceased brother, he was always willing to oblige me, unworthy, to take my horse and attend to my comforts, when I visited at his father's house." Addressing the parents, he said, " If Abner had been allowed to come back and die, it would have been some consolation ; and now you may not even see his tomb; — but remem- ber, that God done it. God has taken this way v'^!- THE LIFE OF A SOLDIER. to show at we shouLl not devote oui children entirdy ij the world What can I ow say; you wht are ^wined aljut my heart, are you prepare; i to lay down t'^e body to be devoured by worms and reptiles? Tliis affliction ought to make you more attached to one another. Tell Jesub, and commit our sorrows to him. We have had several sudden calls before this one. First was a gentleman who worked in a shoe-shop : it is true he was intemperate, he drank, went a little way from the house and cut his throat. The little boy Bink was killed by a sheep (commonly considered a harmless animal) on his way to school ; another little boy was playing among logs in the Chateauguay, and was drowned; and a young man you all know, was killed by a bear — a lovely youth was James I All this should teach us to number our days." In this homely style, but in a manner suited to his country audience, did the old minister address them. After this, he called on those of the congrega- tion who could sing, to come and sit together and sing, whicn they did well ; among the best voices was that of Stores, who, it appeared, was not only a hunter but a i.*rmer, and had kept school F 2 . •. ;»■*■•■ ■■■".%"■" t«.i .■■ -.il 'HI ; • . .M •■ ■: :f ■ ■'■,! ■ ■ ."■■''5 »'• ■ mm 68 PASSAGES IN •^r A ,*v •■>■-• lit''' ■: •', lr-4 I A "it! '-'♦-» ::| r ifi^ i :■ " ■ y i. n-; ; ■ it'„t '■; 1^' ^'It 4f for sixteen years ; and had also charge of the admirable institution in the Northern States, the district library, and 200 choice volumes. Before we retire from this interesting region, we will now shortly describe, from original sources of information, the brilliant achievement effected in the last American war, by Canadian militia-men, assisted by a few " old country men," in defence of Canada, on the Chateau- guay river. A division of the American army, under General Hampton, had been lying at ** Four Corners," and was waiting for the descent of the St. Lawrence by another division. General Wilkinson's, so as jointly to fall on Montreal. Major-General De Wattville, suspecting the designs of General Hampton, was on the alert to frustrate them. On the 21st October, 1813, at four, P.M., the Americans moved, and their advanced guard drove in the British pickets, at Piper's road, ten leagues above Chateauguay church. Major Henry gave this information to General De Wattville, who immediately ordered 300 or 400 men to advance up the Chateau- guay to observe the enemy, they advanced two leagues to a wood, and halted outside of it. Next morning, Lieut.-Colonel De Salabery, a THE LIFE OF A SOLDIER. 69 very resolute officer, of herculean strength, with his voltigeurs, and Captain Ferguson, with the ligljt company of the Canadian regiment, joined tiu) first party. Colonel De Salabery next moved about a league to the other side of the wood ; and a patrol of the enemy's having been observed, he took up a position at the edge of the wood next them. The wood was intersected, on the left or north hank of the rivtr, with ravines j and on four of these he formed lines of defence, one behind the other. The three first lines were about 200 yards from each other. The fourth line was about half-a-mile in the rear, and com- manded a ford which, for the safety of his left flank, it was very necessary to watch. He threw up breast-works on each side of the lines, which extended from the river, and some dis- tance into the wood, following the course of the ravines. The right bank of the river was also covered with forest, a strong guard was placed at the ford, and sixty men of the Beauharnois militia were posted, as a picket, in advance. The second day, Colonel De Salabery sent thirty axe-men of the Beauharnois division, ti proceed 1 *■ ••■ '■■■•*' A, ■■■• ' »If .".« •" >' 1 '. ir':" ,■ '•• '^ *iH ;/.-.:«.'.^..:;'V^V ;,i,-,t « vr ■"till ■-^ ''■• ' .to 72 PASSAGES IN '■i y- n.-' d- ; ■y I • ■ »■ • ...' • •■ "r •1^; •'■■ _? '■«'.•. . ' • •^ ' ■' . • ..^i-: ■ 'u ■ ': ll *' » .•••■■ fl [■■> ' y t 1 k.' '■ m-:- ilf:^-...: of the enemy. Among other worthy gentlemen commanding companies on the occagion of the fight of Chateauguay, Captain Longtin must not he overlooked. He knelt down with his men before the commencement of the action, which was evidently to be a desperate one, offered up a short and fervent prayer, and then said, "As you have now done your duty to your God, 1 expect you will also do your duty to your Kinff." The Americans now issued from the woods, and began to form on a large plain of a triangular shape opposite the abattis, General Hampton commanded there in person, and he had with him the 10th and 31st regiments, and other corps, tliree squadrons of cavalry, and four guns ; the numerical strength was here about 3,500 men, with a reserve in the vjoods in the rear, whilst 1,500 men of the 4th and 33rd regiments, light troops, &c., moved down through the forest on ^^e right bank of the river. A strong column of infantry now advanced across the plain towards the abattis. Colonel De Salabery seeing that they had laid them- selves open to a front and flank fire, commenced THE LIFE OF A SOLDIER. 73 the fight, by shooting a mounted officer with his own hand, and then ordered the bugle to sound " commence firing." The fire from the abattis soon brought the enemy to a halt, they deployed and answered with volleys ; those towards the left were uselessly expended in the woods, but their fire from the right being effective, obliged the British skirmishers to take shelter behind the abattis. Huzzas then issued from the American ranks for assured victory, but they were replied to from the lines. Lieut.-Colonel MacDonnell caused his bugles to sound in all directions, so as to induce the enemy to believe that thousands instead of hundreds composed the British force, and the fight continued amidst clouds of smoke and loud cheering. The enemy's fire gradually slackened, whilst Colonel MacDonnell came up to the front to assist at the abattis. The American column on the right bank having overwhelmed the Beauharnois militia posted there, opened a fire across the river on the Br'tish left, but which was spiritedly replied to. Colonel De Salabery now ordered Colonel ■'*■ .,r'« -■— ■■ rsTi , < ' v;-: .' . ■• *• ,'; '-^f '■•'I iW •r J,; ■,•':-■ ';.iJ-)i' 1 , I -.T'l "V !• »-. »• ■ "; ■ J,* . ' '■.<• ' .".■'Tl-rfl '»•'. ■-. 'if ^•■f'ii'^ 6^ » ' .IJfe"" s^: m 'i;.' • 1. i-'ll i' '' 1 [j^a ' J .-■ ': I \m ':■ ' . lira ..'*.''^ . 11 i-li'' 1 % •'■'^ .'■i a ! li^ ■ ' tSKai m •*■■ ^ 1 A ■ 1 " ■ ■' " ' i :i" :^. . W ■ j ■i **yi 1 '• '•w *.4'^, ■ii 74 PASSAGES IN MacDonnell to send a company, as a reinforce- ment, to the other side of the river, and Captain Daly was selected for this service ; he crossed at the ford and moved rapidly in advance ; Colonel De Salabery then mounted the stump of a large tree, to reconnoitre, and gave his directions to Captain Daly across the river in French, and cautioned him to answer in the same language. Captain Daly drove back the enemy, who, rallying on their supports, and he being twice wounded, his men fell back before an overpowering fire ; the enemy coming again opposite the British, who were en potence on the left bank. Colonel De Salabery threw in so heavy a fire on their flank that they retreated with precipitation, leaving twenty prisoners with Captain Daly's party, forty dead on the ground, (the wounded were carried off;) muskets, drums, knapsacks, provisions, &c. General Hampton now withdrew his whole force ; and the victors, who lost about two-score men, slept on the ground they had disputed so gallantly, and for which a medal has been deservedly granted. Next day the retreating enemy was followed for a considerable distance with light troops and THE LIFE OF A SOLDIER. 75 Indian warriors, and General Hampton did not renew his attempt to penetrate into Lower Canada. The enemy's force though numhering 7,000 infantry, 400 cavalry, and ten guns, was thus effectually repulsed hy 300 on the side of the British, which was the number actually under fire. Of those 300, (to their great credit be it recorded) almost all were Canadian born, except Captain Ferguson, three other officers and three men. The remainder of the British force was in support and in reserve at the judiciously-constructed lines, whi(;h, with the abattis, demonstrated clearly the great advan- tages derived from the use of the axe and entrenching tools. But it is time to return to Montreal after a successful hunt, and to close this desultory account of Deer Driving, and other matters, in a region whose name recalls proud recollections to the sons of " the land of the beaver and maple leaf." Lord Palmerston once well remarked, " There is no fortification like brave men, armed, organized, and ready to meet an enemy ;" and few, except the worthies of the Peace ■ 'M • -i". '.'■■'a i'':'i..;-'\'iYf 'i:-'-:m^ ■•«, v•■;■■ ^';;>:?!^>■'^;yi•^• '■.«;•■ "y M jr.r -■ .'.'.: ■■■:>.^f ■.■#•«•■?■ i'l* ' ^.^ v»> '».» i .'. ' *■ A sH -"i ^■ .*;.:a ■■■• ^; mm .■*•■. i' . v-.rt /3. •I, ►i • , ■ .v. 1 .>"■ ». ■ ■i . ■ 1 i -^ ^M -■■•' ^H 1 *> 1'! 1 1 H 1 1 76 PASSAGES IN Society, will be inclined to dispute this. Every right-thinking man values the countless bless- ings of peace ; but these cannot belong enjoyed, whilst so little of the angelic nature exists in this sublunary scene, unless the possessors of these blessings demonstrate that they will not, without strong opposition, allow their privileges to be invaded. We see on the Continent of Europe, we see in America, the youth accustomed to arms ; this does not continually lead to a reckless and wicked resort to deadly weapons, unless the oc- casion demands it ; but it gives confidence and a feeling of security to those who possess a knowledge of arms, and also to the peaceful citizens, where such knowledge exists. There need be no panics, no fear of invasion, if in every town and village of our beloved native land, encouragement is given to manly exercises, and among others to the use of the rifle. Our cousins the Americans, once foes, and now, we trust, for ever friends (if travellers and writers vould only view with an eye of charity the pecui'.arit'.es cf the respective countries) have hern lon^x 'listinguished fir their apprecia- tion of ^h^ valuii of ii\e rifL', and for their skill UA, ''■''* -.'11 THE LIFE OF A SOLDIER. 77 in its use. To dive into the arcana of rifle shooting, as practised in America, I associated myself with some American riflemen, and join- ed a ckib for practice. The Montreal Rifle Club aff^orded hints for the formation of other rifle clubs, and showed with what facility rifle practice can be carried on. " Sharpshooting" is the fash'on of the day, and the more it is practised, and the game of war made more dangerous, the sooner will arrive the blessed reign of " universal peace and good-will " over the whole earth. The Montreal Rifle Club was not numerous, and a moderate subscription of a few dollars brought it into existence, and enabled it, under the able direction of its secretary, Mr. A, Murray, and other zealous members, to con- tinue its practice over the ice of the St. Law- rence in winter. " A shooting shanty " of frame-work was erected at the edge of the ice, tae dimensions were twenty-four feet long, ten wide, ten feet high at the back, eight feet in front (two feet of slope). It was divided into two apartments ; in the inner were two good sized glazed windows at the front and gable, shelf-tables all round for facility of loading, ''■ , ■ ■f'f'- •>•■? ■■'■ ' 'I .■■V /•/'•'■•'vv',,'. ,-..• ■ ''\-:;-^.r%. I .,'..■■ ■. ■, • 1 , -' , •• V ... -( . (. . -■'■■. «•.-■':.. ♦'(''■.•5 > I :»1 ■• ':.■'<*:•■ .:i ■/■■••J : :%^ ■ ' • '■; •' w '" .■ ''■■^- ■■■mi ♦ * '•■■,:'-.■ —iflT " \ m i I \ 3'.t ..'''-■ i* ■ . ■ .■■'.!■■. ■• jli' ' "? • rii ■ih"' ': .■ . I'^feffl KJlrii^liflnB ^h -yl * fflW '^*" J: ; 1 78 PASSAGES IN cleaning, &c., and .i small stove. In the outer apartment (the door of entrance being in the gable) were a form for sitting 3n, seventeen and a half inches high, a rest, made somewhat like a carpenter's tressel, with four legs, and a nar- row table at top, its dimensions were four feet six inches long, thirty-six inches high in front, thirty-three in rear, the top ten inches wide ; there was a moveable block, nicked a' top, to rest the rifle on, nine inches high, and sloping pieces of board, as rests for the elbows, twelve and nine inches, a flat bo-ird hollowed out for the chest and nailed to the table ; the whole, with the form, a complete rejt, and described in that excellent work " Chapman on the Rifle." The chief use of this rest is to prove one's rifle, also for matches with the rest; a good rifleman should be able to shoot with or without v rest, or " off hand" as the American term is ; i '11 it would be foolish not to avail oneself of a rest when it oifers, as much as of cover. The outer apartment of our shanty was Oj '^n, waist high, and a shuUer let down closed it when no longer required for practice. A shooting shanty may be put up for £20, and it may be move- able. THE LIFE OF A SOLDIER. 79 The targets were of square boards on one log ; on each board was tacked a sheet of blue paper 1 8 inches square ; on it was a white patch, 9 inches in diameter, with a bull's-eye in the centre. The targets were set up in the snow at the distances of 75, 110, 220, and 440 yards. Small pennons on sticks along the line of fire warned intruders from danger. No one had been hurt during the club's existence. The markers stood well at one side, or they were dispensed with altogether by using a telescope from the shanty. The weight of the rifles generally used varied, of course, with the purpose to which the weapon was to be applied, and ranged from the hunting gun of from 8 to 12 pounds, to the heaviest target gun (such as I had seen used in the Tyrol), which sometimes reached 20 pounds. Regarding the length of the barrel similar remarks apply, and this also is much a matter of fancy. As a general rule, however, tht long barrels which were for many years employed by the Western hunters, are now abandoned, it being found that the increasing or " gain twist," as it is termed in rifling, gives to a short barrel the power of producing even •J ^r* .^>i ■.•:.*> ..■■:,' f- • •S • .'v.-:ti:. ■,; v. V/'V /..,'■, . •■' ■■ Aii- - ,."..:. ■■•1. ■•;.•' t-'V'' -J' " 1- /■ '•".<•■;:♦•.'•• -if «r'y.. I ■1 ■ ■'-.,•.. . w^^f'j. r i':,.-v:,-;':C*Vvj?i.| ■'■"liL/'l^-is I ■ ■ ,f-i. '■■•1 m ^*^ •■♦i ■ 1^* ./I SO PASSAGES IN a more rapid revolution of the ball upon its axis, and with much less friction, than could be accomplished with length of barrel with the even twist. It may be mentioned that the degree of increasing spiral from breech to muzzle, varies with the length of barrel, incre'.ising more rapidly as the barrel is made shorter. Very close practice, at from 200 to 300 yards, can be made with the Wesson pistol, which bolts to a gun-s^ock, and the barrel of which is but twelv?^ inches in length. A verv handy and short rifled carbine, to load at the breech, which I got some years ago from my old and esteemed friend, the well known maitre-aarmes, Captain John Norton, and "vhich I carried ii. the interior of Africa, had a range of 240 yards, and answered admirably for creeping after wild animals to slay for food, and not for mere sport. The sights employed by the M. R. club w^ere either open, globe and bead, or telescopic — the globe and bead being those in general use. The globe-sight screws into the stock, just behind the break-oif, and is made of steel ; it is a circular plate (not a globe, though so called) about three-quarters of an inch in diameter, * '1 THE LIFE OF A SOLDIER. 81 with a small, hole through the centre, counter bunk on each side, to avoid reflection, and is mounted on a stalk about two inches in length, and cut with a thread about sixty-four turns to the inch. The bead-sight is so called from its peculiarity of shape, a bead about half the size of a pin's head is filed on a piece of steel-wire, and the stalk lef^ as flat and thin as possible. This stands up about three-sixteenths of an inch from the barrel at the muzzle, and is shaded by a thimble about three-eighths of an inch in diameter, and one inch long. The bead, stalk, and thimble, are attached to a piece of bevelled steel, wliich slides along a dovetail, cut across the barrel, about one-twelfth of an inch in depth, and three-eighths wide ; a point filed on the front end of the thimble shows how many divisions of the index the sight has been removed from ) lie centre. The index is cut on the top of the barrel, and is divided into l-32nd of an inch. By elevating or depressing the globe-sight by means of its screw, and moving to the right or left the bead-sight, any required allowance can readily be made for length of range and cross wind. VOL. I. G ■■•.-•'■i :!:*' •..*■> '■■;'- <",M .'.■'■^ ■' . ■V't ■'•■'it; •?!•' m W : ■ ' •■■» 1 ' ■ t J •■■• ■A. 1 ., •. - > .- il, !»'■■.• if: ■■■ II-- 82 PASSAGES IN The ball used was the flat ended picket or conical bullet, solid ; which after being cast is pressed by the blows of a mallet or small ham- mer, in a steel matrix, termed a " swedge," in order that perfect uniformity of surface may be secured : the conical balls for the winning rifle weighed about forty-five to the pound. The powder used for these rifles was made expressly for the purpose, and chiefly by Colonel Hazard, and is charfictcrized by mildness, mo- derate strength, evenness in grain, and the residuum a sulphuret of potash very soluble in water; quick-tiring, strong powders, of which the components are very pure, do not answer well for American rifles. The grains appear to ignite too rapidly, and the residuum cakes very hard upon the bore at the breech end, requiring much moisture to loosen it, an evil to be avoid- ed as much as posiblc. The Hazard " sea-fowl powder" on trial by a powder proof, in strength, compared with the Government powder for small-arms, is as five to nine. Men trained to use the globe sight at long ranges, say from 250 to 1,000 yards, would be well adapted to disperse artillerymen, or recon- noitring parties, or to annoy columns ad- THE LIFE OP A SOLDIER. 83 vancing to attack. Musketry at such distance is perfectly harmk^ss, but every bullet fro., rifle of this description, in well trained hands, tells. If objection be made to the little ad- ditional time required to load rifles, still the su- perior accuracy of aim fully compensates for the loss of time, and if the bore bo pretty well "freed," 20 to 30 shots may be fired in suc- cession without requiring to wipe out the gun. The main points of the American rifle and practice, were weight of metal, comparatively small bore, with the increasing or gain twist, heavy charges and scrupulous care in loading to secure uniformity, and maintain the ball true alike in its shape and position in the gun ; while the prevailing practice in England and the continent was large calibre and a com- paratively light, short barrel, with a quick twist, with about one turn in three feet, sometimes using a patch and sometimes not, the ball spherical, and the front part almost invariably flattened by starting and driving home. It is startling to look through the telescope- sight of an American rifle, which resembles a walkino;-cane laid on the barrel. In takino; aim at a pigeon on a distant roof, for example, G 2 ' ' ■•■'■••'"'J 'h' .. < "> V vx. ■M ■^4, •* ■■' ■ ■ ■ ■ V :«. - . ■ll^ . . fy ■'"•,';■, • ''; ''■"■'''■ :p^y ■ . '• 'J- -^ -».,, J I ^ IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) // ^.«^. // ** :^ ,<^ .« ^ 1.0 ^lii Ui ■tt lU 122 m - I.I £ KS 12.0 V '/ I^iotographic SoHices Corporation ^ m \ <^ ^^ ^\ ^r\\ 23 WIST MAIN STMCT WIBSTII.N.Y. MSN (716)t72-4S03 84 PASSAGES IN m^: 4,- .1 the breast of the poor unconscious bird is seen most distinctly crossed by the wires in the field-glass, and its destruction seems certain with a rest. It is cruel to touch a trigger or " draw a bead" at a living object, merely to show one's sleight-of-hand. It is considered that the relative value of rifles may be viewed under these heads : — first, safety in firing ; second certainty of not miss- ing fire ; third, facility of loading ; fourth, sim- plicity of construction ; fifth, rain or unfavour- able weather not interfering with their execu- tion ; sixth, keeping clean by their own dis- charges — say with tallowed balls, groved. Besides assisting at the Montreal Rifle Club, we saw also in the Forest what American rifles can do against deer, the small but solid conical ball, of which 150 could be carried wnth ease, going right through the light-footed harts. We hope to see more attention paid, generally, in England to target practice, whether with rifle or smooth barrel, than there has been, and that rifle corps or clubs may be formed in many parts of Great Britain and her colonies, and prizes given by Government. Archery meet- ings are very pretty, no doubt, but useless, THE LIFE OF A SOLDIER. 85 '■'"''51 ■■'■ •:^ except for contributing to the amusements of '* the fair Foresters." We should admit of no inferiority in any respect in the " wars of the giants." Development of muscle, also, on half- holidays, should be extensively patronized in this age, which is apt to become too sedentary and effeminate. On the Plains of Abraham, a pillar, sur- mounted by a bronze helmet and sword, and lately erected by the army of Canada, records that there the heroic Wolfe " died victorious." The poet Cowper well says of his native land, — " Praise and boast enough In every clime, and travel where we might ; That we were born her children. Praise enough To fill the ambition of a private man. That Chatham's language was his mother tongue. And Wolfe's great name compatriot with his own." From this scene of conflict, honourable to both sides who contended for victory in September, 1759, we are instructed by the gallant conduct of the Highland regiments on that occasion, how to deal with riflemen or troops, posted and galling with their fire under the screen of woods. The right of the French line was under cover, and doing good service, ■■*'■ :";'.i« '.H. ■•.'aV,*;'-*.^ vlt'..;: -."'-^v:?! ",v.-...ii.|':'T«f>.s ■•'; -r-v-iS': «W* ■■ .■.h.i'-i'; m '■i^ ^•),ht •..$.•'4 ..-f^'•r' 1 :• 86 PASSAGES IN •if'*" ml k? ■•■■ ■ \m y"' •.'.•J when a portion of the Highlanders on the British left, were ordered hy Brigadier Murray to cease firing, sling their fusils, and charge home with their broadswords, — not probably these unwieldy hilted weapons we now see, but those with equally balanced blade and light bas- ket hilt which figured in the old Scottish fights. The Highlanders with alacrity obeyed the sum- mons, and, followed by their supports, they drove, with their flashing blades, their foes to the gates of Quebec. ■# * • IV) ' 'A' ■ THE LIFE OP A SOLDIER. 87 ■ '■ •'J.T :^- CHAPTER IV. Americaa Watering-place — Fort Hamilton — The celebration of Independence — Lord Elgin revisits Montreal — Fancy Dress Ball — A. Mountain Boulevard proposed — Attack of a Snow Fort — Model Commanding Officers — Temperance Lecture by Barnum — Mr. Gough — Great Fire in June — Followed by a most disastrous one in July — Author loses his effects — Visit to the Great Falls of Shewenegan. In the summer of 1850, I had occasion to take my small family to the sea-side, and we selected Fort Hamilton, near New York, for change of air, travelling with the Honorable Mrs. Dyneley and family, also, by way of the glorious Hudson, and tarrying for a time at a large hotel occupied by well dressed visitors. The accommodations were good as was also the tare, we were driven about in the neighbourhood ■ 'TV?! ' ' •''»'ii'WfKi m J.- ■ ••fcf 88' PASSAGES IN roc,-;;.; ^^v «• 1. J / ^v ' r, • . I;v V ■■ .... ^ ii.5. 1--1. of Fort Hamilton, by some new and kind friends, Mr. and Mrs. Hoge of New York, and visited Coney Island, which proved " a mistake ;*' it is a dreary looking place, not at all fashionable, but with good bathing. We were in New York, staying with our valued friends the Misses MacLeod, at the celebration of Independence, the fourth of July, when there was a remarkable turn out of the City train-bands on the occasion, well worth seeing, some thousands of Citizen soldiers, many of them, no doubt, capital marksmen, as they don't neglect target practice ; but arrayed in every variety of costume, some quite thea- trical in their style. Every Captain had dressed his company according to his own taste, or theirs, and it was surprising to behold in one place, the black bear skins and red coats of Her Majesty's Foot Guards, then kilted Highlanders in all the bravery of ostrich plumes and belted plaids — followed by soldiers of the days of the Revolution,** in three-cornered cocked hats, broad skirted coats, buiF vests, and breeches and top boots ; the most sensible and soldier-like dress of all, was that of the grey riflemen in tunics, and * The Contiuentais of 1776. •r^i THE LIFE OF A SOLDIER. 89 with black and bronze belts and appointments. There was an immense expenditure of gun- powder, not only by boys, but by grown men, in the streets, and from their houses; and the sticks of numerous rockets, descending from their aerial flight, occasioned some accidents. The battle raged all day, accompanied with great noise, and " the loud smell of powder all around." We returned to Canada by the route made classic by Cooper in " the Last of the Mohicans ;" passed " Bloody Pond," so named from 1 00 British Grenadiers having been thrown into it after a fight there, swam in the pure waters of the beautiful Lake George, and visited Fort Ticonderoga where 600 of my late regiment, the 42nd R.H., fell in the old American war, in repeated attempts to scale the steep turf parapets, without ladders. Observing that the celebrated Scottish vo- calist, John Wilson, an old acquaintance, had arrived in the States, I wrote to invite him to Canada. He came, and was very successful ; but imprudently fishing on a hot summer's day at Lake Charles, near Quebec, and partaking of iced milk, he was seized with cholera and died. '■■■ -"if '''-"ilh'- 1 '■■: '.'-'»i.f 90 PASSAGES IN A few of his countrymen erected to his memory, in the beautiful Mount Hermon Cemetery, overlooking the St. Lawrence, a solid and appropriate monument over his remains ; whilst the breeze in the pine trees there sing his dirge. The tumults which took place at Montreal, some time after the Earl of Ehnn had assumed the reins of Government, have been described. There was a remarkable reconciliation of the contending*' parties in the end of 1851, which we witnessed after returning from a visit to Europe. His Excellency had assisted at Boston, at a great Jubilee, at which many of the British were present, the Mayor and Corporation of Montreal were there, and asked Lord Elgin to revisit their city, and they hoped that what had passed would be forgotten. His Excellency consented, and there was a great gathering at Hayes' House (hotel), when speeches were made, and hands shaken all round. After this, I went, by invitation of the Directors of the St. Lawrence and Atlantic rail-road, to Mel- bourne, where his Lordship, at a monster dinner, commemorated the opening of the line so far on its way to Portland, since which it C". i'., THE LIFE OP A SOLDIER. 91 has been in successful operation, under the all-powerful influence of the steam horse. On— on — on — with a haughty front, A puff, a shriek and a bound ; While the tardy echoes wake too late To babble back the sound. Beside the ordinary balls at Montreal in the winter, there was a fancy dress ball in 1851, the preparations for which excited considerable interest in the community, as it was the first that had taken place for some years. It was held at Donegana's Hotel, and 300 people were present at it. There was a well dressed poudr^ quadrille of the time of George II. The powdered hair, and the mouches coquettishly placed on the face, were most becoming to the ladies. The gentlemen were correctly dressed as soldiers or civilians of the same period. Other ladies, not in the poudre quadrille, personated " Night" and " Morning j" one lady wore a costume of the time of the Crusades, and there were the usual Swiss and Tyrolese peasants, Italians, Spaniards, Vivandieres, Greeks and Turks, in a room decorated with silken banners, and ■( •A ^rM 92 PASSAGES IN i I glittering with stars of ramrods, bayonets, and sabres. In the following spring, seeing the great capabilities for the formation of a fine Boulevard and drive, shaded with trees, round the upper part of the Montreal mountain, where the purest air could be enjoyed, (this so called mountain raising its massive and wooded sides behind the city, and commanding splendid views of the St. Lawrence, the great plain beyond, scattered hills of picturesque outline, and the mountains of Vermont in the far distance), I occupied myself at various times in surveying the mountain, and making plans for an 80 feet Boulevard. A public meeting was called, to discuss what would tend so much to the health, comfort and happiness of the community, the Honorable Peter MacGill being in the chair, and among those who took the deepest interest in the undertaking was Mr. J. J. Day, an Alderman. We hope that this, which w^ould be the finest drive and promenade in North America, the mountain Boulevard at Montreal, will not be lost sight of by the city authorities. In the course of my mountain rambles, sometimes on snow shoes, I remarked how well THE LIFE OF A SOLDIER. 93 adapted a portion of the front of the mountain was for the formation of a public terraced garden, whilst behind the mountain was a secluded and romantic valley, with a stream of water, and well fitted for a cemetery. This has been subsequently purchased and enclosed for a cemetery, and it already contains many handsome monuments on the grassy slopes, and beside the shady walks. Of those gentlemen who took the greatest interest in this important object, was the excellent Judge McCord. In the month of March, 1852, we had a little military display and instruction in the simpe of an attack on a snow Fort, Captain Eveleigh (since distinguished in the Crimea as Lieut-Colonel Eveleigh, K.L.H. and C.B.) with the Grenadiers of the 20th regiment stationed at the fortified Barracks on St. Helen's Island, opposite Montreal, (beautiful in summer, with its fine trees, and the broad stream running swiftly past it, and in winter connected with the mainland by a massive table of ice) having been directed to construct and defend a snow Fort, it was done by connecting with a curtain of snow a battery on the west end of the island, with a square redoubt in the .\1 ■■''■rA 94 PASSAGES IN ^*< ri ■«'•■ '*■•'■■''•* . ''''is' '■.' ill rear. A couple of guns manned by the Royal Artillery were mounted on the work, and Infantry lined the parapets. On the 4th of March, the day being favourable for assaulting the Fort, a strong party of the 20th, under Major Crofton, moved from the barracks at an early hour, with scaling ladders, over the ice of the St. Lawrence, and took up a position on the Island, out of sight of the Fort. At 1 1 a.m. another column marched out covered by skirmishers on snow shoes, this was the false attack. A part of the garrison under Lieut. Rotheram, with two guns on sleigh runners, commanded by Captain Gardiner, R.A., now met the assailants under Commandant Horn* on the ice, and attempted to drive them back, but being repulsed, after much firing, the real attack took place, the storming party and supports rushing from their ambuscade under Lord Mark Kerr, dashing through the abattis of bcughs, plunging into the ditch, planting the ladders and scaling the walls. After the British colours had been hoisted on ♦ Afterwards Brigadier-General, and wounded at Inker- mann. M^ii THE LIFE OF A SOIiDIER. 95 the highest part of the Fort, three rherrs were given for the achievement, which was wit- nessed by General Rowan, and numerous spec- tators from the city. It was an animating sight, and the weather " though frosty was kindly." It is highly useful ** to make a break" fre- quently during military service, and to get up instructive amusements like the above, along with the constant practise of gymnastics in the open air, of an afternoon, in summer, and in a salle d'armes in winter, in a climate like that of Canada. A commanding officer will find it materially to the advantage of his regiment, and that it will help to check desertion, if he has always something in prospect for his men, besides the usual military duties, which are the first and primary consideration, of course. If the ser- vice becomes a dull routine, it will be engaged in with as little zeal as that displayed by a cavalry officer, who was made a Major one day ; after a time a friend said : " I hear you are going to leave." " Yes," answered the other, " it's too much for me, they wanted to make a Colonel of me, •^'i 96 PASSAGES IN '^rl*,^ ■A fit A ■. I consented to be a Major, that's easy, but a Colonel would be too much of a bore." There was an officer serving in Canada, who seemed to me to be a pattern commanding officer, the late Colonel Sir Charles Chichester, 8 1st Regiment; very attentive to his duties himself, and seeing that others were so also, he took care to instruct those under him, and kept them always usefully occupied. He promoted their interests in every possible manner, aad was really the father of his regiment ; thus, when he saw that an officer displayed zeal, and by his acquirements was qualified for the staff. Sir Charles, instead of selfishly retaining him with the regiment, endeavoured to get a staff appointment for the qualified and deserving officer. He caused those officers who were abln to do it, to lecture on military subjects, and in the winter, snow forts were constructed and attacked, in a similar manner to what we have just described. On one occasion, when Sir Charles was head- ing an attack himself, he was knocked down in the ditch with a piece of frozen snow from the parapet, and he called out to those who stooped to assist him. THE LIFE OF k SOLDIER. 97 ;a d- ' ** Never mind me, men, scramble over the dead bodies !" He had no desertion from his regiment, even on the frontier, thus proving the excellence of the system he pursued, and which he continued, till his death by liver complaint, caused by long service in hot climates. Sir Duncan Macdougal, Colonel of the 79th Highlanders, in Canada, was a commanding officer of the first class. With extraordinary energy and zeal, he kept every one on the alert, and his regiment had a particularly dashing look about it. "Whilst he was most liberal of his own money, he took every care of the pockets of his officers, and would not for a moment tolerate debt. We had the well-known Barnum at Mon- treal, with Tom Thumb, and a menagerie of wild beasts; he also lectured on Temperarce f nd the Maine Liquor Law. A specimen of his style may be given. He is a Connecticut man ; in appearance he is tall and robust, with a round head, square face, short nose, an intelli- gent, but severe expression, hair not lanky, but cut even all round the head. Coming forward to the front of the platform, " in a genteel suit VOL. I. H (f ';• v.". ■y^.. ■1^ y ■■■■,•*.:' ■ <■ " » ., '■U t 98 PASSAGES IN :"'vh.. ;*!' of black," and holding his hands together with his fingers touching, he said : " Ladies and gentlemen, I am happy to be here to contribute a little mite to the cause of temperance ; no doubt curiosity brings many here this evening, so would a trial for murder. If in your streets a man had robbed and mur- dered half-a-dozen citizens, there would be a great attendance to see him tried ; however, whatever may be the motive for your coming here, I hope that the result will be for good, though at the mouth of him who exhibited Jenny Lind, and Tom Thumb, the mermaid, and the woolly horse. " There was a toll at a bridge over a river, and when the stage came to it, if there was any delay, the driver swore terribly, and the passen- gers, though annoyed, said, * it does not concern us.' So with passengers on a voyage across the Atlantic, if they are awoke in the night with the cry of the ' ship's on fire !' one might answer * it does not concern me ;' but we are univer- sally interested in temperance. " I drank a great deal once myself, but I now see it is a universal evil, and that the best man in society, the most social, generous, liberal, ^ '"'IS THE LIFE OF A SOLDIER. n falls by the infatuation of liquor. The parsi* monious man is too mean to get drunk. " An Irishman used to come home often drunk, and once when he was watering his horse, his wife said to him, 'Now, Paddy, is not that baste an example to ye, don't you see he laves off when he has had enough, the cray- tur ! he's the most sensible baste of the two.' * Oh, it's very well to discoorse like that, Biddy,* cried Paddy, *but if there was another horse at the other side of the trough to say — here's your health, my ould boy ! would he stop till he drunk the whole trough, think ye ?' " Drunkenness does not only affect one's self, but also one's wife and children, so selfish is it. I won't detain you for a long time now, but just touch off a few matters about drunkenness. The cost is great of intemperance, and 150 millions of dollars are spent in the United States annually on liquor. Seven out of ten of the convicts are from drink. "We should get posted up (informed) on this subject, to be able to speak on it. We are all in pursuit of happiness, but I think it can be attained by different means, the most absurd is H 2 •■1 '■ ^ .;■•« ..VT • - ■,'"?■': 4' ^ > .ti ■*' ir •■"•••-^i!| ■>,"s 100 PASSAGES IN UH. ■■'■>* •r the indulgence of our appetites. The cost of the police, and of jails is from liquor, if we will put down drink, we will put down all that. If you allow publicans, they will entail great cost, rum-sellers make criminals and paupers, and fill jails, and you pay the expense. I have never seen a drunken man succeed in business, if he did, I, being fond of curiosities, would exhibit him in the New York Museum. " A man who drinks is muddled, has lassitude, and is unfit for work. The Maine Law would remove all temptation to drink, and some drunkards would be very glad of this. Publi- cans then would not be able to live by drink ; but some people say, * oh you carry this too far, it is tyrannical,* no, you may keep as much liquor as you like in your cellar, if foolish enough to do so, and drink as much as you please yourself, only you must not sell it to another, that is all the Maine Law says. Then again you say, ' the doctors recommend liquor,* no, the doctors recommend drugs to those who are ill ; again you say, * God made alcohol and we should use it,* no, there is not a particle of it in nature, no spirit in the mineral and vege- VW': THE LIFE OP A SOLDIER. 101 table kingdom, the proof is you may eat barley and grapes in any quantity, and you won't be intoxicated. " I saw wine made in France, not in presses, but the grapes were trodden with the feet, the juice was innocent, and whilst eating bread with it, the labourer played the fiddle ; but the juice allowed to ferment, they were injured by it, and rolled about instead of dancing, the substance of the juice was changed. Sir Astley Cooper never admitted alcohol into his house, it was poison he thought, alcohol never digests, tap the arm of a drunkard and you get pure alcohol. My mother was recommended to take milk-punch when I was a nursing child, to keep me quiet when I was troublesome, she did so and 1 went off to sleep. " Alcohol is a nervine, that is, it destroys the nerves, second it is a stimulant, and third it is a narcotic. Green tea, which ladies are fond of, is something like this, and it kills one if you drink it all day. Ladies, with green tea, go on a spree, but they don't give it that name, they call it a tea party ! they drink three or four cups, then hear how they talk, all in good nature, intend no harm, but how they cut up :^^lh .:.■■>■■ ■•„ .■.>-r5B-. ] • . ■ . 'V:>?F 'ft 1 •■■:■■ ^ i 'itfiM' ■ Mil m '^■'A ■ ' ■ ^^'3 / 102 PASSAGES m it'll' i'^' *> !i:',vi*,"»..i' . mr their neighbours ! — I'll tell you the effects of liquor. I once saw on board a Mississippi steamer, a man who had been drinking brandy, he ran out of his state room, rushed through the ladies* cabin and the gentlemen's cabin into the social hall, (where some folks get socially drunk at a bar), people ran after him, I did so too, he wanted to break the chairs, to strike, to kill ; h& saw a poor creature sitting in a narcotic state in a corner, he looked at him and cried, " ' I'll eat him — I'll eat him !* tl.: other opened his eyes and said yawning, " * I — never — said — so — ' " * I'll eat him !* cried the man, mad with drink. "*I — never — said — so — ' slowly repeated the other. This shewed the difference between alcohol as a stimulant and a narcotic." Mr. Barnum now said * a collection would be taken up/ before he touched on the Maine Liquor Law, after which he continued : — " A rum -seller only benefits himself, a shoe- maker benefits others, a robber with a pistol in his hand says, * your money or your life !' a rum-seller with a bottle in one hand and glass in the other, says, * your money and your life l*" THE LIFE OF A SOLDIER. 103 ril undertake to carry the Maine Liquor Law through in Connecticut, and will do it next year. * Oh !* say some folks, * why not try moral suasion, you hurt yourself hy trying law.' But moral suasion will not do for the rum-seller, and he will evade the law by painting a pig blue and yellow, and then exhibits * the striped pig,* be- hind a screen, gets ten cents for this and gives in a glass of liquor and a cracker. He gets round the fifteen gallon law too ; gets two or three to join, and get fifteen gallons of liquor and they divide it, and also they get. up indig- nation meetings about the Maine Liquor Law. " Moral suasion is like a big lubberly boy, who was crying, at the top of his voice, in the street, and he was asked * what is the matter with ye ?* * I want to be pacified,* said he, * I want mother to come and pacify me,* so it is with moral suasion, to pacify people, but it can*t do it. The Maine Law says, * you must not sell liquor though you may have it in your cellar,* and some tried to frighten folks with Maine Law, but it won't do. It was like an old woman who was coming from church, and she met a man dressed up with horns sticking out of his head and a tail, and he cried * Bo !* the old '••■V'. ■ '.^ ■■Q ^^^' .. 1.'.'. •.;.'i>-vi''J m. ■m ■[■10 .-■a4 iM ■" -x^m 104 PASSAGES IN av**->. i^'v; woman was credulous but also religious, and she said : — "* Who are you f " And he answered, " * I am the devil !* " * You're a poor crittur,* said she. " By the Maine Law, if a man is convicted of selling liquor, he is fined 10 dollars for the first offence, for the second 20 dollars, and for the third he is imprisoned for three months, but this may fail to stop him, and he may pay and go on. But wait till there are 10 or 12 in- dictments against him, and he is to be imprisoned for 36 months, he will then be beat, and will sign a paper to give up rum-selling. ' " After the Maine Law came into operation in Portland, the House of Correction was empty, they used to lock up men there, they now lock up liquor seized ; formerly a man was seen like a walking demijohn of liquor, and they locked him up; now the liquor only is locked up. * Ah, but this interferes with property,' say some, but if a tiger got out of my menagerie and killed a man, w'ould it not be justifiable to take a rifle and shoot it, or to shoot a mad dog ? So liquor, which rages like a tiger, and drives I '' *^;i THE LIFE OP A SOLDIER. 105 people mad must be put down, and you will all sing Hosannahs if it is so here." For some years past, since I have had sol- diers under my charge, I have taken a consider- able interest about Temp'^.rance, my ideas on the subject are to be found elsewhere,* Mr. Barnum's peculiar lecture will suffice in the meantime. Mr. Gough, the celebrated lecturer, came twice to Montreal, and I asked him if he would lecture to the garrison, he said, " I think I can speak to soldiers with some effect, as I am the son of a pensioner of your 52nd Regiment." The men heard him with great attention, he made them laugh one minute, and they were sobbing and crying the next. Of their own accord they went and asked him to lecture again, he did so, many took the pledge and kept it, and when he left they accompanied him to the wharf, and cheered him heartily as he went off in a steamer. After a tedious Canadian winter of six months, the weather, as is usual, became " blazing hot," when there is always great dansrer of fire in the American cities of stone* , . 7^ til- ■ ■■►¥■■■■ ■'ffl '.t * At Mr. Twcedie's, 337, Strand. 106 PASSAGES IN ■'»•■' ■ ■ vW .:;.', i'il; brick and wood intermixed, many of whose roofs are of wooden shingles, and whose out- houses and stables are almost all of highly inflammable materials. In shorty there is, as it were, a train of gunpowder laid along the back of the streets, so much for the wisdom of our ancestors and the old municipal authorities. Half a dozen years before this, Quebec suf- fered fearfully, and 20,000 of her people were burnt out by two great fires in one summer. In 1852, Montreal was devastated and 12,000 of her citizens were roofless. At a great fire at which I assisted, which took place on the 6th June, in the principal commercial street, St. Pauls, and along the quays, fifty or sixty hoUses were burnt, and £250,000 worth of property destroyed. This was bad enough, but at the second great fire on the 8th July, the St. Law- rence and St. Mary's suburbs were consumed and 1100 houses and £500,000 worth of property destroyed. This was something like a great fire, and the chastening hand of the Almighty was heavy indeed on the people that year. At the first fire in June, General Rowan, the staff and the garrison were actively engaged in endeavouring to save life and property, two , » THE LIFE OF A SOLDIER. 107 lives were lost, and considerable risk was run of being blown up by gunpowder, as some of the hard- ware stores in St. Paul's Street, contained several kegs of powder, though contrary to law. The ships were saved with difficulty. At the last and most terrible conflagration, the exer- tions of the military were beyond all praise, the men of the 20th Regiment, and of the Royal Artillery, working, directed by their officers, till they dropped from fatigue, and under the influ- ence of a sun whose heat was 90^ in the shade, and of flames which raged 50 feet above the highest houses. The fire of the 8th July, began at a baker's shop in the middle of St. Lawrence Street, at 9 A.M. For nearly an hour ^'^tle or no water could be got, the reservoir, at the upper part of the city, was unfortunately empty, as new arrangements were being made ; about water pipes the fire got headway with a westerly breeze, spread right and left, and swept everything before it. The engines were of no use, the wooden roofs were like tinder, and the tin roofs of stone buildings quickly caught from their wooden gutters. The people, in advance of the fire, hur- riedly making up their clothes in bundles, fled, /^*2 h n Ssl ■ ' t ..'■•f^l ' . . >"i-fl "■■■.14%; W ■?'■« -<:■■ 108 PASSAGES IN S? t^^^'; Mi leaving most of their furniture to be de* stroyed. The whole city of 60.000 inhabitants was in fearful commotion, agitated crowds raa to and fro distracted, and vehicles of every description carried off females, the old, and infirm, and children to places of safety. Many valuables were also carried off, and were never seen again by the owners. Plate-chests, cash- boxes, jewellery disappeared. The fire now raged like a hurricane, and smoke and burning flakes, and a whirlwind of sand preceded the flames, which crossed the streets (running at right angles between the St. Lawrence and the mountain) in vast sheets of apparently several hundred yards wide, the scene was terrifically grand and imposing, and most melancholy. At 5 p.m. at the open space of the Viger Square, for want of material, the fire seemed to cease, and the exhausted crowds retired to breathe and rest ; but at 8 P.M. a light flame suddenly shot up behind the largest hotel, Hayes* House, it was quickly consumed, and the limestone walls fell inwards with an awful crash, the flames then "licked up" the fine three storey houses in Dalhousie Square, catching from the wooden THE LIFE OP A SOLDIER. 109 stables in the rear, and then swept down St. Mary's Street to the jail, raging all night. The length of the fire was reckoned at a mile by half a mile broad, and this great space presented the appearance of a red and grey surface, with crumbling and blackened walls, and tall chim- neys standing in all directions like gigantic tombstones. The Roman Catholics made great exertions to save their Bishop's Church and palace, holy water was sprinkled in vain to arrest the flames, the priests and nuns carried off the pictures and images, but the buildings were destroyed, also St. Thomas' Church and some Chaples. The Infantry and Artillery Barracks were saved by the greatest exertions on the part of the soldiers, and by Captain Gallwey R.E. blowing up a house near them to make an open space, almost all the military stores were preserved, but most of the officers were burnt out of their hired quarters, suffered great loss of clothes and effects and were afterwards uncomfortably lodged in various directions. A great many of the people fled to the country, some of the rest erected temporary wooden sheds among the ruins, waiting for help to rebuild — and tents ■rM ■ '■ ,i li, ml . -1 C! 110 PASSAGES IN fi ■i;..:.ri',v.| ..v:%.:! 'I m. C) M-^' supplied from the military stores were pitched iri all directions for the people. A fourth part of the fair city was * in heaps/ About a dozen people died from the stroke of the sun on the day of the fire ; and numbers took to their beds. The smell of dead animals among the ruins, was most unpleasant. I had gone off two days before the fire with two of my family, to visit some relations near Gait, Canada West ; we had got as far as Hamilton, when a telegraph message camp to Sir Allan McNab there, to inform me that " my house was burnt, and the children removed." This was so vague, that we could not go on, but hurried back, thinking, as we rolled down the long Sault Rapids, and pitched and twisted among the rocks of the Lachine, that the voyage was far too tedious, till we reached Montreal and saw it still partly in flames, the third day after the commencement of the conflagration. I found our late pleasant house in Cornwall Terrace, entirely burnt out, black, gaunt and roofless. All my swords (5), belts, best books, guns and rifle, gymnastic apparatus, and trophies of the chase in Africa, irretrievably gone ; those of my effects which were not destroyed or stolen, in THE LIFE OF A SOLDIER. Ill were scattered, the horses, carriage and sleigh saved ; and Brigade Major Mitchell, R.A., had kindly carried off, to his own house, our two little boys, and two of the maid-servants, whilst burning flakes fell upon them ; he also gave us shelter until we were ready to move to a cottage behind the mountain, at St. Catherine's. Thank- ful that no lives were lost, we tried to make the best of our position, others having suffered as much as we had. To refresh a little after the great fire, we went, sometime afterwards, to visit the very interesting falls of Shewenegan on the St. Maurice river. Miss Lunn, Lord Mark Kerr, 20th Regiment, Captain Francis, the Hon. F. C. Colborne, A.D.C., and Captain Maycock, 20th, being of the party. We slept very comfortably at an hotel, at Three Rivers ; then up by times next morning, and off in waggons and caleshes over a road roughened with the wheels of charcoal carts, then got into a large canoe, and paddled ' up stream ' to the bottom of the Falls, where the river rushed round a large wooded island, and dashed with great noise, and amidst clouds of spray over, black rocks of fantastic shape into a vast caldron of unknown depth. Years ago, an incident of a r4| ■ ■ ■ o:iy- „ . . 'sa 'l.T;;H-i ^^...■>.ts J. f*l ■ -■■, »•,*■ " p.. h-mii i -ill •M i 112 PASSAGES IN 4 tragic nature took place at these Falls. Part of a tribe of Indians was descending the St. Maurice, in several canoes, intending to stop above the Falls and make a portage round them. As they drew near, the chief, in the leading canoe, ob- served the banks lined with the warriors of a hostile tribe waiting in ambush to surprise and overpower them. Standing up in his canoe, he pointed with his paddle to the bush, and then down the stream to the cataract, his people un- derstood his meaning, * better to perish in the thunder of waters than by the scalping knife and tomahawk of their foes,' and the whole, without hesitation, glided down the rapids, and perished amidst the thundering waters of the Great Shew- enegan. THE LIFE OF A SOLDIER. 113 ' ■ ■■ :ft •'•ts CHAPTER V. Propose to visit the United States' Military Academy— Com- panions on the Journey — The SituaLion of the Academy at West Point— The Buildings— The Halls of Study— The Cadets— The Ridinf? School — Description of a Keld Gun —Dinner at the Superintendent's — The American Uniform — Bowls — The Mess — Reminiscences of the Mexican War — The Cumanchees — Fort Putnam — Regulations of the U.S. Military Academy — Visit to General Wool at Troy. The success of the American arms in Mexico, was, in a great degree, attributable to the course of instruction provided for the United States officers, at the Military Academy ; there they were well taught the science and art of war, founded, not on mere rules, but on mathematical calculations. The development of the faculties of the mind, and the discipline to which the students were subjected at West VOL. I. I •■•i '''Xr ".I '■''■ A-''.'4/'' '■' il •f' ■•(■ 'V. ■-'•.•■"••■ .■ r «i:F.,.,^- 3 ■, "■■■:■ '■^■^V:.^V 5 ■ ' ••■"■>*??^4,'? tl W: •> >.••',■■•■»>'•■■'* 1 v' ; * 114 PASSAGES IN mi '4i K ^^.. ■i" '.'• 'V ;VJ ;». it., ... ■ •• ■tll'i ■■ • •, Pi-' ■.■'■■■... ml' if-^. Point, prepared them to render unformed sol- diers intelligent, and to organise them for useful service in the field. A large body of officers, of high attainments, and capable of serving with distinction in any part of the world, have proceeded from the Military School on the banks of the far-famed Hudson. Having seen previously the outside of the Military Academy, I now determined to observe its interior arrangements also, and to ascertain the system of military instruction among a practical people. Accordingly, I communicated my intention to some brother officers on the staif, Lieut.-Colonel D'Urban, deputy quarter- master-general in Canada, Major H. Rov/an, R.A., military secretary, and Captain Wetherall, A.D.C. They agreed to visit West Point first, and afterwards proceed to see something of life in the gay commercial capital of the States, New York. I wrote to the Superintendent of the U. S. Military Academy, Colonel Lee, inti- mating our proposed visit, and received in return a friendly invitation to West Point. He suggested that the best time to see the Aca- demy was at the annual examination, in June, but I preferred seeing the working of the system during the course of study. h^^^ J^ THE LIFE OF A SOLDIER. Ill It was in April, 1853, when we left Montreal. The river, opposite the city, was dangerous to cross, being full of ice, which was getting soft under the influence of the spring sun, and the stream was cutting in it long channels. We entered the caravan-like passenger car at the terminus of the Lachine railroad^ and sped onwards to the head of the foaming and wildly- tossed rapids below the Indian village of Caugh- nawaga. We encountered a scene of painful excite- ment at the commencement of our journey : a woman of about thirty years of age, respectably dressed, sat beside a man with black hair and beard ; she said loudly, " Give me my gold watch and chain ; I cannot trust you to keep them !" " I'll give you them by-and-bye," he answered ; when she burst out — " I am a loue star And my love has gone to the war ; His name is Bryan Buroo, No other Bryan would do." We thought she was intoxicated ; but the poor creature was raving mad, and was on her way to an asylum in the States. I 2 /yV. ,•■' ..-..■ 'vs-Av. .''' ■ .'it* *'^M! 51, . k -<>s..,' .■., ■ ;;^': ■V."SM'^ ..•1 • •■■■ ♦v*''fi.; I ... 'iiji ■'■■•■*'• --if' ■% '.^h m 116 PASSAGES IN 4if ■♦■'• ',' «.i .-I- f w ' »*. ' ■ 'a ^> * 'r..r'- -7.' *> ;:r^if'>- ■••r'i'*,"e..i< f 'It •", r'v ''■■ Her paroxysms became stronger, she sang other scraps of songs, threw herself on the floor of the car, and tried to break the windows ; plucked her husband's beard, and called him King John. He had great difficulty in holding her, whilst she tried to tear off her clothes. Dr. Woh'red Nelson, the mayor of Montreal (by a singular turn of fortune, as he was distin- guished for his courage and activity, in the wrong cause, in the "troubles" of 1837 and '38) was present, and he suggested tying her ariiis with cords, which was done. She became quieter, and even sensible, and said, " Oh, my poor man ! I know I give you a great deal of trouble — I can't help it ; but I'll be all right when I go to New York again ; they will take good care of me there, and do you look after my children." The husband told the Doctor that he had not slept for three nights watching his wife, who some time before had gone mad, after confinement. He had taken her to New York, where, in two months, she seemed to be cured ; but the madness had come on again through fright, in crossing the ice of the St. Lawrence on the way home. A poor boy, with St. Vitus's dance, going for THE LIFE OP A SOLDIER. 117 treatment, and occupying an opposite seat, did not increase our comfort; but, crossing the ferry, we got into new cars and company, and rolled on towards Moore's station, with Mr. Coffin in company, the energetic and intelligent president of the railroad. The floors of the cars were covered with a comfortable-looking matting; but when a reverend gentleman looked at this, he gravely remarked. "This seemed a good arrangement at first, till I re- membered the peculiar habits of the country ;" he alluded to the too free use of tobacco. We believe *' chewing " is wearing out. Tobacco is of use in keeping wild and excitable people tolerably quiet; its abuse is when men of in- telligence and education indulge in more than a mild cigar ** of an afternoon." A lady of a fine spirit had been placed under my charge, to see her safe as far as I could. She was the widow of a distinguished lawyer, but she hardly required assistance; for, in America, the ladies can take good care of themselves. Thus she said, " People talk of danger on the rail ; I never think of it, I've too many other things to think of ; there's danger in one's own house, there's danger everywhere." t:i^" lii' ■ / ■'P .■'.»i.ifi,,,jrv ^ ,r ■•'7* ' w'.*r-j, ! ■,:•'■. r- -'v .ft .r., •■I .■•■•■<;^ ri.v-.v. ■ i IT ','}•;; ■'<■■ ■■'■" '''!•;■ :•,:'"■:• .■-.•,:\i..-,-i.» ' •• .*'''«'••■ ■'■, .'( ■. ''Xi^:^-'J^-^^ •;,<>'Ji'^tr'i, I i r I: t .' 118 PASSAGES IN M ?;. ■•■■.-; I was anxious about her baggage ; but slier said it was all ticketed, and the railroad people were responsible. However, it was very easy to lose one's portmanteau on American lines, as happened to two or three of our fellow-passen- gers, on the change of cars and lines. From Moore's we went to Rouse's Point, and from thence to Rutland. I observed, with Mr. Samuel Keefer, a civil engineer of note, the wood and iron bridges, which require screwing up every few nionths ; all the sleepers were hemlock, cros& hid ; there were no longitudinal ones J there was a want of attention to drain- age ; the ditches were full of water, which was soaking through the ballast, and destroying the wood by capillary attraction ; men were em- ployed here and there raising the sunken sleepers, and introducing gravel below them ; the fences were not good, they were slight, costing about half a dollar ihe rod ; but, in time, all these defects will be remedied on the paying lines. We passed the scene of the battle of Ben- nington ; and in the valley of the Otter river, saw a farm of 160 acres, producing beautiful white marble ; the land was sold lately for one THE LIFE OF A SOLDIER. 119 hundred thousand dollars. It was at Benning- ton that the tide of General Burgoyne's good fortune turned, in the war of the Revolution. He had despatched Colonel Baume with 600 German troops, to secure the stores collected at Bennington, and guarded by American militia under General Starke ; but these being found to be stronger than was supposed, Baume has- tened to entrench himself, and sent for rein- forcements, but was attacked and defeated before they arrived under Colonel Breymar, who also was repulsed by the militia, and the continental reinforcements under Colonel Warner. The dust is a serious inconvenience on the American lines in summer. I do not see why they should not be sown with grass, or sodded, to prevent this. Some of the cars were provided with a pan of water, under the ventilator at the top, to catch the dust; whilst the windows opening down the middle, had a current of air rushing out, which prevented the tendency of dust to fly in. We arrived at Coldspring, on the Hudson, where we left the cars ; and, in the midst of mucli rain and wind, we consigned ourselves . ■'* ^.•■.,»i'*-jj .1 ■J*'"' '•.■ '.7 »a ■ . •'■,■■.'« 1 .-;■■■■ vr-v^v, ■:■■ L-ii-''^..^r^m ?"* -^ ■ v; ' » i> > < ■;'i' ■ '■■■ .''*■■, - ■ -.V ' *4*' , ■■■■ -^^rJi' \i ii t ,! I 120 PASSAGES IN m m It •, , •s 4 D'i;' .>;>• , ■ * and " mails" to two skiffs, and were ferried down and across the noble river to the rocky plateau, on which cor.spicuous stands the build- ings of the Military Academy of West Point. We found rooms at the comfortable hotel of Mr. Roe, where boarded some of the married officers of the Academy. The situation of the Academy is admirable, away from the distraction and contamination of towns, high above " The great, glorious river, broad and deep," enjoying the purest air, beautiful wooded and cra^^y hills around, remains of forts and fast- nesfsjs (celebrated in the seven years' revolu- tionu»*y war) within sight ; all which combine to show the wisdom which dictated the selection of West Point as a very fit position for prosecuting, with advantage, studies, which are intended to conduce to the honour and the strength of Britain's healthy offspring, the United States of America. We sent our cards to the Superintendent, Colonel Lee, and requested to know when we might call on him; he returned a polite message by Bt. Major Porter, his adjutant, and T » • M THE LIFE OF A SOLDIER. 121 breveted for Mexico, who conducted us to the Superintendent's office. Colonel Robert Edmund Lee is an active- looking and intelligent officer of middle age, with a very gentlemanlike address. He is a Virginian, a cadet of 1825, and belongs to the United States engineers; was assistant astro- nomer for fixing the boundary between Ohio and Michigan in 1835 ; was chief engineer of the army of General Wool in the Mexican war of 1846 ; was made Bf. Major for gallant and meritorious conduct in the battle of Cerro Gordo in 1847 ; Bt. Lt. Colonel for distin- guished service in the battles of Contreras and Cherubusco the same year ; and lastly, Bt. Colonel for his gallantry in the battle of Che- pultepec, where he was wounded ; he then deservedly became Superintendent of the Mili- tary Academy in 1852. By marriage he is nearly connected with the family of the great Washington. Captain George W. Cullum, of the United States engineers — a very valuable officer, pro- fessor of practical military engineering at West Point, and whose other onerous duties were, the charge of the fortifications at New London, and ■■m. ^'•^'^ <*.'■< ••Si ^i\i 122 PASSAGES IN U:f»rv of the assay office or mint at New York, and who was a brother juror with me on arms, accoutrements, engineering, &c., at the Crystal Palace, New York — on my applying to him, was so obliging as to give me particulars of the public buildings of the Military Academy, which are these : The Cadets' Barracks ; Cadets' Guard-house ; the Academy ; Mess Hall ; Hospital ; Chapel ; Observatory and Library ; Laboratory ; Super- intendent's, Professors', and Officers' Quarters ; Hotel ; Engineer, Dragoon, Artillery, and Band Barracks ; Dragoon and Artillery Stables ; Commissary's, Sutler's, Shoemaker's, and Tailor's Shops ; Engineer Equipment Shed ; Powder Magazine; Soldiers' G'inrd Houses; &c. Cadets^ Barracks. — ^This is a ^arge four- storey building, in the castellated Gothic style of architecture, 360 feet long by 60 broad, with an L or wing, 100 feet long by 60 broad. It contains 176 rooms, 136 of which are occu- pied by cadets, and 40 at present by bachelor officers of the post. The cadet rooms are 22 by 14 feet, at one extremity of which are two sleeping alcoves for the two occupants, each 7 'A' THE LIFE OF A SOLDIER. 123 feet square. The furniture of each room con- sists of two iron study tables, a clothes-press, wash-stand, gun-rack, &c., and two iron bed steads, hair nnattresses, and necessary blankets, &c. Cadets* Guard House. — In rear of the cadets' barracks is the guard-house, a small two-storey brick building, in wliich arc the offices of the commandant of cadets, the officer in charge, the cadet adjutant, and rooms for the fire-engmes. Academy, — The academic building is a very spacious structure, 275 feet long, 75 feet broad, and three stories high, built of granite, with red-sandstone dressings, columns, &c., in the Italian style of architecture. In the first storey is the Chemical Laboratory, 75 by 38 feet; the Fencing Hall, 75 by 38 feet ; and a large room, 188 by 65 feet, at present used, for want of a better, as a Riding Hall. In the second storey are the Mineralogical and Geological Cabinets, 75 by 38 feet ; and Engineering Academy, 75 by 38 feet — to which are attached two rooms, each 4 6. by 22 feet, for models of machinery, architecture, and civil and military engineering. In the third storey is the Trophy " • ' wl • »♦.' *' ■ •/ -. 'A ■ :'\- ■ '■ ', ^. - :vJ^ .».• jm 124 PASSAGES IN Ml % 1 1" ' ,1 . :i'.*' ■'. -.*' '^i^ i.','. 5, Room J 75 by 38 feet, in which, besides cap- tured flags and other military trophies, is a fine model of the silver mine of Valenciana in G.ua- naxuato, brought from Mexico, and a small collection of artillery models, &c. ; also, on the same floor, is the Br awing Academy, 75 by 38 i'eet — to which are attached the Statuary and Picture Galleries ^ each 70 by 22 feet, the former being chiefly filled with plaster casts for drawing models, and the latter containing the exhibition of paintings, drawings, &c., executed by cadets, besides a full-length portrait, by Pro- fessor Robert W. Weir, of Colonel Sylvanus Thayer, of the corps of engineers, one of the most distinguished of the superintendents, and called the " father of the Academy." The re- mainder of the academic building is occupied by twenty-two rooms, each about 24 by 22 feet, which are used for Recitation and Lecture Rooms for the various departments of in- struction. Mess Hall. — A beautiful granite building, 170 by 64 feet, in the Norman style of architecture, the central part consisting, above the basement, of a spacious room, 100 feet long, 50 broad, and 20 high, in which all the cadets THE LIFE OP A SOLDIER. 125 are messed together. In the northern wing, the purveyor of cadets' commons is quartered ; and the southern wing and towers contain the Mess RoomSy &c., of the officers of the army on duty at the Academy. The Kitchen^ Store RoomSy &c., pertaining to the cadets' mess hall, adjoin it in rear. Hospital. — A plain granite building, 1 30 by 40 feet, the central part being occupied by the wards for sick cadets, and the wings being the residences of the surgeon and assistant- surgeon of the post. Chapel. — A granite building, 100 by 53 feet, in the Roman style, with open slips for the cadets (all of whom are required to attend Divine service on Sunday), and closed pews for professors, officers, and visitors. On the wall above and behind the chancel is a beautiful painting, by Professor Weir, representing the United States on a field azure, with thirteen stars resting upon a tablet, on which is inscribed. " Righteousness exalteth a nation, but sin is a reproach upon any people," and supported by allegorical figures of peace and war. Observatory and Library. — ^This is a hand- some granite building, about 160 by 80 fee»S, ■m'm «.•: .%.,»>S''> -A \iu 1-26 PASSAGES IN ^- ill' ■ t. ■>■>,>•'' ,*C ■^.; . • «.■.••. -Vn f; ;■>•';■'. Iff ti'- ■;■'',"' w^ in the Elizabethan style of architecture. The Library Room^ occupying the east wing of the building, is 46 feet square and 31 high, with a gallery, and two tiers of book- cases, containing 16,000 volumes, chiefly military, scientific, and historical works, 300 choice maps and charts, 70 volumes of valuable engravings, and ten paintings, Presidents Jefferson and Munroe, under whose administration the Military Aca- demy was established and extended ; Mr. Cal- houn, the secretary of war, who was very instrur.ental in improving the institution; Colonel Williams, the first chief engineer and superintendent of the Academy ; Processor Mansfield, the earliest professor of mathematics, and, subsequently, from 1812 to 1828, of natural experimental philosophy ; the other portraits are those of General Swift, Colonel Armstead, General Macomb, General Gratiot, and General Totten, all of whom have been chiefs of engineers and (ex-officio) inspectors of the academy. There are also in the library well-executed marble busts of Washington, Lafayette, and Napoleon, the generous gift of Mr. Thorn, of New York ; a few medals, one of which is that voted by the State of New THE LIFE OF A SOLDIER. 127 York to her gallant son, the late Colonel Bliss, the distinguished chief cf the staff of General Taylor in the Mexican war ; and sections of the various flag-staffs from the fields of battle, fortified places, &c., won in the Mexican war by the United States army, officered mainly by the eleven of the Military Academy. The library is a very elegant and tastefully arranged room. In the same building with the library ai*e the offices of the superintendent and his military staff ; Philosophical Lecture Room, containing a good collection of apparatus for the illustration of the principles of mechanics, acoustics, optics, electro-dynamics, astronrmy, &c. ; and in the three towers, or observatories, are a large transit instrument, equatorial telescope, and mural circle. Laboratory. — This consists of three small two-storey granite buildings, in which the cadets are practically taught a thorough course of mihtary pyrotechny, and the preparation and packing of ammunition of all kinds. In the Laboratory Yard, inclosed by a granite wall, are the Gun- Sheds, and also a large collection of trophy guns, mortars, howitzers, &c., with a piece of the heavy chain stretched across the ri^i^ '■^ ■ <•'•»" J ■ •:■ A-$;:^.-M: :j -'m 128 PASSAGES IN M 'm '- . . I .1 , r ; >.. it's ii Hudson river, from West Point to Fort Con- stitution, during the revolutionary war. This was made at the Stirling Foundry, so called from the revolutionary general, with whose family I happen to be connected : I therefore looked upon these giant links with considerable interest. Superintendent's^ Professors*, and Officers* Quarters. — These consist of six moderate sized two-storey brick buildings, three double stone buildings, and seven small wooden buildings. As before mentioned, most of the bachelor officers are at present quartered in the cadets' barracks. Should Congress add 62 more cadets, as is probable, it was proposed to erect a large building for the bachelor officers, whose rooms in the barracks would be required for these additional cadets. Hotel. — ^This is a three- storey brick building, 60 by 50 feet, with an attached wing 60 by 30 feet. The hotel was built for the ac 'ommodation of relatives and friends of cadets; but the attractions of West Point are so great, that, for many years past, it has been the favourite resort of summer travellers, escaping from southern and city heat, and desirous of daily wi m hi THE LIFE OF A SOLDIER. 129 admiring the up-river view of the Hudson, of world wide celehrity, and (in the opinion of the natives) unsurpassed by any river scene in either hemisphere. Engineer, Dragoon, Artillerj/y and Band Barracks. — These are all wooden buildings, for the accommodation of a company of 100 sappers, miners, and pontoniers, attached to the post, to assist in the instruction of cadets in practical military engineering; a detachment of 60 dragoons, to act as artillery drivers and grooms of the horses used by cadets in cavalry and field artillery exercises; a detachment of 72 men from the artilldy, who attend to no military duties, but are employed in the police of the post and public buildings, and serve as artificers in the quarter-master's department, making repairs and improvements; and the Military Academy band. Dragoon and Artillery Stables. — These are granite buildings, but are altogether unsuitable and inadequate for the cavalry and artillery horses, of which there were 72. As soon as proper stables should be built, the number of horses was to increase. Commissary's, Sutlers', Shoemakers', and VOL. I. K ■ ■ '^U . ,*-.iJi;>':.;rv .>■•;.-■ rT-,- •■ ■ ■'^^"ni-j^i ,, ■'•'•■:.■■;:■■, .♦H'.f ■■ ■ ,'■••': '>'■.,-<■ ■ • . ':>■'■■ '■ ■•'"'' ■■■■ ■■■'.::' 'i.'i.^ t :::'■ ' ,,■ !' •'4 * ■ • ,,' ■ -I ..'i:/ :: »!,, ... . ¥■■■ III Mm Tailors* Shops. — These are all small wooden buildings, the names of which sufficiently indicate their purpose. Engineer Equipment Shed. — This is a large two-storey brick building, 154 by 54 feet, in which are stored all the sappers', miners' and pontoon trains of the army. Powder Magazine. — A large brick structure. Soldiers' Guard House. — That of the engi- neers is of brick ; and that of the dragoons of wood. Soldiers' Hospital. — This is a spacious brick building, two storeys high, besides a good basement ; and, ui every respect, is one of the most convenient hospitals in the service. Besides these buildings above enumerated, there are many small wooden buildings, occupied by laundresses and the various employes of the post. Strong efforts were being made to get the approval of Congress to projects for the erection of officers' quarters, a riding hall, dragoon stables and barracks, and quarters and a barrack for the officers and men of the company of sappers, miners, and pontoniers. We proceeded with Colonel Lee to visit the h o a THE LIFE OP A SOLDIER. 131 halls of study. The first we entered was that of Professor Church (mathematics), the author of a work on Differential and Integral Calculus. The cadets in this " section," were well-grown lads, dressed in grey short-skirted jackets, and trousers, with buttons and black braid on tl?u breast, herring-bone fashion. Two of the cadets were required to answer questions in descriptive geometry : ] st, to measure the angle between two oblique planes ; 2nd, to find the shortest distance from a point to a line. They spoke out well, and were ready with their answers ; they used no letters on the black-board (except in writing their names), but only pointers. There were no desks, except the Professor's, or tables in the hall. The cadets who were not under exami- nation, sat on comfortable seats, with backs, holding four or five, and there was a ventilating frame over the door. The next hall was that of Professor Bartlett (natural and experimental philosophy), author of an elementary Treatise on Optics. Two cadets were examined, one on the polarization of light, and the other on achromatics. After this, we were introduced to a gentleman whose acquaintance I had long desired to make, Professor Mahan, K 2 • -^^^ • mX-.T -Ail .-, ..•i-.tr!'!. V.' ■■•.■i'>.'.'^, ^■.•>--' .,'3:' At fr '■■:'■ . ;^:: ! 1 ' ■• fv - ■ . . ' ^* ■-;:^': . 1 m 132 PASSAGES IN author of a Treatise on Field Fortification, an Elementary Course of Civil Engineering for the use of Cadets ; and a Treatise on Advanced Guards, Out-posts, &c. I considered his Field Fortification so comprehensive, useful, and port- able, that it has found a place in my portmanteau for many years. All his works (which I have got) are prepared with great care, and from the best authorities. By the Professor, and his assistant, Lieut. Smith, the cadets were examined on the manner of posting and handling detached troops in presence of an enemy ; they seemed well acquainted with the theory of these im- portant services. In the chemical hall, the phenomena in natural philosophy were explained to the cadets ; in the model room, were specimens of Greek temples, of public buildings in the States, of different kinds of stone staircases (by the way, too seldom used in this country of wood and of highly inflammable buildings), a model steam- engine, a front of fortification, which had been battered and breached, and was ready for assault. This had been got at Chatham, and had been pre- pared by the present Governor of Malta, Sir William Reid, R.E. I /.I . THE LIFE OF A SOLDIER. 133 • The drawing hull was very interesting ; it vv'as lofty, and well lighted and ventilated. Each student had his separate seat and desk. Open- ing into the hall, and at right angles to it, was a large room, on one side of which were hung up coloured figures and landscapes, copied hy the students from first-class prints on the opposite side. The copies are taken away hy the students when they leave the Academy, and their places supplied by fresh drawings. Cadets are not admitted to the Academy till after the age of 1 6, and after passing a prelimi- nary examination. Colonel Lee said he got sometimes applications from youths similar to what follows : — Iff -.-'r^ ,1,' ^.,■^v^^1 ••..-J.;l 1 •■< ■ , f .1 .•»;...'.{fc .. j>.'»vi ,' .-1.'. I'r i" ■^■•S:X1''' , • . •'■,;■(« ':•:;, ::.%§. ii V .,^••'•4' '• ■"■■'i-Hi'v' ! , ,r-,. '■'•'/• f i ■ . ■ ..■'■.*..■ , ** Sir, — Being ossirous to devote myself to the service of my country, I request that you will send me the regulations of the United States Military Academy, tha; I may prepare myself for entering it." Unlike our military establishment of Sandhurst (cujus pars fui) — at which the son of a civilian pays £125 a year for his education, and the sons of officers from £40 upwards, according to the ■■it :^'- I ■'■A i;. .•'iJM 134 PASSAGES IN m i^a^: ]rH ,:.-y^;''^ t' rank of the father, and the officers of the senior department £30 annually — the United States cadets receive from the Government 24 dollars a month, wherewith to cloth themselves, and pro- vide plain furniture for their dormitories, in each of which, as hefore stated, are two cadets. As a hody, the American cadets are steady and orderly, for, as one said, " We must get up early, for we have a large territory ; we have to cut down the forests, dig canals, and make rail- roads all over the country." ** Yoyager upon life's sea. To yourself te true ; And where'er your lot may be. Paddle your own canoe. " Would you bless your fellow men. Heart and soul imbue With the holy task ; and then. Puddle your own canoe." It is true that some of the graduates are wild, hke other youths ; that they get out at night hy rope-ladders, or otherwise ; that they ride the horses of professors hy moonlight ; and also occasionally plunder orchards which may be convenient to them ; — but this is usual else- where. A friendly professor had asked some of THE LIFE OF A SOLDIER. 135 the cadets to his house, and they danced pleasantly with his daughters. The professor happened to boast of his grapes. Next evening, a beautiful serenade was given under his front windows ; the family assembled there to listen and admire, while the grapes were being silently removed from the rear of the premises ! One professor had an original way of preventing frivolous complaints : if a graduate came to him to complain of ill-usage from another, he would punish the complainant, and then tell him to go and " fight it out 1" We attended the riding-school, which had been a gun-shed, with two rows of pillars down the centre. A new building for equestrian exercises was much required, though it was difficult to get an appropriation for this, and other requisites at the Academy, from the Government. There is a party in the States, who do not see the utility of West Point at all, though its value is undeniable, as providing civil engineers (as well as military), for vast regions still in a state of nature. Lieut. Sacket, of the dragoons, was the in- structor of riding, — a stout, good-humoured German officer. The cadets rode without stir- rups, and in trousers reinforced (strapped) with L . 'ye' .-■J.< '.'• -»:; <\ ■" ■•. • '■' '.!"■' ' : ., . »>»- 'i I < -Vl '■'■■■« 136 PASSAGES IN wi^ M ^m^ •t.'tv..'.' doth up the leg:, and with black leather round the ankle. Perliaps they have a better grip of " the pig skin " this way, than with the leather up to the fork. The cadets galloped round with spirit, and cut at heads stuflfed with straw, on the posts and on the ground, gave point to the riglit, over the left arm, &c. The saddle rescnn- bled the hussar, lined with leather inside, an(^i was well raised off the horse*s back ; it was complete with valise and holsters, in one of which last was a pistol, and in the other a currycomb and brush ; at one side was a ring for a leathern pocket to contain two spare shoes. I had a saddle weighed — 18lbs. was the result.* There was a detachment of United States dragoons at the Academy to attend to the horses. They were light, active-looking men — in dark blue jackets, and yellow tape down the front and up the back seams, forage caps, and French-gray trousers. If required to act on foot (and I earnestly hope to see a couple of regiments raised in England, to act on foot i''^ * As an old dragoon, I beg to recommend, heartily. Captain Nolan's complete and excellent work on "Ca- valry" to all sabreurs. His early deatl). on. the plaia ol Balaclava we must ever lament. THE LIFE OF A SOLDIER. 137 and on horses' backs, as mounted rangers, In plain sorvici'able uniform), they had a handy way of detachinf^ the strapped spur : the trou- sers w(*re buttoned a short way up the leg, the of th( pur passed over the lower button, and served to keep down the trousers in riding ; when the spur was removed, the trousers were as free as those of foot soldiers. I am sorry there is a prejudice against moun- ted rangers (chasseurs-^-cheval) in England. From what I have een of them, and having served with them, I think highly of this arm. I am convinced, that if a commanding officer, and troop-officers generally, encouraged dra- goons to exercise on foot as well as mounted, and set them the example^ we might get dis- mounted men to skirmish over broken ground, (which cavalry are at present obliged to avoid), to climb hills, to storm field-works, to run, leap, swim. I would abolish all useless ornament and unnecessary weight in equipping this corps ; give the men light leather helmets (12 or 14 oz.) bronzed, with a lion-fronted crest, sabre proof, a short scarlet frock, bronzed buttons, dark-green facings, shoulder chains, such as were in use fifty years ago, dark-green iv-j 4 'V :■ : M ' ■.;•■» •1,1 ■.'■.« M ■ m 138 PASSAGES IN .; 1-.'' :Pi''' M>)il. .Jf;-l .•..■••, J.*;.- • ' P>K ■' trousera reinforced, and scarlet stripes, strap spurs. The arms, a light fusil or short rifle, 7 or 8 lbs. weight, a long straight sabre, and a small bayonet to fix, if charged whilst on foot by cavalry, brown belts (imitation Russia lea- ther). I believe that men, turned out in this style, with military simplicity ^ and imbued with a chivalrous spirit, would do excellent service ; and such should be our British yeomanry, in the national scarlet hunting-frock. Let it be tried ! Better to run the risk, in red, of a rifle buUet, than to be shot by one's own people for wearing a foreign uniform. I lately tried the effect of blue, black, gray, and red jackets, at 1000 yards ; all were faintly distinguished, and nearly alike marked, but a white belt across the body made a man a target at once. Let us see now how the West Point cadets fare. Their appearance bespoke abundant and wholesome food. " Celui qui faire )a guerre doit commencer par le ventre," said the great Frederick. The cooking department was clean and well managed, and it is wonderful what a cooking stove can turn out in America. We tasted the bean soup ; it was capital, and there li-'. THE LIFE OP A SOLDIER. 139 was variety in the diet.* In the dining-hall the cadets sat on curious seats, somewhat like piano stools, but of iron, and with slender stems; these were adopted because wooden seats were often broken. Major G. H. Thomas, the senior artillery officer, who had distinguished himself in the Florida war, and at Monterey and Buena Vista in Mexico, was kind enough to cause a field-gun to be brought out, horsed as for service, for our inspection at the laboratory. From this it was seen that the limber of the United States field- gun carriages are different from those of the English, by having the boxes all in one ; they are the same as the boxes on the wagons, and can be shifted from the one to the other at pleasure. The gun carriage had no small store-box on the axle-tree, and no place for port-fire-sticks or slow-match — the gun being always fired with the lock and lanvard. The locks are so con- structed that, after firing the cap (which is used in preference to the tube), the hammer leaves * I had experience of the black -bread diet in the war of 1829 between the Russians and Turks, and cannot recom- mend it. ;•.■•■. *.-•' ^\\ *(*.<■'> Wi :--.V^...-> ■ ■1- ■-.■.- '■■",-"'! ■■ ■ «• , -■«! ■■-. ■ V- • vi 140 PASSAGES IN u ■ * . the vent uncovered. The Americans claim this invention for Enoch Holden (though Colonel Dandas, R.A. has a lock somewhat similar) ; and the Jurors, at the New York Crystal Palace, gave a hronze medal to Mr. Holden for his lock, which has heen thoroughly tested and approved in the U. S. service, as Major Morde- cai of the Board of Ordnance at Washington informed me. The U. S. guns are the same calibre as the English field-guns (6 lbs.), but they are con- structed so that the difference of metal at the muzzle and the breech is only one inch in diameter. The point-blank range is 600 yards — point blank being the distance from the muzzle to the intersectioii of the curve made by a shot fired by the line of metal, with the prolongation of the axis of the piece. The shot are fastened to the cartridges when packed in the limber. It is believed that the mode of packing at Woolwich is better than that prac- tised in the States. The horses were yoked to the limber with poles and pole-pieces, and not shafts. The yokes passed under the horses' necks in front of their breasts, and were attached to the '1 THE LIFE OF A SOLDIER. 141 hames, and the breeching continued round the breast of the horse, over the bottom of tbs collar. The traces were of black leather (brown was proposed) ; each horse was saddled so as to carry a rider, as in the Bengal horse artillery. On the peace establishment, there are four horses to a gun. The traces of the leading horse were connected with those of the wheelers. The wheels were lighter, less dished, and had smaller naves than the English. I think the American wheel generally is well worth careful study and attention. The gun-carriages were painted olive ; each wagon carried a spare wheel, for which an iron spindle was fixed to the hind- part of the axle-tree of the limber. The fuzes were cut into lengths calculated for respective distances, were driven in pasteboard instead of wood, and did not require to be cut before being inserted into the shell. The lengths of range were denoted by colours, white, red, or yellow, which every soldier could easily understand. The fuzes fix into a wooden plug, which is placed in the usual manner in the shell with the bursting powder ; percussion caps fitted on the hammer, and ivere made of paper instead of copper. TlieijC were carried ■4 <^'^#1 ■-■■■Tit'ii .,;;, *5: :,' •> ^>, '-■■■■<' fl '!•''■ ' • •■»> .;K 142 PASSAGES IN ^::^ m Iff ■•?vU-:- '...il.., ^ packed in tin cases of 1000; and, during the Mexican war, were never known to explode. Lastly, the fire from the caps is so strong, the cartridge need not be pricked. We got through a good deal of work the first day, and, in the evening, dined at the Superintendent's. Colonel Lee had a comfort- able, well-furnished house; and Mrs. Lee, of the family of Washington, had, as heir-looms, besides some of the plate of the first President, two large and very interesting pictures, one representing George Washington as a colonel in the British army of Virginia, 40 years of age, healthy-looking and ruddy, in a small three- cornered hat ; silver-bound blue coat ; deep- flapped red vest, and breeches ; a sash across his breast, worn Highland fashion ; a sword and gorget ; his ruffled right hand is in his breast, and in his left he holds at his back a fusil. The picture of his wife, Mrs. Washing- ton, in a low dress, and pearls in her hair, a flower in her hand, was that of a well-looking, portly young dame, like what a Scotch minister, a friend of ours, used to remark of ladies of this style of beauty, " a remarkably luxurious woman. » THE LIFE OF A SOLDIER. 143 The dinner was excellent, and well-dressed ; and the Colonel produced, as for " favoured guests," some Mount Vernon wine, 40 years old, v'hich proved to be capital Madeira. Among the party present, was Major R. S. Garnet, the commandant of cadets, and in- structor of infantry tactics, who had won his promotion by meritorious services as A.D.C. to Generals Taylor and Wool, in Mexico. In the drawing-room, was a fine picture of the battle of Minden ; it had hung in General Washington's study at Mount Vernon, for many years. An officer on horseback, in a blue coat and chapeau, is supposed to be Ferdinand, Duke of Brunswick, who commanded the Hanoverian troops. An officer on foot, in a scarlet coat, and uncovered, may be Lord George Sackville, or else the Marquis of Granby. The first was censured, and the latter com- mended for his conduct. A brown horse, belonging to the British officer, is prominently placed in the foreground, and has a very satis- fied air, for some unknown reason. The pain- ter's name seems to contain four letters, the first and last H and s; the second and third may ■I *.'rq ■ '''.■: '^ ■ -'■'■ ■'^■'' I'fi'A,- x-M' ■'J-lfi>^-- ■':■ . ■i!^:^^ ','J 'v -' ... , < ■'■■;■.'.'•' . ■ V ' -t* t , * ; ■ • 'fj?'^. ', ■ ■■ -..if < "> > -■•;!..v'-.,;u . ' •»vV- ; ■ -M ■■ ?■ t-, '::%a 144 PASSAGES IN MB. I be u or a. " Haas," or " Haus," was a painter of eminence about the time of Minden. Amongst the other matters disci'ssed after dinner, was that of the new mysteries of table- turning ; it had been tried at the Academy, and quite puzzled the most scientific professors. There was also a story current of a gentleman, an enthusiastic admirer of Byron, whose daughter, being a spirit-rapper, had been induced to call up the poet, who then supplied the lines omitted in various of his stanzas. " Curious if true !" In the library of the Academy, wc saw a very useful publication, and one much required in other armies, to produce strict uniformity in dress. It is entitled " Regulations for the Uniform and Dress of the Army of the United States, from the Original Text and Drawings in the War Department," very well brought out, and published by the enterprising military furnishers, Messrs. Horstmann and Allien, A General Order says, " I. The following description of the uniform of the army of the United States having been approved of by the Secretary at War, is published for general in- THE LIFE OF A SOLDIER. 145 formation, and will be strictly conformed to. Colonels of regiments and corps will rigidly enforce this order; and Generals and other inspecting officers, will notice all deviations from it. 2. Every departure from the established dress, will subject the offender to trial by court- martial, for disobedience cf orders." All offi- cers now wear a frock coat of dark-blue cloth ; the skirt extends from two-thirds to three-fourths of the distance from the top of the hip to the bend of the knee; single breasted for captains and lieutenants, and double-breasted for all other grades. The men also wear frock coats, and look well in them, as the British now do, in well-fitting scarlet frocks, instead of the tape-covered noatee. The buttons are brass ; the trousers of " sky- blue mixture," lor regimental officers and men, and dark-blue for all other officers; the cap for officers and men, generals and all, is ( like the French cap in shape), of dark-blue cloth, very llghtj and with a horizontal peak. I prefer a light leather helmet to this, as there is no pro- tection from sun and sabre, in a cap : " having suffered, I speak." The back of the head, particularly, is much exposed in a French cap. , -^' •»i'' •■..^ .«.• ' m-x . '4 I ; ; ;,^-^^■v VOL. I. 146 PASSIVGES IN tS' 'f.*' V'*''' 11"./.'! ''■■'>' • •■ otM-- ''-■■■ Sir Charles Napier's hunting cap, with a white cover, and peaks before and behind, is excellent for service in the East. A leathern helmet I had made, weighing 14 ozs., has the peak con- tinued all round, narrow over the ears, and broad at the bark and front ; it gives effectual shelter ircm the sun and rain, and is ever- lasting. On the second day, we visited the fencing hall, which was under an athletic professor, Monsieur Pat"'ce de Janon, and saw some fierce encounters. Perhaps it is the climate, the ex- tremes of heat and cold, in many of the States, which disinclines the youth to the active exer- cises which are in fashion in Britain, of hunting, rowing, cricket, fives, &c. ; but the authorities of West Point have wisely provided the manly, soldier-like, and useful exercises of riding and fencing, which are daily practised for some months, so as to strengthen and improve the whole physique. I remarked, that the masks were well-contrived with projections to protect the ears, and the flannel jackets were guarded on the rignt breast and upper arm, vith leather sewn on them. We strolled towards the grave-yard, and saw ■:'m ■»'■• ^' I "I THE LIFE OF A SOLDIER. 147 some affecting memorials to offit:ers and to cadets. The tombs converged to a centre, and were not disposed east and west, as in " the old country." One inscription ran thus, suffi- ciently touching, '* Dear little Sam, the child of H. C. and Harriet Bartlett." The darling of his parents required no other " storied urn." The favourite amusement iu the States is bowls, and there was a good bowling saloon at " the Point." The Superintendent was so obliging as to appoint different officers to ac- company us, and as it rained in the afternoon, we ^veie asked; in the phraseology of the coun- try, " if we felt like bowls." We said we did ; and adjourning to the alley, we played with bowls at large " ten pins," set up at the end of the raised wooden course, the balls being returned to us along an inclined trough. There is a good deal of crash, noise, and exhilaration about bowls, as played in the States. In the evening, we spent a very pleasant time at the officer's mess, held in a large apartment, well lighted and warm, the fare good and abun- dant, and the Madeira excellent; lYem, cham- pagne. The officers having no shell-jacket, as with us (an admirable dress, by the way, for L 2 .■^% .■■; ■ •■;■ ":^.>' .,1 ■ ■■! -.'si''.' I '%:•■■ - ^,K ■ -i' ;" "si ■ -*, .sil ft. -ii 148 PASSAGES IN !,.- ; ; mm mess purposes chiefly, but not suited for the streets, if a man is " wonderfully made," before and beiiind), dined in their smart blue frocks and shoulder-straps. Table-d'h6tes being sa much in fashion in the States, gave rise, per- haps, to peculiarities in discussing food, when sometimes there mav be " short commons ;" and one requires " to look a-head," or " come short." Thus, after soup, and being helped to roast beef, a waiter (the word servant is anti- republican) said, " Take a chop, sir, with your beef?" We did, and also help?^d ourselves, when offered, to potatoes, apple sauce, and maccaroni. I would rather use these mixtures, than sit down to underdone meat, the trail of woodcock, or to " high'* grouse ; the taste for which, in England, is to me incomprehensible. We finished with celery, cheese, and coiFee, and adjourned to play billiards in the ante-room. Many of our new friends (and I am happy to say that the most friendly feeling prevails be- tween the officers of the United States army and our own people generally — " may the hatchet never be unburied again" — there is plenty of elbow room for us all) had been engaged in the Mexican war, as I previously ■J •■ :M THE LIFE OF A SOLDIER. U!) noticed ; and they were pleased to tell, and we to hear, of some of their experiences in the country of the Aztecs. One thing they did not seem particularly to relish on service, was the clashing of rank of the militia and volunteers with that of the regulars. After a man has engaged in the regular service, and prepared himself by years of careful study at West Point, to have some of the glory and honour taken away from him by a gentleman fresh from a store, and " known on 'Change," was rather hard ; but the regulars have their revenge, as occurrences like this took place sometimes. General " Downy," of the militia, (lauded in a History of the War), in passing a volunteer sentry, who was lounging on the trail of a gun, called out, " Stand up, sir, and salute, or I'll take you off your post," whereupon ilr i sontry, applying his thumb to his nos*^ ^id, " That won't do, Gen'ril, I tell ye ; I was posted here by a regular lootenant 1" There was a fighting parson, with the army in Mexico, who was a character, and a great favourite. Thus, when the column came to a stream which the men hesitated to cross, he jumped into it up to his middle, and handed v.- A '..>ii ^•'! l^^ "'^: m '• . -'■ ■ If'-' •" ^ ■ ■'■■■<';., ''}C ." •.■V' ■ ■ 'V -^ ^ ■^■m 150 PASSAGES IN %,'■ ."t'-t^, .■'■' ■v ■'■>>' >;.•*•.,. i the muskets across dry, in presence of the enemy, and exhorting the men thus, " ComCy my boys, fight the good fight, put your trust in God, and kecip your powder dry," then, thinking he had said too much, he would suddenly hold up his hands, and say with pious horror, " What a terrible thing is this war !" In discussing the powers of endurance of different men, one of the officers remarked, " I don't care how large, or how small a man is, he will stand any fatigue under heaven, if he has only grit," (stamina). Some tales of the Cumanchee Indians of Texas, were interesting. The Texan Rangers found that the best way to defend themselves against the Cumanchees was with a revolver and a bowie knife. The revolver carried well for 100 yards, and more^ whereas the Cuman- chee arrows reached hardly seventy yards, to kill ; and though these Indians are wonderful horsemen, riding fearlessly, shooting arrows as fast as revolvers can be discharged, and cover- ing themselves with their horses' necks, yet they stand in wholesome fear of the new fire- arms. The Americans arc partial to using buck-shot : they think there is nothing like THE LIFE OF A SOLDIER. 151 tying up three buck-shot with a ball; if the ball misses, the shot may hit men right and left; if the shot did not kill, it disabled, and men went out of action. I have seen cartridges made up of twelve buck-shot, three and three, for close quarters. The Cumanchecs are ^reat horse thieves, and have been compelled of late years to eat horses for food. However, they relish this fare very much, particularly the part under the mane ; but, as we experienced in Africa, when compelled to eat portions of some score of zebras, (among other f era natura) the taste of thefleshisdisagree- ably sweetish, leaves a taste in the mouth, and it is not advisable to smell it. The liver used to be the delicacy of the zebra. In their forays, the Cumanchees sometimes kill the settlers, and carry off the white women. One of the officers at West Point had seen a white woman retaken. She looked squalid and miserable, had a skin round her loins, and had been a slave to a squaw; she was so overjoyed at her release, that the soldiers shed tears from sympathy. On the third day of our agreeable stay at West Point, the morning being beautiful and clear, and the willow-trees showing the bright green of returning spring (it was the 16th of ■ ;■* » ■■■'. ■ •>^2 '■■■#1, ■■■■■■'.,K. .'- . r I'll''' ' 'Ml* ^ . t- ' * * it ■ >■ .■:, ■ t' 152 PASSAGES IN I I April), I was up at five, and climbed the heighi on which are the remains of the interesting old revolutionary post, Fort Putnam. Trees grew on the ruined walls, the casemates dropped with water, there were wooded and lonely hills around, and the deep Hudson below; the air was fresh and elastic. I in «"■;'■•, • i:i'<\ V;, ^^ry '•:^i; my: i: «11 Ob, here is calm ! Still bold afar, Old world, thy hard, unspr.ring hand — We covet not thy flying car, That, like an earthquake, rends the land. No ; rather we will wander hence. O'er breezy heights, through valleys greeny. With nought to blind or jar the sense j And in the soul, with joy intense. Receive the moral of the scene. On a signal-staff was this civil injunction : "This signal is the property of the United States; all persons visiting it are respectfully requested not to interfere with or disturb its adjustment," it would hardly do on this side of the Atlantic " offenders will be prosecuted with the utmost rigour of the law." The " offenders" might laka Lynch law into their own hands. Descending the hill, I was attracted by the sound of martial music. T asked a cadet what THE LIFE OF A SOLDIER. 153 I it was. He said it was for guard mounting saw a suspicious-looking lump in his cheek — what one expects to observe in that of a Jack Tar; and if an Irish echo had been asked, "This is what? " it might have replied, if it un- derstood Latin, " Quid." The drum-major was " got up " with a bear-skin, &c., in the French style, and the band were distinguished by broad yellow lapels to their blue frocks. The cadet officers on duty for the day, marched past with black cocks'-tail feathers in their chakos, and saluted by dropping their Roman- like sword, without raising the left hand to the peak, as with us, and which, by the way, tends to un- steady the pace. I will now give, as concisely as possible, some of the regulations of the War Department relative to the U. S. Military Academy. And first, as to the admission of cadets : — Each congressional and territorial district, including the district of Columbia, is entitled to have a cadet at the Military Academy, and no more. The members of Congress nominate the cadets ; and there are ten appointments besides allowed, — these are termed " at large." The qualifications are, that the candidates must be over sixteen years of age, ■V, .,'■:»>■: •'■ -111 ■' ■ ■■XHd ■ '^K ' ■■■,i'f- ■•:'■■ ■ ■ "f ■•-,*■■•'-■'.' ' •:,vj;: Wf%' 154 PASSAGES IN fe * .V' I'J W*' ■•■■'■! t wmm. K'i'li,''''" ii s* and under twenty-one, at the time of entrance into the Academy ; must be, at least, five feet in height, and without disease or bodily infirmity. They must be able to read and write well, and perform, with facility and accuracy, the various operations of the first four rules of arithmetic, — of reduction, of simple and compound proportion, and of vulgar and decimal fractions. During the months of July and August, the cadets are engaged in the military duties and exercises, living in camp. The academic exer- cises commence in September. The half-year examination takes place in January. If any have been found unable to master the course, they are returned to their homes. " The nation sends these young men to the Military Academy, supports and pays them adequately, and opens to them an honourable profession, in the expec- tation that their best efforts will be given to qualify themselves for the higher duties of the military service. Those who will not, or cannot, profit by these generous provisions, should not occupy the place of those who will and can." In June is held the annual examination, which is also a searching one ; more than one-third of those who receive appointments fail to graduate. ■■,.r THE LIFE OP A SOLDIER. 155 Yet though these may have been averse to mathematical investigation, their mental abilities may enable them to succeed in other walks of life. During the four years of the course of study, the first or senior class includes engineering and the science of war, ethics, infantry tactics, artillery, mineralogy, and geology. The second class, natural and experimental philosophy, chemistry, and drawing. The third class, mathematics, the French language, and drawing. The fourth class, mathematics, the French language, and English studies. In running over the extracts from the regu- lations of the U. S. M. Academy, I find that no married person shall be admitted as a cadet ; and if a cadet get married, he must immediately resign his appointment to the institution. Offences are divided into seven grades, namely : — Mutinous conduct, . Disobedience of orders. Visiting in study hours. Absence from drill, . Idleness in Academy, . 10 Demerits. 8 5 4 3 i> if }i ,,, .... ■.'■;»> ,;i ".••?, Me .•• '"^l;>s '.■•;'-tj:;="'-' :-m 156 PASSAGES IN i^t' ?•.*■■ .•,'-•' •'■11. 11^ *."«.• ;i' ■ ».: "^.t.", mM. Inattention under arms, . 2 Demerits. Late at roll-call, ... 1 „ If any one year a cadet's offences number 200, he is dismissed the Academy ; each year the demerits count more, one-sixth, one-third, and one-half (the last year). Cadets may obtain leave during the encampments'; but if they overstay their leave, without good reason, they are " dropped from the rolls." A monthly stoppage of two dollars is made from the twenty- four dollars' pay of the cadet, to purchase a uniform and equipments, on receiving a com- mission. The punishments are, privation of recreation, extra hours of duty, reprimands, confinement to room or tent, confinement in light prison, in dark prison, private and public dis- mission. No cadet is allowed to drink intoxicating liquors, or to gamble, or use tobacco, or cook in his room, or keep a waiter (servant), horse, or a dog. Cadets must attend Divine service on Sundays (the chaplain was a Presbyterian clergyman at the time of my visit), no fighting is allowed with deadly weapons, and all combina- tions a^e prohibited. THE LIFE OP A SOLDIER. 157 The cadets are organised into a battalion of four companies, officered by the cadets, who are also made sergeants and corporals. The reveille sounds at five a.m. from 1st of April to the 1st of November, and at six the rest of the year. At ten P.M. " Taps," when all lights are extinguished. " Peas upon a trencher " is the signal for breakfast at seven a.m., and " roast beef for dinner at one p.m. The hair of the cadets is cut close behind, and no moustaches worn. With regard to the " police of quarters " — as the local term is — cadets arrange their bedding and clean their lamps, &c. The (cadet) officer of the day notes all irregularities in the rooms. Among the cadets at West Point, there was a Mormon from the Salt Lake ; also, Jerome Napoleon Bonaparte, a son of the ex-king, Lucien ; he had just got his commission. His general merits stood thus: on the last roll of the first class, eleven ; his age twenty-one and a half; and his demerits, for the year, only fifteen. He is likely to do credit in the East to his distinguished family. Having concluded our very gratifying visit to the West Point, we bid adieu to our new '' f''^'"' f >5|jB ;^^aH "nP^H F l,W^^H \ ^^^^Hr il^H H^^^^H '3H " ' * ) ^^ q^^K "'*'>« ^>^K ^wj^S^K T ''ytKf ' ^ySm . ' ''JiiiSw' f 'f ^^jl • I' - ' xi'' «■ , " '- ' , ' '': .-y 4 "v" • * . 1. \ 1 " .f ^ . ^ ' •. 1 ; ») ' '• :'n J i > -"I ' *.. I'll u r < 158 PASSAGES IN ',r ?*>';•:■ it.; KM- friends ; and, whilst my brother ofli 3ers went to New York, to spend a few pleasant days there, I 'ravelled north, and visited, at Troy, the senior officer next to the commanJ^r-in-chipf of the American army, an old and esteemed friend, Major-General J. E. Wool. We had travelled together formerly, and I had been presented by him to the celebrated President, General Jackson, at Washington. The honourable career of General Wool is as follows: — Entering the United States army, in 1812, he distinguished himself, and was severely wounded at the battle of Queenstown heights (where the gallant Sir Isaac Brock fell, and is interred), he became Bt. Lieut.-Colonel for Plattsburgh, for several years was Inspector-General of the Army, and received the rank of Major-General for gallant and meritorious conduct in the battle of Buena "Vista, in Mexico. I was glad to see that the General was still hale, strong, and cheerful, notwithstanding his arduous career. His good judgment and ma- nagement were particularly evinced when he led a division of 3,000 regulars and volunteers across the Rio Grande, into the heart of Mexico, to Chihuahua and back. When he was about to THE LIFE OF A SOLDIER. 159 cross the frontier of the enemy's country, a number of the volunteers of his force (whom he had brought into order, and had disciplined sufficiently to enable them to take care of them • selves) came to him, and said, " General we must help ourselves now." He replied, " No, I allow no plundering; we are to pay for our supplies." Hitherto, all the supplies, by long trains of wagons, had been derived from the States; he kne^ that these could not much longer be kept up, and that it wan desinille to conciliate the Mexicans, to prevert a system of reprisal for injuries, guerilla w^arfare, and assas- sination of stragglers. The General, accordingly, called all the volunteers together, and said, " Those who do not agree to my terms of no plunder, had better go back." He knew that they had come for fame, and would have been ashamed to return without a campaign. They promised obedience ; there was no plunder, no punishment, and his troops, on their long marches, were abundantly supplied by the Mexicans. At the great battle of Buena Vista, General Wool, in conjunction with General Taylor (after- wards President of the United States), defeated, n ' -'{- •< ' '''*. . .^\ /A- ' ■Mr: f > •"$ » * I Ai • r't\ 'nil *-«ifl 160 PASSAGES IN i;i^ mm . after a protracted struggle 20,000 Mexicans, under Santa Anra; the Americans numbered about 4,500. General Wool, on that occasion, exposed ' imse]*" fiirlcssly everywhere in the iieid, and Mipi vea the greatest bravery and military ski.'; li-^ thus holds a distinguished place in the annuls oi' his country, which, in perpetual alliance with Great Britain — "the nursing mother of infant nations " — it is to be hoped, will promote the arts of peace, extend liberty without licentiousness, morality, and our holy religion, to the ends of the earth. " Clemcntia et auimis." HI THE LIFE OF A SOLDIER. 161 41 ■iAM CHAPTER VI. Alessandro Gavazzi — He arrives in Canada—Leet ' 's .t Toronto and Quebec — Describes the Inquisition — A Kiot ensues at Quebec — Quelled by the Troops — Gavazzi pro- ceeds to Montreal — Anticipations of Riot there — The Battle Ground — Gavazzi's exciting Address — Its effects — A fight — The Troops called out — They Fire on the crowd — Casualties — Mayor Wilson — The Coroner's inquest — Opi- nion on the causes of the loss of Life. The blood-stains which not long ago lay thick on the plank side walks of Montreal, have been cut away by the keen edge of the adze, and the bullet marks have been effaced from the walls, where the painful tragedy consequent on the visit of the Italian patriot, Gavazzi, to Canada was enacted; but years will elapse before its traces are obliterated from the recollection of the inhabitants, and the deplorable results of VOL. L M '■.>.'-' '' ':m rt,,M,k ;| 162 PASSAGES IN fj' ■i;'V,V< f't '..'Ai,'" i. feK,^■;,vV the ovil passions then called into active exer- cise. I desire to place on record (having been requested to do so) a succinct narrative of what fell under my observation on the above sad and memorable occasion ; but first a short outline of the history of Gavazzi. Alessandro Gavazzi, one of the most remark- able men of the nineteenth century, was born at Bologna, in Italy, his father having held there the offices of judge, peace magistrate, and pro- fessor of law. Alessandro was the second of twenty children, and was remarkable in his youth for his talents and for his powerful frame. In 1853, he seemed a man of forty-five years of age, with dark hair, well-formed head, pro- minent nose inclined to aquiline, in good case though not too fleshy, and in height about five feet ten inches. At the age of sixteen, Gavazzi became a monk of the Barnabite Order, devoting himself to study. At the age of twenty, he was ap- pointed to fill the chair of rhetoric and belles- lettres in the college of Caravaggi, at Naples. His oratorical powers being remarkable, we next find him as a teacher and preacher at Leghorn ; -.■ f er- TIIE LIFE OF A SOLDIER. 163 but not being aljle to reserve to himself the expression of fervent sentiments of patriotism, he was forced to quit Leghorn. He then itinerated in Piedmont, preaching honour, virtue, the love of country, and the fear of God, to numerous audiences. He now incurred the op- position and animosities of the Jesuits, who contrived, through the minister for foreign aiTairs, Margherita, to get him expelled from Piedmont, wiiich was for his enemies a great triumph. At Parma he lived four years; and in the zenith of his power and his popularity, he has been known there to have addressed audiences the almost incredible number of ten times in one day — a superhuman effort. It was at Parma where he had such powerful effect over the pris oners, to whom he became chaplain- extraordinary. At Ancona, the fiery outbursts of his zeal, and the free expression of his liberal sentiments, occasioned his being imprisoned by direction of Pope Gregory XVI. He remained in durance till Pope Pius IX. assumed the tiara, by whose directions Gavazzi was liberated. After various fortunes in life of intense excite- ment, whilst Italy was struggling for liberty, M 2 ''vV ^'^'1 ( ''^:3 ':;'>:fl ■ ■>. ''''SB ■■'fl ■■:'MS^'' :::":.•:••'*•: ...;i'i;'. '^. n ■'*} 164 PASSAGES IN fi: '■■ ?>,■; II V .'iff ' ■■' i.i; 1i Gavazzi found himself again imprisoned in the dungeons of Cometo, among malefactors of the worst description. From thence, eventually liberated, he repaired to the eternal city, to Rome, at the time of the short-lived republic. Rome, attacked by the French, was defended with enthusiasm for a time, till at length she fell, and the leaders of her defenders, amongst whom Gavazzi was the chaplain-general, being dispersed, Gavazzi came to England, where he was received cordially by many new friends ; thence he proceeded to the United States, where his reception was most encouraging ; after which he accepted invitations to visit Canada, his mission apparently being to preach a cru- sade against Popery, as he stated it was ini- mical to the liberty of the people. Gavazzi declared that he was neither an apostate nor a sceptic, neither a follower of Luther or Calvin, but simply a disciple of the Catholic Church founded in purity by St. Peter. It would be well if these maxims could be adopted and followed out by energetic minds, at the same time discretion tempering their zeal. ■> ■.'! THE LIFE OP A SOLDIER. ** la the >yorld's broad field of buttle, III the bivouac of life, 13e not like dumb, driven cuttle, Be a Christian in the strife 1 liives of great men all remind us Wo can make our lives sui)liine ; And, departing, leave behind U3 Footj)riuts on the sands of time.*' 163 '>i Gavazzi's first lecture in Canada was delivered at Toronto, where, the Protestants and Orange- men being in the majority, no molestation was offered to him. From Toronto, passing Mont- real, he appeared at Quebec, the ancient capital of the province, where the French Canadians and Irish Roman Catholics, in the population of 40,000 souls, much outnumbered the other denominations. It was dangerous ground for him, particularly among such an excitable class as the lower order of Roman Catholics. The first lecture, which, doubtless, some of the Irishmen attended, to ascertain the nature of his oratory, was in the Wesley an Church. The sherifr, Sewell, was in the chair; but this lecture, as probably there was no time to orga- nize opposition, was allowed to proceed without interruption. However, broad hints were given that there might be danger if another lecture ■J /■. •i' '". li ■ ■•■';••*. • ■ ' • >* '., ' • '■ . . ■.',>, vtM '•' f.Vf.- y-jM- ' -^v. m ' •.:.^^S w 1 m 1 '■A 1 .■•^ ml ''■'% wi ■ ^4 WA V MmB\ ■ >^ ■ ■■^■«>l ^ -»-• 166 PASSAGES IN '5*f; <.'?." w »?•■'"•'"»•■, • pI .■-*]<'■;?!!!:■ l:'-\ it..'' >■',,: • (V. '.' ' .'ii. ..IV I h.-; .,,■ ■ l•■ !■!l 'y-'! ''■ ' v,?.V.- - ''i' ■ were attempted. The Wesleyans declined again to risk their handsome chapel, and, on the 6th June, 1853, the second lecture took place in the " Chalmers" Free Church — a very neat and appropriate building, ornamented with Gothic spire and windows. At eight o'clock in the evening, a large and highly respectable audience of ladies and gentle- men assembled in the Free Church. The subject chosen for lecture, as had been intimated by hand-bills, was — " The Ancient and Modern Inquisition," A number of rough-looking fel- lows, evidently bent on mischief, collected in the street and about the door of the church. The police were also there, in their blue frocks, and armed with truncheons ; but, as it unfortunately happens here and elsewhere, they were chosen not by the general government, but were put into their offices by the members of the corporation, and they were too often cr^nected by feeling and by religion with rioters aud indifferent char- acters. The lecturer described in fearful terms the severities practised in the Inquisition — among others, the torture by water, the face held up, the water dropping on the cloth muffling the .r T in ;h n THE LIFE OF A SOLDIER. 137 mouth, and he acted the gradual choking of the sufferer with such effect, that one lady we know (and there may have been others) left the church overcome by her feelings. Nine o'clock had struck; it had become dusk ; when, in talking of Ribbonism in Ireland, that combination for murder and violence, Gavazzi asserted that the priests did not try to put it down, when a voice from the body of the church called out, " It's a lie !" whereupon there was a cry of " Turn him out." The interrup- tion seemed to be a signal for a general out- break. The greatest confusion and tumult im- mediately ensued, and a volley of stones was thrown from the outside through the windows and in at the doors towards the pulpit. Dr. Cook, the eloquent and excellent minister of St. Andrew's Church, got into the precentor's or clerk's seat, and attempted in vain to address the excited multitude. The sheriff Sewell, and Mr. R. Symes, the energetic magistrate, tried also to restore order ; but rioters from the outside rushing past the unresisting police, and joined with those already inside, first hurled Bibles and Psalm Books from the pews at the head of Gavazzi, and then attempted to storm n% ,^-f<>:- :::■ . ■ .■■;,•/;■ j'.'l.i!'.- J-T' ,Srf- •■■•::i' ; /I 'III '■ "if.ji f?1l il 168 PASSAGES IN t0:^^-- in^j,;c.'r- ■.,'1. ;'.^ the pulpit, which is lofty, stands out from the wall, and is ascended by two stairs in the rear. The design of the rioters seemed to be to tear Gavazzi from the pulpit, and to beat him to death with bludgeons on the spot. He knew he was in great peril, and that the most strenuous eiforts were required to preserve his life. His muscular power and well-knit frame stood him now in good stead. Seizing the chair which stood in the pulpit, he struck down the first rioters who ascended the stair, and he battled with this weapon valiantly. A gallant sergeant of artillery, " Lawson" by name, an honour to his corps (and afterwards presented with a gold watch by some of his civilian ad- mirers), seeing the fearful odds mustering against Gavazzi, sprang to the rescue, got into the pulpit with Gavazzi, and fought by his side. His aid was very important ; likewise that of Cap- tain Haultain, R.A. and Lieutenant Noble, R.E. The chair was torn from Gavazzi's grasp, when he seized a stool, and wielded it also with effect ; till his assailants, climbing up behind when he was occupied in front, overpowered him, and the sergeant and the padre were hurled out of the pulpit by the legs. Ivjrtunately there '■ t>" ^m'i THE LIFE OF A SOLDIER. 169 IV \e le n le ;n ;d i- to e. )- d K Q was a crowd of rioters and Gavazzi's friends struggling below. He fell fifteen feet, on their heads, and thus escaped death from the fall. Regaining his feet, he hurried into the base- ment, where his secretary was also carried, though with black eyes and much bruised. The melee went on for some time in the church, and outside some of the gentlemen among the audience, were much injured. The howls and yells of the rioters were mingled with the cries of the terrified ladies. One or two strange incidents occurred, not reflecting much credit on the gallantry of the sterner sex, one of whom, having escorted a lady to church, after the tumult began, climbed into a safe posi- tion, and then, looking down at the lady, said — " Can you get up here ?" " No," was the ago- nising answer. " Well, for God's sake, take care of yourself," said the hero. Mr. Bu- chanan, the emigrant agent, was knocked on his back in the dark, and cut severely about the head. He called out his name and asked why he was struck, when his countrymen, who were battering him, apologised and helped him up. ■ "f ,1-lHH •■<;'« •iOH • ;'. V' ^ ** t^H "\,^^ Rm -ii!ffi 1 <''.m| , V ^'fl ■'"'"iS' ' '^'W '."^'mB ■?' ■■■l^ « ' . ;-tlt : "'>' * ■ ir I ■ i ** ' * . ...i.ti. ,'-.■'. •, ;.•"!.., ■ • .■ ' 1 1 » '•■-^1(t ■ ' _ / , -!:P' *'•(■ . 't,-%4 ■t— ..;.• ■I, . •- ■ . M^ '4 S '^-V •■,■■{■.' . ■' V«i>^" ^'M . •' ,t" ■ ,.f.** ' '-■H. '.\'i'.r' ■ • y '• - '*• ■» H ' ^ " "-4- ,. \ . ,^, V-'.f*, ■i'V'"-A'i; :-■' \ •' ; ■',:'tf }X' '> ■'. ' i|'"'.i l"'^\ ''^'A. '/ ''. •r.?.v^' ^*>>^',:. ■ ( ' ■i:k 1- *." .•iTi ■/;>■■■ 1 V «'• ;■> ■ ■ 'U . ■•■, ^.i fi ■■}i m 1 170 PASSAGES IN " They met with a friend, And for love knocked him down." X-'i,'. 1 When the rioters slackened in their violence, the police made a show of interfering, when the cry was raised, " Send for the troops." Coloael Grubhe, of the 66th Regiment, the command- ant of the garrison, quickly turned out a party of his regiment, and of the Royal Artillery, and marching them to the scene of the riot, it immediately ceased. The citizens who had re- mained in the church were enabled to retreat to their homes, and Gavazzi regained Russell's Hotel. A telegraphic message conveyed the above particulars to Montreal, with the addition that Gavazzi was about to visit this, the largest city in Canada^ of 60,000 inhabitants. Many of these were accustomed to arms since the rebellion of 1837-38, when the loyal people turned out most gallantly in the cause of the Queen, and subjecting themselves to great hardships, and risk of loss of property, health, aad life, marched and fought alongside of the regular troops. May they ever remain faithful to the oM iiag ! THE LIFE OF A SOLDIER. 171 The Montrcalers are an excitable people, active-minded, and rapidly advancing in pros- perity and intelligence; yet still, in 1853, there was a strong leaven of party spirit among them, which it was dangerous to rouse into action. From having seen many fights in the streets of Montreal at elections, and stones, pistols, and axe-handles freely used, the military called out, followed by pursuits and captures; and having also, in charge of troops, assisted to preserve order, I knew what would be the result of the injudicious invitation to Gavazzi to lecture in this city. What had just occurred at the usually peaceable Quebec ought to have been a sufficient warning of what would be likely to happen in Montreal. The invitation was given " to maintain a principle" — freedom of speech for Protestants as well as Roman Catholics - the recent convert from Protestantism, Brc i- son, having been allowed to lecture agains lis previous form of religion uninterrupted]\ out the result of the Gavazzi lecture at M ntreal was most lamentable. Expecting a disturbance from the moment of Gavazzi's arrival, desirous also of seeing what might occur, and wishing to be of scrvi c in •.."8 ':** r, " if, y . ' J. -:^s' ^•. •"^1':^ ■*!■ , •'i I m ' .t::tii:?| mi. % 'j'liir^l 172 PASSAGES IN Rk'- 'V: -., v" I i.gl:.:;';'-;^';, ;' i preserving peace and order ; on the 9th June, I walked, at an early hour, from my quarters in Notre Dame Street, to the steam-hoat landing. Gavazzi had been accompanied from Quebec by a number of friends carrying concealed arms. He was met on the wharf by the Rev. Messrs. Jenkins and Campbell, and others, and was escorted to his hotel b^' a body of friends, too numerous for the would-be rioters to encounter ; some of whom, however, well-known hired combatants at elections, were lurking about and watching the chance of a tumult. Duiing the day, Gavazzi held a sort of levee at the St. Lawrence Hotel, and walked the streets, accompai.\ied by a Protestant clergyman and zealo .15 Orangeman, the Rev. Mr. Campbell. Hand-bills announced a lecture by Gavazzi at Zion Church (the congregational) in the even- ing, and in the afternoon I went to reconnoitre the ground about i!, to consider how troops couM be placed to the best advantage in case of a serious riot. The Havmarket, where Zion Church is situated, is a large open space at the west end of the city. There are houses on the west side of the market, a fence enclosing a wood-yard on THE LIFE OF A SOLDIER. 173 ^ the east side, a detached weigh-house at the upper end of the market, in a diagonal line from which is Zion Church ; opposite are some enclosed gardens, above which the ground rises towards the Unitarian Chapel and Lagauchctiere Street. Craig Street runs across the bottom of the Haymarket, and south of it there is another open space called Commissioners' Square, with a detached fire-engine house. I thought that if a body of troops were placed inside the garden- fence opposite Zion Church, and ready to act in a moment if required, there could be , -i -trious riot. A different plan was adopted. Some of the respectable merchants and store- keepers went to the magistrates, and offered to enrol themselves as special constables. Un- fortunately the mayor, thinking that his police could maintain order, declined the offers of service tendered to him. A Protestant wine- merchant, whom I encountered, told me, " We will be prepared in the church to meet force with force." The relief of the 20th Regiment, which had been for some time in garrison at Montreal, happened to take place this day, tho *26th Cameronians taking their place. This was ■'•.•...•. Ji-r .:■ •■•■,.M- .'•: •,.''f'j M\ ■U.M ii •t^ 174 PASSAGES IN w ';!(;:•:■ • i *' ''* '' '' \^ 'i' «'.i^ ^^^ .■■ ) !»' ^[^'^ V.i m '*! ■ '■>•■•,,■! '^ 1; another misfortune; for the 20th Regiment were acquainted with the character of the people of the city, whereas the new regi- ment, just landed from Gibraltar, came into a strange place, of the inhabitants of which they were as yet quite ignorant ; by outward appearance, irrespective of deeds, they could not form a conjecture who were peaceable and who were riotously disposed. At six in the evening, I rode with Lieut. General Rowan, commanding H. M. Forces, to see the head-quarters of the 20th Regi- ment embark in the steamer for Quebec, previous to sailing for England. After the troops were on board, and the General having no further occasion for my ser- vices at the time, and I being anxious to hear so remarkable a character as Gavazzi, I went in undress uniform to Zion Church, buying a ticket at a book-store on the way. It was after seven before the church was reached. I met with no obstruction, though I thought it not improbable I might do so, as I passed knots of rough-looking men in the Haymarket Square. I overheard one man say to another, " There are some military in a house in Craig THE MFE OF A SOLDIER. 175 Street" (about 500 yards off). The mayor had brought thorn there. In front of Zion Church, I saw about forty poHcemen drawn up, armed only with their blue batons, which I always thought were quite inade- quate to deal with the pistols and bludgeons carried by the disturbers of the peace. On the right of the church, in a narrow street, two po- licemen were keeping the ground, where I saw a door leading into the basement, a convenient sally-port if necessary. On entering the church, I found the heat very great ; the afternoon was close and sultry, indi- cating thunder. The interior was filled with respectable-iooking men, with a few ladies in the gallery. The windows on the left of the pulpit were boarded up for fear of stones coming through them, as had happened at Quebec. I was invited to take a seat at the far end, below and near the platform ; but, anticipating a disturbimce and the calling out of the troops, I declined to sit do svn, and remained standing at the right of the cross passage, near the door of entrance. There I could see and hear perfectly well, and felt mysejf comparatively at liberty to act as the occasion might require. I m '/> 1 M ■i: ••• ■ .' - '^1 --ill 176 PASSAGES IN w' . ^ '• u This hand-bill I had just seen in the streets, but I did not think that the Irish Roman Catholics would pay much attention to it, though the Canadian Roman Catholics took no part in the subsequent riot : — " Catholics of Montreal ! ! I. if* Ti.tf"^ * Z ■■I..'/ > .M'-> ! 'V •' '.u I ■ s K* V ' 111. '^a 1 :i :H. Keep the peace, and let Gavazzi say what he will ; do not disgrace yourselves by creating a disturbance for the sake of a worthless fellow ; keep quiet, and take no notice of what he says. Your Protestant fellow-citizens will be ashamed of their renegade friar yet. " By order of the Catholic Institute. (Signed) " S. O'Grady, Secretary. " Montreal, June 9, 1853." Father Gavazzi was addressing the audience in Zion Church from the front of a temporary platform. On three sides, behind him, were seated about a dozen and a-half of gentlemen, among whom were some clergymen. Gavazzi was conspicuous by his commanding figure, long hair, '^nd black gown, with large crosses on the breast and left shoulder, as he is usually seen in THE LIFE OF A SOLDIER. 177 pictures. He spoke in ^"^^lish, and it was not easy to follow him at first. He was discursive, and his accent was of course peculiar. He was calm, and energetic, and violent by turns. He talked of the errors of Popery, of the danger of Protestant parents sending their boys to Roman Catholic schools and colleges, and their girls to nunneries, for education ; recommended Protestants on no account to allow their precious Bibles to be banished from their seminaries ; said he could hardly believe that this was a land enjoying freedom under British rule, since, though Brownson (before mentioned) had been allowed to lecture violently, and several times, against that Protestantism he once professed, yet he (Gavazzi) had been attacked with sticks and stones at Quebec. He " suited the action to the w^ord," threw about his arms, and clenched his fists, occasionally flinging the loose folds of his gown over one shoulder, whilst his hair at times streamed over his face. The whole scene and appearance of the lec- turer must have been startling to those with weak nerves, and there was a lurid glare of light shed through the southern windows of the VOL. I. N ' M ^ ''I > ■■ ^ I ,' » '*tV'.- • ' '\.''; '-f^ Jf" -Ml. ,, :r^;^ m] ,. '-t 9.; •!:r ^, IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 1.1 ■tt Bi2 122 u HA « Ufi 12.0 u& 11^^ Ilill^S !!!■ ^ 6" — ^ f^ '/ HiolDgraphic SoHices Corporalion 23 WIST MAIN STRin WUSTIR,N.Y. MSM (716)«72-4S03 I ■I? ?i'' 178 PASSAGES IN I if: church. I strongly felt that " coming events " do sometimes, indeed, " cast their shadows be- fore them." The audience maintained a deep silence for a time ; but I thought, that if I had been a Roman Catholic, and heard Gavazzi*s powerful denunciations against my creed, I must have been greatly stirred and moved against him, and that his manner of lecturing amongst, possibly, a mixed audience, was dangerous in the extreme. I also wondered at the boldness of the man, and how little he seemed to regard his own life, or the peril he then was in, and of the dangers he had already so frequently passed; indeed, "a baptism of blood." By and by, as he went on, there were encour- aging cheers from the audience, and some de- risive ones also near me ; and a person whispered to me that one of the leaders of the Irish Roman Catholics was in the church. Gavazzi now went on to give a ludicrous imitation of the apparently meek and gentle demeanour of a Romish priest, whilst speaking of Gavazzi, of his errors, his delusions, and clasped his hands, and whined as if pitying. It has been truly said, " C'est la ridicule qui tue j" and the leader above men- a THE LIFE OF A SOLDIER. 179 tioned now got up and left the church, just as the gas was lighted. Immediately cheering and shouts were heard outside, and those inside becoming excited, Gavazzi ceased speaking. Some got over the backs of the seats. I asked what was the matter, and was answered that there was a fight outside with the police. A party of men from the audience now rushed past me, and dis- appeared below by a side door. I thought they were escaping by the basement, but they pre- sently reappeared aru^ed, some twenty or thirty of them, with fowling-pieces. They went out- side. There was some more noise, but the tumult soon subsided, and the armed party re- turned inside. The gentleman (Mr. W. Lyman) in the chair behind Gavazzi, now came forward and assured the audience that all would be well, and the orator continued his address ; but again there was a disturbance outside, the church was attacked by a mob, and a man was brought in wounded in the head. I thought it now time to see what the troops were doing, and left the church, in which the only officer I saw was Captain Crespigny, 20th Regiment ; also two artillerymen near me. I N 2 ■Ia f- ■fr' S» --M*- ,.f., -I^" SI ■V.k- : m .■•iv( • ■ 'V ^^A I 11 « I);.. 180 PASSAGES IN directed the latter to come out. I saw the front of the church clear of the police r they had been attacked by the mob and beaten off the field. The two chiefs of police, the brothers Ermatinger, though fighting manfully, had been overpowered, and severely cut in the head. The rioters had tried to storm the church, but were repelled ; shots were exchanged, two or three men were knocked over, the rioters fled, and were pursued towards Craig-street by some of the church party. The rioters then drew up in a dark mass near the engine-house in Commissioners* Square, and their opponents shouted at them, waved their hats and guns at them, and defied them from the corner of the Weigh-house of the Hay- market. It was an exciting scene. The charging party passed me on their way back to the church, and I now saw below, the miUtary, 100 rank and file of the 26th Regiment, under the command of Bt. Lieut.-Colonel Ho- garth, CeB. (now no more), march along Craig- street, and draw up in a line facing the rioters, as if to separate them from the church party, or to enable the discomfited police to rally. I went towards the troops, and asking, on my way, if any of the people who had been hurt were !>".,, THE LIFE OF A SOLDIER. 181 near, I was directed to the Weigh-house, where I found a man in a coarse shirt and trousers, lying on his side, and in great distress from a gun-shot wound through his ribs. " It was just a poor boy* coming from his work," said a man beside me, " and he*s used in that way !'* But he had been engaged in the meUe, As Dr. Macdonald lived across the way, I got two men to assist to carry him, and I left him to the care of the Doctor, who had his hands full before the night was over. I found the mayor, the Hon. Charles Wilson, and the town-major, McDonald, with the troops. The mayor said that the police had been beaten, and J. understood that he also had been struck. There seemed to be a difference of opinion be- tween the mayor and the town-major about the disposition of the troops ; Colonel Hogarth, who was a stranger to the place, was desirous to get distinct directions what he was expected to do with his men, and he said he would immediately do it. The line was then faced about, and marched a little higher up the Haymarket, then divided; one-half under Lieutenant Quartley halted and faced about towards the rioters, the ..•'V.I :^k I,. ■.. ;■;;;«;■;;:- '■■■.;■?■.;•«"': ■:;".'*^'-:;il., ■5 :; a" A '.ill. '.'■'■'.'# Douelljr by name. Ifi I ..<*,: ■i:.' »f 182 PASSAGES IN other fifty men, under Captain Cameron, with whom was Lieutenant Chute, moved on obliquely, were halted and countermarched at fifty yards from the other party of the 26th Regiment ; they thus faced outward, one flank of each sub-division resting on the side walk on the west side of the Haymarket, the other flank being en Vair. I now took the liberty of suggesting to the mayor, with whom I was well acquainted, the expediency of marching part of the soldiers past the front of the church, and occupying the hill above, the rest of the troops remaining below (whilst the bulk of the audience in Zion Church, and Gavazzi himself, who was still inside, could retire) ; but the movement I proposed was not thought necessary ; so, taking up a position on the side walk in front (but clear) of the sub- division facing the hill, I waited to see the people come out]^of church ; the police in the mean time drew up again south of the Weigh- house. Some of the rioters had got round by the back of the church, there being too few police to observe them, and I saw a scuffle take place in front of the church ; the people about me, among whom were some females on the side THE LIFE OF A SOLDIER. 183 walk, seemed much excited. Colonel Hogarth was in the clear space between the two sub- divisions of his party, the mayor was moving towards the lower party from the police. I now saw some shots fired from the rioters near the engine-house, apparently in the direction of the troops ; and I understood afterwards that the balls whistled past their ears ; many of the party knew the sound of balls, as they wore Chinese medals; there was also much shouting, and a rush towards the troops. The soldiers had loaded by desire of the mayor previous to coming on the ground. The mayor now, hurriedly, read the Riot Act, which is very short. 1 was too distan]t to hear it, and I understood that some one called out, it was alleged to have been the mayor, " Fire ! Fire ! Fire !" which was done, first by the lowek' party as if rapidly file-firing, shots were fired from the hill towards where I stood, and this seemed to draw the fire of the soldiers facing the hill — there was a round from each sub-division; I heard no word of com'^aand from any of the officers, and whilst I drew back towards the houses out of the line of fire, and pushed the people near me back also, and into a doorway, :,;l;'-l R '■■■ ^!I m i *:%\ •J; I ' pi'.- Ft I' *■: •■>'■ ;?i'i l!.i,. 184 PASSAGES IN the bugle sounded loudly " cease firing.*' The whole was the work of half a minute. Some of those about me laughed, and thought that the troops had fired blank cartridge : but they were undeceived when some people were seen lying towards the top of the hill, yet the troops fired high, and, I am sure, discharged their pieces merely to obey what they thought, amidst the noise and confusion, was an order, and without any other feeling, having just arrived in Montreal. There were bullet marks very high up on the pillars of the Unitarian Chapel at the top of the hill, and a Mr. Drum- mond, who was in his house in the Haymarket, near which house one of the sub-divisions stood, told me that he remarked that the soldiers generally elevated their pieces, and fired at an angle of 45°, in proof of which, next morning, he drew my attention (when I was occupied sketching the ground for General Rowan) ta several large bullet marks high up on a brick wall at a blacksmith's shop in Commissioner's Square. Mr. Dawson a bookseller, also told me that he saw the troops fire high, and he thought they were merely " emptying their pieces." It was now eight o'clock and dusk, and the THE LIFE OF A SOLDIER. 185 spirit of evil seemed to be moving about among the crowd, and the groups of agitated people. Colonel Ermatinger, the police magistrate, and Captain Ermatinger, chief of police, were bleed- ing profusely from their temples, their men had been scattered with large stones chiefly, after resisting, in the first instance, the rioters ad- vancing to the steps of the church. There was still skirmishing going on at the outskirts of the mob, towards McGill Street, the rioters attack- ing at close quarters those going home ; more than two-thirds of the casualties — and there tvere perhaps fifty in all, killed and wounded — took place from pistol bullets and knives, and not from the large military bullets. Persons from ten years of age to sixty suffered, including gentle- men and workpeople, with English, Scotch, and Irish names,* two ladies were wounded, and some good people, though apparently not dan- gerously wounded at the time, died afterwards with much suffering. Colonel D'Urban, who had been, as Deputy- Quartermaster-General, superintending the em- * Pollock, P. Gillespie, C. Clarke, Hutchison, Adams, O'Neil, Welsh, M'Grath, M'Aulej, Clare, Guy, Wallace, Benally, &c. '. •i'v • , • % • . ^ 190 PASSAGES IN parently his comrades. She taxed him with being the cause of the troops firing, and the loss of life, when one of the men said, " It was not him gave the word ; it was the Holy Virgin !" If Mrs. Parker's evidence was correct, it clears up a great mystery. I saw her two or three times afterwards, when she was exposed to risk, and even wounded with a pistol-bullet, for her evidence, and I had no reason to doubt her veracity. A court of inquiry was assembled, by the direction of the Lieut. General Command- ing, on the conduct of the military on the 9th of June. The firing of the troops may be accounted for, as far as I could explain the matter from what I observed, in the following manner. The police had fought as well as they could in front of Zion Church. They w^ere few in number compared with the mob opposed to them, and they were very inadequately armed with their blue sticks only. The mob had sticks, stones, and pistols. The chiefs of the police were severely wounded; they fought bravely, and did all they could against such THE LIFE OF A SOLDIER. 191 m with and the " It was le Holy it clears 3r three to risk, for her abt her by the nmand- the 9 th nay be iii: the lUowing y could few in Dsed to armed 3b had of the fought t such odds. The as is well known, had on mayor, former occasions done very good service, and had shown a great deal of zeal and activity. This ought not to have been forgotten on the present occasion. Seeing what had happened to the police, and to quell further riot, the mayor ran off for the military, 100 rank and file, who were posted (I think) much too far from the scene of action, at a fire-engine house nearly a quarter of a mile from Zion Church. The military were hurriedly called out of the engine-house (next to the police station, Craig- street), and were directed by the Mayor to load, to quell a serious riot, and save the police. The police magistrate came up wounded and bleeding, and called out, " The troops ! the troops !" The soldiers saw and heard this. The troops were marched rapidly to the Haymarket, ready loaded. This was unfortu- nate. The act of loading before a mob has a useftd effect. Few of the people at the Haymarket knew that the soldiers were loaded ; I did not know tliey were loaded when I joined them. From what the soldiers saw and heard as they came on the ground, and from the confu- ' -4 H •Jf. -»iVi' •":• '[i- ■'X . V' tH l± .^V^^ '■'••■■'•• k' \'A.. ";Vl/ m ■'-..' ■n^ ' 'lri.1 .■>;*>•» n^ »' ^^i ^H< •■ '*'^ ' •"■{ VM * ■■'■■ ■'■■'ih'^ '.fir • I 4 ■ ' ■ 'It 'm 104 PASSAGES IN m ii-'i' 1:!' !.■ ■• .!/■,■ - ,.'•1 -■•'^': Jl;:!ij!;.i;j fired high on purpose, else the loss of life would have been much greater. It was unfortunate that one division tired against a hill. As I said before, if the troops had not been on the ground at all, from what I saw of the angry feelings of the contending parties, at least 100 lives, instead of twelve, must have been lost in and about Zion Church. Until there is less rancorous feeling nnd party spirit abroad, we cannot dispense with armed men. There were three consecuti\ e years of disaster in Montreal. In 1852, terrible fires swept across the city. In 1853 was the Gavazzi tragedy just described, and in 1854, a fearful visitation of cholera. Fourteen hundred citi- zens and emigrants perished in July and August. May we hope, that with the radiation of rail- roads from Montreal, the success of the numerous factories rising in the suburbs, the appearance of the flags of all nations on the waters of the St. Lawrence — and among them ever pre-eminent the red-cross flag of Britain — the triumphant completion of one of the world's wonders, the Victoria tubular bridge, the subsidence of party spirit, and the spread of charity and brotherly THE LIFE OF A SOLDIER. 195 love, and, above all, by tbe blessing of the Almighty Ruler of events, that Montreal, like its glorious mountain in the leafy month of June, " Viret in aeternum !" ,,■ >■■ - 'tj- . , Ai", o 2 196 PASSAGES IN CHAPTER X. The White Mountains of New Hampshire— ~*ortland in Maine — The Foundery — Cape Cottage — The Portland People — A notion of Canadians — Sermon of Bishop Lee — Glen House — Directions for Waiters — Visit the Crystal Palace, New York — Fellow Jurors — Mr. Collins — General Scott — Strange petrified Group — The bearded Lady — High tide of Enterprize — Discussion on Slavery — Accom- pany the Administrator of the Government to Quebec — Amusements there — A Snow Fort — Snow Shoe Races — Great Ceremony to re-inter the Bones of Warriors — Burn- ing of the Parliament House — ^Visit the Lower St. ^jau- rence — The Habitans — M. Bonenfant — Trout, Salmon and Whale-Fishing. m To the White Mountains of New Hamp- shire, and to Portland to look for sea-bathing quarters, a most agreeable journey was made after the " Gavazzi riots." By way of the valley of the St. Francis, by the lake called THE LIFE OF A SOLDIER. 197 Island Pond, we reached the fine group of the White Mountains 5 and 6,000 feet high. I ascended one of them, and was highly pleased with the wild forest scenery, and the panorama of mountains around, the view extending east- ward as far as the broad Atlantic. At the beautiful River Androscoggin below the mountains, there is good fishing ground, and the journey down the Connecticut River is through a pleasant and fertile country. Port- land is a clean-looking, cheerful place, with plenty of trees shading the streets, a fine bay and a rising trade. I had the pleasure of making the acquaintance of the family of the President of tlie St. Lawrence and Atlantic railroad there, the Hon. Josiah Little. A gen- tleman who kindly piloted me in Portland, was Mr. J. Dublois, whom I met at Miss Jones' boarding-house, one of the cleanest and best I was ever in, and with some very agreeable ladies and gentlemen to converse with. Mr. J. Brown, one of the most enterprising of the merchants, showed me his extensive works for converting molasses, which he imports in large quantities, into a capital brown sugar, which is extensively used in the States. •■mi ■i.f^ 198 PASSAGES IN I. ' |«S .«;:■•■ *;l■:^ ."'1^.* -ii ■■ ' I I. At the Portland Foundery, I was pleased to see the behaviour of the men at noon ; instead of going with dirty hands and faces to their meal at that hour, they all washed and put themselves to rights, ("slicked up** is the phrase) for dining. They begin work at seven, after their breakfast, have an hour for their mid- day meal, and work ten hours altogether, and well too. American superinten' ants and contractors are not to be trifled with. Some don't allow a pipe to be lighted, or a word spoken during working hours. This is hard on "Paddy" at first, who likes to take a "shough of the dudeen," and to " discoorse,*' resting on the top of his spade. The common workmen got three quarters of a dollar per day at the Foundery, the next class one dollar, mechanics one dollar and three quar- ters, or seven shillings British — more than the pay of British lieutenants of the line. At Cape Cottage, on the sea shore, a short distance from town, there was a good bay for bathing, a grove of trees behind for a noontide walk, and the Atlantic dashed incessantly in great white waves over a group of rocks before the windows. It was altogether a place where. THE LIFE OF A SOLDIER. 199 as the American phrase is, " one could have a .o-ood time." At Portland is the head-quarters of the Maine Liquor Law party, and I can testify to the quiet and order wh'^h was preserved in the streets at all hours, helped, also, no doubt, by lending libraries, an excellent museum of natu- ral curiosities, a well-regulated post office, at which letters could be written if required, and a town band, paid out of the taxes, which also assisted to keep the people quiet and amused, and tended to inspire them with self-respect. Between thirty and forty ships were built about this time annually in Portland, and its exports were fish, lumber, ice, &c. Its inhabi- tants numbered about 24,000. Tlie people looked healthy generally, and the ladies were " fair to behold," facts attributable to the good climate, the long rocky promontory on which the city is built, being swept by the pure breezes of the ocean. The deep bay here never freezes, like that of its rival Boston. I much admired the islands which stud the bay, for they seemed to promise " no end" of pleasure, in the way of pic-nics and fishing \ 'It •I. -'1 ■ .-I < • ^ ,''^il WJl !i M ■^'11 ■M 300 PASSAGES IN m' i <' expeditions. Altogether, I consider Portland quite a model town, and I am happy that the State of Maine, with its fine people, " away down East," •are now in a manner " hooked on" to Canada by means of the St. Lawrence and Atlantic rail. As we know more of the citizens of the Union, and they of us, I hope and trust that Christian charity will mutually ahound, igno- rance is the parent of ill-will and jealousy. An old Yankee, at the late Boston jubilee, had a curious opinion of Canadians, many of whom were invited there, and he remarked to an acquaintance, " Wall, Sir, there be a considerable of Cana- dians to Bosting neow. I never seed much of them Canadians, be'nt they raither an Indiany kind of folk ?" I journeyed back towards Canada with a pleasant party. At the hotel, at the foot of Mount Moriah, I spent Sunday, when Bishop Lee, assembling a congregation in the public room, and taking as his text one of the verses of scripture inscribed on the toml)s at Cape Riley, over three of Franklin's sailors, " Consider your ways," drew such an affecting picture of THE LIFE OF A SOLDIER. 201 1"! what must have been the sufferings of the brave and devoted Arctic leader and his people, that 1 saw now clearly the excellent feeling which had suggested the Grinnell searching expedition, under the intrepid Dr. Kane from the port of New York, so very creditable to our transatlantic brethren, and now followed by the restoration of the abandoned " Resolute," to the British Government. I visited Ellis Falls among the mountains, and put up at an excellent hotel for excursionists, desirous of ascending the 6800 feet of Mount Washington opposite. In the dining saloon there was this characteristic notice : " Glen House, White Mountains, 20th June, 1853. Rules for thi^. Glen House dining- room, to be obeyed by particular request of the proprietor of this house, by the servants in the dining-room. " There shall be no dancing, singing or whistling while waiting on meals, — there shall be no remarks made upon people sitting at the table. No smoking, chewing tobacco, or spitting round the room, — there shall be no stopping to eat while waiting on meals, or taking anything off the table to go aside. No ■^■1 'I'i '"■f i. , ; - '4. ' '; ** ',i .'/if ' .,»-•'. •!<:i 202 PASSAfiKS IN servant is allowed to t;iko any liberties with any lady or gentleman in the dining-room. J. M. Thompson, Proprietor of the Glen House, Isaac Kendall, Head-Waiter." Said head-waiter, by the way, was a smart coloured man, and he kept good order among his white and dark assistants, and placed abundant and wholesome fare on the long tables. There is some sport to be met with on the White Mountains ; what I did in this way was to catch a porcupine with my plaid, but like the man who won the elephant in the raffle, I did not know what to do with it. In Africa, it would soon have gone into the pot, but here after it had parted with several score quills m my garment, I let the poor creature go, not agreeing with the wish of the guide to " kill the porcumpine with a club." Invited, at the end of 1853, to attend as a juror from Canada, on the arms, &c., of Class 8 in the New York Crystal Palace, I journeyed thither with Major Rowan, R.A. THE LIFE OP A SOLDIER. 203 '19 i3* any Military Secretary, and " we had a good time." The Crystal Palace was a very creditable undertakin«^ for those who orifrinated it, and though it ditl not turn out a profitable specula- tion, it caused to bo collected and exhibited in a vast structure of glass and iron, works of art of great interest, useful machines, the most improved implements of husbandry, valuable articles of porcelaine, glass and jewcillery, cotton goods and broad cloth, cutlery, ships' iron boats and life boats, cannon and mortars, pictures and statues, arms of all kinds, some of which were lent from the Tower of London, revolvers two hundred years old, &c. My fellow jurors in the section of arms, &c., were Colonel Page, Colonel Hazard, Major Mordecai, U.S.A., Captain Cullum, U.S.A., Mr. E. K. Collins, Mr. Bell, &c,, they were pleased to appoint me chairman, and Major Mordecai, who was at the head of the arsenal at Washington, an officer of great scientific attain- ments, rendered valuable assistance as recording secretary. We carefully examined the arms of American and foreign manufacture, some of which were of the most costly description, and m .'..."ii ■ .I •'• •f' ''. :h4 :i^i v.^| :m m 204 PASSAGES IN ; 'M ■ ' 'Mj- S^^i ?J ■ ■..• h.'". -» ... „'■«>?■ , m^ ■ :. awarded medals to the best of our judgment, and without partiality. One afternoon Mr. Collins, the well known principal proprietor of the fine line of ocean steamers from America to England, named after him, (the rivals of the Cunard line) shewed me over one of his ships ; she seemed in high order, and the accommodations very luxurious. It was understood that the American steamers did not last so long as the British, owing to the great quantity of fuel consumed, and the consequent "wear and tear" of the machinery in the desire to beat the Cunard line ; this is now altered. From what I saw and heard of Mr. Collins, I should think he follows what I observed hung up ir his office, whilst waiting for him. A GOOD RULE. 'Tis well to walk with a cheerful heart, Wherever our fortunes call, With a friendly glance and an open hand. And a gentle word for all ; Since life is a thorny and difiScult path, Where toil is the portion of man, We all should endeavour, whilst passing along. To make it as smooth as we can. Mr. Collins is greatly to be sympathised with ltk>: \m THE LIFE OF A SOLDIER. 205 m for the terrible domestic calamity which, after this, befell him, when the Arctic steamer was run down and lost off the coast of Newfound- land. Major Rowan and myself paid our respects to the Commander-in-Chief of the American army. General Scott, who fought well for his country against our troops in the war of 1812, and also was the chief in the Mexican war. He is a tall and robust man, with white hair and a quiet demeanour, he was suffering from the effects of a recent accident, having tripped up and fallen over a projecting stone in the street. He said, though jealousy and animosity had led to the last war with Britain, yet since then a kindly feeling had sprung up towards the old country. It would be absurd to go to war now, our interests were so blended, there was enough in the w^orld for both nations without quarrel- ling, and he thought, that if there ever arose any combination against England, that her American descendants would immediately step forward to assist her. The progress of Canada was dis- cussed, in assisting at the invasion of which, long ago, the General was severely wounded at ihM ,■ , •.■,', '|K . ■ ^l i •' *» ■ :■:?. M"^ ■- s "' ■^■- >q^: " •"'','* * - '.-"i! M *.".l "•• •.-♦" "<>} >.,••. ::^i^-^\ :• t ■' • '].■■■ "i 206 •I f A J* It!' a. "■ ■i PASSAGES IN the battle of Lundy's Lane. It was considered that Canada would be a fiital gift to the States, and would cause a dissolution of the Union. Among the remarkable objects I saw at New York at this time, was a group consisting of an Indian and his horse in the fatal embrace of an immense serpent, all converted into stone, and said to have been found in a forest of South America. The horse was on the ground, the man stooping over it, and partly concealed by the folds of the monster. This was not exhibited by Mr. Barnum, but the bearded lady was, and she was certainly a wonder. Madam Clofulhia was a Swiss, age about 34, and was born with a beard, and as she told me, had a son ten years old with whiskers. She was a short and stout person, with a sallow complexion, not a happy expression ; and she invited me to touch her black whiskers to see " there was no mistake," and there was none. Two men and a woman from the countrv. sight-seeing, came up to the bearded lady, who was sitting in the middle of the room, and one of the men, touching her bare shoulder, as if it had been a piece of statuary, remarked, " there is. bar (hair) here !" \mii t*^'"' THE LIFE OF A SOLDIEK. 207 We were very hospitably entertained by my friend Mr. Hoge, and I was much pleased to meet again, among other old friends, the very intelligent Mr. S. Ruggles.* We left the great pulse of New York beating high and strong, there is no rest there. A country manager hired a man to blow a horn, he rested for a time. " Why don't you blow ?" cried the manager. " There's a rest of tifteen bars here," said the man. " I hired you to blow, not to rest," said the other. The busy world is always blowing at New York, and sometimes there does not seem time to finish what had been begun in earnest. A cook was asked her opinion of a particular child. " It does not seem done enough," said the cuisiniere. One thing, however, seemed to have been well finished here at this time ; that was a fire-proof safe. The inventor, Mr. Wilkes, bet five hundred dollars as to its power of standing fire ; and he won his wager. It was severely tested for four hours, then opened, * I claim connexion with New York, as a Member of the Historic'il and Ethnological Societies there. m .Hi- V-li» V„, 'iS- '■■■ '.n '■■'.• ■■" ■. «. >><:;,■■■. ■■ '■;■ :'.%'■' 'ify.' /■.'•I'M 1 ly I' J* 208 PASSAGES IN when a live cock walked out of it, shook its feathers and crowed ! After this, we returned to Canada, hearing, by the way, in a rail-car a discussion on slavery between a man from the South and a New Englander. The last said : " I may give it as my opinion that if slavery war (were) unprofitable, you would let the slaves go free ; but as long as you make money by them, slavery will go on. Almighty money, that is the God the Yankees worship." " Why, if slaves were free to-morrow," said the other, " you would require an army to pro- tect the whites." " Well, you have got an army," said the New England man. " We have got none here, in Vermont. One Yankee boy and his ride will keep everything quiet here. There's a mob now and again, that is the everlasting politicians, because we are governed by law." " Yes," said the southerner, " more law than justice ;" and there was a laugh all round. Lord Elgin having gone to England, General Sir William Rowan became the Administrator of the Government for nearly a year ; and I accompanied his Excellency and Lady Rowan to its THE LIFE OF A SOLDIER. 209 Quebec, near which the Governor-General's residence at Spencer Wood is one of the most agreeable in America, high above the St. Law- rence, in a park of seventy acres. Gardens, trees, walks, fine prospects and fine air all combined in rendering it attractive. Looking over the bank in front, one saw a characteristic Canadian prospect, a perfect " desert of rafts," which had been floated down for shipment in the fleet of vessels, timber which lay under the shadow of the rock of the citadel. Close to Spencer Wood is the path by which the chivalrous Wolfe and hiis troops climbed to fight the battle of the plains of Abraham ; and not far off, a handsome pillar, surmounted by a Roman helmet and sword, erected by the troops, in Canada, in the time of Sir Benjamin D'Urban, marks the spot where he fell. A well beside this, afforded him his last draught. People at Quebec live nearer each other than in Montreal, and are very sociable and hospitably disposed. There were big and little dinners, balls, private theatrieals and music. When the winter set in with all its Siberian force, we put VOL. I. V m ',■■1 '■ 1-j .•■i;v>j '■:|V,.:.' Vj m i,:?f. h-^A 210 PASSAGES IN i i;: .li. ;f"/, K;»il si. on the light and broad snow shoes, and went straight on end over fields and orchards. On one occasion of a fancy ball in town, and the three miles of road from Spencer Wood being impracticable for horses, owing to a partial thaw, and followed by a hard frozen surface, whilst the branches of the trees by the wayside, cased in ice, rattled like immense bundles of arrows. Aides-de-Camp Wetherall, Colborne and myself were obliged to " pursue pleasure under difficulties," by snow-shoeing into town in our blanket coats, and with our fine clothes dragged over the snow in a hand sleigh or toboggin. But the grand doings in winter are at the frozen cone of snow and spray, eighty feet high, or more, belov/ the Falls of Montmorenci, where crowds of people " in fine spirits" go out to slide down the cone on hand sleighs. A gentle- man taking a lady in front of him, and steering with one leg behind, till they happily end their rapid career far out on the bosom of the St. Lawrence. A mishap may cause them to descend head foremost, and plunge into as now wreath amidst the laughter of the spectators. THE LIFE OP A SOLDIER. 211 Of late there have been skating rinks covered in, where ladies and gentlemen, in appropriate costume, display their graces and improve their health. Curling is practised with ani- mation at Quebec. As a native of Caledonia, I had a severe day on the open ice as umpire at a grand match between the Scotch and the Barbarians, as all others are facetiously called; and then followed a big dinner and speeches. A large Snow Fort, complete, with ditch, bastions, a high keep and flag staff in the centre, an abattis of boughs and trous-de-loup, or pit- falls, outside, was constructed after some weeks' work, at Spencer Wood, by means of the forty men of the 66th Regiment stationed there as a body guard. Aptrty of cavalry was improvised amongst the grooms for reconnoitering pur- poses ; defenders were placed in the fort, and five hundred men of the two Regiments at Quebec, the 66th and 71st, with a battery of the Royal Artillery, were marched out to attack it with scaling ladders, &c., in the month of March. When martial excitement was at its height all over the civilized world, we had our little practice among the snows of Canada. p 2 '^'^ '- • J .it ^y. ■ 5vC■"■'|^»• :..^•i■ > -■'.'•V* :, .•••■4(8 r r. t^.h ■'■I 212 PASSAGES IN >.fi-: i.'A Pirns '-. m^ li" ,:...i The programme was, that an attack being threatened on the fort, and the enemy ap- proaching, a reconnaissance took place with the cavalry, who retired on ascertaining the strength and apparent designs of the enemy. The fort was then invested, when a sortie was made from the fort by light infantry on snow shoes. The guns of the artillery opened on the fort for a time, and the skirmishers retired. The enemy now closed on the fort, their riflemen in advance, and were received by volleys from the fort. The enemy retired twice, and finally advanced, covered by a heavy fire, to the ditch. Some however, including a fine tall fellow, Segrave, of the 71th, who led them, disappear- ing, to their surprise, in the trous-de-loup at the salients. The ladders were lowered into the ditch, some carried to the opposite parapets, which were scaled amidst showers of snow balls, when a short scuffle took place inside, in which some bruises took place. A part of the garrison, not captured, retired to the citadel, intending to hold out, but the eager assailan'.s applying ladders to it also, the place fell, and the flag was hauled down amidst great cheering. THE LIFE OP A SOLDIER. 213 \ 1" Great interest was occasioned by the garrison snow shoe races for prizes this winter ; and the citizens became so excited after the second com- petition, that they subscribed for a third, both officers and men contended, also some civilians at the last. Marvellous jumps were taken over hurdles, and much amusement was occasioned by the accidents which occurred, without any injury to the person, from the keenness with which the contest was kept up. After the fall of Quebec, in the winter of 1760 a large French and Indian force coming from the direction of Montreal, under M. Levi, attempted to surprise the city, and beat back the troops who were incautiously and hurriedly, sent out against them. M. Levi afterwards besieged Quebec for some time, but reinforce- ments arriving from England, the siege was raised. A highly respectable and energetic French Canadian gentleman, and Scotch by his mother's side, the Honourable Colonel Tache, collected subscriptions, in the spring of 1854, to erect a monumental pillar at the scene of the desperate conflict which took place between part of the M - ■•''lift ■'■'■■ y. ... « -■.■•»"i ■**'-ui 214 PASSAGES IN ii U'-;i ■ p. Quebec garrison and the force of M. Levi, round an old windmill, on the St. Foy road, and not far from tho residence of my esteemed friends, Mr. and Mrs. Okill Stewart of Holland House. The bones of the dead were to be seen In summer on the banks of a rivulet there, and they were being washed away at the melting of the snow in spring. A great procession, accompanied with a funeral car, was got up, at which the garrison assisted, to collect these honoured re- remains, and re-inter them where British, French, and Indians, once foes, were now mingling their dust. This affair, coupled with the happy union of the flags of France and England in the ex- pedition organizing for the East, had the best effect in dissolving lingering jealousies of the two races in Canada, where it is the sincere desire of the government that all the colonists should be on a perfect equality, and as equally partake of the offices and appointments under the Crown as old-country men. In fact, a colonist has now a much better chance of getting oflice, if he is capable of il«f THE LIFE OF A SOLDIER. 215 holding one in his own colony, than an old- country man with interest, and seeking employ- ment in a colony. This I was told hy the late Lord Sydenham, Governor-General, when desir- ing to be employed in exploring and surveying in the Oregon Territory. There was certainly no want of variety this winter in Quebec. Among other incidents of note, was the burning of the fine Parliament House there. It overlooked the broad St. Law- rence, and occupied a commanding site in the Upper Town, and where, at the conquest of Canada, stood the Bishop's palace. It consisted of a centre, ornamented with a handsome portico and dome, and two projecting wings. The whole had been built at great expense j it con- tained the Halls of the Legislative Council, and House of Assembly, a large and valuable library, the chambers of many of the public offices, an interesting Museum of the Literary and Historical Society, and pictures of British Sovereigns. The want of a watchman inside, and an over- heated stove, were the causes of the catastrophe, at which, though the cold was intense, 20° below m ill . < ■il '1 ; -I, VM 216 PASSAGES IN ■ rb B> 1 >■■ < 1 M kI*-:; B IHra Lnf ''''** 1 m S?(l'"'' M InS i'ii«''«'- 1 H It ■ Ml arr'< ^''^ V K|9| uloi i; ' I M & ■ 1 |/» l-;>' 1 iiF, 1: ih} ^'"''' m f '•'<*,' -^ (jf ' |1 '•■■ i r ''^ Kliii.i zero, Colonel Grubbe, the commandant, with his regiment, the 66th, Colonel Stack, min the 71st Light Infantry, Colonel Thomdyke, with his Artillery, and Colonel Wolfe and the Royal Engineers, assisted most vigorously and zea- lously. Yet the wooden partitions and stair- cases inside got the better of them, and the building was burnt out. Some of the books, pictures, and furniture were saved. The city tiremen could render little assistance for want of water. Another large building was immediately after in the course of being fitted up for the Parliament, and that, too, was burnt before it was used, owing to the accumulation of shavings by the workmen, and perhaps some carelessness about a pipe. Finally, the Parlian '^Mt took refuge in a handsome Music Hall, which was hired for its deliberations. Summer, at length, came round, and it was a hot one. No rain for weeks, and the dust thick on the roads and streets of Montreal and Quebec ; there was an outbreak of cholera ; and some esteemed citizens were cut off. Ge- neral Rowan took a farm-house on the Lo- wer St. Lawrence, for sea-side quarters, at the ^ THE LIFB OP A SOLDIER. 217 scattered French Canadian village of Cacona; and the uir and drives were very enjoyable there. N(;arly opposite Cacona, the great river Sa<.riienay, poured through its immense walls of rock its deep flood into the St. Lawrence, and there was the fine mountain range on the north shore of the latter river, on whose waters the white sails of merchant vessels were continually observed, giving constant life to one of the finest pictures that can be conceived. From Quebec to Metis, two hundred miles of excellent roads conduct one through a primitive French Canadian population. The inhabitants cultivate their fields and gardens there in peace, and their pastures are ever green, whilst in other parts they become yellow in the fall of the year. The glittering tin roofs and spires of the churches are frequently observed along the river . and the population, from the social disposition of the people, may be said to be continuous, though not thickly set. The houses are picturesque, wooden generally, of one story, with high roofs and dormer win- m :i\ 'r-ui vm ^KI » ■ 'J I.-: f ■ Mi ft-"' '1^*' if "> i... if 218 PASSAGES IN dows; inside perfectly clean, and a clay oven usually outside. At the side of the greai barns there is seen a peculiar kind of windmill for grinding the corn. The priests have great influence amongst these simple people, and there are many excellent men among the ecclesiastics, who have got a college at St. Anne's. Large crosses are seen by the wayside, and sometimes figures of our Saviour and the Virgin, as large as life. The men are small, of dark complexion, and dressed in home-spun cloth ; the women, in summer, are in printed gowns, and with enor- mous, but useful, straw hats. All are per- fectly polite to one another, and to strangers. It takes some time to understand their patois French, It was in a house of one of these worthy habitans, that we lived for some weeks. M. Bonenfant was an old bachelor with a bustling housekeeper, and some nephews to assist him on his farm ; and his avocations were various in- deed. At one time, he might be seen felling a tree ; next making hay with a wooden-pronged THE LIFE OF A SOLDIER. 219 M. fork ; then on his knees milking a cow ; again he would be observed at the wash-tub, preparing his shirt for Sunday ; and, lastly of an evening, occupying himself, * spectacles on's nose,' with the spinning-wheel. No occupation seemed to come amiss to Bonenfant. Judge Meredith, greatly esteemed in his pro- fession, had taken a house not far off, and as we were in the best fishing region in Lower Canada, we arranged to wet our lines at lakes Vaseaux and St. Simon, the latter thirty miles from Cacona. We went in a caleche, and hired canoes, and caught many dozen of excellent trout with the fly, in fact, I never saw fish so abundant be- fore as here on the south shore of the St. Lawrence. On the north shore, there is a mine of wealth in the way of salmon fishing, which is not ge- nerally known. One river in Scotland used to rent for £12,000 a year — chere are thirty rivers below Quebec as good. With new and increas- ing means of transport, fresh salmon could he caught N. E. of the Saguenay, and sent to the United States, &c., under most remunerative circumstances. A couple of armed schooners ,^l,V' '■ . .y:.-kV ;:::ii . ■'»)i: '■m I'.H' " 'HI jfct'.'^'^'.it^'. ■•■■ !!*■.-»■ 220 PASSAGES IN cruising there would prevent poaching and pre- serve order. When formerly employed explor- ing and surveying in the forests of New Bruns- wick, and in Canada East, for a military road, I was grieved to see so many fine rivers destroyed by dams across them, and no Queen's gap, so that the fish could not get up to spawn in the proper beds, and when they at- tempted it below, the spawn was carried off by floods or devoured by other fish. Valuable streams were, and are, ruined for the sake of benefiting one individual. It is to be hoped the Government will see to this important matter. The month of June is that in which gentlemen fishermen engage pilot schooners at Quebec, freight them with tents, skiffs, cooking apparatus, preserved meat, liquors, fishing tackle, fowling pieces, mosquitoe nets, &c., and move down below the Saguenay, for v;hat is considered by many, more exquisite sport than any other in the world, the pleasure of catching a firje salmon. Five or six weeks are sometimes spent among the rapid, cold and clear Labrador im-' THE LIFE OF A SOLDIER. 221 rivers in salmon fishing. The expense may be about 100 dollars for each person, if three engage a fishing smack, and the return may be fifty or sixty fish with the rod, and a large brown or black fly. The Esquimaux Indians there, spear the fish by torch light, also some white barbarians do the same. Tho white porpoise of the lower St. Lawrence is a curiosity in these waters, where there is also seal catching, and plenty of sea-fowl shooting The Bay of Chaleur, New Brunswick, is like- wise visited by fishermen for its fine salmon rivers, particularly the Ristigouche with its wild scenery and rapid career. Mirmac Indians will be found about it. There is a magnificent pool for salmon below the great falls of the river St. John, near where the writer owns a farm of fine land. The Nipissiquit, also, in New Brunswick, is a favourite salmon river, and the Gold river in Nova Scotia. I fished in the Mirimachi, and ate delicious salmon there for some weeks, without ever tiring of it. Rod fishing in these countries, however, re- quires this preparation, a few drops of '5 t X.i ■■i: 'i>l • '■ ■■ r ::.•:^i • '■#■ ■''',"■ ■'■■,,■■• '. :< ;:,!; V'.r-.l','. 1,1 '-.* ■"A ■A ''^ 222 PASSAGES IN '.-! 1 rj'> %y. Fl I It')/? ¥^^ .1 V fl !.L creosote in some oil to smear the face and hands, and so repel insect tormentors in summer. The gentleman fisherman who visits the Lower St. Lawrence in his schooner will see sights like this: he is becalmed, maybe, and there is a partial fog on the water ; he sees a strange object near ; by and bye it turns out to be a whaleboat with a crew; then another is seen, and the white sails of a whaling schooner. A couple of whales blow ; the boats row towards one of them, perhaps a ninety-feet whale ; the harpooner rises in his place, and drives his weapon into the whale ; it rushes off and circles for three miles, the boat being towed after with a wall of water on each side of its bows. At last the monster stops ; the boat approaches again ; twice is a lance plunged rapidly into its vast back ; with a roar of pain and rage its head and shoulders are thrust above the surface; after many struggles for life, at ^ast it vomits blood, falls back, and is secured. The other whale may be its cub, which swims con- tinually round its mothor, and is also soon lanced. A round of good beef is taken out THE LIFE OF A SOLDIER. 223 from under the fin, which eats well; but with the exception of this particular morsel, the meat of a whale tastes like an old lamp. ■rm ■ • .. ... » • i-fM ■ . ■■"■ ^:, As one of the real order of travellers is not content till he has traversed a considerable portion of the mountains, valleys and sands of Africa, with its novelties of scenery and dangers THE LIFE OF A SOLDIER. 225 in the shape of savage men and wild beasts, so I was not contented, when about to leave America, till I had sailed on the waters of that vast inland sea, Lake Superior, so clear, so deep, surrounded with alpine rocks and cliffs, fringed with mighty woods, falls of flashing water pouring into it, at many most picturei.jiie localities, and its shores abounding in exhaust- less stores of mineral wealth. The beauties of Lake Superior are as yet unsung and comparatively unknovvn, but they will not remain so long, now that the ship canal is completed between the waters of Huron and Superior, at the Falls of St. Mary ; our adventurous yachtsman seeking a new excite- ment, will be able to leave England in " tho merry month of May," cross the broad Atlantic, be tugged up the St. Lawrence, with its grand mountain ranges about the coasts or Labrador, and visit the ancient capital Quebec, the scene of the conquest of Canada, by the im- mortal Wolfe. Taking then a new start, he will pass on to the thriving and enterprising city Montreal, see there one of the greatest monuments of human skill, the Victoria Tubular i i •1 ''""■",1 , r ::^: ■ ■ ■■ ,1'. VOL. I. Q I' ■ }• 226 PASSAGES IN 5,1. -.»' -- Bridge, next pass up the great river, its banks variegated with the smiling fields of an active population, and the remains of primeval forests, circumvent the rapids by means of canals, linger about the Lake of the Thousand Isles, and at Kingston enter the waters of Lake Ontario. Sailing onwards he tarries awhile at Toronto, the capital of Western Canada, he tlien drops anchor in the Niagara River, and visits the great Cataract, the world's wonder, passing round it by means of the Welland canal, he navigates Erie or the Mad Lake, then the strait separating American from British territory, next Lake St. Clair, and enters the great Lake Huron, clustered with islands at its northern part, and abounding in the finest lake salmon and white fish, which the Indians of the Manitoulin islands know so well how to secure. At length, he will reach the Mecca of his pilgrimage at the bright waters of the River St. Mary, and engage there a half breed pilot to assist in the navigation of Superior — the father of lakes. [f we had yet to see all that the above THE LIFE OF A SOLDIER. 227 banks active forests, canals, ousand ters of 'oronto, 1 drops its the passing nal, he en the British ers the Is at its 3st lake ians of how to "ecca of e River ed pilot or — the 5 above voyage promises, there is no undertaking we would sooner engage in for three or four months in summer, than a voyage from England to Lake Superior, and we now heartily recommend it to the notice of our enterprising yachtsmen. Expecting a summons to the east before long, to assist in the great contest which was then raging, and for which at its, commencement, as was my duty (having been in Russia and in the Crimea before) I had volunteered, in the autumn of 1854, I got leave to pay a parting visit to some relations in the West, resolving whilst there to see, what I often tried in vain to do, Lake Superior. With a pleasant party, which I happened to meet on . .^cd the Champion steamer, commanded by a fine manly specimen of a lake sailor, Captain Sutherland, we looked from the wharf at Lachine, nine miles from « Montreal, and b} Kingston we reached Toronto. In Canada, there is now a considerable ad- mixture of Americans among our British population, and a genuine Yankee is not un- Q 2 II , It >■.'■>( . .... v? mi mi .... i I ■ '■.'JL 228 PASSAGES IN ■1'. ii'itl ■' h- '!■"■ ' ■. ■.»■ • y.'rS common among the settlers ; our fine land tempts them over the lines, they make improvements, and then " make tracks " for another /ocation ; but they always preserve the cool independence of their original " diggings." Thus an officci encountered in a narrow road near New London, a hay cart driven by an American citizen. The biggei load usually holds on its course, and the lighter vehicle is expected to give way to the other, and whilst the Yankee held on to the "crown of the causeway," our military friend disputed this arrangement with his dog cart ; both pulled up, and the officer taking a newspaper from his pocket, read it for a time, and then crumpled it up. " Mister," said the owner of the hay cart, " if you're done with that paper, I'll take a spell of it." After this "the Britisher" seeing it was useless to hold out any longer, gave in. Though the navigation of its lakes and rivers has been of the greatest use and advantage to Canada in summer, and the frozen tracks over the snow have facilitated intercourse and traffic during winter, yet, in this rapidly progressive THE LIFE OF A SOLDIER. 229 it age there was a call for railroads here as else- where, so that in summer and winter one mi^ht pass freely along the length and breadth of the land. The Canadians felt their way with some short railroads, next the Montreal and Port- land, and then the great undertaking of the Grand Trunk Railroad, connecting the chief cities and extending a length of 850 miles, was begun, chiefly with British capital, and is now just completed. The vast and fertile regions of Michigan, Minesota, Wisconsin, and the Far West generally, of the American States, will be thus connected with the St. Lawrence and the Atlantic at all seasons of the year. The giant work on the line of the Grand Trunk of Canada, is the Victoria bridge, the cost of which is estimated at £1,250,000. Its great square iron tube, two miles long, rests on 24 lofty stone piers 100 fee*; high, with sharp edges up the stream of the St. Lawrence above Montreal, to cut and splinter the large sheets of ice which descend on it in November. The span between each pier is 242 feet, and 350 I i:j :s •■^ ."•'n ■'i, .... A II ■■;' St % ./'■if -^ 230 PASSAGES IN H. over the navigable channel in the centre. The Victoria bridge, constructed on the principle of the Britannia bridge at home, will be well worth a voyage across the Atlantic to examine it, besides the peculiarities of the works on American railroads in general. The progress of Canada has been immense since I first landed at Montreal on a mud bank a number of years ago, before the splendid stone quays, to be compared only to those on the Neva at St. Petersburgh, were built, when a sailing vessel sometimes took a month to complete the voyage of 180 miles between Quebec and Montreal, and when the prospect of having 1400 miles of railroad would have been considered an idle dream. But this has been realized and much more ; for instance^ the St. Lawrence has been tapped and sent by water works seven miles long, to the highest buildings in Montreal, under the direction of the Canadian Engineer T. Keefer. Then the deepening of the rapids, and removing large boulders in them, was an important work in progress when I left Canada, the importance of which, and its value to the mother country THE LIFE OP A SOLDIER. 231 cannot be ovor estimated. Would that many British statesmen would only visit this colony before legislating for it. There were several good specimens of clever, calculating Americans on board the Champion, and we soon got acquainted, one said : " Firewood is high in Montreal, ten dollars the cord." *' Then what is your remedy ?" I enquired. " Why this, let a smart Yankee come along with a steam tug and two barges, buy wood for two dollars along the banks, and sell it for five, why don't some of your folks lay hold of this?" A Scotch farmer from Chateauguay, said that all the firewood about him was used, and they must now burn the fences, and throw several fields into one. He had both French Canadian and Irish labourers, the former were more willing than the latter to work, but did much less, being lighter men. We rounded the long and low spit of sand forming the harbour of Toronto, its fine build- ings and church spires rising before us along the flat beach, with numerous lake craft and 'iff II '•'1 i I ,;li. :^ ■■;• '--'4 * 'jf 232 PASSAGES IN ": .'; sjeamers in the foreground. When I first saw Toronto, in the time of that admirable public o!iicer Sir John Colborne, (Lord Seaton), it contained 3000 inhabitants, now it numbers 45,000, and when we walk through its streets and see its handsome stores, filled with choice goods from Europe and the States, and observe the business air of the well-dressed inhabitants, the good horses and vehicles moving actively about ; we cannot be surprised to hear that property has ircreased enormously in value here, and that labour is in great request, sometimes two dollars or 8*'. 4rf. per day being the wages. There is no direct taxation, the merchants and traders are in good credit, and education is carefully attended to in excellent schools and colleges. The fertile soil of the back country, with thriving f^irms up Young Street (or road) &c., may have been the chi^f cause of the rapid growth of this fine city ; and as railroads are now radiating from it, its onward progress will, no doubt, be amazing. Still let the inhabitants of Britain, who can live in tolerable comfort at home, be made aware that the American climate is trying for THE LIFE OF A SOLDIER. 233 many constitutions, and " ages" a person sooner than that of our native island. The heat is great in Toronto in summer, when the lake becomes a great basin of tepid water ; and in winter the ice boats and skaters wheel rapidly over some feet of ice on the frozen bay, when furs, and stoves, and all the appliances to resist a severe winlur are in demand. I drove out of Toronto to the Milton Mills of Mr. Gamble on the Humber River, and tarried there for a day or two with his amiable family. The country and woods were very attractive about Mr. Gamble's place, six miles from Toronto. I also stayed a night with my old friends, Mr. and Mrs. Widder, on the shores of Lake Ontario. Mr. Widder is the chief commissioner for the Canada Land Company, (proprietors of the great Huron Tract &c.), and is a gentleman highly esteemed {pr his ability, and for his attention to his important duties. The company sell and let land. Next morning I was up at five, and off to the station of the rail which led north of Toronto towards Lake Simcoe, &c., where formerly I had ridden with the Lieutenant Governor to see a V ill M :■}' lU 234 PASSAGES IN iil^.'i'v:. '■■■•J mi7e of experimental wooden tram-way, we had now the iron path extending towards the Georgian Bay of Lake Huron. But matters were as yet conducted roughly, the man who took me in a cab to the station, asked me a dollar for the short journey, on my object- ing to the charge, he said, he had to get up and get his breakfast before bringing me along. Then there was no cover for passengers at the terminus, and the baggage was thrown down on an open platform; the conductor having called out " all aboard !" the cars began to move on, and as no one had taken charge of my portmanteau and bag, nor of twelve others lying there, I called out that the baggage was being left behind, whereupon the guard cried : " Get on board yourself, jump ! and we'll take your baggage !" I saw it thrown on board, and pitching my roll of cloaks on the step of one of the cars, I sprung after them catching hold of a rod of iron. Now all this was dangerous and very bad, a lady could not have taken a flying leap THE LIFE OF A SOLDIER. 235 without the risk of losing her life. But in America, one requires to keep the " eye skinned," as the saying is, or life, limbs and baggage may suffer. The night before an attack had been made on the train, with what object it was impossible to conjecture. Three men were observed at a place called the Cross ; they lowered the tele- graph posts as the locomotive came up and cut the engineer under the ear with the wire, and followed this up with a volley of stones which knocked out two of his teeth, he stopped the engine, and ran back, but they were otF. The sheriff of Barrie was in the car. We stopped at a station on Lake Simcoe, and he asked me to get out and look at a new steamer there. To my surprise, I found my baggage on board, and about to make a voyage without me on tlnf. lake, I got the things back on the cars, and we reached Barrie, when the sheriff politely looking out for a covered conveyance for me, I got into it, and found two handsome young women in it; and we journeyed on together towards Penetanguishine, 38 miles oflf, through the woods, and by a rough road. ■4 \i • Ax r ■-■■': /••if 236 PASSAGES IN jt .j-'i . .■■■'.•■• At " Hamilton's," the half-way house, a country inn, where the young women left us, we stopped to refresh. I found some old soldiers there, hanging about; and, addressing myself to a fine tall fellow who saluted me, and rejoiced in the name of Paddy Murphy, I asked him his corps. He replied, the 1 3th Light Dragoons. I said I had been in that regiment in India, when immediately, in a state of great excitement, he called out to the others (late of the 79th Highlanders), " Oh ! blood and ouns, here's an officer of my old corps !" and wanted to treat me. I said, I hoped he did not indulge in drinking ; and as he was an old Peninsular and had been wounded at Salamanca, he ought to take care of himself, he replied : " I will die, Sir, and then there will be an end of the drinking." Charles, the half-Indian coachman, asked me if I wanted some dinner. I said, I did ; and he and a friend of his, also a bois hruU^ sat down with me to bacon and eggs, cheese and tea. The two were very polite to me, and to one another. After our repast, a little man came up, looked at me, and asked me if I was THE LIFE OP A SOLDIER. 237 the Bishop of Toronto. I had a broad-brimmed white hat on, blue neck-tie, dark shooting-coat and vest, and thick 42nd trousers. I certainly did not expect to pass for, even in the woods, a dignitary of the Church. 1 replied, I was not a bishop, and enquired why he asked. He said, he was expecting the Bishop to come along that way. His daughter was going to be married, and he wanted hor to be confirmed first ; then, pulling out a square of tobacco, and biting a piece off it, he added, winking his eye at the same time, " I expect we'll be able to marry her without it." As we drove off, the dragoon came up to shake hands with me, and to borrow a quarter- dollar, of course not for bread. The road did not improve as we went on through the forest. First, in a deep rut we lost a wheel. This was put on again. Next an iron under the pole broke, and the horses turned round, and locked as if to see what had hap- pened. A stout fellow came up and helped us, exclaiming, " that's the music !" as things were painfully screwed into their places with the ■ ■■•.'■' . ■ ■ i- :■*■■.■• " hi I ■I m t mi 238 PASSAGES IN drag-chain and a rope. It fell dark, and we jolted and lumbered on. Like the ship-boy, I '■>A; ■ :• •••i, <*'''■• ■■•'■■ f< "On the tall and giddy mast," I can sleep almost anywhere ; but I was suddenly awoke from a doze by a violent pitch forward of our vehicle, which then remained stationary with its stern in the air. The pole, fore- wheels and horses had become detached from the body of the elegant conveyance, and the two half-breeds were laughing, whilst they were trying to hold on by the reins and pick themselves out of the mud. We had lost an important bolt. Charles said to me, " Will you ride one of the horses to Penetanguishine, Sir?" " What will you do with the portmanteau ? You can't strap it on a horse." " No, we will leave it in the bush." " That won't do ; I will remain with it, and you go on with a horse the twelve miles for help." Whilst this was being arranged, we heard voices and the noise of wheels in the wood, we le of iau and for eard ood, THE LIFE OF A SOLDIER. 239 and three teams with waggons drove up. I transferred myself and baggage to one of them, and found they were freighted with Lake Superior miners, their wives and traps. There was a discussion whether we should stay at a wayside inn or not. " No, sirree ! Til stay in h rather," said one of the wild fellows, " bad fixings there, the bread is sandy." One of the women who had no cloak on, and was sitting on the top of some harness, com- plained of cold as we " squirmed along," as they termed it, through the deep road, so I put a plaid about her. " William," says one of the men to the husband, " you'll lose your wife now." " No fears," I said, ** unless I want two." At last, after I had begun to be fearful about the state of my habiliments from the rough seat, we arrived at the inn at Penetanguishine, and getting into my travelling night-bag, I slept like a top till half-past five; then, re- freshed with a country walk before breakfast, cleaned my boots as I best could. Grease is more used than the " incomparable Warren," ^5 1 ,-,-.'■■ .r^l .:•'>. i" -ii! 'm >■ .*;• "i»8 240 PASSAGES IN '*.*fvK* '^m , ^-m' ■"r-M in these mining, lumbering, and hunting regions. There is a fort and barraci 4 ' 1 -ti » ^ I II fl '-ft;!' W,i •'' S< legislators in Canada had acted wisely, would have been on the British side ; I mean the ship canal, a mile in length, connecting the waters of Superior and Huron, and thus overcoming the impediment of the * Soo/ We saw 1200 workmen, mostly bearded, employed in excavating, blasting, and build- ng along the course of the canal. These, labourers were either Irishmen or Germans. I conversed with Colonel Glen, the state engineer, and I remarked there was one objection I had to make to thfc canal, it was on the wrong side. " Well," he said, " we waited for you to make the canal on the north side ; but, as you did not, we did it on ours." The dimensions of the ship cana^ ?X the Sault Ste. Marie are these : The length . . . . Depth at low water mark Width at the bottom At the water level . . At the top of banks . . The locks each in length The width of ditto . . 5694 feet 12 64 100 115 350 70 (( (( (( (( « i( THE LrFE OF A SOLDIER. 251 (C (( (( The cost of locatiors, construction, &c., is estimated at 1,066,75 J dollars. The exca- vations are mostly through rock and granitic boulders. The locks are supposed to be the largest in the world. I saw a quarter of a mile of solid- faced masonry, twenty-five f:'et high, ten feet thick at the base, with heavy buttresses every twelve feet, all of which was laid in hydraulic cement ; and the stone for facing was brough; several hundred miies from Sandusky. There was increased cost of work in 1854, labour and provisions were high, dysentery also prevailed and cholera cut off the constructor and head carpenter. Five hundred thousand acres of pine land, and two hundred and fifty thousand acres of mineral land have been located in connexion with the canal, that is the Federal Government granted to the state of Michigan seven hundred and fifty thousand acres to raise funds to get the canal through. I went out with two Indians, in a canoe, to the bottom of the Sault, to see the method of catching white fish, here most delicious, with a ■hi .:-i'' \\ m 252 PASSAC'IS IN :!;. i V..' scoop-net at the end of a pole. One man stands at the bow, looking over it keenly into the clea* and rapid water ; the other steers, and keeps the canoe up to the proper places where the tish are running up stream. The quiekness of eye of the Indians is wonderful in detecting the fish, and their dexterity great in fishing it out. They also use fish-spears, and the life of a white rnan was saved by one of the latter some time ago here. Some adventurous young men, in a sail-boat, not taking any Indians used to the Sault w'ith them, thought they could shoot it; they got into the boiling water; the boat pitched over, head foremost; two managed to cling to her, and escaped; one only of those who missed his hold of the boat and was hurried down the Sault was saved ; an Indian in a canoe was fishing below, and seeing a body come down under water, he drove his fish- spear at it, caught the man by his clothes, and brought him on shore half dead. I now put myself in the hands of a clever Indian named Canaush, or white man — as he was fairer than the others about him — in order li THE LIFE OF A SOLDIER. 253 that I might have a short cruise on the waters of Lake Superior. My Iriendly landlord, Mr. Pym, stowing away some provisions in the bottom of a fine * north ' canoe, we commenced with a crew of four stout Indians to pole and track up the side of the Sault among some islands, then paddled away past Point aux Pins towards Gros Cap on the right, and Point Iroquois on our left — so named from a great massacre of the tribe there by some of their enemies, who had surprised th'-m wiien en- camped, and expecting no harm from the lake side. Lake Superior abounds in remarkable natural curiosities ; there is an immense scope for the pencil there, and curious Indian legends may be gathered there, connected with its lofty head- lands and caverned blulFs. The painted rocks are great objects to visit at the lake, where they stand out fantastically into the water, are hollowed out into caverns by the action of the waves, and are crowned with foliage. The lichens which cover the cliffs are of various hues : yellow, grey, burnt sienna and deep brown; whilst bright blues, greens and .1) M ■■n 254 PASSAGES IN lit >'"'■ ••'■,''.' „ •■'■ m" scarlets are not wanting — the effect of the whole is wonderful. On some of the painted rocks on the lake, the dates o^ earl' 'oyages are still on the liclic' s, 17 i )> oi^c of tliese; whilst rude figures c a ' :;*'HiOr3, by Indians, indicate a traveller from the Mitsisippi. Horses have also been scratched on the rocks ; wild swans drinking water with their heads raised ; bears pursuing hunters, &c. Pic Island is remark- able, as it overhangs its base like a mushroom, and is difficult of access ; a strange and silent lake, cliif bound, is in the interior of the island. At Gargatua Point the canoe is usually stopped over the dark water, to allow the stranger to observe the rocks, jutting up from great depths in pinnacles under the surface, whilst the gigantic figure of Manebajou, 60 feet high, sits on his rock and looks sideways and solemnly across the vast lake. Offerings are made to him of tobacco by the Indians to help them to a good wind for their western voyages. The Indians also expect the white voyager to contribute a piece of money ; any- thino; will do that has any value. THE LIFE OF A SOLDIER. 255 rays Isi? Poyal, rich in copper, belongs to the Am-ricaps, as do the beautiful Apostle Islands on the south sh )re. Thunder Cape, a great prorr.jnLory on British territory, rests like a huge lion, 1,400 feet high, by the side of the lake. Cariboo Point is where the most curious of the hiero^iyphic:^ are seen, handsome agat'. , are also found there. Canaush said, in describing the perils o he navigation, that he had taken a young Enplisti- man and his tutor, some years ago, to st i;\e painted rocks on the south coast, it came on to blow $0 hard that the canoe and passengers were cast by the waves right in among the trees and bushes of an island, where they Uved on berries for six days, getting only one white fish from an Indian after a walk of twelve miles for it ; at last, after the wind subsided, they got away from their prison. The five great Lakes of North America cover an area of 90,000 square miles. Ontario is 180 miles long, 65 broad, and with an average depth of 500 feet; Erie 250 miles long, 80 broad, and 200 feet deep; Huron 200 miles long, 160 broad, and 300 feet deep; ;J 256 PASSAGES IN J- j^*^'-?, Lake Michijran 360 miles long, 108 broad, and 900 foot deep ; whilst the great Lake Superior is 355 miles long, greatest breadth 160 miles, mean depth 98S feet, its elevation above sea level is 627 feet, its area 32,000 square miles. Lake Superior has its dangers like the other great lakes, and is subject to squalls and tempests, raising waves, unlike the long swell of the Atlantic, but quite sufficient to engulph those who are not prepared to encounter their power. Mr. J. L. Wilson, mining on Michipicotton Island, said that, in navigating the lake in open boats in gales, when he got on the crest of a wave and saw white water on both sides, his boat then might sink for want of support ; in which case he would suddenly lower his sail and let the wave go past. The copper mines of Lake Superior appear to have been worked long ago by the Indians with rude tools, and their descendants, as I under- stood, know from their ancestors of several valuable mines still undiscovered by the wliite men, and the localities of other mines have been iM ^^■m THE LIFE OF A SOLDIER. 257 r to lans der- /eral liite been communicated from time to time ' for a consider- ation ;' yet much, it is said, remains to be revealed. Though the land close to the lake, in many places, appears barren and unfruitful, and the vegetation of black and white spruce, red pine, birch and aspen stunted, yet inland, at some distance, this is not the case ; trees increase in size with a deeper soil, and corn, fruits and flowers, reward tlie industrious cultivator of the useful and the beautiful. An American shewed me some very early wheat which he was introduc- ing at Lake Superior, and which he said would be ready for the sickle in seventy days after it was sown. He was also taking up turnip seed from Quebec, where seed imported annually from Scotland produces the best turnips ever tasted anyv/here. The whole of the coasts of the lake are rock bound ; the southern, or American shores am comparatively uninteresting in the way of scenery, but the north, or Canadian shore, consists of a series of the most picturesque islands, of crags and cliffs descending sheer into the clear water ; nature beinsr exhibited there in her most fan- ■■ti h. <* ft nj ''fn *3m II VOL. L S m m 25S PASSAGES IN 4' ^'tn- ii >-i ;.r' 1 1^ ■•;''' 7/ ■,';*".- •is m-' 1:4 I tastlc guiso. There also is the groat cataract of Kakabeka (or straight dovviit'all) near Fort Winiam, 130 feet high and 450 broad, besides minor falls on the numerous rivers which feed the lake from the north. The salubrity of the tlimate of Lake Superior is a great recommendation, and it is very bracing for invalids exhausted by the heats of the south. The Americans say that at Kcweena Point the cold is not more severe there than in the New England States. The temperature of the water throughout the year, in the centre of the lake, may be stated to be from 30° to 40^. The lake from its great depth does not freeze in the centre, but sometimes as far out as 1 5 miles from the shore, the ice can be traversed with safety with dog sleighs, that is when storms are not breaking it up. Bears and deer are some- times seen taking an involuntary voyage on a detached floe of ice. Dr. Jackson, U.S. geologist, re-discovered, from the old French records, those valuable copper mines which have since yielded so abun- dant a supply of ore, on the southern shores. The operations of the Lake Superior copper THE LIFE OF A SOLDIER. 259 company comrnencod in the y»3iir 1814, at Eiiglc River, were not successful; but their successors, the Phoenix Connpany have raised and exported from the Cliff mines, great quantities of ore. They also discovered a quantity of the black oxide of iron. Copper lias been found in masses of 100 tons weight at Eagle River, and 900 tons are said to have been got out in one year, also silver. Stamp ore is that v^'hich requires to be crushed along with the rock in which it is diffused, and barrel ore consists of lumps which are shipped in barrels. Before these American lakes were touched by railroads, the value of their commerce was estimated at 327,000,000 dollars ; what it will be since the iron horse has reached them is in- calculable. The fisheries of Lake Superior are very valuable, ^he Indians depend greatly on the fish for their living, though bears, Alpine hares, porcupines aid wild fowl reward the successful hunter. From Fond du Lac, at the west end of Supe- rior the great Mississippi River is not far s 2 ' ■''. M 260 PASSAGES IN m. i ;«■''.: I distant, rolling its turbid flood over the Falls of St. Antiiony, and towards the waters of the Gulf of Mexico ; but to see and enjoy wild life, the active traveller might arrange, at one of the Hudson's Bay Company's Forts, an excursion throu":h the forest and wilderness land north- east of Lake Superior, and not stop till he reaches Hudson's Bay, and then ship himself for home at York Fort. We paddled, sang boat-songs, refreshed on shore, and the Indians smoked their kinnikinic leaves mixed with tobacco. A Lake Superior excursi'.n is very enjoyable; I could not make a long exploration, for two reasons, it was late in the season, and it was hard work paddling against the north wind in the end of Septem- ber ; then I expected to hear of my regiment going to the Seat of War from Malta, and I had the prospect of my leaving the staff to join it, so, as a finish here, we " s^ot" the rapid of the Sault Ste. Marie, which we recommend to those fond of excitement. The Indians took a moderate *' horn " of fire water before attempting this, tightened their belts, and Canaush going to tlie post of honour. THE LIFE OF A SOLDIER. 26] the head of the canoe, to guide it with his paddle and clear the rocks, the naan at the stern had to ohey the short and sharp orders of Canaush. The water was sooth at first, and we glided along quietly, the paddles dipping to keep the head of the canoe in the proper direction; as we looked at the bank we observed the great velocity of our course, it increased as we got among loudly threatening and wildly tossing black waves with white crests, and were pitched and dashed through them, Canaush standing up in a fine attitude watching the rocks, and the dangerous eddies among them ; we shot past the wooded islands, and reached the bottom of the rapid, amidst great noise of angry waters boiling and sparkling round us. A scene of great excitement was exhibited elsewhere on this day, the Battle of the Alma was being fought, and some old and valued friends were being violently hurried into the eternal world, whilst we were " shooting" the Sault Ste. Marie. We passed Indians " scooping" for white fish, > '■' ,i '■¥ 262 PASSAGES IN ■T" « ..■''MA ■"'' '• t V ' ',■'•■■ '•■'jf'ki.",-' ' '■ 1 ,y.' •"■* pie ^ and heard of accidents from drink at the Sault. Indians tumbling out of their canoes and being drowned. Indulging in fire water dots not suit such a fall as that of Ste. Marie. Parting with some new friends at " the Soo," I embarked in a noble steamer, the 'E. K. Collins/ with one of the finest and loftiest saloons I ever saw afloat, apparently 16 fec^t high, painted with zinc colour and dead white ; velvet-covered couches were provided, and there was a great display of plate in a glass case. Alas ! all this bravery could not save her from destruction, this was the last voyage of the 'E. K. CoUins,' she was burnt to the water's edge one night near Sandwich, and some of the hands and passengers perished by drow^ning. We had well-dressed ladies on board, and rough-handed miners, who had '* paid their money and took their choice" of the best that was going, their appetites were " a caution." We had beautiful clear weather, and enjoyed the scenery down the St. Mary's River, past Sugar Island, Neebish, St. Joseph's, and Drummond Islands; on one of these, a retired otiicer US' ■;> V- I" THE LIFE OF A SOLDIER. •2(53 }> solaces himself with literature, and two wives — Mormon fiishion. After a time, we steered due west for the entrance of Lake Michigan, and saw hefore us, resting on the waves, the Island of MichiU- "^acinac, or Maci<:maw, like a great turtle, which ics name implies. This island is re- markahle in the history of the west, as heing the scene of the massacre of the British garrison by the Indians, instigated by the French colonists in the days of Pontiac. This great war chief flourished about the year 1760, when Canada passed from French to British hands. A '* ball play " was got up outside the Fort to attract the garrison to witness it, squaws vere sent into the fort, with tomahawks concealed under their blankets, unarmed Indians stroll' i in, their weapons were hnnded to them by the women, and inside and outside tlie fort, the garrison were surprised, and fell under their savage butchers. In the war of 1812, Mackinaw was surprised and captured from the Americans by a small British expedition, and at the end of the war was given up, as was also Detroit, Fort Niagara, &c. '4f 4 • ' «■ 264 PASSAGES IN f M'i",*!-,/"^' 1.'. ,'■■ ^' I- ■ . . • -.t'.'/ 5 ::■■ ■■ 1'-. Ik- 1 : '' But the chief claims Mackinaw has to our attention, are its picturesque beauty, its pure air .and the deep clear water around it. So healthy is it, that the Americans say, " if a man wants to die, he must go somewhere else." We passed the Jesuit Mission House, now a hotel, and saw a curious old church with a quaint spire. The houses of the settlers were built along the beach in a crescent shaped bay^ where were ?lso the tents and canoes of some Ojibbeway Indians ; above was the fort with block houses at the angles, mounted with brass guns, and over all the stars and stripes floating. It is worth while to pass tvA^o or three days at Mackinaw, good wholesome fare and mag- nificent trout and white fish will be found there. Also an old fort inland to examine, a natural arch, the pinnacle rock, and the cave of sculls,, where one tribe of Indians smoked another to death ; and wild raspberries, whortle, and straw- berries are found in " the fall," whilst one wanders about inland. Tae blghest part of the island, which is a mans of In'ccciated li'-.estonej is 1100 feet above THE LIFE OF A SOLDIER. 265 »g- the lake. " There are some rogues at Mackinaw," said a fellow voyager, " it used to be a thriving place, but by the change of routes, it's not going ahead at present, so there's some sharking done here, a man will engage to take two or three strangers out in a boat to fish, will put off the time, and charge them 10 dollars ahead before he brings them back agam. 3J It came on to blow after leaving Mackinaw, and sea-sickness laid low many of the passengers, as we passed the level shores of Michigan ; at New Port we took a large scow or flat bottomed boat in tow, for what reason I could not ascertain at first, as it impeded our progress, but when wc stuck fast on the shoals below Lake St. Clair, and heard this order "Gen? who are not sick or asleep get on the fla^ .** along with a deck load of potatoes and s 1 ballast in barrels, I found out the use of le scow. The current carried us some distance from the steamer, but the passengers made the best of our " unpleasant fix," some ate peaches, others played at a gambling game called euchre, u. 2G6 PASSAGES IN IT * »■• • '^ : 4^1 i " » ,'. i' ifS' 111 C. i ' iiTJ, I the wind rose a little, and an Irishman called out " Bi' mi' sowl we'll niver get to land !" whilst a facetious American answered, " it's all right, change your quids, trim the boat, and take a reef in that bag of potatoes !" At last, after six hours knocking about on the flat, we were towed back safe to tea ; after which a negro band, three of the waiters, producing a guitar and fiddles in the saloon, and singing out as a sort of accompaniment the figures of the dance : '* Gents advance ;" " hands around ;" " Ladies chain ;" &c. induced those so disposed, as it was elegantly termed, " to take the knots out of their legs." I disembarked at the thriving city of Detroit, a fort and village were only there when the gallant Sir Isaac Brock'*^ captured it, and now it contains 40,000 inhabitants. I put up at Windsor, on the British side, for the convenience of getting away by rail on Monday, I attended Divine Service at St. Puul's Cathedral on Sunday, and v/as much pleased with the slow, r>.?' t 'If '' * M)'s. Drake, of Amlicrstburgli presented mc witli the cliair he used at her house, before his success at Detroit, a highly valued relict of a noble soldier. I THE LIFE OF A SOLDIER. 267 deliberate, and distinct manner of reading there, and which seems to be the style in the States generally, and is decidedly the best, also the chuich service was judiciously shortened, though the entire worship occupied the usual time. Cholera had lately visited Detroit, but though severe at Pittsburgh and elsewher(!, it was moderate in its demands of victims at Detroit, which is a healthy place. As there are many absent proprietors of the wild lands about Detroit, by putting up at the hotel o^' an old sporting friend and excellent shot, Mr. Fellers, bears, deer, ducks, and prairie " chickens" may be got not far off. The Great Western Railroad, throui2:h one of the most level, fertile, and promising regions of Canada was now just in operation, the names not yet painted at the stations, and the working of the line not yet perfected. I was fortunate here, as I had been witli the ' E. K. Collins.' A terrible accident, after I had passed along the hne, occurred at night (though accidents are as yet comparatively rare on Canadiat\ lines) when three or four score people ^1 :tl il^ u I,., 268 5«' >. -5 I- D'- PASSAGES IN were smashed together, from a sand truck being* left in the way, and several were killed. There were few passengers going east in the car with me, which was calculated to hold fifty. Elsewhere, under similar circumstances, a down-east Yankee, lean and tall, was travelling, and seated behind a widow, after several efforts " he caught her eye" — and addressed her, " In affliction ?" " Yes Sir !" she replied. " Parents — father or mother ?" " No Sir." " Child p'raps, a boy or girl ?" " Nv?, Sir, not a child," she answered " I have no children." "Husband then, 'xpect?" " Yes," was the short reply. " Hum — cholcry ? a tradin' man, mebbe ?" " My husband was a seafaring man, the captain of a vessel, he didn't die of cholera, he was drowned !" "Oh! drowned, eh?" cried the other, and after a moment's consideration, he continued, " save his chist ?" THE LIFE OF A SOLDIER. 2G9 " Yes, the vessel was saved and my husband's effects." "Was they?" said the interrogator, his eye brightening, " pious man ?" " He was a member of the Methodist Church." " Don't you think you got great cause to be thankful that he was a pious man, and saved his chist?" " I do," said the widow abruptly, and looked out of the window. For the last time, the Yankee returned to the attack, and leaning over the back of the seat, he said contiden- tiallv. " Was you calc'latin' to get marryed agam ^ ?'* " Sir," said the v/idow, " you are imperti- nent !" and moved to the other side of the car. " 'Pears to be a little huffy," said the bore, turning to a passenger behind him, "she needn't be mad, I didn't want to hurt her feelings, — what did they make you pay for that umberel you got in your hand ? It's a real pooty one !" r.> ■■^ I ^1 I 270 PASSAGES IN l&: hVt M< d^%, •'■I ■ '.• ..''^l,V >'' ,T '; •,■ 1 .■;, ■ ' ..' V^ ■■• f- !"«•;■■ ■ , At Hamilton, I visited friends living in capital houses, Mr. Isaac Buchanan and Mr. White, on the cool ridge, whilst it was hlazing hot helow. A handsome verandah, glazed, at the residence of the former is worth trying, as in winter it keeps out the cold wind, and ill summer the reflected heat and glare, thus preserving inside an equal tempera- ture. I next went to visit my relatives, Mr. and Mrs. J. Colquhoun, up the Grand River, with its beautiful banks, to Berlin (originally a German settlement), where everything is rapidly im- proving, with a rail going through the settle- ment. There is little crime in these parts, for when I visited the new Court-house and jail, I only found one prisoner in the latter, a horse thief. When Germans quarrel, they take out a knife and score one another ; but they are generally quiet, kind and peaceable. I was pleased with the style of farming about here, the huge wooden " bank barns" 100 feet long, placed against a bank, costing from 800 to 1000 dollars, and containing besides the corn m "Mi- " TIIK LIFi: OF A SOLDIER. 271 and hay, the horses and catilo, well arranged for feeding " hy the head." It was quite a picture to see the farmers' daughters, not sitting on piano stools, but along side of the cows in the evening, milking, and neatly dressed, after the fashion of their old country, in stuff gowns with pink trimming round the bottom of the short skirts, and red handkerehiefs on their heads. They were fresh and clean, and in good case, and would no doubt make thrifty partners for country folks. Bidding adieu to that land of great promise, Canada West, I went from Hamilton by steamer, and encountered an equinoxial storm on Lake Ontario, accom|)anicd witli thunder, lightening and hail ; the Arabian steamer rolled and pitched terribly, and alarmed both male and female passengers, some prayed, and others sang hymns. We reached Kingston in safety, and then sped down the rapids of the St. Lawrence " like a hurricane" with the west wind blowing strong behind us. :-!. ;.-i- J^^^ \<^, IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 I.I 125 >tt lii 12.2 !£ U£ 12.0 Hi& |;.25|i.4,,.6 ^ 6" ► /: /A V '^i '/ Photographic Sdences Corporation •SJ i\ iV V ^. 33 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14SM (71«)S72-4S03 ;\ 272 PASSAGES IN CHAPTER IX. m Leave America fov the Seat of "VVar in tlio East — Embark at Boston — Fellow passengers and their peculiarities — An Abolitionist — Arrive in England— ^Ordered to Cork — Ge- neral ]\[ansel — Doings of young Soldiers — The Author is done by Old Women — The Saldanha Transport — Messing on Board — A tilt against the Rum Cask — Occupations on Board — A Eire Parade — The Coast of Spain — Beautiful yacht-sailing through the Pillars of Hercules — Scene of a Wreck — The Coast of Africa — Pantalaria — Arrive at Malta — Excursion there — The Climate — Advertisement of a ge- nius — Sail for the isles of Greece — The Ship on Fire — The Dardanelles — Constantinople — The Hospitals at Scutari— The fatal Slide — A pugnacious Priest — The Opera — — Roguery — The Bosphorus — The Black Sea — Anchor at Balaklava. *• At length the order, long expected, came in the beginning of 1855^ for Europe and the seat THE LIFE OF A SOLDIER. 273 of the war. It took very few days to pack, to take leave of valued friends, and to quit America, probably for the last time, and to undertake the tenth voyage across the Atlantic. The weather was clear and cold as we journeyed by Burlington to Boston, thence shipped in the Canada steamer for Liverpool. The sturdy pilot in beard and moustache stood on the clean deck, the weather was bright, and a chilly N.W. wind blowing as we glided out of the harbour. We left a snowy track behind us in the black waves with their white crests ; gulls, following after, dipped their wings in the brine. Though I had left, I believe, many friends in the land of the West, I felt exhilirated under the influences around me, and what was in prospect. Nothing could have induced me to go back, or to step into the clipper schooner with its white cotton sails which conveyed Mr. Going, the pilot, ashore. Our fifty passengers remained very quiet for a time, till they had become accustomed to the motion of the vessel, and then their peculiarities became apparent. One, a French- man, was a first-rate pistol shot, could drive VOL. I. T f ' ■ in 274 PASSAGES IN a cork into a bottle of champagne placed horizontally, and could hit at one shot, five titties out of eight, six bull(;ts placed on an iron plate ; this is done by the ricochet, and hitting the plate in front of the ball. We had a strong abolitionist of slavery on board, and there wrre very hot arguments about " the domestic institution." Among other anecdotes he gave of his experience of slavery was this : " I lived, he said, " on one occasion a week with a planter ; he was a careless sort of a man, and left the charge of the house and everything in it, to his coloured housekeeper, a busthng woman fifty years of age, whom he used to consult, and called always * Aunty Kitty.* We had many arguments about slavery, and the last morning I was with him he said, ' We don't want any slavery here, it's a bad thing ; we would free our slaves if we got the money for them. Aunty Kitty, what is there for dinner '('' " ' Don't Aunty Kitty me, you brute,' cried the housekeeper, ' you talk abolition before the stranger, but you didn't tell him you sold my daughter to a nigger driver, and she has gone THE LIFE OF A SOLDIER. 275 south.* The planter hung down his head and said nothing. I enquired privately the particulars of this affair. The housekeeper said, it was quite true that her daughter had heen sold, she was nineteen, and a pretty girl." If a man has slaves left him, what can he do ? he cannot sell them at once, and so starve himself and family, hut he can always improve the negro and prepare him, by careful teaching, for eventual emancipation, and that event might not be distant, if the northern people would help with their money, as Britain did with her millions, to free the slaves. Yet, too hurriedly did emancipa- tion take place with us, for the good of cither white proprietor or black slave, as I had occasion to notice in a progress through the West Indies years ago, and also saw the effects of sudden emancipation of slaves at the Cape of Good Hope, in causing the emigration of the Dutch Boers in thousands with their slaves. Arrived in London, we were allowed a short run to " the north countrie," to visit T 2 m i 276 PASSAGES IN homo and friends ; and as we turned south again, we could not help repeating these old lines : Adieu fair Siuiwdown* with thy towers liie, Thy Chapel Royal, park, and table round, May, June and July, would I dwell in Ihec, "Were I a man, to hear the hirdis sound. But it was some weeks hefore H.M. Transport * Saldanha/ was ready for the detachments I had to take charge of to Malta and the Crimea. In the meantime, the Emperor and Empress of the French arrived in England, and left in the midst of great enthusiasm. This was the event in the spring of 1855. At last, I was ordered to Cork, and found 28 officers and 750 men of the 3rd, 9th, 14th, 39th, and 89th regi- ments ready to embark, in the stout and well found ship, of which Captain Wylde was the active and zealous commander, with Lieutenant Hawkey, R.N., an old ship mate on the coast of Africa, as the Admiralty Agent. General R. Mansel, K.H. commanding the * Stirling. lite he THE LIKI-: OP A SOLDIER. 277 Cork division, was quite in his element in preparing the troops for embarkation, and seeing them placed on board. Ho was con- stantly at work, in or out of his office, and rendered most valuable service during the war, at a very important point of de- parture. There was a delay of some days at Cork, and after the morning's work was over, I had great satisfaction in viewing the environs under the kind pilotage of the Messrs. Jennings, seeing Ballincolig Castle, and Kilrea Abbey and Castle, ancient upright stones, commemorative of the fall of chiefs in battle, Raths and inscribed Ogham stones. I had formerly visited Blarney Castle, and kissed the stone which possesses such a power of "sootherin," and 1 listened with pleasure to the bells of Shandon, and entering into the spirit of these touching lines : I've heard bells cliiraiiig Full many a clime in Tolling sublime in Cathedral shrine, 'f lit 111 " '■ •.y hi 278 PASSAGES IN Wbile at a glib rate Brass tongues would vibrate j But all their music, Spoke nougiit like thiue, or memory d^reiling, On eaeh proud swelling Of thy belfry knelling Its bold notes free. Made the bells of Shandon Sound far more grand on The pleasant waters Of the Biver Lcc. The young soldiers who were scrambled up and sent to the war, were necessarily imperfectly drilled and disciplined for want of time to do this, the best was done that was possible with them under the circumstances. A set of villains got hold of them sometimes in Cork., who " hocussed " them in public houses, and when they were asleep stole their ammunition-boots, and thus many came into barracks of a morning with bare feet. One day the General gave them a lec- ture and threatened to confine them to barracks, when suddenly a large number THE LIFE OF A SOLDIER. 279 took a start from the ranks, and jumping the barrack wall disappeared, they were brought back, or came back by degrees when their money was gone, and they had " had their fling." At length, the " Saldanha" arrived from Liverpool. I went down to the ship at Queen's Town to make arrangements with five officers, one hundred and fifty men and the baggage, returned and mustered the remainder of my charge at an early hour next day on parade ; it is dangerous for soldiers to take leave of an afternoon to the tune of the " Girl we lel't behind us." I was pleased to march the remaining six hundred young fellows out of the barrack square all " sober and alert," followed by a crowd of women, the men cheering, the band of the 2nd Somerset militia playing us down the hill, and an Irish boy saluting me at parting with " God speed ye, Sir !" I thought — of all these boys, oflicers and men, rejoicing in their youth, who will return ? perhaps half according to the rate of the casualties hitherto in the Russian war. We •280 PASSAGIuS IS went down the river in two steam boats to tiie ship. I watched closely for drink, hut saw none, however to my great aunoyanee out ot* the hold of the other steamer many men rolled up drunk, and it was St. Francis Convent, Strada Reale." u 2 ! 1.1 292 PASSAGES IN Representing to the authorities at Malta, that we were over-crowded by 1 50 men, I got that number less, and we breathed freely with 600 soldiers on board, — we left Malta towed by the " Cambria," a powerful steamer, and stood away towards the Isles of Greece. At the Horse Guards, I was told I had to stay at Malta six weeks and drill a battalion, but I was ordered on at once, I never asked the reason of the change, but I was afterwards very glad of it. For the benefit of the new detachments, I gave directions for another fire parade. Some of the officers seemed to think it unnecessary, as our voyage might be a short one, however, we had the parade, and half an hour after it was over, and whilst the men were at dinner, the orderly officer ran down to where I was reading in the cabin, and said, " Sir, there's a fire in the ship !'* I could hardly believe him at first, however, on going forward I found the main deck full of smoke, and that there really was a bad fire. It appeared that the baker, a landsman, had left the ash-tray out in his bakery, and THE LIFE OF A SOLDIER. 293 the live cinders dropping on the deck hud burnt through it in his absence, and the sergeants messing below were half choked with smoke. The fire bell was, immediately rung, all knew and took their places, the engine was rigged and brought into play. Lieutenant Hawkey, and Dr. Uews, stafF-surgoon, were particularly active with wet blankets, the deck was broken into through the bull's eyes, the burning wood deluged with water, and after half an hour's hard work all danger was over. This was a practical illustration of the use of fire parades. We had two young doctors on board, who were full of zeal and anxious for cases; at dinner a report was brought to the youngest of them that a female was unwell, and near her confinement, he bustled about and got what he thought was requisite for the emer- gency, but returned to table much discon- certed, and sat down amidst great laughter, when the interesting case turned out to be that of a sheep. We reached the rocky coast of the Morea, 1 1 1! 294 PASSAGES IN and passed botween Cape Matapan nnd the Island of Cerigo ; opposite the Gulf of Athens appeared the bare heights of Zcea, — then Cape Colonna, with the pillars plainly seen of u ruined temple of Minerva, excited the greatest interest as the scene also of Falconer's " Ship- wreck." Next was the considerable Island of Andros with its white town and vessels of quaint rig stealing out of the harbour ; presently the interest was changed to the shores of Asia Minor, to the site of Troy, to Mount Ida 5,700 feet high, to Tenedos, behind which the Greeks hid their vessels after the stratagem of the wooden horse was success- fully practised, We entered the Dardenelles between the castles of Europe and Asia. The field of Marathon was not far off, and we were in the midst of scenes of the highest interest in history. Tne walls of the fortresses com- manding the strait were deeply marked by the hand of time. We observed where Byron swam from Sestos to Abydos, a French three decker was passing up there, towed by two steamers, then came the " Montezuma'* THE LIFE OF A SOLDIER. 293 towing a friu:ate full of French sohiiers at the entrance of the Sea of Marmora, its islands famous for marble quarries. We kept Her Majesty's birthday on board, tired the ship's guns, three volleys of musketry, and hoisted Jill the colours, and soon after saw the ** Seven Towers" of Constantinople the Magnificent, and brought up amidst a fleet of ships opposite the Golden Horn, on which looked down mosques and mina- rets, the walls of the Seraglio and vast piles of building relieved by the fresh green of the interspersed trees, — a glorious pano- rama. We landed first j»>, Scutari, and Major Sillery, commandant there, was so good as walk round the great hospital with me, and showed me the arrangements which seemed perfect. The wards were well ventilated, beds and bedding in first rate order, a shelf at the head of each bed for books, cooling drinks or any little article the patient might stand in need of, good medical attendance, a corps of nurses, and in a cellar plenty of good Marsala and beer for the convalescents. Rows of wounded i 29G PASSAGES IN men in bed, and officers moving about on crutches, told the tale of war not fnr distant. Rowing towards Seraglio Point, a broad shoot or slide of wood is seen commencing from a door in the upper part of the garden wall, and terminating in water running rapidly past below. Strange stories are told of this slide ; apparently it is for shooting garden rubbish into the Bosphorus, but it is said that it has been employed also to get rid of faithless ladies, who, brought in sacks to the fatal door, were hurried down the descent, and disappeared beneath the wave. That cries of distress have been heard at night by men-of-war anchored near, armed boats put off to assist, nothing seen at the time, but next day another ship coming in, turning up with its prow sacks with beautiful females in them, so it is related. The streets of Pera and Galata were crowded as usual with men and women, Oriental and European costume mixed up with many red breeched French soldiers. The barracks of the French were on the Constantinople side of the Bosphorus. I went off in a light caique to THE LIFE OF A SOLDIER. 297 visit the now and splendid pulacc nenrly finished, of the Sultan, at Dolma Bagchd, and foil in with a pugnacious French priest there ; we were refused admittance at the first door at which we presented ourselves, which roused the ire of my friend, " we must get in here," he cried. ♦ "How?" I asked. " Draw your sword and go in as our officers do!" " That won't do with us," I said, " let us try another door." We did so, and saw workmen employed on the heautiful hlue, white and golden walls of a magnificent hall. A handsome mosque was near, I proposed to go and see it ; we were stopped at the door as I expected, and a man pointed at our hoots. " Draw your sword !" again said the priest. " No, no," I said, " pull off your shoes if you want to see the inside," and he was reluctantly ohliored to do so. It is only right and proper, and no hardship, to comply with this custom, as there are mats to walk on in the mosques, and though 298 PASSAGES IN i I this priest said so, I do not believe the French officers forced their way in Turkey, sword in hand, into places to which access was refused. I paid my respects to Rear-Admiral the Honourable Sir Frederick Grey, K.C.B. in command at Constantinople, and then went to see what was not thought of, when I was last in these regions, the opera. I heard some " loud" performance there, but the smell of the place, and the dust on the floor were not agreeable, though I can put up with a good deal of miser e ; the charge for the boxes was about four shillings. We now got bales of summer clothing for the men, consisting of a drab turlc and trowsers like sacking, and made at Trieste by contract. The bales were said to contain 300 suits each, and 1 was asked to sign for a certain number of bales. I declined till a bale was opened and counted ; to the surprise of the officer appointed to issue this clothing, not only for our people on board the Saldanha, but for others at the seat of war, one hundred suits were deficient out of three hundred. Here was wholesale roguery. THE LIFE OF A SOLDIER. 299 We moved up the Bosphorus with all its beauties of natural scenery, and cheerful with oriental architecture, trees, gardens, and fields. Transports were coming down with sick and wounded, and many more besides ourselves were pressing onwards, freighted with men and horses for the great struggle in advance of us. The Sardinians were with us, and they swarmed like bees on the British steamers in which thev were embarked, crowded on the decks and sitting along the hammock nettings, in hundreds, in their grey-undress. The contest had been flagging for some months, in fact since the bombardment in October nothing very important had occurred, now however it was commencing again in earnest, from all we saw as we entered the Black Sea. On our right was an old Castle, where two English ladies, incautiously approach- ing to sketch, with only one attendant, had lately made a narrow escape from a wild garrison, some of which tried to detain them. Fogs impeded our progress across the Euxine, then clearing off, we saw the wild and rocky coasts of Grim Tartary before us, breasting the 300 PASSAGES IN THE LIFE OF A SOLDIER. waves with high cliffs of dark red and ochre colour. As we sailed on, two beautiful doves alighted on our taffrail, emblems of peace, with burnished winss of yellow and bronze. We listened for the sound of cannon as we dropped our anchor outside Balaklava Harbour, we soon heard the solemn boom of a large gun, then others at intervals, " the deep breath, of the cannon's mouth." We knew then that we were in time, that the great siege was still going on, and that though peace might be expected even- tually, yet from all the preparations we saw around us for the vigorous prolongation of the contest, scenes of great excitement and interest must ensue before we could expect the end of the Russian War. I r END OF VOL. I. LONDON : Printed by Schuize and Co., 13, Poland Street. ^ iii[^i--.A^^,--.-t»^\Ay-\..fc^i:^-.Ae!Si^wZ«.^ ^^f* and ochre itiful doves peace, with onze. We ;ve dropped ir, we soon gun, then jath, of the hat we were 11 going on, ected even- ns we saw ition of the md interest the end of street.