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CIHM/ICMH

Microfiche

Series.

CIHM/ICMH
Collection de
microfiches.

Can; dian Institute for Historical Microreproductions Institut Canadian de microreproductions historiques

1980

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CANADIAN

PEN AND INK SKETCHES,

By JOHN FRASER,

MONTREAL.

MONTREAL .
GAZETTE PRINTING COMPANY.

1890.

131877

f^.^St /^,.,

Minister of Agriculture. ^R-^sbr. ol Montronl ,n »k. /.,«-. ., ..

Montreiil, in the Offi

ce of.fho

PRHKACB.

THE LA SALLE HOMESTEAD,

LACHINE RAPIDS, CANADA,

October, 1890.

At the request of many friends, I have con-
sented to have my " Canadian Pen and Ink
Sketches" collected and published in book
form. Every man owes a duty to his country,
and to his fellow-citizens, to state publicly
what he knows respecting- the early history
of his country; thus placing before some
future historian or sketcher matter to build
upon. Therefore. I place these, my Canadian
sketches, before the public.

JOHN ERASER.

64 Drummond Street,
Montreal.

CONTENTS.

Cil.Vl'TER I.

Tho Man^acrc of Lachine. two hnndvod v > ^^^^

<>*■ August, 1689 "un(l,e<l years ago, 4th

ClIAPTEtt JI.

The Canadian Ho.no:ofliobmue la Salle

-io

(chapter I If.

Chapter IV.
The^^.ae«ea..„ in «,„,,„, ,„„ .,^ ^^^^_^^_^

Chapter ^V.

John G,.«„,,x„„, the „,c. Scotch IW in >!„„,,,,.. ,^
pjff V Chapter Vr.

oi i^anaaa buiulay jVfornino- if^. ^{> xr
bei', 1838 ^»Aoining, 4th of mvera-

Chapter YJI

Kemmisconco, ..f the Cann.lian Robcm„,, ,838 si

Chapteu VIII

fiem.ni«co„,.e. of ,he Canadian Rebellion. ,838 93.

Chapter IX
«emi„i„cence» of the Canadian Bebellion, ,838 joi

CONTENTS.

Chaptkr X.

A Visit to the Canadian (ilen.i^any Forty Years Ago.. Tl3

Chai'ter XT.
A Glengarry Boul.le Sleigh Fifty Years Ago 123

Chapter XIF,

Canadian Arbor Day, 1S80

lo7

Chapter Xm.

A F^tieth Anniversary Visit to the Home of My

Youth ^

149

Chapter XIV.

A Visit to the Falls of Niagara Over Forty Years

Ago *^

^ IST

Chapter XV.
The ^^at^tletield of Lundy s Lane, fought 25th July,

169

Chapter XVI.
Our Antiquities/a Visit to La Salle's Home 135

Chapter XVII.

'^^',,^^"f ,f°""^^«— '«^'-'^^^^hine. on the Grand
Irunk Kail way

Chapter XVIIL

An Historical Canadian Bu.ying Ground and its Nerr-
lected Graves *

Chapter XIX.

A Visit to the BattleHeld of Stoney Cr. , bought 6th

June, 1813 ^ „,,

^11

Chapter XX.
The -Old Bunk' Canadian Farm House 229

CONTENTS,

Chapter XXF.

l'A(iE.

Fii'Ht Siiniinoi' Morning Walk Around Montroul 235

Chapter XXII.
Second Summor Mornin*^ Walk Around Montreal 241)

Chai'TEII XXIll.
Third Summor Morning Walk A lound Montreal 2»U

Chapter XXIV.
Fourth Summor Morning Walk Around Montreal 273

Chai'TER XXV,
Fifth Summor Morning Walk Around Montreal 285

Chapter XXVI.
Sixth Summor Morning Walk Around Montreal 299

Chapter .\XV1I.

The Ilospitaiily of a Canadian Karm Houfse of the

Olden Time :U5

Chapter XXVIIl,
The "Canadian (llengarry. ' a pen and ink sketch.... ;>25

Chapter XX FX.
A Canadian Log House of the Olden Time 335

Chapter XXX.
La Salle's Homoslead at Lacliino, where was it? 347

Chapter XXX J.

The "Battle of Queenston Heights." fought 13th

October, 1812 371

235

249

113

185
99

CHAPTER I.

THE MASSACRE OF LA( ITINE.

A Summer morning wulk along the Lower
Lachine Eoad, from the Wellington Street
bridge up to the old Windmill at Lachine, is the
most charming one to be had in all Canada, ex-
cepting one on the Canadian bank of the Niagara
River, from old Fort George to the ruins of Fort
Erie, opposite Buffalo. Every spot here is
storied ground. The early explorers and Chris-
tian missionaries of Old France found their way
westwards along this road. This was the hrst
road in Canada travelled by European foot west
of Montreal.

Just as the sun is rising we cross the Welling-
ton bridge of the Lachine canal ; on the left of
us, near the Victoria bridge, is the spot where
thousands of Ireland's almost forgotten dead,
victims of the dread cholera of 1832 and the ship
fever of 1847, lie buried ; without shroud and
without coffin— in their hurriedly-made pits.

J.'"^

THE MASSACRE OF LACHLXE.

We pass on, le.aviiig the dead of 1832 and 1847 to
their peaceful shiinbers ; the chinking engines and
the freia;hted cars of living; men roll over them
unceasingly from early morning until midnight
— from week to week and from year to year ; but
those silent sleepers in the cholera pits heed them
not ; they are at rest and forever from their
labours until the great trumpet's blast shall
awake them to new life.

On the left hand, between the road and the
St. Lawrence, stands the old home of the Nuns,
with its roadway lined with Lombardy poplars,
the fashionable or popular tree of Lower Canada
a century ago.

On the right hand — half a century a ;'0 — far
out in the then open fields, stood the old house
on the Priests' farm, near the present St. Gabriel
locks on the Lachine canal. It has totally dis-
appeared of late years ; the town of St. Gabriel
now covers the ground.

As we pass onwards we reach the River St.
Pierre, a famous stream of bygone days, cele-
brated for its fishino" and duck shootino- half a
century ago.

This stream, in its curves and windings —
meandering through meadow, woodland and

CANADIAN PEN AND INK SKETCHES.

marsh, had its source near the head of the
Ishiiid of Montreal ; passing down in rear of the
viHage of Lachine, crossing the Upper Lachine
road near by the present Blue Bonnets ; and
must have been used by the Iroquois in their
approaches to Montreal in 10 89, from their
camping ground near the present Dominion
station of the Lachine railway. The old bridge
is all that remains to mark where a river had
been ; no trace of the old river bed can now be
seen.

Near by, on the bank of the St. Lawrence,
stands that old building known at the beginninir
of this century as '^ Chapman's Brew^ery." Close
by are the ruins of the " Hadley Homestead " ;
Mr. Hadley was famed for his stock of line
cattle, known all over Canada. On this farm
w^as fought the fatal duel on the 22nd of May,
1838, betw^een Major Ward of the Royals and
Captain Sweeney of the Volunteers; Ward was
instantly killed. Adjoining the Hadley farm is
the old Pavilion, being all that remains to mark
tlie spot of Montreal's celebrated race-course of
fifty years ago.

Opposite the Pavilion, midway in the St. Law-
rence, floating in queenly beauty, is the " Nuns' "

THE MASSACRE OF LACHTNE.

or St. Paul's Fslaiid, l)eiuitii'ul for sitiuitiou, well
wooded to tlie water's edge.

Farther on — aljove the Nuns' T:land — is Tsle
Heron, right in tlie centre of the St. Lawrence;
noted at the present day lor its innnense water
power - ,uoing to waste, which is intended shortly
to he utilized lor electric light and other pur-

Facing Isle Heron is '' Verdun/' the home of
our old friend Mr. John Crawlbrd, the veteran
fox hunter of Montreal, who, when mounted on
his spirited charger, although four score, sits his
horse like a hoy of eighteen.

SUBERCASE'S STOCKADE, 1(580.

The next spot of interest are the ruins in and
around '* Knox's Mills," with water-power,
which, if utilized, might supply power for one-
half the mills and factories in Canada. Near by
the old mill may still be seen the ruins of
" Subercase's Stockade," in which he was sta-
tioned with two hundred men on the night of
the 4th of August, 1G89.

The far-famed Lachine Rapids are facing us,
rolling, tossing, and tumbling in the self-same
course as for untold centuries ! We may be per-

■

CANADIAN PEN AND INK SKETCHES. 7

mitted to say : '* Such as creation's dawn beheld,
thou roUest now ! "

Four acres above Knox's mill, in front of the
Sonierville House, is the spot where the shad-
iishing is carried on during the passing up of the
shad about the first week of June in each year.

Farther up, at the six-mile post, is the eastern
boundary of what was known as the " LaSalle
Common," of 200 acres, set apart by LaSalle in
1G66^ when Seigneur of Lower Lachine.

This common was parcelled out amongst the
neighboring farmers in 1835, and is now covered
with orchards and comfortable cottages.

THE KING'S POSTS OF 1812.

Next to the old common, just at the present
water works bridge, was the eastern boundary of
the English " King's Posts," the most celebrated
post in Canada during the war of 1812. Every
British soldier, every British regiment sailed
westwards in bateaux from this place and landed
here on their return from Upper Canada at the
end of the war ; this was before the building of
the Lachine canal. The writer saw the last
soldier, bag and baggage, leave this post over
sixty years ago.

THE MASSACRE OF LACHINE.

LA SALLE'S CANADIAN HOME OF 1366.

Adjoining the ''King's Posts" still stands the
Canadian home of Robert de La Salle, now crum-
bling down — soon to mingle with the dust of
ages, with no Canadian patriotic enough to do
honour to the memory of La Salle — the brio-litest
})icture either in Canadian or American history,
by saving and restoring what remains of his old
home ; although the writer's family have offered
to the public '>,50() square feet of land, as a gift,
say, seventy feet fronting on the Loiver Lachine
road, by fifty feet in depth, to enclose the old
home. La Salle needs no monument along our
mountain slope ! — no storied urn nor animated
bust ! — to perpetuate or transmit his name to
future generations. This whole iiG^thern conti-
nent, boundless and vast, bi.irs unmistakable
traces of his footsteps. But his home — his old
Canadian home — every rubble stone thereof
should be held sacred by Canadians and Ameri-
cans to the latest generation.

THE WRITER'S BIRTHl'LACE.

With the profoundest reverence the writer
uncovers his head as he passes this old spot — his
birthplace. He was born within the old walls

CANADIAN PEN AND INK SKETCHES.

that at one time surroundeil LaSalle's home; and
with a isilent praj-er : — "That justice and judg-
ment may yet meet in our family estate." This
estate of about 1,(JU() acres of Land, on this Lower
Lachine road, has been wrenched from our family
by a dastardly act of " Man's inhumanity to
man." Contrary to the la^\ s of God ! Contrary
to the law of England ; and in direct violation of
the clcil /rtvt's of Lower Canada, as declared by the
judgment of the Court of Queen's Bench for
Lower Canada : '' That this whole estate belongs
to the family under the law of this province."
Bui, tiieir lordships of the Privy Council imre Jed
to thinJ,' — ^' That our French Jaw, forbiddinsr
bequests to non-existing corporations, or for their
foundation or creation, without the permission of
the Croivn, was abrogated by the Code."

The question now rests with the legislators of
Quebec to pronounce upon and to declare what is
the law of Lower Canada on this point.

The old '• Penner " farm, now Mr. Doran's, is
next to LaSalle's home. This farm, three-
quarters of a century ago, was known all over
Canada for its hop-fields and for its fine stock of
imported English cattle, particularly sheep; and
*' Penner's cider " was known beyond the bounda-

THE MASSACRE OF LACHINE.

rics of Cauiula. The writer remember.^ Mr. Peimer
having seventy acres under hops, and of his
having made four hundred punoheons of cider in
one year — in l8ol. Mr. Penner served in the
Montreal cavalrv duriuL*' the war of 1S12, and
was captain of the Lachine Troop during tlie
rebellion of 1S37.

Next to the " Penner " is the Newman farm,
famed for its orchard of about fifty acres, valued
from $5,000 to $8,000 per annum, according to
the year.

We must hurry on, the Windmill is within a
mile distant.

THE OLD WI^'DMILL.

A writer has said : — '' If thou would'st view
fair Melrose aright ; go visit it by pale moon-
light." But, reader, if you would view the old
windmill at Lachine aright, you should take a
carriage drive or a morning walk by the Lower
Lachine Road, as the writer has done, and arrive
at this historical spot about half an hour before
sunset. What a magnificent view there presents
itself to the eye ! Lake St. Louis, stretching
Avestwards twe^ity miles, is spread right before
you as a mirror, without a ripple on its broad

CANADIAN PEN AND INK SKETCHES.

surface of over two luiiidrtHl s(|uare miles — a.
tiling of beauty — all ablaze, with the rays of the
setting sun dancing in gorgeous colours over its
silvery watcMs. There are few sights in Canada
to be compared witli the \ .ew to l)e had there.

Suppose you take your seat with us on the hill
side, close under the wings of the old mill ; you
have, right opposite to you — on the south shore
of the St. Lawrence, the old Indian town of
Caughnawaga, a relic of departed days ; this spot,
on which the present mill stands, is the spot on
which the old mill of 1G80 stood. This was
known as the Windmill point from earliest days;
and this is the very identical spot from which the
early French explorers had their first full view of
Lake St. ijouis, impressing upon them the belief
that the large body of water spread out before
thtm was the opening of a water-way through
Canada to China which called forth the exclama-
tion---'- Z« Chine !^^ hence the name "Lachine"
given to this place.

Two hundred years ago, in 1689, the windmill
and its surroundings must have been the centre
of the ancient village.

Three acres from the mill stood Fort Remy^ and
close l:)y the Fort stood the first little Catholic

THE MA.SSACIIE OK LACHINE.

cliiipc'l of liiicliiiK'. hiiilt in l(»T<», aiul tlu- first
c'lmrcli — tliL' old parish church ol' Liicliinc — wiis
ut'terwtirtls huilt in 1701, inside the walls of Fort
Ivcmy. The i)rescnt novitiate of the ** Fathers
Ohlats'' stands on the ground of the oUl church
and within the walls where Fort Remy of IGS'J
stood. This is trulv "storied ii:round ! "

Therefore, this old windmill and its surround-
ings was the centre of the Lachine of two
hundred vears aQ;o.

THE NIGHT BErORE THE MASSACRE.

This is a charming evening in August, ISSU ;
as we sit h^ the old mill and attempt to draw a
picture of two hundred years ago. The St. Law-
rence flowed quietly past as at present ; Lake St.
Louis was then wooded down to its very water's
edge; Caughnawaga point was then as now; all
else unchanged. Let us suppose this to he the
evening of the 4th of August, 1089 ; the small
bell of the little Catholic chapel had tolled the
hour of Vespers ; the devout worshippers had
oftered up their prayers of thankfulness to the
God of Heaven ; and then ^' arm in arm," or
" hand in hand," many Evangelines and many
Gabriels, mio-ht be seen wending their way home-

CANADIAN PEN AND INK SIvETCllES.

wards ; puurinii* forth tliclr simple talrs of love,
and arranging to meet at an early morning
matin ; but, God ! what a changu ht'lorL* the
morning's dawn! They had all. priest and
people, appeared before the i^n-eat altar on high,
to celebrate their lirst matins in heaven !

THE MASSACRE OF LACHINE, JtJSlA

In the year KiSS the inhabitants of Freneh
Canada, particularly those living on the Island of
Montreal, were in constant dread of an Indian
raid. It was known that year (lOSS) that two
bands, amounting to about 1,00(1 lro([uois, had
formed camps on the Upper St. Lawrence, one
encampment being near Frontenac (Kingston),
the other, farther down, on Lake St. Francis, pre-
paratory to a descent on Montreal, to take revenge
for some wrongs, real or imaginary _ suffered by
them at the hands of the French.

During the first days of August, 1G89, the
people of Lachine could have seen from this
Windmill Point stray Indian canoes darting
across Lake St. Louis, from the neighbourhood of
Isle Perrot to the Chateauguay shore. Such a sight
in those early days was a common thing, of every
day occurrence, and caused no alarm, and was no

THE MASSACIIK OV LAC'IIINH.

indit'jition tliiit !it tliiit vorv time tliore la\' liiddcii
nearly two limidrcd Indian canoes and iihoiit
lil'tt'cn hundred wild Iro(|uoi.s, in cuncealniunt
behind those small islands along the south shore
of Lake St. Louis, between the Canglnniwaua
point and the mouth of the Cliateauguay river.

On the night of the 1th of August, Lljbl), a
heavy storm of thunder, hail and rain passed over
Lake St. Louis, aud during the prevailing dark-
ness that ibllowed the storm, this band of l,o()()
Iro([U()is crossed over to Lachine, a distance of
aljout five uiiles from their hiding i>lace, and
landed between the Windmill Point and the pre-
sent Lachine Canal. In those early days there
was a large bay or inlet between where stood the
old Grammar School of sixty years ago, and the
first locks built on the Lachine Canal ; this was
just at tl)e entrance of that great marsh which
then passed between Cote St. Pierre and Cote St.
Paul. This was the actual landing place of that
savage band of Iroquois.

From their landing place they spread right and
left ; quietly surrounding every house and ham-
let ; this was about ten at night. The unsuspect-
ing inmates had early retired to rest ! The dread
Indian war-whoop was raised about midnight ;

CANADIAN VES AND INK SKKTCHES.

1")

a sound too well known in Cnnadu in eailv days.
Then connnenctMl the work of death ! No '' door
posts nor lintels'' were sprinkled with the blood
of the passover land), as in the (hi> s (^f Moses, to
stay the hand ol' the destroyer ; for within the
space of one hour, over two hundred persons fell
victims to the uplifted tomahawk and the un-
sheathed scalping knife of those dread savages !

THE :\IuKNLNCi AFJ'KK THE MASSACRE.

The thunderstorm is over — the death scene of
the past night is ended ! And the morning of
the 5th of August, 1G8D, witnessed, as usual, a
glorious sunrise shedding his first rays across
Lake St. Louis, and smiling, '' as il earth con-
tained no tomb ! " But the silence of death
reigned supreme along the whole front of the
Lachine shore ! There was not one living soul
left to tell the dread tale of the past night !
There were no mo' rners there! No Eachel
weeping for her lost ones — all w e dead !

Nor man, nor child, nor thing of living birth.
No ! not the dog that watched the household
hearth escaped that night of blood ! All perished !
The mangled bodies of grey-haired sire and
grandchild ; victims of the tomahawk and scalp-

THE MASSACRE OF LACIIIXE.

ing knile, lay thick around ; Avhile the blood-
thirsty Iroquois, the. only witnesses of this scene
of blood, were holdinsi; hioh carnival over their

7 O O

work of death ! And naught was heard there
save the Avild chant of the dread Indians' dismal
song — all else was silent !

THE INDIAN CAMP OF 1GS9.

The Iroquois were not wanting in military

tactics ; to conceal their whereabouts from their

enemy — the French, they hauled up their canoes

about a mile into the deep forest, where they

established their camp or headquarters ; their
plunder was carried there. They found in the

trading stores at Lachine a large supply of French
brandy and wines, of which they supplied them-
selves freely, and became beastly drunk for
days.

The exac position of this '^ Indian camp of
1689 " is not known to the present generation ;
but to the boys of the old grammar school of
Lachine of sixty years ago it was a familiar spot.
The boys then, with their bows and arrows and
fishing lines, with hooks made from pins, used to
fish there for brook trout and minnows in that
branch of the St. Pierre which ran back of

CANADIAN PEN AND INK SKETCHES.

of
of

I at

Lachine and crossed the Upper Lachine Road
near by the present Blue Bonnets.

It was then a large stream, having a depth of
two or three feet of water in midsummer. It
has since disappeared — dried up — by new water-
courses having been cut.

This camp was over a mile from the river

shore, close by the present Dominion station, on

the Lachine railway, and extending back to the

foot of Cote St. Luke. The branch of the St.

Pierre passed through the centre of the camp ; to

this place, in the then deep forest, the Iroquois

hauled up their canoes. It is not improbable that

in those early days scouting parties from this

camp found sufficient depth of water to use their

canoes to pass on close to Montreal through that

deep marsh, between Cote St. Paul and Cote St.

Pierre, which was a lake in early days ; if so,

their camp was wisely selected for offensive

operations, being difficuH of approach or finding

out.

If the reader will take a seat with us on the

brow of Cote St. Luke, behind the present Fashion

race course, above the Blue Bonnets, he will have

a full view right below him, stretching over to

the Dominion station, of the very identical spot

i[ ■ ,.

THE MASSACRE OF LACHINE.

,ii^

of this historical Indian camp of 1G89 ; on which
this band of 1,500 savage Iroquois had their
headquarters for over two months ; the phnider
of the Ishmd of Montreal was carried there, and
such of the inhabitants as were reserved for
future torture were held there as c. ptives.

SUBERCASE'S ADVANCE.

On the 5th of August, 1G81), the day after the
massacre, Subercase, a young French officer, who
had about 200 rejiulars under him in a stockade
on tlie Lower Lachine Road, some three niiletri
from the Windmill Point, advanced to this scene
of blood ; the ruins of this stockade are still to
be seen near Knox's mills, and which is stated in
the history of that time to have been six miles
distant from Montreal.

When Subercase with his band, now increased
to about 300 men, had reached late in the day
that scene of death, a horrible sight met their
gaze — the houses still burning, and the bodies of
their former inmates strewn about or hanging
from the stakes on which they had been tor-
tured.

They then learned that the Iroquois were all
encamped about a mile farther on in the deep

CANADIAN PEN AND INK SKETCHES.

forest, and that they were then beastly and hope-
h^.ssly drunk from the hrand-y taken from the
storehouses of the traders at Lachine.

This was the time to strike a decisive bh)W !
The opportunity was h^st! The drawn sword of
the avenger was stayed !

Sword in hand, at the head of his men, this
daring young officer, Suljeroase, entered the deep
forest, resolved on deadlj^ revenge, and had he
been allowed to proceed, the vengeance he would
have dealt out would have rivalled in story the
"Relief of Lucknow" of our own day! ]5ut at
that moment a voice was heard from the rear,
commanding a halt ; it was tliat of the Chevalier
de Vaudreuil, just arrived from Montreal, by the
Lower Lachine Road, with positive orders from
Denonville, the Governor, to run no risks, and
stand solely on the defensive. Subercase was
furious. High words passed between him and
Vaudreuil, but he was forced to obey. The
sword of the avenger was sheathed, a grand
opportunity wms lost, and lost forever.

THE CLOSING SCENE.

It is not our intention to chronicle the bloody
deeds of those dark days during the two months

THE MASSACRE OF LA(;HINE.

the Iroquois held posse; 'on of the ishnid, rav-
aging the whole country for a circuit of about
twenty miles, even up to the palisades and gates
ol' Montreal, The reader Avill iind a i'ull account
in the history of Canada at that time. Thev
finally took to their canoes in the middle of
October ; crossing over to the Chateauguay shore,
carrying with them over one hundred captives or
prisoners reserved for torture there.

On the night after those fiends in human form
had left, there were gathered on the Lachine
shore, groups stricken dumb through terror, of
speechless, stupefied men, women and children,
gazing in breathless silence — the silence of
despair ! — on the lires that shed their lights
across Lake St. Louis, in which their captive
friends, theii wives, their parents and children
agonized — suffering death in forms too horrible
to dwell upon.

The closino; act of those savaae demons on the
Chateauguay shore was even more appalling than
the opening one at Lachine on the night of the
4th of August, 1689.

CANADIAN PEN AND INK SKETCHES.

of
hts

I an

LANDING OF GENERAL AMHERST'S ARMY.

Seventy years later, in the early days of Sep-
tember, 17G0, the people of Lachine saw another
sight, but not " at dead of night." This was the
approach of Amherst's army of about 10,000 men,
advancing on Montreal. Their boats of all kinds
— canoes, bateaux, barges and scows, must have
amounted to thousands, and literally speaking,
covered Lake St. Louis. This armament was
prepared on the south shore of the St. Lawrence,
below Kingston, on the present American shore,
then British. They descended the rapids of the
St. Lawrence and anchored in front and above
Lachine. The army advanced in the rear of
Montreal by the roads leading to the back of the
mountain.

In the writer's young days there were a good
many old men living at Lachine who had been
eye-witnesses of the landing of this army, being,
we believe, the largest British army ever landed
at one time at any one place in America. The
writer will, further on, give a fuller account of
this army. Suffice it to say that Montreal was
captured, or, rather, capitulated, by which the
whole of Canada became at the time of the
cession a British colony.

THE MASSACRE OF LACHINE.

THE OLD OR A:\IMAR SCHOOL OF LACHINE.

This was a cele])rated school sixty years ago ;
it liad a Government grant of £J0() a year, and
there were usually eighty hoys attending it.
The hoys of the North-West and the Hudson Bay
Company were sent down to he educated there,
and there were always some twenty boys from
Montreal as hoarders there. We could name a
long list of North-West boys — the McKenzies,
Keiths, McLeods, Seivewrights, McMurrays,
McGillivrays, Rowands, &c. Dr. Rowand, of
Quebec, was a scholar there; also the Lieut.-
Governor of Ontario, Sir Alexander Campbell,
was one of the boys there for two years. The
most noted teacher was David Jones ; he retired
to Quebec in 1831 and died there.

THE CANADIAN HOME OF ROBERT
DE LA SALLE.

'ii'

r; !h

CHAPTER II.

THE CANADIAN HOME OE ROBERT
DE LA SALLE.

Sometime between the years 1G09 and 1615,
Champlain, then Governor of French Canada,
established three liir-trading pos^s, one at
Tadousac, one at Three Rivers, the other at the
head of the Rapids, at Lower Lachine, eight
miles above Montreal. This was done thirty
years before tlie foundation of Montreal in 1642,
by Maisonneuve, and a dozen to fifteen years
previous to the formation of the company of the
'' One Hundred Associates."

The post at Lachine, being just below the junc-
tion of the Ottawa with the St. Lawrence, became
the most important tradiug post in the colony,
and was periodically visited, spring and fall, by
the various tribes of Indians living on the shores
of the Upper Ottawa and the lakes emptying into
the St. Lawrence, to sell or to exchange their
furs.

CANADIAN HOME OF ROIJERT DE LA SALLE.

About lil'ty years after the establisliiiient of
tlie post at Lachine, there hinded, sometime dur-
ing the year 1G66, on the spot where the found-
ation of Montreal had been hiid some twenty-five
years previous, a youth from ohl France, in his
li4th year, of manly form and noble bearing,
whose calm exterior bespoke one who would
shrink from no danger, and who Avould cling with
unllinching tenacity to any cause he might espouse.
This youth was Ptobert de La Salle, who for
twenty-one years acted a most conspicuous part in
the early history of Canada.

La Salle, in quest of new discoveries, and with
the hope of finding a water-way through Canada
to China, travelled and re-travelled over the
then unbroken forests of the great West, and
traversed and re-traversed — or rather coasted — in
his frail Indian canoe, all of our vast inland
lakes, and westward and southward by the Ohio,
the Mississippi, and the then other unknown
rivers, in search of the great object of his ambi-
tion, nntil he met his death in March, 1687,
somewhere, we believe, on the banks of the
Missouri.

The present is not to deal wita La Salle's dis-
coveries or explorations — these are matters of

•:.1

CANADIAN PEN AND INK SK HTCIIKS.

liistory — but simply to point out a spot, an old
laiidniMi'k, iiejircr our own houiu, ot" which lesv,
probably not one in a thousand of the inhabitants
of Montreal, is aware. It is the Canadian home
of IJobert de La Salle — the home in whioli he
lived Tor some lour years ol' his early Canadian
life, and in which he planned and matured the
great schemes which engrossed the last sixteen
years of his life.

Champlain died in 163o, and about the year
1G44, the sjentlemen of the Seminary of St.
Sulpice ac([uired, or had granted to them, the
Island of Montreal, as Seigneurs.

La Salle, shortl}' after his arrival, ac(iuired
from the Seminary of St. Sulpice a urant of land
at Lower Lachine, as seigneur, which included the
trading post established by Champhiin.

On the Lower Lachine Road, two miles above
the Lachine Rapids, just at the head of the '' new
inland cut" of the Montreal Water Works, on
the " Fraser Homestead Farm," adjoining the
old ''English King's Posts," (which was also part
of the La Salle estate), stands an old stone
building, sixty feet fronting on the road, and
some thirty feet deep, one storey and a half high.
The inside has a cellar, two Hoors and a garret,

CANADIAN HOME OK ROIJEIIT DK LA SALLR.

•ill

tilt' Willis lire [)iercoil I'or over thii'ty <^-iui or luop
holes, which are ([lute perfect inside, hut the out-
side of theui (the gini-holes) has, from time to
time, heen plastered over to keep out the cold, to
protect it for the uses to which this old Ijuilding
has heen turned in later years.

The first lloor is a good deal hroken up, having
heen used for many years as a cider-house ; the
old mill and cider-presses are still there. The
outside walls still present a fair appearance,
except the east gahle-end, which is a little separ-
ated at the top from the main huilding. The
inside timbers are nearly as sound to-day as
when built, except where rain has reached them.

This was the home of Robert de LaSalle, a
name dear to all Canadians. How few now
know of its existence, and fewer still of its
whereabouts ! Its walls have withstood tlie
rough blasts of nearly three centuries. The
waters of the St. Lawrence still glide quietly by
it as of old, but the rich fur-laden tieets of Indian
canoes no longer visit that spot, nor is the merry
song of the Canadian voyageur now heard there.
Those days are gone !

This post at Lachine was the semi-annual
resort of the Indian tribes from their fi\r-distant

•9

(

CANADIAN PEN AND INK SKETCIIHS.

lie

iuii
ire.
.lal

Lilt

hinitiiig grounds tc. excluinge their lurs with
liiiSiille, juid it lA on record thiit ii hiind ol' Senecii
Indiiins, with tlu'ii ehiel", spent a whole winter
witli him !»t his home.

The tread ol' passing armies, French oi' English,
with their contingents ot* Indian warriors, "all
painted and leathered," on their march west-
ward or homeward to Montreal, was ti familiar
sound there, and oT IVec^uent occurrence in the
olden time. This was the point of embarkation
hv bateaux or canoe westward, and resulted in
the establishment of the English •• King's Posts "
in later years.

Connected with his home, LaSalle reserved 420
acres as a " Homestead" for himself. This com-
prised the present '" Eraser Homestead " and the
two adjoining farms. lie also reserved a common
of 200 acres. This common remained intact
until the year 183-5, when it was divided among
the neighbouring farmers.

As a protection from the Indians, a stone wall
was built ten to twelve feet high, three acres in
front and five acres on the east side of his home.
The remains of this old wall may yet be seen.
Within this enclosure there was planted an
orchard of the choicest pears and other fruits

CANADIAN HOME OF ROBERT DE LA SALLE.

!-■

iVoni old P'rnuce. This orchard onlv foil into
decay within the past fifty years ; its final des-
truc'iion only occurred in 1859, during the intense
cold oi" tliat winter.

The foregoing is a short description of one of
the most interesting old landmarks of Canada.
It is the oldest building now standing in Canada.
The writer's grandfather visited this old place
over one handred years ago, and some twenty-five
years later becauie the purchaser of the "' Eraser
Homestead Farm," on which the old home of
Robert de La Salle still stands and may be seen.

There are few now ol'the earlier landmarks of
French Canada remaining Those in the towns
and cities are, one by one, fast disappearing
before the march of modern improvement. It
appears to be the rage no\v-a-days to tear or slash
down every relic that reminds us that Canada
liaib a history, and that she had pioneers centuries
ago, outstrippers of all in tracing the outlines of
trackless western wilds and the shores of then
unknown rivers, to whose almost romantic ex-
ploits the historian, Parkman, has devoted nearly
a lifetime, by writing volume after volume, to
instruct the Canadian reader in the history and
lives of our eavly explorers.

■1

■i

CANADIAN PEN AND INK SKETCHES.

Lii Sallo needs no monumeut along our moun-
tain slope. " No storied urn nor animated bust,"
to perpetuate or to transmit to future generations
the great deeds of liis purely unselfish life ! This
whole northern continent, boundless and vast,
bears unmistakable traces of bis footsteps.

His life was devoted to, and finally sacrificed,
ill the endeavour to extend the boundaries of his
native land — Old France ! His discoveries and
explorations were all made in the interest of the
land of his birth, the country he loved ; there-
fore, so long as the noble St. Lawrence wdnds its
course seiiw'ard, and our vast inland lakes exist as
feeders thereof, or the great and broad Mississippi
rolls its mighty waters to the main, these river
banks and those lake shores — if all else were
mute — will ever silently testify to the memory
of that youthful explorer, La Salle, who first
trod or traced their far western or southern
shores.

Even over one hundred years ago, when these
+W0 cumbrous boats or rafts, as pictured by
Longfellow, were floating upon the golden stream
of the broad and swift Mississippi, laden with the
wrecks of a nation — the Acadians — one bearing
Evangeline with her guide, the Father Ftxician,

CANADIAN nO.ME OF ROBERT DE LA SALLE.

in full pursuit of the lleeing and wandering
Gabriel, even a full century ])efore that time, the
youthful La Salle had traced those shores and
marked the course of that great river. Wonder-
ful man ! Truly, he has left his footprints on
the sands of time !

CarriaGfes full of American and other tourists
every day during the sunnner travelling season
roll along that splendid turnpike, the Lower
Lachine Road, pausing and admiring the grandeur
of the Lachine Rapids — the old Sault St. Louis —
and reaching the quiet waters above ; then
passing the unknown and almost forgotten and
totally neglected home of the most remarkable
explorer recorded in Canadian or American
liistorv — the Canadian home of Robert de La
Salle, which still stands at the foot of the
^'' Fraser Hill," two miles above the Lachine
Rapids.

Imagination carries me back through the dim
mists of over two centuries. A scene is pictured
before me. It is the primeval beauty of that
now historic spot selected by La Salle for his
home, which I fail in words to paint.

Take that part of the road from the foot of the
Fraser Hill along the river bank westward two

dim
ured
that

■ii>
"I
$

:m
,t
-•i

iV^I

CANADIAN PEN AND INK SKETCHES.

miles to the present Windmill Point, The river
bank is over two hundred feet high between
these two points. How often, methinks, perhaps
thousand of times, had the young, the learned La
Salle — learned in all the deep and sacred learning
of the Jesuit Fathers — walked or paced, com-
panionless and alone, in deep meditation, over
these two short miles of road during his four
year's sojourn there ?

Directly opposite to the Windmill Point, on
the south shore of the St. Lawrence, at the foot
of Lake St. Louis, stands the old Indian town of
Caughnawaga, a relic of the past ! This is truly
" storied ground " ; La Salle lived there some
twenty years before the *' Massacre at Lachine,"
])y the Iroquois Indians, on the night of the 4th
of August, 168U, when, within the space of one
hour over two hundred persons were put to
death in the neighbourhood of Lachine.

To his home, at the foot of the Fraser Hill, the
first greeting borne on the early morning air
would be to him the familiar sounds from the
roar of the rapids, two miles below. Then we
might infer that his daily stroll would be west-
ward to the Windmill Point. What a magnifi-
cent view there presents itself. It was there,

CANADIAN HOME OF ROBERT DE LA SALLE.

and there only, where La Salle could have had
the first full view presented to him of the broad
smooth surface of Lake St. Louis stretching far
to the west, pointing the road for some daring
spirit like himself to lead the way in search of
a WATER CHANNEL to China through Canada —
hence the name Lachine.

The question now is : What ought to be done
with this historic old building ? It has been in
our family for four generations. It is tlie inten-
tion of the writer to set apart 3,500 square feet,
{^ay seventy feet fronting on the Lower Lachine
Road, and (ifty feet in depth, to enclose the old
building, as sacred to the memory of LaSalle.
Therefore, we may ask, is there not patriotism
enough remaining in Canadians to come forward
and assist in having this old building restored,
and to preserve the home of Robert de LaSalle
from falling into decay, or from being blotted out
of existence 1

It is due to LaSalle's memory that something
should be done, and that speedily, by his admir-
ing thousands on this continent. They have
now a fitting opportunity to show their respect
by giving him a "local habitation," as well as a
name ; and where can be fou :d a more suitable

I»\t

CANADIAN PEN AND INK SKETCHES.

place than the home in which he had lived
during the four years of his early Canadian life?
The place can never be disturbed, being eight
miles above Montreal, on the banks of the
St. Lawrence, and would be sacred for all time,
free from the calls or the encroachments of
modern improvements. Three of the LaSalle
elm trees, venerable with years, still stand on
the river-bank, at the head of the old stone wall,
a:- silent sentinels of a bygone age.

tore'-. ,
iSalle
id out

Note. — During the thunder-storm on Monday night, the 4th of
August, 1890, one of the old " La Salle Elms," on the " Fraser
Homestead rami," Lower Lachine, was badly damaged, a large
limb was broken and tlirown across the road, completely stopping
travel, until it was cut up. This tree is over two hundred years
old, and measures twenty feet in circumference half a foot from
the ground.

ii :ilil'il

ii:illi

' i!l|r

THE MARCH OF THE SIX HUNDRED
MACDONNELL MEN.

P
k

CHAPTER HI.

THE MARCH OF THE SIX HUNDRED
MACDONNELL MEN

During the War of 1812.

The march of tlie Macdonnell men ! They
were not all Macdonnells ; neither were thoy all
Glengarrians, nor even Scotchmen, in that brave
little band of six hundred, led by Red George —
Colonel George Macdonnell, of the Glengarrians,
the hero of Ogdensburg.

The officers were nearly all Scotchmen, or, at
least, bore Scotch names ; Ijut fully five-sixths of
the men were sturdy young French Canadian
voyageurs and hardy shanty men ; the woodman's
axe and the boatman's oar or paddle were as
playthings in their hands. They were just such
kind of men as had lately served in the Canadian
contingent under L rd Wolsoley in the land of
the Pharaohs.

Come, young Canadian reader, let us go back
nearly four score years — to the month of October,

40 MARCH OF SIX HUNDRED MACDONNELL MEN.

'■^

1813; to those dark but glorious days in the past
history of our country — to those days when our
noble and })rave ancestors had to defend a fron-
tier over one thousand miles in length, against
the assaults of an enemy ten times their number ;
manfully facing every invasion, and finally
driving the enemy from our borders. The story
or the sketch ol some of the gallant deeds of our
forefathers will, assuredly, strike some chord in
the *' peace-bound pulses " of the young Canadian
heart.

The celebrated march of sixty-two English
miles in twenty-six hours, by the Light Division,
under Crawford, to reach the field of Talavera ;
to cover and protect the retreat of the British
army under Lord Wellington, after that terrible
tight, w^iich Wellington had won, but was after-
wards obliged to retreat or fall back and take up
another position, is familiar to every one the
least acquainted with the marches, the counter-
marches, and the battles of the Peninsular w^ar.

The writer, as a boy, was intimate with many
of the men of the 95th Rifles, one of the regi-
ments of that Light Division, and he now recalls
the delight with which he had listened to the
stirring stories of the old soldiers. Only seven-

CANADIAN PEN AND INK SKETCHES.

teen men we believe, fell out of the ranks during
that long march of sixty-two miles. Crawford,
with his division, was posted high up among the
Spanish hills, nearly three ordinary days' march
from the scene of the conilict. lie, like the war-
horse of old, " had scented the battle afar," and
liis anxiety for the safety of his chief caused him
to decide, in a moment, to strij) every man to the
lightest marching order, and to march directly
on Talavera.

At nearly every league of their advance caval-
rymen from the field of Talavera met them,
reporting progress of the Imttle, and then con-
veying back to Lord Wellington the welcome
news of the steady and sure advjince of Crawfoid
and his men to his support. The excitement
pervading all ranks was intense. Every man in
the ranks knew the distance ahead to be reached,
and he could count, almost to a certainty, the
very hour of the arrival of the division on the
field to join in the light, or to cover and protect
the rear of the now retreating British army.

The formation of military camps close by the
Canadian frontier, extending from Plattsburg to
Detroit, during the summer and autumn of 1813,
gave evidence of impending coming events; the

42 MARCH OF SIX IIUNDUED MACDONNELL MEN'.

.'1

aiiia iind siibstjinco oT which was to strike a
decisive l)low for the reduction of Canuda l)efore
the close of that year. Tlie Americans had made
themselves masters of the whole Western Am-
herstbiirg frontier, having dispersed the British
force serving under General Proctor. Only a
few hundreds of Proctor's men escaped by falling
])ack and retreating through the then dense
forests of Western Canada by way of Ancaster to
the entrenched position at Burlington Heights.
Fort Georue, at the mouth of the Niagara, was
still in the possession of the Americans.

To our story or sketch — " The March of the
Macdonnell men."

It w\as not altogether a march ; it was partly a
march and partly a sail — a sail of one hundred
and sevent lies down the rapids of the

St. Law' . iOni Kingston to Beauharnois, and

a marv. of twenty miles from Beauharnois
through the backwoods to join and support the
rear of DeSalaberry's small force ; then facing,
watching and disputing the advance of Hampton's
army of twenty times their number. This extra-
ordinary sail and march of 190 miles was per-
formed in the almost incredible short space of
time of sixty hours of actual travel after leaving

CANADIAN I'EN AND INK SKETCHES.

(Iretl
the
and

Kinii'fiton, until they reached the hattle-fiehl of
Chateauguay.

Sir George Prevost, the commander-in-chier ol'
the British army in Canada, was at Kingston on
the 20th of October, 181.'>. The American army
of some 10,1)00 strong was then concentrating in
the neighbourhood of Kingston, under General
Wilkinson, making preparations for a descent of
the St. Lawrence to attack Montreal. Hampt(m's
army of about the same strength, watched by
DeSalaberry, was advancing on Montreal by way
of Chateauguay, to form ji junction with Wilkin-
son on the shores of Lake St. Louis, above
Lachine.

Those were dark days for the fate of Montreal.

Sir George Prevost mounted his horse at
Kingston, to proceed by relays of horse with all
possible speed to the threatened points m Lower
Canada. Before starting he sent for Macdonnell
(Red George), who had lately been appointed to
the command of a battalion of French Canadian
Fencibles. Macdonnell was then at Kiniiston
organizing and drilling that newdy-raised regi-
ment. Prevost asked him if his men were fit to
proceed to Chateauguay, and how soon ?

Macdonnell's reply was that his men woulc ^

44 MARCH OF SIX HUNDRED MACDONNELL MEN.

lii

ready to embark so soon as they had dinner.
Plucky boys, such was the material our Canadian
army of 1812 was composed of. Prevost gave him
carte blanche, simply enjoining on him to throw
his whole force in front of Hampton's advance.

If we may use a vulgar term, Macdonnell
found himself in a '' iix." He had not only to
lind boats, but to secure pilots to conduct his
force down the dangerous rapids of the St. Law-
rence. These preparations, fortunately, did not
take much over half a day ; there were then
plenty of bateaux and other boats at Kingston ;
every man was on board that night to sail the
next morning.

That sail of one hundred and seven tv miles
down the St. Lawrence from Kingston to Beau-
harnois, in open boats, was quite a different
undertaking to a sail now-a-days in one of our
well-built and well-equipped lake steamers.

Macdonnell and his six hundred men had only
bateaux and common flat-bottom boats or scows,
row-boats, with paddle and oar to propel them,
to face the dangers of the Long Sault, the Coteau,
the Cedars and the Cascade rapids ; the breaking
of OAi oar or the loss of a paddle would be a
serious matter to them.

CANADIAN PEN AND INK SKETCHES.

:ing

But those boats contained not only brave men,
but men skilled in the dangers of the navigation
through which they had to pass. A goodly
number of them were old voyageurs, having
many times previously faced the dangers then
ahead of them.

It was just fifty-three years before that time,
in ITGO, when General Amherst passed down
these same rapids from Oswego, with his army of
about 10,000 men, advancing on Montreal, losing
in one of these rapids, the Coteau, sixty-eight
bateaux and eifrhtv-ei2;ht men. Macdonnell did
not lose one l)oat or one man in his descent.

Besides the dangers of the rapids, this little
force, after leaving Kingston, had to work its
way through the gunboats and the armed
schooners attached to Wilkinson's force ; and on
their onward course through the Thousand
Islands and down the St. Lawrence, they were
exposed at all points to the enemy's marksmen
and to the guns at the various fortified posts as
they passed, causing them to be on their guard
the whole way, and to hug closely the Canadian
shore, out of reach of the enemy's bullets.

They reached Beauharnois on the evening of
the 24th of October, 1813, having encountered a

46 MARCH OF SIX HUNDRED MACDONNELL MEN.

heavy storm on Lake St. Louis after clearing the
Cascade Kapids ; thence from Beauharnois, by a
midnight march, in Indian file, of twenty miles,
through the backwoods, arriving at DeSalaberry's
rear at early morning of the 2-)th. — the ever to
be remembered 25th day of October, 1813 — in
advance of Sir George Prevost, who had ridden
down l)y relays of horse.

On Prevost meeting wdt.i Macdonnell, he ex-
claimed in a tone of great surprise : '* And where
are your men, Alacdonnell '? " '" There," said
Macdonnell, pointing to six hundred wornout
men sleeping all around on the ground, not one
man missing. Thus accomplishing the distance
from Kingston to the battle-field of Chateauguay,
170 miles by water, and 20 miles by land, in
sixty hours of actual travel.

What a timely arrival was Macdonnell's force
to DeSalaberry, whose whole force previous to
this did not exceed four hundred men. That
same day, the 2-5tli October, Hampton's advance
Avas arrested, and then began a retreat, an igno-
minious retreat, before a force now increased to
nbout one thousand men, not one-tenth of the
invading army — that is, counting all their ranks,
regular and militia.

CANADIAN PEN AND INK SKETCHES.

L2:no-

It is not our intentit)n to chronicle the many
daring Teats of" DeSalaberrj's little band of Cana-
dian Yoltigeurs, and the hardships they had to
endure for weeks in watching and in disputing
the advance of Hampton's army, but simply to
record, as at the head of this article, " The March
oi^ the Six Hundred MacdonncU Men," and we
liave done this to the best of our humble ability.

The advance of Wilkinson's arni}^ was arrested
at Chrysler's Farm, and there forced to take to
their boats and cross the St. Lawrence ; thereby
relieving Montreal from the joint attack of those
two American armies.

Seventy-live years have come and passed away
since the meetiu"" of Macdonnell and DeSalaberrv
on the battle-field of Chateauguay. This was a
meeting of two kindred spirits — l)rothers in
arms ; Macdonnell was a true representative of
the Hiorhland ^•entleman of the old time, de-
scended from a family of soldiers ; war, for centu-
ries, had been their calling or profession. The
same mio-ht be said of all Highlanders at the
beginning of the last century. Scotch names
could then be found in every army of Europe.
France can boast of her celebrated Marshal Mac-
donald. DeSalaberry was a true type of a French

48 MARCH OF SIX HUNDRED MACDONNELL MEN.

nobleman, a worthy representative of an old
French family. The DeSalaberrys were early
settlers in French Canada.

The most striking historical feature of these
two Canadians is this : They were representatives
of two noble families which, seventy years before
the meeting of these two men at Chateauguay,
were in arms against the Crown of Great Britain.
The Macdonnells Avere all out in the rebellion of
1745, closing with flital Culloden.

DeSalaberry's ancestors were then soldiers of
Old France. We may here add that in religion
they belonged to the same church — the Church of
Rome.

If we mistake not, there w^ere two DeSala-
berrys at the storming and fall of Cuidad
Eodrigo, in January, 1812, one in the British,
the other in the French army.

We, as Canadians, are allowing our old land-
marks to pass out of remembrance, or to fall into

decay.

Would it not be a fitting tribute of respect to
the memories of those two noble Canadians to
mark the spot where they first met ?

If nothing better^ let us erect a simple " May-
pole," or a cross, after the Canadian custom ; or.

■^

■ * *

11 old
early

these
atives
before
.iguay,
ritain.
lion of

iers of
eliii:ion
urcli of

)eSala-

yuidatl

British,

. laiid-
11 into

)ect to
ans to

CANADIAN PEN AND INK SKETCHES.

better still, a Scotch cairn, composed of loose
stones, headed with the following inscription : —
" This is the spot where DeSahiberry and Mac-
donnell met on the 25th of October, 1813/'

Stoiiey Creek and Chateauguay will ever be
noted as important turning points in the war of
1812.

Harvey, with his seven hun(;' d and four
unloaded muskets and flint^.ess locks, checked the
advance of Dearborn's army ai Stoney Creek on
Sunday morning, the 6tli of June, 1813.
Harvey's force was composed of fully three-
fourths regulars. DeSalaberry, with his small
force of voltigeurs, consisting of nine-tenths of
young French Canadian boys and voyageurs,
watched for weeks, and finally arrested and
checked the advance of Hampton's armv, then in
full march on Montreal. This is a bright feather,
gracing for all time the bonnets of our }oung
French Canadian boys — les bonnets routes and
the tuques bleu of Lower Canada.

iV*

t >>

\ ^

' May-
ni ; or.

ill

FIFTY YEARS AGO.

I III

CHAPTER IV.

FIFTY YEARS AGO.

THE GREAT SCARE ON THE IStu OF DECEMBER, 1837.

•' There was a sound," but not of revelry,
through the dark and narrow streets of old
Montreal, on the night of the 13th December,
1S37.

It was the sound of armed men, mustering
and hurrying in wild confusion, and under fear-
ful excitement, all concentrating to a rallying
point, the old " Champ de Mars," or parade
ground.

In the early morning of that eventful day,
Montreal was all astir to witness the departure
of Sir John Colborne, the Commander-in-Chief,
at the head of his little army of about 2,000 men,
to disperse the rebel force encamped at the
village of St. Eustache, about twenty miles to
the north. The whole northern district was
then in open rebellion. The city of Montreal

^^0

FIFTY YEARS AGO.

was left that day almost entirely to the protection
of the volunteer force.

THE COMMA NDEFUIN-CHIEF OF 1837.

That grand old soldier, Sir John Colborne,
was one of the few then living who had stood by
the side of Sir John Moore on Corunna's fatal
strand, where : —

" Not a drum was heard, not a funeral note,
As his corpse to the ramparts we hurried,
Not a soldier discharged his farewell shot
O'er the grave where our hero we buried."

And among the last words spoken by the
dying hero was a recommendation for Colborne's
promotion.

And again, at the closing hour of the great
Napoleon's downfall, when the Old Guard, com-
posed of veterans of Wagram and Austerlitz,
with Ney, the bravest of the brave, at their
head, were advancing to an assured victory, our
Colborne was there, right in front of that mighty
mass of livino; valour as thev advanced. He
stood at the head of his old regiment, the 52nd,
which, with the 71st and 95th, formed part of
" Adams' Brigade," posted on the right centre of
the British position. This brigade was the first

f-T,

CANADIAN PEN AND INK SKETCHES.

CtlOll

jorne,

od l)y
1 fatal

to arrest and check the advance of the Old
Guard. Readers of the Battle of Waterloo will
recall Colborne's position on that (ield.

The reader of this day will appreciate this
Ismail tribute of respect to the memory of our
(;ommander-in-Chief of 1837. Now, to our story.
Such of the citizens of Montreal as were on the
street that night, at about eight o'clock, would
liave seen a horseman, one of the Lachine Troop
of Cavalry, so well known by their

the

borne's

o;reat

coni-
:erlitz,

their
ry, our
nighty
He
J 52nd,

art of
ntre of
le first

BEAR-SKIN HELMETS,

dashing along our streets at a mad gallop. That
trooper was Alexander Fraser, the writer's
brother, now in his seventy-first year, hale and
liearty, and living at No. 6 Mance Street,
Montreal.

The guard at the city gate, at Dow's brewery,
was no hindrance to his wild speed. The crossed
bayonets of the four sentries posted there were
cleared at one bound, consigning the sentries to
a warmer spot than that on which they stood that
cold December night. His uniforn being known
to the sentries, saved him from a passing shot.
Then down old St. Joseph and Notre Dame
streets at the same wild pace, causing terror to

FIFTY YEARS AGO.

the small groups congregated at every street
corner, until he reached the

MAIN (lUAIlD,

which stood nearly in front of the present Court
House.

And there, without dismounting, delivered his
verbal despatch from Major Penner, commanding
officer at Lachine, to the officer of the dav in
connnand at Montreal, nearly as follows : —

"' The rebels have escaped from St. Eustache,
*' and are reported advancing in force on Lachine,
*' to capture the arms stored there for the frontier
" volunteers."

This despatch was delivered at the Main Guard
within thirty minutes after the trooper had
mounted his liorse at Lower Lachine, the dis-
tance being over eight miles.

Then there was wild hurrying on the streets
of Montreal. " To arms ! " was the crv, " the
rebels are at hand. The alarm bells rang ; the
news flew like lightning, reaching every nook
and corner of the city in a few minutes. The
city was confined within small limits at that
time. The wild excitement of that night can
never be forgotten by the living ones. The boys

CANADIAN PEN AND INK SKKTOHES.

street

, Court

L'et

I his

anding
lav ill

stache,
ichine,
mntier

Guard
r had
le dis-

streets
" the
|g; the
nook
The
t that
it can
e boys

of that night are now approaching their three
score years and ten.

Tliere were hurried mountings of stan'odicers
and urderlies. The rallying words were, every
man to his post, the headquarters of his company
or Regiment, and within the space of two hours
nearly 4,000 men, vokuiteers, old and young,
merchants, professional men, clerks, mechanics
and labourers, stood side by side in their ranks,
shoulder to slioulder, ready to do their duty.

It was a grand sight to see the mustering
squads fall in and take up their double-quick
march to the rallying point, but it is regrettable
now to think that so dire a necessity ever existed
in our country. The different Regiments took up
their line of march to the outskirts of the cityj
and proceeded as far as the top of the Tan-
neries Hill, the high road to Lachine, halting
there for orders from the front to direct their
onward course.

THE ALARM AT LACHINE AND ITS CAUSE.

About seven o'clock that night, the writer was
sitting beside Major Penner, in his house at
Lower Lachine, when a trooper, Richard Robin-
son, arrived, almost breathless, with the news,

FIFTY YEAES AGO.

brought to the village by Paul Lebert, a French
loyalist, living near St. Genevieve, that the
rebels were advancing in force from St. Eustache,
to capture the arms stored at Lachine for the
frontier volunteers.

Major Penner was on his horse within five
minutes, and galloped off to the village, a dis-
tance of three miles, leaving orders with the
writer to summon the foot companies to muster
and reach the village with all possible speed, and
if the small force in the village had to retreat,
the mustering companies would endeavour to
join them at the foot of the Coteau Hill, the
present Blue Bonnets.

THE MUSTERING AT LOWER LACHINE.

The second company of foot. Captain Thos. A.
Begley's, mustered at the old barracks, the
" King's posts " ; every man was there by half-
past eight. By that time the excitement was
greatly added to, by the women and children
of the village having fled their homes, and every
farm-house on the Lower Lachine Road was
filled by them, they actually declaring that the
rebels had already reached the village. This
looked very serious to us as we were falling in.

..'■?,'

CANADIAN PEN AND INK SKETCHES,

OS. A.
the
half-
was
Id re 11
every
was
t the
This
ill.

By ten o'clock every man was in front of
Latlamme's Hotel, the headquarters of the
Lachine Brigade, presenting a front of about
two hundred and forty bayonets and nearly
sixty swordsmen, as fine a body of men as could
be found in the Province. Word having been
sent to Caughnawaga. over two hundred Indian
warriors crossed the river and joined the Bri-
gade.

By advice of old Colonel Wilgress, a Penin-
sular veteran, then living at Lachine, who
assumed the direction of affairs, the troop of
cavalry and the village company of foot (Captain
Lepensee's) were sent to tiie front, half-a-mile
above the village, to watch and report tlie
advance of the rebels. The three other compa-
nies of foot arrived shortlv afterwards.

The first to arrive was Captain Begley's, from
Lower Lachir.e. The writer was with this com-
pany. We came up at the double-quick, nearly
a run, and formed opposite Lathiinme's. Such a
cheer as greeted our arrival ! It rent the very
air. Then came Captain Carmichael with his
Cote St. Paul company, by the way of the canal
bank, and lastly, Captain Charles, with his com-
pany from Cote St. Pierre and the Tanneries,

FIFTY YEARS AGO.

arrived and formed in line, araid a deafening
cheer.

ARRIVAL OF THE INDIAN WARRIOR.S.

But let us turn our eyes to the river front — to
the St. Lawrence. What a cheering sight was
there ! The river was literally covered with
Indian canoes ; every warrior in Caughnawaga
was crossing to join the Lachine Brigade. The
cheer of welcome from tlmt little band of volun-
teers, which greeted the arrival of the Indian
warriors, and their wild war whoop in response,
was a sound, a sight, and a scene, the like of
which will never again be seen or heard in this
Province.

By ten o'clock fully 500 men, of all classes,
stood in the old village. The night passed over
without any enemy putting in an appearance.
There were no telegraphs in those early days.
All communication was made and kept up by the
cavalry. The Lachine Troop was then over-
worked, carrying despatches and keeping up and
open the lines of communication with the scat-
tered outposts.

CANADIAN PEN AND INK SKETCHES.

Llening

mt — to
lit was
] with
uiwaga
:. The
volun-
Indian
sponse.
like of
in thiis

classes,

id over

arance.

days.

by the

over-

ip and

e scat-

^:|

THE MORNING OF THE 14th PECEMBER, 18:17.

The next morning the old village presented
the appearance of a military camp, with its
varied costnmes, every man in his own dress,
and earl}' that morning hnndreds of the Montreal
volunteers had come out. There must, at least,
have been fully 1,500 men congregated that
morning at Lachine. It was a grand sight to see
the Lachine Troop and the four companies of foot
form line — about 300 men — with their old Major,
mounted in front, thanking his •• boys," as he
called them, also the Indians, for having turned
out so well and so loyally. The roll was then
called ; cheer after cheer went up as boys and
ii'rev-headed men answered "here" to their
names. What, if that roll were called to-dav !
Not oO out of that 300 would be found to answer.
They have long since responded to a higher roll-
call. Peace to their memories !

Thus ended the great scare of the 13th Decem-
ber. 1837. The rebels were dispersed from St.
Eustache, and the troubles in Lower Canada
ceased for that year.

The following winter passed over quietly.
Seed time came, id a bountiful harvest crowned

FIFTY YEARS AGO.

the year, but instead ol' the usual autumn thanks-
givings of a grateful people, the standard of
rebellion was again raised in November, 1838.
Rootless walls and ruined homes marked its deso-
lating tracks, leaving a dark blot on the pages
of our country's history.

thanks-
dard of
r, 1838.
its deso-
e pages

JOHN GRANT'S, THE SCOTCH HOUSE.

■'t:

i<
((
li

ai
til
w

]

Tl
ni
th
Sc

CHAPTER Y.
JOHN GRANT'S, THE SCOTCH HOUSE.

AN OLD LANDMARK OF MONTREAL.

'* Walk about Zion, tell the towers thereof,
" mark ye all her bulwarks, consider her palaces,
" that ye may tell it to the generation foUow-
" ing." Such was the command to preserve and
hold in everlasting remembrance the landmarks
of Jerusalem.

Let us attempt to follow in the footsteps of old,
and restore or point out from among the ruins of
time and the wreck of surrounding matter, the
whereabouts of some old spots in our own city,
now nearly forgotten.

John Grant's " Inn " or " Tavern " — tht name
"Hotel" was not known in those early days.
This old house is still standing, and bears the
number " 47 St. Henry street." Fifty years ago
this house was a noted place. It was then the
Scotch head centre of Lower Canada. There was

JOHN grant's, the SCOTCH HOUSE.

not a Scotchman or Scotch familv then livintir
within a radius of one hundred miles, embracing
the Scotch counties of Glengarry and Argenteuil,
and the Scotch settled parts of Chateauguay,
but had at one time or another slept within
its walls, or had partaken of its old-time hospi-
talities.

Not to have known John Grant, or not to have
been known by him, was ignorance which no
Scotchman of that day would like to acknowledge.
Those now living who knew him will never
forget his kindly smile and the true Highland
greeting of our old host. The old hostess, Mrs.
Grant, died in this city during the month of
August, 1885, in her ninety-first year.

" We shall meet at Grant's," was an appoint-
ment often made by parties then living at the
extremes of the Scotch counties. This old house
was well known in the Scotch Highlands, and it
was a common practice in those early days for
friends in Scotland having relatives living in
Canada to address letters for them to " John
Grant's, Montreal." Such letters never failed to
reach their destination. The home or the where-
abouts of nearly every Scotch Highlander or
Scotch familv settled in the Scotch Canadian

CANADIAN PEN AND INK SKETCHES.

I .

living
►racing
iiteuil,
Aiguay,
within
hospi-

to have
lich no
wledge.
I never
ighhmd
3SS, Mrs.
lonth of

ippoint-
at the
(1 house
, and it
lays for
Lving in
" John
failed to
e where-
inder or
I'anadian

counties, or serving in the Hudson Bay Company,
was known at this old house.

Durinii' the troubles of 1837 and 1838, " John
Grant's" was tlie Montreal headquarters of the
two Glengarry regiments then serving on the
Pliillipsburg and Napierville frontier, and also of
the Lachine Brigade, and during the winter of
1838 it was the most Tioted military resort in
Montreal. The writer recalls one night; it was,
we believe, the 13th of February, 1838, during
the illumination to celebrate the installation of
Sir John Colborne as Governor-General. About
midnight, just ns tlie meu^bers of the Lachine
Troo]i were leaving for home, an order reached
Grant's for ten of the troop to start immediately
for St. John's. Within an hour they were on
the ice, to cross to Laprairie, to be stationed by
twos, ever3^ nine miles, to carry despatches. The
last two reached the fort at " Isle aux Noix " the
same evening by six o'clock. This was quick
work, and a hard, cold ride, the thermometer
being below zero, and the roads heavy with
snow.

This old house was the town meeting place of
the gentlemen of the Hudson Bay Company, and
old Sir George Simpson's gig, or caJer-he, during

JOHN grant's, the SCOTCH HOUSE.

his stay at Ljichine, could be seen twice a week,
Tuesdays and Fridays, entering the '' inn-yard"
reguhirly at ten, and leaving punctually at three.
This was also the Montreal headquarters or meet-
ing place of the Scotch lumberers from the
Ottawa. They were noisy boys, and made
things lively on their annual escape from their
backwoods to civilized life. Tliey were known
in those early days as the " Grand River
Roarers."

On the opposite side of the street, on the
corner of St. Maurice, a noted and rising young
Glengarrian had his Montreal headquarters for
many years, in the Iront room, in the second
storey, just above the present number "86,"
St. Henry street. The place was then known as
** Anderson's grocery." This v/as John Sandlield
Macdonald's " club room " or meeting place for
his political friends in Lower Canada, and many
a deep subject in poli^^ics was discussed in that
room. Sandfield afterwards, in later years, trans-
ferred his quarters to the St. James' club, but the
old room and his favourite arm-chair were held
sacred for him by Mrs. Anderson until his death ;
she always called it " Sandfield's room." Some of
our older politicians may remember this place.

CANADIAN PEN AND INK SKETCHES.

the

.'>:

Time has changed everything in and around
that old house. The dignity and the military
bearing of the veteran officers of the Glengarry
Highlanders, the dash and the swagger of the
young bloods of the Lachine Troop of cavalry,
with their fierce looking bearskin helmets, and
the noisy but innocent revelries of the Scotch
lumberers, fresh from their backwoods, are not
now heard or seen there. Those days are gone,
and have passed away for ever.

How changed is all around ! This old house,
for several years past, until very lately, was the
resort and the headquarters of horse dealers.
The Canadian trader in horses and the American
buyer met there. The language in around the
old '* inn yard" was changed. A frequenter of
that old place of fifty years ago, were he to have
stepped in there on one of those hu.j days
during the horse trading season, would hardly
have appreciated the " horse slang phrases " that
would have fallen en his ear. And should we
visit that old house at the present day : —

" Its echoes and its empty tread
Would sound like voices from the dead."

This short sketch may meet the eye of many
old Scotchmen, now scattered far and wide apart,

JOHN GRANT S, THE SCOTCH HOUSE.

over the wliole Dominion of Ciinuda, who,
perliaps, will heave a nigh while they call to
mind the times of old and the days of other years
when they and we were young ! Let us close
this by adding : Peace to the memory of John
Grant ! He was a good man, a good man of the
old time ; a true Highlander, a loyal subject, and
a staunch supporter of the " Auld Kirk " of Scot-
land.

,('■<:
■*.

"^h.

, who,
call to
jr years
IS close
f John
I of tlie
ct, and
)f Scot-

FIFTY YEARS AGO.

■*!

CHAPTER VI.

FIFTY YKA118 AOO.

'11

SUNDAY, THE FOURTH OF NOVEMBER, 1838.

Fifty long years have passed away since that
ever to be remembered Sunday morning, the 4th
of November, 1838. Few of the men, and even
few of the boys of Montreal of that day are now
living ; they have long since been gathered to
their fathers. Not ten in a hundred of tho.se
who took an active part in the exciting scenes of
that stirring week ending the 11th of November,
1838, can now be found here. The present gen-
eration will, no doubt, appreciate a pen and ink
sketch of the opening day of the second rebellion
of Lower Canada by one who was an eye-witness
and shouldered his musket at that time.

The rebellion of 1837 had closed, and the
winter of 1838 passed over quietly, so far as
Lower Canada was concerned, and the volunteers
were called upon to nile their arms and to lay

•74

FIFTY YEARS AGO.

aside their warlike apparel. It was, literally
speaking, '^ turning their swords into plough-
shares, and their spears into pruning hooks, and
to study war no more." The boys did not alto-
gether relish this, for, it must be admitted, they
were spoiling for a fight.

Springtime came, sammer passed, a bountiful
harvest crowned the year, and the chill blasts of
November had again made fields and forests bare.
Low, nuirmuring . ands of discontent were then
heard, here, there, and everywhere, over the
whole length and breadth of the land, something
like a smouldering volcano, ready to burst forth
at any moment ; and instead of the usual autumn
thanksgiving of a grateful people for a bountiful
harvest, the standard of rebellion was again
raised in November, 1838. Roofless walls and
ruined homes marked its desolating tracks^ leav-
ing a dark blot on the pages of our country's
history

On Sunday morning, the 4th of November,
1838, the standard of rebellion was again raised
in Lower Canada. The whole south side of the
St. Lawrence was once more in open rebellion.
The principal camps were at Beauharnois and
Chateauguay.

CANADIAN PEN AND INK SKETCHES.

terally
)lough-
iH, and
3t alto-
d, they

untiful
)lasts of
;ts bare,
re then
VGY the
aething
st forth
autumn

untiful
again

Is and
leav-

,»u

)untry's

ember,
raised
of the

^hellion.

ois and

The first actual outbreak of this second rebel-
lion occurred at Beauharnois on Saturday after-
noon, the 3rd. The patriots, as they styled
themselves, seized the mail steamer " Henry
Brougham,'' while on her way down from the
c| Cascades to Lachine. The passengers were de-
tained as prisoners, among whom were Sheriff
Mclntyre, of Cornwall, and Duncan McDonald,
]iow of Montreal.

In the early morning of Sunday, the 4th, the
patriots of Chateauguay marched in force on
Caughnawaga to disarm the Indians. The In-
dians were then attending early mass in a small
chai)el half a mile behind their village. The
chapel was surrounded by the patriots. They
said they came as friends to have a parley. The
Indians expressed surprise that friends should
come armed, and asked them to pile their arms
preparatory^ to a friendly talk The innocent
patriots piled their arms; they were immediately
taken possession of by the Indians. Sixty-four
of the patriots were made prisoners ; eleven
more were secured during the day ; making in
all soventy-five prisoners. The rest of them
escaped through the wocds to their camp at Cha-
teauguay.

♦76

FIFTY YEARS AOO.

The arrival of the prisoners at Lachine was
the finst intimation there of the outbreak of the
second rebellion. The Indians of Caughnawagii
crossed the river with the first lot of sixty-four
prisoners, and landed them near the Windmill,
close by the old Parish French Church, just at
the foot of the cross road leading through Cote
St. Paul. This was about ten o'clock. The
people of Lower Lachine were then on their waj
to attend morning service at their different
churches. Fancy their surprise ! Here was new
work Ibr them. It did not take long to muster
Captain Begley's company of foot and twenty of
the cavalry, who took the prisoners in charge.

The line of march was soon formed. Instead
of taking the high road to Montreal by the way
of Cote St. Pierre — the Upper Lachine Road —
the march was taken by the cross road through
Cote St. Paul. It was a hard tramp of three
hours ; it had been raining most of the previous
week ; the mud was ankle deep. The men would
not hear of any conveyances being provided ; the
prisoners must walk it, they said ; the men also
walked. The march of this escort and their pris-
oners through Cote St. Paul and the Tanneries
caused great exciteuient.

CANADIAN PEN AND INK SKETCHES.

line was
ik of the
hnawaga
ixty-foiir
/"indmill,
, just at
ua;li Cote
ik. The
heir way
different
was new
to muster
twenty of
;harge.

Instead
^ the way
Road —
through
of three
previous
len would
ided ; the
men also
heir pris-
Tanneries

By the time it reached the Tanneries fully one
hundred stragglers had joined, but not exactly
comprehending what it really was, as perfect
silence was maintained in the ranks.

News of the incoming prisoners, with their
escort, had early reached town. Their numbers
were swelled by hundreds of stragglers on their
onward course. There were no telegraphs in
those early days to transmit the news, and the
report had reached Montreal that the Lachine
Brigade was marching in, in full force, having
the whole rebel camp of Chateauguay as prisoners.
Such was the actual report that reached the city
that Sunday morning, the 4tli November, 1838.

The reader of this day may picture to himself
the excitement, hurry and bustle on the streets
of old Montreal caused by this report.

Far out in the outskirts of the city, towards the
Tanneries, the escort was met by thousands of
the citizens. The sight that met their astonished
gaze was strange and new to them. Here was a
large body of men advancing, having been largely
supplemented by stragglers. Ten of the Lachine
Troop rode in front, and ten in the rear, and on
lK)th sides were thirty men of the Lower Lachine
company of foot, having the sixty -four prisoners

FIFTY YEARS AGO.

in the centre. The strnjjrclers who had joined
were totally ignorant of the whole afTair, except
the fact of seeing the prisoners and their escort.
The writer was one of the escort. There have
heen, time and again, many programmed proces-
sions on onr streets, hut never hefore or since
that day has so remaikahle a procession passed
along the streets of old Montreal. In front and
in rear, as stead}' as regulars, rode the young
boys of the Lachine Troop, with their bearskin
helmets and drawn swords, and the foot company
on both sides, with fixed bayonets, guarding and
protecting the nrisoners from the surrounding
excited and enraged citizens. They moved along
steadily and in perfect silence.

Come, vounai: Canadian reader, and take vour
stand with us on the front steps of the old French
Cathedral ; let us suppose the time to be about
three o'clock in the afternoon of Sunday, the 4tli
of November, I808 ; and, in retrospect, let us
cast our eyes up Notre Dame street. An im-
mense crowd, reaching back to McGill street,
having no flags waving nor drums beating to
announce their approach, is slowly, solemnly
advancing in funeral-like procession ! What is
it, and who are they ? It is this escort from

CANADIAN PEN AND INK SKETCHES.

joined
except
escort.
B have
proces-
r since
passed
Hit and
young
2arskin
»mpany
ng and
unding
^ along

e vour

French

about

lie 4tli

let us

n ini-

street,

Ling to

ienmly

hat is

It fro in

Lacbine ^vitlI their sixty-lour prisoners wending
their way down to the then " new gaol," with
thousands of the citizens lining the streets and
following in the rear.

It was a sad day, nnd truly "a funeral-like
procession " for the poor prisoners, all young men
in the prime of life and manhood. They had
marched out from their camp at Chateanguay in
the early dawn of that Sunday morning, in high
hopes and full of life and vigour , <hey were now
in the afternoon on tL nr way to be enclosed
within prison walls ' "" v' writer remembers
well the imploring an., anxious looks of those
[)oor young bo\s; and although lifty 3^ears have
l)assed away, he can hardly now restrain the
" welling tear " as that picture rises vividly
before him. A few of them were afterwards
liberated ; others of them suffered the extreme
penalty of the law for the crime of high treason.

It were well if Ave could draw a dark veil over
those dark days and darker scenes, and blot them
out of memory. We cannot !

On our arrival at the new gaol, and during
our short stay there, cabs and caleches were
arriving fdled with prisoners to be locked
up, having some notable characters among

T""".v.^,..

FIFTY YEARS AGO.

tliein. The sun had gone down, and that never-
to-be-forgotten Sunday night closed in darkness
over the unlighted streets of old Montreal. The
Lachine escort, after handing over their pris-
oners tyj the gaol guar*., reformed for their ren-
dezvous at Grant's Hotel, on St. Henry street,
the Montreal headquarters of the Lachine Bri-
gade, to partake of refreshments preparatory to
their return march home.

The escort, after leaving the gaol, had over
ten miles to reach home ; rain was then pouring
down in torrents.

That return march is as fresh in the memory
of the writer as if it were yesterday.

The tramp up old St. Mary and Notre Dame
streets was a tiresome one of two miles over
muddy roads to Grant's Hotel. The streets were
crowded with armed men ; all was excitement.
Guards and pickets were being posted at every
exposed part of the city, and cannon placed at
every avenue or road leading into the country
and facing the river.

After leaving Grant's Hotel, our return march
was up old St. Maurice street. We had in charge
a large quantity of ammunition and other sup-
plies, which we found waiting us at Grant's, to

•*fi

CANADIAN PEN AND INK SKETCHES.

[lever-
rkness
The
• pris-
ir ren-
street,
le Bri-
tory to

,d over
jouring

nemory

e Dame
s over

ts were
ement.
every
aced at
ountry

marcli
charge
|er sup-
in t's, to

be conveyed to Lachine. The city gate at Dow's
brewery closed ])ehind us with a death-like
sound, allowing us to grope our way as best we
could through the thick darkness ahead.

There were no macadamized roads in those
early days; it was mud underfoot; mud to the
right; nuid to the left of us; mud evervAvhere,
and thick darkness all around. Worse still ; a
concealed enemy might be met with at any
moment.

At nearly every mile, a cavalryman dashed
past, hailing us, with despatches to or from
Montreal ; it was an exciting marcli. Tired,
wet and hungry, the escort reached its head-
([uarters, Lalhimme's Hotel, Lachine, by ten
o'clock that niuht.

The writer is one of the very few now living
of the three hundred of the Lachine Brigade,
who did duty at Lachine during the week end-
ing the 11th of No% ember, 1888. The brigade
was composed of four companies of foot and one
troop of cavalry, commanded by Major Charles
Penner.

The brigade and the Caughnawaga Indians

inarched on Chateauguay on Saturday night, the

10th, under command of Captain Campbell, of

FIFTY YEARS AGO.

the Seventh ITussars, tlien on pjirticnhir service
at Laehiiie, hite of St. llihjire, at which phice he
died II lew years agu. A sniall portion of the
brigade, the writer among them, was at tlie
burning of Beauharnois on Sunday morning, the
nth of November, 1838.

THE I'lvUITS OF THE KEBELLION OF 1837 AND 1838.

Fifty years have passed away, and from the
seed sown broadcast over tlie hind during the
rebellion, there arose high and above the ruins
of the patriots' visionary republic, the grand
structure or foundation of Canada's present res-
ponsible government, entombing or casting to
the winds all family compacts, or other obstruc-
tions, and securing to Canadians their rights Ji8
free-born British subjects; and, in truth, it must
be said, that Canadian liberty had not its birth-
right under the sunshine or the smile of heaven,
but was nursed and cradled amid the rage and
the strife of fratricidal foes.

THE REBEL DEAD OF '37 AND '38.

The time will come when the memories of
Canada's rebel dead of 1837 and 1838 will be
revered and held sacred in every British colon},

CANADIAN PEN AND INK SKETCHES,

service

)liice liu

of the

at the

iiiLi", the

D 1838.

;om the
ing the
lie ruins
e grand
!ent res-
sting to
obstruc-
ights Jis
it must
:s birtb-
heaveu,
age and

distant or near, ns the fathei's of coh)nial respon-
sible government, under whicli every British
colony is now g(jverned.

And on the pages of Canadian history — yet to
be written — the re])el dead of Canada of 1837
and 188S will be classed in comparison and held
up side by side with the great Barons of Eng-
land, who, on Runny mede, demanded and ob-
tained from King John the great charter of
English liberty.

lories

will be
[ colony,

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KEMINISCENCES
CANADIAN REBELLION

1838.

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tl]

CHAPTER VII.

REMINISCENCES CANADIAN
REBELLION 1838.

Lachine, Monday, the 5th of NoveTnber,' 1838.
— The morn is up again ! But not " the dewy
" morn with breath all incense and with cheek
" all bloom." It was a dull, cold November one.
The old village presented a grand and cheering
sight. The Brigade of three hundred men was
in full force ; not in the same rig as in the pre-
vious December. They were now in full mili-
tary costume, having comfortable pilot cloth
overcoats, grey trousers with red stripes, all
able-bodied men, farmers, farmers' sons, and
farm hands, well fitted for any hard or rough
work. The words, '■' the might that slumbers in
a peasant's arm," might be fittingly applied to
them.

Besides the Brigade, the village was filled with
Indians from Caughnawaga, and there were sev-
eral hundred of the Montreal men who had

( •■

88 REMINISCENCES CANADIAN REBELLION 1838.

joined. It was expected the order would be
issued at any moment to advance on Cliateau-
guay. It was witli difficulty the men were
restrained from making an attack on their own
hook, without orders. This wouhl have spoiled
the whole affair, and might liave proved disas-
trous.

One dear to all was missing ; their old leader,
Major Penner, was not there. He had gone over
to Enghand that summer to pay a visit to his old
Hereford home. The men missed him sadly.
8ir John Colborne supplied the vacancy by send-
ing out Captain Campbell, of the 7th Hussars.
The boys soon took to their new leader.

Sir John Colborne's plan was to place his regu-
lars between the rebel camps at Chateauguay and
Beauharnois, and the frontier, to intercept succour
and prevent escape, leaving the Lachine force to
watch their front and prevent their escape to the
northern district. His, Sir Jolin's, headquarters
were at St. Johns. Orders were sent for the
Glengarry Highlanders to cross the river at
Coteau du Lac, and to march down the south side
of the St. Lawrence on Beauharnois, to arrive
there on Saturday night, the 10th. The Lachine
Brigade, with volunteers from Montreal, to cross

CANADIAN PEN AND INK SKETCHES.

1(1 be
ateau-

were
[V own
spoiled

disas-

leader,
le over
bis old
sadly.
y send-
[ussars.

s regu-
ay and
uccour
brce to
to the
uarters
or the
ver at
th side
arrive
achine
o cross

to Caiigbiiawaga the same nigbt, Saturday, to join
with tlu' Indians, and to march on Chateauguay.

The duties of the Lachine Brigade were severe
and trying during the week. They had to watch,
patrol and guard the whole lake shore from La-
chine to Pointe Claire. The two rebel camps
(Chateauguaay and Bcauharnois) were on the
south side of the lake, and at any time a night
attack might be expected.

There arrived at Lachine during the Avoek a
large quantity of arms, ammunition and blankets
for the Glengarries. They were placed on board
a small steamer, to be conveyed to the Cascades,
but for want of communication to ascertain where
the Glengarries were, the steamer was detained at
Lachine until Saturday.

Saturday night came. The Brigade knew
nothing of the intended advance on Chateauguay
until Captain Campbell issued his orders ; bateaux
were collected, of which a goodly number were
then at Lachine, and the order given at dead of
night to embark. This looked as if some real
work was to be done before morning. The horses
of the Lachine Troop stepped into the bateaux as
steadily as if entering their stalls. The embark-
ation was soon completed. The river was crossed

no REMINISCENCES CANADIAN REBEIiLION 1838.

to Caughiiawiigii, where the Indiiins joined. The
force siinoiinted to iibout 800 men of uU arms. At
midnight, or early on Sunday morniui;-, march
was nnide tlirough tlie woods on Chateaugiiay.

The whole of the brigade was not in this ad-
Vance on Chateaugiiay. Captain Carmichael,
witli part of his Cote St. Paul Company, had been
placed in charge of a steamer early in the week, to
go up the Ottawa, and Lieutenant Carmichael had
left that Saturday, at noon, in cliarge of the
steamer, for the Cascades, having on ])oard the
arms and clothini*; for the Glenucarries ; the writer
was one of th(5 guards on this steamer.

Eiirly on Sunday morning, the 11th November,
the force from Lachine and Caughnawaga, under
Captain Campbell, reached Chateauguay. The
patriots having, doubtless, learned of the arrival
of the Glengarries at Beauharnois during Satur-
day night, as we shall relate in another chapter,
deserted their camp on the first approach of the
Lachine force It is well thev did, and that his-
tory has not to record the loss of valuabk^ lives.
A few stray shots were exchanged, but they fell
short of their mark. It would be well if we could

say that this ended the day.

Then connnenced the work of destruction.

1-18.

CANADIAN PEN AND INK SKETCHES.

Tlie
IS. At

march
lay.
iliis ad-

ichael,
id been
reek, to
ael had

of the
ird the

writer

irember,
I, under
^ The
arrival
i^' Satur-
chapter,
h of the
hat his-
ilc lives.
:hev icll
^ve could

traction.

Fires l)roke out here, there, and everywliere
around. It had the appearance at one time as if
the whole village and the surrounding homesteads
would fall a prey to the devouring element. No
one seemed to know the origin of the (ires, or by
whom started ; all ])retended ignorance on that
})()int. The lingleaders. however, were found
out, and instantly ordered l)y Cai)tain Campbell
to leave the village and return to Caughnawaga.
This was Captain Begley's company, from Lower
Lachine, to which the writer belonged; but he
was absent that day at Beauharnois. The men
became unmanaiieable, whether throuLih drink or
the disappointment of not getting a ,/'///'/, the
writer could not learn. ])ut in their madness, it
was said, they set lire to ten houses alone, before
they could be stopped, placed under arrest, and
ordered back to Lachine in disgrace.

Before order was restored, I'ully a score of
houses, with barns and homesteads, fell before the
devouring flames. It was a sickening — a heart-
rending sight, to see poor, helpless women and
children, in utter grief and stricken 'vnb with
terror, begging for protection ! Their little trea-
sures—their household goods — the homes of their
youth — all vanishi. '-'jfore their very eyes !

D2 REMINISCENCES CANADIAN REBELTilON 1838.

Their fathers, their hiisbiiiuls, their brothers —
the assembled patriots of yesterday — now scat-
tered wild through the woods, homeless, friend-
less, seeking shelter where they may.

Reader, young reader, this is a true picture of a
dark day in Canadian history. It would make
your very heart's blood run cold, were you to wit
ness such a scene as this. Pardon us, if we
exclaim : Thy ruined homes, Chateauguay ! and
thy burning homesteads, a sad remembrance
bring !

CHAITEll VIII.

"i.

The preparation of bateaux and barges at the
village of Lachine on Saturday morning, the 10th
of November, I808, was evidence of some impor-
tant move to advance either on Chateauguay or
Beauharnois. The men looked to their guns and
accoutrements, to be ready for any sudden call.
Tliese bateaux were used that night to cross to
Caughnawaga, as stated in the last chapter.

The bugle sound to muster was a daily call.
At the muster this morning a demand was made
for twenty-live volunteers to take charge of the
steamer to the Cascades, with the arms and cloth-
ing for the Glengarries ; every man in the ranks
stepped forward to go. The requisite number
was soon selected and marched on board ; the
writer among them.

During the previous few days, news had reached
Lachine of the gallant affairs by the frontier
volunteers at Lacolle and Odelltown. Stray
reports had come that the American sympathizers
were collecting in force at Ogdensburg to cross

lU REMINIS(;KNCP:S CANADIAN KEHKIiUON 1888.

to Proscott, when tliov luNird tluit the (jileii-
iiiirrv HiL'liliindurs hud hd't Upper (Jnuiuhi. y,The
iR'Xt woek l)roiight lU'Ws how our Hiockvillc and
Prescott boys acijiuttt'd tliemselves .so nobly iit the
l)attlo of the Windmill Point, at PreHCott. Men
of the present day know very little of the suller-
ings and hardships endured b} the vohniteers of
those days. Kvery man bore himself proudly, aa
if the fate of the Empire rested on his good old
musket and his well-filled eartridge-box.

"All on board," was the order given at noon.
It was a pulling little steamer, not nuich larger
than one of those small tuirs to be seen on our
canals during the summer. There were nuiny
anxious eyes cast after us as we left, and many
good wishes, anjd even silent prayers, expressed
for our safe return. The reader will remember
that it was on the previous Saturday that the
steamer " Henry Broughana' was captured by tlie
patriots, and our little steamer, with its precious
load of arms and clothing, was just starting to
pass over the same waters, with enemies every-
where around us.

This wa.s our first sail over Lake St. Louis; in
fact, it was our first sail on a steamer. The water
was smooth, without a ripple. The boys being

»'.v

18.
Gleii-

llo iind
' jit the
Men
Huli'er-
,eei's ol'
idly, us
)od old

t noon.

L larger

on our
many
I many
pressed
lUMnber

at the

by the

)recious

ting to

everv-

)uis ; m
L' water
being

CANAP'^N TEN AND INK SKKTCIIES. !>5

uj) for sport, havin.ii hsirned tliat tlie i)atriots
iiad no cannon, i)rev;iih'd on tlie ciiptain to run
dosi' into tlie Beunharnois shore, just outol'gun-
shot read). IIjuI the patriots known the value of
our eariio and the weakness of the •ruard, they
^vould — beinir from :'>,ni)<) to 4,000 strong— liave
captured tlie whole of us. We passed within a
nnle of the town. Hundreds of the patriots were
seen on the sliore. They remained silent specta-
tors of our onward course, doubtless wondering
wlio or what we were.

Poor fellows ! Thev were i";norant of our mis-
sion and of our weakness, and also of the fate
awaiting thcu), and which befell them before the
dawn of the next morning.

Indue course, just about dusk, we approached
the Cascades, slowly and cautiously steaming up
to the old mail steamer wharf. We did not know
who were there; on nearing it we recognized the
bonnets of the Glengarries. To our cheer, theirs
in response came. We then learned that a com-
pany of them had been left in charge of the vil
lage. It appears now nearly incredible that these
men were there for over two days without hearing
a word from Lachine ; communication was inter-
rupted.

96 REMINISCENCES CANADIAN REBELLION 1838.

We learned from them that the Glengarries
had been looking for ug ever since the previous
Thursday, and on that morning (Saturday) had
crossed the St. Lawrence at Hungry Bay, above
Coteau du Lac, to march down on Beauharnois.
The captain of the company would not receive the
arms and clothing from us, his force being too
small, he said, to protect them. We were, there-
fore, obliged to keep them on board.

Night closed in. It was clear and cold. Our
position was not a very comfortable one. We had
to keep a strict guard all night; no sleep. We
were within a few miles of the patriot camp.
What if they had known our position, and hud
had pluck ? In preparing to make ourselves com-
fortable for the night, fancy our surprise to find
that we had left Lachine without laying in provi-
sions of any kind, not even, as our old drill ser-
geant said, having one ration of grog for him.
He was an East Indian soldier. Poor old John
Murrills ! Peace to his memory ! There was not
a loaf of bread, nor even a biscuit, to be luid in the
village ; the Glengarries had eaten them clean out.
Some of us did not get a bite for thirty -six hours,
not till after our return to Lachine the next after-
noon.

CANADIAN PEN AND INK SKETCHES.

The little steamer's deck was our home that
night, hungry but not cold, for we had plenty of
firewood. Bye-and-bye, as darkness set in, our
eyes were strained to catch any movement on the
Beauharnois side of the St. Lawrence. Moving,
flickering flashes were to be seen here and •
there on the opposite shore. What were these ?
It was soon discovered ; or, at least, we believed
those lights, imaginary or real, to indicate the line
of marcli of the Glengarry men, nearly 2,000
strons:. The flashes we attributed to the retlec-
tion of the moonlight on their guns.

Nigh on fifty years have come and gone since
that eventful night, when we paced the deck of
our little steamer close by the old wharf at the
Cascades. The writer only knows of one now
living besides himself of that little band of
twenty-five Lachine boys. The others have long
since been gathered to their fathers. Let us try
and picture our then dangerous position, which at
the time, and under the consequent excitement,
we did not seriously realize. Within a few miles
of us was the chief patriot camp of about 4,000
men. They had it in their power, ha,d they had
courage, to capture our boat, cargo, and the whole
of our little band of twenty-five. We ought not

98 REMINISCENCES CANADIAN REBELLION 1888.

to have romaiiied there ov^er night with our valu-
able cargo, ill so dangerous and exposed a position.
We should have steamed back to Lachine.

As night grew on apace, our gaze was constantly
directed to the march of the Glengarry men. At
times their line of march would be lost to view by
some curve or other obstruction of the road ;
thence emerging they marched steadily onward,
in regular order, or apparently so to us, from our
distant midnight view point. The sight or scene
was grand beyond description. Our knowledge
that they were the Glengarries was gathered from
the guard in the village ; otherwise we would
have put them down as a body of the patriots on
some midnight expedition.

We passed a sleepless, anxious night, constantly
on the watch. Nothing worthy of note occurred,
except that a small boat twice appeared near us by
the shore with a couple of men in it. This gave
us no concern at the time, as they pretended to
belong to the village.

After the dispersion of the patriot camp, we
learned, to our astonishment, that our position
had been visited that night, and that an attack
was planned and would have been made on us
early on Sunday morning by a body of picked

CANADIAN PEN AND INK SKETCHES.

men from the patriot camp. The march of the
Glengarry men and their arrival in the neighbour-
hood of Beauharnois, about midnight of Saturday,
diverted the attention of the patriots to matters
nearer their own home, and saved us from falling
into their hands.

The return home, and our visit to Beauharnois
on Sunday morning, appear in the next chapter.

The company of the Glengarries stationed at
the Cascades that night was commanded by
Simon Fraser, of St. Andrews, the discoverer of
the Fraser Kiver.

CHAPTER IX.

« •■v

Sunday morning, the 11th of November, 1838,
found us still safe on board our little steamer at
the Cascades. The morning was bright and
clea*', and the day turned into one of those warm
Indian summer days, nowhere to be met with, at
least to such enjoyable perfection, as in this
Canada of ours. Such was that Sunday morning.
It was the first time in the lives of most of us to
realize that no breakfast was awaiting us. We
resigned ourselves philosophically to our fate
just because we could not help it.

We knew nothing of what had taken place at
Beauharnois during the night, nor did we know
where our Glengarry friends on the opposite side
of the river were. However, we resolved to get
up steam and feel our way down the lake. We
may here state, that it was with difficulty the
young boys were prevented from breaking open
the arms in our charge and taking out one hun-
dred muskets, and loading them, so that each

102 REMINISCENCES CANADIAN REBELLION 1838.

volunteer would have five guns instead of one !
This was overruled by our old drill-ser<.:eant,
who called us " mad young ibols,*' and said " that
one musket and one bayonet was as much as any
British soldier could handle. This just rebulce
from an old soldier silenced the '' vouncr bloods "
and restored order.

In due course Beauharnois was reached. We
noticed clouds of smoke rising here, there, and
everywhere around, giving evidence that some
work was going on. As we approached the
shore, it was quite perceptible that the town had
changed hands since the previous afternoon.
The uniform of the Gleniiarries and the red coats
of the 71st Regulars along the shore satisfied us
of our safetv in steaminii: direct to the wharf
alongside of the captured mail steamer " Henry
Brougham."

The sight of our little steamer making direct
for the town attracted the attention of the whole
force on the shore. They were as curious to
know who or what we were, or whence we came,
as were our friends, the patriots of yesterday.
As we neared the wharf, the staff officers of the
Glengarries and the officers of the 71st were con-
gregated on the deck of the " Henry Brougham "

CANADIAN PEN AND INK SKETCHES.

103

to meet us, to get what news we had. The first
person the writer met on Landing was his uncle,
Colonel Fniser, and with him was Major Mac-
Martin. Our stcry was soon told. We knew
nothing of the advance on Chateauguay, having
left Lachine on Saturday hefore the force crossed
to Caughnawaga.

They were anxious to know the fate of Cha-
teauguay, just eight miles from them. The
writer found himself among old friends in the
Glengarries — not only friends, but kindred of
the nearest ties. These grand old men, the
Colonels of the Glengarries, Alexander Fraser,
the two Macdonells, and Alexander Chisholm —
in short, half of their officers were old veterans,
having served their king and their country on
many a hard fought field on our country's fron-
tier — at Lundy's Lane, Queenston Heights, Chip-
pewa and Chrysler Farm, during the war of
1812. Colonel Fraser, of the 1st regiment, was
well known in Montreal; he was every inch a
soldier, just such another, and of the same height
and build, as our own old landmark, Colonel
John Dyde.

We stole away from our steamer for half an
hour to see the sights in the town. Fires were

104 REMINISCENCES CANADIAN REBELLION 1838.

still burning, and the greater part of the place
was in ashes. The streets were crowded with
armed men. They had been on the march since
the previous Monday, and were spattered with
mud, bearing evidence of the roads they had
passed over. These Glengarries were grand
men ; fully one half of them stood over six feet,
and well built in proportion. They were nearly
as efficient in drill as the regulars, having been
in barracks on the frontier at Napierville and
Phillipsburg most of the previous winter.

There were none but Highland bonnets there
— the Glengarries and the 71st Kegiment; and
had there been any real work to do, they would
have proved themselves worthy sons of Old Scot-
land — of that storied land where a Fingal fought
and an Ossian sang. The language that morning
in'^Beauluirnois was altogether Gaelic, our mother
tongue, though we did not understand it. As
for music, there was none, save the soul- stirring
notes of the pibroch, " which Scotland's hills
" have often heard, and heard, too, have her
" Saxon foes — how in the noon of nig-ht that
**^ pibroch thrills, savage and shrill ! But with
^' the breath which Ills their mountain pipe, so
«' fill the mountaineers with the fierce native

CANADIAN PEN AND INK SKETCHES.

105

*' daring which instills the stirring memory of a
" thousand years, and Evan's, Donald's fame,
*^ rings in each clansman's ears ! " And right
royally did the pipers do their duty.

Take it all in all, Beauharnois presented a
strange, wild scene on that Sunday morning.
The fires were not the Avork of che Glengarries ;
they were started by the loyal inhabitants of the
place, in revenge for what they had suffered. It
nmst, however, be admitted that several hun-
dreds of the Glengarries returned home as cav-
alrymen, mounted on stray French ponies, which
they said they found loose and untied by the
wayside. These, however, had all to be ac-
counted for ten years later in the Rebellion
Losses Bill.

We had not much time to ramble before the
order was given to collect us on board, to leave
with despatches for Montreal. This was a great
disappointment; we would have preferred remain-
ing. But, hark ! A wild cheer is heard from
the Chateauguay side; it is taken up and con-
tinued by the armed men through the town.
All eyes were turned in that direction. What
is it ? The tramp of advancing horse is heard.
Yes, there they come, as the well-known bear-

106 REMINISCENCES CANADIAN RKUELLION 1838.

skin helmets of the Lachiiie Troop appenr in
sight, at a full canter, and draw up right in front
of the wharf where our steamer lay. There
were only four of them, with a guide, who had
led them through the woods from Chateauguay
with news I. am Captain Campbell's force.

We recognized our troopers from Lachine, and
they us, but we could not leave our position to
speak to them. Their horses and themselves
were covered with mud ; they had been in their
saddles for over twelve hours, over hard country
roads. But how they came there was a mystery
to us, as we had left them at Lachine the pre-
vious morning. Our position was equally puz-
zling to them ; they had seen us leave Lachine
on Saturday at noon, and now they saw our boat
alongside of the captured steamer " Henry
Brougham." Had we, they enquired, fallen into
the hands of the rebels yesterday, and were now
being released ?

We learned that Captain Campbell, after reach-
ing Chateauguay that morning, wishing to com-
municate with the Glengarries, to find out where
they were, called for four troopers to ride through
the woods to Beauharnois. Four of them, all
young men of about nineteen years of age, stepped

CANADIAN PEN AND INK SKETCHES.

107

to the front and volunteered to go. It was a
perilous ride; the woods were swarming with
the scattered patriots from the two camps of Cha-
teauguay and Beauharnois.

We could select one from that little hand of
four young troopers, as he proudly sat on his
nohle cliarger in front of the assenihled staff of
the Glengarry Highlanders. He afterwards
figured prominently and successfully in connuer-
cial circles in Montreal, without leaving one blot
on his commercial integrity and honesty. He
has long since been gathered to his fathers. But
his living relatives, the noble men of Glengarry,
one of whose proud names he bore, will ever
point the withering finger of true, ])iting, Scot-
tish scorn — Natlian-like — " Thou art the man ! "
to the head of that body .of " five professing
Christians of the Protestant faith " in Montreal
for the wreck of that young trooper .> estate, and
the ruin of his family. Silence has a tongue !

The writer's family was represented by about
a dozen of its members in the force at Beauhar-
nois that Sunday morning. There were his
three uncles — his mother's brothers — namely.
Colonel Fraser and two of his brothers, besides
several younger members of the Glengarry fami-

108 REMINISCEKCErt CANADIAN REHELL'ON 1838.

lies, and tlicn tlie writer jind his brother from
Lachine, the yoiin^j; trooper above referred to.

Having hiinck'd over the arms and clotliing to
the Glengarries, we bade them farewell, and then
started on our homeward tri[). Tlie Chateau-
guay shore, as we steamed down, was all in a
blaze ; or, rather, clouds of smoke rising from the
burning homesteads, as described in our last
chapter. We were ignorant of the advance on
Chateauguay until we reached Lachine that
Sunday afternoon, except wluit we saw and
heard at Beauharnois.

As we neared Lachine, the whole shore was
alive with people, armed men, women and chil-
dren. Lar2:e numbers had come out from Mont-
real ; in fiict, every man who could hire a
conveyance was there. They were all excite-
ment to learn the news we brought ; there were
no telegraphs in those days. It soon spread
round that Beauharnois was in the possession of
the Glengarries. We were not allowed much
time to rest, being immediately ordered, with all
the other spare men in the village, to proceed to
Pointe Claire to guard the lake shore above La-
chine, so as to prevent the escape of the patriots
to the northern districts. Carts were provided

CANADIAN PEN AND INK SKETCHES.

109

to convey us. The roads were in a horrid state.
Some of us were so used up that we actually fell
asleep in the carts on the road. We were kept
for a week picketed by twos and threes in the
farm-houses a^ong tht lake shore.

It was fully three weeks before the scattered
fragments of the old Lachiue Brigade had
returned to head([uarters at Laflamme's Hotel,
without one accident occurring, full of stories
and little incidents connected with their differ-
ent movements and various positions since the
morning of Sunday, the 4th.

On Saturda}^ the 5th of September, 1885, the
writer paid a visit to old James Davidson, at the
Tanneries. lie served as a sergeant in Captain
Carinichael's company of foot in 1837. We fcund
the old man, then approaching his four-score
years, hale and hearty, sitting by his own vine,
and under his own apple tree. The storms of
forty-eight winters had passed over our heads
since we first met on the 18 ^h of December, 1837.

CANADIAN OLENGARRY OYER
FORTY YEARS AGO.

Gle

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Both

ing 01

CHAPTER X.

CANADIAN GLENGARRY OVER
FORTY YEARS AGO.

Glengaery! Home of fair women and brave
men ! Home of Canada's fairest and bravest !
This is their memorial for all time. They may
have been poor, so far as the world's wealth
goes; but they were not wanting in that dignity
of character which marks the Scotch Highlander,
meet him where you may, no matter in what
position of life. He is dignified and soldier-like
in his bearing. He prides himself on belonging
to a nation of soldiers, and that he can claim as
bis own those stern Scottish highlands, behind
whose mountain barriers Roman eagles still found
unconquered foes.

At the time of which we write, the old martial
feeling prevailed and predominated in Glengarry.
Both old and young took more delight in recount-
ing or listening to the stories and the glories of

114 CANADIAN GLENGARRY FORTY YEARS AGO.

past wars tlian in " venerating the plough," and
many a young Norval then live ^ in those back-
woods of Canada ready to follow to the field some
warlike lord, but fortune or misfortune forbade.

It is now a little over forty years since our
first visit. This happened a few years after the
troubles of 1SS7 and 1838. We had seen a good
deal of the Glen<2;arry Highlanders before that
visit, but we were ignorant of the homes in which
they lived. To tell the truth, we had formed
very curious notions of them.

The writer, as a boy, had ridden among the
staff officers of the 1st Regiment (Colonel Fraser)
in February, 1838, on their entrance to Montreal,
preparatory to their being sent to the frontier.
That was a grand reception and entrance ; there
were over one hundred double sleighs conveying
the regiment. It was a perfect jam all the way
from the Tanneries, where Major (afterwards
Colonel David) met them with a guard of honour,
and escorted them down to their temporary bar-
racks In some old warehouses then standing near
the present Custom House. "We again met the
same regiment at Beauharnois in November,
1838. Therefore, we knew a little of what
manner of men they were.

CANADIAN PEN AND INK SKETCHES.

115

But, to our visit : It was early in the month of
March. The winter roads were in good condi-
tion for sleighing. There were no railways in
those early days in Canada, except that sliort
line between Laprairie and St. John's. Our con-
veyance was a single cutter and a smart horse.
There were two of us ; the distance was about
eighty miles, which took two days to perform by
easy stages, halting the first night at the old
stage house at the Cedars.

Tn the early afternoon of the second day we
reached the old inn at Lancaster, and informed
the host that we were on a visit to Fraserfield,
th? residence of Colonel Eraser, and obtained from
him all information as to the roads. The coun-
try was then new to us. We followed his direc-
tions, and reached our destination, about three
miles above Williamstown, a little after dusk.

We had often heard that Fraserfield was one
of the finest country residences in Upper Canada,
but, really, we had no idea that so grand a build-
ing was to be found in the wilds of Glengarry as
the one before which we drew up. It was a large
two-storey, cut-stone, double house, situate in the
centre of a block of land of 1,000 acres, and on our
arrival was all ablaze, lighted up from " top to

116 CANADIAN GLENGARRY FORTY YEARS AGO

bottom " ; evidently a gay party was there assem-
bled. We feared we might be looked upon as
unwelcome guests, as we had not announced our
intended visit.

A large party had just seated themselves to
dinner. We felt taken aback, and wished our
visit had been delayed a day later. A true
Highland welcome greeted us, which soon made
us feel at home. They were all Highlanders,
including the ladies, seated around that festive
board. Every one, although personally strangers,
appeared to know of us and all about us, or,
rather, they all knew the Lower Canadian home
whence we came ; therefore, as the saying is, we
were soon put at our ease.

The merry-making at the time of our visit
was to do honour to the meeting of old friends —
North-Westers, Hudson Bay Company traders,
and old military men. Glengarry could then
boast of a goodly number of the latter — veterans
of the war of 1812. There were, in fact, at that
time nearly one hundred commissioned officers
living in the county who had served in the two
regiments during the rebellion ; therefore, the
tone was military. There had been several
dinner parties and balls previous to our arrival,
and a few followed.

CANADIAN PEN AND INK SKETCHES.

Let us try to picture and re-people that old
dining-hall at Fraserfield, as we entered and took
our seats among that noted and dignified assem-
blage. There was the old colonel himself at the
head of the table doing the honours, as he well
knew how. He was known far and near in Can-
ada, even from Sarnia to Gaspe. We shall try
and give the names of the assembled guests as
correctly as we can.

There were the Hon. George McTavish, of the
H. B. Co., and Miss Cameron, afterwards Mrs.
McTavish ; old Dr. Grant, father of Sir James
Grant, of Ottawa ; Dr. Mclntyre, now Sheriff at
Cornwall ; Col. Carmichael, of the Regular Army,
then commanding on particular service at the
Old Fort at the Coteau ; old Hugh McGillis, of Wil-
liamstown, uncle of the late John McGillis, of this
city ; old Mr. McGillivray, father of Dunmaglass ;
the two McDonnells (Greenfield and Miles), we
believe, were there, at least some members of
these two families were present, and, if we mis-
take not, old Captain Cattanach was present, and
several other gentlemen, not forgetting the ladies
of the different families.

Every Glengarrian will recall and bring to
mind those old names, and if they were not per-

118 CANADIAN GLENGARRY FORTY YEARS AGO.

sonall}' known to him, still he will recognize
them as landmarks of his native county of the
past generation.

The ravages of forty years have left but few
remaining of the old, or even of the young, who
had joined in that merry-making. The writer
can only call to mind three living besides him-
self, namely : Sheriff Mclntyre and his wife, and
Mrs. Pringle, wife of Judge Pringle, of Cornwall.
Ti?ese two were daughters of Colonel Fraser,
being the only living members of his family.
There may possibly be some of the younger mem-
bers of the other families still living who were
in that company, but the writer is not aware of
such.

We spent a few days with our kind friends,
and paid many visits to old friends of our family
who had often visited our paternal home in
Lower Canada. Among others, we paid a visit
to Father Mackenzie, of the Kirk, at the Wil-
liamstown Manse, also to old St. Raphaels, to
pay our respects to Father John Macdonald. By
the way, all Glengarrians will remember that
Colonel Fraser belonged to the Catholic Church.

There was a spot very dear to the writer, close
hy old St. Raphaels. It was the early childhood

CANADIAN PEN AND INK SKETCHES.

119

home of his mother. It was the spot on which
his maternal grandfather had pitched his Cana-
dian tent, and erected his Glengarry Log House.
This old Log House was raised close by the home
and the church of that good old priest, the late
Bishop Macdonnell, whose first charge, we believe,
was at St. Raphaels. Those dear old Log Houses
of Canada ! Those early homes of the fathers of
an empire yet to be ! Few of them now remain.
They, like their occupants, have vanished, or
have gone down to dust ; but we trust that the
spots on which they stood will be held sacred by
succeeding generations of Canadians.

That dear old Glengarry Log House! The
writer's maternal grandfather and grandmother,
and his mother, once lived there. Pause, reader,
old or young, you may drop or withhold the
welling tear. Just fancy yourself standing on
or close by a spot so sacred and hallowed by the
same kindred ties to you as was this dear old
Glengarry Log House to the writer. What spot
on earth could be more sacred ?

The old grandmother of that Glengarry Log
House lived there till about her ninetieth year.
She was the mother of Colonel Fraser. We saw
her old spinning-wheel, one of those grand old

120 CANADIAN GLENGARRY FORTY YEARS AGO.

Bpinning-wlieels of early Canadian days, and the
knJtting-needleH with which she had knitted pair
after pair of warm stockings and woollen gloves
for her two soldier boys, while they were doing
battle on the Niagara frontier for their king and
their country, during the war of 1812. The same
might be said of hundreds of other Glengarry
mothers. Many of those Glengarry boj^s were
laid low on Queenston Heights, Lundy's Lane,
Chippewa, and at the evacuation of old Fort
George, and other lesser fights in 1812.

This short sketch of a visit may prove interest-
ing to many young Glengarrians, who have come
to the front within the past forty years, to read
of a social gathering of a past generation in their
native county, and they may recall the scenes
which gladdened their young days.

Old Montrealers will remember the return of
the Glengarries from the frontier in the spring
of 1838, and to have seen that '' big Glengarry
Highlander" shoulder the cannon of the regi-
ment a three pounder, and present arms with it
while passing in review before Sir John Col-
borne.

A CxLENGARRY DOUBLE SLEIGH
FIFTY YEARS AGO.

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CHArXER XI.

A GLENGARRY DOUBLE SLEIGH
FIFTY YEARS AGO.

The old people of Montreal may have some
faint recollection of a Glengarry double sleigh
of half a century ago, but to the young of this
generation, and even to young Glengarrians of
the present day, it will be quite a novelty to
them to learn how their worthy grandfathers
used to come to town. Therefore, we shall bring
them back to those good, quiet old times before
the introduction of railways into this Canada of
ours. There were two noted annual arrivals in
those early days, which caused more talk and
created greater excitement on the streets of old
Montreal than the arrival now-a-days of an ocean
steamer. One was the arrival of the first Indian
canoe from the North-West, carrying the news
and the letters of a past year from those then
nearly Polar regions. The other was the first

124 GLENGARRY DOUBLE SLEIGH 50 YEARS AGO.

batch of Glengarry double sleighs to reach '' John
Grant's/' or some other of the Scotch inns or
taverns of Montreal, about Christmas week,
loaded with all good things to replenish the cel-
lars of the citizens, and to place before the
traders in pork, butter, cheese, etc., an oppor-
tunity for profitable investment.

Glengarry was then, as now, some seventy or
eighty miles from Montreal, but travelling was
quite different. You could not then take an
early morning train at Lancaster or Alexandria
and come to " town," as Montreal was then
called, and spend some six hours and get back the
same night. To undertake a jo- rney in the old
days in winter was a matter of a week — two days
to come down, three days here, and two days to
return. A contemplated visit in the old time by
a Glengarry farmer was known from one end of
his concession to the other. It was spoken of
for weeks ut kirk or chapel as an event, and
many and various were the little commissions
imposed upon him to execute.

Since the construction of railways, the farm-
houses are stripped, nearly weekly, by traders

purchasing everything the farmer or his good
wife has to sell, such as eggs, butter, cheese, etc. ;

CANADIAN PEN AND INK SKETCHES.

125

therefore, doing away entirely with the Glen-
garry double sleighs to Montreal about the Christ-
mas week. The present is to picture one of those
old double sleighs with which the writer was so
familiar in his young days.

The County of Glengarry, at the time of which
we write, was fairly an agricultural one. The
land had not yet been overworked nor impover-
ished. The farms were well stocked, having
from ten to fifteen head of horned cattle, some
half a dozen of good horses, n team or two of
oxen, some fifteen to twenty pigs, and about fiftj-
shee]^ on each farm, besides a well-filled poultry
yard of hens, turkeys, ducks, geese, &c. From
such resources at hand, the reader may fancy,
the people lived in great comfort. The only
scarce thing was ready cash.

The young men of ti\e county usually went to
the shanties during the winter months, with
their teams of oxen or horses, to haul the square
timber from the woods in which it was cut, to the
nearest stream bank, thence to be floated in the
spring. The hospitality of the people was un-
bounded, particularly to strangers, just such as
existed in the Acadian land of old time, and,
unmolested by visits from revenue inspectors or

126 GLENGARRY DOUBLE SLEIGH 50 YEARS AGO.

guagers, Donald and Evan " plied the beverage
from their own fair sheaves, that fired their
Highland blood with mickle glee."

A great change has taken place since those
primitive days. The young men, during the
past forty years, have almost entirely left the
county, a goodly number of them to follow the
occupaticm of contractors on public works in the
United States and Canada. Many of them have
prospered. Not one-half, we believe, of the
young men could now be found in the old County
of Glengarry as were there at the time of the
rebellion of 1837, when nearly two thousand
fighting men were mustered in one week.

"We invite the reader to come with us, in retro-
spect, to a ftirm house in Lochiel, in the then
backwoods of Glengarry. There is a large home-
made sleigh standing empty under the barn shed.
It is some ten to twelve feet long, four to five
feet wide, with sides three to four feet high.
The runners were cut from a large birch or elm
tree. The whole is '* home-made," except the
iron on the runners and the necessary nails and
bolts. The whippletrees and traces may be the
same as used for plough or harrow. This is the
old Glengarry double sleigh, all home-made,
strong and well built, of which we write.

CANADIAN PEN AND INK SKETCHES.

127

Now, to the loading — let us take a peep at its
contents : Some ten or a dozen small tubs or kegs
of butter in the bottom, a dozen or two small
cheeses, a few bags of timothy seed, then much
prized, a few fowl, turkeys, geese, etc., to fill up
gaps, then eight to ten well-fed dressed hogs
(Glengarry pork was nearly equal to Irish),
besides many little odds and ends, such as home-
made socks and mits, then much prized in Mont-
real, and, maybe, a few extra hides and stray
furs collected at the farm-house during the year.
This is something after the fashion a Glengarry
double sleigh was loaded in the old time before
leaving for Montreal ; the whole, we suppose, to
weigh about 2,500 to 3,000 pounds, representing
a cash value from $200 to $250.

The time is the second week of December, with
good sleighing ; the delay in starting is waiting
to hear if the ferries are frozen over ; all is now
ready. Food for man and horse had to be added
to the load. This was some dozen bundles of
hay and a few bags of oats for the horses, and a
small kist or box containing a good-sized boiled
ham and a couple of loaves of bread, with a few
other small items, such as a select cheese and a
little '' croudie " for the men on the road, not for-

128 GLENGARRY DOUBLE SLEIGH 50 YEARS AGO.

getting a little half-gallon brown jug, containing
something to keep out the bitter cold. By the
way, this top load of hay towering high, some-
thing like a loaded elephant, served as a nice
protection for the men from the cold winds, by
making a cozy seat in the centre of it. And if
the good wife made up her mind to go down to
town, she would be nearly as comfortable as at
her own fireside.

The reader might suppose the cost for such a
trip of eighty miles would be very expensive. It
did not cost over a dollar and a half to reach
Montreal. Here it is, an actual fact. The end
of the first day found them at the Cedars, a halt
having been made at mid-day to water and feed
the horses. This cost them nothing ; they were
fed out of the sleigh supplies. The men also had
their food with them, but we shall allow them
to indulge in a few pots of beer on the road
during the day, costing about a quarter of a
dollar. Beer was then cheap — three to four cop-
pers a glass. This was the actual outlay in cash
the first day until they reached the Cedars.

The horses had to be stabled at the Cedars,
costing a quarter of a dollar for a double stall for
the night. The men fed their horses from their

CANADIAN PEN AND INK SKETCHES.

129

own supplies, costing nothing. As for the men
(there were always two with a double sleigh) a
double bed would cost a shilling, but Glengarrians
of that day were accustomed to rough it ; and in-
variably made beds for themselves in a corner of
the large old-fashioned bar-room, by using their
buffalo robes and blankets, thereby saving a little.
We shall, however, suppose they spent a quarter
each for beer, or something else, to wash down
the food from their supply box.

The first halt the second dav was at the Gas-
cades, to water the horses, and sixpence for beer.
The next was at St. Annes, to water, and another
sixpence for beer. The third was at Pointe
Claire, for an hour, to feed horses and men, and
we shall allow them a shilling for beer. Lachine
is the next halt, to water, and sixpence for beer.

The charges for beer on the road may not have
been actually indulged in by the men, but they
had to pay about sixpence at each halting-place
to the country innkeeper for the use of his shed
to water and feed the horses, and for this pay-
ment were each entitled to a glass of beer — take
it or not.

About sunset, the second day, a long string of
double sleighs (Glengarriai\s always came in

130 GLENGARRY DOUBLE SLEIGH 50 YEARS AGO.

squads of twelve or fifteen) might be seen be-
tween Dow's brewery and the Tanneries, jogging
along at a slow pace of about five miles an hour.
If their approach was slow, they made noise
enough announcing the coming of the Cameron
and the Macdonald men to town.

The reader of to-day never heard the merry
cling-clong of the loud-sounding, large Glengarry
bells of those days. They could be heard fully
half a mile distant. Those Glengarry bells were
as characteristic of the people as were their own
bagpipes. Highlanders always make a noise by
making themselves heard and felt when they
come to the front, be it at market town, in the
legislative halls, or on the battle-field.

Just as the shades of evening are closing over
the unlighted streets of old Montreal, the sleighs
are passing down St. Joseph street, some wend-
ing their way to John Grant's, on St. Henry
street, others to Sandy Shaw's, at the corner of
Wellington and Grey Nun street, a few to Widow
McBarton's on St. Paul street, opposite to the
centre of the present St. Ann's market, and a
portion of tliem finding their way to Jemmy
Cameron's, the Glasgow tavern, on the Main
street.

CANADIAN PEN AND INK SKETCHES.

131

There were then a goodly number of Scotch
taverns in Montreal, having large stabling.
These were the resort of the Glengarrians ; they
could stable their horses for a quarter of a dollar
a day, while they fed thein out of their sleigh
supplies ; therefore costing them a mere tritle for
the two or three days they spent in town. The
men could live like princes, as they thought, at
a cost of half a dollar a day each. This was the
charge per day at any of those Scotch taverns.

The morning talk the next day at every break-
fiist table, rich or poor, was of the arrival of the
Glengarry sleighs. People now-a-days, when we
have railway trains arriving every hour, can
hardly conceive the importance such an arrival
was to the old inhabitants of Montreal. Per-
haps for a full month previous, the whole out-
side country had been cut off, waiting the freez-
ing of the rivers and ferries, many articles of
country produce becoming scarce and dear, and
sleigh loads of good things from the

TOWNSHIPS ARGENTEUIL AND GLENGARRY

were anxiously looked for.

An early visit to the Scotch taverns by the
thrifty housewives of old Montreal, was the first
duty of the day. There they found Donald,

132 GLENGARRY DOUBLE SLEIGH 50 YEARS AGO.

.'I

Evan and Sandy prepared, with all the native
dignity of Highlanders, to greet their town cus-
tomers, and to allow the ladies to inspect their
good things, and tubs of butter, cheese, turkeys,
etc., soon found ready sale.

Glengarry butter had a special character of
being good in those early days, and the first
arrivals found ready sale to private families ; the
traders and merchants picked up the balance.
Some of the older Glengarrians who had visited
town several times before had learned that sides
of pork cut into nice " roasting pieces " found a
ready sale; therefore, they had prepared them-
selves for this demand, by which they profited
largely.

Our Glengarry friends soon found their sleighs
empty, and their pockets full of good hard silver.
We shall allow them to prepare for their return
home, after purchasing such needed articles as
they required for their houses and their farms,
these being mostly in the hardware line, such as
axes, saws, nails, etc., but one very common arti-
cle, " Liverpool salt," took up most of the sleigh ;
nearly every sleigh carried half a ton of salt
home. This article was cheap, about a shilling a
bushel, but one of the most expensive for a

'ii

CANADIAN PEN AND INK SKETCHES.

133

farmer to buy from the country merchant, owing
to the heavy charge of transport in those early
(lays.

The old Glengarry double sleigh, like the
once far-famed mail coach of Old England, is
now an institution of the past — a relic of de-
parted days. We shall never again see one on
the road. We might use the vulgar phrase,
" Their usefulness is gone." Never again shall
their loud-sounding bells, once so familiar here,
be heard on the streets of Montreal, announcing
their welcome arrival during the Christmas
week. Those days are gone^ never again to
return !

Relic of departed days, farewell ! The writer
has endeavoured to picture one of those sleighs,
and its usefulness, to the best of his humble
ability. Although not a Glengarrian, he was
as familiar in his young days with a Glen-
garry double sleigh as most Glengarrians. He
has seen squads of twenty-five, and some-
times fifty, on the road at one time, and he is
one of the very few now living in Montreal who
rode in from Lachine with the 1st Regiment of
the Glengarry Highlanders, on their entrance to
Montreal in February, 1838, when there were

134 GLENGARRY DOUBLE SLEIGH 50 YEARS AGO.

nearly two hundred double sleighs conveying
the two regiments on their way to the Napier-
ville frontier, where they were stationed during
the winter of 1838.

:i;.

' I

.li

CANADIAN AUBOR DAY, 1889.

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CHAPTER XII.

CANADIAN ARBOli DAY, 1889.

The people of Lower Canada have decided of late
years to celebrate their Arbor Day in the fall
of the year — in the month of November. This
change of putting off our spring work to the
autumn is something like a neglect of the duties
of our youth, and crowding those duties upon our
declining years. Tliis is not quite natural ;
spring is the time to plant, the autumn the
season to gather in that which is planted.

Come, gentle spring ; ethereal mildness, come !
The softening air is balm, echo the mountains
round; the forest smiles, and every heart and
every sense is joy ! Thus sang the poet of " The
Seasons."

Spring is the time of the singing of birds — the
opening of flowers, and the bursting forth of
buds. Let Canadians, then, join in the Univer-
sal Hymn to the " God of Seasons " as they roll,
by celebrating our Arbor Days.

138

CANADIAN ARBOR DAY, 1889.

" I planted me vineyards ; I made me gardens
and orchards, and I planted trees in them of all
kind of fruits." This we believe to be a true
account of an Arbor Day nearly three thousand
years ago in the Holy Land, in and around Jeru-
salem, as recorded by King ' ^lomon. We learn
from the teachings of the past our lessons of
to-day, and we can never know too much of the
good done in the times of old and in the days of
other years.

What a beautiful picture ! A lesson for all
generations of men. Behold the great king cast-
ing aside for a day his royal robes and joining
with his people in the good work of making gar-
dens, planting trees, decorating and beautifying
the land, and then proclaiming to all peoples and
lands, as recorded in Holy Writ, " I made me
gardens and orchards, and I planted trees iu them
of all kinds of fruits." Therefore, Arbor Day,
in this and every land, is just a following in the
footsteps and adopting the lessons as laid down
by the wisest and greatest of men — by King
Solomon.

Canada owes much to two men — the late James
LitUe, formerly of Caledonia, in the County of
Kaldimand, Ontario, where the writer first met

CANADIAN PEN AND INK SKETCHES.

139

liim in 1846. His particular study or hobby,
during liis long lifetime, was the preservation of
our forests, and no man in Canada, from long
experience, was so well fitted to write on the
subject. And the Hon. H. G. Joly De LotBiniere
has devoted much time and study to forestry,
and the planting and renewing of our forests, and
we believe it was through or by him that Arbor
Day has become an established thing or fixed
institution in Lower Canada.

Those Arbor Days, simple and primitive
though they be, will have a decided and perma-
nent eftect for good, and will create a taste in the
rising generation for the making of gardens and
orchards, and the planting of forest trees. A
noble taste, and worthy to be encouraged ; it ins-
tills a love of country, a love of home. Trees
planted in our young days around the home of
our youth stand like sentinels ; beacons that ever
live and are always fresh in the memory of the
wanderer.

They grow on and flourish, and when the
wanderer returns in after years to visit the home
of his youth — the scenes of his childhood — the
members of his fiimily may all be dead or scat-
tered, as in the case of the writer, the trees

140 CANADIAN ARBOR DAY, 1889.

alone, which he planted in early life, are there —
blossoming, as of old, in spring time — bearing
tempting fruit in summer, and crowned in
autumn with their frost- tinged leaves, closing
the year in gorgeous colours, a prelude to a
coming spring.

The school boys and girls of the present day,
who have their tastes fostered and encouraged
both by precept and example, will not only grow
up having a practical knowledge of t ee planting,
but they will never suffer the trees so planted by
them to languish or be destroyed. From every
point of view, the observance of Arbor Day is
good, both in its practical effects and its educating
influences on the future. The time is not distant
when every parish or township in Canada will
recognize the importance of tree planting, and
will celebrate Arbor Day with enthusiasm,
thereby elevating the tastes by creating a noble
rivalry in the rising generation to beautify our
country.

The roots are generally planted too deep by
our city amateurs, far below their original posi-
tion in the nursery or the forest; and, again,
the trees selected are, in most cases too large for
planting. Select young trees, and plant them as

CANADIAN PEN AND INK SKETCHES.

141

near the surf\ice as they formerly grew. Go look
at oiir forest trees; the roots, in most cases, will
be found running on the surface, or slightly
below. In man}^ cases, in city planting, the trees
are stuck down deep like telegraph posts into the
cold clay ; forcing their roots, if they grow at all,
to grow upwards in search of good soil. A young
tree is a tender thing, therefore handle it ten-
derly — plant it carefully ; better to plant a dozen
well than a hundred carelessly.

Our worthy forefathers found this country an
unbroken forest ; their duty was to level the
forest — to make food-producing farms for us,
their children. The giant trees fell before the
sturdy blows of their axes, giving place to cleared
farms, to smiling wheat fields and rich meadows ;
theirs was not the duty to heed the cry of
" Woodman, spare that tree " ; all shared the
same fate. The duty, however, of the present
generation is to decorate and beautify those now
treeless farms by planting portions of each, by
ditch and fence side, with trees, which will not
only be pleasing to the eye, but will afford shade
to the farm cattle, and will also add value to the
farms, for which a coming generation will thank
us. Be always sticking in a tree on the farm ;
it will grow while you sleep.

' e

142

CANADIAN ARBOR DAY, 1889.

OUR OWN ARBOR DAY.

The writer has kept to the old standard, and
has made the spring of the year — the month of
May — his phmtmg season ; and celehrated his
Arbor Day of 1889 by completing a young
orchard of about thirty acres. This planting
was made on the family homestead at Lower
Jjachine, better known as the *' La Salle Home-
stead." La Salle had reserved 420 acres of land
as a homestead for himself. (See Parkman's
LaSalle.} This comprised the present Fraser
homestead and the two adjoining farms to the
east, bordering on the " LaSalle Common " of 200
acres, which LaSalle had set apart ; this common
was parcelled out to the neighbouring farmers

in 1835. These two adjoining farms formed
part of the Fraser Homestead until very lately.

It is a disgrace to Canadians that this old Cana-
dian landmark should be allowed to go to ruin,
and to be blotted out of existence.

This historical Canadian homestead has be-
longed to the writer's family for five generations.
It came into his possession a few years ago, and
is all of a wreck of a family estate of about one
thousand acres, on the Lower Lachine Road, that
n^w belongs to the family. The first orchard

CANADIAN PEN AND INK SKETCHES.

143

planted in Canada was planted on this old farm,
over two centuries ago. The apples and the
pears were the choicest from old France. The
writer made a solemn resolve, when the old
homestead came into his possession, to plant a
new orchard on the ground where the old one
stood, and he has carried out that resolve under
difficulties and without means, which will be an
example for the young men of Canada V) copy
and to mark that where there is a will there is a
way.

TO PLANT NUT-BEARING TREES.

The writer has resolved to try a new kind of
planting next fall. He intends to take a field,
on the farm above the young orchard — the fields
contain fifteen acres, say three acres broad by
five acres long — and to plant nuts six to eight
feet apart, about an inch deep, by the fence side,
all round the field, which would be sixteen acres
round, mixing the nuts, a butternut, an oak, then
a hickory, and so on ; they could easily be thinned
out in after years. He has resolved on this for
his future Arbor days^ taking one field each
year. This is a simple way to propagate our nut-
bearing trees, and they would require no after-

144

CANADIAN ARBOR DAY, 1889.

transplanting. The boys of Canada should make
a note of this, and give it a fair trial.

Trees, groves and forests have, in all ages of
the world, received the particular attention and
study of the sacred writers, and have added grace
and beauty to the poet's lines, notably, the Psalms
of David. Who has not read of the " goodly
cedars " — the cedars of Lebanon, and the stately
oaks of Bashan ? ksome of those giant cedars on
the sunny slopes of Lebanon, which had with-
stood the storms of a thousand years, may have
been twigs or mere saplings on the rise of one or
other of the great empires of the East, and were,
centuries afterwards, still green in middle age on
the downfall thereof.

How delightful, supremely delightful, just as
the opening buds are bursting forth, and stray
Howers — wildlings of nature — are peeping up,
here and there, by ditch and fence side, to have
a stroll during the silence of an early Sabbath
morning in May, through an old orchard in Can-
ada, with blossom and bloom overhead, and the
song of birds from every tree around. This is a
picture which no pencil can trace ; this is
** Nature's Picture Gallery," free to all, without
price and without money ; affording a rich treat

CANADIAN PEN AND INK SKETCHES.

145

to him who has an eye to see and a taste to appre-
ciate the beauties of nature scattered around in
wild profusion. Let Canadians, then, join in the
universal hymn to the '* God of Seasons" as they
roll, by celebrating our Arbor Days.

A FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY VISIT
TO THE HOME OF MY YOUTH.

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CHAPTER XIII.

A FIFTIETH ANNIYERSARY VISIT
TO THE HOME OF MY YOUTH.

On Sunday, the 18th of October, 1885, the
writer paid a visit to the home of his youth. It
was just fifty years before that day, on Sunday,
the 18th of October, 1835, that his mother died
at the old homestead. Few men living have
been privileged to visit the home of their youth
on the fiftieth anniversary of a day so full of sad
memories. The echoes and the empty tread of
the old farm-house sounded in his ears like voices
from the dead !

How changed was all around ! Its ruined
walls and its almost roofless home a sad remem-
brance bring. Not one of kith, kindred or of
name to be found there. Not one of the many
playmates of our youth. They are all gone. The
greater number of them have been gathered to
their fathers. Others of them have found other

160 A FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY VISIT, ETC.

homos. Wo I'olt as r stranger, a desolate stranger,
at the home and amid the very scenes of our
youth.

We stood beneath tlie same clear, blue sky,
unchanged — such as gladdened our young days.
We trod the very same ground as of old ; but,
nevertheless, a change, a great change, had been
wrought. This was the old home in which
grandsire, grandame, father and mother lived,
laboured and died. This was the home where
sisters and brothers were born and grew up
" side by side," but now '' their graves or their
homes are severed far and wide." The living
remnant have been driven from their home by
hard oppression, by wrong and outrage, with
which earth is filled.

We sought the old garden, where the pear, the
plum and cherry of Old France were choicest of
fruit, but nothing remains to mark where a garden
had been ; a green sod covers the whole spot.
Even the old hawthorn, which stood at the foot
of the garden, with its seats beneath the shade,
where, fifty years ago, we studied our lessons, or
pondered over some favourite author, has suc-
cumbed to the ravages of time, or fallen beneath
the leveller's axe.

CANADIAN PEN AND INK SKETCHES.

161

We sought the old seat by the roadHitle, at the
corner of the old stone wall. Nothing remains
to mark the spot except the two .su[)p{)rting
stones. This old seat was the summer evening
resort of old and young — " for talking age and
whispering lovers made." Many a tale of the old
time, Scotch or Canadian, was told and re-told on
that old seat. It was the family out-door seat.

Old men now living, who were brought up in
the country, will, on reading this, recall and
bring to mind just sucii another seat close by the
homes of their early youth. And, perchance,
they may re-people those dear old seats with faces
from the dead — with forms which are ever
present in their memories. Wander where we
may, voices from the dead will ever ring in our
ears, rejoicing the heart, or maybe, filling it with
deep sorrow in dwelling upon the wrongs and
ravages of time.

This is where the old orchard stood, partly en-
closed by a stone wall. Over five hundred trees
were standing there fifty years ago. Not a score
of them now remains. They were of the choicest
kinds imported from old France. Some of them
planted in the days of Champlain by the early
Jesuit Fathers, and added to by LaSalle and his

152 A FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY VISIT, ETC.

successors. This old orchard was long known as
the oldest in Canada. A feeling of deepest sad-
ness crept over us as we paced, in solemn silence,
the old orchard ground. We could mark the spot
where this and that old tree stood, bearing tempt-
ing but not forbidden fruit.

'^ This was the home of our youth," we said,
but what a change ! Changed in all save the
same clear blue sky above, and the same almost
hallowed earth beneath, on which we stood ! It
still bears the family name, but not one of the
family is there. " Man's inhumanity to man
makes countless thousands mourn." Shall the
wicked prevail '? we asked. Then the words of
the Psalmist, the sweet singer of Israel, came
forciblv to mind : " I have seen the wicked in
" great power, and spreading himself like a green
" bay tree, yet he passed away, and, lo ! he was
'* not ; yea, I sought him, but he could riot be
" found." Such, we said, might happen in God's
providence in this very case.

We strolled along to the parish Scotch church,
ihe church in which we sat over fifty years ago, on
its first opening in September, 1833. We walked
silently, solemnly and alone to the old family
pew. As we entered the church, the minister

CANADIAN PEN AND INK SKETCHES.

153

was giving out the old Scotch paraphrase, the
20th : " How glorious Zion's Courts appear. The
city of our God," &c. This called forth memo-
ries of past days. Those grand old paraphrases
of the Church of Scotland are not much used now.
What a change has taken place in that quiet, old
church ! Not over four were present of those
who were at the opening in 1833.

On conclusion of the Scotch service, we called
on our friend, the Rev. Father Pich6, whose
grand new church, the parish church of Lachine,
is close hy the Scotch church. The good priest
was delighted to see us, and doubly so when we
explained to him the anniversary of our visit to
his parish. We spoke over all the wrongs con-
nected with our family troubles. He assured uz
that his prayers, the prayers of his congregation,
and the prayers of the good nuns were constantly
before the Throne of God on behalf of our family.

This simple sketch of a visit to an old Cana-
dian home may meet the eye of many a grey-
haired wanderer, whose early home is, perhaps,
thousands of miles awav, and may awaken in
him " ties that stretch beyond the aeep, and love
" that scorns the lapse of time." This is a true
picture of many an old home. What home is

154

A FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY VISIT, ETC.

there without its tale of sorrow, by which fami-
lies have been wronged, ruined and scattered to
the four winds of heaven ? The wrong-doer is to
be pitied. Mark him well, as he walks the
public path : " He ever bears about a silent court
" of justice in his breast. Himself the judge and
''jury, and himself the prisoner at the bar, ever
^' condemned."

This old home is not only dear to the writer
as being his birthplace, but it will ever be held
sacred by Canadians of all coming generations as
being the spot on which the home of the most
noted character in Canadian history s^ill stands.
This was the Canadian home of Robert de La Salle,
as described in chapter second.

We wandered back to our city abode, ponder-
ing over the anniversary which had induced us
to pay a visit to the home of our youth. Truly,
life is but a dream, a shadow ! The death that
occurred fifty years ago, and the faces and forms
of the then living ones of that quiet old Canadian
farm-house, were fresh in the memory of the
writer, and the whole sad scene was before him,
life like, as it were, in an unpainted picture, as if
it had occurred but yesterday. Such is life !

THE FALLS OF NIAGARA OYER
FORTY YEARS AGO.

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CHAPTER XIV.

THE FALLS OF NIAGARA OYER
FORTY YEARS AGO.

" Did you ever do the Falls ? " asked an American
tourist the other day of the writer. " No," we
replied ; " but the Falls once did us in a way that
cleaned out our then little purse." We, how-
ever, at that time, in our young days, had the
pleasure of enjoying a most delightful visit or
sojourn — not as a guest — of two weeks at the
Falls of Niagara. That visit, and how it was
accomplished, is now as fresh in our memory as
if it were yesterday ; of which the following is a
true and faithful account : —

This was over forty years ago. It was spring
time, in the month of April, 1845. We were
then at Toronto, better known a few years
earlier as *^ Muddy Little York." We had
what we supposed a well-filled purse of English
shillings and half-crowns, amounting, all told, to

158

FALLS OF NIAGARA FORTY YEARS AGO.

fifteen dollars and fifty cents; cash was then
scarce in the West. All was " store pay." Fifty
to seventy-five pounds a year was then a fair
salary for a young clerk, very little of which was
paid him in cash. His board cost him ten dollars
a month, paid in store pay. Then his clothing
was charged to his account in the store ; so that a
young clerk in those days in the West, after his
board and clothing were paid, had not much over
five to six dollars a month left him for pocket
money ; therefore, we considered ourselves as
passing rich in having fifteen dollars and fifty
cents in our purse.

We had given up our old situation, and had
made a new engagement, to be entered upon on
the first of May following ; and having a little
over two weeks' spare time, and, as we thought,
a well-filled purse, the question was, where to go
and how to spend it to the best advantage in
sight-seeing. Fortunately, we found a companion,
a genuine young Hibernian, well informed, about
our own age, having a little spare time, too, and
equally rich, our two united purses amounting to
a little over thirty dollars; so we joined hands,
and a visit to the Falls of Niagara was decided on.

The vulgar term of " doing the Falls " was not

(CANADIAN TEN AM) INK SKETCHES.

159

known in our young days. Our baggage was not
heavy ; besides the clothes we wore, a small
carpet bag, containing a change of linen, socks,
etc., a Mackintosh and a walking stick, comprised
our whob' baggage. Travelling was cheap in
those early days.

It was on a Saturday morning, in the month
of April, 1845, that we walked on board the
steamer at Toronto, to cross Lake Ontario to
Queenston, from which place there was a horse
OAR to Drummondville, within a mile of the
Falls. The trip from Toronto to Drummond-
ville cost us three dollars.

We entered the Head Inn in the village, an
unpretending place, and arranged for two weeks'
board and lodging at half a dollar a day each.
This amounted to fourteen dollars for both of us
for the two weeks, by which our purse was light-
ened one-half. We had comfortable quarters ;
there were no visitors but ourselves at that time
at the Falls. Our host was ignorant of our
wealth or standing. We kept that secret to our-
sel»c;s, maintaining a dignified reserve; no doubt
putting on a few little airs, as most travellers do.
No personal in the local papers announced our
arrival, but our appearance being respectable,

160

FALLS OF N1A(4AR.\ FORTY YEARS A(fO.

conmijinded the respect of the vilhigers. We had
the phice all to ourselves.

The next morning, Sunday, an April morning,
we strolled down after breakfast to have our first
view of the Falls of Niagara. The constant and
continuous roar— or rather thunders, from the
tumbling rapids, rang in our ears the whole of
the previous night. Tt was nuisic grand and
wild. It chimed in, and was in accord with our
youthful tastes. It was a charming morning,
with blossom and bloom overhead; there was
silence all around, the silence of a Sabbath morn-
ing in a quiet country side. Nothing was heard
save the song of birds the early spring notes
of those little choristers of the woods; and the
thunders of Niagara ascending high and far
above, made us feel somehow as if we had been
transported to ftiiryland.

We cannot, even at this lapse of time, find
words to express fittingly our feelings — the feel-
ings which crept over us as we approached the
mighty cataract ; where the waters of Lake Erie
and the other Upper Lakes find their outlet into
Lake Ontario over a space less than half a mile
in width.

Our thoughts, our feelings, expressed in deep-

CANADIAN PEN AND INK SKETCHES.

161

est silence, rose upwards, as it were, from

" NATURE UP TO NATURE'S GOD."

Such were our thoughts, our feelings, as we
strolled down from the village of Drummondville
on that April Sunday morning, over forty years
ago, with the song of birds and the thunders
of the cataract sounding in our ears, and blossom
and bloom overhead, to have our first full view
of the Falls of Niagara.

" Proud demon of the waters ! " we exclaimed,
" Thou, around whose dark and stormy brow cir-
*' cles the rainbow's varied gem ! " There we
stood for the first time, gazing in wonder and in
silent admiration on that mighty mass of water
as it rolled in majestic splendi)ur over its rock-
bound sunmiit, in an almost unbroken wave into
the yawning whirlpool below !

"Come," we said, "expressive silence, muse its
praise ! "

There have been many accounts descriptive of
the Falls of Niagara and the surrounding coun-
try, but the best is that contained in tbc journal
of Captain Enys, of the 21)th Regiment, written
over one hundred years ago, in 1787. It gives a

true account, from Fort Sclosser, on the Ameri-

162

FALLS OF NIAGARA FORTY YEARS AGO.

can side, two miles above the Falls, down to the
foot of the Falls, and for four miles down on the
Canadian shore. The whole river bank, on both
sides of the Niagara, was then an unbroken
forest. Captain Enys' journal was obtained from
his son in New Zealand, and is now deposited
in the Canadian Archives, Ottawa. [See Dou-
glas Brymner's Report for 1886, page ccxxvi.]

There were no guide-books in those early days
to instruct the visitor

HOAV TO DO THE FALLS,

as it is vulgarly termed. We were entirely
guided by our former limited reading, and by
our open eyes ; and we did them — the Falls— to
our entire satisfaction, and, perhaps, better than
the thousands who annually visit them. We
often smile when we hear people ask : Which is
the best season to visit the Falls ? We have
often heard the expression of disappointment : —
•* That few people were there — nobody of note."
What did they go for ? Was it to see and to
meet with

CONGREGATED SHODDY,

or was it to view one of the grandest sights to be
seen on this continent ?

CANADIAN PEN AND INK SKETCHES.

163

The Falls of Niagara are the same at all sea-
sons — spring time, summer or winter. We have
since visited them at all seasons, and were we
asked the best time to do so, we would, without
hesitation, say winter. We, at one time, visited
them during the month of March, when the
whole mass of ice from Lake Erie came rushing
over the Falls in such quantities, that the river
from the town of Niagara upwards got jammed,
forming a bridge of ice for miles. Few visitors
have seen this grand sight. At another time we
saw, on an early spring morning, the whole of
the surrounding trees covered with icicles, caused
by the spray from the Falls, hanging and swing-
ing from the branches, and glistening and disap-
pearing under the rays of the sun, affording a
sight which no pen can describe nor pencil paint.

The whole neighbourhood has many attractions
besides the Falls. It was springtime on our firbc
visit. The surrounding country is famed for its
old Canadian homesteads and its fruit orchards
and flower gardens, being the earliest settled
parts of Western Canada by the U. E. Loj^alists.
The whole country was then in bloom. The apple,
the pear, and the peach orchards, with plum gar-
dens in the old Niagara district, the then garden

1G4 FALLS OF NIAGARA FORTY YEARS AOO.

of Canada, were in full blosHoni. Couple this
grand night with that of the Falls, and the reader
of this day will say that we, two young Canadian
tourists, were more fortunate in our time of
"doing the Falls" than most visitors.

After the first few da^s, still keeping Drum-
moudville lor our heiuhjuarlers, we arranged to
visit the different battle-lields on the Niagara
frontier. The field of Lundy's liiine is within
ten minutes' walk from Drummondville; Queens-
ton Heights, a little over an hour's walk ; Chip-
pewa, about the same distance ; old Fort Erie,
opposite Buffalo, some six or seven hours' walk
upwards along the banks of the Niagara ; and
Stoney Creek, about seven miles from Hamilton,
on the Cirimsby road. All these Canadian Battle
Fields were laid down in our programme of this
visit, which we faithfully carried out.

Truly, this is storied ground ! Every footstep
recalls the l^ygone history of early Canadian
days. Long befox'e a British drum was heard, or
a Fnion Jack of England floated in those once
far Western wilds, the daring explorers of < dd
France had visited the Falls, and were familiar
with the banks of the Niagara.

LaSalle, over two centuries ago, established a

CANADIAN PEN AND INK SKETCHES.

166

trading post on the very spot where Fort Niagara
now stands ; and a few niilet^ above the Falls,
near Navy Island, he (LaSalle) built his little
schooner, the " Grillin," the rude pioneer of those
magnilicent floating castles which have, since
that day, passed over the rough waters of old
Erie, while hundreds of them, like the *' Griffin,"
now lie buried dee}) beneath its untrodden sands •

During the three years of the war of 1812, the
Canadian bank of the Niagara river, from Fort
Erie, opposite Buftalo, down to Fort George, on
Lake Ontario, was one continuous battle field.
There was a constant and continued march and
countermarch up and down its banks, of armed
men, cavalry, artillery, infantry, besides a large
contingent of Indian warriors.

There were fought on those banks the several
affairs around the walls of old Fort Erie, besides
the battles of Chippewa, Lundy's Lane, Queenston
Heights, and old Fort George, not counting those
on t'le American side, all occurring within a
stretch of some thirty miles, rendering those
banks pre-eminently historical and truly storied
ground for Canadians and Americans of all coming
generations to pause, meditate on, and ponder
over the gallant deeds of their forefathers.

166 PALIS -F NIAGARA FORTY YEARS AGO.

Before closing this sketch, imagination fondly
stoops to trace and to draw a picture of those far-
off by -gone days, when the red man, Lo, the poor
Indian ! was lord and master of this whole con-
tinent.

We cannot but think, and reasonably so, that
the land around this proud demon of the waters
was held sacred, as neutral, consecrated ground?
for the many, fixr-sep.-; rated, warlike tribes ; and
on its banks they could enjoy their calumet of
peace and cup of joy, and here, too, in perfect
security, " the wild deer arched his neck from
" glades, and then, unhu^ited, sor : his woods
*' and wilderness again."

We shall, in another chapter, fight over one of
oar Niagara frontier battles of 1812.

BATTLEFIELD OF LUNDY'S LANE.

s
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CHAPTER XV.

BATTLEFIELD OF LUNDY'S LANE.

t e

On our return from a Sunday morning stroll to
the Falls of Niagara, we found a card from a
Mr. Anderson — or rather Captain Anderson, by
which title he was better known, — waiting us at
our inn at the village of Drummondville. Ander-
son was a noted character at the Falls, and acted
as guide to strangers. He had served in the
British artillery on the field of Lundy's Lane on
the night of the 25th July, 1814.

This card was an intimation that he was at
our command, and as a recompense for his ser-
vices, our host informed us that he had arranged
that matter. The captain, it appears, liked his
dram, as all old soldiers did and do, and our host
satisfied him that he and a friend of his would
have the honour of drinking to our health every
day during our stay.

The captain proposed a walk to the field of

110

BATTLEFIELD OF LUNDY's LANE.

Lundy's Lane, within ii mile of the Falls, being
close by and bordering on the village of Drum-
niondville. Although it was Sunday, we could
not resist the temptation, remembering that
Waterloo was fought on a Sunday. We noticed
that the captain had fortified himself by a visit
to the bar before starting.

" This is the field of Lundy's Lane," said our
guide, as he took his stand on the front steps of
the old church in which the country people were
then at morning service. " There," said he,
directing our attention to a certain part of the
field, " was General Sir Gordon Drummond's
position, and there," pointing to another part,
" was where our artillery was posted, on the
hill, close by the church where we were then
standing. " There," pointing to the right, in
front of the hill, he said, " was the way, or road,
by which the American Colonel, Miller, advanced
with his regiment at a bayonet charge and cap-
tured our artillery, bayonetting most of our men
and making prisoners of the rest."

"Hurrah, boys!" he cried, forgetting, under
the excitement of the moment, that he was stand-
ing on the steps of a church filled with worship-
pers. The old man was actually carried back

The^

the

iiear

CANADIAN PEN AND INK SKETCHES.

171

some thirty years to the real dreadful struggle of
that desperate hayonet charge, of which he was
an eye-witness on that very spot. " Hurrah,
boys! " he cried, " there," pointing to the left of
the British position, "there come the 89th red
coats at a mad charge, with a wild, ringing
British cheer." This outburst of enthusiasm
soon emptied the church ; the country people
were anxious to learn what was going on outside,
and to hear the old man fight Lundy's Lane over

again.

The country people appeared to enjoy it very
much ; so did we. The whole scene was some-
thing new and strange to us. Across that road,
Lundy's Lane, Colonel Miller, elated by his first
success, advanced to meet the British 89th Regi-
ment, bayonet to bayonet. It was a short but
bloody struggle ; the Americans were repulsed
with dreadful slaughter, and our artillery recap-
tured. There were three battles fought during
the war of 1812,—

.♦ «

LUNDY'S LANE, STONEY CHEEK AND CHATEAUGUAY.

Their very mention will ever strike a chord in
the " peace-bound pulses " of the young Canadian
heart. A pride of country will ever be associated

1*72

BATTLEFIELD OF LUNDY's LANE.

with those Canadian battlefields. The writer
had relatives on nearly every field during the
war of 1812.

It was over thirty years before our visit that
the battle of Lundy's Lane was fought on this
spot during the evening and night of the 25th
July, 1814. To make this chapter more interest-
ing to the young Canadian reiider of this day, we
shall give a short account of the several affiiirs ;
the movements and the positions of the two
armies on the Niagara frontier during the month
of July, 1814, preceding Lundy's Lane. They
will bear in mind that at that time there were no
telegraphs, no railways, and no steamers. All
comnmnication between Fort George, at the head
of the lake, and Kingston at the foot, had to
be made by land, all the way round Lake Onta-
rio, nearly 300 miles, or by schooner down the
lake.

The small British force under General Rial had
full possession of the Canadian side of the Niagara
frontier, from Fort Erie, opposite Buffalo, down
to Fort George, at the mouth of the Niagara
river, on Lake Ontario, with Fort George as
headquarters. The British also held Fort Nia-
gara, on the American side, opposite Fort George.

CANADIAN PEN AND INK SKETCHES.

173

The American army, of about G,000 men of* all
arms, under General Brown, crossed from Buffalo
and Black Rock, three miles below Buffalo, on
the 3rd of July. Part crossed above Fort Erie ;
the main body below, at Black Rock, completely
surrounding and cutting of all communication
between the small body of British (less than 200
men) in Fort Erie, and the British advanced post
at Chippewa.

On learning that the Americans had crossed
the river. General Rial immediatel}^ advanced his
headquarters to Chippewp three nules above the
Falls; and on the 4th. thp (^^y after the Ameri-
cans had crossed, marc' ^ ^ up the Canadian bank
of the Niagara to relieve Fort Erie. It was then
he learned of its surrender. General Rial was
forced to fall back on Chippewa before superior
numbers, having less than 1,500 men. There, at
Chippewa, on the afternoon of the oth of July, he
made a holt and took a stand to arrest the onward
progress of the Americans, but after a desperate
fight was repulsed with the loss of about five
hundred men.

After the battle of Chippewa the British re-
treated or fell back to Fort George. The Ameri-
cans advanced as far as Queenston, having made

174

BATTLEFIELD OF LUNDY'S LANE.

themselves masters of the whole surrounding
country, which they held for three weeks.
During this time they committed ravages wliicli
remain as a dark blot and a lasting disgrace to
the American army ; the remembrance of them
has descended from father to son, '^ d are not for-
gotten even at this day by the old families in the
Niagara district. Besides plundering the farm-
houses and country homesteads, they wantonly
set fire to and burned the whole village of
St. David's, containing about forty houses.

These three weeks, from the ord to the 25th
of Jaly, 1814, was the darkest period for the
British arms during the whole war of 1812 to
1815. The people of the Niagara district were
almost driven to despair. Their dreaded and
bitter enemy had possession of their homes.

General Sir Gordon Drummond was then at
Kingston, about three hundred miles distant, by
land route, from the scene of conflict on the Nia-
gara frontier.

On the first intelligence of the reverses on the
Niagara frontier reaching Kingston, Sir Gordon
Drummond posted for York (Toronto), from
which place he sailed on Sunday, the 24th, reach-
ing Fort George on Monday, the 25th July, 1814.

CANADIAN TEN AND INK SKETCHES.

115

Previous to his arrival, the Americans had re-
treated from Qiieenston to Chippewa ; Gen. Rial
had also, after leaving a force in the two forts,
Forts George and Niagara, retreated or fallen
back to form a junction with parts of the 103rd
and 104th regiments, then advancing from Bur-
lington Heights. Having met with the expected
reinforcements at the

TWENTY-MILE CREEK,

he. General Rial, faced about and took up his line

of march on Lundy's Lane, having learned on the

road of the American retreat from Queenston to
Chippewa.

The American General having also learned,
through his scouts, of General Rial's retreat, or
facing back from Fort George, advanced again
that afternoon, the 25th, from Chippewa to
Lundy's Lane. Hence the meeting of the ad-
vanced bodies of the now two advancing armies
on Monday evening, tl e 25th July, 181 4, on the
field of Lundy's Lane.

Lundy's Lane ! ever to be remembered battle-
field ! " Is the spot marked with no colossal
bust, nor column trophied for triumphal show?
None ! " Reader, young Canadian reader, have

176

BATTLEFIELD OF LUNDY'S LANE.

you ever stood on a battlefield of your country —
one on which you could claim to have had rela-
tives doing battle for their king and country ?
The writer could claim this, and prided himself,
as a boy, while standing on the field of Lundy's
Lane, of having had two of his mother's brothers
foremost in the fight on that ever-glorious Cana-
dian battlefield. These two then voung soldiers
were afterwards, during the Rebellion of 1837,
Colonel Alexander Fraser and Major Donald
Fraser, of the 1st Eegiment of the Glengarry
Highlanders.

General Sir Gordon Drumraond, immediately
after his arrival at Fort George, took up his line
of mnrcb by way of Queenston to support the
advance of General Rial from the

TWENTY-MILE CREEK

on Lundy's Lane (the heat under the broiling
July sun was excessive), but on his (Drunimond's)
arriving within three miles of the field, he found
that Rial had already decided on a retrograde
movement before superior numbers. He had not
forgotten his disastrous stand at ^hippewa on the
5th. This backward movement was arrested by
General Drummond, who ordered a face about

CANADIAN PEN AND INK SKETCHES.

177

and a return toLuiidy'n Lane. The British force
was now increased to a little over 3,000 men.
The American force amounted to about 5,000.
The meeting place of General Drummond with
General Rial was somewhere close by where
stood, some two weeks previous, the pretty little
village of St. Davids, surrounded by its orchards
and cornfields, then a smouldering pile ; the lires
in some places were still burning. This savage
deed of the American army met the gaze of the
newly -arrived British soldiers, a sight so unusual
in civilized warfare; coupled with which, the
assembled women and children, now rendered
liouseless and homeless, clinging around the sol-
diers, and pointing to their ruined homes, and
crying for revenge, whetted the bayonets and
nerved the arms of both regulars and militia, as
they passed onwards to the field of Lundy's Lane,
vowing vengeance, to conquer or to die on that
field.

It was just sev.n months before that time when
that small band of determined British soldiers
and Canadian militia crossed at midnight from
Fort George and captured Fort Niagara; then
took and burned the towns of Lewiston, Man-
chester, Black Rock and Bufi'alo, in revenge for

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178

BATTLEFIELD OF LUNDY'S LANE.

the burning of Newark (Niagarca) by the Ameri-
cans in December, 1813.

It was evening — about sunset ! Then began
in earnest that dreadful struggle on Lundy's
Lane. The Americans fought with a sure cer-
tainty of victory. They had been successful in
every affair during the month. The Canadian
militia fought with desperation. They were
goaded on nearly to madness by the outrages per-
petrated on their homes by the Americans.
Revenge ! was their battle cry. We shall not
attempt to describe that fearful hand-to-hand and
foot-to- foot deadly struggle — the giving and the
taking of death.

Every man in the British ranks fought as if
the fate of the Empire rested on his bayonet.
Scattered bands, fighting independently here,
there, and everywhere over the field, were
blazing at each other within pistol-shot range,
and bayonetting or clubbing with the butt-
ends of their muskets or rifles in the dark.
" It was bloody, butchering work," said an old
soldier.

There, within a small compass, and in some
places in heaps, over 1,700 men lay dead or dying
on that bloody field, being over one-fifth of the

CANADIAN PEN AND INK SKETCHES.

179

combatants engaged. Every fifth man went
down !

The Americans being worsted at all points,
withdrew about midnight to Chippewa, their
headquarters, three miles distant, leaving the
little British force musters of the field — of a field
covered with the dead and dying of both armies,
and on which the victors sank down, totally ex-
hiiusted after their six hours' hard fighting, and
their long march during the early part of the
day from Fort George and the Twenty-Mile
Creek.

Who can picture that bloody field ! The fol-
lowing words, descriptive of how a British soldier
fights, to be found in Napier's account of the
battle of Albuera : — " They closed on their terri-
ble enemv, and then was seen with what a
strength and majesty the British soldier fights ! "
may be fittingly applied to this desperate hand-
to-hand struggle on Lundy's Lane.

The thunders of Niagara, silenced or drowned
during the rage of battle, were once more heard,
and the still nearer sounds, the groans of the
wounded and the dying, rang in the ears of the
survivors, as they sank down exhausted on the
won field to seek repose.

180

BATTLEFIELD OF LUNDY S LANE.

At early sunrise on the morning of the 26th of
July, 1814, the field of Lundy's Lane presented a
ghastly sight ! The dead and the dying lay
thick around. The heat was so intense that the
bodies had to be disposed of without delay. The
dead were collected and placed in two heaps to be
burned — the British dead in one; the Americans
in the other. The tires were then lighted, and
what remained of that mass of " living valour " of
yesterday was soon reduced to a smouldering pile
of ashes. A fearful necessity ! It had to be
done. Putrefaction had set in ; a terrible stench
arose from all parts of the held.

Long before break of day of the 20th, and even
before the crowning cheers of the victors had
reached the camp followers, the field of Lundy's
Lane presented another sight, perhaps the sad-
dest — the most affecting one, full of hopes and
fears, connected with a battlefield. Close by, in
the rear, as camp followers, listening in fearful
suspense to every volley and cheer from that
fearfully contested field, were hundreds of women
and children — the mothers, the wives, the daugh-
ters, the sisters of the brave men of the Niagara
district. These were earlv on the field, searching
among the living, the dying and the dead, for

CANADIAN PEN AND INK SKETCHES.

181

loved ones. Even these forgot for the moment
their dead in the general rejoicing of a great
national victory.

The victors were not allowed much time for
rest. The sun arose, a glorious July sun, shed-
ding his first beams over this field of death, and
" smiling as if earth contained no tomb." The
bugle sounded the muster call ; then sprang up, as
if by magic, from all parts of the field, about 1,500
unwounded but nearly exhausted men, and
quickly forming in new ranks beside new com-
rades — theirs of yesterday being dead — prepara-
tory to an advance to follow after the enemy.

The Americans had retreated during the night
to Chippewa, but the next day they continued
their retreat to Fort Erie, throwing all their
artillery and heavy baggage into the Niagara.
The greater part of them crossed the Niagara at
Black Rock and Buffalo, leaving a strong force in
Fort Erie on the Canadian side of the river.

OUR ANTIQUITIES.

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CHAPTER XVI.

OUR ANTIQUITIES.

A RECENT VISIT TO THE CANADIAN HOME OF
ROBERT DE LA SALLE.

On a bright morning during the month of Octo-
ber, 1887, the writer was induced by an intelli-
gent stranger, of French extraction, from the
United States, to join him in a walk to pay a
visit to the old home of Robert de la Salle, situate
on the banks of the St. Lawrence, two miles
above the Lachine Rapids, eight mile«* from Mont-
real. It was a charming morning, clear and
bracing, not cold. Autumn was then in her full
glory, the frost-tinged leaves of varied hue, which
no pencil can paint nor pen adequately describe,
affording a sight to the admirer of nature to pause
and meditate upon, nowhere to be met with to
such enjoyable perfection as in Ct. 'li — fittingly
pictured by an old writer as ; ^* Sober autumn
fading into age."

186

OUR ANTIQUITIES.

The rulnH of tlie Cjinadiiui home of Robert de
la Salle still stand on the banks of the St. Law-
rence, two miles above the Lachine Rapidy, close
by the head entrance of the Montreal water
works. There nre three ways of reaching it :
First, by the Lower Lachine road ; second, by a
walk along the bjinks of the water works ; and
third, along the Lachine Canal to the Cote St. Paul
bridge; thence by cutting through the rear of the
Cote Si". Paul farms, taking a direct line south,
about five miles, through the woods by an old
Indian trail known to few. This brings you to
the river front, just at the old home. We took
the latter route.

The walk across the rear of Cote St. Paul is a
charming one^ its cultivated farms, with young
thriving orchards on most of them, and snug
looking dwelling houses and substantial farm
buildings, denoting comfort. This walk is sel-
dom taken. On your right, beneath, you have
the Lachine canal, and far away, above, you have
the high land of Cote St. Pierre, and then, be-
tween the canal and Cote St. Pierre, there is that
broad deep valley, a lake in former days, but now
it is the highway for railways, and since it was

CANADIAN PEN AND INK SKETCHES.

18Y

drained it has become the vegetable garden of
Montreal.

In due time, after a walk of two hours and a
half, we reached La Salle's old home — the home
of the most noted chnracter in Canadian or Ameri-
can history. Few know of it, and fewer still are
aware that this old home — this historical Cana-
dian landmark — is within so short a distance of
the city of Montreal. It is not now " a thing of
beauty.'' It is crumbling down, jind will soon
mix with the dust of ages.

" And this is the home of Robert de la Salle !"
exclaimed our friend, bowing low with deepest
reverence, and exhibiting feelings of the pro-
foundest veneration as he approached the old
building. It was to us a familiar spot, as being
enclosed within the old stone wall that at one
time surrounded the hame of our youth.

To satisfy the curiosity of our new friend, we
entered the building and explored the inside ; in
doing so, we had to be careful <Jf our footsteps.

Its echoes and its empty tread called forth
thoughts of the noble dead who had lived there
over two centuries ago. nearly as : — '' Monarch of
all I survey," in what was then known as those

XY „ Western wilds of French Canada

188

OUR ANTIQUITIES.

thought of the time when the *' forest primeval "
stretched down to the very river shore — when
the wolf, the bear and the wihl deer roamed
nearly undisturbed around this then solitary
abode of Canada's — even of America's, most daring
explorer !

As we stood in that old builuiug, our thoughts
were Avandering over the by-gone centuries of
early Canadian days. Not only did we think of
La Salle as having lived here, but we recalled the
long list of noble men, representatives of old
France, who, from time to time, had slept within
these venerated — yes, sacred walls !

While we were standing and enjoying a peep
out of the old window in the second storey, in the
west end of the building, gazing on all around,
taking a present and retrospective view of what
is and what had occurred in and around this old
home during the by-gone centuries, just at that
time one of our large lake steamers was passing
down the St. Lawrence, right in front of us, filled
with tourists, to run or jump the Lachine Kapids
— the old '*Sault St. Louis." We then pictured
in imagination the time in those far-off days
when Champlain, then Governor of French
Canada, was induced by the Indians to come up

CANADIAN PEN AND INK SKETCHES.

189

from whore Montreal now stands, to this spot, to
have his first run or sail in an Indian canoe over
those now far-famed rapids !

What a change has taken place since that day !
Tliose rapids still roll on unchjinged! Such as
creation's dawn hoheld, they roll now, in the
self-same course ; hut this old huilding, the wit-
ness stand of many a dark tragedy during the
Indian massacre of 1G80, and the cradle home of
many a grand scheme for the aggrandizement of
old France, planned hy La Salle within its old
walls, still stands. This was the place, and
within its old walls or palisades, where Vaudreuil
with his 500 men sought shelter on the night
after the massacre of Lachine on the oth of
August, 1689.

We turned our eyes to the river front, to what
was in the writer's young days a quiet bay —
stretching down to where the water works bridge
now stands. The primeval beauty of this once*
romantic river shore is now destroyed by the
water works basin. This is the spot where the old
English " King's Post" stood during the war of
1812.

Although Canadians apparently forget, or do
not care, to do lionour to one of their noblest dead,

190

OUR ANTIQUITIES.

still the name and memory of La Salle is pre-
served and honoured in nearly every town and
city from Detroit to the mouth of the Mihsissippi.
Streets and squares in every city, and even
counties and vilhiges bear his name, testifying to
the respect in which his memory is field. Mon-
treal, alone, has nothing commemorative of him.
We lift the curtain and take a peep into •' dim
futurity" — to the time— perhaps, centuries to
come, when the name and the memorvof LaSalle
will be held in greater veneration than by the
people of this generation, when some student or
students of history will pass along this storied.
Lower Lachine Road, seeking the spot on which
La Salle's home stood, and other historic spots on
this road, such as the English King's Posts of
1812, the old Windmill, and the spot where Fort
Remy stood. We may state that Fort Remy
stood on the ground where the Novitiate of the
Fathers Oblats now stands, close to the Windmill.

There may not then, in the coming future, be
a stone left standing of this old landmark, (La
Salle's) to mark the spot, unless Canadians of this

day arouse themselves and restore the old build-

f
ing, by taking advantage of the writer's offer o^

setting apart 3,500 feet of land, say 70 feet fronting

CANADIAN PEN AND INK SKETCHES.

101

on the Lower Lachine Road, b}'^ 50 feet in depth,
to enclose the old home, to be held sacred for all
time ; or to erect a monument thereon.

This old building has a history stretching far
into and over the bygone centuries of early Cana-
dian days. Long before the foundation stone was
laid in the queenly city of Montreal, with its
now noble structures and princely mansions bask-
ing under the shade of our stately Mount Royal —
long before a parish church bell was heard in the
ancient town of Ville Marie, summoning the little
bands of devout worshipers to their early matins
— long before those early days of Canadian
history, did this old building stand, as it now
stands, on the banks of the St. Lawrence, two
miles above the Lachine Rapids.

■^^

THE BLUE BONNETS.

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CHAPTER XVII.

THE BLUE BONNETS.

NEAR LACHINE, ON THE GRAND TRUNK RAILWAY.

The present article does not relate to the Blue
Bonnets of Old Scotland, nor to tlieir raids over
the border, in former dnys, to chastise their
Saxon foes, but simply to point oat a place where
an old French village once i^tood, within some five
miles of the city of Montreal. This is not the
story of a deserted village, but of a village which
has entirely disappeared within the memory of
living men. Not a vestige ot the old place now
remains. It lives only in name.

The Blue Bonnets is still a familiar name
among railway men, and is also well known in
sporting circles, the old spot being close by, and
connected with, the present Fashion Race Course.
Few of them, however, know the origin of the
name, but the name and place were well known
to Montrealers forty years ago. Very few of the

196

THE BLUE BONNETS.

present generation can recall the days of the old
stage coaches, four in hand, between Montreal
and Lachine, to catch the mail steamer leaving
Lachine every day at noon. The completion of
the Lachine railway, over forty years ago, put
an end to stage coaching.

The stage office was on McGill street, near the
old Ottawa Hotel, corner of St. Maurice St. This
was then a busy spot between the hours of nine
and eleven every morning. It required two
conches every day, some days, four, to carry all
the passengers. There was something pleasing as
well as exciting in the bustle of preparation to
start, and to hear the last horn blow and the
words — All aboard ; then the graceful sweep of
the coachman's whip and the rattle of the wheels
as they moved off and turned ii.to St. Joseph
street on their way to Lachin . Besides the mail
coaches, it required from twenty to thirty caleches
or cabs, some days, to carry all the passengers.
Many an old Montreaier will recall those days of
other years.

Let us follow those stage coaches, caleches and
cabs on their way to Lachine. There were few
houses then, not over half a dozen, between
Cantin's shipyard and the Tanneries. The most

CANADIAN PEN AND INK SKETCHES.

197

noted building was the Cit}' Powder Magazine,
which still stands, but hidden from view by
houses built in front of it. The coachman's horn
announced their approach to each stopping place.
The first halt was at Deschamp's, the stage house
at the Tanneries, to water — both horses and pass-
engers seemed to be often drouthy. Such was
the custom in those old davs.

Then up the Tanneries Hill and along the high
road of Cote St. Pierre ; a charming drive of three
miles; bordered with orchards and market gar-
dens, as at the present day, overlooking what was
then a lake — the present lowland stretching over
to Cote St. Paul. The next halting place was at
the foot of the Coteau Hill, at the present crossing
of the Grand Trunk Railway. There was then a
considerablf' village at that place, having from
thirty to forty houses, with some half a dozen
taverns or inns. Not a vestige of the old village
now remains. There was no business to be done
there in the tavern way after the completion of
the Lachine railway, by which the stage coach
was superseded. The old village was, we believe,
afterwards destroyed by fire.

About the year 1842, a Scotch soldier, a ser-
geant in one of the Scotch Regiments, then

THE BLUE BONNETS.

stationed in Montreal, Alexander Mcllae bv
name, or rather " Sandy McRae," by which name
he was fiimiliarly known, opened a tavern in this
old French village, at the foot of the Coteau Hill,
three miles from Lachine, which he named the
" Blue Bonnets," having a full-sized Highlander,
plaided and plumed in tartan array, painted on
his sign. From this tavern and sign-board tlie
village got its new name of the Blue Bonnets,
before this it had a French name which we can-
not recall. To stop at the Blue Bonnets to water
the horses and refresh the travellers was quite an
understood thing — to pass the Blue Bonnets was
the exception.

Sandy McRae, of the Blue Bonnets, was a real
host in himself, a jolly good fellow, full of stories
of old Scotland, and of the old wars in which his
regiment had served. It was pleasant to have a
crack with him and to enjoy a mug of his old ale,
not forgetting a pinch of real Scotch snuff from his
big mull. " Low lies this old house, where village
" statesmen talked profound, and news much older
•' than their ale went round." And who that
ever enjoyed it can forget " the parlour splendours
of that once .,stive place.''

Sandy was known far and near, at Kirk and

CANADIAN PEN AND INK SKETCHES.

199

Market, the country round, the name he give to
that place lives after him. But where is poor
Sandy now ? He may be gathered to his fathers
— whither we are all journeying ! or, may be, is an
outcast or a wanderer over the wide world. The
place that once knew him knows him no more !
The writer met with him fome twenty-five years
ago, a wanderer, changed in all save his broad,
honest, open Scotch face !

That old village was a noted place during the
troubles of 1837 and 1838, being three miles
from Laflamme's hotel, the headquarters of the
Lachine Brigade. A report came to headquarters
that some mischief was brewing out there, and
on the night of the 7th November, 1838, a raid
was made on the village by a body of the Lachine
Troop and some of the foot. The villagers were
disarmed ; some fifty stand of arms — old French
fowling-pieces — were collected ; no disaflfected
persons were found and no prisoners made. The
writer was in that raid. It is well to collect and
to preserve these old reminiscences. There are
many interesting old historical spots in and
around Montreal, of which very little is known
at the present day.

AN HISTORICAL
CANADIAN BURYING GROUND.

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CIIArTER XVIII.

AN irrSTOMTCAL
CANADIAN HURYlNd GROUND.

ITS NEGLECTED GRAVES.

The writer recently paid a visit to the old
Protestant burying ground on the Papinenu lload,
the last resting-place of many of the Protestant
dead of Montreal and of Canada of a past genera-
tion. It is now over four score yeprs since this
old burial place was first opened. It was then
far out on the outskirts of the city, being fully
two miles distant from the Parish Church of
Notre Dame, but at the present day the city has
stretched over a miH eastward of it.

It is now over forty years since the new
Protestant burying Ground — M. ant Royal Ceme-
tery, — was opened, and a large number of the
bodies have been removed to it, but the remains
of those who had or have no living friends here
still lie neglected in the old ground.

204 HISTORICAL CANADIAN BURYING GROUND.

On entering that old home of Montreal and
Canada's almost forgotten dead ones, the words of
the poet came forcibly and appropriately to
mind : —

" Perhaps in this neglected spot is laid
Some heart once pregnant with celestial fire,

Hands that the rod of empire might have swayed ;
Or wake to ecstacy the living lyre."

This place, doubtless, seventy years ago, was a
spot of beauty, a well-attended to home of the
dead, having flower-decorated graves, carefully
looked after by living, loving relatives, with
handsome headstones and costly tablets erected to
perpetuate their memories, and neat iron railings
enclosing many of the graves.

What a sickening sight now presents itself!
It has the appearance of an " earthquake's spoil,"
as if it had been the scene, on some past day, of
a battlefield ! Tablets displaced ! Headstones
and railings broken and scattered here, there,
and everywhere around, reminding one of the
ravages of hostile artillery ! Opened and still
unfilled graves, from which the remains have
been taken and removed to Mount Royal Ceme-
tery, presenting a ghastly sight !

This old neglected spot is very dear to many of

CANADIAN PEN AND INK SKETCHES.

205

the present generation, particularly to Scotchmen ;
two-thirds of the sleepers there bear Scotch
names ; many of them have now no relatives in
Montreal, being scattered all over Canada; many
others of them never had relatives livin^c here,
being young men— Scotch lads, who came over at
that early day to seek their fortunes in Canada,
li« buried there ! No kind eye to watch or look
after their last resting place. Their friends or
families in Scotland hold burial certificates, show-
ing that this or that one of their friends lies
buried in the Protestant burying ground, on the
Papineau Road, in the city of Montreal, Canada.
But were such relatives to visit Montreal at the
present day it would be a sorrowful sight for
them to witness the desecration there! They
might as well seek the burial place of Moses on
Nebo's mountain slope as to find the spot of earth
covering their dead here.

The writer's family was early connected with
the destinies of Canada, and while searching amid
the surrounding desolation and desecration of this
old burying ground, he came across the headstone
erected over the last resting place of his paternal
grandfather and three members of his family,
bearing the following inscription : —

206 HISTORICAL CANADIAN BURYING GROUND.

SACRED

TO THE MEMORY OF HUGH FRA8ER, A NATIVE OF INVBRNBSS-

SHIRE, SCOTLAND, AND FOR MANY YEARS A RESIDENT AT

LACUINB, WHO DBI'ARTBD THIS LIFE, 6tH FEBRUARY 1823,

AGED 70 YEARS.

— AND OF —

ISABELLA FRASBR, HIS WIFE, WHO DEPARTED THIS LIFE,

4th NOVEMBER, 1831, AGED 72 YEA 3.

— AND OF —

ALEXANDER FRASBR, HIS SON, WHO DEPARTED THIS LIFE,

24th OCTOBER, 1816, AGED 25 YEARS.

— AND OF —

JANET FRASEK, HIS DAUGHTER, WHO DEPARTED THIS LIFE

24Tn AUGUST, 1818, aged 15 years and 6 months.

This headstone records the death of four of his
family — the writer's family, but of this family,
paternal and maternal, bearing the same name, it
may truly be said of them: — *' Their graves are
severed far and wide." Some of them are sleep-
ing on battle fields in far India. Several fell
during the American Revolutionary war. One
died around the lost but recaptured cannon on
Lundy's Lane. Another, a West India planter,
fills a grave never seen by any of his family.
And still another, a Chief Factor in the Hudson's
Bay Company, lies buried on a Pacific slope of
the Rocky Mountains, the spot being only known

CANADIAN PEN AND INK SKETCHES.

201

to a few hunters of the buffalo and traders in fur.
The whistle of the railway may now be heard
near his last resting place, but he heeds it not !

The Canadian head of the family, as recorded
on this headstone, visited Canada over one hun-
dred years ago, in 1774, then quite a youth.
This was while the United States were colonies
of Great Britain. He was in Boston Harbour the
next year CI 775) on board of a British man-of-
war during the battle of Bunker's Hill, and was
an eye-witness of that battle. Twenty-five years
later he became a permanent settler in Canada,
and was one of the first Scotchmen to cut down a
tree in the then wilds of Argenteuil.

Hugh Fraser, the sleeper in that lone grave,
far away from his native hills, no blooming
heather nor blue bells of old Scotia to mark the
spot ! was born about the year 1750, in Inverness,
Scotland. This was a few years after the Scotch
Rebellion of '45. His father and all his father's
relatives were in the Fraser Regiment on fatal
Culloden, fighting for Royal Prince Charlie ! His
mother, with hundreds of other Scotchwomen,
was in the Fraser camp, following the fortunes
and the misfortunes of the clan. The dread
echoes of Culloden sounded in her ears ! She

208 HISTORICAL CANADIAN BURYING GROUND.

was an eye-witness of the sweep and the tramp
of Cumberland's proud ho 3 as they pursued and
unmercifully cut down the broken and scattered
clans.

We may here note that a relative of his father's
was the standard bearer of the Fraser flag on
Culloden. He saved his banner by leaping a
dyke which a pursuing Cumberland horse could
not clear ; but receiving from the dragoon a sabre
slash on his right leg as a farewell parting. That
same man, thirteen years later, carried that same
banner under Sir Simon Fraser, in the same
Regiment, in Wolfe's army, and planted it in the
Royal cause on the Plains of Abraham, at Quebec,
on the 13th of September, 1759.

A AaSIT TO THE BATTLEFIELD
OF STONEY CHEEK.

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CHAPTEE XIX.

A VISIT TO THE BATTLEFIELD OF
STONP]Y CHEEK.

It is now over forty years since our first visit
to the battle Held of Stoney Creek. This place
is seven miles distant from the city of Hamilton,
and is celebrated in Canadian story as being the
scene of a night surprise, one of the most daring
and gallant affairs which occurred during the war
of 1812, and of which the tnen of the Niagara
District and the descendants of the old York
militia naturally pride themselves as having had
relatives representing nearly every old family of
Lincoln and York then serving in the little
British force on the Niagara frontier.

There were two surprises, turning points, at
most critical periods of the war of 1812, by which
the advance of superior American armies was
arrested. The first occurred at Stoney Creek on

212 VISIT TO THE BATTLEFIELD OF STONEY CREEK.

the early morning of Sunday, the Gthot'June,
1813 ; and resulted in checking the advance of
General Dearborn, then in full pursuit of the
British force under General Vincent in his retreat
from Fort George. The second was that of
Chateauguay on the 26th of October, 1813 ; by
which De Salaberrv and his small force of Cana-
dian Voltigeurs arrested and turned the advance
of General Hampton on Montreal into a disastrous
retreat.

The people of Upper Canada claim Stoney
Creek as their own. The militia of Lower
Canada, De Salaberry and his little band of Cana-
dian Voltigeurs have the undisputed honour of
the Chateauguay affair; supported, however, on
the last day by the timely arrival of Red George
— Colonel George Macdonnell, the hero of Ogdens-
burg; with his six hundred Canadian Voyageurs
from Kingston.

ITS REAL IMPORTANCE.

Stoney Creek in itself was but a small affair •
that is, in so far as the numbers of the British
force engaged, but in its result it proved the most
important action of the whole war; by checking
the advance of a comparatively powerful army,

CANADIAN PEN AND INK SKETCHES.

213

flushed with recent victory, and turning that
advance into an ahnost ignominious retreat, cer-
tainly a disastrous one.

To make this article more interesting to the
young Canadian reader of the present day it is
necessar}^ we should give a short account of the
positions, relative forces and the various move-
ments of the two armies on the Niagara frontier
during the early spring of 1813 ; previous to the
evacuation of Fort George and the retreat of the
British force to the entrenched position on Bur-
lington Heights; close hy the present city of
Hamilton.

General Vincent lind command of the British
force on the Niagara frontier, amounting to about
1,800 regulars and 500 militia; scattered over
thirty miles, extending from Fort Erie, opposite
Buffalo, down to Lake Ontario ; with headquarters
at Fort George.

Durinir the winter of 1813, the Americans had
made great preparations to strike a decisive blow
for the reduction of Upper Canada. Their plans
were well laid, but failed through the incompetency
of their generals. The reader will bear in mind
that at that time (1813; Great Britain was en-
gaged in war all over the world, in Europe, Asia,

214 VISIT TO THE BATTLEFIELD OF STONEY CREEK.

Africa and America; and could spare but few
regular troops for Canada. The spring of 1813
found the Americans in full control of Lake
Ontario, having com})aratively a powerful lleet
under Connnodore Chauncey.

Their first move was an attack on York
(Toronto) on the 27tli of April, 1813 ; the place,
being ill-prepared for defence, was easily taken.
All the public stores, public buildings and ship-
ping were taken and destroyed ; besides this,
very little respect was paid to private property.
The British Commander, General Sheaffe, being
unable to resist the attack, was forced, after a
brave defence, to evacuate the town and to take
up his line of retreat on Kingston ; thereby wise-
ly (although blamed at the time) saving his
regulars, then few in Canada, leaving the Ameri-
cans masters of the place which they held for five
days, and then sailed for the reduction of Fort
George at the mouth of the Niagara river.

FEARFUL ODDS.

The attack on Fort George was commenced in
the early morning of the 27th May, 1813. The
Americans, besides their shipping, had an army
of about 6,000 men of all ranks ; the British

CANADIA^f PEN AND INK SKETCHES.

215

force at Fort George, all told, was about 1,000
men. Criticizing it at the present day it would
have been wiser in General Vincent to have
rtopted General Sheaffe's plan, and to have taken
u]) his line of retreat at once on Burlington
] eights, than to have resisted the American
! ttack with such fearful odds against him ; by
which he would have saved hundreds of his best
soldiers who were sacrificed in a useless defence.

After a spirited defence of some four hours, the
British loss of all ranks having amounted to about
four hundred, between killed, wounded and miss-
ing, General Vincent, to prevent his being sur-
rounded and cut off, decided upon a retreat to the
head of the lake and fell back across the country
in a line parallel with the Niagara river, reach-
ing the position at the Beaver Dam that night, at
which place he was joined about midnight by
Colonel Bisshop's force from Fort Erie and the
other outlying posts on the Niagara. The next
morning, the 28th, the now retreating British
force of about 1,500 men, continued its retreat
until it reached the entrenched position at Bur-
hngton Heights.

The position of Burlington Heights was in the
neighbourhood of Dundurn Castle, the residence

216 VISIT TO THE BATTLEFIELD OF STONEY CREEK.

of the late Sir Allan Macnab, and we ])elieve the
Hamilton Cemetery now covers the ground on
which the entrenched works (earth works) could
be seen on the writer's first visit to that place in
1844. It was an important position during the
war of 1812, being close by the road leading up
to Ancaster, by which communication was had
and kept up with the army of the west under
General Proctor, then serving on the Detroit
frontier. It was distant, midway, about fifty
miles from Fort George and the same from York.

On Saturday, the 5*^h of June, 1813, the ad-
vance body of the Americans, consisting of two
brigades of foot, amounting to 3,500 men, with
eight guns, under Generals Chandler and Winder,
and 250 cavalry under Colonel Burns, reached
Stoney Creek, driving in the rear of the British.
The Americans had in all about 0,000 men be-
tween Stoney Creek and Fort George, besides
their shipping. General Vincent had taken his
stand that Saturday night on Burlington Heights,
determined to hold it.

The sun had gone down that night, closing
a week, the darkest for the British arms
during the war of 1812. The whole of the
Niagara District, extending from Fort Erie to

CANADIAN PEN AND INK SKETCHES.

217

Stoiiey Creek, waH tliiit iii^ht in possession of the
enemy. A deep gloom pervaded every iarm
house and liamlet. It was nearly with the
'* silence of despair " that the women and children
had witnessed during the previous week our
country's l)rave defenders, among whom were
their husl»ands, their fathers, their bi others, pass
by in full retreat from Fort George, before supe-
rior numbers. But let us turn our eyes to that
determined little band as they stood that night
on Burlington Heights. Their resolve was; —
*' To do or die !" and before the dawn of the next
morning they played havoc in the enemy's camp.

General Vincent's position on Burlington
Heights was a most critical one; York on one
side and Fort George on the other had both fallen !
His ammunition, which he had been forced to aban-
don or destroy before evacuating Fort George,
was reduced to about

NINETY ROUNDS OF BALL CARTRIDGE

for each man, and had he been forced to continue
his retreat, unless the British fleet under Sir
James Yeo could reach the anchorage near the
Brandt House, some four miles distant from his
position, and carry oif his small force, he would

218 VISIT TO THE BATTLEFIELD OF STONEY CREEK.

have >"\d to continue his retreat by way of York,
thence to Kingston ; over two hundred miles of
hard countrv roads, not sucli roads as we have at
the present day.

The reader will bear in mind that York v/as
then at the mercy of the American fleet. Vincent's
position, as we said before, was a critical one,
having a comparatively powerful army in full
pursuit, seven miles distant, at Stoney Creek,
following closely on his tracks. He had to decide
between making

A MOST DESPERATE STAND THERE,

and abandoning his post with all its stores, &c.,
or continuing his retreat on Kingston.

Such of our readers as have travelled over the
line of Vincent's retreat from Fort George to
Burlington Heights will call to mind that narrow
neck of land between the Barton Heights and the
head waters of Burlington Bay, on which the
British force stood that Saturday night, the 5th
of June, 1813.

There were many young Canadians serving in
that little British force, plucky boys, whose
names will ever live cherished as household
words in many x Canadian home. Some of them

CANADIAN PEN AND INK SKETCHES.

219

afterwards rose high at the Bar, on the Bench, in
the Legishitive Halls, or as colonels of the Upper
Canada Militia. We may here note that at a
Queenston Heights annual dinner, nearly forty
years ago, the late Sir Allan Macnab gave as a
toast :

" THE FIGHTING JUDGES OF UPPER CANADA."

There were at that time five of those judges still
living who had served through the whole war.
The young Canadian reader of this day may thus
form his estimate of the men who stood in the
ranks of our Niagara frontier army of 1812, doing
battle for their king and country.

During the day, Saturday, the 5th of June,
1813, Colonel Harvey (afterwards Sir John
Harvey, Governor of New Brunswick) had ac-
quainted liimself with the American position.
Some say he had visited their camp at Stoney
Creek during the afternoon disguised as a farmer
selling vegetables. This we can hardly believe,
because his commanding, soldierly appearance
could not have escaped detection. Be this as it
may, Harvey madehimself thoroughly acquainted
with the American position, and proposed a night
attack, which General Vincent approved of.

The advanced guard, or, rather the rear guard

220 VISIT TO THE BATTLEFIELD OF STONEY CREEK.

of the British that afternoon was stationed about
two miles in rear of the entrenched camp, near
the present court house and square in the city of
Hamilton (Hamilton was then nowhere, not even
a village J. On that spot, half an hour before
midnight, the attacking party of 704 men was
formed and took up its line of march on Stoney
Creek, under Harvey. The writer had a near
relative, his mother's brother, in the advance,
close by Harvey.

Before starting, every flint was taken out of
their muskets so as to prevent the possibility of
an accidental alarm. Silently they moved ; not
a whisper was heard ; there was silence deep as
death in the ranks during that midnight march of
seven miles ! So silently did they move that not
a sound was heard ; save now and then the crack-
ing of a stray dry branch under foot ; some of
Upper Canada's brightest youths were foremost
in the leading files.

Let us follow this Forlorn Hope with their
seven hundred and four unloaded muskets and
tiintless locks on their midnight mission into

THE VERY JAWS OF DEATH !

Every man, however, had his well-filled cartouche
box containing sixty rounds of ball cartridge and

CANADIAN PEN AND INK SKETCHES.

221

his trusty bayonet by his side. Not a British
drum was heard, nor a Union Jack of England
floated that night throughout the whole length
and breadth of the old Niagara district, extend-
ing from Fort Erie to Stoney Creek ! The fate
of Upper Canada depended upon the success or
failure of that night surprise !

Have you ever, reader, walked at midnight
along a country road of Upper Canada in the old
time, with towering trees— walnut, elm or oak
overhanging — adding to the darkness ? If you
have, you can picture the road over which this
Forlorn Hope had to travel. Thence emerging
from the thick darkness of their midnight tramp,
they had to face an enemy's camp having six to
one to greet their early unexpected Sunday morn-
ing visit.

*' Hush !'' said Harvey, to a young man near
him, the late Judge Jarvis ; " Hush, we are on
them."' In a moment the bayonets of two of the
leading men pierced the first sentry — the second
shared a like fate — the third escaped ; discharg-
ing his gun and alarming the camp.

BAYONETS TO THE FRONT.

were the words passed quickly through the ranks ;
and our leading tiles were soon in front of the

222 VISIT TO THE BATTLEFIELD OF STONEY CREEK.

camp fires ; bayonotting many of the sleeping
enemy. The men then prepared to adjust their
flints. During this operation a volley came from
out of the darkness, from behind the camp fires,
striking down a number of our men. To load
was a work of time. It was first : — Handle car-
tridge, prime, load, draw ramrods, ram down car-
tridge, return ramrods (all this had to be done
with the old musket) then, ready ! fire ! — Volley
after volley followed, but with little execution, as
they fired into the thick darkness behind the
camp fires, not seeing the enemy.

Harvey ordered two companies of the 49th
Regiment to the right to attack ; or, rather, to
throw into confusion the left and centre of the
enemy. Three of their guns, posted in the centre
on the main road, were captured ; scarcely a gun-
ner escaped. The late Colonel Fraser, of Perth,
Ontario, then serving as a Sergeant in the 49th,
having twelve men with him, crawled along the
ground with his men, was one of the first among
the guns, bayonetting seven of the gunners with
his own hands. He was present at the capture.
In fact, it was he, with his men, who captured the
two American Generals, Chandler and Winder,

ANADIAN PEN AND INK SKETCHES.

223

near the guns, by which galhmt act he obtained
his commission on the field.

There was fearful confusion in the American
camp ; being ignorant of the strength of the at-
tacking party, they fell back in great disorder ;
numbers of them scrambled to the heights on
their left. Colonel Burns, on whom the com-
mand of the Americans now devolved, was among
the first to mount his horse and clear off, with
great speed, with his two hundred and fifty brave
cavalry, reaching the Forty Mile Creek in a few
hours on their way to Fort George.

It is not our intention to particularize or 'co
chronicle the many daring encounters during the
darkness of that ever memorable Sunday morning,
the 6th of June, 1813.

Suffice it to say that Harvey's surprise was most
successful and complete, causing the breaking up
of the American camp and their immediate retreat.

Sunday morning, before break of day, the now
scattered parties of this Forlorn Hope fell back to
return by the road over which they had advanc-
ed ; they had suffered fearfully. They were not
now the

SEVEN HUNDRED AND FOUR

of the previous n.'ght ; over one hundred and fifty

224 VISIT TO THE BATTLEFIELD OF STONEY CREEK.

of them — between killed, wounded and niissinc: —
did not answer the Roll Call that niorninir

Let us take a peep at the shattered remnant as
they muster and re-lbrm for their return march
to Burlington Heights. They are gathering and
coming in from all parts of the field, some in
small squads, some in twos, some in tlirees, others
singly, and some bearing wounded comrades.

OVER ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY ARE MISSING.

But they have, swelling their ranks, two Ameri-
can Generals, Chandler and Winder, seven officers
and one hundred and sixteen men, with three
guns as trophies of war, gracing their blood-stained
bayonets, thus rendering Stoney Creek the most
gallant affair for the British arms during the war
of 1812.

There was but one mistake made that night, a
fatal one ; that of our men placing themselves in
front of the camp fires as living targets for the
bullets of the unerring' American rilles.

Thus ends our visit to the battle field of Stoney
Creek ; a spot which will ever be held sacred in
the memory of Canadians in all coming genera-
tions. But it is necessary to show its results.
Two days later, on Tuesday, the 8th of June,

CANADIAN PEN AND INK SKETCHES.

225

1813, Sir James Yeo pushed into the shore with
some of his smaller vessels near by the

FORTY MILE CREEK

and played havoc among the retreating Ameri-
cans, capturing twelve of their bateaux and
destroying five others, capturing all their tents,
stores, etc.

Four weeks later — early in July, 1813, General
Vincent had his headquarters at Chippewa, three
miles above the Falls of Niagara; being again
master of the whole Canadian frontier on the
Niagara, except Fort George ; and withir> its lines
the American force of about four thousand men
was cooped under the protection of its guns and
the guns of their shipping, and also covered by
the guns of Fort Niagara on the American side
side of the Niagara river.

The Americans evacuated Fort George on the
r2th of Deceember, 1813, having on the 10th, two
days previously, wantonly set fire to and destroyed
the pretty little town of Newark (Niagara) con-
taining about 150 houses, leaving but one stand-
ing ; rendering houseless and homeless

FOUR HUNDRED WOMEN AND CHILDREN

to seek shelter where they could amid the storms

of that unprecedentedly cold December !

226 VISIT TO THE BATTLEFELD OF STONEY CREEK.

Revenge for Newark was soon to follow ; the
Americans, in great terror of the coming storm,
evacuated Fort George so hurriedly that they left
all their tents standing, with all their guns and
stores behind them.

Before the end of the month (December, 1813)
the British had captured Fort Niagara by a mid-
night attack ; which they held until the end of
the war. They also took and burned the Ameri-
can towns of Lewiston, Manchester, Black Rock
and Buffalo in revenge for Newark. And on the
first day of January, 1814, not only was the
Canadian Niagara frontier cleared of every
American soldier, but the Union Jack of England
floated proudly above the ramparts of Fort
Niagara, on the American side of the Niagara
Biver. This was the crowning glory of Harvey's
euccessful night surprise at Stoney Creek.

THE OLD BUNK OF A CANADIAN
FARM HOUSE.

s
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CHAPTER XX.

THE OLD BUNK OF A CANADIAN
FARM HOUSE.

*' Pray, sir, can you inform me what a bunk
is 1 " asked a city lady of the writer one day.
She had fixed her eye upon a nice, cosy little
cottage in the country, some thirty miles from
Montreal, delightfully situated on the bank of a
romantic stream, a charming spot to spend the
summer months, far away from the dust, the
noise and the bustle of the city.

This cottage was every way suitable, beautiful
for situation, except in size, having merely a
Butt and a Ben, a back kitchen and two small
altic rooms which could be used as sleeping ones.
The whole just large enough for two, or, as the
lady said, " for love in a cottage." She had had
a letter from the farmer's wife suggesting that
she should get a couple or three bunks to make
up for sleeping room. And, " What is a bunk ? "
she asked.

280 THE OLD BUNK OF A CANADIAN FARM HOUSE.

A bunk ! Knowing this lady to have sprung
from an old Canadian lamily, wo rather astonished
her by saying tliat her grandfather was born in a
bunk, or, at least, was cradled and nursed in one
as most of our Canadian grandsires were.

A Canadian farmhouse bunk is a most useful
article of furniture, and is sometimes made to be
very ornamental, when cushioned and placed in
the Ben, or best room of a Scotch house, it serves
for a seat by day and a bed by night. The
kitchen ones are turned to similar uses, " seats by
day and beds by night.''

To describe a bunk for the information of our
country readers, or for those brought up in the
country, would be unnecessary, because they are
to be found in every house, more particularly in
the French and Scotch farm houses.

They " shape something like a long box,

some . feet long, made up from boards two

feet wide, two feet bottom board, two feet side,
and two feet top board ; the bottom and sides are
fastened by hinges to close up. The back of the
bunk and the two ends are some two feet higher
than the body. When this bunk is opened it has
a sleeping surface of four feet, capable, on an

CANADIAN PEN AND INK SKETCHES.

231

emergency, to give sleeping room for three ordin-
ary sized ])er8onH.

On looking at our sraall French farmhouses,
strangers naturally wonder where all the inmates
find sleeping room. This is where the old farm
bunk comes in and its usefulness is seen. These
bunks are always nicely painted in one of the
standing colours of the country, red or blae, which
fact may have given rise to the distinctive names
of Bleu and Rouge of the two political parties in
Lower Canada

" Heads and thrawers." The writer as a boy
lived in an old farm house two miles from the
villaoje school. The villacre bovs were always
delighted to get an invitation to spend a night.
Sometimes four to six of them would find
their way to the farm house to enjoy fruit,
milk, etc. The difficulty was to find sleeping
room. Here comes in the old bunk in " heads
and thrawers" fashion — that is, three boys
at the head and three at the foot. This would
dispose of half a dozen in one bunk. Tliere
might be a little kicking and skylarking at the
first, but they would soon be in the land of nod.
The fun and merriment of the boys at one end
would cause their feet to wander about the heads

232 THE OLD BUNK OF A CANADIAN FAEM HOUSE.

and faces at the other end ; those wandering toes
were disowned by all until a sharp bite from some
opposite teeth called forth a yell as an acknow-
ledgement of ownership as to whom they be-
longed.

SUMMER MORNING WALKS
AROUND MONTREAL.

CHAPTER XXI.

FIRST SUMMER MORNING WALK
AROUND MONTREAL,

" Falsely luxurious, and will not man awake ;
and springing from the bed of sloth, enjoy the
cool, the fragrant and the silent hour, to meditation
d"ie and sacred song ? When every muse and every
blooming pleasure wait without to bless the wildly
devious morning walk T* It is said the above
beautiful lines from Thomson's '* Seasons," on
sarly rising, were written by him when in bed
at noon-day.

The writer purpose'? giving a few summer morn-
ing walks in and around Montreal, simply to
point out spots that may have escaped the eye of
the careless walker, also to impress upon our
young pedestrians to think as they pass along,
and to mark every apparently trifling circum-
stance that meets the eye ; not for the purpose of
printing it, but just to make a note of it in mem-
ory's notebook. There is much to prize in our

236 SUMMER MORNING WALKS AROUND MONTREAL.

every-day familiar scenes of life ; little incidents
of the present passing day may be regarded as
trifles, but a coming generation will value them.
The time will come when homely sketches, such
as the writer intends, will be used as a foundation
by some future sketcher to enlarge upon.

Let us suppose this to be the month of June —
the brightest month of the whole year in Canada;
there are, scattered in rich profusion, all around
us, bright pictures, nature's iinpainted pictures;
photographed and held sacred in that unseen Art
Gallery, in memory's wide waste ; to be met with
on all sides by him who has an eye to see and a
taste to appreciate such.

The earlier blossonis of the plum, the cherry
and the apple orchards, are just beginning to fade
and to fall ; and the scent of the hawthorn, the
latest of Canadian spring blossoms, is perceptibly
felt, borne on the early morning breeze. Who
would then, with such a treat before him, remain
in bed longer than nature craves ?

The morn is up again — the dewy morning, with
breath all incense and with cheek all bloom. The
trees, on either hand, are clothed or decked with
new foliage, teaching man a lesson of the great
coming spring ; when man, too, shall awake from

CANADIAN PEN AND INK SKETCHES.

237

his slumbers, after life's long winter, crowned
with a glory far outshining the beauties of na-
ture ! The poet of the " Seasons " says : — " Forth
in the pleasing spring Thy beauty walks, the
softening air is balm, the forest smiles, and every
sense and every heart is joy !"

On such a morning our inward feelings natur-
ally rise from nature up to nature's God. The
meadows and the grain fields iiave just put on
their summer verdur- : and stray flowers — wild-
lings of nature, are peeping up here and there, by
brook and hedgeside, arrayed in a glory far sur-
passing that of Solomon ; affording a rich treat —
yes, a golden feast, free to all, without price and
without money. Who would not enjoy such a
treat ?

There is unspeakable pleasure and a deep study
known only to those who avail themselves of it —
while Mount Royal is still sleeping in its own
great shadows, and before the first gleam of sun-
rise has snuffed out the stars — to pace at early
morning the deserted streets of our city, when
silence reigns supreme ! and naught is heard save
the sounds of one's own footstep on the stone
pavements, or the shrill chirp of some disturbed
sparrows nestled in the house eaves.

238 SUMMER MORNING WALKS AROUND MONTREAL.

We shall leave the streets of the city alone for
the present ; our first tramp is to the country —
far away from the dust and the turmoil of the
town

Here we are, standing at the foot of McGill
street, inhaling the fresh morning air from the
noble St. Lawrence as it flows silently but majes-
tically past the sleeping city, and taking a bird's
eye view down our magnificent harbour front at
the different vessek, from the mammoth sea-going
steamers to the small coal barges and bat-
eaux in the Port of Montreal ; suppose we take
the Lower Lachine Road for our first walk.

The former beautiful river front of the harbour
of Montreal is now destroyed by the present un-
sightly but useful dyke, which we think when
ultimately carried up to the two-mile post on the
Lower Lachine Road, will save Montreal from
future spring and ftill inundations. When look-
ing at this unsightly dyke, we venture to throw
out the hint, that a promenade should be erected
on the top of it, some ten or twelve feet wide,
from the foot of the Lachine Canal to the C. P.R

depot. This would be the most charming prome-
nade for morning and evening walks to be found
on this Island.

CANADIAN PEN AND INK SKETCHES.

239

le.

The sun is just rising as we enter upon "Well-
ington street. We remember the time when
there was not over a score of buildings between
Grey Nun street and the LciJiine Canal bridge.
Griffiintown was then known and famed lor its
brick yards. We believe this old road to have
been the first travelled road in Canada west of
Montreal, by European foot. This was the road
by the bank of the St. Lawrence, by which tlie
early French explorers, led by their dusky guides,
found their way to the head of the Lachine
Rapids — the old Sault St. Louis, and had a full
view of Lake St. Louis, the supposed water-way
through Canada to China. Standing on the Canal
bridge, what thoughts arise ! We recall the old
canal, some four feet deep, with its bateaux
and Durham boats passing up and down, towed
by horses, and by which the whole transport
business of the country was done. What a
change to-day ! to see one of those large lake
steamers pass through this now enlarged canal,
drawing from 10 to 12 feet of water, and with a
carrying capacity of nearly one hundred of the
old bateaux. The old canal was so narrow that
a man might jump over it ; this was actually done
by Frederick Penn, now Major Fenn, of Wales,

240 SUMMER MORNING WALKS AROUND MONTREAL.

England, he jumped over between the old locks
at the entrance of the canal, a width of about 20
feet. He was then fifty years younger than to-
day.

We remember the time when there were not
over half a dozen of buildings between this canal
bridge and the river St. Pierre, a distance of
about two miles. It was then open fields to the
right and open fields to the left, stretching from
the St. Gabriel locks to the River St. Lawrence.
The priests' farm was on the right hand going
out, and the nuns' on the left, next to the river.
There was a large space of open ground, about
twenty acres, called the "^ Commons,'' between the
canal and the city — that is, between "Wellington
street and the great Forwarding houses doing
business on the bank of the canal. Some of those
warehouses are still standing.

Those fields or farms betwen the Lachine Canal
and the River St. Pierre were used in the old
times for grand Reviews or sham fights. On those
fields, in our young days, we witnessed many a
grand military display. We remember a Water-
loo sham fight ; this was in 1839. There must
have been fully 10,000 troops on the field, and
the spectators equalled in number the troops.

CANADIAN PEN AND INK SKETCHES.

241

The spectators took possession of the scattered
trees. We got perched high up on the limb of a
tree and had a grand view of the wL -le field*
The writer's companion on that tree was Thomas
A. Begley, afterwards Secretary of the Board of
Works. Those days have passed away, and those
fields are now no longer fields, but form two large
suburbs of the city of Montreal.

Casting our eyes first to the right hand, then
to the left ; what a change has taken place during
the past thirty years ! On what were then open
commons or grazing fields, two large villages or
towns have sprung up — Point St. Charles on the
left hand, next to the river, and St. Gabriel on
the right hand, bordering on the canal — and are
now large and growing municipalities, and form
part of the suburbs of the city of Montreal ; and
instead of a long and lonesome road of about two
miles from the canal bridge to the River St.
Pierre, the whole road is now one continuous
village or town street — being a continuation of
Wellington street.

The old house on the priests' farm, enclosed by
a high stone wall, which stood near by the pre-
sent St. Gabriel locks, has disappeared. The
nuns' buildings on the left, on the river bank,

242 SUMMER MORNING WALKS AROUND MONTREAL.

facing the nuns', or St. Paul's Island, having a
large and valuable frontage on Wellington street,
with its old roadway of over a century ago, lead-
ing up to the home of those good ladies, lined
with Lombardy poplars, the fashionable or popu-
lar tree of by-gone days in Lower Canada, still
stands, a notable landmark of early Canadian
days.

The offices and the workshops of the Grand
Trunk Railway of Canada are on the left hand
going out, between Wellington street and the
River St. Lawrence, joining with the Victoria
bridge, and covering a large space of ground.
The rapid growth of Point St. Charles and St.
Gabriel was, and is, chiefly owing to the Grand
Trunk works giving employment to thousands.

Let us pause here for a short time, to point to
the spot where stood the cholera sheds of 1832;
near by the Victoria bridge, where sleep, without
shroud and without coffin, in their hurriedly-
made pits, thousands of Ireland's almost unknown
and nearly forgotten dead ! A writer has said :
" There is a tear for all who die, a mourner o'er
the humblest grave !''

Few men now living in Montreal can recall
those days — fifty-eight years ago, when the pesti-

CANADIAN PEN AND INK SKETCHES.

243

:and

land
the
toria
3und.
id St.
jrand

ds.

mt to

832;
tbout

ledly-
inown
said :
jr o'er

recall
pesti-

lence that walketh in darkness, and the destruc-
tion that wasteth at noon-day, was abroad in our
land, cutting down its thousands !

The Irish immigrant families who arrived on
our shores during the cholera of 1832 and the
ship fever of 1847, now scattered over all Canada,
will ever point to this spot, beneath whose turf
lie buried dear ones belonging to them. Their
names are cherished ; while the silent sigh arises,
and the unseen tear is shed, not alone in Canada,
but at many a corner and in many a cabin in the
far-off Green Isle, in memory of those dead ones !

** There came to the beacli " — thus wrote
Thomas Campbell, the Scotch poet, on meeting
with a lone Irish exile in Holland, in 1801 —
" There came to the beach a poor exile of Erin ;
the dew on his thin robe was heavy and chill !"
We may add that not only one, but tens of
thousands of Irish exiles or immigrants came to
our beach or shore during the perilous times of
1832 and 1847. While thousands of them fell
victims to the dread pestilence that walketh in
darkness, and found a last resting-place in this
home of Ireland's almost forg'^tten dead ! They
had, however, every attention paid to them by
dear ones of their church, when dying in a strange

244 SUMMER MORNING WALKS AROUND MONTREAL.

land, by those Sisters of Mercy, the Good Nuns,
from their sacred home near by.

"We shall pass on — leaving the dead of 1832 and
1847 to their peaceful Slumbers. The clanking
engines and the freighted cars of living men roll-
ing over them unceasingly, from early morning
until midnight, from week to week, and from
year to year ; but those silent sleepers of the
cholera pits heed them not, they are at rest and
forever from their labours until the great trum-
pet's blast shall awake them to new life.

These morning walks arc written for the bene-
fit of our young friends. We would advise them
to retire early — or rather go to bed early during
the summer months and be up with the sun, and
enjoy an hour's vvalk in the early morning ; do
not walk too hurriedly to tire, but quietly, so as
to enjoy "the cool, the fragrant and the silent
hour, to meditation due and sacred song.'' By
this means our young business friends would find
themselves refreshed and strengthened for the
labours of the day. Try it, young men, and you
will find it a greater treat than late hours spent
at a club or at any other place of evening amuse-
ments.

"We have now reached the bridge which crosses

CANADIAN PEN AND INK SKETCHES.

245

the little river St. Pierre, we shall quietly sit
down here, light our pipe and take a rest and in-
dulge in a present and retrospective view of the
changes that Iiave taken place around this spot
within the memory of the writer, and here close
our first summer walk before entering upon the
country where, " One heart free, tasting nature's
breath and bloom, is worth a thousand slaves to

mammon's gains.*'

SECOND SUMMER MORNING WALK
AROUND MONTREAL.

CHAPTER XXL

SECOND SUMMER MORNING WALK
AROUND MONTREAL.

This is the River St. Pierre, where we rested
at the close of our first walk. It is some two
miles from the canal bridge. In the old days
this was a romantic little stream, meandering, in
its curves and windings, through meadow, wood-
land and marsh ; but a stranger would now
naturally ask : Where is the river ?

There is now no river to be seen here ; it has
disappeared — dried up. Even its old bed can
hardly be traced. The bridge alone remains.
Before the Lachine Canal was built, and even in
later days — in the memory of the writer— the
River St. Pierre was a noted landmark, or,
rather, a noted water mark on the Lower Lachine
Road.

It was a running stream the whole year, except
for a short time during winter. It had a depth
of several feet at its mouth, where it emptied

250 SUMMER MORNING WALKS AROUND MONTREAL.

into the St. Lawrence. Tliis was a favourite resort
in other days for the sportsmen of Montreal,
where they found good shooting and excellent
fishing in season.

The mouth of this river was a noted place half
a century ago for duck shooting; but the march
of modern improvement having encroached upon
their hatching grounds, forced the wild duck to
seek a quieter home, far away from the noise of
railway and the abodes of busy man. It had its
source or fountain head supply somewhere at the
head of the Island of Montreal ; its course or
channel was through the lowlands in rear of the
village of Lachine, crossing the Upper Lachine
Road at the foot of the Coteau Hill, near by the
present Blue Bonnets.

Then through the centre of that low land or
marsh, once a lake, which lies between the high,
lands of Cote St. Pierre and Cote St. Paul. This
low land or valley is now the highway for rail-
ways from Montreal to the West

In its onward course it crossed the road be-
tween the Cote St. Paul bridge and the Tanneries,
as may be seen at the present day by that deep
water cut, made of late years, in the bed of the
old channel, which has served to drain the old

599

CANADIAN PEN AND INK SKETCHES.

251

lake or marsh, rendering it, from its deep and
rich deposits of centuries, the best producing
vegetable garden of Montreal, and is now famed
for its cabbages, turnips and celery.

Drains and new water courses made of late
years, since the building of the Lachine canal,
and more especially the tail race of the Montreal
water works, have cut off the supplies of water
which, in the old times, found their outlet by the
channel of the St. Pierre into the St. Lawrence,
leaving it as at the present day, a river of the
past, known only by name, with nothing to mark
where a river had been, except this old bridge.

Come, young reader, let us sit down on this old
bridge and endeavour to draw a picture of past
days — centuries ago ; and paint this once romantic
woodland stream in its primeval beauty. We
presume you know this spot, and you can, in your
mind's eye, follow up the curves and windings of
this little river through meadow, woodland and
marsh, to the rear of the village of Lachine. You
have read of the Massacre of Lachine by the
Iroquois in 1689. After the massacre, the Iro-
quois, about 1500, drew up their canoes into the
then deep forest, over a mile in rear of Lachine,
and established their camp on the bank of the St.

252 SUMMER MORNING WALKS AROUND MONTREAL.

Pierre ; this was close by the present Dominion
station on the Lachine Railway, and remained
there for over two months, holding possession of
the whole Island, even up to the gates and palis-
sades of Montreal.

We cannot but think that the 'St. Pierre was
then used by the Iroquois as their war path in
their approaches to the town, in which the whole
French force had taken refuge from the dread
Indian. In those early days— two centuries ago,
before the disappearance of the forest, — there
must have been several feet of water in this
river, even at mid-summer; sufficient to allow
scouting parties of the Iroquois in their canoes to
approach quite close to the outskirts of Montreal ;
therefore, we think, the channel of the St. Pierre
was used by the Iroquois, from their encampment
in rear of Lachine, to approach close by and strike
terror into the enclosed inhabitants. When we
reach Lachine, in our morning walks, we shall
fully describe the position of the Indian camp of
1689. (See page 16.)

On the river bank, just where the St. Pierre
emptied into the St. Lawrence, stands an old
building known in the early days of this century
as " Chapman's brewery." The King's highway

CANADIAN PEN AND INK SKETCHES.

258

then passed in front of the Brewery ; but the
present Lower Lachine Road runs some two acres
inland from it. This old building has been used for
several years past by Mr. Mooney in connection
with his wool business.

We may state that Mr. Dawes, the founder of
the celebrated Dawes' Brewery at Lachint , was
employed in Chapman's Brewery for several years
after his first arrival in Canada.

The pavilion — the old race course of Montreal —
is about a quarter of a mile from the St. Pierre
bridge; bordering on the road that now runs
from Lower Lachine to Cote St. Paul. This old
race course was a celebrated place between forty
and fifty years ago. The annual races were held
during the second Aveek of September.

The races were conducted under the strictest
rules of English horse racing, and attracted sports-
men with their horses from all parts of the United
States. The large number of officers of the
British army then stationed in Canada, patronized
those races with their presence, which gave them
alto.o ether an Knt]rlish character. This race course
was finally closed up over forty years ago.

The old house known as the Pavilion still
stands, and is now used as a private dwelling.

254 SUMMER MORNING WALKS AROUND MONTREAL.

This old house could reveal tales of many a for-
tune, or large sums of money, made aud lost here
during those old horse-racing days .

It was also a celebrated carousing place, just
outside the city limits for the townspeople during
the whole year, having excellent roads leading
bnck to town by way of Cote St. Paul and the
Tanneries. There was always plenty of sport
for gun and rod to be had here during the duck
shooting and fishing seasons.

The celebrated Hadley farm, on which the
father of the Hadleys first settled, lies between
what was the old race-course and the River St.
Pierre. Their old homestead which stood near
by Chapman's Brewery, on the river shore, is now
a ruin, having been burned down some four years
ago. Old Mr. Hadley was a fine stamp of an
English farmer, and was famed for his stock
of cattle. This farm stretched out to near Cote
St. Paul, and is now laid out in village lots and
largely built upon.

On this farm, between Cote St. Paul road and
the St. Pierre bridge, occurred a fatal duel on the
22nd of May, 1838. This was the duel fought
between Major Ward, of the 1st Royals, Col.

CANADIAN PEN AND INK SKETCHES.

255

Wethenill's regiment, and Ciiptain Sweeney, of
the volunteer force.

Major Ward was instantly killed. His death
cast a deep jilooni over the whole city. Major
Ward was a great iavorit.3 both in military and
civil circles. Poor Sweeney fled the country and
suffered a thousand deaths for the death he had
caused. They had been, we believe, sworn or
close friends before the unfortunate cause which
gave rise to that fatal meeting.

The Lower Lachine Koad from the Wellington
street cansil bridge to the Pavilion, runs inland
from the St. Lawrence nearly a mile in some
parts. The road and the river approach each
other in front of the Pavilion. Opposite the
Pavilion, about a mile, midwjiy in the St. Law-
rence, is that beautiful island, the '• Nun's," or
St. Paul's, having a magnificent sheet of smooth
water all the v/ay up from Point St. Charles, be-
tween the island and the river shore, up to the
head of the island, a distance of about two miles.

This island (the Nun's; was pointed to some
years ago, and then spoken of as at some future
day becoming a suburb of Montreal, or a west end
park for the people of Point St. Charles and St.
Gabriels. This may yet happen. The island

256 SUMMER MORNING WALKS AROUND MONTREAL.

offers every inducement of becoming a favorite
summer resort, the only drawback being the
spring and fall inundations to whicli it i« subject.
The large body of smooth water between the
island and the river shore would make a suitable
regatta or boating place. It has, in fact, been
used in a small way for several years past for
boat racing.

On the river shore — ^jnst above the Pavilion,
between the road and the river, stands the country
house ' of Mr. Joseph Rielle, architect. The
grounds are tastefully laid out ; it is a charming
spot. The day will come, and is not distant,
when there will be many such cosy, comfortable
country villas on the Lower Lachine Road, which
offers so many inviting spots to build upon. Wo
cannot pay Mr. Rielle a higher complimcuit than
by saying he has displayed good taste without
extravagance. This charming residence was oc-
cupied by Mr. W. W. Ogilvie during the year
1887.

The bank of the St. Lawrence and the old road
which followed the windinjrs of the river shore
for about five miles upwards, from this spot, to
where stood the Old King's Posts of 1812, is truly
storied ground ; though the history thereof may

CANADIAN PEN AND INK SKETCHES.

25t

i\d
ore
to
uly
■nay

be unwritten. When we reach the Kmg's Posts
we shall picture it as we remember the spot over
sixty years ago. This was the road by which
all the early French explorers, French mission-
aries and the armies of Old France found their
way to the place of embarkation, westward, in
their canoes, at the head of the Lachine Rapids.

The late James Somerville, over forty years
ago, told the writer that on one day during the
war of 1812, he saw about 1,000 British soldiers
(red coats), march up this road, past the Rapids,
to the King's Posts, to take bateaux there on
their way to Upper Canada to join the army on
the Niagara frontier.

This was the hiizihwav for the armies of Old
France, and also the British armies, before the
Lachine Canal was built.

Nearly three centuries have passed away since
Champlain, then Governor of French Canada,
found his wav bv this road to the head of the
Rapids— the old SaultSt. Louis, and had his first
sail, in an Indian canoe, down those now far-
famed Lachine Rapids.

This visit of Champlain to the head of the
Lachine R ipids occurred some thirty years before

258 SUMMER MORNING WALK>! AROUND MONTREAL.

the foundation of Montreal by Maisonneuve in
1642.

Champlain then established ji fur trading post
some two miles above the Lacliine Kapids.

This old trading post was occupied some fifty
years later (in 1060) by Robert de la Salle. He
remained there some four years, and then left on
his celebrated exploring expeditions westwards
and southwards to the mouth of the Mississippi,
never again to return to that place. When we
reach that place we shall give a full description
of it.

We have now reached what may be at no very
distant day an important boundary outside of
Montreal. This is the two-mile post on the
Lower Lachine Road, the proposed limit of the
extension of the embankment or dyke to be built
from Point St. Charles to this point for the pre-
vention of future floods, and under the shade of
that stately old elm, which has stood there be-
yond the memory of living man, we shall close
this, the second part of our Summer Morning
Walks.

THIRD SUMMER MORNING WALK
AROUND MONTRKAL.

CHAPTEI? XXII.

TITIRD SUMMER MORNING WALK
AROUND MONTRKAL.

Every traveller along the Lower LachineRoad,
whether in a carriage and pair, or trudging it on
foot, will remember that old elm which stood
alongside of the second mile-post, where we rested
at the close of the second part of our *' Summer
Morning Walks."

This old tree, half a century ago, was a noted
landmark on the Lower LachineRoad. It is now
only a wreck or a skeleton of what it once was.

Few men now living can recall that destructive
rain an., hail storm which occurred in the early
spring of 1838, wrecking and, in some places,
totally destroying foi^-est trees and orchards.

It rained almost incessantly for a whole week.
The rain froze on the trees as it fell, causing ice
to form on the branches of the larger trees, in
some places to the thickness of a loot.

A strong wind then sprang up, causing the

^•■IHi

262 SUMMER MORNING WALKS AROUND MONTREAL.

branches and larger limbs of the largest trees to
snap and fall to the ground, snapping and break-
ing off as if they had been dry rotten branches.

The highways, orchards and forests were strewn
with fallen limbs and in some places whole trees.
It was a dangerous task for over a week to ven-
ture out on the public road.

The sharp reports of snapping branches was
something like a continuous discharge of small
guns from morning to midnight.

This old tree th i stood — before that destruc-
tive rain storm — "A. thing of beauty'' — spreading
its branches far and wide into tlie adjoining field
and down to the river shore, aftbrding shade to
the weary traveller, and nestling places for the
birds of the forest ; even the red squirrels, al-
though it was not a nut-growing tree, loved to
disport themselves in playful pranks through its
branches.

'•' A thing of beauty "it really was, towering
high and spreading far and wide, and might have
stood there '' A joy forever " and a noted land-
mark during many generations, had it not suftered
from that rain and hail storm of 1838.

The trunk of this old tree looks the same now
as it did fifty years ago. It may be a century or

CANADIAN PEN AND INK SKETCHES.

263

more old. We fancy, in the old time, its position
being a mile below the Lacliine Rapids, that it
was a favourite halting place for the old voyageurs
before entering upon their great tug to pull up
and past the Rapids.

Be this as it may, it is even now a noted land-
mark, being just opposite to tlie head of the Nun's
Island

We feel it a duty to note every incident how-
ever trivial.

Here comes a veritable habitant of other days.
He has not the tuque, the sash, nor the moccasins,
of the old Canadian, but he has not for2:otlen that
native politeness which marks the habitant of the
French parishes.

He does not greet you with a stiff, awkward,
vulgar nod of the head, his hat is lifted in a grace-
ful manner, and you are greeted with a profound
bow, in which none in this country can equal or
compare with a French-Canadian.

Here is a farmyard near by ; it has the appear-
ance of being a large dairy or milkman's farm ;
there nre some thirty cows, and as it is about
milkin*^- time, we shall step in and have a chat
with the pretty milk-maids.

Degenerate days, dirty loons ! we exclaimed as

264 SUMMER MORNING WALKS AROUND MONTREAL.

we entered the yard; instead of the pretty milk-
maids of other days, we found some half a dozen
men doing the duty which properly belonged to
the girls.

This work of milking cow?, assumed by men,
has knocked all the poetry out of the pictures
associated with the pretty milk-maid of yore.

What a contrast ! Just look at those fellows ;
some of ihem half-washed, one leg of their trousers
or pants inside — the other outside of a pair of
dirty long boots, with a bhick cutty pipe in
mouth, exchanging slang phrases, one with the
other, as they perform their unmanly task.

Compare this picture with what we were so
familiar in our young days on this very road.
The milk-maid was then a reality, just such as
have been pictured by poet or painter. Let us try
and picture one of those farm yards of the old
time. The number of cows we shall suppose to
be about twenty. It is an early morning in sum-
mer. Here come three young girls, lasses, as
they were called, Scotch, of course. They are
dressed in neat calicoes, with white aprons and
jaunty little sixpenny straw hats, with ribbons,
having pails as clean as new, and a small three-
legged stool to sit upon.

CANADIAN PEN AND INK SKETCHES.

265

As they sit down to their morning work you
would fancy the cows knew and recognized their
milkers. The rule was that each girl had her set
of cows, and they knew each other.

The fair milkers join in some merry chant or
song, most likely a Jacobite one, rendered in
Gaelic. Therefore, pardon us, when we recall
this picture of other days, while beholding the
present one before our very eyes, in exclaiming,
degenerate days, dirty loons !

Every spot as we pass along is familiar ground ;
but the faces of old do not greet us, nor we them ;
a new generation has sprung up, even the old
names of the farms have given place to new ones ;
and we feel ourselves a stranger, almost a deso-
late stranger on this old road, amid the very
scenes that gladdened our young days.

All is changed and changing along this river
shore, save the broad, the unchangeable St. Law-
rence, flowing rapidly along, as of old, at our very
side. The rapids are near, rolling tumbling along
in the self-same course as they have rolled during
untold centuries. Shall we say : '' Such as crea-
tion's dawn beheld, thou roUest now !"

We must recall some noted names of the past —
not to point a moral, nor to adorn a tale, but

w-w

266 SUMMER MORNING WALKS AROUND MONTREAL.

simply to preserve the memories of some worthy
men.

Near by lived the three Archys. Old Archi-
bald Ogilvie, young Archy, and the other Archy
— called " Bauldy/' young Archy 's cousin.

Old Archy departed this life about a quarter of
a century ago ; he ►served as a trooper in the
Montreal cavalr}?- in 1812. Young Archy died
in 1887. bein*r nearly four-score years. Bauldy
is still to the fore.

These three '* Archys " were noted members of
the far-famed Lachine Troop of Cavalry during
the troubles of 1837 and 1838. This troop could
boast of being the finest riders — the most graceful
horsemen in Canada.

To have seen those boys sit their horses fifty
years ago, headed by their dashing leader, Captain
Penner, was a sight for any Canadian to be proud
of. We have no such riders nowadays. Old
Archy, we believe, succeeded Charles Penner as
Captain, then followed young Archy.

The last meeting we remember of the Troop,
headed by young Archy, was at the reception of
the 39th Regiment, after the Crimean war. The
troopers were hurriedly mustered from their
ploughs for the occasion.

CANADIAN PEN AND INK SKETCHES.

261

Some of the Montreal men remarked that it
would be dangerous to place the raw horses of the
Lachine Troop too near the cannon. Young
Archy replied : — "If his hort-es would not stand
the fire, that his men would sit and keep their
saddles !" — being a sharp cut to those town riders
who had been spilt out of their saddles on the
first fire !

The other Archy, " Bauldy," was a merry,
roUicksome fellow in 1837 — the pride of the troop,
full of fun and devilment, and would be so now
were it not for his rheumaticft, which have stiff'ened
him somewhat

By the v .,_) we shall give a little story how
two drunken men were sobered by Baiddy, which
caused many a hearty laugh at headquarters of
the troop in 1838.

After a hard ride of some twenty miles, in
those days of despatch carrying, Bauldy arrived
late one winter night at a country inn at a small
village on the frontier, having but one spare bed.
This bed had been occupied for nearly two days
by two men, with their clothes on, being on a
big spree.

Bauldy requested to be shewn to the room —
then blew out his candle and sprang into the bed,

268 SUMMER MORNING WALKS AROUND MONTREAL.

fully accoutred as he was, with sword, long boots,
spurs, etc., just as he had dismounted from his
horse, and phiced himself, pretending to be drunk,
between the two drunken men.

A prod to the right, then a prod to the left,
from his heavy cavalrv -^)urs, soon roused the two
drunken men to consciousness, uttering sacres and
la (liable. A. fow such prods left Bauldy in full
possession of the bed, while the two partly sober-
ed but really terrified men found their way down
in the dark to the bar-room, declaring that the
devil was upstairs, to be greeted with the merri-
ment and the loud laugh of the assembled
villagers, who were already in the secret of
Bauldy's sobering appliances.

We are jogging slowly along; our readers,
however, will pardon us if we pause over many a
a well-remembered scene or spot, and linger to
depart. These are but homely notings, but may
be appreciated by many at a distance who have,
at one time and another, passed over this old
road.

We are approaching Verdun and other noted
places, of which we shall have something to say
in a future number.

By the way, we are at the La Tortue steamboat

CANADIAN PEN AND INK SKETCHES.

269

wharf, near by the three mile post, and as the
little steamer has jnst arrived, laden with market
carts full of country produce. We shall take our
seat on the old wharf and note the hnbitarH
farmers as they land, mount their charette and
drive off to the Montreal market^ and close this
third part of our '^ Summer Morning Walks."

FOURTH SUMMER MORNING WALK
AROUND MONTREAL.

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CHArTEU XXIV.

FOURTH SUMMKR MORXINO WALK
AROUND MONTREAL.

The La Tortue steamboiit wharf, on which we
closed our third summer morning walk, is close
by the three-mile post on the Lower Lachine
Road.

The little steamer thit calls here plies between
this and the village of La Tortue, a few miles
above Laprairie, near about the foot of the La-
chine Rapids, on the south shore of the St. Law-
rence.

The country roads from Caughnawaga and the
French back parishes cwntre at La Tortue and
supply a large traihc in country- produce, such as
hay, etc., during the open season of navigation.

We purpose some day to take a morning sail on
this boat and walk up by the south shore of the
St. Lawrence, through the Lulian reserve, to the
old Indian town of Caughnawaga, the home of the
Iroquois, and make a few notes of such things iih
may come under our eye.

2*74 SUMMER MORNING WALKS AROUND MONTREAL.

A writer has said : — " There is a pleasure in
" the pathless woods ; there is a rapture on the
" lonely shore !" This is not altogether a lonely
shore, but in comparison with the old time it is
almost a deserted one.

A century ago, before the Lachine Canal was
built, this river shore and this old road was the
busiest place and the most travelled road in
Canada. It was the highway of an empire yet
to be.

Just at the very spot where we are resting, at
the fool of the Lachine Rapids, is an inlet, or
small bay, where the ascending bateaux and
barges sheltered or moored in the old time pre-
paratory to pulling up and past the rough shore
of the Rapids.

It was at this spot where the immigrants de-
barked and walked up past the rapids, and the
bateaux and barges were lightened of their cargo
to make the ascent e asier.

On this road and by this river shore, nearly a
century ago, all the first sturdy Scotch Highland
settlers of Glengarry and Argenteuil passed up-
wards in search of their forest homes ; to lay the
foundation of an empire, and to plant and to main-
tain inviolate, as they have done, in these Cana-

CANADIAN PEN AND INK SKETCHES.

275

dian wilds, the standard of a greater Britain than
the little Britain they had left.

The merry song of the Canadian voyageurs
broke forth as they commenced their rowing and
poling upwards ; but the song of the nearly ex-
patriated Highlanders was doleful ; full of sorrow
for the homes they had left. It was " Lochaber
no more." Everything was new and strange to
them; even the language around them was
foreign — it was French; but still those French
voyageurs were subjects of the same crown and
loyal defenders of the same flag. They had a
feeling in common : Canada, their country.

Those Scotch Highlanders had left their bleak
mountains and their barren hills to found homes
in the wilds of Canada. Thus far on their jour-
ney — after their ten to fourteen weeks of a sea
voyage, which was a common thing in those early
days, they had as yet walked very little on the
shore or land of their adopted country until they
reached this point — their first portage of four
miles upwards, to pass the Lachine Rapids, to the
old King's Posts.

We fancy a cheering sight met their eyes in
this sliort walk which must have gladdened their
hearts.

276 SUxMMER MORNlNd WALKS AROUND MONTREAL.

The laiuilies of the writer's grand fa tlicrs, pa-
ternal and maternal, l)earing the siinie name,
passed up by this river shore in bateaux, nearly
a century ago, branching off and separating at the
meeting of the waters at St. Anne's, at the head of
the Island of Montreal, one family to the right
hand — to the wilds of Argenteuil, the other to
the left, to the Canadian Glengarry.

This old road was celebrated in early days as
abounding in fruit orchards, the apple, the pear
and the cherry of old France were choicest of
fruit. Some of the old orchards along this road
were planted in the early days of the Jesuit
Fathers.

The sight of apple orchards, a novelty to Scotch
Highlanders of those days, bearing tempting fruit
hanging by the wayside, must have cheered the
hearts of the new-comers, reassuring them that
their lot was cast in a land not only capable of
producing the finest of grain, but the fairest and
choicest of fruit.

This was also the highway of armies during the
three years of the war of 1812. Every soldier,
every regiment of the-Britisli army on their way
westward to Upper Canada, passed upwards in

CANADIAN PEN AND INK SKETCHES.

211

itcli
uit
the
hat
le of
laud

the
lier,
^vay
in

bateaux and barges by this river shore with their
cannou aud baggage.

The men all debarked at the foot of the Rapids
aud uiarched over this portage of four miles to
the barracks at the King's Posts. This is truly
storied ground ! This was the military highway
during the French days as well as the British.

" It is an ill wind that blows nobody good.'*
The iuundatious that have caused so much
destruction, spring and fall, to property at Point
St. Charles and St. Gal)riel, and retarded the
growth of Montreal westwards, have pointed out
the only remedy to avert such Hoods in the future.
This is by building an embankment, a very sim-
ple work, from the Victoria bridge up to the
second mile-post on the Lower Lachine Road, a
distance of some three miles.

This embankment, when completed, would offer
inducements to one of our great railways, most
likely the Canadian Pacific, to extend their road
by the harbour and river front ; the only obstacle
would be the crossing of the Grand Trunk at the
Victoria Bridge, up to the foot of the Rapids;
thence to connect with the St. Lawrence Bridge ;
this could easily be done by a detour up the
Knox farm, crossing the rear of the King's Post

278 SUMMER MORNING WALKS AROUND MONTREAL.

farms and the other farms above the King's Post,
and connecting with the track of the C. P. R. on
the rear of Mrs. Conway's farm leading to the
bridge.

Such a track will, sooner or later, be built
when that time shall come, the land on the Lower
Lachine Road, which can now be had at less than
one cent per foot, will then command five cents.

The necessities of the great railways centering
at Montreal demand extensive grounds for the
workshops, factories, etc., and stock yards for
cattle. The present large and annually increas-
ing supply of cattle for shipment points to the
necessity of having ample accommodation to
handle such a trade.

The farms lying between the Pavilion and
Knox's mills, and between the Aqueduct and the
St. Lawrence, offer every inducement to establish,
in the near future, workshops, &c., and stock
yards to meet the demand of the cattle trade, now
only in its infanty.

And when pointing to this, we must not omit
to point to a scheme the writer has long pondered
over : —That is a West End Park for the poor
people of Point St. Charles and St. Gabriel. Our
mountain Park is the rich man's park. We want

CANADIAN PEN AND INK SKETCHES.

279

a poor man's park, and the people of this day
should not allow this opportunity to slip.

THE LA SALLE PARK.

The proposed West End Park should be named
the " La Salle Park," in memory of Robert de la
Salle who, at one time, over two hundred years
ago, was seigneur of Lower Lachine.

La Salle is the brightest name in Canadian his-
tory, he once trod the same ground we now tread,
and while his name and his memory are preserved
and perpetuated in every American town and
city from Detroit to the mouth of the Mississippi,
Montreal alone has nothing commemorative of him.

Have you ever, reader, as you have passed along
the Lower Lachine Road, cast your eyes on that
block of land — those three farms — between Ver-
dun, the property of John Crawford and the
Somerville property, having a frontage of one
mile on the Lachine Rapids and a breadth of half
a mile in the rear on the Aqueduct— the whole
containing about six hundred acres? and then
pictured to yourself what a magnificent west end
park this block of land wc ^d make.

You may travel the whole Island of Montreal
and not find another spot to compare with this
*or the p' '^se of a public park.

• '!

280 SUMMER MORNING WALKS AROUND MONTREAL.

Having a mile frontage on the Ladiine Rapids
and a half mile on the Aqueduct in the rear,
it would compare favourably, for beauty and
grandeur of situation, with the great Interna-
tional Park at the Falls of Niagara.

The time is not distant when a carriage road,
connecting with the Atwater avenue, will be built
along the bank of the Aqueduct, then a horse car
track would soon follow, aftbrding easy access to
the proposed park, not taking into account the
almost certainty of a railway by the river front.

These hints are thrown out with the hope that
decided action will be taken by the people of
Montreal to secure that block of land referred to,
for the purpose of a West End park.

KNOx's MILLS.

We have reached a spot which, half a century
ago, promised to be the Manchester of Canada ; it
had, and still hns, flowing wastefully past, water
power capable of turning one-third of the mills of
Canada, waiting only to be profitably utilized.
The opening of a railway by the river shore may
yet call this power into actual work.

Fifty years ago this place had its flour mills, its
carding, spinning and weaving mills, its nail

CANADIAN PEN AND INK SKETCHES.

281

factory and its hurley and oatmeal mills. All
these are now closed up and silence reigns here.
Nothing but wreck and ruin meet the eye! This
is a deserted place !

Amid these ruins and wreck, so full of promise
in the days of our boyhood, we shall close this,
the fourth part of our Summer Morning Walks.

B IL'IL. -

riFTH SUMMEK MORNING WALK
AROUND MONTREAL.

CHAPTER XXV.

FIFTH SUMMKK MORNING WALK
AROUND MONTRFAL.

Knox's Mills, where we closed our fourth Sum-
mer Morning Walk, is about six miles from the
city of Montreal, and near by the five-mile post
on the Lower Lachine Road, just facing the
Lachine Rapids.

The late William James Knox, a young Irish
gentleman, possessed of considerable means, about
the year 1835, then a member of the firm of
Begly, Knox & Co., of Montreal, purchased from
the gentlemen of the Seminary of St. Sulpice all
the mills and milling privileges owned by them
on the Lachine Rapids.

Besides the Seminary property Mr. Knox pur-
chased the farms of Archibald Ogilvie and
William Hannah. He also purchased a part of
the priests' or Seminary property bordering on
the River St. Pierre.

This purchase of the Ogilvie and Hannah farms
and the seminary milling property, was made for

9M SUxMMER MORNING WALKS AROUND MONTREAL.

the purpose of growing flax and for the establish-
ment of mills for the manufacture of linen.

At the time Mr. Knox made these purchases,
there were in active operation there, Mr. Lacha-
pelle's flour mills, Mr. Weaver's carding spinning
and weaving mills, Mr. Cutter's nail factory and
Mr. Goudie's barley and oatmeal mills. These
mills then did a large and profitable business.

Somehow or other those parties were all driven
from, or, rather, were forced to close up their
mills and leave the place. The reason — at the
time — assigned for this was Mr. Knox's desire to
get rid of them so as to afford him scope or room
for his intended flax mills. Be this as it may,
they all left — leaving Mr. Knox sole master of
the situation to carry out, uncontrolled, his then
grand schemes.

These grand schemes all failed I or, rather,
were never entered upon. Whether this was
caused by the disastrous times in commercial
circles during the troubles of 1837 and 1838, we
know not ; but the mills were all closed, and the
millers all left for other parts, leaving this then
promising manufacturing place gradually to fall
into decay ! and to present to the eye, as it does

CANADIAN PEN AND INK SKETCHES.

287

to-day, nothing but wreck and ruin ! A deserted
place !

COUNTRY VILLA RESIDENCES.

A stranger from the United States remarked
one day to the writer that it was singular there
were so few villa residences on the Lower Lachine
Road, and added — If such a river shore was with-
in ten miles of the city of Boston, it would be
studded with neat country homes, surrounded
with flower gardens and orchards.

Two obstacles have operated against the growth
of this river side. The first was, and is, the
semi-annual floods, spring and fall, inundating
the land as far out — and even ftirther — than the
River St. Pierre. The second was the building
of the Grand Trunk Railway, the track of which
crosses the road leading out, making a carriage
drive a rather dangerous enjoyment at certain
hours of the day.

From the two-mile up to near the six-mile
post on the Lower Lachine Road is the most invit-
ing spot to select five or ten acre lots on which to
build country villas now or at some future day.
The bank is sufficiently high and dry, being fully
fifteen feet above the highest known floods.

This part of the river bank is not unlike, in

288 RUMMER MORNING WALKS AROUND MONTREAL.

height and appearance, the Canadian bank of the
Niagara river from Chippewa up to old Fort Erie,
and no more charming retren^ can be found in the
whole of Canada for quiet summer residences than
this, having excellent fishing spots ; the land,
too, is of the best quality for the making of gar-
dens and planting of orchards.

The only drawback at present are the roads,
the Grand Trunk track, as above referred to, hav-
ing interfered with the carriage drive; but the
day is coming when a rail track will be laid upon
the embankment to be made, up to Knox's mills,
tlience to connect with the St. Lawrence bridge,
three miles further up.

Besides this railway by the river shore, there
will sooner or later be made a carriage road on the
north bank of the Aqueduct, all the way out to
the entrance of the *' new inland cut," to connect
at the city limits with the Atwater avenue run-
ning up to Sherbrooke street. When such con-
necticms are made, this river front will become the
most favourite summer resort for the citizens of
Montreal.

SAILING UP THE LACHINE RAPIDS.

Most travellers know what a sail down the
Lachine Rapids is, and thousands from all parts

fie,
the
iiau
md,

^ar-

)ads,

hav-

the

upon

nill«j
ridge,

CANADIAN PEN AND INK SKETCHES.

289

311

here
the
)Ut to

iiiiect
run-
con -

le the

ns of

the
parts

of the world have, at one time or another, enjoy-
ed such a sail. But to propose a sail up the
Rapids would be a novelty, — it would be de-
nounced as an impossibility, it would be laughed
at; such, however, was a frequent occurrence, a
common thing, in the old days of Bateaux and
Durham boat sailing up this river shore.

In the old days the Durham boats, when not in
too great hurry, moored below the Rapids, wait-
ing for a favourable strong easterly wind to hoist
their sails to sail upwards. And the writer has
it upon the authority of Mr. Alexander Somer-
ville, who was born opposite the Rapids in 1812,
and still lives there, to state that he had often
seen as many as a dozen Durham boats pass up in
one day under sail, and continue their course up
to Lake St. Louis, except such of them as had to ■
call at the King's Posts to complete their cargo.

SHAD FISHING.

Shad fish may not be a novelty, but shad fish-
ing would be to most of our readers. About four
acres above the Knox mills, directly in front of
the Somerville House, is the spot where the shad
is caught, not killed — the term which most peo-
ple use now-a-days for catching fish ; we presume
to say that when fish are taken by a line and

290 SUMMER MORNING WALKS AROUND MONTREAL.

hook, or by a net, they are caught — not killed ;
but when speared or shot, as some people do with
their rifles — thev are then *^ killed.''

The shad pass up here within ten to fifteen feet
from the shore, during the first week of June,
some years a week earlier or later.

The fishermen, the Frenchmen living along the
river front, watch the time of the passing up of
the shad ; then with their nets, made of twine
somewhat in the shape of a two-bushel bag, fixed
on poles about ten feet long, take their positions,
standing to about their waists in the water, and
make a sweep of their nets, immersing them so
that they reach the bottom, scooping along down
with the stream, then hauling in, sometimes
empty, at times one, two and three ; we have seen
six taken in at one haul. Th^.tJ is unusual.

The passing up of the shad was first noticed
about ninety-four years ago, in 1796. They were
then noticed by the people living near by. The
shoal then passing up was so great that the fish
forced themselves out and above the water. They
would not take the hook, and pails and tubs, etc.,
were used to catch them. It is said that one man
alone caught nine hundred in one day, but two or
three hundred was a common day's catch. We

CANADIAN PEN AND INK SKETCHES.

201

have known them in a plentiful season to he sokl
as low as two dollars for one hundred fish. This
was in the old time. The question is : Where
do these fish go? How far up our rivers and
lakes? We have never heard of shad being taken
further up than this point. They certainly have
a season — a set time to return to the ocean
whence they came !

By the way, we found the old fishermen this
year bitterly complaining of being compelled to
take out a license to fish. This should not be !
They have had this right undisturbed for one
hundred years ! And, again, the Seminary of St.
Sulpice when selling their property, provided in
the deed of sale that the right of fishing should
not be interfered with.

THE SOMERVILLE HOMESTEAD.

The Somerville Homestead is close by the five-
mile post. The late James Somerville died about
a quarter of a centuiy ago He was widely known
all over Lower Canada, and highly esteemed for his
intelligence. He was a well-read man ; there was
hardly a subject of the day but he was familiar
with. He was at home in the history of this
country and of his native land, Scotland. He

'*!

292 SUMMER MORNINO WALKS AROUND MONTRK^L.

was one of tlie Government Appraisers for Lower
Canada. Peace to his memory !

THE 2nd company OF THE LACHINE BRIGADE.

We had almost forgotten to note that it was in
the Somerville House the second company of the
Lachine Brigade was organized, being the firat
"new company" of volunteers to receive their
arms during the Rebellion of 1837. This was on
the first Monday in November, 1837. The neigh-
bouring farmers and farm servants met there that
day. The farm servants were mostly composed
of Irish Roman Catholics, being then in the em-
ploy of the late Charles Penner.

Thomas A. Begly, an Irish Catholic, afterw^ards
secretary of the Board of Works, then mana-
ager of the Knox mills, was proposed by Mr.
Somerville and the other officers of the militia to
be the Captain of this new company. This was
accepted by the Irish labourers as a special com-
pliment to them. The men marched to town
(Montreal) the n^xt day and received their arms.
The writer joined this company, and he believes
himself and Mr. Samuel Twose, of Sherbrooke,
to be the only living members of it.

heron's island.

This island is in the middle of the Rapids,

wer

LS in
^the
firr?t
their
\s on
eigb-
j that
posed
3 em-

CANADIAN PEN AND INK SKETCHES.

293

ipids,

opposite Verdun ; it can be reached by water at
the lower end.

The thought struck us as we passed, of which
we made a note, that this isbind would be a suit-
able place for the manufacture of explosives, such
as gunpowder, dynamite, &c. It would be a safe
place for the storage of such material, far away
from farm buildings and farm houses. It is mid-
way in the St. La^Tence, and the water power in
and around it coulu be utilized for manufactures,
therefore, we throw out this hint.

THE devil's island.

This island is in the roughest part of the Rapids,
and can only be reached from the Lachine shore
when the Rapids are frozen over, or, rather, jam-
med up. This seldom happens. The last time
we remember was about thirty years ago. We
then saw three venturesome young men, namely,
James Somerville, Richard Robinson, and Daniel
Carmichael, run over to the island. They were
thankful to get back, but really terrified at the
risk they had run. The ice bridge gave way half
an hour after their return ! They described the
island as cold and as barren as "Greenland's icy
mountains," having none of the warmth associat-
ed with the fiery abode of His Satanic Majesty !

294 SUMMER MORNING WALKS AROUND MONTREAL.
THE LA SALLE COMMON.

It is recorded in hi«torv that Robert de la Salle
— the seigneur of Lower Lachine (about 1G6G)
had feet apart 420 acres of land for a homestead
for himself: we refer our readers to our account
of the Canadian Home of Robert de la Salle,
as contained in chapter thirty. He also set apart
200 acres adjoining his liunie, as a common. The
eastern boundary of this common was just where
the six-mile post now stands. It had a frontage
on the river of about half a milt, between the six-
mile post and the entrance of the new inland cut
of the Montreal Water Works.

The common ran back to a narrow point at the
high hiKa in the rear — something in shape like a
half moon. This was the pasture land for the
sheep of several farms for about a mile above and
below it.

It was a common thing in early days to see
1,000 to 1,500 sheep feeding there during summer.
It is singular how few sheep are now to be seen
on this road. Not as many now on the whole
road as could then be found on one farm.

This common was parcelled out in 1835 among
the neighbouring farmers, and is now covered
with small cottages and all planted with orchards.

CANADIAN PEN AND INK SKETCHES.

296

THE KINCJ'S POSTS.

The day is far spent and the shades of evening
are gathering around iis as we reach this old spot
— the home of our youth ! This was an import-
ant position during the war of 1812.

The writer feels it a duty to state what he
remembers of this old post and of the b. Udings
standing there, sixty years ago, at the time of its
evacuation. This may induce others having ad-
ditional or corroborating fixcts to place them be-
fore the public.

At this old place, near the home of his youth,
the writer will close this, the fifth part of his
Summer Morning Walks.

SIXTH SUMMER MORNING WALK
AROUND MONTREAL.

CHAPTER XXVI.

SIXTH SUMMKR MORNING WALK
AROUND MONTREAL.

THE K1N(5'S POSTS OF 1812.

We closed our Fifth Summer Morning Walk at
this old post, and we now enter upon the task of
picturing it — the old post— as we rememher it, at
the time of its evacuation, over sixty years ago,
in 1826 or 1827. The writer saw the last soldier
leave — bag and baggage - and he remembers and
was at the " Vandue," as the Scotch farmers call-
ed the sale by the Government of all the build-
ings, land, etc.

We do not know the date when this was lirst
established as a British military post, nor do we
know if it was a French post at the time of the
cession. But we do know that it was an import-
ant British post during the war of 1812, being
the point of embarkation westward by bateaux,
barges and canoes before the building of the
Lachine canal

B^HT

300 SUMMER MORNING WALKS AROUND MONTREAL.

This was the headquarters of our little army of
defence during the American advance by way of
Chateauguay, under Hampton, in October, 1813.
And every farm house from this place up to near
Pointe Claire was billeted with regulars or militia.
La Salle's old home near by, had sixty men billet-
ed in it. This was, we believe, Captain Moffat's
company of Montreal militia. The late Mr.
Ernest Idler once told the writer that he, as one
of the sixty, was stationed in that old house for
six weeks.

The eastern land boundary of the King's Posts
was just where the New Inland Cut of the Mon-
treal Water Works enters inland. It had a front-
age on the King's highway of three arpents, be-
ing the whole front of one of the farms, up to
where the old powder magazine still stands ; the
eastern and western boundaries were marked by
large stone posts with " G. K.'"' and the broad
arrow. The depth was about two acres, making
about six acres in superficies.

THE BUILDINGS.

Commencing at the eastern end, next to the
Water Works' entrance, was the bake and cook
house, partly still standing ; next to it is an old
stone building, still standing, about sixty feet

CANADIAN PEN AND INK SKETCHES.

301

:he
)ok
)ld

fronting on the road, one storey and a half high,
and about thirty feet deep.

This building, we believe, was used as the
officers' quarters.

THE FIN LAY HOUSE.

Adjoining the old stone building is the " Finlay
House." John Finlay was the head officer of the
King's post, and acted as commissary general
there or something in that way. He attended to
the receiving and forwarding of the government
stores. It was he who engaged the voyageurs
and boatmen to man the boats going west. He
was looked upon as King of the King's posts.

The Finlay House was built at the commence-
ment of the war of 1812, and still stands — but a
mere wreck of what it once was ! It was built of
heavy timber, a double house, two storeys, about
50 by 50, lined with brick and clap-boarded out-
side. It was a grand hou.se — the rooms were
large and roomy. This house was the resting
place of all the general officers passing up or down
during the war. There were several houses of
the same description built by the government at
that time, notably at Coteau du Lac and at
Chambly.

302 SUMMER MORNING WALKS AROUND MONTREAL.

This house had a beaiitiful front — tastefully
laid out, and planted ith tlowers, &c., and lined
in front and b}' the side with Loinbardy poplars,
the fashionable tree of old days in Lovver Canada.
It had its coach house iind stalling ; these are all
gone. There was also a garden in rear of about
two acres, planted with all kinds of choice fruit,
&c., and carefully attended to. There is nothing
now left to mark where a garden had been.

Since Mr. Finlay's day, this house has had
many occupants. A Mr. Price, an English gen-
tleman, lived there a few years and died there
about 1833. The late Colonel Wilgress occupied it
for a short time on his arrival in this country. Mr.
Davidson, late of the Bank of Montreal, had it for
a summer residence for a few years. Then, among
many others, the most noted of whom, the Rev.
Wm. Bond (Bishop Bond), lived there five years,
a,nd it has ever since been known as the " Bond
House."

Next to the Finlay House there stood a long
wooden building about 70 feet front by 30 to 40
deep, having a stone foundation. This building?
we believe, was the soldiers' barracks. Next to
this is an old stone building, still standing, and
now used as a horse stable. We do not know what

CANADIAN PEN AND INK SKETCHES.

303

.ev.
.rs,
>nd

)iig

|ng,

to
ind

lat

this building was used for. It may have been for
a canteen, or a place to serve out the soldiers*
rations. Adjoining this is the old powder maga-
zine, partly standing. A notable military relic
of departed days !

On the river shore, opposite the powder maga-
zine, was the military wharf; it had a frontage
on the river of about 200 feet, with a revetment
wall made of heavy timber, having a depth
of five to six feet of water at low water mark.

There stood on this wharf, the whole length of
it, two long large warehouses built of heavy tim-
ber, capable of storing an immense quantity of
warlike stores They had a second flat for lighter
goods, which could be utilized as barrack
quarters in an emergency. At the east end of
these buildings was the main guard. The writer
remembers seeing some of the last soldiers on
sentry there.

The "Water Works basin has entirely destroyed
this old wharf. Farther down, on the river shore,
just opposite to where the old bake-house stands,
was the " Black Hole." A little farther down, on
the river bank, about the centre of the Water
Works entrance, stood another large wooden ware-

304 SUMMER MORNING WALKS AROUND MONTREAL.

house. In this building a room was set apart for
Divine service for the troops. The Rev. Brook
Bridges Stevens was chaplain to the forces there.

THE STAFF CORPS BARRACKS.

There was another frame building which stood
inland, on the commons, just where the commons
joined the eastern King's post boundary. This
building was a square of shedS; about, or over,
one hundred feet square, some twenty feet high
and twenty-five feet deep, having double tiers of
sleeping berths, and in the centre, in the inside of
the square, was a cook house.

These sheds or barracks went by the name of
the " Staff Corps Barracks.'^ We suppose they
were used by the old settlers passing up
when detained at the post waiting for a boat.

We have given, to the best of our ability, a
true description of the buildings standing at this
old post at the time of its evacuation.

At the vandue, or sale, Mr. Penner purchased
the land belonging to the Government, and later
on he acquired the rear of that farm.

The two large buildings on the wharf stood
there until within the past forty years, and were

CANADIAN PEN AND INK SKETCHES.

305

used by Mr. Penner as a sleeping place for his
hop-pickers. There would be at times fully two
hundred of them during the hop-picking season.

THE CANADIAN HOME OF ROBERT DE LA SALLE.

La Salle's home is close by the King's Posts.

As we stood in that old building our thoughts
were wandering over the bygone centuries of
early Canadian days! Not only did we think of
La Salle as having lived there, but we recalled
the long list of noble men, representatives of old
France, who, from time to time, had slept within
those venerated — yes, sacred walls !

In retrospect — as in the days of La Salle — the
river front seemed covered with Indian canoes,
from their far off hunting grounds, come to ex-
change their furs. We fancied we saw that band
of Seneca Indians with their chief, arrive, and La
Salle, robed in his best and most imposing attire,
bearing in his hands, aloft, that sacred symbol of
his Church — the Cross, in his descent to the river
shore, to greet and to welcome the new comers !
This was that band of Senecas, with their chief,
who remained all winter with him at his home.
And, we believe, it was from the information ob-
tained from that Seneca chief which induced La

306 SUMMER MORNING WALKS AROUND MONTREAL.

Salle to enter upon those extended explorations
"westwards and southwards in the Spring of 1669,
never again, we believe, to return to this place.

The writer's birthplace was within the old wall
that at one time surrounded La Salle's Home, now
known, and for the past eighty years, as the
" Fraser Homestead.'' We shall pass it by in
silence! These walks were not intended by the
writer that sorrows of his own should intrude !
but merely remarking in passing : — that its ruin-
ed walls and almost roofless home '* A sad remem-
brance bring."

An etching of the old farm house was taken by
*^ Sandham " a few years ago, and is now in pos-
session of Mr. George Hague of the Merchant's
Bank,

THE PENNER FARM.

The Penner farm adjoins La Salle's old house.
It is now the property of Mr. Doran. The late
Charles Penner, a native of Herefordshire, Eng-
land, came to Canada before the war of 1812, and
was instrumental in organizing the first troop of
Montreal cavalry. After the war he settled at
Lachine on this farm, and was the father of the
Lfijhine troop of cavalry.

canadian pen and ink sketches, 307

penner's hop fields.
Very few of the present generation would
hardly realize that over sixty year;^ ago there
was a farm within eight miles of Montreal having
seventy acres of hops growing on it. This will
be interesting news to Englishmen from the hop
growing counties of England.

The writer remembers when Mr. Penner had

twelve fields under hops, each field of about six

acres. Not a weed nor a blade of grass could be

found on the whole fields, so perfect was the

culture,

penner's cider.

Every Canadian has heard of" Penner's Cider,"
so famed all over Canada, but few know or would
believe of the extent of his manufacture and the
quantity of apples produced in early days in
Lower Canada.

In the autumn of 1831 apples were so plentiful
that Mr. Penner purchased sufficient apples to
miake four hundred puncheons of cider, equal to
about fifteen hundred barrels.

Besides his hop field and his cider business Mr
Penner was known far and near for his fine stock
of imported cattle, particularly his sheep, which
found purchasers even in the United States,

808 SUMMER MORNING WALKS AROUND MONTREAL.

After disposing of his property iit Lachine he
moved to Kingston, Ontario, where he died ten
years ago, aged eighty-seven. Peace to his
memory !

THE ST. LAWRENCE BRIDGE.

At the MacMartin point, half a mile above the
Penner farm, we have our first full view of the
St. Lawrence Bridge, a thing of beauty as it spans
the St, Lawrence between the Windmill Point
and the Caughnawaga shore. A shudder of fear,
somehow, creeps over us as we behold those tiny
looking pillars supporting the bridge. Will they
withstand the mighty shock of ice from Lake
St. Louis and the Ottawa ?

The pillars of this bridge are, we learn, cement-
ed on the rock foundation of the river, capable of
resisting the force of the water, because no greater
force of water will be felt in the future than dur-
ing the past few years since these pillars were
placed in position.

The piers or pillars of the Grand Trunk bridge
were the work of years ; the foundations were
sunk deep, nearly 30 feet below the river bed,
and again, the Lake St. Louis ice is all broken
by the Lachine Rapids before reaching the Vic-
toria Bridge.

CANADIAN PEPf AND INK SKETCHES.

309

THE liAKE ST. LOUIS ICE.

Our readers may not be aware that there is
over two hundred square miles of solid ice on
Lake St. Louis and the Ottawa to find its outlet
every spring down the St. Lawrence, and to force
its way through that narrow gorge of about two
miles between Caughnawaga and the Windmill
Point, just where the lake narrows into the river,
and very few of them, our readers, have ever
witnessed a grand shove of ice there, crashing,
jamming, and roaring like thunder, forcing up
boulders, tons weight, from the bed of the river ^
placing them high and dry on the shore, even as
far down as the Penner farm, a mile below this.

A GRAND SHOVE.

The writer has witnessed many grand shoves
there, but one in particular, in his young
days when attending the old grammar school
at Lachine, This was a morning about the end
of April — he forgets the year — ^just as he was
passing the Windmill Point on his way to school.
The ice in the distance, up Lake St. Louis, was
seen to be on the move, floating majestically
down, gathering speed from tlie increasing cur-
rent, a white mist or foam denoting its near

310 SUMMER MORNING WALKS AROUND MONTREAL.

approach. The body of ice was large, must have
been trom twenty to tliirty square miles, a solid,
unbroken mass, until it reached the Caughnawnga
Point.

Then with a thunder-like crash it struck the
(Jaughnawaga shore and the Windmill Point on
this side ! The very shore trembled with the
rebound ! For a miii ate or two the ice came to a
standstill, tlien with a uiighty crash it gave way,
heaving halfway up the river bank at the Wind-
mill Point ! This is the exposed spot where those
tiny pillars of that beautiful structure — the
St. Lawrence bridge — stand, bidding defiance to
the onward march of the Ice King of some
coming spring !

The question is : — if ever such another grand
shove occurs again, will these tiny pillai s with-
stand the shock ? We doubt it ; time will tell !

If they do stand, we shall simply say that these
pillars will be standing monuments for all time
to " The march of genius and the powers of
man ! "

FLEMING'S WINDMILL.

This old windmill is a standing mounment to
the memory of a determined, stubborn Scotch-
man — ^" that indignant spirit of the North," — in

CANADIAN PEN AND INK SKETCHES.

311

resisting the pretentions of the wealtliiest, the
greatest corporation in Lower Canada, to prevent
him IniiMing his mill.

When the late Mr. Fleming commenced the
building of his Tiill lor the manufacture of oat-
meal, the gentlemen of the Seminary of St. Sul-
pice, as Seigneurs of the Island of Montreal*
claimed that they alone had the right of
building mills of any description. Mr. Flem-
ing thought ditferently ; he admitted if they
controlled tlie water privileges their chari/cr gave
them no control over the ** winds of Heaven "
nor of any other power a man may utilize for the
purpose of running his mill.

A long lawsuit was the result, the late Mr.
Buchanan, K.C.. was Mr. Fleming's legal adviser.
We forget exactly how this case ended. It is all
in the law Reports. We believe, however, that
the Seminary, after a long contest, allowed the
matter to drop, and permitted Mr. Fleming to
finish his mill. The old mill stands firm and
solid, with its four wings, but without any sails,
as it has not been nmch used for the past thirty
years. It looks like a Martello tower, and may
stand for centuries ; a monument to the memory
of a determined Scotchman !

312 SUMMER MORNING WALKS AROUND MONTREAL.

If you take a seat on a calm summer afternoon
near b;^ this old mill you will have a full view
of the broad, smooth surface of Lake St. Louis,
stretching far to the west, and the old Indian
town of Caughnawaga, the home of the Iroquois
right opposite to you.

THE HOSPITALITY OF A CANADIAN
FARM HOUSE OF THE OLD TIME.

CHAPTER XXVII.

THE HOSPITALITY OF A CANADIAN
FARM HOUSE OF THE OLD TIME.

Dear lovely bowers of innocence and ease,
seats of my youth, when every sport could please.
How often have I paused on every charm, the
sheltered cot, the cultivated farm, the never-fail-
ing brook, the busy mill, the decent church that
topt the neighbouring hill " : — Let us attempt to
picture in its primitive simplicity and unbounded
hospitality one of those plain old Canadian farm
houses as they existed over fifty years ago.

Those old homesteads were to be found at con-
venient stopping places all over Upper and Lower
Canada, and were noted for their hospitality.
Their stables were always open for the traveller's
horse, and the best from their cellars, pantrys and
poultry yards was spread before the self-invited,
but ever welcome guest. Every Lower Canadian

.11: : 1.

316 THE HOSPITALITY OF A CANADIAN FARM HOUSE.

has heard of the open houses of the French seig-
neurs in the old time. It is to be regretted that
those old families have been so much broken up
and scattered.

Those old halting places were not only useful
but necessary in early days in Canada, when money
was scarce and few inns stood by the wayside.
The hospitable open farm house was a recognized
institution over a century ago in the New Eng-
land States and along the banks of the Mohawk,
by which the farming community extended their
hospitality to brother farmers when travelling,
and they looked for a similar return when they in
their turn had to travel on business or for
pleasure.

In those early days, when a farmer had to
travel from fifty to one hundred miles he could
calculate to a certainty his midday halt, or his
resting place for the night, and he could also
count upon the warm reception he would meet
with. There was a kind of Oddfellowship — or
something dearer — existing among the scattered
farmers of old Canada, by which the visitor and
visited were mutually benefited. This was a

means of conveying and receiving the year's news
from widely separated friends at very little cost.

CANADIAN PEN AND INK SKETCHES.

S11

ind
a

This was usually done during the winter months.
The old farmers of Canada looked upon each
other as of the same family — as brother Cana-
dians. They were proud of the country of their
birth or adoption. They had a common aim — to
make homes for themselves and their families. A
farmer in those early days might travel one hun-
dred miles with his cutter in winter, for instance,
from the Dutch settlements in and around the
Township of Markham, behind Toronto, to visit
his friends on the Niagara, without spending five
shillings in cash, if he wished, because every farm
house on the road was open to him, and it was
then considered a slight for a traveller to pass by
the open doors and spread tables.

The people of the present generation know very
little of the old time hospitalities. The writer
can recall many of his early tramps, on foot, over
forty years ago, through the Niagara and Home
Districts, and, in retrospect, fancy himself again
entering some one of those old U. E. Loyalist
farm houses of Upper Canada, to make some sim-
ple enquiry as to the road. The reception was
different then to what it is now. Railways have
changed everything in the country parts. The
days of Acadian simplicity have passed away and

318 HOSPITALITY OF A CANADIAN FARM HOUSE.

new manners have supplanted the old. All is
now changed !

You would be informed on entering such a
house : — That it was near the midday meal, or
that'night was approaching, and a pressing invita-
tion would be given to partake of food and rest
for the night ; or you might be informed by the
good wife of the house that the good man was
out in the fields, and that he would be greatly
disappointed if he missed the news from town.

The country people of those days were anxious
to get news about markets, etc., and they extend-
ed their hospitality in return. Our old readers
will recall those days of primitive Canadian hos-
pitality.

The writer, in one of his early tramps, chanced
to visit an old U. E. Loyalist settlement, and met
with so kind a reception as induced him to spend
a week. It was in the autumn, a charming sea-
son. There was plenty of hunting, and being a
good shot he enjoyed it to his heart's content, so
much so that his sojourn was extended to nearly
a month. Deer, partridge, duck, &c., were then
plentiful. How often we think of those by -gone
days spent in the backwoods of Upper Canada.
Besides outdoor sports were many inside ones.

CANADIAN PEN AND INK SKETCHES.

319

Were you ever, fair reader, at a '' Husking Bee ?*'
If not, let us give you an inkling as to how such
things were done in country parts in the old days.
The corn (Indian corn) with the husks on was
gathered and piled in a large heap, like a stack,
on the barn floor.

The neighbouring girls and boys were invited
— or rather invited themselves to a Bee, a *' Hus-
king Bee," to husk the corn. Then tea and a dance
followed on the barn floor after the work was
finished.

There was great sport at these gatherings.
The loud glee that followed the finding of a red
corn, which entitled the finder to a kiss from the
fairest girl, and sometimes a kiss all round, that
is if he had nerve enough to do so. This was a
standing custom in the country, as old as our
grandfathers. We often detected some fair finder
slyly slip her prize into the lap of her favorite
boy — as much as to say — Do your duty. There
were also " Paring Bees," to peel and slice the
apples preparatory to stringing them for drying,
also, " Quilting Bees," &c., but we must not forget

the old " Spinning Wheel Bee."

The young girls — pardon us — the young ladies
of the present day know nothing except by hear-

320 HOSPITALITY OF A CANADIAN FARM HOUSE.

say of the " Gossipping Wheels " — the grand old
spinning wheels of early Canadian days. We
remember the time when from four to six of those
old wheels could be found in some of the larger
farm houses, and plenty of work they had to do.
In those early days in Canada, the men wore
home made grey and women stuff gowns, all home
made. In some of the farm houses the wool of
one hundred sheep was carded, spun and woven
or knitted at home.

The gathering to a spinning bee would be a
novel sight to-day. This was the gathering of
the young girls from both sides of the concession
road to assist a poor neighbour, very likely a
widow. The boys of the neighbourhood were sure
to invite themselves there for the evening, to
close with a dance, or rather what was then called
a " hop." It was none of your hows and scrapes,
but real dancing — such as old Scotch reels and
other country dances. The girls and boys and even
the old men and women could dance a Scotch reel
to perfection, but all this is now changed ! Fash-
ion, imperious fashion, has discarded those old
farm house dances for new ones having foreign

names.

Just fancy yourself, fair reader, on a concession

CANADIAN PEN AND INK SKETCHES.

321

road of Upper Canada fifty years ago. On a fine
autumn morning, you would observe, tripping
gaily along, fair girls in neat homely attire with
a something strapped on their shoulders. What
is it ? It is one of thos^e neat little spinning
wheels to be used at the spinning bee, to which
the fair ones are wending their way. Do not
laugh, fair reader ; your mother or your grand-
mother, if brought up in the country, would
substantiate this.

The fair daughters of Upper Canada — three
generations back, — venerated the old spinning
wheel, and were lovely in their home made stuff
gowns. They needed not the aid of foreign
ornament, but were, '* when unadorned, adorned
the most." It was a jolly time to be there in the
evening, to meet the youth and beauty of a coun-
try side. These country people, with their
apparent want of knowledge of the outside world,
were the keenest of critics of what was proper.
You could not pass or pawn on them the sham
for the real in good breeding.

" Ride and Tie " — an instance of old time hos-
pitality. The writer found himself in one of his
rambles some twenty miles off Yonge Street Road,
and was desirous to catch the morning stage at

f*-.

322 HOSPITALITY OF A CANADIAN FARM HOUSE.

Richmond Hill, at ten, on his way to Toronto.
The old farmer suggested a '♦ Ride and Tie " as
the only way to do so. This was something
novel. A farm horse was saddled, on which we
mounted, to ride five miles and then tie the
horse to a tree or leave him at a farm house.
A farm boy was sent ahead on foot to mount the
horse at the end of the first five miles and then
to ride live miles and tie.

We walked the next five miles, and then
mounted the horse again, and rode the last ten
miles to Richmond Hill, leaving the horse at the
inn there, with a quarter of a dollar for the boy
to pay for his dinner ; thus making the tramp of
twenty miles in this ''ride and tie" fashion in about
three hours. This " ride and tie '* through the
deep forest of a " concession side-line " was not
only a novelty, but very enjoyable. Some of
our old readers will recall such another ride.

The old-time hospitality of the farmers of
Canada was unbounded ; visitor and visited felt
themselves mutually benefited. Such were some
of the primitive customs then existing in the times
of old and in the days of other years in this
Canada of ours.

THE CANADIAN GLENGARRY.

i;HM.

'i!l:ii'*:

CHAPTER XXVIII.

THE CANADIAN GLENGARRY.

A PEN AND INK SKETCH.

0, for a lodge in some vast wilderness, where
rumour of oppression and deceit, of successful or
unsuccessful war, might never reach me more !
Such may have been the prayer of the first set-
tlers in the Canadian Glengairy, a century ago
in 1783, as they cast a last sad lingering look
behind them, and bade a farewell adieu to the
homes they were for ever leaving in the old
English colonies, the present United States ; for
their new home, hundreds of miles away in the
far North, in the then unbroken forests of Canada

Every Canadian reader is familiar with the
exile of the Acadians, an exile without an end
and without an example in story. The first set-
tlers in the Canadian Glengarry were British
Loyalists from the old colonies— the present
United States. These men had followed the for-
tunes and the misfortunes of the Royal cause durinS

326

THE CANADIAN GLENGARRY.

the Revolutionary war, and when the Union Jack
of England was lowered from hundreds of towers
and battlements in the old colonies, they decided
to follow, as exiles, the now furled flag and
the muffled drum of +he vanquished, to that
land of promise in the far North, in this Canada
of ours, in which they were promised new
homes under the flag they loved and had fought
for.

This was a loyalty to a lost cause that has no
parallel in history — ^j ust fancy thousands of able-
bodied men voluntarily exiling themselves, for-
saking their homes on the Mohawk, the Hudson
and the far-off Susquehanna, for the ice-bound
banks of the St. Lawrence; leaving behind them
their flocks and herds and their cultivated farms,
which they might have retained by submitting
and swearing allegiance to the conquerors.

This they would not do, prefering exile to the
scorn and the sneers that would ever attach to
them had they submitted and accepted the terms
of the victors.

A land of promise ! Not a land flowing with
^' milk and honey," but a land abounding in great
forests, having a rich virgin soil, inviting the
wanderer to make his choice ; and here, in the

CANADIAN PEN AND INK SKETCHES.

327

wilds of Canada, in this Canadian Glengarry,
Scoiland's exiled mountaineer Ibund a home and
glad relief, where, if not under his own '' vine
and hg tree" he had his own primitive log cahin,
and could sit bv his own fireside, none to make
him afraid ; and here Donald and Evan could ply
the beveraii'e from their own fair sheaves to lire
their Highland blood with mickle glee. And
here, too, those Scottish exiles could, as in former
days, in their other now deserted homes, excbiim
with true Highland loyalty, (xod save King
George !

Glengarry ! this name called forth hallowed
associations — buried deep in the inward recesses
of every Highlander's breast. It carried him
back to the home of his early days — to the land
of the "mountain and the tlood^ ' — to that storied
land where a Fingal fought and an Ossian sang*
Glengarry w:is to those Scottish exiles the land
of promise, such as was the land of Canaan to the
Israelites of old ; and their hearts yearned within
them to reach and to take possession of this cor-
ner of the British Kmpire specially set apart for
Highlanders.

Canada, land of mighty lakes and noble rivers !
land of boundless prairies and far stretching

328

THE CANADIAN GLENGARRY

forests ! What other land can compare with this
— our country — this Canada of ours ?

Breathes there a Canadian — be his present home
on some Californian Pacific slope, or far away in
Australian wilds, or some other distant corner of
the world, who does not to himself sa;^', in pride
of heart, when he hears the name of Canada
named — *' This is my own, my native land."

The sons of Glenoarrv are now scattered the
world over, many of them fillin^^ high positions
in distant parts ; from all such the response comes,
with a pride of country — " Glengarry was my
childhood's home."

Who can picture the sufferings of our Scotch
wanderers ? Our fathers have told us — vea, even
the writer himself, in his young days, had met
with and listened to the stories of some of the old
men who were children when their fathers
journeyed through the wilderness to reach their
new homes in the Canadian Glengarry.

Onward they journeyed by land and by sea —
their fiices ever pointed northward to this land of
promise : no pillar of cloud by day, nor pillar of
fire by night to guide or to direct their course,
steadily but slowly they moved. Hope was their
guiding star, and they had firm faith in the God

CANADIAN PEN AND INK SKETCHES.

329

of their fathers — that His watchful e^^e was con-
tinually on them, and that He would not forsake
them in that their dark day of trial and suffering.

Those wandering Scotch exiles were God-fearing
men ; they had their Scotch Presbyterian chaplains
and their Scotch priests with them to encourage
and to minister unto them in holy things.

The first settlers of Glengarry from the old
colonies were chiefly, we believe, Scotch Presby-
terians, but when the glad news reached old
Scotland of this Scotch home in Canada, there
came, a few years later, a larcje bodv of Scotch
Catholics under the iruidance of that ijrood old
priest, the late Bishop Macdonnell ; the Bishop
was a brother of Red George— Colonel George
Macc'onnell, the hero of Ogdensburg.

We may here note that the father of the late
Doctor Bethune, Dean of Montreal, and grana-
father of our respected townsman, Mr. Strachan
Bethune, Q.C., was chaplain, we belieye, in a Scotch
regiment — the 84th, which had seryed in the old
Colonies during the Reyolutionar}^ war ; came oyer
among the first settlers to Glengarry, and. if we
mistake not. was the first occupant of the old
Scotch manse and Scotch Kirk at Williamstown,
Glengarry.

:|:f^

330

THE CANADIAN GLENGARRY.

The greater portion of those who came over
with Bishop Macdonnell had been soldiers, or the
families of those who had been connected with
the army, and some of the older ones had been out
in the rebellion of 1745 ; such also was the com-
position of those who came as exiles from the
old Colonies. Therefore, Glengarry was the nur-
sery and the home of soldiers, and the old County
was looked to and relied upon for the defence of
Canada in after years ; and nobly did her sons
do their duty in the Royal cause on many a hard
fought field on the Niagara frontier during the
war of 1812

Many of those Glengarry boys were laid low
on Queenston Heights, Lundy's Lane, Chip-
pewa, and at the evacuation of Fort George,
and other lesser fights durina' the war of
1812.

Scotchmen, more than all other men, have
great veneration for the land of their fathers.
They venerate its bleak mountains and its barren
hills above all other lands, and Scotchmen, and
the descendants of Scotchmen, wander where
they may like the Israelites of old ever point
homewards — these to the Holy Land, to the
ruined walls of Jerusalem — those to the storied

CANADIAN PEN AND INK SKETCHES.

331

glens and to the hillsides of old Scotia, rendered
almost sacred by separation and distance !

Truly has the poet (Campbell) said in his " Ode
to Burns:" And see the Scottish exile, tanned
by many a far and foreign clime, bend o'er his
home-born verse and weep in memory of his
native land, with love that scorns the lapse of
time and ties that stretch beyond the deep."

Glengarry ! Home of fair womi- 1 and of brave
men. Home of Canadp'^ fairest and bravest.
This is their memorial for all time. The bravery
of the Glengarry men is chronicled on the pages
of Canadian history. Brave men, however, and
soldier boys are not so plentiful now in the old
County as during the war of 1812, or the rebellion
of 1837 and 1838, when about fifteen hundred
fighting men were mustered in one week in No-
vember, 1838. But beauty still is there, fair
women abound.

1,1'''

A CANADIAN LOGHOUSE OF THE
OLDEN TIME.

CHAPTER XXrX.

A CANADIAN LO(i HOUSE OF THP

OLDEN TIME.

There is a land, a spot ofearth supremely blest •
that land our country and that spot our home'
bacred and dear memories ever cluster and clino
around the home of our early days. That home
may have been lmn.ble ; it may have been an
Enghsh cottage, shaded by its stately oaks ; a
cabin at some obscure corner in Erin's Green Isle ;
a rude dwelling on some romantic hill-side, or
deep in some storied glen in old Scotland-'or
perchance, it may have been a bright New Kno'
land farmhouse, surrounded by its orchard and
flower garden ; but dearer still and more sacred
than all these to Canadians, are the old log houses
of Canada ; those early homes of the fathers of an
empire yet to be.

There is now a pride arising in old Canadian
families, French and English, to seek out and point
to the spots where the heads of their families

336 A CANADIAN LOO HOUSE OF THE OLDEN TIME.

first pitched their Canadian tents and built their
primitive log houses in the then Canadian wilder-
ness.

The writer has been more fortunate tlian most
Canadians in having had the pleasure, nearly
fifty years ago, of visiting the spots and seeing
the remains of the first log houses built by his
paternal and maternal grandfathers, nearly a cen-
tury ago, on their first settlement in the back-
woods of Canada. One was close by St. Raphael's
Church, in the Canadian Glengarry, — the other
on the River Rouge, about four miles from the
town of St. Andrews, in the Scotch settlement of
Argenteuil.

Our first visit to the Canadian Glengarry was
in the year 1840 ; this was about sixty years after
the first settlement of that county. The primitive
log houses of the early settlers, had, by that time,
nearly all disappeared, and were replaced by sub-
stantial irame buildings, and in a good number of
cases by stone houses; just as may now be seen
throughout the length and breadth of the old
County.

Few, very few, of the present generation ever
lived in, or even ever saw one of those primitive
log houses, and fewer still ever witnessed the

CANADIAN PEN AND INK SKETCHES.

337

ve
Ihe

building of a Canadian log house after the old
fashioned style.

We were present, by chance, at the building of
a log house in a remote corner in the backwoods
of Canada. The description of this particular one
will serve as a sample as to how they did things
in the old times in Canada ; therefore, this sketch
is given so that young Canadians of this day may
recall — or, rather, picture to themselves the hum-
ble dwellings, yet happy homes, of their grandsires.

This was in the fall of 1844, near the end of
October, in that delightful season of the year
known in Canada as " Indian summer." The
leaves of the forest were just beginning to be
tinged by the first frosts of autumn, presenting to
the eye a picture which no pen can adequately
describe nor pencil trace — it is '' Nature's picture
gallery." We chanced to be in the backwoods of
Canada, that year, some fifty miles distant from
Toronto. A Scotch immigrant family lately
arrived in that neighborhood, consisting of father,
mother and two children, had selected a lot of
land of 200 acres to settle upon. A log house had
to be erected. There was a good custom then
prevailing amongst the early settlers, which was
to give a helping hand to a new comer.

388 A CANADIAN LOO HOUSE OF THE OLDEN TIME.

This was done by what was then known —
and, we trust, is still known — in country parts as
a " Bee." In those primitive days, there were
bees of many and various kinds, such as logging-
bees, chopping bees, spinning bees, husking bees,
etc. ; each and all to assist their less fortunate
neighbours, or to die er and welcome the new comer
Long may this good old custom exist in Canada.

The day set ttpart for the building of this log
house, was a Tuesday, near the end of October,
All arrangements had been made. Tt was spoken
of at the meeting house the Sunday before, and
on the appointed day, the country people for some
five miles around, to the number of about thirty,
young, stalwart backwoodsmen, were arriving a
little after sunrise at the spot where this building
was to be raised.

This " Log House Bee '' was something new
and strange to us, and doubtless would be to most
of our readers. Let us picture it as it actually
took place. Here were assembled able-bodied
young men, the pride of the countryside, pro-
vided with axes, saws, etc., some of their teams
loaded with boards, planks, etc., to supplement the
very articles needed to complete the house. The
spot is selected close by the concession road, then

CANADIAN PEN AND INK SKETCHES.

389

in tlie deep, unbroken forest, with towering trees
all round ; but now there is a railway station not
far distant, the size of the house has been decided
upon, then to work. We fancy, although forty-
six years have passed away, we are standing as a
chance spectator, with fowling piece in hand,
looking upon that merry, busy band of backwoods-
men as the/ enter upon their morning work.

Those of our readers who have heard the sound
of the woodman's axe, with its deep echoes through
the dark woods, breaking the death-like silence of
early morning and giving thousands of tongues
to the forest, will appreciate this.

Twenty axes are at work ; the rivalry to have
the first tree down is exciting. Crash ! here it
comes ; as the tall reaching pine or cedar bends its
head and comes down crashing through the
branches of the surrounding trees to the ground
with a thud, greeted by a loud cheer from the
assembled choppers.

The first tree down — then to breakfast, followed
b3' a dram of pure unadulterated Upper Canada
whiskey of the olden time. This was the pre-
vailing custom of those early days ; sometimes,
and too often, too many drams were indulged in
at bees ; such, however, was not the case at this one.

840 A CANADIAN LOG HOUSE OF THE OLDEN TIME.

We forget the exact size of this house, but
think it was about twenty feet front by twenty-
iive deep, and fifteen to eighteen feet high. Four
large sills were laid in place for the ibundation —
then the cross-cut saws were called into requisi-
tion, to saw the logs into the required lengths ;
a slight scoring was made on two sides of the logs
so as to lit, one on the other.

This scoring did not take long ; the men were
accustomed to such work, and could handle their
axes to perfection. As the logs were thus rough-
ly prepared they were placed in position, one
above the other, the full length of the building,
except in such places where a door or window had
to be placed, the logs there being cut shorter, just
to fit.

The logs at the corners were firmly secured by
being notched or dovetailed into each other —
they were thus made to fit as firmly as if bolted
down.

It was astonishing how rapidly the logs were
placed in position, one above the other, and to
see this future abode of man rise, fairy like, as if
by the stroke of the magician's wand, and to
assume shape and form before our wondering gaze.
These logs were cut from medium sized trees of

CANADIAN PEN AND INK SKETCHES.

341

about a foot to a foot and a half in diameter ; a
dozen to fifteen such logs would reach to the top
of the building.

THE MID-DAY MEAL.

About half an hour before noon, a novel sight
presented itself. This was the arrival of some
half a dozen young girls — Scotch lassies — neatly
dressed in plain calicoes, mounted on horseback
with home made saddles, loaded with good things
'-some with tea kettles, coffee pots, baskets of
pies, cold ham, partridges, turkeys, etc. The
novelty of such a spread in the deep forest, on
tables formed by placing planks across two fallen
trees, was a sight seldom to be witnessed. The
older settlers living near by, being aware of what
was expected, were finding their way to the
spread feast. Among others came the " local
preacher," whose appetite, from a long walk, was
keen, and, with reverence be it said, a blessing
was asked not only for the go^d things spread
before them, but for the future inmates of the
rising house. We may, very appropriately, with a
slight alteration, use the words of Burns : — *' From
scenes like these Canadian j^.andeur springs, that
makes her loved at home, revered abroad."

Foreign readers, when they hear the name

342 A CANADIAN LOG HOUSE OF THE OLDEN TIME.

" backwoodsmen,'' will naturally picture them as
wild, uncouth characters, such as they may have
read of in United States border tales, but the
backwoodsman of Upper Canada was never a
** rough character." It is well known that one-
half of the first settlers belonged to the British
army or navy — these gave a stamp and a polish
to the settlers around them. There was scarcely
a township in Upper Canada fifty years ago
which had not its group of retired military men,
or the younger branches of old English families.
These, if they did little work ir. the way of clear-
ing the forest, did good by their example and
manners, which v/ere copied by t'leir rougher
neighbours ; therefore, at the time of which we
write, very little slang was used in conversation
in country parts in Upper Canada.

Early in the afternoon the house had. assumed
shape in so far as the logs were concerned. The
next thing to be done was to lay a rough floor
with two-inch plank. This was short work,
then the ceiling, and, to complete the whole, was
to fit a few rafters to enclose the roof and to cover
the same with boards just sufficient to keep out the
rain. Here was a complete "loghouse" finished
in one day, except a chimney, doors and windows

CANADIAN PEN AND INK SKETCHES.

343

and the necessary partitions to make a ^* butt "
and a " ben." This could be done in due time.

We have described the actual building, as we
saw it, of " a Canadian log house." It should
not only interest young Canadians, but every
other intelligent reader of this day, to have a
peep into the humble dwellings of the founders of
this Western British-Canadian Empire, whose
boundaries are : " from sea to sea, from the At-
lantic to the Pacific, and " from the river unto the
ends of the earth," even from the St. Lawrence
unto the North Pole ! With its great railway of
over five thousand miles crossing a continent,
from Halifax to Vancouver ; opening to British
commerce, and to British armies if required, a
short and safe road over British territory, to
Japan, China, the East Indies and Australia.
Long may this grand link or chain, linking and
binding the Mother Land with her colonies, be
unbroken.

The primitive log houses of Canada of earlier
days were not all so comfortably built as this one ;
Canadians at one time were all dwellers in log
houses : all the earlier settlers had to build and
to live in such houses. The writer's grandfathers,
paternal and maternal, on their first settlement

344 A CA?TADIAN LOO HOUSE OF THE OLDEN TIME.

in the wilds of Canada, nearly a century ago, had
to build their log houses, one in the Canadian Glen-
garry, the other in the Scotch settlement of
Argenteuil.

Those dear old log houses of Canada ! Those
early homes of the fathers of an empire yet to be !
They, like their first occupants, have vanished,
or have crumbled down to mingle with the dust
of ages.

LA SALLE'S HOMESTEAD AT
LACHINE.

CHAPTER XXX.

LA SALLE'S HOMESTEAD AT
LACHINE.

WHERE WAS IT ?

A question has arisen : Where is that block of
land of 420 acres on the Lower Lachine Road,
which was reserved in 1660 by La Salle as a home-
stead for himself?

In 1884, I gave a full account of all I knew of
the ^' Canadian Home of Robert de La Salle " ;
(see chapter second). That letter was printed by
most of the leading papers of Caaada, setting
forth that Champlain, when Governor of French
Canada, established, between the years 1609 and
1615, three fur trading posts— one at Tadousac,
one at Three Rivers, and the other at the head of
the Lachine Rapids, the old Sault St. Louis. This
post at Lachine was, for nearly fiifty y^ars, the
most important trading post in the whole colony.

This was about thirty years before the founda-
of Montreal by Maisonneuve in 1642, and fully

348

LA SALLE'S HOMESTEAD AT LACHINE.

' »

fifty years before the appearance of LaSalle at
Lachine. This post, established by Champlain at
the head of the Sault St. Louis, was built upon
the present Fraser homestead farm, on the very
spot where the ruins of " Fort Cuillerier " now
stand. These ruins of Fort Cuillerier were point-
ed to in that letter as being the ruins of La Salle's
home. Close by those ruins stood the old Eng-
lish King's Posts, the most celebrated military
post in Canada during the war of 1812. This was
the transferring post of navigation before the
building of the Lachine canal ; every British
soldier, every British regiment sailed westward
in bateaux from this post, and returned here at
the end of the war. I gave a full account of this
post, and of every building on it at the time of its
evacuation in 1826, in my "Sixth Summer Morn-
ing Walk Around Montreal." This is truly
storied ground, though now nearly forgotten and
almost blotted out of local memory.

THE PRIMEVAL BEAUTY OF THIS RIVER SHORE.

The writer is one of the very few now living
who can recall and picture in its primeval beauty
that almost romantic river shore, for two miles
upwards, from the foot of the La Salle Common
to the Windmill Point ; embracing, in these two

CANADIAN PEN AND INK SKETCHES.

849

short miles, the La Salle Common oflCGG, the
English King's Posts of 1812, the intended home-
stead of La Salle, the ruins of "Fort Cuillerier,"
the site of Champlain's fur trading post of 1615,
the old Penner iarm, the St. Lawrence bridge.
The present Novitiate of the Fathers Oblats, built
on the spot on which Fort Remy of 1689 stood,
and being within the ground of the palisaded
village of Lachine laid out by La Salle in 1666.
There is not another such two miles on the whole
river front of the noble St. Lawrence, from Gasp6
to Kingston, to compare with this in having so
many historical spots connected with the early
histor}^ of Canada ! Scenes of my childhood,
home of my early days ! I love to dwell on each
familiar spot and linger tj depart.

All Canadian readers and others who take an
interest in anything relating to La Salle, will do
me the justice to say that when I placed before
the public my account of the ** Canadian home of
Robert de La Salle " in 1884, that I then made an
offer which is still open to public acceptance,
namely : — Of 3,500 square feet of land, say
seventy feet fronting on the Lower Lachine Road,
by fifty feet in depth, to enclose and restore the
old building; but should only a monument be

850

LA SALLE S HOMESTEAD AT LACHINE.

required, less luncl would do ; 1,000 feet would
suffice for a monument. My offer, however, is
still open. Will others who now pretend to take
an interest in La Salle do something equivalent,
and purchase a lot of land near by the Old Wind-
mill upon which to erect a monument ? This
will be a sure test of their sincerity in the La
Salle question.

A MONUMENT TO LA SALLE.

Canadians should bestir themselves and do
something worthy the memory of La Salle. La-
chine is the only place in Canada in which he had
a home, and the present generation at Lachine
appeared to take very little interest in his history
until after my letter of 1884. La Salle is the
brightest figure either in Canadian or American
history. Just fancy, two and a quarter centuries
ago, a young Frenchman — an adventurous youth
— starting from Lachine in his bark canoe, on a
voyage of discovery almost romantic ; traversing,
or rather coasting, in his canoe, all of our great
inland lakes, then over and through dense forests,
untrod before by civilized man, down turbulent
and unknown rivers, even reaching the mouth of
the great Mississippi ! Where does history ex-
hibit another such a character? Canada should

CANADIAN PEN AND INK SKETCHES.

361

be proud to do honor to her La Salle, and Cana-
dians should vie with each other in paying a
tribute of respect to his memory. Truly, La
Salle has left his footprints on the sands of Canada.
Will Canadians allow them to be blotted out.

La Salle needs no monument along our river
shore ; no storied urn, nor animated bust, to per-
petuate or to transmit to future generations the
great deeds of his life. This whole northern con-
tinent of America, boundless and vast, bears un-
mistakable traces of his footprints ; his discoveries
and explorations were all made in the interest of
old France — the land of his birth — the country
he loved ; therefore, so long as the noble St.
Lawrence winds its course seawards, and our great
inland lakes exist as feeders thereof, or the great
and broad Mississippi rolls its mighty waters to
the main, these river banks and those lake shores,
if all else were mute — will ever silent' testify
to the memory of that youthful explorer, La
Salle, who iirst l:rod or traced their far western or
southern shores !

TRADITIONS OF OLD.

Scotchmen, above all men, are very jealous of
family traditions, holding them nearly as sacred
as Holy Writ. When this old homestead came

852

LA HALLE'S HOMESTEAD AT LACHINE.

into the possession of my grandfather in 1814,
the traditions then handed down to him through
the former French occupants — the Cuilleriers —
the Lapromnades and others — pointed out that
on the site where then stood, in 1814, and
still stand, the ruins of " Fort Cuillerier,'' was
the very spot on which Champhiin's fur trading
post of 1615 stood, and that those three farms of
the present Fraser estate, having a frontage on
the Lower Lachine Road of nine acres by a
depth of forty-six and two-third acres, making
420 acres of land, bordering on and adjoining the
La Salle common of 200 acres, was the actual
block of 420 acres which was reserved in 1666
by La Salle as a homestead for himself.

These three farms of 420 acres of the present
Fraser estate are still there intact. The common
ground of 200 acres, adjoining these three farms,
is still well-known, and the ruins of " Fort Cuil-
lerier," built on the site of Champlain's fur post,
are still standing to mark the spot.

These three farms, comprise the actual
block of 420 acres selected in 1666 by La
Salle as a homestead for himself. There is not
another block on the Lower Lachine Road,
between the eastern boundary of the old English

CANADIAN PEN AND INK SKETCHES.

363

LSh

King's Posts, up to the prenent winduiill, a dis-
tance of about f 'ty acres fronting on the St.
Lawrence, that can be pointed to as having any
pretentions to be called •' La Salle's intended
homestead'' except that block. It is not neces-
sary that La Salle should have lived on his in-
tended homestead during his short residence of
three years ; he was merely preparing it for his
permanent home ; In the meantime he lived in
his little log house in his palisaded village — being
only a walk of fifteen minutes distant.

THE LA SALLE HOMESTEAD AND THE LA SALLE

COMMON.

Our best authority on Canadian history, par-
ticularly on old French Canada, is Parkman, and
in his La Salle, at page 7, we find : *' La Salle
set apart a common, two hundred arpents in ex-
tent, for the use of the settlers, on condition of
the payment by each of five sous a year ; he re-
served four hundred and twenty arpents for his
own personal domain ; he had traced out the cir-
cuit of a palisaded village and assigned to each
settler half an arpent, or about the third of an
acre, within the enclosure.*' These are facts
respecting the homestead and common of La Salle
which cannot be disputed ; and the " reserved

I ll'N

354

SALLE S HOMESTEAD AT LACHINE.

♦ ■

homestead " must have been as well known to La
Salle himself as the common ground is now pub-
licly known. And to a man of La Salle's taste
for the beautiful, what more beautiful spot could
he select than the nine acres of the Fraser estate
adjoining the common, fronting on the St.
Lawrence, a, mile and a half above the Lachine
Rapids? And on this spot, be it remembered,
that fifty years before La Salle's day there was a
trading post — Champlain's — the most important
post in the whole colony.

"OLD LACHINE."

This is the title of c^neat litt' )ook of seventy-
six pages, edited by D. Girouard, Q.C., having
originated at the celebration of the two-hundredth
anniversary of the massacre of Lachine, of 4th
August, 1689, containing valuable local informa-
tion, and will be a standard reference on all mf^^-
ters relating to old Lachine. I offer my humble
congratulations to Mr. Girouard for his collected
facts. I differ with him only on one point, a par-
ticular historical one, namely : he has located
La Salle's intended homestead of four hundred
and twenty acres as being in the rear of the pre-
ent Novitiate of the Fathers Oblats, and be^ :ids
the " palisaded village," which had a frontage of

Hy:'

CANADIAN PEN AND INK SKETCHES.

355

seven arpents by two in depth, being between the
cross-road and the windmill. I cannot accept
this as the block .'i land of four hundred and
twenty acres which was reserved by La Salle in
1066 as a homestead for himsell, for the reason
that there is not, and there never was, in the
parish of Lachine, a block of land of four hundred
and twenty acres between these two points.
There must be some mistake in this.

THE PALISADED VILLACiE OF OLD LACHINE.

Between pages four and five of Mr. Girouard's
book there is a drawing, made in March, 1689, of La
Salle's palisaded village. This was made twenty
years after La Salle had left. That drawing or
picture is deceptive, misleading, causing the
reader of the present day to accept it as a true
picture of the village as it stood in La Salle's
time. It is no such thing. There were no
buildings insiv^e the palisades when La Salle left in
1669, except his own small log house, which was
afterwards enlarged by Jean Millot, and used by
him as a place of trade or business.

The question is : Where did La Salle live
when he was planninT and laying out his
" palisaded village," which must have taken him
fully two years to complete ? Unquestionably he

356

^'o.

LA SALLE S HOMESTEAD AT LACHINE.

lived ill Champlaiii's old trading post, about a

mile distant, on the Frascr estate — his reserved

homestead — because there was no other building

at Lachine, at that time, except that old post, to
live in.

The principal buildings, as shown inside the
palisades, such as Fort Remy, the chapel, the
barracks, the windmill, &c., had no existence in
La Salle's day ; they were not built for several
years later. Jean Millot's house, with its flag, is
said to have been the log house erected by La
Salle, but afterwards en..trged by Millot for the
purposes of his trade. Therefore, I maintain that
La Salle's intended homestead of 420 acres was
not behind and in the rear of the Novitiate of
the Fathers Oblats, two acres back from the bank
of the St. Lawrence. The land is not there, and
I cannot believe that a man La Salle's decided
taste would place the front of his homestead two
acres hack, shut out from Jie river bank, when he
had a frontage of over a mile, the most beautiful
on the bank of the St. Lawrence, to select from,
and when we find there did exist at that
time, and does exist at this day, a mile from the
palisaded village, a block of land, the Fraser estate
of 420 acres, bordering on the La Salle common.

CANADIAN PEN AND INK SKETCHES. 357

Which exiuitly tallies with Parkman's accotmt of
the homestead and the common.

FORT C0II,I,EEIER.

Between pages sixteen and seventeen of Mr.
Girouard's book a correct picture is given of old
"Port Cmllerier," as it stands to-day on the
Fraser homestead. This is, without question, one
of the most interesting spots in all Canada. It
was to this spot, in 1009, that Champlain came
"P to embark in an Indian canoe to have a
sail down the old Sault St. Louis, the present
Lachine Rapids. This is the first spot of smooth
water from which a canoe could shoot out to reach
the channel of the river above the Rapids It
was here, fifty years before La Salle's day, that
Chainplain's fur trading post was established;
and between the years 1C73 and 1670 Cuillerier
converted that old fur post into a tort, construct-
ed of wood, and later on, between 1089 and 171.S,
the present stone building, now named - Fort
Cuillerier," was constructed and used as a tradii...
post by the Cuilleriers. This must have been an
important place in 1089, because Vaudreuil, on
his return from the scene of the massacre of La-
chine, rested here with his 000 men on hi« way

358

LA SALLE S HOMESTEAD AT LACHINE.

back to Montreal. This spot was I'amous thirty
years be lb re Maisoinieuve's day.

NEARLY THREE CENTURIES AGO.

Imagination fondly stoops to trace and to draw
a picture of those far-off days, when Champlain
stood at the foot of the Fraser hill, at the head of
that once beautiful little bay, now destroyed by
the Water Works basin, which stretched down to
the eastern boundary of the English King's Posts,
surrounded by his escort band of wild Iroquois,
with their canoes hauled up on the <juiet shore
beneath the shade of the far-spreading primeval
elms, ready to embark, to sail down the Sault St.
Louis — the Lachine Rapids. There was not a
foundation stone then laid in this now great city
of Montreal. This spot should be held sacred by
Canadians for all time. Fancy Champlain's feel-
ings as he embarked in his canoe to be paddled
out to reach the channel of the river leading down
through the centre of the great Rapids. The ex-
citement and the novelty of the sail would almost
make him forget or be oblivious of the danger. I
place this sketch before some young rising artist
or painter of this day to revive it on canvas.

LA SALLE AND MILLOT.

La Salle was Seigneur of Lachine and the

Itll

c. "''•„

CANADIAN PEN AND INK SKETCHES.

359

Founder of the palisaded village, consisting of four-
teen acres ; say, seven acres front by two in depth ;
being between the present " Cross I^oad'' and the
•' Windmill." To this palisaded village La Salle
transferred the fur tradins; business which hiid
been carried on, for about fiftv vears, at Cham-
plain's fur post on the Fraser estate, about one
mile from the palisaded village. It appears from
all we can gather that La Salle was not a man of
business or of trade ; and that Jean Millot, a
trader of Ville Marie f Montreal), was the leading
spirit of trade in La Salle's village, and that he
afterwards purchased La Salle's rights to the
village, etc., as we shall hereafter show. But it is
a singular fact, that after La Salle had left, and the
attempt by Millot to establish the fur trade in the
palisaded village had failed, that Rene Cuillerier,
between the vears 1673 and 1676, re-established
the fur business at Champlain's old post, and the
Cuilleriers and their successors carried on an ex-
tensive business there for nearly a century after
La Salle's day in that old building now standing
on the Fraser estate, and known at the present
day as the ruins of " Fort Cuillerier."

La Salle became restless in 1669 to get off. To
do this he required money for his outfit of men.

360

LA SALLE S HOMESTEAD AT LACHINE.

canoes, etc. Millot had the money, and Millot
wanted to secure the whole trade of the village
to himself, therefore La Salle proposed to sell his
interest, which Millot accepted. La Salle then
conveyed to Jean Millot by deed, passed before
Basset, notary of Ville-Marie, on 3rd of February,
1669, a block of land of 420 acres, " seven acres
front by sixty deep." This block, as per page 73
of Mr. Girouard's book, is sho vn to be behind the
palisaded village, and in rear of the present Novi-
tiate of the Fathers Oblats, and between the
cross road and the windmill.

This sale is the only foundation for Mr. Gir-
ouard to locate La vSalle's intended homestead as
he has done. Now, I maintain, the land is not
there! was never there; and there is not and
there never was a block of land in the whole
parish of Lachine having a depth of " sixty acres."
The cadastral plan of Lachine, taking in all the
little lots on the river bank, shows Qu\y about
350 acres of land behind the Novitiate, while the
two adjoining farms, Belanger's on the east and
Reed's to the west, have only a depth of thirty

acres each.

Where then are those farms having a depth of

" sixty acres ? '' Where, may I ask, are they to

be found in the parish of Lachine ? ''

CANADIAN PEN AND INK SKETCHES.

361

If that block of land, having seven acres front
by sixty in depth, ever existed between the
windmill point and the cross road, it still exists,
and can easily be pointed out at the present day.
There has been no earthquake, nor any volcanic
eruption since La Salle's day to have disturbed
the surface of the land and to have wiped out all
trace of that block of 420 acres, with the
additional ninety-eight acres, as shewn on Mr.
Girouard's plan at page seventy-three of his
book.

There can, if the land was ever there, be no
difficulty in tracin^i' nnf the subsequent disposals
of those five h . ' i^d and eighteen acres — how
they have passed down through the successive
holders. Records of all sales or transfers of pro-
perty at Lachine exist. Let us have them. The
420 acre block of La Salle's intended homestead
on the Fraser estate is still intact and easily
traced, and the additional ninety-eight arpents,
as shewn on Mr. Girouard's plan, can also be
accounted for as comprised in that farm at the
head of the La Salle common on the Fraser estate.
Mr. Girouard should have examined the ground
before placing his misleading statement before the
historical w^orld! His plan, in fact, at page

862

LA SALLE'S HOMESTEAD AT LACHINE.

seventy-tliree, shews only a total depth of twenty-
five acres and two perches, being less than one
hundred and eighty acres on the whole. Where
then is that block of 420 acres 7 Where are those
sixty acres in depth to be found? Not there!

I have tried to unravel this ale of " seven
acres front by sixty deep," and have consulted
others who know the ground and have come to
the following conclusions: La Salle had reserved
420 acres for his homestead — Millot knew this,
but Millot considered the land bordering on and
around the village as of more value to him — in
the event of the village extending and becoming
a town — than the same amount of land a mile
distant would be.

Therefore, I suppose, he would reason in this
way with La Salle : You are leaving, and it
makes no difference to you to grant me the land
close by the village, instead of that block a mile
distant.

I cannot in any other w^ay account for this
deed of land. La Salle, as seigneur, had the
power, and it made no difference to him where
he granted it, so long as he got the money and
Millot was satisfied. The Seminary and Millot,
I bolieve, about a quarter of a centur\' later, had

CANADIAN PEN AND INK SKETCHES.

••563

the measurements adjusted. This deed of sale in
no wise does away with the lact that La Salle's
real intended homestead was a mile farther down,
on the river bank, on the Fraser estate. There
is not, and there has not been for the past
hundred years, a vestige remaining of the pali-
saded village of 1G66 ! Buildings and palisades
were all constructed of wood, and have long ago
crumbled down and minefled with the dust of
ages !

Who planted those almost giant pear trees that
were said to be two hundred years old in 1814,
when my grandfather got possession of this old
homestead ? These trees w^ere planted fifty
years before La Salle's day ; they must have
been planted by the people who had charge of
Champlain's trading post long before the days of
the Cuilleriers.

I can myself mark the spots on which fifty-
two of those pear trees stood in my young days ;
one of them o large and so open in the heart
that the largest man on the farm could stand up-
right inside. I never saw such pears since —
French pears — as that tree bore ; they ripened
about the middle of August. And the pomme
gris wore double the size of any growing now,

,,H",'l!f

364

LA Salle's homestead at lachine.

and the fameme and the Bourassa, with its
leather like skin, was a treat in midwinter ;
and the /)on chretin pear, — it will make the teeth
of old Canadians water to recall that pear.

Those pear trees must have heen in their prime
— about fifty years old — when La Salle came to
Lachine in 16GG. This place, with its pear or-
chard, was on his seigneury, and unciuestionably
this was the spot of 420 acres that he reserved as
a homestead for himself.

an old scotch home of CANADA.

During my grandfather's and my father's day,
our old home was known to everv Hi<2;lilander in
Canada and the far North. It was tiie resort of
the Scotch gentlemen of the Hudson's Bay Com-
pany, and the Simpsons, the Raes, McKenzies,
McKays, Keiths, Rowands and McTavishes, for
some years during my mother's lifetime used to
walk down to the old farm-house on a Sunday
afternoon, after service in the old Scotch Kirk,
to enjoy a real Highland treat of " curds and
cream and oaten bread," with pears and apples in
season, and those young gentlemen could there
expatiate freely over the scenes ^* their early
homes in the Highlands of Scotland — in their
own mother-tongue — the Gaelic. Those days are

CANADIAN PEN AND INK SKETCHES.

365

gone, but they have lei't pleasant memories. My
mother was kind to them, because she had a
brother, Paul Fraser, then in the North-West,
who afterwards became a chief factor in the Hud-
son's Bay Company.

Sir Donald A. Smith, now of Montreal, was
one of the young gentlemen of the Hudson's Bay
Company, stationed at Lachine about the year
1837.

Captain Allan, the father of all the " Allans,"
for several years paid annual visits to the old
farm, and got his supplies of 2)0mme gris, which
he carried to Glasgow, then to the West Indies,
back again to Glasgow, then to Montreal the fol-
lowing spring, the apples keeping quite sound.
Mr. Andrew Allan has informed the writer, that
when he first came to Montreal, as a boy, in 1839,
that he spent two days on the old farm for
amusement, and, as a novelty to him, in picking
pomme gris for his father's vessel.

THAT QUAINT OLD FARMHOUSE.

There are few people now living who saw that
quaint old farmhouse sixty years ago, before the
west end kitchen addition was built in 1 829, with
its Normandy stairway — outside — at the west
end, and its old French window, or door, opening

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366

LA SALLE'S HOMESTEAD AT LACHINE.

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out into the pear orchard and flower garden. The
old slave house stood within thirty feet of
the farmhouse, to the west ; and that old stone
building, used for many years as a barn, which
stands about 100 feet behind the house — walls
still standing. This old building has been a
mystery to all visitors ; it had gun holes on the
front rear and sides. What was it used for ? A
storehouse, no doubt. But why the gun holes *?
There were remains of palisades behind that old
building, which ran down to the rear of the ruins
of Fort Cuillerier ; the front of the farm, three
acres by two in depth, must have all been pali-
saded in 1G89. When Vaudreuil encamped there
with his 500 men, after the massacre of Lachine,
the old stone wall, ten feet high, three acres on
the front by four acres deep on the east line, must
have been built in the days of the Cuilleriers. The
front of this old historical farm, with its now
ruined walls and almost roofless home, a sad, but
a pleasing remembrance brings !

This is written for the benifit of students of
history, and for all admirers of La Salle. I have
placed La Salle's intended homestead on the Fra-
ser estate; this agrees with the traditions which
came down to our family, and tallies exactly with

CANADIAN PEN AND INK SKETCHES.

367

Parkman's account of the "Homestead of 420
acres and the common of 200 acres," reserved in
1666 by La Salle, and, again, there is not another
block of land of 420 acres on the Lower Lachine
Road having any pretentions to be called La Salle's
intended homestead but this; and, again, by
referring to Mr. Girouard*s book at page 54, the
student of history will find that this block of
land — the Fraser estate — was not allotted to any
one during La Salle's time, it was held in reserve,
even until 167'> or 1676, when R6ne Cuillerier
got it, whereas the next farm, Penner's, was
allotted in 1608. I have done my duty, and I
now leave it to the students of history to decide
where that block of land of 420 acres is on the
Lower Lachine Road, and to join with me in
paying a tribute of respect to the memory of
" Robert de La Salle," and not allow ourselves to
be outdone by Chicago and other American cities.

MY RETURN TO THE OLD HOME.

This one farm of 160 acres, part of the old
homestead, is all that now remains to the family
out of an estate of about one thousand acres
on the Lower Lachine Road.

In the spring of this year, 1890, although
aged and poor, I purpose to return to the old

368

LA SALLE'S HOMESTEAD AT LACHINE.

farm, to seek a shelter within its ruined walls
and almost roofless home, and to live under the
shadow of its far spreading ancestral elms, and
to watch, even to luxuriate, over the growth of
my young pear orchard, just like some of the
exiled Acadians of old, who returned to live and
to die amid the scenes of their young days upon
the shores of the Basin of Minas.

THE BATTLE OF QUEENSTON
HEIGHTS.

! I ''

CHAPTER XXXI.

TIIK HATTLK OF (^UKKNSTON

kf:i(;hts.

The battle of Queenston Heights and the
name of General Brock are Canadian household
words, associated with the war of 1812, which
will ever live and be held sacred by Canadians to
the latest generation. This battle was fought
on the 13th of October, 1812. The village^of
Queenston is on the bank of the Niagara river, at
the foot of the heights, about seven miles above
where stood old Fort George, of 1812, and is dis-
tant some four to five miles from the Falls of Nia-
gara. The battlefield of Lundy's Lane, fought
on the 25th of July, 1814, is close by the Falls,
bordering on the old village of Drummondville. '
General Brock was at Fort George that morn-
ing, and mounted his horse on the first alarm
and rode at full speed to the threatened point. On

Jkl

3*72 THE BATTLE OF QUEENSTON HEIGHTS.

his arrival, he found the Americans on the
Heights above the vilhige. Brock was killed at
the very opening of the fight, while heading a
company of the 49th Regiment to retake the
Battery of one gun on the slope, which the Amer-
icans had captured ; but in the afternoon of the
same day, as will be hereafter shewn, the scat-
tered bodies of the little British force were mus-
tered from Fort George, Chippewa, and the other
outlying posts, and attacked the Americans, and
after one volley and a bayonet charge, they forced
nearly one-half of them over the Heights into the
Niagara, and captured over 500 prisoners on the
very verge of the precipice ; thus avenging the
death of their almost idolized commander, bv a
glorious victory.

A RETROSPECT.

Come, young Canadian reader, and let us go
back, in retrospect, nearly fifty years, to a
Sunday morning in the month of June, 1845,
when the writer took a seat high up on
Queenston Heights, close by where Brock's
monument stands. Come and be seated with us.
Let us, if you will permit, light our pipes, and
enjoy our " calumet of peace," while we take a
panoramic view of hill, mountainside, river, lake

■ 1

CANADIAN PEN AND INK SKETOIIRS.

373

and the inugnificent landscape spread out below
us. There, on the right hand, we have the
Lewiston Heights on the American side, sepa-
rated from the Canadian or Queenston Heights
by that deep, narrow gorge, of some 600 feet, of
the channel of the Niagara river, cut out at some
far-off day by the force of that mighty mass of
water from the Falls of Niagara, over which the
whole waters of Lake Erie and the other upper
lakes find their outlet into Lake Ontario. Just
below us, at the foot of the heights, is the quaint
old town or village of Queenston, rendered
famous in Canadian history by the battle fought
in, around, and above it, on the 13th day of
October, 1812.

This mountain range or high table land on
which we are sitting is the same range of heights
that passes all along around the head of Lake
Ontario and in rear and above the city of
Hamilton. Between the lake shore and the foot
of this range of heights the finest fruit in
America is grown. The peaches there equal
those grown on the most favoured spots in the
United States. Far away beneath us, .:even
miles distant, we have a full view of the deep
blue Ontario, stretchinp- about 200 miles to the

874 THE BATTLE OF QUEENSTON HEKIHTS.

eastward, down to Kingston ; and from forty to
sixty miles broad in some [)arts, and between our
«tand-point view and tbe lake shore, on our left
lijind, is the rich phiin of the Niagara, studded
with orchards, gardens and the old homesteads of
the U. E. Loyalists, surrounded by smiling wheat
fields and rich meadow land, extending as far as
Stoney Creek. This is the most charming view
spot in the whole of the old Niagara district and
rendered doubly interesting as embracing a
" bird's eve view *' of the

WARPATH OF BOTH ARMIES

during the war of 1812.

On our right hand, on the American side of
the Niagara, stands the old town of Lewiston,
nestling beneath the shades of its own heights.
Then about seven miles down, on the American
side, stands old Fort Niagara, on Lake Ontario,
directly opposite to where Fort George stood
during the war of 1812. The writer thus gives
a *'pen and ink sketch' of his stand-point view
on the top of Queenston Heights, as it appeared
to him in 1845, which} will serve as an index, or
guide, to future visitors to that far-famed spot.

Truly, this is storied ground. On and around
those Heights, and along the whole river bank of

CANADIAN PEN AND INK SKETCHES.

3t6

the Niagara, from Fort George up to the ruins of
old Fort Erie, opposite Buffalo, a distance of over
thirty miles, every footstep recalls the bygone
history of early Canadian days. Long before a
British drum was heard, or a Union Jack of Eng-
land floated in those once far western wilds, the
daring pioneer explorers of Old France had
visited the Falls, and were familiar with the
banks of the Niagara.

WAR WAS DECLARED

by the United States against Great Britain on
the I8th day of June, 1812; as all Canadians
know, or should know. General Brock was then
in command of the British force in Upper Canada ;
General Hull was Governor of the State of Michi-
gan, and had his headquarters at Detroit, from
which place he issued flaming proclamations to
the people of Canada to induce them to join the
American cause or to remain neutral. General
Brock decided to surprise Hull by a rapid move-
ment westwards, and for that end gathered what
regulars and volunteers he could, with whom he
started for Detroit, and reached Maiden, opposite
Detroit, on the 15th ot August, 1812. The next
day General Hull surrendered Detroit and the
whole State of Michigan, with all his army, guns,

8*76 THE BATTLE OF QUEENSTON HEIGHTS.

stores, shipping, etc., without firing a shot, as
recorded in the history of that date. Brock lost
no time, after the taking of Detroit, but sailed
immediately for Fort Erie, with the prisoners,
guns, stores, etc., captured from the enemy. His
intention was to attack Buffalo and Fort Nianrara,
and to destroy all the American posts on the
Niagara frontier ; but to his disappointment and
disgust, when he reached Fort Erie, on the 22nd
of August, 1812, he found that an armistice had
been concluded the week before his arrival. The
Americans had taken advantage of the armistice
to concentrate large bodies of troops, guns stores,
etc., at their various posts on the Niagara ; so
that by the middle of September they had fully
8000 men of all arms concentrated between
Buflalo and Fort Niagara ; there were between
4000 and 5000 men collected at Fort Niagara and
on the Lewiston Heights, opposite Queenston,
while over 400 bateaux, laden with guns and
stores, from Sacket's Harbor and other places,
had reached the mouth of the Niagara, and were
safely moored

UNDER THE GUNS OF FORT NIAGARA.

During the first week of October, the Ameri-
cans were prepared to attack, — having a force four

OANA^i. PEN AND INK MKET0HE8.

877

tiincH MS large us Hi(3 British, and having provided
themselves with a large nuinher of boats of every
description,— bateaux, scows, etc., not only at
Fort Niagara, but at BuHalo, Black Rock, and
other places above the Falls of Niagara, ready to
transport troops across the river at any point
they choose. General Brock had his headquarters
at Fort George, seven miles below Queenston, and
he had to garrison a line of outlying posts for
over thirty miles up to Fort Erie, opposite Buff-
alo. Brock's scattered forces, stationed above the
Falls at Chippewa and Fort Erie, and the out
posts between these two places, required fully
600 men to guard them, which weakened his
main point of defence. The Americans were
acting on the offensive, and they might invade
Canada by way of Bufflilo or Black Rock, or at
the mouth of the Niagara at Fort Niagara. Brock
thought the main attack would be on Fort George,
his headquarters. Even on the 9th of October
four days before the battle of Queenston, early in
the morning, a large body of marines from Buff-
alo crossed the Niagara, and captured two armed
vessels, the "Caledonia" and the "Detroit,"
richly laden with furs, etc., moored under the
guns of Fort Erie. The " Caledonia " remained

378 THE BATTLE OF QUEENSTON HEIGHTS.

a prize in the hands of the Americiin«, but the
"Detroit" was burned in an attempt to retake
her. This called Brock to Fort Erie, where he
arrived before sunset that day, but having satis-
fied himself that this was merely a surprise, and
that the Americans would not attempt to cross
the river there, he returned to headquarters at
Fort George the next day. This hurried journey
of Brock's to Fort Erie, thirty miles distant,
caused the American General, Van Renselaer, to
take advantage of his absence, to prepare to cross
the Niagara at Queenston early on the morning
of the 10th, but a furious storm of wind and rain
passed over their camp while the troops were
drawn up in readiness to embark, by w^hich the

ATTACK WAS DELAYED THREE DAYS.

During the whole day and eveningof the 12th,
the Americans could be distinctly seen from the
Canadian heiirhts — battalion after battalion, con-
centrating in and around Lewiston, and on the
Heights above, to the number of fully 5000 men,
and it was believed on the Canadian shore the
crossing would he made during the night; but
whether the landing would be mac!? at Queenston
or at Fort George, was uncertain. Brock himself
was of opinion it would be at Fort George. Their

CANADIAN PEN AND INK SKETCHES. 379

boats were all ready, some to carry thirty, others
eighty men, and they could as easily float down
the current of the river and land above Fort
George, when the guns of Fort Niagara could
open upon Fort George, and at the same time
cover the landing of an attacking party from
Fort Niagara. This was Brock's opinion, even
after he had mounted his horse to leave Fort
George for the last time, to reach the threatened
but real landing at Queenston.

On the 13th day of October, 1812, a day never
to be forgotten by Canadians, long before sunrise,
the first of the American boats reached the Cana-
dian shore. They were met by Captain Dennis'
company, who poured several volleys into them
with fatal effect. The flash of their muskets in
the dark pointed out their position to the Ameri-
can gunners on the Lewiston Heights, who were
standing by their guns with lighted matches, and
who opened Are, causing Dennis to withdraw his
men under shelter. The gunners at the one gun
battery on the slope of Queenston Heights, and
those at the one gun battery at Brooman^s point,
opened fire on the Lewiston landing with the
hope of disabling the boats. It was a random
fire, being quite dark. These two guns continued

380 THE BATTLE OF QUEENSTON HEIGHTS;

r-^

all morning to throw shot and shell through
darkness and distance, and, if doing little execu-
tion, created a panic in the ranks of the Ameri-
cans, and deterred hundreds of the boldest of
them from crossing the river.

THE BRITISH FORCE

at Queenston, being an outpost of Fort George,
did not much exceed 200 men, composed of
Dennis' and Cameron's companies of the York
militia, with the light company and the Grena-
diers of the 49th Regiment, stationed in the vil-
lage, with two other companies of the York
militia, some three miles distant, besides a few
of the local militia, and the gunners to man the
gun on the slope and the gun at Brooman's point.
This was tlie whole force at Queenston that
morning to dispute the landing, while on the
American j^ide, right opposite, stood 4000 to 5000
men, prepared to cross to support their advance
body ; but their courage failed them on beholding
the warm reception their vanguard met with,
and in the afternoon of that day fully 3000 of
them stood, panic-stricken, on their own Lewis-
ton Heights, as they beheld, right opposite on
the Queenston Heights, the wreck and ruin of
their brave companions of the morning, who had

CANADIAM PEN AND INK SKETCHES. 381

crossed the river, now being driven over the
Heights into the Niagara, or surrendering them-
selves as prisoners of war. Those three thousand
Americans stood on their own shore, not a mile
distant from the scene of conflict, having plenty of
boats to convey them across, with folded arms and
gaping mouths, as silent spectators of the defeat
capture, and destruction of their brave vanguard'
Brock reached Queenston before break of day
splashed all over with mud from his hard ride'
and at once rode up to the one gun battery on
the slope ; but, shortly after reaching it, a loud
shou* or cheer came from the hillside above, fol-
lowed oy a volley of random bullets whistling
over their heads, while a body of the Americans
came charging down the heights upon the battery
Brock and the gunners had to make an immediate
retreat, spiking their gun, but, on reaching the
lower end of the village. Brock lound the light
company „f the 49th drawn up in line awaitin..
orders ; then wheeling his horse in the direction
of the Heights, he exclaimed: " Follow me, my
boys," and led them at a run to the foot of the
Heights, supported by the Grenadiers of the 49th
and a company of the York militia, who were
detached to the right to attack the

382 THE BATTLE OF QUEENSTON HEIGHTS.

'Hi

LEFT AND REAR OF THE AMERICANS.

Brock halted at the foot of the hill, behind a
stone wall, and dismounted, saying to his niv, ,
'* Take breath, boys ; you will need it in a few
moments." Shortly after, observing that his
skirmishers on the right had readied the left
and rear of the Americans, causing confusion in
their ranks around the battery, he sprang over
the stone wall, waving his sword, and calling
upon the Grenadiers of the 49th to follow him.
He then led the way up the steep ascent towards
the battery. The ascent was difficult. The late
rains had caused the fiillen leaves to be treacher-
ous footholds. The men slipped at nearly every
step, some falling to the ground, causing the
ranks to be much broken, so much so that Brock
angrily exclaimed ; *' This is the first time I
have ever seen the 49th turn their backs."
Colonel McDonnell then came up with two com-
panies of the York militia, increasing the attack-
ing party in front and on the right to nearly
200 men. The American force was now increased
around and above the battery to about 500 men.
Brock called on Colonel McDonnell to push on
the York volunteers. At that moment he was
struck by a bullet in the wrist of his sword arm,

CANADIAN PEN AND INK SKETCHES. 383

to Which he paid no attention, continuin.- to
wave his sword. "

In the dull, gray mists of that October morn-
ing, half-way up the Heights, could be seen the
tall, portly form of General Isaac Brock, standing
in front ana far in advance of the Grenadiers of
the 49th, a living target for the bullets of the
unerring American rifle, waving his sword, and
calling on his men, and encouraging them, both
by word and gesture, to hasten their steps He
did not long stand there. The fatal bullet .sped
■ts way, striking him near the heart, causin.
almost instantaneous death ! Colonel McDonneU
then spurred his horse to the front and assumed
command. Everything now was in disorder
The men became dispirited at tlie death of their
almo.,t idolized leader. After repeated attempts
to rallyand to keep his force together, McDonnell
also was killed. The British then gave way and
retreated to the foot of the Heights, carrying the
bodies of their General and McDonnell and most
of their wounded «.ith them. This closed the
morning %ht on the slope of the Heights, leav-
ing the Americans in possession of

THE ONE OUN BATTEEY.

By this time fully 1000 of the Americans had

384 THE BATTLE OF QUEENSTON HEIGHTS.

hinded, and several hundreds of them made their
way to the top of the Heights, increasing their
force there to about 9UU men. Tlie arrival of
Captain Derenzy from Fort George, with four
companies of tlie 41st Regiment, Holcroft's Bat-
tery of Royal Artillery of two six-pounders, and
a few Indians and militia, forming a junction
with the retreating force from tiie Heights, held
the Americans in check, nnd with well-directed
shots from Holcroft's guns, placed at first below
the village, and afterwards within the walls sur-
rounding the " Hamilton homestead," played
havoc among the boats and silenced the Ameri-
can guns at the Lewis ton landing, so that from
that time few boats attempted to cross the river.
The British force around and below Queenston
held possession of the road leading to St. David'^
and in rear and on the left of the Heio'hts. thus
keeping open their communication with Chip-
pewa, above the Falls, and also with Fort George ;
the Americans holding possession of the Heights,
while hundreds of them remained below at the
landing, under protection of the river bank, ready
to find their way back to their own shore when
opportunity ofiered.

THE AMERICAN POSITION.

The very spot on which we sat was about the

CANADIAN PEN AND INK SKETCHES.

:J85

its,
the

I en

centre of the American position on the Heights,
overlooking the town of (^iieenston. They were
prep<ariiig themselves for an attack, straight up
the Heights. Their general and engineers must
have been mere novices in military tactics. They
took uj) a position, having the precipice of the
Niaiara on their right and reah, without pro-
viding for a line of retreat or escape, in case of
disaster. The first duty of an experienced
general, after getting possession of the Heights,
would be to have detached 150 to 200 riflemen
to his left through the woods (afterwards taken
possession of by the British Indians), and to have
secured the roads leading from Queenston to
Chippewa, thus cutting off all communication
between Queenston and Chippewa. This was
the key to the Americans' position, but their
general did Hot see it. But the more intelligent
British general at once detached his Indians,
about one hundred, to hold the woods and secure
the roads leading to Chippewa. This was the
real cause of the American defeat on Queenston
Heights.

By noon all the men that could be spared from
Fort George had assembled around Queenston.
General Roger SheafFe arrived and assumed com-

. ;■ ■)

^^86 THE BATTLE OF QUEENSTON HEIGH IS.

niaiid. The force there consisted of HolcrolVs
two guns (six pounders) of the Royal Artillery ;
Swayze's tNvo guns (three pounders), Provincial
Artillery ; four companies of the 41st Regiment ;
James Crooke's and McEwen's companies of the
1st Lincoln Militia ; William Crooke's and Nelles'
companies of the 4th Lincoln, Applegarth's,
Hatt's and Durand's companies of the 5th Lin-
coln ; a few of Merritt's Provincial Dragoons,
and the renniants of the two companies of the
49th, and the three companies of the York
Militia engaged in the morning — in all about
800 men. The Indians in the woods on the
Heights, on the left of the Americans, under
John Norton and John Brant, made up about
one hundred more. The Canadian reader will
see and be proud to know that fully one-half of
the British force on Queenston Heights was
Canadian Militia, composed chiefly of the brave

FIGHTING BOYS OF LINCOLN AND YORK.

General Sheafie left Holcroft's Battery, with a
small body of militia in support, to guard the
village of Queenston, and to prevent the Ameri-
cans landing more men, and then ascended the
Heights on the left flank )f the Americans, in
rear of the woods held by the Indians. The

CANADIAN PEN AND INK SKETCHES. i'.SI

Americans had expocte.I tin, li.-iti.sl, attack would
be straight up the slope and prepared to act
-cord.ngl^. B„t they were now forced to
ohange their front by throwing back their left
and advancing their right, . as to face the
»ntish line advancing on the rear of their left.
The force fron, Chippewa, consisting of the li..ht
company ol' the 41st Regiment, under Liel.t.
Mclntyre, and Hamilton's and Rowo's con,panies
f the 2nd Lincoln, with a few volunteers,
lonned a junction with the n>ain bodv from
Q»eensto„, at about two o'clock in the aft'ernoon
increasing their numbers to about 050 men
The line of attack w,..s formed, having- the liWit
">mpany of the 41st, and the two companies%f
the 49th, under Captain Dennis, on the left of
I'o ine, next to the Indians, supported bv a
battalion o( militia, under Colonel Butler The
centre and right were con.posed of the other four
companies of the 41st, supported by the rest of
tbe nnlitia, under Colonel Thomas Clarke
bway.e..s two '• three pounders," drawn b^ ,n,,[
with ropes, preceded the advance of the line.

The actual numbers of the Americans facin^
General Sheaffe's advancing column was between
900 .and 1000, the rest of them being around the

38H THE JJATTLE OK QUEENrtTON HEKIHT.S.

Buttery on tli«' slope, wiiiU' liuiulrcds of thciii
remained below at the landing, under cover of
tlic river bank, 'riierefore the actual numbers
on both Hides engaged on the Heights were about
e(|ual. The battle was opened by the light (com-
pany of the 41st on the left, by firing a single
volley, then charging with fixed bayonets u[)()n
the riflemen on the rinjht of the American line,
who gave way in great confusion, having no
bayonets to their ritles, leaving that Hank ex-
posed. General Sheafle then gave the signal
for

A GENERAL ADVANCE.

The gun in front of the American position was
carried almost without rt-sistance. and the whole
body of the Am' ricans was forced steadily back
upon the river to the very crest of the precipice
in their rear. The fight was short, rapid, and
decisive! The advance of the British line, hav-
ing assumed the form ot a crescent, overlapping
the Americans on both their Hanks, General
Wadsworth and Colonel Christie, with over 500
men, surrendered on the very verge of the cliff.
Many of the fugitives scrambled down the sides
of the Heights towards the landing, with the
hope of escaping to their own shore ; but Hoi-

CANADIAN PEN AND INK SKETCHES.

389

Iff.

les

lie
1-

crotVs Battery below, in rear of the village of
Queenston, had rendered the paser ge of the river
HO dangerous that the boatmen refused to cross.
Many plunged into the river and attempted to
swim across. Iljilf of them were drowned, while
the remainder secreted themselves among the
rocks and bushes along the shore. During this
time our Indians lined the cliff or perched them-
selves high up in the trees above, liring at the
fugitives whenever opportunity offered. The
American general, Scott, to preserve the rest of
his command from utter destruction, raised a
white flag, and surrendered his whole remaining
force of about 300 men. Some evaded by secret-
ing themselves, but surrendered the next day,
making the whole number of prisoners over 950
officers and men, thus closing a glorious victory
and avenging the death of General '*rock. The
American loss in killed, wounded, drowned and
missing has never been correctly ascertained,
owing partly to the immediate dispersal of a
large portion of their militia. Some accounts
give their killed and drowned at one hundred,
others placed the drowned alone at one hundred,
and

THREE HUNDRED KILLED AND WOUNDED.

Another American account stated that 1600

390 THE BATTLE OF QUEENSTON HKKJHTS.

•.<

•i*

■

Americans were engaged, ol" wlioni 1)00 were
regulars, and tho number,of killed and drowned
were estimated at IVom 150 to 400. Take it all
in all, it was a great victory, the Americans los-
ing nearly one thousand prisoner^, and from two
to three hundred in killed, drowned, and missing.
The British loss was small — sixteen killed and
sixty-nine wounded. The returns are missing,
and this may not include the Indians. The total
casualties, however, it is thought, in killed and
wounded on the British side may be set down as
under one hundred.

The writer's stand-point view on Queenston
Heights of 1845, is still there. The monument
erected to the memory of General Brock by a
grateful people still stands. The waters of the
Niagara still roll silently but swiftly by as of
old. All is now quiet and peaceful around those
Heights, and the dread conflict of the 13th of
October, 1812, is almost forgotten by the people
of Canada, except when aroused by the uncalled-
for braggadacio of the American press as to how
tiiey could " gobble up Canada.'' Then Cana-
dians proudl}' point to those '• Queenston
Heights," and the glorious victory won by their
little army of 1812, and so long as breathes a

CANADIAN PEN AND INK SKETCHES. 391

patriotic Canadian, or Canada remains u portion
of the British Empire, the Buttle of Queenston
Heights, and the name of General Brook, asso-
dated with the w«r of 1812, will ever be held
sacred as " C.-nadian household words "