... .he beheld a young Indian girl, surrounded by three stalwart rufflana,.... but 
 being armed with a Icnife, she waa resolutely defending herselt: 
 
^ 
 
 TALES 
 
 OF THB 
 
 ST. LAWRENCE, 
 
 BT 
 
 GARDNER B. CHAPIN. 
 
 ILLUSTRATED. 
 
 potttrtHT : 
 
 I»11INTED BY JOHN LOVELL, ST. NICHOLAS STREET. 
 
 1873. 
 
tVAKttJ , <kS^ 
 
 Bntered according to Act of Parliament in the year one thousand 
 eight hundred and seventy-three, by John Lovbll, in the 
 office of the Minister of Agriculture and Statistics of the 
 Dominion of Canada. 
 
^0 tUt PmovD 
 
 OF MY DARLING 
 ANGEL BRIDE 
 
 WHOSE SWEET PRHSHNCE 
 
 FOR AWHILE 
 
 LENT A CHARM 
 
 TO MANY OF THE aCJBNBB 
 
 HEREIN PORTRAYED, 
 
 ALL THAT IS GOOD 
 
 IN THESE PAGES 
 
 IS LOVINGLY 
 
 DEDICATED. 
 
CONTENTS, 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Introduction.^ 7 
 
 ISADORE 9 
 
 Maleeta, the River Waif 41 
 
 A Country lost for a Love • 69 
 
 The Triple Mistake 86 
 
 Given to the Wolve8 123 
 
 The Church Bell of Cauobnawaoa 139' 
 
 A Memory of a Masquerade 163 
 
 The Tale of Chateau Bigot 169 
 
 The Hidden Treasure of Isle Royal 186 
 
 The Battle of Wind Mill Point 207 
 
 William Johnson 231 
 
 Saved by an Earthquake 246 
 
 The Fatal Wager 267 
 
 The Captive of Crane's Island 273 
 
 Down the Rapids 279 
 
 The Isle of Massacre 289 
 
 Catching a Smuggler 297 
 
 The Phantom of Isle Perce. /. 319 
 
 Little Mary of Villa Maria 327 
 
 The Hunter Lodge Movement of 1838 341 
 
'11 
 
INTRODUCTION. 
 
 This volume of Historical Romance, the author 
 submits to the public in the belief that it is th© 
 pioneer in the treatment of most of the incidents 
 recorded, and of gathering, in a form for preservation^ 
 many of the detached occurrences of historic and 
 romantic interest, that before can hardly be said to 
 have had a chronicler ; for the St. Lawrence, although 
 perhaps the grandest of streams, bordered by ranges 
 of scenery that the world may rival but not excel, 
 bearing upon its bosom an Archipelago as lovely to 
 the eye that beholds its " Thousand Isles " in their 
 setting of crystal, as the famed one of Greece, and 
 challenging the earth to present scenes as wildly 
 grand as those formed by its mighty rapids, has had 
 no one to gather for enduring record, the incidents 
 whose memory should be inseparable with the locali- 
 ties in which they have occurred, or to place its views 
 in a framework of tinted fact or the flowery garlands 
 of romance. 
 
 And, if in the descriptions of the scenic charms of 
 th© noble valley and river upon which Nature has 
 
8 INTRODUCTIOK. 
 
 bestowed her gifts with so lavish a hand, he may at 
 times be suspected of indulging in undue warmth of 
 tone, this charge, he is confident, will not be brought 
 by those who, like himself, have been familiar with 
 them during life. A portion of the within sketches 
 are strictly historical — others, and the smaller num- 
 ber, wholly moulded from fiction, save in the descrip- 
 tions given of localities, which are always intended 
 to be strictly accurate ; yet they are presented in such 
 a manner that it is believed that the reader will have 
 no difficulty in discovering where the writer has 
 assumed the brush of fancy to people the scenes that 
 Nature has left vacant for them. Thus it is hoped 
 that the work will both contribute to the instruction 
 and entertainment of those into whose hands it may 
 come ; and if any apology is required for the assump- 
 tion of the task by the author, he oifers it in the sen- 
 timent of the poet Longfellow : 
 
 "0 thou sculptor, painter, poetl 
 Take this lesson to thy heart ; 
 That is best which lieth nearest ; 
 Shape from that thy work of art." 
 
 G. K C. 
 
 Ogdensburg, N. Y., 1873. 
 
pHm, 
 
TALES OF THE ST. LAWRENCE. 
 
 ISADOEB. 
 
 It was on a morning of a July day in the year ISTO^ 
 one of the brightest of the season, that I was journey- 
 ing down the St. Lawrence upon one of the fine 
 Bteamers of the Eoyal Mail Line. As almost invari- 
 ably is the case, there were a large number of pas- 
 sengers aboard, but with none of them had I formed 
 even a slight acquaintance up to the time that we 
 were proceeding through that finest of nature's 
 Archipelagos, the Lake of the Thousand Isles, which 
 extends for a distance of about fifty miles from the 
 head of the river. It was the first time that I had 
 ever passed through it, and I was no more charmed 
 than surprised at the panoramma that was rapidly 
 unfolded to the vision. 
 
 Partly for the purpose of enjoying this communion 
 with the beautiful work of nature in silence and 
 alone, and partly for the purpose of enjoying a cigar, 
 
12 TALES OF THE ST. LAWRENCE. 
 
 I had retired to the narrow space at the stern of the 
 main deck, and stood leaning listlessly over the rail^ 
 now gazing abstractedly at the foaming waters that 
 danced in the rear of the steamer and left a gradually 
 receding line of billows, extending as far as the eye 
 could discern, and then viewing the ever varying 
 scenery through which we were passing. And here 
 I will remark of myself that I am a young man with 
 a professional avocation, keenly alive to and always 
 deeply impressed with the beautiful in either the 
 inanimate or living, and was at the time spoken of, 
 enjoying an extended trip throughout the Northern 
 country, being then ticketed for the river Saguenay, 
 the fame of whose singular and charming scenery 
 had long before created a desire to visit it. 
 
 From the upper deck came the sound of voices, but 
 the words of conversation were inaudible. Above 
 my head were also visible at times, small portions of 
 dress-skirts and the extremities of gaiters whose size 
 proclaimed them to belong to members of the fair 
 sex, and at length I was aroused from my revery by 
 a very pretty female shriek accompanied by the flut- 
 tering of the ribbons of a failing hat and a very attrac- 
 tive hand and arm thrust over the railing in the vain 
 attempt to grasp it. 
 
ISADORE. 13 
 
 Quickly reaching forth I secured the endangered 
 article of millinery, and looking upward was at once 
 more than rewarded for my skill by the sight of a 
 face that of itself formed a lovely picture, and which 
 I instantly and mentally pronounced to be as beauti- 
 ful a one as I had ever beheld, and whose eyes and 
 lips beamed with a half gratified, half provoked 
 smile. It would have been a very easy matter for 
 me to have returned the hat to the fair looser by 
 -climbing upon the bulwark and i^aching it up to her, 
 and had it belonged to a mortal of ordinary appear- 
 ance it may be regard€d as quite certain that I should 
 have managed it in that manner, but as it was, I 
 must needs enjoy the pleasure of delivering it to her 
 in a more formal manner. Throwing away my cigar, 
 I bore the puzzling combination of ribbons and flowers 
 to the upper deck as eai-^efuUy as if a breath of air or 
 a jolt would cause it to crumble in pieces, and placed 
 it in the hands of the looser. 
 
 With a few appropriate words of thanks and a 
 beaming smile, she received it from me. Propriety 
 certainly required that I should not take advantage 
 of the circumstance to form an acquaintance, but I 
 felt that I could not misinterpret the look that she 
 gave ma, inviting me to remain, as I was about to 
 
14 TALES OF THE ST. LAWRENCE. 
 
 withdraw, and I was not at all indisposed to occupy 
 the vacant chair by her side and venture to introduce 
 mysel^ by presenting my card. 
 
 During the conversation that ensued, I had ample 
 opportunity of observing my companion, and found 
 my first impressions regarding her marvellous beauty 
 more than confirmed. She was of medium height, 
 graceful form, and in complexion a pure blonde. 
 The mass of golden ringlets that clustered in profusion 
 around her delicately formed head, and were sported 
 with by the occasional light breezes that passed 
 slowly by us, seemed of too pure a tint to owe their 
 lustre to this land, and as for her eyes of blue, they 
 were indeed a problem to me, and one that I sought 
 then in vain to discover the secret of. Their expres- 
 sion, now dreamy and reflective, anfi again flitting 
 and seemingly unreal, I can now bel >ld as plainly Id 
 imagination as I did then when seated by her side, 
 with their varying glances beaming with almost un- 
 earthly brilliancy. 
 
 Her conversation was marked by every indication 
 of refinement and intelligence, and our topics were 
 principally those suggested by the scenery and locali- 
 ties that we passed. A couple of hours were thua 
 leasantly whiled away, and we were approaching the 
 
ISADORE, 15 
 
 village of Prescott. a short distance above the first 
 rapids, at which point we were to be transferred to 
 another steamer — those plying upon the Lake being 
 of somewhat too large size for the passage of the 
 rapids — when my companion suddenly left a sentence 
 unfinished, and with an apprehensive start looked 
 toward the door of the cabin a few yards from us. 
 Turning my eyes in the same direction, I observed a 
 middle-aged lady of a very grave, and I fancied sor- 
 rowful mien, intently regarding us. Motioning to 
 my companion to follow her, she turned away. 
 
 " It is my aunt," spoke my vis-a-vis in explanation, 
 and then with some excitement while her voice 
 trembled and her eyes again beamed with that strange 
 light, " she is so very strict with me — she will scold 
 me for this — but yow will tiot think ill of me or blame 
 me ?" 
 
 Too surprised to at first reply, I at length com- 
 menced some rambling sentence, which she cut short 
 by exclaiming, — 
 
 " You need not tell me, I know that you will not — 
 but you must excuse me now, as I must go," and 
 rising, she hurried away without another word or 
 even a glance. 
 
 During the half hour that elapsed between the time 
 
16 TALES OF THE ST. LAWRENCE. 
 
 of our arrival and departure, I occupied myself, after 
 seeing to the transferring of my moderate amount of 
 baggage, and securing a state-room upon the Mon- 
 treal steamer, in strolling along the dock and in 
 watching the animated throng of humanity passing 
 to and fro. While standing thus, I felt a hand placed 
 lightly upon my arm, and turning, beheld a grave and 
 gentlemanly appearing man whose features bore 
 a titrong resemblance to those of some one whom I 
 had seen, but whose name I could not recall. 
 
 " Excuse me, sir," said my accoster, in a deliberate 
 tone, " but if I am not mistaken you are Mr. Charles 
 Archer of , the son of my old friend and class- 
 mate, Frederick Archer ?" 
 
 " The same, sir," I replied," and I have the honor 
 of addressing ?" 
 
 "Henry Collins, of ." 
 
 The name I recognized as that of an old friend of 
 our family, whose home I had visited in boyhood, and 
 with unfeigned pleasure greeted the friend of my 
 father. As the steamer was about moving from the 
 dock we proceeded aboard, and entered the cabin arm 
 in arm. At the further end of it I observed my 
 acquaintance of the golden locks seated by the side 
 of her chaperon. We proceeded toward them, and to 
 
ISADORE. If 
 
 rti^ surprise, my escort halted me in front of them 
 and introduced the elder to me as his wife — the 
 younger as his niece, Miss Isadore Dagobert. I^or 
 could I fail to observe the startled glance of reproach 
 that Mrs. C. cast upon her liege lord as ho presented 
 me, and still less fail to understand the delight that 
 was spoken from the eyes of Miss Dagobert. And 
 interpreting both, I imagined that I could understand 
 why he dwelt with particular emphasis upon the fact 
 that our two families had for the past half a century 
 been regarded as reliable and ardent friends, while I 
 mentally congratulated myself that I was now able 
 to claim the acquaintance of one who had so deeply 
 interested and charmed me. 
 
 Isadore, for now I will assume the privilege of thus 
 calling her, took little part in our conversation, but 
 at length the call of " the rapids — the rapids," was 
 passed along from one to another of those in the 
 cabin, and obeying the common impulse, our party 
 arose and proceeded out upon the forward . deck. 
 Standing there we beheld, a couple of miles from us, 
 the leaping waves of the Long Sault rapids, the first 
 in our course whose passage is attended with diffi- 
 culty and danger. Isadore and myself took our place 
 at the bow of the vessel, and my attention was about 
 
18 TALES' OF THE ST. LAWRENCE. 
 
 evenly divided between the rapids and my fair charge, 
 and I could not but particularly note the absence of 
 all timidity upon her part, while most of the ladies 
 aboard were pale with apprehension, and many of 
 the sterner sex betrayed a feeling of uneasiness. Her 
 eyes sparkled with delight, and as the boat reared 
 and plunged in its mad course, she clapped her hands 
 with delight ! 
 
 " Is not this grand — glorious !" she exclaimed en- 
 thusiastically — " so like our lives — from a calm into 
 * angry surges !" 
 
 On we dashed, now sinking until the white capped 
 billows seemed threatening to engulph us, and then 
 quickly rising to the summit of the succeeding line 
 of waves which seemed to be parting before us as if 
 to allow us to be dashed to pieces upon the half visible 
 rocks beneath that the receding waters show us with 
 a threat hoarsely muttered by their angry voicej, 
 but which in an instant, as if controlled by a better 
 impulse, seize the trembling boat and bear it lightly 
 up, and as we leave them behind, the angry tones of 
 the billows seem changed to derisive laughter at our 
 apprehension I 
 
 That long afternoon witnessed repetitions of the 
 Bcene. Mrs. Collins soon found the quietude of the 
 
ISADORE. 19 
 
 cabin more agreeable than the excitement on deck, 
 and her husband soon followed her, leaving us alone. 
 Each succeeding rapid that we passed awoke her 
 enthusiasm, and once — as we were dashing through 
 the " Lost Channel" of the " Cedars," the steamer 
 careened so violently that she grasped my arm for 
 support and I instinctively drew it around her 
 to prevent her from loosing her foot-hold. The pre- 
 caution was a timely one, for at that instant a sudden 
 lurch of the vessel threw her against me, and for a 
 moment her head rested upon my shoulder ; her eyes, 
 fully revealing the pleased confusion that she felt, 
 met mine, and at that moment thought of all else fled 
 from me, and a thrill of rapturous delight seemed for 
 a moment to stop the pulsation of my heart ! 
 
 The Indian village of Caughnawaga reached, th© 
 steamer is stopped and a boat is observed putting off 
 from shore containing the Indian pilot who has become 
 famed in the annals of the navigation of the rapids 
 that we are about entering, those of the Laohine, 
 by far the most dangerous and difficult passage 
 attempted by vessels anywhere upon the Globe, and 
 few are there possessing both sufficient courage and 
 skill to pilot a steamer with its load of mortal freight 
 through its perilous channel where atrifling variation 
 
20 TALES OF TIIE ST. LAWRENCE. 
 
 from the true course would ensure almost certain de- 
 struction to the vessel and the loss of life of all aboard. 
 The grim pilot whose countenance appears as if it 
 could not relax a muscle, and as if his mind never 
 dwelt upon a subject save that of the responsibility 
 devolving upon him, ascends to the wheel-house — the 
 8;:eamer's prow is turned to the fringed line of billows 
 in the distance, and the thought electrifies us that no 
 human power can arrest our course, until we are in 
 front of Montreal — or in eternity ! There is a seem- 
 ing species of wild audacity in the passage of these 
 rapids, as if mortals matched skill and daring against 
 the power of nature, coming nearly always off trium- 
 phant. Down a steep incline of several miles we 
 dash with the rapidity of a projectile fired at the 
 target of rocks ahead, and ricochetting over the water, 
 until the course is barred by a seemingly impassible 
 island of rock upon which the boat is directly headed. 
 This is the critical moment of all — a few seconds of 
 irresolution — the slightest mistake made in guiding 
 the course of the steamer, and all would be lost ! But 
 with eyes steadily fixed upon the course ahead, the 
 pilot, assisted by three stout men, does his work well. 
 Borne upon the current, the vessel swings about so 
 quickly that it is hardly comprehended at the mo- 
 
1 SAD ORE. 21 
 
 merit, and it seeniH as if some unseen power had in- 
 terfered to avert the fate that would otherwise have 
 been ours I But Scylla and Charybdis are behind, 
 and through another dangerous line of rapids the 
 steamer Bpecdy, from which it soon emerges into 
 water that seems almost immovable by comparison. 
 
 As the declining sun was shedding its rays upon 
 the glorious landscape that greeted our view upon 
 every side, we passed under the Victoria bridge that 
 is reared at the foot of the rapids, and stands in 
 Bilent grandeur as if placed there by the daring hands 
 of mortals who thus sought to challenge comparison 
 between their work and that of Nature's. A few 
 moments only from the wildest of the St. Lawrence 
 rapids to a stream appearing as tranquil as thi^ waters 
 of an inland lake, and the city of Montreal lies im- 
 mediately before us, with its massive stone quays, 
 imposing squares of buildings and myriad of lofty 
 spires reflecting the rays of the god of day. 
 
 Here I was called upon to part for awhile from 
 Isadore and her friends, but it was understood that 
 we would resume our trip together, down the river, 
 on the succeeding evening. 
 
 The evening passed in visiting various points of 
 interest throughout the city. I returned to my hotel. 
 
22 TALES OF THE ST. LAWRENCE. 
 
 ^— — ^^— — 1^^— ^^— — ^ — ■ ■' ■ ■■■ — ■!■ ■!■■■ ■laifc^* ^m^mmmmammm 
 
 but not in a mood for slumber. " But one night to 
 remain in * Old Montreal,' " I mused, and to apcnd 
 that in slumber ? As I paused irresolutely, a hack- 
 man propounded the inquiry, 
 
 " Have a carriage, sir ?" 
 
 I was favored with an idea and it was acted upon ; 
 I took a seat in the vehicle, 
 
 " Where to, sir?" inquired the driver. 
 
 " To the summit of the mountain and across its 
 front." 
 
 The somewhat astonished hackman complied with- 
 out reply. 
 
 The varied lights and shadows of the moonlit 
 streets rendered them much more picturesque than 
 they appeared during the day, and with my thoughts 
 wandering at will, and often, I must confess, straying 
 to the spot where Isadore was slumbering, I puffed 
 wreaths of smoke from my cigar in calm content- 
 ment. 
 
 As we came to a halt on the summit of the moun- 
 tain, the moon was curtained by a mass of fleecy 
 clouds that seemed to disperse its rays over the sur- 
 face of the broad and tranquil river beyond, gilded 
 the spires of Notre Pame Cathedral and revealed the 
 Bleeping city at our feet. " The view by sunlight is 
 grand — by moonlight it is sublime I 
 
ISADORE. 
 
 The mystified hackman did not seem to untcr into 
 the spirit of my dream, and when he was directed to 
 drive up the Lachino road, seemed to imagine that 
 the fact of my sanity was somewhat doubtful. 
 
 A drive of an hour and we reach the bank of the 
 rapids that extend along this side of the island. 
 Leaving the carriage I seated myself upon a boulder 
 near the stream, and contemplated the scene in silent 
 wonder and rapt enthusiasm. Before me, as far as 
 the eye could discern, arose a succession of billows, 
 one above another, whose white foam, seemed to 
 absorb the moonlight as they rose and fell in the 
 wildest confusion. The view appeared too strange 
 to be real — to be rather seen in a dream than beheld 
 in reality! Entranced by it I for awhile forgot 
 the passage of time, and fancied that I could hear the 
 tones of Isadore falling on my ears together with the 
 never ceasing voices of the rapids. 
 
 The day was breaking as we re-entered the city, 
 and the sky was of the hue of its stone squares that 
 we silen^tly passed. 
 
 Amid the crowd on the dock at which the steamer 
 for Quebec lay, I found my friends at the appointed 
 hour. Mr. and Mrs. Collins welcomed me cordially, 
 and as for Isadore, however much I had marvelled 
 
24 TALES OF THE ST. LAWRENCE. 
 
 at the expression which her eyes sometimes wore, I 
 could not mistake the glad light that then beamed 
 from them as she agp-'n greeted me. 
 
 As the shades of night were falling, we watched 
 the receding city with its millio!i of lights fade from 
 our sight like the dissolving view of a fairy scene, and 
 seated together upon the deck, watched the faintly 
 gleaming stars of heaven appear in its canopy, while 
 afar off, as if in rivalry with the celestial beacons, the 
 lights flashed out from the light-houses that mark 
 the channel, the steamer became radiant with its 
 many-hued lights, and the doliciously cool breeze was 
 laden with the sweet perfume of the beds of Canadian 
 wild-flowers over which it had passed. A couple of 
 times we met a flotilla of " fire fishermen," composed 
 of canoes, each containing two or more persons and 
 bearing a blazing fire of pine knots in its bow. When 
 at any considerable distance, the brilliancy of the fire 
 obscures both boat and inmates from view, and the 
 canoes seem to be but a mass of moving flame upon 
 the surface of the water, and when approached, in 
 their lurid glare the inmates of the light crafts appear 
 to the beholder to be voyngers who have ventured 
 upon earth from the precincts of the Stygian Lake, 
 rather than simple Canadian habitants. 
 
isadore. 25 
 
 There is oft-times more real enjoyment in the coih- 
 jjjaingling of souls in silence than in disturbing the 
 harmony of thought by words, and this we learned 
 at this hour to appreciate. Seated apart by ourselves 
 we were supremely, and for the most part, silently 
 happy. Supremely happy, did I say? No, for 
 although I ventured to retain one of her hands m 
 mine, and felt that it was a connecting link of tele- 
 graphy from heart to heart, I did not ventucre to speak 
 the words that were often almost upon my lips, to 
 learn if the wild hopes that my heart cherished were 
 to become precious realities. 
 
 On the following morning at an early hour we 
 arrived at Quebec, but 4id not land, reserving until 
 our return, the pleasure of visiting its many places 
 of historic interest, and of inspecting the quaint* 
 est of all cities upon the continent, and the only 
 one in Canada or the United States that has been 
 in its day a walled town. From our steamer we 
 passed to the one bound for the Saguenay, and 
 soon were again progressing down the river, that 
 from this point gradually widens and whose shores 
 become bolder. Its light blue waters have become 
 gradually tinged with a dark green hue, and the waves 
 that we now glide over have come, not from the lakes 
 
86 TALES OF THE ST. LAWRENCE. 
 
 ofHho North West, but on the crest of the tide from 
 the Atlantic. 
 
 The trip that day was not a very pleasant one, 
 A strong wind blew up from the gulf, laden with 
 Arctic frigidity, and calling for over-coats and wraps 
 with which the great majority of passengers were 
 very inadequately supplied. The steamer rolled 
 about in the sea to such an extent as to cause the 
 gravest apprehension 'j upon the part of those predis- 
 posed to sea-sickness, so that when in the evening 
 the mouth of that most wonderful of all rivers and fit 
 tributary of the St. Lawrence — the Saguenay — was. 
 reached, the spirits of those aboard were not, as a 
 rule, the most genial. But ^s we passed the high 
 cliffs that adorn its entrance and came to rest in the 
 little bay of Tadousac, what transformation of 
 atmosphere and scene I Had we been cruising amid 
 the icebergs of the tempest-tossed Arctic Ocean and 
 found ourselves suddenly transferred co the tranquil 
 waters of the Grecian Archipelago, our surprise could 
 scarcely have been greater. An encircling range of 
 lofty hills surrounded us — the temperature was again 
 that of summer — the river was unrippled by a breeze, 
 while the tranquil landscape, as shown by the moon- 
 light, was as picturesque as can be imagined. 
 
IS AD ORE. 27 
 
 A general expression of delight was succeeded by 
 an almost unanimously expressed desire to explore the 
 roads and paths leading through the range of scat- 
 tered habitations before us, consisting of all varieties, 
 from the cabin of the fisherman to the country seats 
 of gentlemen. We had also read in our guide-books 
 that here was located a small and very ancient 
 church upon the spot that was the site of the first 
 stone and mortar building ever erected upon the con- 
 tinent — so long a period does the history of this sec- 
 tion embrace, notwithstanding that it preserves so 
 much of its wild simplicity of nature. 
 
 In company with most of the party, Isadore and 
 myself were soon gratifying this desire. Her rela- 
 tives did not accompany us, and I was therefore 
 delighted to have her to myself. Over the tortuous 
 roads and through the winding paths we wandered, 
 new beauties of the scenery constantly appearing 
 before m. The ancient church, a remarkably plain 
 and diminutive edifice, was visited, and gradually the 
 large party became separated into groups and couples 
 and lost to the view of the rest. Without premeditated 
 design,we found ourselves alone, halting by a small 
 inlet whose waters reflected on their surface the sur- 
 rounding rocks and foliage, and for some moments 
 
28 TALES OF THE ST. LAWRENCE. 
 
 regarded our surroundings in rapt silence. At length, 
 Isadore seated herself upon a moss-covered rock by 
 the edge of the water, and I ventured to occupy a 
 place by her side. 
 
 My eyes were raised to hers that I fr und bent upon 
 me with so bright a light that they both thrilled and 
 emboldened me. 
 
 I took one of her hands in mine — it was not with- 
 flrawn ; I encircled her waist with my arm — she did 
 not resist it. 
 
 Our eyes again met, and I saw that hers glistened 
 with tears : 
 
 "Isadore ! Isadore I" I exclaimed, passionately, "I 
 love you!" 
 
 In a moment her head was pillowed upon my 
 breast — her face was wet with tears, and her lips were 
 upturned to mine ! 
 
 A. half hour had elapsed, yet we had spoken but 
 few words. My happiness seemed too great to be 
 communicated in them. At length she broke the 
 silence by saying, 
 
 " I knew that you would come back to me, dearest 
 — knew that you would not always remain away I" 
 
 " I do not un lerstand you, Isadore—" I began. 
 
 She regarded me wonderingly for a moment, and 
 continued with some manifestations of excitement. 
 
ISADORE. 29 
 
 " Do not understand me ? That is strange ! Then 
 the time did not seem long to you — oh, so very long 
 as it has to me ! And you were not lonesome when 
 away from your Isadore ?" 
 
 " Do tell me what you refer to, please !" I said, in 
 augmenting astonishment. 
 
 " Ah !" she continued, rather sadly, " do you not 
 remember when we met here, many, many, years 
 ago? I cannot tell you how long!" and she pressed 
 a hand to her forehead as if the effort to recall some 
 thought pained her, " but we sat here together as we 
 sit now and you told me the same that you have just 
 told me ! They told me that we should never meet 
 again, but I did not believe them — but you will never 
 leave me again — never, never, will you ?" 
 
 "Isadore, do tell me the meaning of your words 1" 
 I exclaimed, with considerable agitation, " for I can- 
 not " but here she threw her arms around me, 
 
 and after seeking to stop my words by a kiss, 
 exclaimed, 
 
 " Forgive me, oh forgive me 1 Do not mind what I 
 have said, I shall not offend you again !" 
 
 At this moment we beheld a group of strangers 
 approaching the spot where we were, and not caring 
 to be surprised by them, we moved away and pro- 
 
30 TALES OF THE ST. LAWRENCE. 
 
 ceeded toward the steamer. On our way we passed 
 the small chiu'ch before alluded to, when she sudden- 
 ly grasped my arm and pointing to it, exclaimed, 
 
 "You certainly remember that- " but observ- 
 ing my astonishment, did not finish the sentence but 
 turned her face away and proceeded for some dis- 
 tance in silence. 
 
 On returning aboard, we parted for the night ; but 
 Beated upon the deck I mused for a long time over 
 the strange words that she had spoken to me, and 
 marvelled what their meaning could be, but too 
 happy in the thought that I was the accepted suitor 
 of one whom I had in so short a time learned to love 
 BO dearly, to be troubled by them, at length retired 
 to rest, and to dream of Isadore. 
 
 On my awakening in the early morning the 
 steamer was not in motion, and my first impression 
 was that we were yet at Tadousac. The distance 
 from that place to the head of Ha ! Ha ! Bay, the 
 extreme point of our destination, is about sixty miles, 
 which is accomplished during the early hours of the 
 morning, when slumber is the most easily wooed. 
 On emerging upon deck, one of the grandest of views 
 met my sight. The steamer was moored at a dock 
 extending out a considerable distance from the shore 
 
ISADORE. 31 
 
 and filled with the strangest collection of vehicles that 
 my eyes had ever rested upon. They were mostly of 
 rude design and construction with but one seat besides 
 the driver's, and drawn by one horse, but yet well 
 adapted for the mountainous roads upon which they 
 were driven. They were for the accommodation of 
 such tourists as desired to explore the vicinity. Im- 
 mediately in front of us rose an almost abrupt crag, 
 several hundred feet in height ', at our left lay a small 
 village mostly peopled by habitants, in front of 
 which several transatlantic vessels rode at anchor, 
 awaiting their cargoes of lumber. Encircling the 
 bay upon every side was an unbroken cordon of rocky 
 ledges rising against the sky. 
 
 Proceeding ashore, a motley crowd of venders of 
 trifles manufactured by Indians, and sellers of berries 
 put up in birch bark baskets was encountered, with 
 whom conversation was somewhat difficult, as few of 
 them spoke either English or intelligible French. 
 Passing these, I chartered ond of the nondescript 
 vehicles and made a circuit of several miles about the 
 spot, over declivitous roads that wound around the 
 hills, and returned in time for breakfast, when Isa- 
 dore greeted me, as fair and smiling as the morn was, 
 but I imagined, betrayed a slight manifestation of 
 
32 TALES OF THE ST. LAWRENCE. 
 
 disappointment that she had not been invited to 
 accompany me, as I discoursed upon my ride and the 
 gcenery that I had enjoyed the view of. 
 
 At the conclusion of the meal, the fancy struck mo 
 to attempt the ascent of the cliff that rose so majesti- 
 cally immediately in front of the steamer, and I was 
 soon engaged in the undertaking, which proved a 
 somewhat more diflSiCult one than at first seemed 
 probable, and necessitated frequent rests. Each time 
 that I paused in my ascent I observed that the eyes 
 of Isadore rested intently upon me, as I knew with a 
 look, half of admiration at my daring, half in fear 
 that I should loose my foot-hold which was often 
 extremely precarious. Had it not been for this con- 
 sciousness, I should probably have abandoned the 
 attempt ere reaching the summit, but did not, and at 
 length, nearly exhausted, drew myself upon the 
 highest point, a ledge of flinty rocks, and gazing 
 back, beheld a handkerchief fluttering from a hand 
 that 1 knew to be Isadore's, congratulating me upon 
 my success: 
 
 I was surprised to find the elevation that I had 
 attained to be a section of elevated table-land, quite 
 level and covered with a stunted growth of vegeta- 
 tion, yet as wild and solitary in appearance as if the 
 
1 SAD ORE. • 88 
 
 foot of man had never before passed over it. While 
 thus reflecting, coupled with the thought that I was 
 the solitary inhabitant of the cliif, I was aroused by 
 the sound of foot-steps approaching — foot-steps as 
 light and stealthy as if belonging to beasts of prey, 
 and started up in some alarm, but was surprised to 
 see advancing toward me, a couple of little girls with 
 uncovered feet, heads, arms and shoulders — com- 
 plexions browned by the sun, but with forms and 
 features that an artist might sigh for as models 
 for sprites of the wood and mountain, and bear- 
 ing in their hands branches of wild berries and 
 leaves, which they tendered to me. Their sudden 
 appearance in that spot suggested the fancy that they 
 must be the presiding goddesses of the mount, who 
 thus suddenly sprang from their abode to welcome 
 the arrival of a stranger who had won their admira- 
 tion by his daring ascent to their domain. They did 
 not, however, refuse the silver pieces that were 
 proffered them in return for their offerings, and disap- 
 peared almost as unaccountably as they came, but 
 not to return no more, for soon after, as I was pro- 
 ceeding across the plateau 1 was again startled by 
 the sound of footsteps, this time in pursuit of me, and 
 turning, beheld my mountain fairies at the head of a 
 
84 * TALES OF THE ST. LAWRENCE. 
 
 troup of a score or more of companions, each with a 
 double handful of leaves and berries ! The reception of 
 this bevy of juveniles not only depleted my pockets of 
 loose coins, but excited wonder as to where their habi- 
 tations could be, as none were visible, and the few 
 residents and tillers of the scanty soil who resided in 
 the vicinity were widely scattered, and from the 
 nature of their avocation upon the sides of those hills, 
 quite deserved the title of Agricultural acrobats ! 
 The problem, however, remained Unsolved. 
 
 Ere the morning was far advanced, the steamer 
 departed upon the return trip, affording us the oppor- 
 tunity of beholding the wild and wonderful scenery 
 of the Sagueuay, which is, perhaps, as remarkable as 
 that of any stream upon the globe. This river is the 
 recepticle of the waters of eleven large streams. Not 
 far above Ha! Ha! Bay is a fall two hundred and 
 thirty-six feet in height, which is visible at a distance 
 of fifty miles, yet is seldom visited by the tourist or 
 even generally known of, so little is the world at 
 large acquainted with the scenic wonders of this 
 region ! The shores of the river are constant chains 
 of granite bluffs, averaging three hundred feet in 
 height but sometimes rising to quintriple that eleva- 
 tion, while the water is from one hundred to one 
 
ISADORE. 36 
 
 thousand feet in depth at nearly all points, and, what 
 is most singular, as deep, as a rule, immediately off of 
 the shore as in the middle of the stream. 
 
 The delight of Isadore fully equalled my own, as 
 having closely studied my guide-book, I was enabled 
 to point out the places of special interest, either from 
 their natural formation or on account of some inci- 
 dent connected with them — the tableau column, the 
 clitfs of Cape Eternity and Trinity — Statue Point, 
 whose rocks bear a resemblance to human figures and 
 caused the devout Jesuit Missionaries, the first Euro- 
 pean explorers of the river, to imagine them to be 
 formed by nature at the will of the Deity, to serve as 
 saintly shrines for them to worship at — the spot 
 where an Indian hunter who incautiously followed a 
 moose to the edge of a cliff after it had made a fatal 
 spring into the water below, lost his foot-hold and 
 shared the fate of his prey, and others that need not 
 be recorded here, of similar interest. 
 
 On reaching Tadousac, I learned that my friends, 
 instead of at once returning to the cities, proposed 
 remaining at that place, and an intimation from them 
 that they would be pleased were I to remain, at once 
 decided me upon doing so, and we were soon installed 
 at the excellent hotel which is there maintained dur- 
 ing the Summer season. 
 
36 TAL^S OF THE ST. LAWRENCE. 
 
 Tho evening of that day was a counterpart of the 
 preceding one — warm and deliciouwly bright. I had 
 for some time been pacing to and fro along tlio corri- 
 dor of the hotel and occasionally glancing into tho 
 parlors, in the hope that Isadoro would appear, when 
 I was joined by Mr. Collins. At once was suggested 
 to me the resolution of informing him of the attach- 
 ment that existed between myself and his ward, and 
 of soliciting his consent to our bethrothal. With 
 this purpose in view I proposed a stroll along the 
 shore, which he cheerfully acceeded to, and in a short 
 time we wore standing near the spot in which I had, a 
 few hours before, received the sweet assurance of Isa- 
 doro's love for me. On this occasion I observed the spot 
 more particularly than I had done btffore. In front 
 of us the river was as tranquil and brilliant as ever, 
 but the mass of rock that overhung it at our left, 
 seemed to cast a frown over the 2)lace as we stood in 
 its shadow. I had fancied that my friend and his 
 wife had viewed the growing intimacy of Isadore and 
 myself with favor, and so broached the subject with 
 confidence that his reply would be in no ways 
 adverse to our hopes, but yet did not particularly 
 observe the effect of my words upon him until I had 
 concluded, when I was no less surprised than horri- 
 
ISADORE. 87 
 
 fied to observe upon his countenance a reflection of 
 the agitation which they hatl caused. 
 
 " And hive you told her of this ?" he at length 
 asked. 
 
 " I have." 
 
 " And she has told you ? 
 
 "That she loved me!" 
 
 My companion was for awhile silent, and ere he 
 spoke I observed a tear glisten for a moment as it 
 fell, unheeded down his cheek. 
 
 " My friend," he said, with a tremulous voice, as he 
 pressed my hand fervently, " I am truly sorry for 
 you I" and then paused. 
 
 "What mean you?" I exclaimed, my agitation 
 becoming as great as his own, and a cload of the 
 darkest apprehensions suggesting themselves at once 
 to my mind. 
 
 " Have you not noticed," he resumed, " anything 
 peculiar about Isadore — her manner or her beha- 
 vior?" 
 
 Then I thought of her strange and incomprehensi- 
 ble words on the previous evening, but only looked 
 my demand for an explanation. 
 
 "You have not," he faltered — "I should have 
 known it," and then he crushed my soul, " Isadore i» 
 insane /" 
 
38 TALES OF THE ST. LA WKENCR 
 
 I hardly know what followed — everythinf^ seemed 
 to grow dim around me — I hoard a few words of hia 
 attempted explanation, of how she had been engaged, 
 three years before, to a person whom he then for the 
 first time observed possessed a remarkable personal 
 resemblance to myself In company with himself 
 and wife they were sojourning for awhile in Southern 
 Italy— how they had been united in marriage, one 
 evening, in deference to a romantic fancy, at a little 
 chapel standing near the shore of the Mediterranean, 
 and how the bridegroom met his death by drowning 
 an hour afterwards, the intelligence of which had 
 caused the loss of her reason. Of this I comprehended 
 little, and only remember promising him that I 
 would never see her again, when I heard a shriek, half 
 in agony and half in prayer, that at once roused me 
 to full consciousness again. Looking above us, we 
 beheld upon the rock the form of Isadore, her gaze 
 fixed upon us and her eyes riveting mine. Then, as 
 my eyes followed hers, her face seemed to sink from 
 the summit of the rock to the waves below like a fall- 
 ing meteor I A wild leap — a plunge into the stream 
 — ^the waves closed over me and I remember no 
 morel 
 
 4( Xe IK :K 
 
I8AD0RE. 39 
 
 When I returned to consciousness, I found myself 
 alone in my room at the hotel. A paper that had 
 been placed to screen the light from my eyes, and 
 upon whose date line my eyes soon rested, told me 
 that over a month had elapsed since the time that I 
 could remember. Wondering greatly at this, and 
 finding myself unable to rise, I closed my eyes and 
 endeavored to recall the chain of incidents that 
 had occurred, but with a dull heart pang. Absorbed 
 in this, I hardly noticed a footstep that approached 
 until a form bent over me — then I beheld the face of 
 Isadore I 
 
 I repeated her name — our eyes read each others' 
 enquiringly and wonderingly. Then as the recollec- 
 tion of the terrible revelation returned to me, I closed 
 mine as if to still the memory of it. She divined my 
 thoughts — b©r face bent over mine which was 
 enshrouded in a mass of golden curls — her lips met 
 mine, and her voice whispered, 
 
 " Yee, darling, it is your Isadore, and insane no 
 longer /" 
 
 Her life-renewing words were true I The mental 
 and physical shock which her attempted suicide and 
 her resuscitation had caused, had in a mysterious 
 manner — which, however, medical men satisfactorily 
 
40 TALE'S OF THE ST. LAWRENCE. 
 
 account for — led to her complete recovery. The bright 
 waters of the St. Lawrence had dispelled the cloud 
 from her intellect as effectually as those of the 
 fabled spring of youth were once believed to dispel 
 ©very human infirmity. 
 
^im % f mif ^4 
 
MALEETA, THE EIYEE WAIF. 
 
 The spectacle of rafts of timber of immense size^ 
 passing down the St. Lawrence was a few years ago a 
 quite common one, nor has it yet become at all rare, 
 
 although the rapidity with which the Canadian forests, 
 from which they are obtained, are being depleted, 
 will ere long cause them to be numbered with things 
 of the past. The sight of one is well calculated to 
 engross for some time the attention of one to whom 
 
44 TALES OF THE ST. LAWRENCE. 
 
 they are a novelty, while their navigation not only 
 requires peculiar skill and undaunted courage, but 
 forms an occupation by itself, which seems to be 
 ranked among the peculiar provinces of the few 
 remaining Indians and the large number of half-breeds 
 with which Eastern Canada abounds. Previous to 
 reaching the rapids, the raftsmen have but to keep 
 the huge masaes of timber " end on" in the middle of 
 the current as well as can be done, which is accom- 
 plished by means of a huge sweep — a stick of timber 
 flattened on one end like a paddle and worked by a 
 number of men in the manner of an oar — at either 
 end of the raft, and float idly with the stream, but 
 when the wild waters, threatening rocks and tortuous 
 courses of the rapids are to be passed, the duty be- 
 comes one of excitement and hazard, and few save 
 those engaged in the work care to brave the danger 
 for the sake of participating in the excitement conse- 
 quent upon it. These rafts are frequently upwards 
 of one fourth of a mile in length, and being held to- 
 gether only by " withes" of wood, present, when pass- 
 ing the rapids or during rough weather, quite a vari- 
 able surface. As each one requires a considerable 
 force of men to navigate it, who are accommodated 
 in a number of rude . and easily constructed cabins 
 
MALEETA, THE RIVER WAIF. 46 
 
 erected upon it, it presents a scene of animation, and 
 one that is quite picturesque to the lover of the novel 
 and the student of variety in life. 
 
 Before nearing the rapids but little care is exercised 
 in the construction of the rafts, but before entering 
 upon the only dangerous part of the trip, it is found 
 necessary to reconstruct them in a manner that with 
 good management and a fair share of good fortune 
 will enable them to pass them without being broken 
 up ; hence they are made more compact and somewhat 
 smaller, as well as being more strongly bound together. 
 This is generally done at Windmill Point, a short dis- 
 tance above the first rapids and about a mile below 
 the village of Prescott, a spot more fully described in 
 connection with the historical incidents that have ren- 
 dered it famous in another part of this volume. Here, 
 during the rafting season, may generally be found an 
 encampment of Indians who are engaged in this work, 
 which is annually visited by many of the curious, 
 who return with any ideas that they may have enter- 
 tained concerning the romantic character of the mo- 
 dern aborigines — at least of those who condescend to 
 render themselves useful in this work, wholly dispel- 
 led, for a more wretched and forlorn appearing collec- 
 tion of mortals it would be difficult to group together. 
 
46 TAL^S OF THE ST. LA WRENCE. 
 
 The habitations are a cross between the hovel and 
 wig-wam, generally consisting of a few tattered blan- 
 kets, quilts, or a fragment of discarded sail-cloth sup- 
 ported on poles and open at one or more sides to the 
 weather. In, or clustered around these will generally 
 be found, besides the descendants of the once monarchs 
 of the river, a motley and disagreeable collection of 
 females and children, half nude and generally raven- 
 ously hungry. 
 
 John Geary was a young representative of the legal 
 profession, and a resident of the village of Prescott. 
 Tall, erect, and in all respects quite a fair type of 
 manly beauty, he was also quite an ardent lover of 
 outdoor sports and pastimes. As his professional 
 duties were not as a rule very arduous, he found ample 
 time to indulge his proclivity for yachting, shooting 
 and fishing upon the river and its adjacent territory. 
 The raftsmen's camp spoken of, was a frequent place 
 of resort of his, serving as it did as a terminus for an 
 idle stroll. 
 
 On one summer evening as he was returning home- 
 ward across the fields, soon after sunsiat, when not 
 far from the camp his attention was attracted by a 
 group of persons in angry altercation, and hurrying 
 his pace he soon discovered a scene that at once 
 
MALEETA, THE RIVER WAIF. 4t 
 
 excited his admiration and aroused his indignation to 
 the utmost. In a corner of the field he beheld a young 
 Indian girl surrounded by three stalwart ruffians who 
 had waylaid and assaulted her, but being armed with a 
 knife she was resolutely defending herself, and stood 
 bravely upon her guard, standing at bay and thus far 
 preventing any of them from placing hands upon her. 
 Our hero was quickly by her side, and in a few scath- 
 ing words rebuked the miscreants and commanded 
 them to depart ; but now more than ever maddened 
 they turned upon him, but only to meet with a recep- 
 tion that they little expected. A blow from his heavy 
 cane felled the foremost assailant to the ground, a well 
 placed blow of the fist sent the second after him, 
 while the third quickly concluded that discretion was 
 the better part of valor and made a hurried flight. 
 This scene finished, our modern knight-errant had an 
 opportunity of regarding the one whom he had im- 
 jterilledhis person for, and as he had before given her 
 but a glance, was more than surprised to behold how 
 prepossessing she appeared for one of her class and 
 station, when her look of intense passion gave place 
 to a beaming smile of thanks and her stolidity to 
 confused words in expression of gratitude for the 
 service that ho had rendered her. She appeared to 
 
48 TALES OF THE ST. LAWRENCE. 
 
 I 
 
 ■^mmtmrn ■ ^mt^m^K^ I ..^1 ^mm^m^^ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■■^— ^» ■, i ■ ■ ■ ■■—■■■ ^■■■ w — ■ m i w 
 
 be of about fifteen years of age, was without covering 
 for her head or feet, while the only garment that ap- 
 peared to adorn or protect her form revealed her 
 shoulders and arms in all of their well moulded propor- 
 tions, and her long hair, as dark as the starless night, 
 fell unrestrained. A seldom-found type of uncivil- 
 ized beauty, a veritable wild-flower, she certainly was. 
 He learned that she had been several miles from the 
 8pot,engaged in gathering berries in the wood, and was 
 upon her way to the raftsmen's camp. She took up her 
 basket and turned to depart, but fearful that she 
 might again be exposed to harm, he insisted upon 
 nccompanying her until within sight of her place of 
 destination, learning meanwhile the fact that her only 
 relative there or elsewhere was her father, a rafts- 
 man of the Caughnawaga tribe, over whose very 
 moderate domestic arrangements she presided. 
 
 That night he retired to rest thinking of .the fable 
 of John Smith and Pochahontas, and when his con- 
 scious thoughts became dreams, he imagined himself 
 to be the former, his newly found acquaintance the 
 latter, and that king Powhattan was engaged in pilot- 
 ing rafts down the St. Lawrence ! 
 
 On the succeeding day he found his way to the 
 encampment, and with an emotion of pleasure mingled 
 
MALEETA, TIIE RIVER WAIF. 49 
 
 with a full portion of disgust, found his fair savage 
 maiden contentedly sitting beneath a niiserablo lean- 
 to, composed of a ragged blanket and a piece of 
 tattered sail-cloth supported on 
 rude poles, in the corners of 
 which were a few ill-appearing 
 rags that undoubtedly formed the 
 only couches that herself and 
 father possessed, while a damaged iron kettle suspend- 
 ed over a smouldering fire in front, and a few tin cups ' 
 and plates, seemed to comprise their culinary and 
 domestic utensils and dishes. Yet the belle of the 
 encampment did not seem at all embarrassed by her 
 surroundings, but welcomed him with a genuine smile 
 of pleasure and an untutored frankness that was at 
 least in pleasing contrast with the manner of most of 
 the fashionable belles of his acquaintance when receiv- 
 ing him. She was engaged in the manufacture of 
 some light articles of bead work in which she exhibited 
 no little skill, the receipts from the sale of which 
 8e;rved to increase the scant store of her necessities of 
 life. She invited him, after a few moments' conver- 
 sation, to accept a seat near her, but the surroundings 
 were so incompatible with his sense of refinement 
 that he declined, but in stead requested that she would 
 
•0 TALES OF THE ST. LAWRENCE. 
 
 accompany him to the river's bank, where seated upon 
 a grasHy hillock he watched her busy fingers at work, 
 and in conversation learned something of her not 
 very eventful history. Her name was the musical 
 one of Maleeta — her mother she could not remember, 
 she having died in her infancy, drowned while attempt- 
 ing to pilot a canoe down one of the rapids. She had 
 many acquaintances among her tribe, but few whom 
 she cared for as friends ; no men, perhaps, save her 
 father, and the village priest who taught her that she 
 must be good. She loved the river and the woods, 
 above all, the wild rapids — she often reposed by the 
 river side at night so as to listen to their wild song, 
 and sometimes endeavored to join them in it, 
 but this always displeased the spirits of the waters 
 and she became silent again. She could fish — she 
 could shoot a rifle — she could run upon snow-shoes and 
 manage a bark canoe. No, she was never afraid, save 
 of bad men such as he, good and strong man, had 
 protected her from on the previous evening, and of 
 the wicked Brumohanto, the evil spirit of the wood, 
 that often slew men and carried off maidens to his 
 home under the far off mountains. She was fond of 
 her life, yet she would rather be a rich girl of the St. 
 Eegis tribe, have gold ornaments and drive to Mont- 
 
MALEETA, THE RIVER WAIF. 51 
 
 real in winter in a sled of her own with a white pony. 
 She was wholly ignorant of the alphabet and never 
 expected to learn it, but she had a few pictures that she 
 often looked at, cut from stray copies of illustrated 
 journals that had fallen in her way — one was a por- 
 trait of a very beautiful white lady that she thought 
 must be a saint, so she sometimes prayed to it ; the 
 saints were all white people, she believed, for she had 
 never heard of an Indian saint, yet they were kind, 
 and would listen to the prayers of poor Indians. 
 Yes, her father was kind — that is, always unless the 
 white men sold him liquor, when he sometimes beat 
 her. Of course she would like to be a white person, 
 yet if she could not be, nor an Indian, she would choose 
 to be a bird ! 
 
 All of this and much more she told in her simple 
 words and artless manner, and when he departed from 
 her it was with a strange interest in this young and 
 beautiful, yet uncivilized being. 
 
 On the succeeding day he was again a caller at the 
 camp, and this time he bore with him as a gift to her, 
 a bright hued and serviceable shawl. If he possessed 
 any idea that he would be called upon to use persuar 
 eion to induce her to accept it, he was mistaken, fpr 
 she had not learned from civilization to refuse or to 
 
52 TALES OF THE ST LAWRENCE. 
 
 offer a pretended declination of anything that she de- 
 sired, but her delight much more than compensated 
 him for the outlay and trouble that it had cost him. 
 From this time his visits became frequent; each day 
 that he visited her he assured himself would be tho 
 last — not that he imagined that any precautions to 
 guard his feelings were necessary, but on tho contrary, 
 any such insinuation coming from another would 
 have been regarded and resented as an insult — yet 
 she came to exj)ect him nearly every day, and not often 
 was she doomed to disappointment. These visits he 
 most frequently made the excuse of presenting her 
 with some generally very moderately expensive article 
 that he fancied would contribute to her comfort or 
 pleasure — a needle-book — an assortment of thread — a 
 picture book, which perhaps delighted her most of 
 all — a cheap dress-pattern, or something of the kind 
 — and while thus engaged in studying her wants and 
 welfare, he imagined that he was actuated by purely 
 philanthropic motives, and mentally gave himself 
 credit therefor, although the other female occupants 
 of the camp, more destitute ev^n than Maleota had 
 been, did not receive from him a thought, much less 
 a gift I It may occur to the reader that the amount 
 of attention and number of gifts bestowed upon hpr 
 
MALEETA, THE RIVER WAIF. 53 
 
 should have attracted the attention and received the 
 unfavorable comments of her companions, but their 
 ethics were not of the character that made them con- 
 demn anything of this kind, but rather led them to 
 envy. 
 
 On one occasion Maleeta manifested her appreciar 
 tion of his favors by timidly offering for his accept- 
 ance a quite pretty piece of bead-work, the purchase 
 of the materials for which he knew must have depleted 
 her scanty stock of dimes and pennies, and which he 
 accepted with perhaps more pleasure than he had ever 
 a jirovious gift from any one. 
 
 Thus matters continued while several weeks wore 
 away, when fate interposed an occurrence that served 
 to materially enliven the course of events and to 
 ronder them more interested in the welfare of each 
 other. One of John Geary's strongest passions was for 
 yachting, and in the enjoyment of this sport he pre- 
 ferred strong winds and turbulent waves to light 
 breezes and waves correspondingly tranquil, and on an 
 afternoon when a strong " South-Wester " was prevail- 
 ing, he shot out upon the river alone in his light boat, 
 when most amateur sailors would have resisted all per- 
 suasion to accompany him. The almost gale had fol- 
 lowed a terrific and cold rain-storm accompanied by 
 
54 TALES OF THE ST. LAWRENCE. 
 
 hail, of the previous night, such as sometimes occurs in 
 that latitude in the warm season. The violence of the 
 storm had awakened him from peaceful slumber, and 
 his first thought was of Maleeta, whom he knew was 
 reposing with the earth for a couch, without adequate 
 covering or shelter, and unable to banish the vision 
 from his mind, he had tossed restlessly upon his 
 pillow until the morning dawned, the storm had sub- 
 sided and the glorious sunlight again gladdened the 
 world. Restless and almost feverish, he sought the 
 wild billows for companions and the cool breeze for a 
 comforter. 
 
 After making several tacks in safety, he shaped his 
 course so as to run in near the Indian encampment, 
 lured on by the almost unsuspected attraction that 
 operated to so often draw him near Maleeta. When 
 Hearing it he discovered her upon the bank, her 
 figure being easily discernible on account of the 
 bright shawl, his gift, which she had folded around 
 her. As he approached, she waved him recognition, 
 and prompted perhaps by a slight vanity in the desire 
 to exhibit his skill as a navigator to her, ho approach- 
 ed too near to the shore to allow himself sea-room to 
 bring the yacht about in with any degree of safety, 
 and instead of coming about head on, it was almost 
 
MALE ETA, THE RIVER WAIF. 55 
 
 instantly capsized and its occupant plunged into the 
 water. Now this of itself would have been no alarm- 
 ing accident as far as his personal safety was con- 
 cerned, for he was an accomplished swimmer, and in 
 calmer weather had even accomplished the feat of 
 swimming across the stream, but as it happened, 
 he was carried under beneath the sail, which both 
 prevented his rising or of passing out beneath it, 
 and his frantic but fruitless struggles would have 
 doubtless soon been ended by death, had not aid been 
 received from an linexpected source. On comprehend- 
 ing the nature of the accident, Maleeta at once threw 
 aside her shawl and divesting herself quickly of her 
 scanty clothing, plunged into the stream, and with 
 the speed and facility of a frightened sea-bird, swam 
 to him. Eising and falling gracefully upon the waves, 
 she was not long in reaching him, for had she been, a 
 few moments more would have been his last. Extricat- 
 ing him, she brought him to the surface to find that he 
 was insensible. With excellent presence of mind she 
 managed to support his form in the water and after 
 a painful struggle conveyed him to the shore. What 
 a picture would the scene then have made could it 
 have been immortalized by the brush of a master 
 hand j as the Indian maiden arose from the waves, 
 
66 TALES OF TBS ST. LAWRENCE, 
 
 more perfect in form than the proudest masterpiece 
 of the sculptor — nude in her beauty, save as screened 
 by the flowing hair from which the water streamed, 
 and with horror and despair depicted in her counte- 
 nance and in her eyes of living night, gently drawing 
 the one of all others whom she cared for and rever- 
 enced, and had she known it— loved, from the waves I 
 
 Tenderly she placed him upon the sandy beach, 
 and then in an agony of grief, forgetful of all else, 
 threw herself upon his prostrate form with wild 
 exclamations of grief and affection, and as by instinct 
 — the instinct of love, whether in life or death, the 
 world over — pressed her lips to his with passionate 
 fondness. But only for a few moments, for slowly 
 his eyes are opened, and her moans and words of 
 despair are changed. to exclamations of delight and 
 thanksgiving. Then remembering her lack of attire, 
 a bright hue suffused her face, her eyes drooped, and 
 she seized the shawl lying near and quickly enveloped 
 her person in it. Then seating herself by his side, 
 she supported his head until he was sufficiently strong 
 to rise, but when he attempted to express some sense 
 of his appreciation of her heroic act, she fled like a 
 startled fawn. 
 
 The yacht meanwhile had drifted ashore, and 
 securing it, he returned home. 
 
MALEETA, THE RIVER WAIF. 57 
 
 This occurrence led him to ponder very deeply 
 concerning her welfare and the miinner in which he 
 could best repay the deep obligation that she had 
 placed him under to her, but of the many plans that 
 were suggested to his mind, there appeared to be 
 none unaccompanied by obstacles that he could 
 apparently surmount. While mentally debating this 
 question, he visited the camp a few days later and 
 found to his surprise that Maleeta was about to depart ; 
 the arrangement that had sheltered her had dis- 
 appeared, and he found her occupying one of the 
 wooden huts upon a raft that had been completed and 
 which was about to leave for the vicinity of Mont- 
 real. He lingered with her until warned that the 
 ropes that moored it were about to be cast otf, and 
 then bade her farewell with little belief that he would 
 ever behold her again. As for her she maintained in 
 a great degree that stoicism for which her race ie 
 noted, yet could not conceal her grief at the parting. 
 He turned from her and hastened toward shore, at 
 first with rapid steps, but his pace was gradually 
 slackened, and when he stood upon the bank he paused 
 a moment, apparently irresolute and in deep medita- 
 tion ; then he started on again rapidly, muttering to 
 
 himself as he did so, 
 
 B 
 
U8 TALES OF THE ST. LAWRENCE. 
 
 " Fool I to think of such a thing — let this be the 
 last of this!" but when he had arrived at the crest of 
 the bank he halted. • 
 
 " One more look at my little heroine and then adieu !" 
 he communed with himself 
 
 Gazing back he beheld her watching him intently ; 
 as he Returned her gaze she turned away and disap- 
 peared. 
 
 Again he seemed struggling with rival emotions, 
 but at last hurried down the incline again and aboard 
 of the raft. A few hurried words with the one in 
 charge of it and he had arranged for the privilege of 
 journeying upon it down the river. A short note was 
 pencilled and forwarded to his friends to explain his 
 absence, and they were afloat. Then he again sought 
 Maleeta. 
 
 He found her, strange for an Indian maiden, in tears, 
 and she greeted his very unexpected appearance with 
 a cry in which surprise and delight were blended. 
 In a few words he explained his purpose of accom- 
 panying them down the river, and thoughtless of a 
 parting only deferred and happy in the enjoyment of 
 the present, her face was again vn-eathed in smiles, 
 her eyes again grew bright, and her words seemed 
 softer than ever. 
 
MALE ETA, THE RIVER WAIF. 59 
 
 That journey — how can I describe it? Floating 
 listlessly and tranquilly upon the placid stream, ap- 
 parently almost motionless, for hours, or braving upon 
 the frail and ever yielding structure the fury of the 
 rapids. How can you, appreciative tourist who have 
 indulged in a little innocent self commendation for 
 presence of mind in that you ran the gauntlet of the 
 rocks and waves with scarcely a tremor of the heart, 
 standing upon the deck of a proud river steamer, 
 appreciate the resolution required to dare their fury 
 upon a framework of timbers, through and over which 
 the billows chase e ich other in wild sport ? At night, 
 moored safely by the shore, while the waters reflected 
 back the glory of the Heavens, and the relieved navi- 
 gators made the air melodious with their wild songs, 
 he listened to the artless words of Maleeta, or, with- 
 drawn from the others, induced her to sing the songs 
 with which she was familiar, for she possessed a voice 
 that even without cultivation was both sweet and. 
 powerful. A more rude life than they led can hardly 
 be imagined, but the rough planks that served for 
 their couches were rendered by fatigue as soft i^ those 
 of down, while their rude fare was relished as well aa 
 the dishes before the most satisfied epicure. 
 
 I have intimated that our hero was more than ordi- 
 
60 TALES OF THE ST. LAWRENCE. 
 
 narily courageous when brought to face the dangers 
 of the river, yet I must record that when the first 
 line of white capped billows oi a rapid met his view, 
 that he experienced a slight tremor of fear, or rather 
 I should perhaps express it, of apprehension. Not so 
 with Maleeta — she seemed a veritable daughter of the 
 stream, and the wild rage of the waters awoke her 
 enthusiasm and lent a brighter light to her eyes than 
 he had before seen them luminous with. 
 
 The journey was nearly completed ; the Mount of 
 Eoyal on the isle of Montreal was visible in the dis- 
 tance, and but one rapid remained to be run ere their 
 trip would be ended, yet that one was the difficult 
 and dangerous one of Lachine. Floating out from 
 their moorings near the Indian village of Caughna- 
 waga, they entered upon the perilous descent. Her 
 fortuiie,that had heretofore smiled upon them,frowned : 
 the rapid was about half passed, when the unwieldy 
 mass of timber, despite the efforts of those struggling 
 at the "sweeps," turned a short distance out of the 
 Channel, and in a moment the forward part of it was 
 a wreck upon the rocks and half a dozen of the rafts- 
 men were engulphed in the treacherous stream. It 
 was a moment of thrilling uncertainty, with the lives 
 of all aboard held as if at the cast of a die, yet the 
 
MALEETA, THE RIVER WAIF. 61 
 
 wrecked part separated from the remainder and 
 clearing the jaws of death, floated through the 
 residue of the course in safety. Then it was ascer- 
 tained who were the lost, and among these was the 
 father of Maleeta. 
 
 Ere the close of that day, John found himself 
 standing upon one of the wharfs of Montreal with the 
 sorrowing girl hy his side, and involved in deep per- 
 plexity as to what disposition he should make of her. 
 At length ho called a hack and driving to a hotel had 
 her assigned to a room with instructions to have her 
 meals served therein — then he took a long walk, 
 during which he puffed a number of cigars into smoke 
 but without determining as to how he ought to dis- 
 charge the involuntary guardianship that had been 
 imposed upon him by fate; then he returned to the 
 hotel and sought Maleeta, but she could only suggest 
 a return to her tribe and the adoption into some other 
 family, a proposition that he could not for a moment 
 entertain — besides which she relied wholly upon him 
 for directiv^ns as to what course she should pursue, 
 and moreover as deeply grieved for the loss of her 
 father as if he had been more worthy of her affection. 
 
 That nigh t he remained up until a late hour, alone 
 in his room, invoking again the goddess Narcotta to 
 
TALES OF THE ST. LAWRENCE. 
 
 aid in solving the problem that had been thrust upon 
 him, and at length the way clear before him was seen, 
 as if by a flash of inspiration. With a light heart he 
 retired to rest, but arose again at an early hour and 
 obtaining a carriage was driven out of the city to the 
 excellent and popular convent school of Villa Maria. 
 Here he solicited and obtained an interview with the 
 Sister Superior, and relating to her all of the material 
 parts of his tale, obtained her consent to receiving 
 Maleeta as a pupil, and enlisted her interest and sym- 
 pathy in the attempt to instruct her in the arts and 
 graces of civilization. Not only this, but a kind- 
 hearted nun, at his solicitation, consented to call at 
 the hotel at an early hour and receive Maleeta, and 
 before conveying her to the Villa to provide her with 
 Buch an outfit as a young lady should possess. When 
 he returned and informed Maleeta of his plan for her 
 immediate future, she received the intelligence with 
 mingled feelings of delighted ambition and extreme 
 reluctance to accede to his proposition. Aware of her 
 ignorance pertaining to all of the usages of polite 
 society, and deeply sensitive of ridicule or reproof, 
 she reminded him of a wild bird that dared not be 
 domesticated. At last the argument and appeal, 
 that if she wished him to be her friend during life, 
 
MALEETA, THE RIVER WAIF. 68 
 
 and to bo where they could associate together, that 
 she must make the sacrifice of her feelings for the 
 present in deference to the future, she consented, and 
 when the nun called for her, appeared so much re- 
 assured by her frank and affectionate manner, a8 
 to bo half resigned at once to the loss of her liberty 
 and unrestrained freedom. 
 
 Our hero returned home at once — paragraphs con- 
 cerning his singular fancy for an adventure, and for- 
 tunate escape on the wrecked raft, wore going the 
 rounds of the journals ; but he was delighted to find 
 that not even his acquaintances had received an inti- 
 mation concerning Maleeta — that he resolved to main- 
 tain a secret until such a time as it might be necessary 
 to reveal a portion of the history of their acquaint- 
 ance. 
 
 From the Sister Superior of the school, he received 
 frequent communications concerning his ward and her 
 charge, for her sympathies had become very much 
 interested in the little waif of the St. Lawrence. The 
 first was, in regard to her christening — Maleeta had no 
 surname that was known, and must Ijave a Christian 
 Bame in the place of the one that she bore. She 
 would be pleased with any name that he would choose, 
 and the good lady suggested that her first name be 
 
64 TALES OF THE ST. LAWRENCE. 
 
 that of one of the Saints, and her last that of his own ; 
 but with courteous compliment this proposition he 
 rejected, and chose for her first name the pretty one 
 of Lurline, and for the last the historic one of Cartier 
 as the most aj^propriate that suggested itself. 
 
 The reports of the Superior were upon the whole 
 quite encouraging. Maleeta at first had been so timid 
 —even frightened at her new and strange surround- 
 ings and the curiosity and remarks that she excited 
 from the other pupils, that little could be done with 
 her, but they, at the solicitation of the Sisters and the 
 natural promptings of their sympathetic hearts, had 
 at length in a measure won her confidence, and partly 
 on account of her natural greatness of disposition, and 
 partly by reason of the daring that she exhibited in 
 their sports and recreations — especially in the maur 
 agement of the boats upon their miniature lake, upon 
 their swings and above^all in the rather unladylike 
 accompishment of climbing trees, in which she was 
 nearly as great an adept as a squirrel — was looked 
 upon and treated as quite a heroine. 
 
 After the lapse of a few months, business summoned 
 John Geary to XewYork, and then at once to Europe, 
 where, combined with pleasure, it detained him for two 
 and one half years. He had become familiar with the 
 
MALEETA, THE RIVER WAIF. 66t 
 
 gay capitals of tho old world ; again and again had ho 
 been for tho hour entranced with the world renowned 
 beauty of the maidonH of the sunny lands that he had 
 visited — the superb Spaniard — the etherial blue-eyed 
 Italian — the vivacious, affection challenging maids of 
 Paris, and while Muloeta was not altogether forgotten, 
 and it waa one of the fixed purposes of his life to never 
 be neglectful of her welfare, he sometimes wondered 
 at the fascination that she had once exercised over him, 
 and thought of her only as a little untutored Indian 
 maiden. « 
 
 It was during the first week of summer that he 
 sailed up the St. Lawrence upon his return home. As 
 its familiar banks and well-known hamlets came into 
 view, the vision of the old world grew more indistinct, 
 and the recollections of bygone years came floating 
 over the waters like notes from syren harp-strings. 
 As the steamship sped on, the brighter became the 
 remembrances, and coupled with them the desire to 
 behold Maleeta once more. He remembered that, 
 had sbe proven proficient in her studies, she would gra- 
 duate in a couple of weeks from that time, but this 
 he could not expect of one who was so very ignorant 
 as she when he had placed her at school. But if so, 
 again the troubling problem suggested itself to him — 
 
66 TALES OF THE ST. LAWRENCE. 
 
 what to do with her ? She could not always remain 
 at school — but the more ho reflected the further he 
 was from a determination. 
 
 Landed at Montreal, after lingering about the city 
 sufficiently long to convince himself that he was not 
 at all impatient to meet her, he proceeded to Villa 
 Maria. The Sister Superior welcomed him cordially 
 and awaited his inquiry before alluding to his 
 ward. 
 
 " Yes, Miss Cartier is quite well and has made very 
 gratifying progress. She was awarded a silver medal 
 at the close of the last term and would graduate very 
 creditably at the close of the present one. She was 
 now engaged at her music lesson — if he would proceed 
 to the room he could meet her. 
 
 He acquiesced, and a nun led the way. Ere crossing 
 the threshold he paused spell-bound, for a voice fell 
 upon his ears that was certainly unlike any that he 
 had before listened to, yet whose full and soft cadences, 
 as the singer, who accompanied herself upon the 
 piano-forte with fine judgment and effect, uncon- 
 sciously awoke the bewitehii.g spell that had held 
 him captive in by-gone years. And that lovely 
 brunette whose presence inspired him with reveren- 
 tial awe, who was the musician — ? He paused with 
 
MALE ETA, THE RIVER WAIF. " 67 
 
 the question only half mentally asked, for at that 
 moment she partly turned her head so as to obtain a 
 view of the new comers, when song and instrument at 
 once ceased and with a cry of delighted surprise she 
 sprang from her seat, and forgetful for the moment of 
 the conventional proprieties of the place, rushed 
 toward him with outstretched arms and his name 
 upon her lips, but when near him suddenly paused 
 in confusion, and with lowered eyes stood trembling 
 like a leaf in a storm. His cordial pressure and 
 moment's retention of her hand restored a portion of 
 her confidence, although she conversed with much 
 restraint during the short time that he remained. 
 
 When fate has become inevitable, why post^Dono the 
 result ? John Geary returned to his home, bat not 
 before he mentally solved the once vexing problem of 
 what disposition he should make of hiu ward. Before 
 the day of her graduation he returned to Montreal 
 and when it arrived, proudly beheld her receive high 
 honors. At the close of school he received her in his 
 carriage and drove away ; where she was going to she 
 had not asked but trusted everything to him with the 
 same blind confidence that had characterized their 
 acquaintance. 
 
 " Maleeta," he said, as he took a hand in his, as 
 
fi8 TALES OF THE ST. LAWRENCE. 
 
 they skirted the mountain and the broad St. Lawrence 
 burst upon their view, " Maleeta, I love you !" 
 
 She trembled a little, but her eyes were upturned 
 to his unflinchingly — 
 
 "If you did not," she replied, "I would not 
 live !" 
 
 He drew her towards him and for the first time 
 since he lay upon the river's bank unconscious, their 
 lips met. 
 
 Then after a pause of a few delicious moments^ he 
 continued, 
 
 " Do not delay our happiness ; be mine this day !" 
 
 " You are fearfully impatient," she returned ; 
 " perhaps just a little bit jealous of the civilized 
 world of which I have seen so little, but I have never 
 refused to do as you thought was best!" 
 
 Anr" so they were united. They reside in one of the 
 chief of the Canadian cities, and she is a belle whose 
 claim none dare dispute. Iler history and origin are 
 known to but a email circle of friends — society 
 admires Mrs. Lurline Geary, but to her husband she 
 is ever Maleeta. 
 

A COUNTRY LOST FOR A LOVE. 
 
 The destinies of nations like those of individuals, 
 are often decided by circumstances that of themselves 
 appear but the most trivial in character, as the course 
 of an incipient river is changed by a trifling obstacle 
 
 in its way. And when fate has seemed to deviate from 
 the natural path, in history, it is safe to assume that 
 in a majority of cases the immediate cause may bo found 
 in the influence, so often all-controlling, of the " tender 
 passion." The devotion of rival lovers to Cleopatra for 
 
12 TALES OF THE ST. LA WRENCE. 
 
 awhile threatened to materially alter the map of the 
 world — to the loves of Henry the Eighth are due the 
 "reformation" in England — devoted gallantry to the 
 fair Queen of France is supposed to have lost both 
 his life and kingdom to James of Scotland — the beau- 
 tiful Thais was able to bring Alexander, the conque- 
 st 
 rorofthe world, to her feet and to dictate the fate of 
 
 empires — the conspiracy of Cataline, as well as its dis- 
 covery, was OTving to the "rosy god" — the devotion 
 of Elizabeth to Courtney probably changed the suc- 
 cession, and with it we know not how greatly the 
 destiny of England — the attachment of Mary for Riz- 
 zio had undoubtedly much to do with the fate of Scot- 
 land — but why multiply instances to prove that if 
 love had much to do with the history of Canada and 
 in securing the downfall of the power of the French 
 and the establishment of that of the English, that in 
 this instance the New World but borrowed a feature 
 from the Old ? 
 
 The individual in question who was the chief in- 
 strument of Cupid in this interference in the domain 
 of Mars, was Captain Eobert Stobo, whose career wa« 
 perhaps as singular and romantic as that of any ad- 
 venturer in the field of arms, that can be cited. He 
 was attached to the Virginia Volunteers, commanded 
 
 . \ 
 
A COUNTRY LOST FOR A LOVE. 73 
 
 ty "Washington, during the war of 1754. In an expe- 
 dition sent to drive the French from the disputed ter- 
 ritory of Ohio, a considerable body of French Militia 
 was encountered, under the command of M. de Ju- 
 monville, who, under the cover of a flag of truce, 
 advanced in company with a number of others, to 
 hold a parley with the Americans. Either through the 
 treachery of some of Washington's subordinates or by 
 reason of some confusion of orders, the French were 
 fired upon and the commander and several of his at- 
 tendants slain. This event created great Indignation 
 among the French which no apologies or explanation 
 could modify, the act being regarded as a deliberate 
 murder. Not far from the locality of this tragedy 
 was an English Fort known as Necessity, which was 
 garrisoned by about five hundred men. This position 
 the French soon afterward attacked, and after a brisk 
 engagement captured, together with its entire garri- 
 son. A truce was then entered into, the articles being 
 signed on the part of the Colonists by "Washington. 
 By these they were to give two hostages to the French 
 to be retained as a guarantee that it should be observed. 
 One of these was Captain Stobo, who was taken to 
 Fort Duquesne and there retained in custody. He 
 was a person of remarkable tact, great daring and 
 
74 TALES OF THE ST. LA WRENCE. 
 
 considerable ability, and although under restraint, 
 sought +o serve his country in e 7ery manner, however 
 dangerous it might be, that lay in his power. Learn- 
 ing of the expedition of the ill-fiited Braddock against 
 Duquesne, he continued to forward to him communi- 
 cations giving him much valuable information con- 
 cerning the strength of the French, and also a map 
 of the route and diagram of the Fort. Previous to the 
 advance of this General, however, Stobo was removed 
 to Quebec. Here he was permitted, upon giving his 
 ■parole, to enjoy the freedom of the city and its vicinity. 
 In this spot, separated thus from friends and kind- 
 red, it is not to bo wondered that the prisoner should 
 j5nd the days drag wearily along, or that, being a 
 person of very prepossessing manner and appearance, 
 he should seek, and become quite a favorite in the 
 somewhat limited society of the place, and that he 
 came to be regarded as more of a friend than as an 
 hostage of the enemy. This was not all, for it was 
 not long ere the adventurous Captain made s conquest 
 and w^as engaged in an intrigue with one of the fairest 
 residents of the place. "VYhom she was cannot be 
 stated, for Stobo very honorably refused ever after 
 to betray her secret and the error into which she had 
 been led by the tender passion, but tradition alludes to 
 
A COUNTRY LOST FOR A LOVE. 76 
 
 her as a native of France, of witching personal 
 charms and the wife of a French officer who was at 
 the time absent upon duty in a distant part of the pro- 
 vince. In this, tradition is probably connect, us it is 
 certain that she must have been not only a person of 
 some influence and with a reputation to preserve, but 
 one who could obtain access to the military works of 
 the post. How deeply he became enamoured of her, 
 further than that he 'took advantage of the deep pas- 
 sion with which he had inspired her, does not appear 
 save from the earnest desire that he manifested to re- 
 turn to Quebec after leaving it in the manner to be 
 related. 
 
 That the lovers should have had some difficulty in 
 arranging private meetings is not strange, but this, 
 her knowledge of the vicinity soon served to over- 
 come. She informed him of the existence of a single 
 path leading from the summit of the Plains of Abra- 
 ham to the water's edge, and this spot was for a time 
 their rendezvous. All progressed well with the 
 couple until the defeat of Braddock, when among his 
 papers were found the letters, maps and charts of 
 Stobo forwarded while he was detained at Fort 
 Duquesne. For thus violating the laws of war he 
 was at once arrested, thrown into prison, and con- 
 
76 TALES OF THE ST. LAWRENCE. 
 
 demned to be executed as a spy. But this death ho 
 was not doomed to suffer, for by means of assistance 
 afforded by his fair inamorata, he affected his escape 
 from prison on a tempestuous night and during the 
 prevalence of a violent thunder storm, yet he waa 
 re-captured and again confined. His fair rescuer did 
 not cease her efforts in his behalf, but with unexcelled 
 devotion again afforded him the means of freeing 
 himself from restraint, together with a small number 
 of companions, in captivity. In bark canoes they 
 floated from the city under the cover of night, thus 
 journeying with the tide and by their vigilance 
 eluding pursuers. When a considerable distance 
 down the river, they encountered an upward-bound 
 sailing vessel, and by a gallant act of daring, com- 
 bined with skillful strategy, succeeded in making a 
 prize of it. From thence in it they journeyed to 
 Halifax where their arrival was warmly welcomed. 
 Here for a while we loose sight of Captain Stobo^ 
 while the agency by which he succeeded in effecting 
 his escape from his jailors remained undiscovered. 
 
 In the year 1759, and month of June, an expedition! 
 composed of about nine thousand men and fifty veS" 
 sels of war manned by fifteen thousand sailors, under 
 the command of General James Wolfe and Admiral 
 
A COUNTRY LOST FOR A LOVE. 77 
 
 Saunders, arrived in front of Quebec without meeting 
 with opposition in passing up the river. The troops 
 were at once landed and the place invested, although 
 the ardor of the besiegers was somewhat modified by 
 the unexpected natural strength of the position which 
 was manned by a force equal in numerical strength 
 to that of the assailants, although it was not nearly 
 as well disciplined, armed or equipped. The conduct 
 of the siege is too much a matter of historical record 
 to be recounted here — suffice it to say that the sum- 
 mer passed away in the vain attempt to force a capi- 
 tulation, for although the town was badly injured by 
 English shot and shell, the fortifications remained as 
 strong as at first. The heights were impregnable in 
 front and apparently inaccessible at the sides and 
 rear — the vessels, if brought into action were com- 
 pelled by the shallowness of the water to proceed up 
 the main channel where they received the fire of the 
 batteries on the heights that were safe from their fire 
 — troops could not be landed to assault the Fi'ench 
 position between the St. Charles river and the Falls 
 of Montmorenci, and at every point the English were 
 baffled, while their enemies rested in fancied security. 
 The leaders were having the conclusion forced upon 
 them that success was impossible and nothing re- 
 
78 TALES OF THE ST. LAWRENCE. 
 
 mained to do but to abandon tho enterprise, re-em* 
 bark tho army and confess themselves vanquished. 
 This was the condition of affairs, when, in tho early- 
 part of the month of September, tho General and 
 Admiral commanding held a consultation at night 
 aboard of the Flag-Ship, to which the principal offi- 
 cers of the army and fleet were invited. This was at 
 night — the purpose to devise if possible, some plan 
 that promised success, or that being imiiossiblo, to 
 decide upon the abandonment of the enterprise. 
 
 The suggestions offered wore few and those pro- 
 nounced impracticable, for nearly all had formed the 
 opinion that the further prosecution of the siege was 
 useless, yet waited to have this suggestion come first 
 from their leader. At length for a few moments 
 silence reigned throughout the cabin whore they were 
 gathered — the Admiral restlessly paced the floor — 
 each subordinate read the verdict " failure" in the 
 eyes and countenances of his companions, while the 
 searching gaze of Wolfe rested upon each of the 
 others, as if to divine their thoughts ere he spoke. 
 
 The silence at length became painfully embarrass- 
 ing to all — Wolfe aroused himself from his meditation 
 and was about to speak, when there sounded a knock 
 at the door. 
 
A COUNTRY LOST FOR A LOVE. 79 
 
 In obcdicnco to bummons, a potty officer entorod 
 and prcHonted a communication to Wolfo, endorsed 
 "Privnte and very important." 
 
 The General liastily opened and perused it — then 
 addi'essin<^ the Admiral, he said, 
 
 " Here is a letter from some one signing himself 
 Ca])tain Eobert Stobo, stating that he is very familiar 
 with the vicinity of Quebec, having been 'detained as 
 an hostage there, and has highly important informa- 
 tion to communicate." 
 
 " Where is he at present?" inquired the Admiral, 
 manifesting considerable interest. 
 
 " He is now aboard of the vessel," wan the reply — 
 " shall we listen to what he has to relate ?" 
 
 " By all means — summon him." 
 
 The new comer soon entered — in person ho was 
 tall, dark comploxioned and withal of handsome mien 
 and easy and self-possessed manner. 
 
 The General and Admiral received him courteous- 
 ly, although formally. 
 
 The eye of Captain Stobo took in at a glance the 
 ^ nature of the conference that was in progress, as he 
 waited to be addressed. 
 
 " You have informed me, Captain Stobo," said 
 Wolfe, " that you have important information to 
 impart concerning the defences of Quebec.'* 
 
80 TALES OF THE ST. LAWRENCE. 
 
 " Yes, General," was the quiet reply, " or rather I 
 should perhaps state that it pertains to the manner 
 of approaching f. em." 
 
 " Are you aware, then, of any means promising 
 success that have not yet been tried ?" asked the 
 commandant, with considerable interest manifested 
 in his tone: 
 
 " You are aware," returned Stobo, " that I was for 
 a number of months a resident of Quebec, held there 
 as an hostage, but permitted the freedom of th« town 
 and its environs on parole. I thus became familiar 
 with every locality in its vicinity, and learning of 
 your unsuccessful attempts to reduce .le place, I 
 have journeyed here overland from Halifax in order 
 to place my knowledge at your disposal. Your de- 
 sire, I have no doubt, is to obtain such a position 
 with your forces that the enemy will be compelled 
 to give battle on equal terms ; am I right?" 
 
 " You are," was the reply, " and thisjhas thus far 
 been found wholly impossible ; their position upon both 
 sides of the river St. Charles is apparently in- 
 acessible." , 
 
 " Apparently, only, general. I am quite confident 
 I can auggest a plan to you by which this may be 
 done, or in the event of a failure, but little loss of 
 
« 
 
 A COUNTRY LOST FOR A LOVE. 81 
 
 either men or prestige will be incurred, unless you 
 
 sufier defeat in fair fight." 
 
 " Then proceed," said Wolfe, " and unfold your 
 
 plan." 
 
 " Excuse me. General," returned Stobo, " but it is not 
 
 advi.sable that the plan which I have to submit should 
 
 be known to any save yourself ar.d the Admiral. This 
 is but a measure of common prudence ; when this council 
 has adjourned, I will, if you so desire, confer alone 
 with you two." 
 
 This proposal was acceeded to and the council soon 
 dismissed. Then, seated alone with Wolfe and 
 Saunders, Stobo produced a carefully drawn map of 
 the environs of Quebec, showing upon it the Plains of 
 Abraham, and from them, leading to the water's edge, 
 the path by means of which he had once effected meet- 
 ings with his fair captive. lie then proceeded to 
 explain the feasibility of the ascent by a largo number 
 of troops, in a well executed movement by night, and 
 to urge the adoption of the plan. 
 
 The boldness and singularity of the proposal both 
 charmed and startled his two auditors — landing an 
 army in boats by night and ascending from the beach 
 to the plain in single file by means of a " lover's path," 
 certaihly appeared too chimerical to bo approved by 
 
82 TALES OF THE ST. LAWRENCE. 
 
 experienced commanders, but yet they could not deny 
 that it appeared wholly feasible, and that the chances 
 were greatly in favor of its success, and the longer 
 the project was considered, the more it recommended 
 itself for adoption. 
 
 . The conference was a prolonged one, and ere it was 
 concluded the day had dawned. At length, Wolfe, 
 arousing himself from protracted meditation in which 
 his acute and practical mind had considered the project 
 in all of its details, said to Saunders : — 
 
 *' Admiral, I am disposed to try it — what is your 
 decision ?" 
 
 " The responsibility rests with you. General," was 
 the reply, "and I will neither urge nor dissuade you." 
 
 " Then we will do it!" said the General, as he arose 
 to depart — " the details will be arranged before I again 
 sleep." 
 
 The rest is known to history — the well executed 
 manoeuvres of the army anO fleet to deceive the enemy 
 as to the object in view — the stirring address of Wolfe 
 to his troops — the energy of Admiral Saunders in co- 
 operating with him and in landing the forces — the 
 complete surprise of the few guards at the summit of 
 the hil) guarding the path, their commander, so little 
 was an attack expected, being captured in bed— and 
 
A COUNTRY LOST FOR A LOVE, 
 
 83 
 
 the unobstructed ascent of five thousand men, whom 
 at sun-rise on that eventful morning of September 13th 
 were ranged in line of bat- 
 tle on the level Plains of 
 Abraham in the rear of the 
 town. Nor need I tell of 
 the chivalrous although 
 rash conduct of theFrench 
 commander, Montcalm, in 
 hastening from his en- 
 trenchments to give battle 
 nor of the brief although 
 sanguinary struggle that 
 ensued, in which both of 
 the heroic contestant commanders sacrificed their 
 lives, and Oanada was lost forever to France. Nor 
 can I tell whether Captain Stobo again met his fair 
 inamorata whose passion for him had been the means 
 of loosing so important a colony to her King, nor 
 whether she ever regretted that she had lost a country 
 for a love. Her fate and future history are shrc ied 
 in oblivion. 
 
 The important service rendered by Stobo was fully 
 acknowledged, and in the year 1760 the Congress of 
 New England manifested its sense of the importance 
 
84 
 
 TALES OT THE ST. LAWRENCE. 
 
 of it by voting him a reward of one thousand pounds. 
 
 After the fall of Quebec, he proceeded to Virginia, 
 
 and in the year 1760 journeyed to England as the 
 
 bearer of letters from Gen. Moncton, recommending 
 
 him to the favor of the government. These secured 
 
 him a commission as Captain in the fifteenth regiment 
 
 of foot, with which he returned to America in 1*762. 
 
 In 1Y67 his regiment was sent to the "West Indies, and 
 
 three years later he resigned from the army and 
 
 took up his abode in England, but death closed his very 
 
 romantic and eventful career before the expiration 
 
 of that year. 
 
\¥ f #1^ fe% 
 
THE TEIPLE MISTAKE. 
 
 Chapter i. 
 
 It was upon one of the brightest days of Summer 
 that "Wilbert Eoscoe was strolling for the first time 
 through that old and quaint yet active and enterpris- 
 ing city of Montreal. A city nestling in a compara- 
 tive wilderness of surrounding, that from its appear- 
 ance you might easily fancy to be an old European 
 town ; from the tops of whose lofty spires can be seen 
 on all Biut., , circling forests dotted with towns and 
 hamlets. The waters of the mighty river in whose 
 embrace it rests approach it, dashing, seething and 
 bounding, in uncontrollable, savage glee, seeming to 
 sport with the huge boulders that rest in its bed ; but 
 when surprised by the sudden appearance of a magni- 
 ficent city, that rises as if invoked by the genius of 
 civilization from the solitude of nature, the waters 
 seem awed by the view, and wondoringy pause to 
 contemplate it, and are borne on murmuring words 
 of admiration until their voices are* drowned in the 
 hoarse surges of the Atlantic. A city whose magni- 
 
* 
 
 88 TALES OF THE ST. LAWRENCE. 
 
 ficent squares of cut-stone contrast with streets of low, 
 whitewashed dwellings — a place but a few hours' ride 
 from the great commercial centres of the United 
 States, in which a foreign language is very generally 
 spoken, where news-boys cry their calls in French, and 
 policemen and hackmen are frequently found as 
 ignorant of the English tongue as they might be 
 expected to be in Paris. 
 
 Pausing before an imposing edifice, the cathedral of 
 Notre Dame, that raised its towering spires toward 
 the heavens whose sunlight rays fell upon its sloping 
 roofs and were scattered in showers of light over the 
 passers-by, many of whom felt that it was especially 
 blest by having kissed the brows of the statued saints 
 who occupy niches in its towers — pausing to contem- 
 plate the massive cathedral, he entered one of its 
 doors that in the day are always open. 
 
 A '^ough by nature and education little apt to be 
 impressed by any of the objects which met his view, 
 yet as he gazed around the vast interior with its im- 
 posingly decorated altar, its paintings and statuary, 
 the niches of saints before many of which knelt silent 
 worshippers — the whole viewed by the mellow light 
 that penetrated the stained glass windows, produced 
 a powerful dramatic effect upon his mind. 
 
TBE TRIPLE MISTAKE. 89 
 
 Passing slowly around through the aisles near the 
 walls, observing each object intended to inspire 
 awe and create veneration on the pqrt of worshippers, 
 his eyes rested at length upon a figure standing near 
 him in a spot between the marble statues of a 
 couple of martyred saints. A waxen imago of 
 some gentle St. Cecilia he deemed it. The face was 
 wondrous fair, the masterpiece of some eminent 
 moulder, he thought, and knew that the luxuriant 
 tresses that crowned her head must have been the 
 offering of and shorn from some fair devotee to adorn 
 the image of her patroness. The figure inclined 
 slightly forwai'd as though the attitude was that of 
 meditation, and an open sleeve disclosed an arm of 
 exquisite mould, while the hand reposed upon her 
 breast, holding the mantle that enveloped her form. 
 
 " What mortal," he reflected,", could have rivalled his 
 Maker in conceiving and moulding a form of such 
 divine beauty ? Fair image of a gentle Saint, I know 
 know not whose name you bear, but no worshipper 
 ever offered more fervent homage than I, as I kneel 
 before you shrine, for to me thou shalt be the goddess 
 of beauty 1" 
 
 In imitation of the worshippers around, he bent his 
 
 knee reverentially before it, but, unlike them, raised 
 
 Q 
 
90 TALES OF THE ST. LAWRENCE. 
 
 his eyes to its face. With a sudden and surprised move- 
 ment, the figure retreated a coui^le of paces backward. 
 
 In great astonishment he sprang to his feet. What 
 could it mean ? Was it some ingenious contrivance — 
 an automaton figure ? No, for a simple glance revealed • 
 it all. The hand had fallen to its side and its eyes 
 were bent upon him in supreme wonderment 1 The 
 supposed imago Avas a living, beautiful reality — a 
 visitor to the consecrated spot like himself, whom he 
 had surprised in deep meditation and fancied an in- 
 animate being! Before he could recover from his 
 surprise sufficiently to attempt to apologise, she 
 turned and hastened away. 
 
 Leaving the cathedral he wandered listlessly 
 through the streets for a couple of hours, his thoughts 
 occupied with the strange adventure that he had met 
 with, his singular mistake and the lovely face of the 
 unknown. i 
 
 During the remainder of the. period of his sojourn 
 in the city, which was considerably prolonged by the 
 hope, which he dare not fully own even to himself, of 
 again beholding the one whom he had so surprised 
 and startled, he paced the streets until weary — day by 
 day, visited the cathedral, feeling that there was some 
 intangible affinity existing between her and the only ^ 
 
THE TRIPLE MISTAKE. 91 
 
 spot that ho could associate with licr presence drove 
 over, a^ain and afi:ain, the roads through the pictures- 
 que region surrounding tlie city and frequented ])hiees 
 of amusement, but was never rewarded by behold- 
 ing her. His persistent search, although unavailing, 
 seemed to but add zest to the infatuation that con- 
 trolled him. Ilis manner became abstracted. At 
 night, in dreams he knelt before her inanimate form 
 and made protestations of love, when, as before, she 
 would seem to be at once animated with life, only to 
 gaze upon him again in sm'prise and vanish from his 
 sight. 
 
 " What can she have thought of me ?" was his con- 
 stantly self-propounded question — " It is not possible 
 that she suspected the truth. Did she fancy me a re- 
 ligious fanatic, or imagine that I intended anything 
 disrespectful to her ? Or, still worse, has she forgotten 
 the affair altogether, and refused to think of me at all ?" 
 
 At length, fully resolved to dispel the hallucination 
 that 2508sessed him, he fixed a day for his departure. 
 It was in the early morn succeeding, for he had accept- 
 ed for that evening an invitation to attend a fashion- 
 able party at the residence of friends with whom 
 he had become quite intimate. 
 
 Evening arrived, and as he alighted from his car- 
 
ff2 TALES OF THE ST. LAWRENCE. 
 
 riage, the parlors were already filled with guests. 
 Welcomed with true English cordiality, he soon felt 
 at ease as one of the brillant assemblage. 
 
 " My dearEoscoe," said the affable host, at the same 
 time taking his arm, "you will not refuse a glass of 
 wine ? Some just sent over to me, and I would like 
 your opinion of it," and he led the way to an adjoin- 
 ing room where a table was loaded with as choice 
 wines as ever crowned the goblet. 
 
 "Mr. Eoscoe," spoke the smiling hostess, a few 
 moments later, " will you please me by taking wine 
 with me?" 
 
 " Come Wilbert,". said the eldest son, soon after he 
 was again disengaged, "you have not tried my brand 
 of wine yet." 
 
 Eeturned to the parlors, one in whom ho felt 
 a more particular interest approached him. The only 
 daughter of his host — a star of beauty that shone 
 res ">lendent in the brilliant constellation before him ; 
 whoae curls, dark as night, fell upon shoulders fair as 
 morn's brightest ray. 
 
 " Why, Wilbert, wher^ have you been so long ?" 
 she asked, with a half-reproachful glance as she placed 
 her hand upon his arm; "you can think of some 
 pretty excuse while I pour you a glass of wine," and 
 
THE TRIPLE MISTAKE. ©ft 
 
 she led the way to the apartment previously alluded 
 ta 
 
 " My dear Minnie," he said, raising the proffered 
 glass, brimming with sparkling nectar, "your un- 
 bounded Canadian hospitality is certainly playing 
 havoc with my strict temperance principles ; yet if 
 the goblet contained a deadly draught, I could not 
 refuse it from your hand. It could scarce be more 
 fatal than those eyes " 
 
 He paused. Through the open doorway he beheld 
 a form, the sight of which seemed for a moment to 
 suspend his very life ! It was the young lady — the 
 fair unknown of the cathedral I The goblet fell from 
 his upraised hand, and was shivered to atoms upon the 
 carpet. 
 
 His fair companion regarded him in amazement, 
 wondering if the wine was already producing an un- 
 pleasant effect upon her friend. 
 
 "Pardon me I'"' he exclaimed, recovering himself 
 by a mighty effort — " and forgive me for regarding 
 you more than the wine 1" 
 
 " I really believe that you did it so as to have an 
 opportunity of paying me an exaggerated compli- 
 ment," she rejoined, handing him another goblet of* 
 wine, in which her health was pledged. 
 
94 TALES OF THE ST. LAWRENCE. 
 
 " By the way," he inquired when they were onco 
 more in the parlors, affecting indifference, " who is 
 that young lady ojiposite to us, now engaged in con- 
 "Versation with that naval officer ?" 
 
 It need hardly be explained that he alluded to the 
 fair unknown — his " patron saint," as he had learned 
 to think of her. 
 
 " That," was the reply, " is the young Italian coun- 
 tess— Yittoria Daungelia." 
 
 " An Italian countess in Montreal ?" 
 
 " Yes ; her father, a nobleman of distinction was 
 obliged to flee from his country a few years ago, in 
 consequence of engaging in an unsuccessful revolu- 
 tionary movement. They have since resided in the 
 city. I will introduce you." 
 
 The countess received him very affably, yet he 
 could not but observe a look of surprise beaming from 
 her eyes, that she was unable to conceal, as she re- 
 cognized him as the participator in the adventure at 
 the cathedral. Minnie with the most delicate tact 
 soon monopolized the attention of the naval officer, 
 and AYilbert and the countess were left together. 
 
 The night wore on, and he seemed to be almost a 
 fixture by her side. The contretemps of the dlthedral 
 he had full opportunity to explain, his statement 
 
THE TRIPLE MISTAKE. 95 
 
 being received with an air of laughing incredulity at 
 first, but when she became convinced of its truth, 
 with a delicate flush of warm blood in her cheeks that 
 caused her to appear two-fold more lovely. As he 
 gazed into the depths of her eyes, bright with the 
 hue of the sunny sky of her native Italy, listene^l to 
 her voice that had grown melodious in infancy speak - 
 ing the sweetest language ever known to human cars, 
 and almost Bcemed to tread upon air as he glided 
 through the waltz or moved through the mazes of the 
 dance with her, the subtle spell that at their first 
 meeting had been cast around his heart, was woven 
 so firmly that no power, he felt, could exorcise it. 
 
 Although fully appreciating the delicacy of his 
 position on so brief an acquaintance, there seemed to 
 him a bond of sympathy existing between them from 
 the first, and he managed to convey to her more than 
 an intimation of his passion, ancT even dared to hope 
 that he had inspired her vyith a regard for him which 
 would ripen into an attachment r^s fervent as his own. 
 
 When ihQ small hours of the night were with them 
 and the time for the departure of the guests drew 
 ' near, he contrived to lead her to a window apart from 
 the throng, where the falling curtains nearly screen- 
 ed them from sight. Gazing forth into the heavens 
 
96 TALES OF THE Sl\ LAWRENCE. 
 
 they saw that but a single star of the countless num- 
 bers that lately studded its canopy, was visible. The 
 air of the morning, laden Trith the sweets stolen from 
 the flowers as they slept, fanned them and seemed to 
 him zephyrs wafted by hope from the Elysian isles of 
 love, and afar oif, the winding river was seen, while 
 its never silent voice was faintly hoard. 
 
 He took her unresisting hand, and in a low tone, 
 trembling with unfeigned emotion, said : 
 
 "You must pardon my words or else forget. Can 
 you have divined the secret of the regard with which 
 you have inspired me — which caused me to at first 
 worship your beauty, thei: to seek unceasingly for 
 you, and now to feel that if you despise me for this, 
 that all that is dear in life will have passed away ?" 
 
 Her eyes were cast down, and he fancied that the 
 hand that he held so tenderly in his trembled, but 
 she gave him no reply. 
 
 " My life," he continued, " like yonder sky, has but 
 one light to illumine its solitude. Must that one, 
 with the coming morn, fade away ?" 
 
 She spoke not, but was as motionless as when he 
 first beheld her in the cathedral, yet a truant tear 
 escaped from her drooping eye-lashes and fell upon his 
 hand, where it sparkled, brighter and more precious 
 
THE TRIPLE MISTAKE. 97 
 
 to him than if lighted by* the radiance of all the dia- 
 monds man ever beheld I A tear — and for him! 
 His eyes seemed fascinated, and could look but where 
 it fell. Hope was buoyant in his heart atnd promised 
 success. But they wore destined to be interrupted 
 ere she spoke. A number of others, not aware of 
 their presence, wore approaching. Hastily with- 
 drawing her hand, she turned away to meet them. 
 
 The guests had commenced to depart, when " A 
 song by the Countess Daungelia," requested some one, 
 and a generally expressed wish echoed it. 
 
 Offering his arm, Wilbert Eoscoe escorted her to. 
 the piano. 
 
 Without a word she selected from a pile of music 
 sheets, the simple song, whose melody is familiar to 
 all, of " Kathleen Mavourheen." 
 
 Her voice, had it fallen upon the ears of the public, 
 would have justly entitled her to rank as one of the 
 " Queens of Song," and ere ohe had uttered the words 
 of a line, every sound was hushed and every ear 
 eagerly listened. But there was a something in her 
 tone — a spell thai; she was horself unaware of, and 
 which at least one of her hearers knew was not to be 
 attributed to artistic excellence, however perfect that 
 might be j a something that combined with the mag- 
 
98 TALES OF THE ST. LAWREl^GE. 
 
 retic glance from her eyes that met his, was to Wil- 
 bert Roscoe the answer to his passionate appeal. In 
 notes of song her soul confessed its attachment, re- 
 proved him for striving to encom*age it, and decreed 
 his absolute refusal ! With what full meaning the 
 words were sung, 
 
 " And hast thou forgotten how soon we must sever, 
 And hast thou forgotten how soon we must part ? 
 It may be for years and it may be forever I" ■ 
 
 he too well understood ! 
 
 She ceased. A moment of silence and then a spoji- 
 taneous burst of applause greeted her. But one 
 tongue was silent in showering praises upon her, and 
 that was Wilbert's. As if in a trance he sat, with the 
 tones of her voice still lingering in his ears, and send- 
 ing warm blood in quick pulsations to his heart. He 
 moved not until most of the guests had departed, and 
 Vittoria Daungelia was in the hall, arrayed for de- 
 parture, with her carriage in waiting. 
 
 " Wilbert," said his lovely fri id Minnie, approach- 
 ing him and placing a hand upon his shoulder," are 
 you not going to bid the Countess Daungelia good 
 night ? You have almost monopolized her this even- 
 ing. She is lingering in the hall, I more than half 
 believe for you ! " 
 
THE TRIPLE MISTAKE. 99 
 
 '^ Thanks for your reminder," ho rejoined, 8tal"ting 
 up from liis reverie, and proceeding to where tho 
 young countess was lingering under a .protenco of 
 arranging her attire for departure. 
 
 Her eyes brightened as she observed him approach, 
 but she seemed to studiously repress any other indi- 
 cation of pleasure at again beholding him. 
 
 He offered his arm, which to the chagrin of a 
 number of envious gallants in waiting, was accepted, 
 and conducted her to the street. 
 
 They paused upon tho walk. He felt that he could 
 not depart from her thus, and in desperation seized 
 her hand and exclaimed : 
 
 "Vittoria — dear Vittoria ! will you coldly deny 
 me, dismiss me without hope, never to meet you 
 again ? " 
 
 She was not now silent. Her reply came quickly, 
 melodiously and, he fancied, sadly, as she clasped his 
 hand with both of hers, but was spoken in her native 
 language, Italian, not a word of which he understood. 
 They were in the shadow of the mansion and the 
 expression of her eyes he could not read, but her 
 words, he felt, were but another denial. Slowly he 
 laised her hand to his lips, mechanically assisted her 
 into the carriage and sadly tui-ned away. 
 
100 TALES OF THE ST. LAWRENCE. 
 
 A» the carriage moved, ho fancied that he obser- 
 ved a handkerchief fluttering in the faint light, very 
 close to her eyes, and listened tb the sound of the 
 carriage wheels until each block of pavement 
 announced its passage with yet fainter voice, all 
 dying at last together in silence, and felt that not 
 even the air would again bear him a message from 
 her, dull and ominous though it might be. 
 
 He retraced his steps into the mansion. All of 
 the guests save himself had departed. Minnie await- 
 ed his return. The fatigue of the night had but 
 added a delicate languor to her appearance that but 
 added an additional charm to her beauty. 
 
 "Well, Wilbert," she commenced, somewhat 
 coquettishly, " you must have indulged in a very 
 serious flirtation with my particular friend, the 
 charming young countess, for I really began to fear 
 that you had forgotten mo altogether, and would not 
 even return to bid me good night ! " 
 
 " I hope not," he returned, " and also that you will 
 forgive me for lingering outside until you were alone, 
 instead of bidding you farewell while there were 
 others present." 
 
 " Perhaps I may forgive you," she replied, a gentle 
 anticipative blush mantling her features, as she toyed 
 
THE TRIPLE Ml STAKE. 101 
 
 with her fan, appearing surprisingly lovely mean- 
 while, and motioning to a servant who appeared in the 
 distance to close the folding doors that soiiarated the 
 two parlors, thus securing them from all interruption. 
 " But," she continued, " you were so very attentive 
 to her this evening that I am pardonable for fearing 
 that she might have carried you off bodily." 
 
 " Did I appear so vor}'^ attentive ?" * 
 
 " Attentive !" she replied, in pretty astonishment, 
 " infatuated is the better word for it. All must have 
 noticed the young American paying court to one 
 entitled to wear a coronet !" » 
 
 Ah, my pretty Minnie, little did you dream what 
 a pang each silver word of yours carried to the heart 
 of your listener. 
 
 " But I will not tease you any more about her," 
 she continued, " as you are to depart so soon, if you 
 will promise not to wholly forget me 1" 
 
 They were seated together upon a sofa and she was 
 very near to him. As she made this last remark, 
 she bent still nearer, her dark curls almost touched 
 his arm, and her upturned lips, almost trembling in 
 anticipation of what might hnppen, were as tempt- 
 ing as were ever lips crowned with temptations I 
 
 Why will he allow the phantom that beckons only 
 
102 TALES OF THE ST. LAWRENCE. 
 
 to despair to allure him from a fato that promises only- 
 bliss, and which many men would risk life and all 
 for ? Those can answer who have truly loved. The 
 words of Vittoria's song seemed to echo from tho 
 walls and repeat .their kind yet cruel meaning. 
 
 " How idle for you to imagine that I could ever 
 forget you," he replied; but it is so late that lam 
 sure you wish me gone." 
 
 Ho arose, and she accompanied him to tho door of 
 the roofn. 
 
 He took her hand — her eyes wore bent down- 
 Wards. " Good bye, Minnie 1" 
 
 There was a moment's silence. His memory was 
 free from tho remembrance of vows or declaration of 
 fervent affection made to her, yet he could not but 
 feel that this manner of parting was not expected, 
 and with some reason, by her ; and he reflected how 
 diiferent all might have been had there been no meet- 
 ing with Yittoria Daungelia. 
 
 He felt something fall upon his hand. It was a 
 tear! Another tear! How strange it was — one an 
 hour before because he told of his love — one now 
 •'because of his coldness ! Both caused by the pain ot 
 hearts that knew but truth and sincerity. 
 
 "Wilbertl" 
 
THE TRIPLE MISTAKE. 103 
 
 Tho tone was ropvonchfiil, the voice trembled, her 
 lips were upturned. 
 
 Can you blame him ? Tho next moment his arm • 
 encircled her form, her head rested upon his shoulder, 
 and his lips clung to hers I 
 
 He descended the steps of tho mansion feeling very- 
 much like a thief who had borne away with him a 
 precious treasure, and culpably miserable. Ho had 
 professed a love that he was far from entertaining, to 
 one whom he highly esteemed and who was worthy 
 of the purest affection that earth could bestow, and 
 one who doubted not his sincerity. 
 
 Venturing a look back as he was passing out of 
 sight, ho observed her still peering into the darkness 
 to watch his retreating form. ^ 
 
 Por the first time he felt that he had forfeited the 
 right to love a pure-hearted girl. Within a few 
 minutes he had parted from the one wRoso love, he 
 had vowed, was all that he cared to live for, and held 
 in his arms and taken sweet kisses from tho lips of 
 another whose heart he had felt throbbing wildly 
 against his own I 
 
104 TALES OF THE ST. LAWRENCE. 
 
 CHAPTEE II. 
 
 A couple of months later and we find Wilbert Eoscoe 
 at home and alone in his study. The night is far 
 advanced. The hands of the clock point warningly 
 to the hour, and as the stillness of the night wears 
 on unbroken, its voice seems to sound louder and 
 louder, uttering its monotonous ticking as though to 
 call his attention to the fact. 
 
 For a long time he has sat with his head bowed 
 and resting upon his hands. Now with a sudden start 
 he rises, and his footsteps break the silence as he 
 restlessly paces the floor. 
 
 On the desk before which he is sitting, lies a 
 delicately written missive on the smallest and most 
 finely tinted of sheets. Taking advantage of our 
 invisible presence we will peruse it, and in it find the 
 solution of his apparent indecision and irresolution. 
 
 Montreal, —186— 
 
 Dearest Wilbert: — Aft^r waiting so very long a time 
 for aline from you, all the while being fearful that 
 my last one never reached you, I received your brief 
 one this morning. I was delighted at first — almost 
 as much as I would have been had it been yourself 
 instead of the postman that called ; but since reading 
 it— and, dear Wilbert, I have read it over very many 
 
TEE TRIPLE MISTAKE. 105 
 
 -I I. ' .11 ■» I. 
 
 times — I hardly know whether I feel happier or more 
 troubled. Perhaps I am wrong for so imagining, and 
 I hope that I am, but it seemed so cold and common- 
 place that I actually looked at the commencement of 
 it again, aftei* reading it through, to assure myself 
 that it was really intended for me, and not written to 
 some one else and sent to me by mistake. I may be 
 very foolish, and perhaps if I could see you I should 
 be convinced of it] but I had such a fearful dream 
 last night that I have not yet recovered my spirits, 
 and almost dread to have night arrive again for fear 
 that it will be repeated. It seemed to me ^at I was 
 walking through a wild and picturesque country 
 where all was beautiful, and the paths were bordered 
 by hedges of rose-bushes in bloom, and that I was 
 searching for you, momentarily expecting to find 
 you. At length I came to where you stood, and 
 looking, saw that it was upon the brow of a very high 
 precipice, and at your side was a beautiful young lady 
 to whom you appeared to be very devoted ; she seemed 
 to be some one with whom I was acquainted, yet I 
 could not tell whom. You did not notice me until 
 I was very near to you and addressed you, when you 
 angrily seized me and hurled me off the cliff into 
 
 the yawning chasm below. I continued to fall, down- 
 
 H 
 
106 TALES OF TEE ST. LAWRENCE. 
 
 » ' — ' ' ■ ■ ' ■ ■■ ■ 
 
 ward, still downward, my terror each moment in- 
 creasing, until at length with a shriek that aroused 
 all of the immates of the dwelling, I awoke ! Father, 
 mother and the servants all came rushing into my 
 room to find out what had happened, all of them much 
 alarmed. Of course I did not relate all of my dream 
 to them, but mamma would not allow me to remain 
 alone during the rest of the night, and said in the 
 morning that I had cried in my sleep. If I have no 
 occasion to feel thus, you must give me a good scold- 
 ing for it ; but, Wilbert, if you do not love me, be 
 merciful ^d tell me so at once. I will try and be 
 brave enough to endure the pang that it would cost 
 me to hear it. I know that you will not deceive me. 
 If there is any one, dear Wilbert, that you love better 
 than you do me, I will not claim your affection. 
 
 Your affectionate 
 
 Minnie. 
 
 P. S. I have made this letter all about my trouble- 
 some self. The Countess Daungelia, whom you cannot 
 have forgotten, called to see me to-day. She has not 
 been in very good health lately, and is quite pale. 
 I think of nothing else that would interest you. 
 
 Since the occurrence of the incidents narrated in 
 the preceding chapter, he had striven with all of hi& 
 
THE TRIPLE MISTAKE. 107 
 
 power to honorably enact a part that he could not 
 bring his heart to sanction. Had his conduct been 
 true on that eventful night, as his affections evQr had, 
 to the one who had rejected them unconditionally, he 
 felt that there would have been joy in his despair.. 
 The realization that for the priceless affection of 
 Minnie he could offer but a vacant heart and ruined 
 hopoa^ continually reproached him.. 
 
 It was not sm-prising that she should have discovered 
 his coldness toward her, much as he had striven to 
 conquer it. Her letter had now brought the whole 
 subject vividly before his mind with all of its memo- 
 ries, and the reply that he should make to it was tne 
 subject of his long deliberation. Should he allow the 
 secret passion, ab wild as it was hopeless, to gain the 
 mastery — should he frankly inform her that her fears 
 were but too true, or should he resolve that the will 
 o' the wisp of a hopeless passion should no longer 
 allure his footsteps from the path of happiness ? 
 
 His resolution at length was formed ; " My sweet 
 Minnie," he said, half aloud, "no one but myself 
 could have avoided loving you dearly; henceforth 
 you shall be loved as you should be, despite all else !!' 
 
 Seating himself at his desk, with just a trifle of des- 
 peration in his manner, as though fearful that his 
 
108 TALES OF THE ST. LAWRENCE. 
 
 ■ ■■ !■ M— ^^— ■■■II I !»■ ■■ I ■■! ■ ■ I I p I ■ I 11 _■ .l-lll. I !■ MMHWl U B.I-a |.. W | 
 
 resolution might fail him, and seizing a pen, in a rapid 
 and nervous hand he wrote a couple of pages. When 
 he had concluded, he hastily folded it without glanc- 
 ing it over, as if eager to have the matter through 
 with, and withal, somewhat mistrustful of his own 
 power of will. It was a full and absolute avowal of 
 love for Minnie, and the assertion that he cared for 
 no one in the world hut her. 
 
 Well he knew that every word was false, yet he 
 felt that it should have been true, and was fully deter- 
 mined that it yet should be. 
 
 Before enclosing it, he ar68e and approached one of 
 the open windows, with it in his hand. As he drew 
 hack the curtains a flood of moonlight brightened the 
 apartment. Leaning against the sic e of the window 
 his eyes were fixed upon the mi ;ive in his hand, 
 which seemed to exercise a sort of fascination over 
 him. As he thus stood, the scene seemed to gradu- 
 ally change, and the low murmuring of the river, the 
 strains of sweet music and the confused sound of voices 
 fell upon his ear. By his side stood Vittoria I)aun- 
 gelia in her radiant beauty. Again he clasped her 
 hand and gazed into her eyes, and again told his devo- 
 tion. Then an expression of scorn came over her 
 countenance, and her only reply was to point to the 
 letter that he held in his hand I 
 
THE TRIPLE MISTAKE. 109 
 
 "With a cry of "It is false I" he awoke, and before 
 he could fully comprehend the illusion, the letter was 
 torn into an hundred fragments. 
 
 On the succeeding morning was formed the resolu- 
 tion to defer an answer until his mind became some- 
 what calmer and his tranquility restored. To attain 
 this, ho determined to travel for a few days, and was 
 soon en route. Starting without a definite place of 
 destination, he found himself, three days later, at that 
 great resort of pleasure-seekers, Niagara Falls. 
 
 Here he was soon engaged in endeavoring to solve 
 the problem as to whether the residents of that local- 
 ity have succeeded in instituting enough annoyance 
 to destroy the pleasure that an admirer of the sublime 
 and jDcautiful experiences in contemplating this great 
 work of Nature's. 
 
 He allowed himself to be initiated into all of the 
 various parts with which a visitor is expected to be- 
 come familiar — the gauntlet of swindling hackmen, 
 the succession of petty annoyances and the unvarying 
 round of extortions practised under guises too nume- 
 rous to be catalogued, and finally found himself among 
 the syrens at the so-called " museum" upon the Can- 
 adian side, and after bestowing numerous dollars upon 
 the pretty and unscrupulous maidens in attendance, 
 
110 TALES OF THE ST. LAWRENCE. 
 
 was led, with a party of other unpuspecting victims, 
 who, however, in this instance were in a measure 
 repaid by the return offered for being victimiz,ed, to 
 the upper story of tho building, where a gigantic spe- 
 cimen of the African race fitted them out with oil-cloth 
 suits for venturing under the falls in, with the bland 
 assurance to those who had become cautious of the 
 human sharks infesting the vicinity, that " There is 
 no charge gem'men, no charge— only you give me 
 something if you chooses ;" which is found to be lite- 
 rally correct, but the fact dawns upon the wondering 
 mind after the suits are returned, that a high charge 
 is made for egress from the building. 
 
 In company with a number of others, presenting 
 somewhat the appearance of sub-marine residents as 
 we are accustomed to have them pictured to us in 
 books of fables, he descended the stairway at the edge 
 of the falls, passed under the overhanging remnant of 
 " table rock," when they were fairly under the falls. 
 Here they overtook another group of persons, among 
 whom were a number of ladies, the latter in a still 
 more noticeable costume, but which disguised them 
 so effectually that it would have been difficult to have 
 recognized the most intimate friend. • 
 
 When fairly beneath the archway, formed upon 
 
THE TRIPLE MISTAKE. Ill 
 
 one side by the shelving, frowning rock and upon the 
 other by the mighty curtain of water, he paused for 
 a short time to contemplate the scene. Then for a 
 moment the recollection of all earthly sorrows 2)as8ed 
 away, and all else seemed hushed in the roar of the 
 cataract as if the voice of N"ature spoke. 
 
 The harsh voice of the guide awoke him to recol- 
 lection again, and he moved on with the others. The 
 path, which is wide at first, growrs gradually narrower 
 until it is darkened by spray, and finally ends in the 
 torrent that mortal cannot breast. 
 
 The more timid halted ere the spray had but damp- 
 ened theii water-proofs, but a number rivalled each 
 other in penetrating the dangerous passage. Among 
 others who stood by his side where the waters threat- 
 ened to sweep them from their foothold upon the steep 
 and slippery ledge, and objects at the distance of a few 
 yards were not distinctly discernible, he noticed a 
 young lady. His admiration for her boldness was 
 accompanied by fears for her safety, and with good 
 reason it proved, for as they paused, having pene- 
 trated nearly as far as foot had ever trod, there was a 
 quick movement as of some one falling discernible 
 through the water, and a shriek that the roar of the 
 cataract did not permit to be heard far, told him what 
 had occurred. 
 
1^2 TALES OF TEE ST. LAWRENCE. 
 
 At the bottom of the shelving rock, where it 
 
 seemed impossible to withstand the fury of the falling 
 torrent, he could discern her clinging to a projection 
 
 of rock with frantic desperation, from which the cur- 
 rent threatened each instant to bear her away. 
 
 Eegardless of danger ho at once sprang quickly 
 down to her, and plunging in, seized her with one 
 arm and the rock to which she clung with the other 
 Then ensued a desperate struggle — a struggle for 
 life. Blinded by the water, endeavoring to ascend a 
 treacherous incline, and compelled to often pause in 
 order to press his face to the rock in order to secure 
 a breath of air, lie persevered with varying result, 
 until the attention of others was attracted, a couple 
 of adventurous guides came to his assistance, and they 
 were in safety. 
 
 The insensible form of the rescued one was quickly 
 borne to the upper world by her friends, and after a 
 rest of a few moments, he was able to also ascend and 
 divest himself of his oil-cloth suit. 
 
 On his return to the American side, he finds that 
 the fame of his exploit has preceded him, and that the 
 young lady has returned to consciousness. He finds 
 that he has become the lion of the hour. Gentlemen 
 regard him critically, ladies with unconcealed admi- 
 
THE TRIPLE MISTAKE. 113 
 
 ration, while busy reporters, ever upon the alert for 
 a Niagara sensation, solicit full details of the occur, 
 rence. All of this is very distasteful to him, and find- 
 ing that a train is about to leave, ho resolves to depart 
 at once from the spot, and is soon at the depot. As 
 he is about to enter a car, his arm 's grasped by a 
 gentleman, tall and of rather martial bearing, evident- 
 ly a foreigner, who has been hurriedly following 
 him. 
 
 . "I ask your forgiveness, sir," he commenced in 
 very good English, " but in me you behold the father 
 of the one whom, by your gallant daring, you rescued 
 from impending death 1" 
 
 " I hope that the young lady has recovered from 
 the effects of the accident ?" 
 
 " Very nearly so, I thank you," replied the stran- 
 ger, " and if you can add to the debt of gratitude that 
 she owes you, it will be by allowing her an opportu- 
 nity of thanking you in person." 
 
 " It was my excellent fortune," retui-nod Eoscoe, 
 " to be at a spot where I could render her some assis- 
 tance, but I fear that you have both magnified my 
 action unduly." 
 
 " I have never met a brave man," replied the stran- 
 ger, with a touch of military enthusiasm, " who was 
 
114 TALES OF THE ST. LAWRENCE, 
 
 not as modest as ho was brave ! — but my daughter 
 has told mo all, and I hope that it will not be impos- 
 sible for you to gratify our wish." 
 
 This was said with so much earnestness that Ros- 
 coe, much as he would have desired to avoid what he 
 could not but imagine would be a scene of the bestow- 
 ment uf extravagant compliment, could not well ue- 
 cline, and was soon at the hotel of the stranger. 
 
 The latter at once led the way to his private parlor, 
 without apparently having recollected to either 
 announce his own name or ask for that of the other. 
 There was but one inmate — a young lady seated at 
 one of the windows with her face turned from them. 
 
 " My daughter," said the stranger, " I present to 
 you your rescuer !" 
 
 She quickly arose and turned toward them. 
 
 " Vittoria Daungelial" burst from the lips of Wil- 
 bert Roscoe ! 
 
 " Wilbert Roscoe]" she faltered. 
 
 " What 1 why, and you are acquainted with each 
 other !" exclaimed the Count, " you must really for- 
 give me for rot informing you whom we were, but I 
 did not for a moment imagine that you had ever before 
 met." 
 
 Vittoria Daungelia spoke no thanks, and Wilbert 
 
THE TRIPLE MISTAKE. 116 
 
 Roscoo Hoomod strangely disinclinod to indulge in 
 many words. It would not have gratified him to have 
 had her offer any words of praise, This, their third 
 meeting, he would not, could ho have chosen, h.ive 
 devoted to words that would so far have failed to con- 
 vey their thoughts. The Count, after fruitlessly en- 
 deavoring to make the conversation general, at length 
 remarked, " As I find that you are previous acquain- 
 tances, please excuse me for a short time," and with- 
 drew. 
 
 For a considerable while both were silent. Several 
 times had each essayed to speak, but neither could. 
 Wilbert Eoscoe felt that the spell against which he 
 had so long striven held him enthralled, and that fate 
 used its most potent agencies to frustrate his resolu- 
 tions. 
 
 Her gaze rested for a moment upon the falling 
 waters, and drawing back with a shudder, she pressed 
 her hands over her eyes as if striving to shut out the 
 recollection of the almost tragic event. 
 
 He arose, feeling that the interview was painful to 
 both, and determined to conclude it. 
 
 " You are not about to leave ?" she inquired. 
 
 " Yes," he replied, " I am compelled to." 
 
 " But you will call again?" 
 
116 TALES OF THE ST. LAWRENCE. 
 
 " I Icavo by tho first train." 
 
 She hesitated a moment. 
 
 " I have not yet given you the slightest thanks for 
 being my preserver," she said faintly. 
 
 " And do not do so ; if you would render any reward 
 do so by forgetting that it was I that saved you." 
 
 " Why would you have mo forgot ?" she asked, after 
 a pause, her eyes for the first time since their first 
 words, meeting his. 
 
 " Must I toll you then ?" he rejoined ; " must I re- 
 mind you of the occurrence of a few weeks ago ? No, 
 for if I did so, I might perhaps repeat the words that 
 I uttered then." 
 
 She drew herself proudly up, with the air of an in- 
 jured empress. 
 
 " You need not remind me," she replied, " for I per- 
 fectly well remember all that you would refer to, 
 you have given me full proof of your sincerity, and I 
 do not ask a repetition of the scene." 
 
 He received her condemnation in silence, for his 
 heart told him of its justice, and he doubted not 
 that his apparent devotion to Minnie was the subject 
 of her allusion. 
 
 He bowed and was about to withdraw. 
 
 " Stay!" she exclaimed, appealingly, her whole de- 
 
THE TRIPLE MISTAKE. 117 
 
 moaiior changed in an instant and unable to longer 
 reprosH hoj* tears, " how can I treat you thus I Forgive 
 me : inwlead of addroBsing you in such a manner, I 
 should remember to whom I owe my life I" 
 
 " I deserve more than you have said," he replied ; 
 " but although we may never meet each other more, 
 it will render my life less desolate if you will only 
 believe that my words were those of sincerity." 
 
 She gazed at him wondoringly but made no reply, 
 and he continued ; 
 
 " My subsequent conduct may have appeared strange 
 to you ; you may have marvelled that my acts have 
 not been more in accordance with my words, and you 
 may have considered that it would have been more 
 chivalrous on my part to have cherished a hopeless 
 passion rather than to endeavor to overcome it." 
 
 " I cannot comprehend your meaning I" she replied 
 in a tone manifesting some surprise. 
 
 " Did you not forbid me to hope ?" he continued, 
 " did you not decree eternal separation between us ?" 
 he asked with some bitterness. 
 
 " Are you serious I have you forgotten ?" she asked, 
 very earnestly. 
 
 " I have not forgotten that you denied me the priv- 
 ilege of .calling upon you or meeting you again 1" 
 
118 TALES OF THE ST. LAWRENCE. 
 
 " "When ? how ?" she inquired in unfeigned surprise. 
 
 " It was my last request," he replied, " made just as 
 you were about to enter your carriage ; you do not for- 
 get the moment that I detained you ?" 
 
 " There is certainly some mistake !" she said, '' for 
 I remember but too well the reply that I gave you, 
 for I have often marvelled at your conduct. I allowed 
 myself to admit that I could not be wholly indifferent 
 toward you, and gave you permission to call upon me 
 at any time !" 
 
 For a moment he appeared almost stupefied, and 
 wondered if he understood her aright. Then, like a 
 flash of lightening illumining the night, came a re- 
 membrance that explained it all I 
 
 " Oh, Vittoria !" he exclaimed with a passionate 
 burst of emotion, " what a cruel error this has been : 
 how different would all have been, had you not — " 
 
 "Done what I" 
 
 " Spoken it in Italian !" 
 
 " In Italian !" she echoed, in amazement. 
 
 " Yes, and I supposed that it was a refusal I" 
 
 " I comprehend it all now," she said, softly, " when 
 I am deeply moved and speak from an overflowing 
 heart, the words of my dear, native tongue are first 
 upon my lips." 
 
TBE TRIPLE MISTAKE.. 110 
 
 -r . I 
 
 " Then let us forget it 1" he exclaimed, and would 
 have caught her in his arms. 
 She prevented him by a gesture : 
 " And Minnie ?" she asked, hoarsely. 
 
 That one w^ord destroyed the illusion of the moment 
 and recalled him again to the reality of his posi- 
 tion. 
 
 Yes, what of Minnie ? He was alone with Vittoria 
 Daungelia and she had confessed that she loved him 
 and that his despair had been causeless. Now, when 
 his dearest hope could have been realized, the vision 
 of her whom for a few moments he had wholly for- 
 gotten seemed to stand between them and separate 
 them more widely than before. 
 
 Ho sank upon a seat and gazed upon her as though 
 all that could ever be dear to him was soon to pass 
 from his sight forever. 
 
 " I love but you !" he said, yet clinging to a hope. 
 
 "But Minnie loves you, and believes that you love 
 her," she said slowly, as if every word cost her a 
 pang. 
 
 He was silent. 
 
 '' Is it not true ?" she asked, a trifle severely. 
 
 " It is," he replied, faintly. 
 
 "Then," continued she, pressing her hand to her 
 
120 TALES OF THE ST LAWRENCE, 
 
 heart meanwhile, as if suffering acute pain, and 
 speaking very slowly, "you must think no more of 
 me — we must think no more of each other — you must 
 love Minnie !" 
 
 "Promise me," she continued, as he made no reply, 
 advancing toward him and taking his hand; "pro- 
 mise me by the love that yon bore me, swear to me that 
 you will forget me and give to her the love that 
 you have promised her I Do this for my sake as well 
 as your own !" 
 
 He raised his hand, but for a moment could not 
 speak. 
 
 " You foolish children !" exclaimed a voice near 
 them. 
 
 They beheld Minnie standing before them ! 
 
 As pale as marble, Vittoria sank upon a sofa. 
 Wilbert Roscoe seemed to doubt the evidence of his 
 senses. 
 
 " You seem surprised to see me, Wilbert," she said, 
 extending her hand which he mechanically received, 
 " did not Vittoria inform you that I was her travelling 
 companion ?" 
 
 " No," he replied, endeavoring to recover his self- 
 possession, " I supposed that you were in MontreaL" 
 
 **Ihave not been listening to your conversation," 
 
THE TRIPLE MISTAKE. 121 
 
 she continued, " but as you were too much interested 
 in each other to observe my entrance, I could not 
 avoid hearing the latter portion of it. I forbid you 
 to utter a word," she said to Vittoria, who was about 
 to speak, at the same time re-assuring her with a 
 kiss, " until I conclude. I have learned nothing that 
 1 was not before aware of. You do not forget, Vit- 
 toria, that I shared your couch last night. I remark- 
 ed to you this morning that you were quite restless 
 during your sleep, but I did not tell you that you 
 were dreaming and talking of Wilbert during nearly 
 all of the night ! I was not a little surprised at first 
 I confess, but I was not long in understanding why 
 the roses have left your cheeks and you require to 
 travel — and also, let me add, why he has proven so 
 negligent a lover to me I I will admit that I felt a 
 sharp pang at first, and hjid you awakened at one 
 time you would have found me in tears. But they 
 are now dried, and in your happiness I cannot but be 
 happy!" 
 
 How like an angel she appeared there then ! Her 
 noble generosity of heart, he often admitted to him- 
 self, affected him more deeply than her rare beauty 
 could ever have done, and had not Yittoria been pre- 
 
 I 
 
122 TALES OF THE ST. LAWRENCE. 
 
 sent it is quite possible that her proifered release 
 would have been refused by him I 
 
 " It is now happily terminated," said Minnie, when 
 all had been explained to her; " but in order to guard 
 against a great deal of misapprehension, in future 
 when you address him in Italian, do not fail to furnish 
 him with the libretto. 
 
mm i0 % "^^0^$, 
 
GIVEN TO THE WOLYES. 
 
 Antoine Gauchey was a worthy descendant of one 
 of the French colonists of the last century. The 
 honorable and genial gentleman has departed this life, 
 but the substantially built mansion with its ponderous 
 
 walls and mammoth chimneys that he erected and 
 was the occupant of at the time of which I write, abont 
 the middle of the present century, is still to be seen 
 
126 TALES OF THE ST LAWRENCE. 
 
 and visited, some half a hundred miles below 
 the city of Quebec. He was well known for a 
 long distance around as an enterprising agriculturist, 
 a veteran sportsman and a hospitable host, and was 
 believed to have accumulated a considerable fortune 
 by trafficing in furs with the Indians and settlers 
 along the river. It was not to be wondered at then 
 that his residence should be the frequent resort of 
 the better class of stranger sportsmen and resident 
 farmers as they passed up and down the river in bum- 
 mer, or drove for long distances upon its frozen sur- 
 face i n winter for the purpose of visiting it. Yet ther© 
 was a stronger reason — a greater attraction than the- 
 cheerful he^arth, good cheer and pleasant stories of the 
 host, that lent a charm to the spot. Gauchey was the 
 happy father of two lovely daughters, Lucille and 
 Marie— two wild-wood flowers that had inherited the 
 beauty of their Parisian-born mother, and bloomed 
 there in the wilderness. Nor did their beauty excel 
 their graces of mind and manner ; of nearly the same 
 age, medium height, lithe and graceful as fawns. They 
 had been carefully educated at a Convent school at 
 Quebec, and in addition to the accomplishments of 
 a polite education, could ply the oar and handle the 
 rifle and fishing-rod in a manner that might have 
 
GIVEN TO THE WOLVES. 127 
 
 aroused the envy of the most ardent followers of the 
 chase, while as equestrians few could have excelled 
 them. 
 
 It was not surprising, therefore, that those Dianas 
 found numerous Actions in the form of wooers 
 penetrating their woodland seclusion, and of these we 
 have a double pair to deal with. 
 
 Albert Curtis and Edgar Ealston were residents of 
 Montreal, of excellent families and professional avo- 
 cations. While upon one of their at first annual, but 
 latterly more frequent hunting and fishing excursions, 
 they had encountered these goddesses of the chase ; 
 armed and equipped and accompanied by a pair of 
 trained dogs, by coming upon them suddenly in the 
 forest, a couple of miles from their residence, and 
 charmed as much as surprised, had endeavored to detain 
 them for a short conversation, but found their over- 
 tures promptly yet courteously declined. Ascertain- 
 ing, however, their names and place of residence, they 
 soon afterwards made a severe storm the pretext of 
 soliciting shelter under the roof of the Gauchey man- 
 sion, and finding their families not unknown by repu- 
 tation to their host and his fair daughters, were well 
 received, and the acquaintance thus formed resulted 
 in an intimacy that at the timo of which I write, they 
 
• 
 
 128 TALES OF THE ST. LAWRENCE. 
 
 entertained the brightest hoj)es of lending to the 
 realization of their dearest wishes, the bestovvment of 
 the hands and hearts of Lucille and Marie. 
 
 Paul Yaudreil and Louis Levis were young men 
 of about the same ago as the former, of Canadian birth 
 but of French descent, and resided near each other, 
 about 15 miles lower down the river than the residence 
 of the Gauchey's. They had been life-long acquain- 
 tances of the family, and for many months assiduous 
 Buitors of the two daughters, but without receiving 
 encouragement from them. This ill fortune they 
 were not slow to attribute to the favor shewn to their 
 rivals, and this belief had awakened the most bitter 
 and malignant feelings of jealousy. For natures such 
 as theirs, this was perhajjs inevitable ; but in no event 
 is it probable that they could have lighted the fire of 
 love in hearts at once as gentle and as brave as those 
 of the objects of their adoration. In appearance they 
 closely resembled each other. Both were tall, mus*. 
 cular and very dark complexioned, but in the eye of 
 Vaudr'eil could be read a crafty cunning, and in that of 
 his companion, that his nature was suited to follow the 
 dictates of one more subtle in planning, but not more 
 unscrupulous in executing. 
 
 At the time of the occurrence that I am about to 
 
GIVEN TO THE WOLVES. " 129 
 
 relate, the rival suitors had been for several days in- 
 mates of the residence of Gauchoy. The presence of 
 their rivals had detracted very much from the en- 
 joyment of all of the suitors. The gentlemanly and 
 always courteous demeanor of Curtis and Ralston was 
 often placed in stran,<;o contrast to that of the others, 
 yet as both the host and his daughters constantly' 
 strove to secure the enjoyment of all, an open rupture 
 had been avoided. On one morning there appeared a 
 wondrous change in the demeanor of Yaudreil and 
 Levis, Frowns and malignant glances gave place to 
 smiles, and half insulting w^ords to frank greetings 
 and jovial repartees. This apparent improvement 
 in their dispositions. could not fail to be noted by all, 
 as well as gladly welcomed, and when they proposed 
 to their rivals to test the speed of their horses,of which 
 they had manifested considerable pride, upon tlie 
 smooth ice of the river, by moonlight, a ready accept- 
 ance of the invitation was returned. 
 
 It was in the month of February. The earth was 
 covered with snow but not to a great depth, while 
 that upon the ice was so encrusted as to hardly yield 
 to the feet of the horses. The moon shone brightly 
 as they departed after promising to return in a short 
 time, and the cold wind sighed through the dense 
 
130 TALES OF THE ST. LAWRENCE. 
 
 forests that thoir conrHo led them near. Vaiidreil 
 and Levis occupied the back neat of the sleigh with 
 Curtis and Ealston facing them, while a couple of 
 
 ' stalwart men filled the seat of the driver. The team 
 sped rapidly along to the music of the ringing run- 
 ners. 
 
 « From the time of setting out, Vaudreil and his com- 
 panion seemed to relapse into their former moody and 
 uncomfortable state of mind, varied by an occasional 
 attempt at gaiety, and appeared to be labouring under 
 a feeling of anxiety or excitement for which the others 
 could imagine no reason, and finding that all attemi)ts 
 at maintaining a conversation proved futile, they re- 
 lapsed into silence. 
 
 At length, after traversing a distance of several 
 miles, the wind bore to their ears the shrill cry of a 
 myriad of the denizens of the wilderness. None spoke, 
 but all knew it to be the voices of wolves. A few 
 moments later, and the horses were turned from their 
 course and ascended the steeji incline of the bank, 
 and then suddenly came to a halt at the edge of the 
 
 , forest. 
 
 Before either Curtis or Ralston could inquire the 
 meaning of this singular proceeding, a noose at the 
 end of a ropo was dropped around each of them by the 
 
GIVEN TO THE WOLVES. 131 
 
 men in ft'ont, and ere either could sufficiently recover 
 from his surprise to otter effectual rosistancCjthey were 
 overpowered and bound by the other four inmates of 
 the sleigh ! 
 
 " "What means this proceeding ?" demanded Curtis, 
 as soon as he could recover sufHciontly from his sur- 
 prise to understand that the assault was a real one. 
 
 " You shall soon know, you English dogs !" returned 
 Vaudreil, hoarse with passion, while his eyes gleamed 
 with a fiendish light, and then after a series of fright- 
 ful oaths, commanded the others to assist him in drag- 
 ging the captives to a couple of trees that stood near, 
 to which they were securely bound I 
 
 "There!" cried Vaudreil, contemplating them 
 savagely, " I have my revenge ! You sought to win 
 Marie and Lucille from us with your smooth woixis 
 and devilish acts, but what think you of it now ? You 
 dared to cross the path of Paul Vaudreil, and he in 
 return now leaves you to make the acquaintance of 
 the wolves I" 
 
 " By all that is human ! " spoke Curtis, as the two 
 commenced to fully comprehend the dreadful, purpose 
 of the others, " you do not intend to leave us to die 
 thus?" 
 
132 TALES OF THE ST. LAWRENCE. 
 
 " For the sake of heaven!" pleaded Ralston, "do 
 not commit this terrible crime!" 
 
 A bitter, mocking laugh — such as a fiend might 
 utter upon listening to the supplication of a lost soul, 
 was Yaudreil's answer, while the others maintained 
 silence. '^ Au revoir,'' he said, as the sleigh moved 
 away with the four," a pleasant death to you and my 
 compliments to the deviJ !" 
 
 Yain would it be to attempt to portray the feelings 
 of the two who were thus treacherously abandoned to 
 this terrible death. With all of the strength that des- 
 peration could lend they struggled to free themselves 
 from their bonds, but their enemies had done their 
 work too eflFectually for this, and as they became 
 aware that the wolves were rapidly closmg it upon 
 them by the swelling chorus of their voices that 
 constantly increased in volume and came nearer and 
 nearer, they resigned themselves to the fate that 
 appeared to be inevitable, with as much firmness as 
 possible. 
 
 The trees to which they were bound stood within 
 a few feet of each other and a short distance from the 
 edge of the forest. The branches of the evergreens 
 shut out the moonlight, and rendered it quite dark 
 around them. 
 
GIVEN TO THE WOLVEi>. 133 
 
 Nearer and nearer sounded the expectant voices of 
 the wolves — then was heard their footsteps upon the 
 snow, few at first but increasing in number until 
 Bounding like the rustling oi the wind over its frozen 
 surface. Then a pair and soon a hundred — a thou- ' 
 sand pair of eyes gleamed like coals in the darkness 
 around them. Then in a surging circle were dimly 
 seen around the hungry animals. Slowly it closed 
 upon them; timid at first, those in front were 
 crowded forward by those in the rear. 
 
 *' Only a moment more 1" spoke Curtis, "try and 
 bear it bravely — good-bye I" 
 
 " Good-bye I" returned the other in a firm voice, 
 " God bless our loved ones I" 
 
 " God bless them l" responded Curtis, and the 
 names of Lucille and Marie were upon their lips, as 
 they closed their eyes to shut out the sight before 
 them, and awaited death. 
 
 But a moment later there was heard the rapid 
 gallop of horses approaching, and the bright glare of 
 torches cast their glare through the wood. The daring 
 riders, two in number, came dashing on through the 
 herd of wolves bearing each a flaming pitcx pine torch 
 before which the animals shrank away to a short dis- 
 tance. 
 
134 TALES OF THE ST. LAWRENCE. 
 
 The new hope of life animated the bosoms of the 
 prisoners, and they shouted lustily to indicate the spot 
 in which they were. In a moment the riders were 
 before them, and they beheld in them Lucille and 
 Marie ! * ' . 
 
 The latter uttered a shriek as she beheld them, and 
 appeared ready to fall from her horse. 
 
 "Courage!" shouted her sister reproachfully, 
 would you have us fail now!" and without dismount- 
 ing she drew a knife and cut the rope that bound the 
 captives. 
 
 "No words!" she commanded imperiously, 
 " mount behind us and take the torches." 
 
 She was quickly obeyed, and the horses were soon 
 dashing madly through the herd again, toward the 
 river. More than one adventurous wolf sprang at 
 them, but the flaming torches proved effectual 
 weapons of defense until they Were fairly upon the 
 river. 
 
 The entire pack now seemed to comprehend that 
 they had been thus far outgeneraled and robbed of 
 their prey by a brilliant coup d'itat, and with a univer- 
 sal cry of rage started in pursuit. Then commenced 
 the race for life 1 Ahead of them was the unobstructed 
 ice of the river — behind them a flying cloud of thou- 
 
GIVEN TO THE WOLVES. 135 
 
 sands of speeding forms with glaring eyes, howling 
 voices and protruding tongues ! The torches were 
 sooD. burned out and thrown away, and the only hope 
 of safety lay in speed. The race continued for awhile 
 with varying results — now the pursued would gra- 
 dually draw ahead and then the pursuers would close 
 up again upon them until the gap between became 
 almost imperceptible, but it soon became evident that 
 the doubly laden horses could not much longer main- 
 tain the speed at which they were flying, while the 
 pursuers showed no sign of exhaustion. Every mus- 
 cle was strained to its utmost tension, and they needed 
 little urging, for well the noble animals appreciated 
 the danger that they were in, yet there was an invol- 
 untary slackening of pace. The pursuers, leaping 
 and bounding over each other, often surrounded 
 them upon all sides and leaped savagely at the horses 
 and their riders. 
 
 Not a word had thus far been spoken by any one, 
 but Curtis at this juncture said to Lucille, 
 
 ** The horses are too heavily laden — we cannot all 
 be saved. I must be a sacrifice— then save your- 
 self!" 
 
 " Never !" was the one word spoken in reply. 
 
 " But consider," he protested, " we will all be lost if 
 
136 TALES OF THE ST LAWRENCE. 
 
 we continue thus — you and Marie may at least save 
 yourselves !" 
 
 " We'll die together," responded the brave girl, " if 
 it be the will of Heaven, ; but I swear to you that if 
 you leap off that I shall turn and ride into their 
 midst!" 
 
 This deterred him from his purpose, and the 
 unequal chase continued until it seemed that all pos- 
 sibility of escape was cut off, and that at any moment 
 they might fall a prey. But Providence was not 
 thus to desert them, for on doubling around a point of 
 the river's bank, they came ujion a sleigh in which 
 were seated four persons — Yaudreil, Levis and their 
 confederates I Hearing the sound of approaching 
 horses they had halted to ascertain whom the passers- 
 by were. On beholding the wolves they sat for a 
 while spell-bound, then attempted to turn and fly ,but 
 their horses became wild and unmanageable, and 
 dashed madly off into the pack that at once gave up 
 the pursuit of the others and closed in upon them ! 
 
 The rescuers and rescued felt that danger to them 
 was now over, yet spoke no word nor greatly lessened 
 their speed until the Ganchey mansion once more 
 appeared in view and they drew up by its door. Then 
 springing to the ground, the rescued caught in their 
 arms the fainting forms of their rescuers 1 
 
OrVEN TO TEE WOLVES. 137 
 
 The household was aroused, and on the application 
 of simple remedies the young ladies were restored to 
 consciousness. Then a full explanation was given by 
 the four. Shortly after the departure of the party in 
 the sleigh, an aged female servitor of the family 
 sought an interview with Lucille and Marie, and 
 revealed to them the plotof Yaudreil and Levis which 
 she had overheard as the former was giving instruc- 
 tions to his assistants as to the part they were to enact 
 in it. On seeking their father and finding that he was 
 temporarily absent from home, they had quickly 
 saddled their favorite horses and followed the sleigh 
 in the hope of overtaking it before the plan was put 
 into execution, but fearing that this might not be pos- 
 sible, as proved the case, they took with them torches 
 of pitch pine, for the purpose of frightening the 
 wolves, with the fortunate result that has been 
 related. 
 
 On hearing this, Gauchey, accompanied by Curtis, 
 Ralston and a few of his men, mounted and started 
 down the river. On reaching a spot not far below 
 that where the riders encountered the party of Vaudreil, 
 the sleigh was found and near it the bones, almost 
 denuded of flesh, of the four attempted murderers and 
 
 the horses I The wolves had done their work well and 
 
 K 
 
138 TALES OF THE ST. LAWRENCE. - 
 
 had retreated to the forest. The remains of the dead 
 were forwarded to their homes for interment, the tale 
 of their villainy left untold, and it was only known to 
 the world that they had fallen victims to the wolves. It 
 may here be said in explanation, that after leaving 
 their intended victims bound as has been described, 
 thoy had driven back to and by the residence of 
 Gauchey, and thus did not meet the rescuers upon their 
 way, and then, desirous of witnessing the result of 
 their plot, were returning to the vicinity of the 
 intended tragedy, when the wolves were unexpectedly 
 encountered. In what manner they had intended to 
 account for the disappearance and death of the two, 
 had their plan succeeded, can never bo known. 
 
 These shocking events in a g]*eat measure destroyed 
 the charms of a residence in that locality to the sur- 
 vivors,andwhen spring came, the Gauchey cstat. passed 
 into the hands of another, and the former proprietor 
 became a resident of Montreal at the same time that 
 the two fair rescuers became the brides of those whoin 
 their heroism had saved. In that city the two 
 families yet reside, blessed by a full portion of worldly 
 prosperity and marital joys. 
 
; I- • t 
 
THE CHUECH-BELL OP CAUGHNAWAGA. 
 
 On the south side of the St. Lawrence, nine milea 
 above Montreal, lies the Indian village of Caughna- 
 waga. Here resides the remnant of the once large 
 and warlike tribe of Caughnawagas. The place pos- 
 sesses sufficient novelty in appearance to render a 
 visit to it interesting, but the descendants of the race 
 of warriors appear but a burlesque upon all recorded 
 tales of the valor and prowess of " the noble redman." 
 Invincible to all other foes they have been conquered 
 by the evils of civilization, and now, almost without 
 exception, dirty, squalid and indolent, acknowledge 
 the rule of king Alcohol as represented by his vice- 
 roys, villainous Canadian Rum and Whiskey. 
 
 In strange contrast with the streets of wretched 
 looking log habitations, stands a large and massive 
 stone church, whose tin roof, reflecting the light of 
 the declining sun, is the first object to attract the 
 attention of those who descend the river upon the 
 line steamers, that generally stop in front of the vil- 
 lage for the purpose of taking aboard an Indian pilot 
 
142 TALES OF THE ST. LA WRENCB. 
 
 to guide the vessel through the wildest of all the 
 series of rapids, the Lachine, that commence a short 
 distance below. In the tower of this church hang 
 two bells— one of large size and modern design, the 
 other small and a relic of the last century. The 
 tones of the latter are seldom heard, but it is pre- 
 served with the greatest care and valued above all 
 other bells on account of its singular history. 
 
 Sometime about the year 1690, Father Nicols, a 
 zealous and energetic missionary of the Eoman 
 •Catholic faith, who had been quite successful in mak- 
 ing converts from among the Indians of the Caugh- 
 nawaga tribe and had established a church at that 
 place, induced his congregation to contribute a por- 
 tion of the furs that they secured, for the purpose of 
 purchasing a bell for the edifice. The Indians were, 
 of course, profoundly ignorant of the nature of a bell, 
 but understanding that it was a necessary adjunct of 
 their worship and a something that spoke its mes- 
 sages in consecrated tones, were not long in accumu- 
 lating a sufficient stock of furs for its purchase. 
 These were forwarded by Father Nicols to an ecclesi- 
 astical friend in Havre, France, who exchanged them 
 for the article required, which was shipped foi 
 Montreal. Priest and congregation long waited 
 
THE CHURCH BELL OF CAUQHNAWAOA. 143 
 
 impatiently for its arrival but waited in vain, and it 
 was at length regarded as certain that the vessel 
 bearing it had found its port upon the ocean's bottom, 
 and that the bell had perchance boon appropriated 
 for the chapel of Neptune and, rocked by the waves 
 of the sea, mingled its tones with the chant of mer- 
 maids ! But at length the intelligence reached them 
 that the ship had met its fate above and not below 
 the waters, and had been captured by an English 
 cruiser — for this was during the period of a war 
 between England and her ancient enemy — and taken 
 to the port of Salem, Mass., and still more, that the 
 bell hung in the belfry of the church at Deerfield in 
 the same state, and was made to speak at the bidding 
 of Puritans instead of good Catholics. 
 
 The Indians already reverenced the unseen bell as 
 something akin to the supernatural, and this intelli- 
 gence not only plunged them into the deepest gloom 
 but aroused their most savage resentment. Their 
 bell, which had not yet received the sacrament of 
 baptism, was a captive in the custody of heretics, and 
 they registered a vow that the first opportunity that 
 offered should be seized upon for its recovery. Several 
 years elapsed before this longed for opportunity 
 arrived, which the Savage Christians diligently 
 
144 TALES OF THE ST. LAWRENCE. 
 
 employed in adding new converts to thoir religion 
 and in religiously plying the tomahawk and scalp- 
 ing knife upon such of their unrogenerate neighbors 
 as refused to acknowledge the new ftiith ; but some- 
 time about the beginning of the year 1704, the then 
 Governor of Canada, the Marquis de Vaudreuil, desir- 
 ous of sending an expedition against the English 
 colonios,solicited the aid of the Caughnawagas,through 
 their recognised diplomatic head, Father Nicols. This 
 he would give only upon the condition that the objec- 
 tive point of the expedition should be the town of 
 Deerfield. The condition was acceeded to, and 
 assembling his congregation together, the pastor in 
 stirring words informed them that the time for rescu- 
 ing their bell from the hands of its captors had arrived, 
 and appealed to the warriors to rally en masse and 
 march upon the crusade for its recovery. His words 
 fell upon responsive hearts-weapons were put in order^ 
 war-paint donned^ and with an enthusiasm not excelled 
 by any of the crusaders who had revelled in Saracen- 
 gore or found graves in Palestine, the noble army of 
 liberation of the idol of brass departed in the middle 
 of the winter to join the regulars of the noble Marquis 
 at Fort Chambly, where they arrived just in time to 
 meet the marching column. 
 
THE CIWRCII DELL OF CAUOnNAWAGA. 145 
 
 The French, unused to winter marches in American 
 wilds, suffered great hardships from the outset. The 
 weather was excessively cold and the snow deep. All 
 provisions and supplies had to be transported by hand. 
 The troops loudly murmured, and were with difficulty 
 restrained from open mutiny, while the Indians, 
 familiar with snow-shoe travel, progressed almost as 
 easily as if the season had been that of mid summer.. 
 At the head of his legion marched Father Nicola, 
 while by his side a stalwart convert bore the banner 
 of the cross. At night the force encamped beneath 
 the shelter of a hill or mount, and while that portioa 
 occupied by the troops echoed with curses and com- 
 plaints, the Indians were cheered by the voice of their 
 leader in prayer and exhortation. On arriving at 
 the head of Lake Champlain, the expedition marched 
 upon the ice until the spot now occupied by the city 
 of Burlington was reached, when it took its course 
 by compass through the trackless and mountain- 
 interspersed wilderness of Vermont, for Deerfield. 
 
 From this point the hardships of the troops were^ 
 doubled, and even the Indians became sufferers. As 
 for Father Nicols, he came near being a martyr to- 
 the cause ; but, sustained by remarkable zeal, managed 
 to continue on, until the expedition^ on the 29th day 
 
146 TALES OF THE ST. LAWRENCE. 
 
 of February, beheld its destination and halted to await 
 the approach of nightfall, four miles from the town. 
 At daylight D'Eouville ordered his forces to ad- 
 vance. A strong wind was blowing, and the snow was 
 encrusted with ice which broke beneath the weight 
 of the men. He therefore adopted the stratagem of 
 ordering the column to proceed a short distance upon 
 a run and then to suddenly halt, and repeated this 
 until the stockade was reached, thus imitating the 
 sound of gusts of wind rattling the icy branches of the 
 trees of the forest. It is doubtful if this precaution 
 was necessary. The inhabitants of the town were 
 wholly unsuspicious of any hostile movement against 
 them, considering that the perils of a march through 
 the forests from Canada at that season would deter 
 all persons from attempting it. All, even the solitary 
 sentinel upon duty, were bound in slumber, and the 
 hard snow, piled nearly to the top of the sides of the 
 stockade, afforded the assaulting party an easy means 
 of ingress. Quickly and silently they scaled the 
 wooden walls. The sleeping sentinel was the first to 
 fall, receiving a death blow from a tomahawk. 
 The surprise was complete, and few offered resistance. 
 A scene of inexcusable massacre ensued. A few 
 escaped, forty-seven persons were slain, and about one 
 hundred and twenty were made prisoners. 
 
THE CHURCH BELL OF CAUOHNAWAGA. 147 
 
 The troops rioted amid the plunder secured, but the 
 chief thought of the Indians was concerning their 
 bell. At the solicitation of Father Nicols, the com- 
 mandant despatched a soldier to ring it, while the 
 Indians silently gathered in front of the small church 
 with mixed feelings of awe and expectancy. As the 
 first tones of the bell sounded uj)on the cold morn- 
 ing air and fell upon their ears, they rever- 
 ently knelt, while the priest solemnly returned 
 thanks to God for their success. What a picture was 
 thei^ presented for the delineation of an artist ! The 
 ground strewn with the mangled and mutilated corpses 
 of the innocent slain — the trembling and sorrowing 
 captives mourning the loss of relatives, friends and 
 homes, and fearing death at the hands of their barbar- 
 ous captors — the French gazing in wonder upon the 
 scene, with jeers and laughter, and lastly the savages 
 seeking to do homage to an unknown God whose 
 precepts commanded kindness and love, but whom 
 they sought to serve by slaughter and cruelty. 
 
 The bell was removed from the belfry ai\d hung 
 ^ipon crossed poles, made ready for being transported, 
 the buildings of the place fired, and the expedition 
 retreated over the route by which it had advanced. 
 The captives, men, women and children, were forced 
 
148 TALES OF THE ST. LAWRENCE. 
 
 to keep up with the column, and when, through 
 exhaustion, any were unable to do so, they were 
 tomahawked before the view of the others, and 
 their gory scalps added to those already adorn- 
 ing the belts of the savage conquerors. The bell, 
 borne in turn by details of the Indians, constantly 
 tolled out its sounds, its voice being invested with 
 supernatural reality by them. 
 
 Among the captives was the family of the Rev. 
 John Williams, embracing father, mother and several 
 children. Mrs. Williams, who was at the time an 
 invalid, was soon unable to proceed farther, and was 
 consequently murdered. A daughter, Eunice by 
 name, soon bid fair to share a similar fate, but as a 
 tomahawk in the hands of a warrior was upraised, 
 his arm was stayed by the interposition of a young 
 brave, who, after a few words of angry altercation 
 with the other, himself assumed charge of her, bear- 
 ing her in his arms for many miles when she was 
 unable to walk^ and in every way treating her with 
 the greatest kindness. 
 
 By the time that they had arrived at Burlington 
 Bay, the Indians were thoroughly exhausted with th©- 
 task of carrying the bell, whose weight their snow- 
 shoes would not sustain. It was therefore deter- 
 
THE CHURCH BELL OF CAUQHNAWAGA. 149 
 
 mined to bury it and return for it in the spriiig. A 
 spot not likely to be discovered was selected, and it 
 was consigned to the earth. 
 
 When the earth and forests had again assumed 
 their mantle of green, the warriors of the tribe in a 
 body, headed by their pastor, proceeded to the spot 
 where the bell had been entombed and found that it 
 had been undisturbed. Joyously it was borne home- 
 ward, while all of those at Caughaawaga eagerly 
 awaited it arrival. Those who had been upon the 
 expedition that effected its capture had described it 
 in glowing terms. It was said that its tones were 
 sweeter than those of the birds, clearer than the 
 rippling melody of the river, and that it could be 
 heard beyond the murmuring of the rapids. At 
 length, as all were assembled at twilight discussing 
 the anticipated arrival of the wonderful thing, a 
 novel sound was heard afar in the forest. All intently 
 listened as it was repeated again and again, growing 
 louder and louder. At length a voice shouted, " The 
 bell ! It is the bell 1" « The bell ! the bell !" shouted 
 all in ohorus, rushing to the edge of the forest, where 
 they met the returning expedition, at the head of 
 which were yoked two snow-white oxen bearing the 
 bell hung between them. Both bell and oxen were 
 
150 TALES OF TEE ST. LAWRENCE. 
 
 adorned with wreaths of leaves and wild flowers. 
 The march into the village was a triumphal one, and 
 the bell, after having been closely examined by the 
 curious, was raised to its place in the belfry and with 
 its tones awoke the echoes of the St. Lawrence. 
 
 The Indians for many days continued their 
 rejoicings on account of the recovery of the bell, but 
 its tones fell upon the ears of the captives as the- 
 death-knells of murdered relatives and a reminder 
 of destroyed and desolated homes which they nearly 
 despaired of ever again beholding. Two years later, 
 however, through the efforts of the Massachusetts 
 colonists, seconded by the Governor of Canada, those 
 that survived, fifty-seven in number, were released 
 and returned to Deerfield. There was one exception, 
 that of Eunice Williams, whose chivalrous rescuer 
 proved to be a lover, in the course of time, who so 
 won her affections that she could not be induced to 
 part from him, but embraced his faith and was united 
 in marriage to him by Father ^icols. In after years 
 Bhe several times visited the scenes and friends of 
 her childhood, and always expressed herself as fully 
 satisfied with her choice. Her descendants bore the 
 name of Williams. Many of them have been very 
 prominent men in the tribe, and the family is yet 
 well represented. 
 
THE CHURCH BELL OF CAUGHNAWAOA. 151 
 
 This wild tale is believed to be strictly true in all 
 particulars. Popular belief has credited St. Eegis 
 and its tribe with the incidents narrated, but very 
 erroneously. St. Regis was colonized by parties from^ 
 Caughnawaga, but was not founded until the year 
 1760, or fifty-six years after the capture of Deerfield^ 
 while the genuineness of the smaller of the two bells 
 in the church at the latter place and the reliability 
 of the statements herein made, are well proven^ 
 
^^m 4 » M^mk. 
 
A MEMOEY OF A MASQUERADE. • 
 
 Sweet Nettie Louton ! No romantic circumstances 
 or incidents marked our first meeting. A moment s 
 pause amid the hum of voices and exchange of salu- 
 tations in a crowded parlor hemmed in on all sides by 
 rustling silks and wondrous toilettes- An introduction, 
 a formal greeting, a few very commonplace remarks 
 and a separation. Then suddenly the mind seemed tO" 
 recall the fact that the interview should not have 
 been passed over as being one of so very ordinary a 
 character, and the impression of the careless glance 
 at her form and features demanded to be satisfied by 
 more attentive regard, very much as a person might 
 feel when passing through a picture gallery, where the 
 masterpieces of genius were few, and grown carelesa 
 by the contemplation of counterfeits of art, had passed 
 a genuine chef-d'ceuvre with as careless a glance as had 
 been bestowed upon the others. Then, when possible, 
 I regai*ded her more crititially. How can I describe her 
 to you? Imagine, if you can, a figure delicate but 
 not fragile ; eyes that outshone the jewels that spark- 
 
156 TALES OFTUE ST. LAWRENCE. 
 
 led in the toilettes around her, and brown hair that 
 fell, half-restrained to her half-concealed shoulders, 
 that were of as perfect a mould as the gftze of the 
 . lover of the beautiful ever rested upon — one whose soul 
 • was at once read from her eyes ; whom your well 
 founded enthusiasm could not but stamp as " formed 
 of every creature's best," and when your thoughts 
 rested upon her, you could not but think of her as 
 Nature's darling, although you dare not think of her as 
 your own ! 
 
 I did not again approach her, but observed her 
 every movement almost unconsciously, nor was it 
 until I was again alone in the solitary street with 
 only the flickering gas-lights for companions, that I 
 realized the fascination that had controlled me, and 
 that I had had for the hour my heart entangled in the 
 meshes of those brown tresses ! 
 
 To change the scene. Place, a skating rink ; time, 
 many days after our first, and until then, only meet- 
 ing. The rows of gas jets seemed to burn as merrily 
 as if they were participating in the enjoyment of the 
 throng below them, while the bed of crystal ice tossed 
 back a myriad of answering rays. Hundreds of 
 skaters, an incongruous throng, swept around the 
 circle in a continuous line, some timidly venturing 
 
A MEMORY OF A MASQUERADE. 167 
 
 upon tho not yot familiar footing, while others, com- 
 bining grace with skill, called forth applause from 
 tho long and well filled galleries of spectators. 
 
 Music contributed to the gayety and all was enjoy- 
 ment, save when some unlucky skater would meet 
 with a fall or other accident, and thus contribute to 
 the amusement of others at the expense of his own. 
 Several times had I mingled with the throng, and was 
 resting for a moment, when my a'ttention was attract- 
 ed by the face of a newcomer who was about venture- 
 ing upon the ice — a face that had been present in 
 my dreams, and the vision of which came before tho 
 realities of the day — that of Nettie Louton. 
 
 Her greeting was kind and she did not refuse me 
 the pleasure of escorting her. She was not extremely 
 proficient in the skatorial art, which I regretted less 
 as it obliged her to depend almost wholly upon me to 
 guide and support her ; yet she was endowed with as 
 "much courage as a veteran skater and even more 
 graceful upon skates than in the parlor, if possible. 
 
 She was attired in a very tasteful skating suit 
 whose skirt revealed the prettiest i magii able foot and 
 ankle, while upon her head she wore a small hat with 
 a metallic band resembling gold, while her brown 
 hair was left to float free, half in curls. Around and 
 
158 TALES OF TDE ST. LAWRENCE. 
 
 around wo went, while the etrainpi of music sounded 
 an enchanting waltz that mingled with softly spoken 
 words and silvery laughter. Several times had I been 
 BO absorbed in regarding my fair companion that we 
 narrowly escaped collisions, and at length, in turning 
 a corner some one struck against her in a not very 
 gentle manner — her feet slipped between mine — there 
 was a kaleidoscopic view of appealing eyes, brown 
 curls, flushed cheeks, golden band, gaiter boots, etc., 
 etc., and wo were prostrate together ! I was instantly 
 upon my feet and assisted her to rise. She made the 
 attempt and failed — again, and stood upon one foot — 
 the other seemed useless. A fearful thought nearly 
 unnerved me for an instant ! Had she broken a limb ? 
 No, for in faltering tones she at length made me un- 
 derstand that her foot was •* only — only — only — en- 
 tangled — just a little" — in her crinoline. She could 
 not move and there seemed but one expedient. I 
 knelt upon the ice and supported her while with one 
 hand she furtively labored to release the captive foot 
 from the treacherous meshea of the steel net-work. 
 The musfc sounded as before, the skaters whirled by 
 us, each one regarding us curiously, and with a but 
 half-repressed smile, until at length the foot and steel 
 cords were released from companionship. A few times 
 
A MEMORY OP A MASQUERADB. 159 
 
 more around and we parted, but the aooidont alluded 
 to, for some undefinable reason, seemed to break down 
 the barriers of reserve, and render us at once m 
 intimate as if we had been acquaintances for years. 
 
 These incidents occurred in a not large but flourisb- 
 ing city on the American side of the St. Lawrence. 
 About a month from the time of our meeting at the 
 Bink, I received in common with a number of ac- 
 quaintances, an invitation to attend a skating carnival 
 and masquerade, to be folio ^ed by a ball, at a Cana- 
 dian town, distant about a dozen miles ; and Nettla 
 accepted an invitation to accompany me. In order 
 to reach our place of destination, it was necessary 
 that we should cross the St. Lawrence, which was ice- 
 bound, save where a powerful and regularly plying 
 steamer maintained a channel, and from thence pro- 
 ceed by rail. 
 
 In due time, as we supposed, we proceeded to the 
 dock of the steamer, but only to behold the receding 
 boat and a number of our expected compagnons di 
 voyage sorrowfully waving us adieu from it» deck. 
 Our trip must be abandoned or we must dross upott 
 the ice, and we were not long in determining upott 
 the latter course. An open sleigh, drawn by one horse, 
 was the only vehicle attainable, but we were not to IJk 
 deterred, and were soon upon our way. 
 
160 TALES OF THE ST. LAWRENCE. 
 
 W i ' 
 
 The day was a cold one, and it was necessary to 
 make a considerable detour in crossing ; but, worst of 
 all, ere we were fairly upon our way, one of those 
 fierce storms that occasionally sweep down the St. 
 Lawrence valley and come without warning, burst 
 upon us. The wind was a gale and bore with it an 
 avalanche of snow-flakes that soon shut out all sight 
 of land upon either side of the stream. My first im- 
 pulse was to turn back, but reading the word "cour- 
 age" in the eyes of my fair companion, in answer to 
 my mute inquiry, I directed oui* driver to proceed^ 
 which he did somewhat reluctantly. 
 
 Several times the violence of the gale nearly took 
 the horse from his feet and threatened to sweep the 
 aleigh and occupants along with it, yet we were not 
 seriously alarmed for our safety ; but at length a cry 
 from the driver, as he stopped the horse, and at the 
 same time a surging wave rolling over the ice, rising 
 almost to the level of the sleigh, caused me to spring 
 to my feet. A glance told me the nature of our danger 
 and the extent of it. The wind was breaking up tho 
 ice and had already detached a section of it several 
 hundred yards in extent, upon which we were float- 
 ing, while over it the waves were rolling in quick 
 fuccession, as it rose and fell I Around us upon all 
 
A MEMORY OF A MASQUERADE. 161 
 
 Bides was open water. The driver sat spell-bound in 
 terror incoherently muttering a prayer. 
 
 In a moment I realized that there was but one 
 course of action that offered a hope for our preserva- 
 tion, and that appeared to be but a faint one. Our 
 piece of ice, I observed, was being gradually carried 
 by the wind and current to where it would for a mo- 
 ment touch that of the main body. Could we be at 
 the exact point at the moment of the collision, there 
 was a possibility that we might drive over in safety, 
 but a greater probability that the ice would be 
 crushed and that we should be engulfed. But it 
 seemed to be the only chance, and I determined upon 
 attempting it. First, however, I resolved that Nettie 
 should be alarmed as little as possible, and that if we 
 were to die, that she at least, should suffer the pang 
 as few moments as possible. With as much coolness 
 as I could command, I reassured her in a few words, 
 for she by no means comprehended our danger, and 
 then said, 
 
 " This wind is too severe for you to face ; you must 
 let me wrap you uj) in this robe ;" and suiting the 
 action to the word, enveloped her completely, shut- 
 ting out the view of every thing, to which she did not 
 in the least object. 
 
162 TALES OF THE ST. LAWRENCE. 
 
 There was no time to loose. Seizing the driver by 
 the collar and shaking him vigorously, I soon restor- 
 ed him to a state of animation, and gave him direc- 
 tions how to act. Inspired by the hope of life and 
 the confidence of having some one to think for him, ' 
 he was once more equal to his work. 
 
 " Run the horse 1" I shouted, " you are racing with 
 the ice!" 
 
 Horse as well as man responded well to the appeal, 
 and we seemed to fly over the smooth surface and 
 swim through the waves 1 
 
 In a few seconds would come the decisive one. I 
 seated myself by the side of Nettie, clasped her tightly ■ 
 with one arm and placed my face beneath the robe 
 and very close to hers. If death awaited us, it should 
 receive her clasped in my embrace! 
 
 Those were long moments — then our speed was 
 slackened — almost ceased — then I clasped her more 
 tightly and awaited the worst — then a dull crash as 
 the ice met ico, and the sharj), quick reports as a con- 
 siderable portion of the piece that we were upon was 
 dashed into fragments ; then a flying leap of our good 
 steed — a wild shout of joy from our driver, and I 
 sprang up to behold behind us the seething waters 
 hurling about in angry confusi^>n the fragments of 
 
Then a flying leap of our good steed— a wild shout of joy from our driyer, and 
 I sprang up to behold behind us the seething waters hurling about ia angry con 
 fusion the fragments of ice which had held us. 
 
A MEMORY OF A MASQUERADE. 163 
 
 what had been the section of ice that had held U8. 
 
 Nettie did not then fully comprehend the late 
 situation, nor will she until this meets her eye, but 
 she knew that we had escaped a grave danger, for in 
 my joy I embraced her then and there I 
 
 We soon afterwards, without further adventure, 
 reached the opposite shore without mishap ; but alas, 
 cruel and relentless fate, with a myriad of dire mis- 
 fortunes, seemed to bo yet pursuing us ; for, as we 
 approached the depot, it was only to behold the train 
 in motion, speeding from us I 
 
 "We exchanged few words over the subject of our 
 failure; but Nettie's eyes spoke a volume of regret. 
 
 While sitting by the fire in the station waiting- 
 room, endeavoring to devise some plan for annihilat- 
 ing distance, there was a loud rumble of wheels and 
 a train rolled slowly up. Hope revived and I rushed 
 out to find it but a freight train. But my desire for a 
 car just then was equal to that of Richard for a horse 
 at Bosworth field, and I had heard of freight trains 
 being used for the purpose of transporting more pre- . 
 cious burdens than they were dei^igned for, if not as 
 precious as that I now proposed to put aboard of it. 
 The person in charge proved to be genial and accom- 
 modating, and in acceding to my request, I believe 
 
164 TALES OF THE ST. LAWRENCE. 
 
 to this day supposes that ho was assisting a young 
 couple to elope and escape pursuers ! There was a 
 car having a fire and lights, and no load excepting a 
 few chests and boxes. 
 
 "Come", said I, returning to Nettie, -'the train is 
 ready;" and it was enjoyable to observe her look of 
 surprise as I assisted her into the car. 
 
 "This," I proceeded to explain, " is the English 
 style of travelling— private qpmpartments !" The 
 doors were closed, the train was in motion. 
 
 We seated ourselves upon a chest, selected, after 
 much grave deliberatian, near the stove, and reflected 
 upon the incidents that had thus far occurred. It was 
 now night and the lamps shed their uncertain, flick- 
 ering light, and the jolting of the heavy car was far 
 from rendering our seats those of downy softness, but 
 Nettie's spirits triumphed over all, and as the melody 
 of her laughter awoke the echoes of the car, or at my 
 request she sang sweet melodies, the wooden walls 
 that encompassed us seemed to rejoice, for they must 
 have been strangers to so sweet sounds since they stood 
 in the forest and the zejDhyrs of summer murmured 
 through their branches. 
 
 At the place of our destination, and at an hotel. 
 Supper, and then to our apartments to dress for the 
 carnival. 
 
A MEMORY OF A MASQUERADE. 165 
 
 Attired as an officer of Zouaves of high rank, I 
 entered the parlor. Soon a masked figure in an eleg- 
 ant costume of an Andalusian, joined me. A drive 
 through the brilliantly lighted streets, and we were 
 among the throng of masqueradeis. 
 
 The scene was brilliant in the extreme. Almost 
 every character of nationality seemed represented, 
 and human ingenuity driven to an extreme 
 to devise incongruous and fantastic costumes. Nettie 
 and myself, separated or together, were, as an enthu- 
 siastic local reporter phrased it, " conspicuous in the 
 blaze of beauty that scintillated around the charmed 
 circle!" 
 
 A sylph-like figure, representing a post-mistress, 
 with letters and call-horn, approached me. 
 
 " Hast thou no missive for me, fair messenger ?" I 
 asked : 
 
 '' Yes, brave warrior ; read and believe." 
 
 I opened the little note — it read : 
 
 " Deceive yourself — be happy while you may. Your 
 joy of to-day will be your anguish of the morrow." 
 
 "Fair Queen of cards," I said, addressing another 
 masker, " I would prove the truth of the cruel prophecy 
 that this missive contains, by the language of thy 
 cards." 
 
166 TALES OF THE ST. LAWRENCE. 
 
 " They never deceive/' was answered ; *' to the 
 brave have always belonged the fair 1" 
 
 After leaving the ice, the motley throng proceeded 
 to the hall where Terpischore reigned until the day 
 dawned. Here the scene was even more incongruous 
 than before. A Moor danced with a Lapland maiden ; 
 a clown waltzed with a nun, a snow-shoed Canadian 
 was attending a flower-girl ; a Greek priest seemed 
 enamored of a Scotch lassie ; a pretty vivandiere was 
 the companion of a crusader ; and in other parts of 
 the building, strange couples mingled as strangely. 
 A Scottish chief and a wild Celt contended at billiards ; 
 Oliver Cromwell and a North American Indian were 
 sipping champagne together ; John Bull and a Eussian 
 peasant girl strolled, about, arm-in-arm ; Henry the 
 Eighth and George "Washington promenaded with 
 Cleopatra and Queen Elizabeth, while Duke Alphonso, 
 Don Caesar de Bazan, Brother Johnathan and a "gen- 
 tleman of color" were grouped together. 
 
 "Gallant oflSlcer," said a Tui'k, taking my arm, 
 " pledge with me in sparkling wine the star of my 
 harem 1" 
 
 " To the star of yon bevy of beauties. Sir Turk, for 
 there are but two stars in my heaven — the eyes of her 
 whom I adore I" 
 
A MEMORY OF A MASQ UERADE. 167 
 
 " ■- ■ iM 1 1 ■ I.I I > ■ ^ 
 
 " Allah is gi-eat and Mohammed is his pro- 
 phot — but, if you adore but the- stars of which you 
 speak, and they rise not, then is the night indeed 
 dark to you !" 
 
 The festivities over, we returned to our hotel in 
 company with our party, and became but ordinary 
 mortals once more. I retired to my room, but my 
 brain was filled with such a variety of thoughts, that 
 all idea of sleeping away the few remaining hours of 
 the morning, was dispelled. Pulling aside the 
 window curtains and seating myself in a comfortable 
 arm chair near it, I watched the changing sky until 
 each twinkling star disappeared and Aurora opened 
 the gates that admitted the morn. 
 
 At first I was supremely happy, but as the stars 
 faded, one by one from view, a feeling of sadness and 
 despondency stole over me. They seemed a part of 
 the pageant of the night and to have formed a portion 
 of the scene of enchantment that the presence of 
 Nettie had invoked ; and as they faded away, the reali- 
 sation came more forcibly that the act of the life 
 drama was over. 
 
 9|% 'J^ ^^ *^ ^^ ^^ 
 
 " A broken idol ?" you inquire. Ko, I answer — on 
 the contrary, one that yet occupies its niche and 
 
168 TALES OF THE ST. LAWRENCE. 
 
 receives its silent homage. The scenes of that night 
 I choose to fancy, as memory reverts to them, those 
 of characters peopling another world, and not, as this 
 sketch implies that they are, but the memory of a 
 masquerade. 
 
f lt«^ Cafe 0f i%^km $10, 
 
THE TALE OF CHATEAU BIGOT. 
 
 About five miles from the city of Quebec, hidden 
 in a wilderness of its own that seems desirous of 
 preserving the spot from the inroads of the civilization 
 of the present century, are the ruins of the Chateau 
 Bigot. The crumbling walls and neglected grounds 
 have a tale as wild as any of those lingering about 
 the castellated ruins of the old world, whose interest 
 often causes the tourist to visit the^spot, and requiring 
 no embellishment from the pen of the novelist. It is 
 «, well-authenticated tradition, the facts of which arc 
 
172 . TALES OF THE ST. LAWRENCE. 
 
 as romantically wild and deeply tragical as any of 
 the half-fanciful tales narrated of German Feudal . 
 strongholds or the recesses of the Black Forest. 
 
 During a .portion of the last century, Canada was 
 under the Governorship of the French Intendenty 
 Bigot, whose official and chief residence was within 
 the walls of Quebec ; but being an ardent lover of the' 
 chase and of the solitude of the primeval forests, he 
 caused a dwelling to be erected at ihe spot that has 
 been indicated} massive and substantial, as became 
 both his position and the possible needs of the situa- 
 tion in the event of hostilities with any of the neigh- 
 boring tribes of savages, who, howevc , at the time of 
 which I wi'ite, held friendly and cordial relations with 
 the Intendent and the people of the colony generally. 
 
 On a bright day in the spring of the year 1757 the 
 Intendent had been out hunting, unaccompanied, and, 
 wholly engrossed by the excitement of the sport had 
 wandered a considerable distance from the chateau 
 without noticing the decline of the sun in the Heavens^ 
 and the god of day was already disappearing below 
 the horizon,when he chanced to obtain a shot at a deer. 
 His usually steady aim was, however, this time at 
 fault— was it by chance or was it by the direct inter- 
 ference of fate, as many might easily believe in view 
 
THE TALE OF CHATEAU BIOOT. 173 
 
 of the events to which this ordinarily unimportant 
 incident led ? — for he succeeded in but wounding it, 
 and not so seriously as to prevent it from seeking 
 safety in flight This, to the Intendent, but lent 
 additional zest to the hunt and he at once gave pursuit, 
 following it for a long distance into the wilderness, 
 and when finally compelled to relinquish the chase 
 he found to his dismay that he had not only strayed 
 away from that portion of the forest "with which he 
 was familiar, but that the darkness bid fair to prevent 
 him from retracing his course to the Chateau. Sitting 
 down to rest with a hearty malediction bestowed upon 
 his unfortunate passion for the hunt which now held 
 out to him only the reward of remaining in the forest 
 during the night, under the discomfort of ascending a 
 tree to maintain his safety by sleepless vigil and 
 watch for prowling beasts of prey that abounded in 
 that vicinity. 
 
 While thus musing, his quick and practised ear 
 caught the sound of a footstep ajDproaching — a foot, 
 step as light and cautious as if belonging to one of the 
 savage denizens of the forest whose presence in the 
 darkness ho feared. Hastily seizing his fire-arm, 
 which he had dropped upon the earth beside him, he 
 fijH'ang to his feet, and seeking the shelter of a tree. 
 
174 TALES OF THE ST. LAWRENCE. 
 
 awaited its approach. He had not long to wait, for 
 in a moment a form was visible and in an instant the 
 arm was at his shoulder. In another instant it was 
 dropped, and with aiv exclamation of surprise he 
 stepped forth from his place of concealment to confront 
 the m>w comer, sadly in doubt if he was facing one 
 of mortal mould or a sprite of the wood, which the 
 faith of those days taught him had existence. And 
 well might he be pardoned the doubt, for the figure- 
 that met his view was a young female of marvellous 
 beauty, whose symmetrical form was but poorly con- 
 cealed by the scanty raiment worn. In comjDlexion 
 the nut-brown hue of the savage seemed mellowed 
 into brightness by the infusion of a light tint, while 
 her profusion of hair seemed endeavoring to conceal 
 her finely moulded shoulders in a mass of ringlets 
 darker than the night. The surprise of this mysteri- 
 ous beauty of the forest was not less than that of the 
 hunter, but her flight \ras arrested by a few words, 
 and rejoiced to find that she understood and conversed 
 in the French tongue, a mutual explanation was soon 
 given and her history learned. She was of the Algon- 
 quin tribe, yet a child of passion, her father being a 
 French oflicer. The name that she bore was Caroline. 
 In evident pity for the lost Intendent, she consented 
 
THE TALE OF CHATEAU BIGOT. 175 
 
 with but little persuasion to conduct him out of the 
 forest, with every part of which her wanderings had 
 made her familiar, and to his home. 
 
 Darting swiftly ahead she led the way, and experi- 
 enced as was her follower in traversing the intricacies 
 of the wilds, it required no little effort upon his part to 
 keep near to her, and as she sped onward — now into 
 the dense shadow of the screening foliage, to reappear 
 a moment later in a moon-lit opening whose light 
 displayed her form for an initant to her follower, 
 could the gods have beheld them they might well have 
 supposed her to be the the fleeing Daphne and the 
 Intendent the pursuing Apollo. 
 
 So absorbed was his attention by this forest beauty 
 that it seemed but a short time until they stood before 
 the walls of Chateau Bigot. Hero the maiden paused, 
 and pointing toward the dwelling, without a word, 
 but with an involuntary yet graceful movement of 
 her hand, would have bidden him adieu and in an 
 instant disappeared from his view, probably forever, 
 but in a few words of passionate entreaty he sum- 
 moned her back, and taking her hand besought that 
 she would accept his hospitality and the shelter of the 
 Chateau for the night. This she would have declined, 
 and in the most musical of tones protested agaiHst it, 
 
176 TALES OF TEE ST. LAWRENCE. 
 
 yet soon allowed her reluctance to be overcome, and 
 together they entered its portals. 
 
 ^^ '^ ^^ ^^ ^f* 
 
 The wife of the Intendent did not share the passion 
 for rural sports and scenery for which her lord was 
 so noticeable. To Chateau Bigot she was almost a 
 stranger, preferring to remain at their town residence 
 to seeking enjoyment in its solitude. That her hus- 
 band should so often be absent from her she did not 
 marvel at, until a strange infatuation seemed to have 
 seized him for remaining almost constantly at the 
 Chateau, and the rumor in some way came to her ears 
 that he was enslaved by the bright eyes and peerless 
 form of an Indian maiden resident at the house of 
 whose history all seemed in ignorance, and of whose 
 marvellous beauty many tongues bore evidence. 
 
 Being of proud family and of passionate nature, 
 she could ill brook a rival, and therefore took the 
 earliest opportunity of herself paying a visit to the 
 place, where she beheld the forest beauty, and from 
 the lips of an old family servant whom she bribed to 
 reveal the knowledge that he possessed, found that 
 her worst apprehensions were too true and that the 
 maiden Caroline had proven a successful although 
 innocent rival of herself. Yet by no word or act did 
 
TEE TALE OF CHATEAU BIGOT. 177 
 
 the proud and wronged wife betray her knowledge of 
 this fact, while, upon the contrary, during her return 
 trip, accompanied by her husband and a number of 
 others, all marvelled at her seemingly exuberant 
 spirits, and nojje noticed the burning light that shone 
 from her eyes, which not all of her craftiness could 
 repress. 
 
 This discovery was made on the first day of ZvXy. 
 The succeeding night and the following day the 
 Intendent found no time to visit the Chateau. On 
 the night of the second, a fearful storm raged. The 
 winds shrieked wildly — the lightning almost momen- 
 tarily illumined the intense darkness, and the rain 
 fell in torrents. The Intendent, seated in an apartment 
 alone with his wife, appeared to be in particularly 
 bad temper, and frequently ceased his regular pacing 
 to and fro across the room to gaze from the window 
 upon the war of elements raging outside, but discover- 
 ing no indications of its abatement, invariably turned 
 away from it with a muttered imprecation, and re- 
 sumed his fretful walk. 
 
 The wife of the Intendent was a beautiful woman; 
 and had he not been wholly infatuated by the charms 
 of Caroline, and had not his mind been wholly on- 
 grossed with the desire to proceed to the Chateau, he 
 
178 TALES OF THE ST. LAWRENCE. 
 
 would have noticed that she never appeared more 
 beautiful or more atti actively cobtumed than on that 
 occasion. He might also have possibly noticed that 
 the tender solicitude with which she regarded him 
 was not wholly real, and that the brilliancy of her 
 eyes was not altogether that of love ! 
 
 " Why do you appear so annoyed, my dear ?" at 
 length she asked in the tenderest of tones. 
 
 He vouchsafed no reply. 
 
 " Are there any vessels out upon the river or gulf, 
 that you appear so anxious in regard to the storm ?" 
 she again inquired, but her voice grew cold and stern 
 and her proud lips curled sarcastically as she pro- 
 nounced the last words, yet all unnoticed by her 
 companion. 
 
 "^o," he replied, at length, halting before her, 
 " but important matters demand my attention at the 
 Chateau to night, and despite the storm, I must wend 
 my way thither." 
 
 " Assuredly," she rejoined, " no affairs of the go- 
 vernment can require you to proceed thither on this 
 tempestuous night — the morning will certainly 
 suffice!" 
 
 To this he returned no reply, and after a long 
 pause, she again said, aproaching him with a smile 
 
THE TALE OF CHATEAU BIGOT. 179 
 
 that should have won back the allegiance of a husband 
 not wholly emmeshed in the toils of a 8yren,and placing 
 a hand caressingly upon his arm, while her eyes spoke 
 a mute entreaty for the bestowment of a lost affec- 
 tion, " will you not sacrifice all for the sake bf her to 
 whom your love is more than all else ?" 
 
 For a moment only h$ paused — for a moment 
 only gazed into the eyes that looked beseechingly 
 into his own, and then turning away, muttered, 
 "It cannot be!" and striding to the door of 
 the apartment, called to a servitor and directed that 
 Iiis horse should be saddled and brought to the porch 
 of +he building. Then the strange, wild light again 
 shone from her eyes, but, as before, all unnoticed, and 
 when he returned, she said : 
 
 " At least, if your duties require that you should 
 absent yourself from me on this night, you will not 
 refuse me the poor satisfaction of pledging me in a 
 goblet of wine before you depart upon your dreary 
 ride?" 
 
 Eejoiced to find her so acquiescent, he raised the 
 proffered goblet to hislips, and with a few words of 
 bestowed compliment, drained it to the bottom. 
 
 A few moments later, and a retainer entered to 
 announce that the steed was in readiness ; but the 
 Intendent reposed in his chair, unconscious I 
 
180 TALES OF THE ST. LAWRENCE. 
 
 4 
 
 But a Hhort period elapsed, and a form emerged 
 from the building and approached the waiting steed; 
 but it was that of a closely masked female. Glancing 
 apprehensively around to satisfy herself that she was 
 unobserved, she mounted, and giving the horse rein, 
 was soon lost in the darkness of the storm. 
 
 The distance to the Chateau was soon accomplished, 
 and drawing rein, the wife of the Intendent, for it 
 was none other than she, fastened her steed in a 
 place of concealment, and approching a low side door 
 which is yet plainly visible, gave a preconcerted 
 signal by rapping in a peculiar manner upon it. Such 
 was the violence of the storm that for several minutes 
 there was no response to her call, but at length it 
 was opened by an aged attendant to whom a few 
 words were spoken instructing him in the service 
 that he was to perform. She then disappeared in the 
 direction of the chamber of her husband. 
 . She soon reappeared, and placing a heavy purse of 
 gold in the hand of the aged door-keeper, without a 
 word passed out into the darkness and was lost to 
 eight. 
 
 The old man mutcered a few half-broken exclama- 
 tions of fear coupled with prayer, and as a vivid flash 
 of lightning soon afterwards revealed a flying horse 
 
A form emerged from the building aud approaclied tUe vvaitiag steed 
 but it was tli£^t of a closely masked female. 
 
THE TALE OF CHATEAU BIQOT. 181 
 
 and masked female rider dashing away as if the steed 
 and rider were phantoms and raced with the gale, he 
 crossed himself in terror, hastily closed the door 
 and seeking his couch, assiduously told his beads and 
 muttered prayers until slumber claimed his senses. 
 
 When the Intendent awoke from the sleep into 
 which he had been thrown by the influence of a 
 powerful opiate, he roused himself as speedily as 
 possible and chiding himself for having fallen asleep, 
 proceeded out of the house, first having glanced into 
 an adjoining apartment and observed that his wife 
 had retired to their couch. His steed he found where 
 he had directed it to be left, and mounting, he soon 
 arrived at the Chateau. This he did not approach in 
 the stealthy manner of the previous comer, but the 
 sound of the footsteps of his horse and his loud calls 
 speedily brought forth a number of servants. 
 
 " A devil of a ride this that I have had," he mut- 
 tered to himself, " and all for the sake of yon little 
 beauty, whose love will soon cause me to forget its 
 hardship," and ascending to the second story he 
 entered the apartment that she occupied. 
 
 A low fire burned upon the hearth, whose flitting 
 rays dimly illumined the room. 
 
 " Caroline !" he spoke; but there was no reply* 
 
182 TALES OF THE ST. LAWRENCE. 
 
 "My beauty! are your slumbers so deep that the 
 voice of your lover will not awaken you?" 
 
 And yet no response. He could plainly discern 
 her form reposing upon the couch, yet listened in 
 vain to discern her breathing. 
 
 He approached and bent over her — at that instant 
 the flames shot higher upon the hearth and revealed 
 her features to him. Her eyes returned his gaze, but 
 it was with a vacant stare that the dim light but half 
 revealed. One uncovered arm rested upon the outside 
 of the coverlid — he placed his hand upon it — it was 
 icy cold ! "With a wildly throbbing heart he pulled 
 down the coverings — they were red with blood and in 
 her bosom was planted erect a dagger that pierced 
 her heart ! 
 
 He uttered a wild cry that aroused the immates of 
 the dwelling who hurried to the apartment, and whose 
 consternation quite equalled his. 
 
 Early on the succeeding morning the Intendent 
 returned to his town home. Entering the apartment 
 of his wife he apparently aroused her from a sound 
 slumber. 
 
 " What has happened ?" she inquired in a tone of 
 alarm — " something — I know it by your features I" 
 
 " Yes," he returned, " a most foul murder was per- 
 petrated last night at the Chateau l" 
 
THE TALE OF CHATEAU BIOOT. 183 
 
 " A murder I And at the ChateauV^ 
 
 " Yes, the Indian girl, Caroline — you have seen 
 her — was last night murdered in her sleep 1" 
 
 " An Indian girl 1" she repeated half scornfully, and 
 then her musical laughter rang through the room— 
 *' and was it worth disturbing my slumbers to tell me 
 th\s ? By my faith, if I am not tempted to believe 
 that she was an: improper favorite of thine, her death 
 seems to afflict you so sorely 1" 
 
 *^U *^ vV ^^ ^^ 
 
 ^^ »j^ *J* T* ^^ 
 
 Such, reader, is the legend of Chateau Bigot. The 
 dwelling is her tomb. She was interred in a grave 
 in its cellar with Christian rites, and a stone, bearing 
 only the initial " C " placed over her grave. This stone 
 has recently been removed, but whether by the vandal 
 <5uriosity seeker or by some one with a personal in- 
 terest in her history, cannot be stated. The Chateau 
 was at once abandoned and soon fell into ruins, and 
 its crumbling walls have never been disturbed, while 
 .dense, wild foliage forms an appropriate cover for the 
 grave of the Indian maiden, and wild flowers bloom 
 as they blossomed when she plucked them to weave 
 into garlands to crown the brow of the pride of the 
 Algonquins. 
 
h |(l4% 
 
 't^untJ^, 
 
 N 
 
^HE HIDDEN TEEASURE OF ISLE ROYAL. 
 
 Isle Royal, better known in its immediate vicinity 
 by the designation of "Chimney Island," lies about 
 three miles below the city of Ogdensburg on the St. 
 Lawrence and upon the American side of the boun- 
 dary line. It 7S of irregular shape, nearly level sur- 
 face, and embraces an area of six acres. At the time 
 of the occupation of Canada by the French it was 
 strongly fortified, and being at the head of the chain 
 of rapids, was regarded as the key to the river. The 
 embankments of the fort which embraced nearly the 
 whole of the Island, still rise above the surface in an 
 almost unbroken chain, and on the American side 
 se^m to have preserved nearly their original height 
 and form. The wooden palisades have left no trace 
 behind them, but on the inside of the embankment 
 the foundations and ruins of the block-house and pow- 
 der magazine yet remain, and neai* these are buried 
 those of the French who perished in the conflict 
 which resulted in the fall of the fort. On the Island 
 »t present is but p> single structure pnd that a small 
 
188 TALES OF THE ST. LAWRENCE. 
 
 wooden one located on the top of the embankment 
 and facing the American Hhore, used as a temporary 
 resort of sportsmen during the summer season. Near 
 this stands a monster tree, the only one remaining of 
 those whose branches shaded the island at the time 
 that the French flag waved over' it. From the sum- 
 mit of this the approach of parties or expeditions, 
 friendly or hostile, and events occurring in the vicinity, 
 were observed. 
 
 In the year 1760, the English formed a pkn which 
 proved successful, for the complete conquest of 
 Canada. Three expeditions were fitted out, the lai r^est 
 and most important of which, under the command of 
 general Amherst, numbering over ten thousand 
 regulars ^nd continentals and about one thousand In- 
 dians of the Iroquois, rer'^ezvoused at Schenectady 
 and from there proceeded to Oswego. At that place 
 the entire force was embarked in open boats, and^ 
 convoyed by two armed brigs, proceeded down the 
 St. Lawrence. The invaders were pursuing a route 
 almost unknown to them, and the brigs in endeavor- 
 ing to pass through the archipelago of the Thousand 
 Islands, became separated from the boats and almost 
 hopelessly confused amid their intricacies. At this 
 juncture two French vessels appeared and threr.tened 
 
THE HIDDEN TREASURE OF ISLE ROYAL. 189 
 
 dentruction to tho ontiro flotilla of small craft. Gen- 
 eral Ainhorst jiromptly ;ravo orders for one of Iiis re- 
 giments to pull for and board them, when one was 
 gallantly carried and tho other made a hasty flight 
 and was soon no more until the arrival of the ai*my 
 at Fort la Presentation, located on Light-House Point, 
 the present site of Ogdensburg. Here, in company 
 with another, the hostile vessel again barred the pas- 
 sage of the river, and lying at anchor at the mouth of 
 the Oswegatchie river, awaited its approach. To 
 Colonel Israel Putnam, afterwards General Putnam 
 of American Eovolutionary fame, was assigned the 
 duty of capturing the^. Dividing his row-galleys into 
 three sections he rapidly advanced upon the larger of 
 the two vessels. Two of the sections of the galleys 
 were instructed to eng.ige tho attention of tho broad- 
 sides at long range, while the other, led by Putnam in 
 person, rowed under its stern. This was successfully 
 done, and the vessel boarded and captured, when the 
 other craft struck its colors without further resistance. 
 The capture of the vessels was immediately followed 
 by the evacuation of Fort La Presentation by the 
 French. From here the invading army advanced to 
 Fort Levi ujDon Isle Royal, and upon the 20th day of 
 June it was invested. The fort moun-id thirty-five 
 
190 TALES OF TaS ST. LAWRENCE. 
 
 pieces of ordnance, the largest of which were twelve 
 pounders. As a gun of thiij calibre was classed as 
 '' heavy artillery" at tliat date, it is probable that the 
 besiegers possessed none that were heavier. Batte- 
 ries were therefore erected at the distance of a few 
 hundred yards, upon the Island below and the adja- 
 cent shores. Three days after the investment, fire 
 was opened by the beseigers with such effect that 
 most of the guns of the Fort were soon dismounted 
 and its successful defence rendered impossible. On 
 the succeeding day, as preparations were being made 
 to carry it by assault, the garrison capitulated uncondi- 
 tionally, those surrendering numbering three hundred 
 men, besides ton-combatants. 
 
 There was in the possession of the commandant at 
 the time of the investment of the fort, a considerable 
 amount of treasure belonging to his government. 
 When it became certain that he must capitulate, he 
 resolved that, if possible, it should be so concealed 
 that the victors should not be able to discover it and 
 yet where it could be reclaimed when the war was 
 over or the fortune of battle again gave the possession 
 of the Island to the French. On the night succeed- 
 ing the surrender it was therefore quietly committed 
 to the earth, and so secretly that those engaged in the 
 
TUB HIDDEN TREASURE OF ISLE ROYAL. 191 
 
 labor of burying it did not suspect tho nature of the 
 work that they wore engaged in, and with tho com- 
 mandant alone rested tho secret of the spot that con- 
 tained it. The fact of its burial, or rather a well- 
 founded suspicion that it had been buried upon the 
 Island, became public in after yoar«, and treasure-hun- 
 ters by the score sought to discover its whereabouts 
 by excavations and by the various divinations that 
 popular superstition suggested. All search however 
 proved fruitless, and at the date of the occurence of 
 the incidents that I am about to relate, even the re- 
 port that treasure was there buried had nearly been 
 forgotten. 
 
 On a night of August, 18*70, as the shrieking winds 
 bore with them the peal from a church belfry announc- 
 ing the hour of midnight, an individual wearing a 
 slouched hat and enveloped in a capacious cloak, 
 wended his way along Water Street in Ogdensburg, 
 and after pausing many times in order to obtain from 
 a coming flash of lightning a view of the buildings 
 upon each side of the way, halted before a respectable 
 appearing residence upon the river side. The rain 
 fell in torrents, while the white-capped waves were 
 dashed over the low dock in the rear of the dwelling, 
 and rolled to its door-way. A light from an upper 
 
192 TALES OF THE ST. LAWRENCE, 
 
 window shono faintly through the curtain, and an- 
 nounced that, lato as was the hour, all of the inmates 
 had not retired to rest. 
 
 Pausing a moment to observe the FiurroundingH and 
 assure himHclf that ho was not mistaken in the 
 locality, the pedestrian rapped loudly upon the door. 
 In a few moments it was opened by a man. 
 
 " Do I address Captain King?" inquired the stran- 
 ger. 
 
 "That is my name," replied the other, adding an 
 invitation to enter, and leading the way into a small 
 room having windows upon three sides of the building. 
 
 Removing his hat and cloak, the stranger disclosed 
 himself to be a person in the prime of life, of martial 
 bearing and evidently a foreigner. The other, who 
 waited in silence, after pointing him to a seat, to learn 
 his motive in calling upon him at such an hour, was 
 one whose appearance would naturally attract atten- 
 tion anywhere from those who make a study of the 
 human countenance, was of about the ago of the 
 stranger, erect in bearing, almost as dark-complexion- 
 ed as a savage, with coal-black hair and eyes, and 
 whose every motion appeared to be at once as steal- 
 thy and rapid as that of a panther in its native wilds. 
 
 The stranger took the proffered seat and for a 
 
THE nrDDEN TREASURE OF ISLE ROYAL. 193 
 
 niomont ro^urdod him in Hilonco, ovidontly Rltoinpt- 
 ing to read hiHclmmctor, wliilo King boro the Hcru- 
 tiny with an air of afloctod unconsciousness that 
 might have easily deceived the most practised eye. 
 
 "You are a Pilot upon the St. La\vronco?" at 
 length spoke the stranger. 
 
 " I am," was the " reply and have boon for many 
 years." 
 
 " And are aware of the channels though the rapids ?" 
 
 " No one bettor posted, I believe." 
 
 " And know the location of each rock and each 
 Island?" 
 
 " Yes, sir — I have struck them all." 
 
 " Whatl" exclaimed the stranger, " while you have 
 been piloting vessels yourself?" 
 
 "We all touch a rock occasionally," was replied, 
 " but I can take you through without any damage, if 
 that is what you desire." 
 
 " Are you familiar with Isle Eoyal or ' Chimney 
 Island' as you call it here ?" asked the other without 
 noticing the implied question. 
 
 " Chimney Island 1" returned King in some surprise, 
 " that is only three miles below here 1 You do not need 
 a pilot to take you to it." 
 
 In lieu of answer, the stranger produced a cigar 
 
194 TALES OF THE ST. LAWRENCE. 
 
 case from which he selected a cigar and then passed 
 the case to his companion, who followed his example. 
 Both smoked for awhile in silence, with the demeanor 
 of experienced diplomats . Finally the stranger broke 
 the silence again. 
 
 *' Captain King," he said, " you are an utter stran- 
 ger to me, as I am to you, but I believe that I can 
 trust you." * 
 
 " You can, at least with your confidence," was the 
 reply. 
 
 " First then," resumed the other, " I am a native of 
 France and my name is Pouchet." 
 
 "Pouchet!" repeated King, half to himself, 
 " Chimney Island !" and as a sudden recollection 
 seemed to strike him he sprang from his seat and gazed 
 upon his midnight visitor as if to assure himself that 
 he was confronting a person yet of mortal form and 
 not a spectral visitant. The stranger regarded him 
 with increasing interest. 
 
 " Excuse me,"re8ufcied King, again seating himself 
 and relapsing into his nonchalant manner, " but you 
 spoke of ' Chimney Island' and if I am not mistaken I 
 have frequently heard my grandfather, who was upon 
 it ^(rhen it was captured by the English, speak of the 
 officer in command of it as Pouchet." 
 
TUB HIDDEN TREASURE OF ISLE ROYAL. 195 
 
 " You are the man I" exclaimed the other excitedly 
 rising and approaching him ; 
 
 "No, I am not!" returned King hastily retreating, 
 his superstitious fears now thoroughly aroused and 
 feeling almost certain that he was confronted by the 
 spectre of the commandant of Fort Levi ; " it was my 
 grandfather I" 
 
 "You misunderstand me^" replied the stranger, 
 smiling grimly as he comprehended the fear of the 
 other," you are the person of whom I came in search, 
 and I assure you that I am not my grandfather re- 
 turned to earth, but his grandson — and now to the 
 business in hand ; have you ever heard anything in 
 relation to there being a quantity of treasure bm*ied 
 there at the time of the surrender ?" 
 
 " Yes — the Island has been dug over to find it, but 
 I do not place any confidence in the story." 
 
 " But I know that it is true — and more, can take you 
 at once to the spot where it lies buried!" 
 
 " Are you in earnest ?" 
 
 "Wholly so. Not long since, in looking over a pack- 
 age ofpapers left by my grand-father who died shortly 
 after returning to his own country and before the 
 close of the war, I discovered one giving a full state- 
 ment of the affair and stating the exact spot in which 
 
196 TALES OF THE ST. LAWRENCE. 
 
 " Then come in the morning," exclaimed King, un- 
 able to conceal his excitement, " and I will take you 
 to the Island." 
 
 "The morning will not do 1" said Pouchet, "we 
 must go to-night 1" 
 
 " To night in this storm ! It cannot be donel" 
 
 Before replying the stranger took from his pocket 
 a handful of gold coins, and i)laced them upon the 
 table. Pointing to them he said, 
 
 " To night ! It must be ! These will be yours for tak- 
 ing me there, and as many more as you can grasp in 
 your two hands when we have succeeded in reclaiming 
 the treasure ! 
 
 The eyes of King glistened as he gazed upon the 
 gold, and he replied, 
 
 " We will try it ! I will obtain a heavy boat and 
 a few stout fellows to pull the oars." 
 
 ■"That will not answer," replied the other, "you 
 must take me there alone —the secret must not be 
 shared with another man !" 
 
 " I cannot do it then to-night," returned King, " not 
 even for your gold ! 
 
 " The greater the danger the greater shall be the re- 
 ward," said Pouchuet, placing another handful of gold 
 by the side of that already upon the table." 
 
THE HIDDEN TREASURE OF ISLE ROYAL. 197 
 
 Thepilot gazed regretfully upon the gold, but shook 
 his head in reply. 
 
 "I am disappointed in you," saidPouchot with some 
 asperity — ''your grandfather would not have feared 
 any danger that this river could show, if what I have 
 heard of him be correct, and I expected to find in you 
 a man of the same courage!" 
 
 "Enough — I will take you there;" exclaimed King,, 
 nettled at the charge of cowardice — " come with me." 
 
 The two arose, and now for the first time noticed 
 that they were not alone, and that a third party had 
 overheard a portion at least of the conversation that 
 had taken place between them. This person was a 
 girl apparently not more than sixteen years of age, 
 delicate and fragile of form but with regular features 
 and eyes that fairly sparkled with light. 
 
 " Who is this person ?" demanded Pouchet ex- 
 citedly. 
 
 " She is my daughter," returned King dryly. 
 
 "She has overheard our conversation," continued 
 Pouchet. 
 
 "No matter," was the reply, " you can trust her — 
 she is as true as can be, you may depend." 
 
 Without regarding the stranger, the girl approack- 
 ed her father — " You are not going upon the river 
 to-night ?" she inquired in tones of apprehension. 
 
198 TALES OF TH-E ST. LAWRENCE. 
 
 ** Yes," was the reply, "I am going with this 
 gentleman — business requires it — so do not sit up for 
 me, for I shall be gone for some hours." 
 
 " But no boat that you have can live in such a 
 sea!" 
 
 "Do not be alarmed, Libbie," replied her father 
 very tenderly, in a tone that did not shp.ie the con- 
 fidence that his words implied," we shall be very cau- 
 tious, you may depend." 
 
 Proceeding to a slip near by, a light and frail skiff 
 was launched, although not without difficulty. The 
 rain had by this time ceased but the gale raged with 
 undiminished fury. Dark masses of clouds rolled 
 across the sky, through the apartures in which, stars 
 would peep for a moment and then be lost again to 
 eight. With his cloak drawn closely arc nd him, 
 Pouchet sat silently in the stern, while King, hatless 
 and coatless, vigorously plied the oars. 
 
 The trip was indeed a perilous one, and the boat? 
 managed by an inexperienced person, could hardly 
 have kept afloat and unswamped for the period of a 
 minute. The wind favoured them and ere three 
 quarters of an hour had elapsed it floated in compara- 
 tively quiet water, on the lee side of the island which 
 was their destination, and a few moments later its 
 
THE HIDDEN TREASURE OF ISLE ROYAL. 199 
 
 keel struck upon the pebbly beach and both were 
 quickly ashore. 
 
 From the front of the building previously alluded to 
 shone a bright light. Cautiously our adventurers 
 advanced to reconnoitre the premises. Peering through 
 the windows, they beheld a large party of sportsmen 
 engaged in having as jovial a time as their ingenuity 
 could suggest. The greater number of them had 
 evidently left their camps to seek shelter from the 
 storm, and from their uncouth attire and the appear- 
 ance of the apartment, guns and equipments adorning 
 the walls and filling the corners, they might easily 
 have been mistaken for a band of freebooters by one 
 not familiar with their present avocation. The stran- 
 ger intimated as much in an inquiry to his companion, 
 but on being informed as to the true state of the case 
 and also that there was little probability that they 
 would emerge for a considerable while, appeared 
 much more at ease. 
 
 Bidding King remain by the boat, Pouchet made 
 a careful survey of the island, and after the lapse of 
 considerable time, returned to him much dejected. 
 
 " I cannot find my starting-point," he said, "it was a 
 large tree that formerly stood on the southerly end of 
 the island." 
 
• • ■ 
 
 200 TALE^ OF THE ST. LAWRENCE. 
 
 *' I can Hhow you tho Hpot," returned King " my 
 grand- fjither has often pointed it out to me as one that 
 then stood ; come with nao," and leading the way, he 
 soon halted at the large tree upon tho top of the em- 
 bankment. 
 
 " This is the tree," he said. 
 
 The delight of the other scarcely knew bounds. 
 With many muttered exclamations of delight he pro- 
 duced a piece of cord, a compass and some fuses. The 
 cord he fastened to the North Easterly side of the tree 
 and then extended it to its full length ; then lighting 
 a fuse, he moved until tho compass indicated the point 
 desired, when he drew a dagger and sticking it into 
 the earth, exclaimed, 
 
 " This is the spot ! Four feet beneath us lies the 
 treasure !" 
 
 Hastening to the boat. King speedily returned with 
 a couple of spades that had been provided before start- 
 ing. Tho other threw aside his cloak and the two sat 
 at work making an excavation as rapidly as possible. 
 This was not the lightest of tasks, for the earth had 
 not been disturbed to any considerable depth for up- 
 wards of a century, and was as firm as virgin soil. 
 
 "With occasional pauses for rest and the exchange 
 of but few words, they labored for an hour. The 
 
4 
 
 TEE niDDEN TREASURE OF ISLE ROYAL. 201 
 
 galo manifested no indications of abating, while the 
 voices of the revellers at the hotel still were heard in 
 apparent mockery of the storm. 
 
 The spade of King at length struck upon some- 
 thing hard, that gave forth a dull, metallic sound. 
 Eagerly he again inserted it and threw up — a white 
 scull that seemed to smile fiendishly upon him ! 
 
 With an exclamation in character between an oath 
 and a prayer, he dropped his spade and sprang out of 
 the pit ! This revelation produced quite a contrary 
 impression upon Pouchet. " This is the spot — we have 
 found it !" he exclaimed gleefully, while King con- 
 tinued to sowly withdraw, gazing upon him mean- 
 while with horror-dilatedeyes, half convinced that he 
 had brought a spectre to the spot who was arduously 
 engaged in searching for its lor^g buried skeleton ! 
 
 " This is the spotl" repeated Pouchet," it was buried 
 to avoid suspicion, in a grave, with the body of a slain 
 soldier above it! We shall soon strike it!" 
 
 " Not 1 1" returned King, somewhat reassured, but 
 hardly less horrified, " I will not rob a grave, much 
 less on a night like this !" 
 
 ''Not for gold ? hard, yellow gold !" 
 
 " No, not for all that was ever coined !" 
 
 " Without other reply than a few muttered words, 
 
 
 
202 TALES OF THE ST. LAWRENCE. 
 
 commonts upon the cowardice of his companion, 
 Pouchot resumed his work, and was soon rewarded by 
 coming upon the sought-for treasure. "With an ex- 
 clamation of delight he seized a handful of it to assure 
 himc.elf that he was not mistaken and then removed 
 the remainder of the earth from it as speedily as pos- 
 sible. It had been buried in a heavy oaken case 
 which was so decayed as to crumble at a touch, but 
 which had held it compactly together. 
 
 Producing from his capacious pockets a couple of 
 stout bags of leather, attached to which were long 
 and stout straps, he as quickly as possible filled ihem 
 with treasure. 
 
 The excavation was then filled in and all traces of 
 their work as far as possible removed. 
 
 It proved a test of their strength for each to convoy 
 one of the bags of gold to the skiff. 
 
 As they were embarking, a number of persons 
 came out of the building and observing them, hastened 
 toward them but only in time to observe the skiff 
 tossed about by the waves, disappear in the darkness. 
 
 Owing to the direction of the wind and the current, 
 the return trip would in any event have been much 
 the more difficult and perilous, and the added weight of 
 the treasure now caused the light craft to labor so 
 
THE HIDDEN TREASURE OF ISLE ROYAL. 203 
 
 heavily in the waves that the utmost skill could not 
 have prevented them from breaking over it and threat- 
 onin/:^ constant submersion. The island was soon 
 lost sight of — the shores were invisible and not a light, 
 save that of tlie Ogdensbui'g Light-House, was to bo 
 seen. Pouchet manifested no indication of fear and 
 had passed the straps attached to the treasure bags 
 around him. After narrowly escaping several waves 
 that threatened to capsize them, King ventured to 
 express his opinion, speaking between his strokes of 
 tho oars, that it would be impossible to make a landing 
 u.!iOss the treasure was thrown overboard. This 
 proposition the other wholly refused to entertain. 
 " One bag of it, ' then pleaded the oarsman — " Never I" 
 almost hissed Pouchet, as he tightened the straps 
 around him. 
 
 " It must be thrown overboard," persisted King, " or 
 we shall never make the shore" — " you can attach a 
 cord to it with a float as a buoy to mark its location 
 and we can recover it when the storm is over." 
 
 "Understand me!" shouted Pouchet in reply, "I 
 will take it ashore with me or go to the bottom with 
 it," and he resumed the employment of endeavoring 
 to keep the skiff bailed out by dipping up the water 
 in his hat. 
 
204 TALES OF THE ST. LA WRENCE. 
 
 The other urpjcd him no more, but bout to his 
 oarH in Rilonco. 
 
 Nonrly an hour had paasod since leaving the inland, 
 when thoy nrrivod at a point oppOHito to the phico of 
 •starting. The first indications of the coming day 
 were visible in the sky. The most dangerous portion 
 of the trip was now entered upon, for it became ne- 
 cessary to work the boat across the line of waves 
 •instead of heading it directly upon them as before. 
 King exerted his utmost strength and employed his 
 greatest skill, yet the water continued to constantly 
 rise in the skiff, notwithstanding the unceasing efforts 
 of Pouchet to keep it free. At length two mighty 
 waves came following each other in quick succession. 
 The first filled the boat to the gunwale, rendering it 
 unmanageable — the second capsized it 1 
 
 Uttering a terrible cry — one that sounded afar 
 above the voice of the gale, and sounded like the wail 
 of one that had staked his soul against gold and lost, 
 Pouchet sank beneath the waves, sinking as quickly 
 as a cast lead — carried to the bottom by the weight 
 of the gold! 
 
 King, agile and unfettered, seized hold of the edge 
 of the boat, and although frequently for a few seconds 
 at a time under water, maintained his hold. How 
 
He WBB rapidly becomiiiff exhau«tod. when, from out of the lowering gloom 
 suddenly appeared a skiff, headed directly towards him. 
 
TIIK IIIDDES TREASURE OF ISLE ROYAL. 205 
 
 lon^ ho thiiH f!()ftto<l, Imtrotocl aljoiit by tlio winds and 
 tho wuvoH, lio could not tell, luit ho wus rapidly l)0- 
 coiniii;^ (.'xhauslcd and had ;;ivcn u[) all hopes of life, 
 when from out tho lovvorin^ ^looin suddi'nly ajjpoarod 
 a skill' hoaded diroctly towaril him. It was skillluUy 
 and deftly handled, and ho was soon ahlo to grasp its 
 Btorn and folt that ho was saved I Then did he first 
 rocognizo tho daring oarswoman who had risked life to 
 rescue him, and knew that it was none other than his 
 daughter to whom allusion was previously made ! 
 Overhearing sullieient of the conversation to learn the 
 destination of her father and his strange visitant, she 
 had not retired to rest during the period of their 
 absence, too alarmed concerning their safety to think 
 of it. The dying cry of Pouchet was borne to her 
 ears, and satislied that they had met with a serious 
 mishap and being skilled in the management of a boat, 
 she had quickly and unhesitatingly proceeded in 
 search of them, and favored in a great degree by for- 
 tune, succeeded in finding her father as has been 
 described. 
 
 No words were exchanged between the two, and it 
 required not a little skill upon tho part of both to 
 enable him to get safely into the boat, and when it 
 was accomplished, she relinquished the oars to him, 
 
206 TALES OF THE ST. LAWRENCE. 
 
 and nearly fainting from the eft'ects of her exertions 
 and excitement, sank upon a seat and spoke not a word 
 until hom« was reached in safety. 
 
 The treasure yet rests upon the bottom of the St. 
 Lawrence, and with it, peichance, in sad mockery, 
 the skeleton of Pouchet. 
 
^k |afHif 4 |ittil-||iU pint 
 
THE BATTLE OF WIOT)-MILL POINT. 
 
 Few persons who have passed down the St. Lawrence 
 have failed to notice a tall stone structure, resembling 
 in form and appearance the solitary round-towers of 
 the age of chivalry, that stands in ruins yet not ruined 
 an the Canada shore, about one mile below the village 
 of Prescott, and a short distance from the head of 
 
 the Gallops or first rapids. Nor in regarding the' 
 silent shaft of masonry, can the passer-by have failed 
 to notice the encircling line of the ruins of stone 
 dwellings that form a grimly picturesque and appro- 
 
210 TALES OF THE ST. LAWRENCE, 
 
 priate background for this monument of a conflict of 
 the past, for the locality iw the scene of the engage- 
 ment in which the revolutionary movements of 1837-8 
 culminated, which have been designated by histo- 
 rians as the " Patriot War." 
 
 At that time the then village of Ogdcnsburg, nearly 
 opposite, was a place of not more than three thousand 
 inhabitants — that of Prescott but a small settlement, 
 gaining its principal importance from being a military 
 post, while Fort Wellington, an irregular-shaped 
 <earth-work, fronting upon the river, presented an 
 appearance very similar to what it does at present. 
 
 On the eleventh day of November, 1838, the steamer 
 United States left Oswego en route for Ogdensburg 
 upon a r^egular trip, but carryings in addition to those 
 that were known to be journeying for private and 
 peaceful purposes, a party of about one hundred and 
 fifty men, who, although ununiforrfced and having no 
 arms in sight, the most careless observer eould not 
 have failed to have noticed were a military organiza- 
 tion, and under the command of leaders whom it was 
 not difficult to distinguish by their bearing and the 
 deference paid them by their subordinates. The entire 
 party was without baggage save a few large trunks 
 and iron-bound boxes which they insisted upon them- 
 
THE BATTLE OF WIND-MILL POINT. 211 
 
 selves handling!;, and a small number of very heavy 
 kegs, the head of one of which, as if to leave no doubt 
 as to the character and hostile intent of the party, on 
 being rolled aboard, came out, and disclosed the fact 
 that its contents wore leaden bullets. 
 
 The party preserved exceeding decorum, and, 
 gathered in small groups about the Bteamer, conversed 
 together in low tones, invariably relapsing into silence 
 on the approach of a person not of their number. Of 
 those composing the expedition, whose object, as the 
 reader has by this time surmised, was to effect a land- 
 ing on Canadian soil and co-operate with exj^ected 
 bodies of disaffected Canadians in achieving the 
 independence of the Provinces — we have to deal with 
 but two individuals particularly. One of them, a 
 young man of about twenty-eight years of age, tall, 
 erect, dark complexioned, with an eye that indicated 
 a spirit daring even to recklessness — the other, one 
 whose appearance ill recommended him for martial 
 pursuits and the dangers and hardships of a compaign, 
 almost a counterpart of the other in appearance: 
 slight of statu: e, light complexioned and with eyes 
 nearly of the hue of the waters upon which they were 
 allnost constantly bent, as if in deep meditation. The 
 former was Arthur Gillespie, captain of a company 
 
212, TALES OF THE ST. LAWRENCE. 
 
 from tho western borders of Now York. IIo was 
 almost constantly either engaged in consultation with 
 the other officers of tho command, or moving about 
 giving whispered words of instruction or advice to 
 the men ; the latter was a private in his company 
 known as Frank Clark. Seated alone on deck near 
 the stern of the boat, ho had spoken to none since 
 coming aboard, but sat in silence, his eyes only being 
 . raised from the river to gaze furtively and almost 
 apprehensively upon the form of the captain of his 
 company for a moment, when he again invariably 
 relaj)sed into meditation. 
 
 At the foot of Long Island, and a short distance from 
 Millen's Bay, two schooners were found lying in the 
 stream, and evidently awaiting the arrival of the 
 steamer. On approaching them, one of the passen- 
 gers, who was evidently an officer of the party, 
 requested that they be taken in tow, asserting, with a 
 peculiar smile, that they belonged to him and were 
 laden with a choice assortment of merchandise for 
 which there was or soon would be a great demand 
 near Ogdensburg. The captain of the steamer, 
 either from sympathy with the objects of the party 
 aboard, or knowing that refusal would be useless, 
 acceded to the request, and the schooners were 
 
THE BATTLE OF WIND-MILL POINT. 213 
 
 lashed, one on c.ich side of the steamer, with little 
 delay. 
 
 Had there previously been any doubt in the 
 minds of those not connected with the party aboard 
 as to its real character and objects, it was now 
 removed. The hatches of the schooners being 
 thrown open, armed men lined their decks, while the 
 mysterious trunks and boxes aboard of the steamer 
 were opened, disclosing a full complement of arms, 
 equipments and uniforms, with which the men of the 
 party were at once uniformed and equipped. All 
 attempts at concealment were thrown aside — the com- 
 panies were formed and the officers assumed command. 
 
 As the vessels drew near to the village of Morris- 
 town, about twelve miles from Ogdensburg, the 
 larger part of the men aboard of the steamer, by 
 order of the one in charge, ^' General" John W. 
 Eirge, proceeded aboard of the smaller of the two 
 schooners, named the Charlotte of Toronto. The two 
 sailing vessels were then cast oif with directions to 
 proceed upon their course together for Prescott, while 
 the steamer with the remaining portion of the men 
 and the commandaht of the expedition, continued 
 upon its way to Ogdensburg. 
 
 This movement, which at the time was considered 
 
214 TALES OF THE ST. LAWRENCE. 
 
 by the " Putriots," as thoy termed themHolves, as 
 cauHetl by HOine unoxplainod requirement of military 
 strategy, proved to bo but an act of Hkulking coward- 
 ice u})()n the part of the braggart leader, whose 
 courage, wrouglit to fever heat by his own eloquence 
 in rallying volunteers when afar from the scene of 
 danger, diminished in proportionate ratio as it was 
 approached. The command then devolved upon 
 "Colonel" Von Schoultz, a Polish exile and veteran 
 soldier, who, however mistaken as to the justice of the 
 cause in which ho had enlisted, fully believed that it 
 was meritorious. 
 
 On board of the schooner named were Yon 
 Schoultz and the company of Arthur Gillespie, 
 together with a couple of hundred other men. Drift- 
 ing slowly with the current, carrying only sufficient 
 sail to enable the vessels to be steered, the two 
 schooners arrived opposite Prescott shortly before 
 day-light. 
 
 The officers of the expedition had been informed 
 that the surjDrise and capture of Fort Wellington was 
 contemplated, and lashed together, side by side, the 
 two vessels moved slowly in toward the dock at 
 Prescott most contiguous to the fort, whose dim out- 
 lines were faintly visible through the darkness. On 
 
TIIK BATTLE OF WIND-MILL POINT. 215 
 
 the dock a wlecpy Hcritinol paced up and down, with 
 his attention upon the cloud of canvaH looniinf^ up 
 before him, while the inmates of the garrison 
 Blumbered, all imsuHpiciousof an armed and dangerous 
 foe within musket shot of them. 
 
 At this point, addressing his superior, Captain 
 Gillespie proilered the request : — 
 
 " Colonel, I have lo ask that you will accord to me 
 the post of honor in the column — that of leading the 
 advance I" 
 
 " No 1 please do not I " sounded in startled tones 
 upon the group of consultants, and turning to the 
 speaker, all beheld for the first time^ that Private 
 Frank Clark had been a listener to the conversation, 
 and with earnest tones and pleading gesture asked a 
 refusal of the entreaty. 
 
 " Go to your place, boy I" enjoined Captain 
 Gillespie sternly, " how dare you attempt to inter- 
 fere I " and with averted eyes and abashed look the 
 youth moved away and took his position in the ranks 
 of the men drawn up amidships. 
 
 Passing along the line of his men, Captain Gillespie 
 paused when 'he came to Private Frank Clark, and 
 almost repenting his harsh words of a moment before, 
 said: 
 
216 TALES OF THE ST. LAWRENCE. 
 
 "I rojU'iinaiulod you rather Hovoroly, Fnuik, but 
 you uro young and uuHuitod to the dangers that wo 
 arc about to oncountor; you whould not have onlistod 
 in the forlorn hope of Huch an ontorpriHo. You may 
 remain aboard of the vohsoI when wo embark, and 
 not risk your life in the undertaking." 
 
 " No I by no moans, no ! " rejoined the young 
 recruit in trembling yet anxiouH tones. " I must 
 share all dangers that you do! Forgive me for my 
 hasty words — you will find that I will not flinch when 
 we encounter danger ! " and the tones of the last 
 words were almost indistinct, while an undoubted 
 tear sprang from its hidden font and coursed down 
 his cheek ! 
 
 " Well, as you will," returned the Captain turning 
 away, and muttering to himself, "that boy is an 
 enigma — I never saw him until we reached Oswego, 
 and yet his voice and countenance seem familiar. 
 One moment he seems as timid as a girl, and the next 
 to possess the courage of a hero !" 
 
 The larboard vessel grated along the side of the 
 dock; aporson detailed for the purpose sprang ashore 
 with a line for the purpose of making it fast; the 
 expectant invaders stood in readiness to leap upon 
 the dock and advance upon the Fort upon the double- 
 
• THE BATTLE OF WIND MILL POINT. 217 
 
 quick ; when at thia critical moment the aflrightod 
 sentry (lischnr/jfcd \\\h piece, wliich ho terrified th« 
 liiio-bcaror that ho Hjuruni^ ahoard of the voshcI a/^ain, 
 witiioiit uccomplishinf? his piirpo.se. 
 
 liorno on hy the wind and cwrront, the vchhoIh wero 
 soon 80 far pant the landing that it was impossible to 
 renew the attempt, even if the garrison had not now 
 been arouseii and in readiness to receive them. 
 
 This act of cowardice, as was afterwards proven, 
 sealed the fate of the expedition and perhaps of the 
 expected revolution, for had a landing been made and 
 the fort assaulted as proposed by Von Schoultz, there 
 is not a doubt that it could have been carried with 
 little loss of life, when the expedition would have at 
 least been safe from cai)ture, as its guns commanded 
 the. river Und would have secured a safe retreat to 
 American soil when the fortune of battle became 
 adverse. 
 
 A landing of the force was effected, after daylight 
 at the Wind-mill, by the schooner upon which was 
 Gillespie's company, cannon and stores conveyed 
 ashore; and the line of occupation extended to 
 encircle the brow of the hill. The other schooner, in 
 attempting to go about, grounded upon the bar at 
 Ogdensburg but the leader of the expedition, Birge, 
 
218 TALES OF TUB ST. LAWRENCE. 
 
 who manifostod tlie uttnoHt zoul in convoying others 
 to tlio piaco of (lunger which ho whh too cowardly to 
 Bharo with them, Hoi/.ed the H(ounier United States, 
 which made Hoverul trips from OgdouHburg to the 
 Witid-miil, conveying tho men from the schooners 
 together with a number that had arrived at Ogdens- 
 burg to join them. On the last trip made, however, 
 a cannon nhot from the 1^'nglish gun-boat Experiment, 
 which had arrived at Pruacott, entered tho wheel- 
 house and decapitated the wheelsman. This sufticed 
 to not only dampen but to wholly extinguish tho 
 courage of the groat "Agitator," and ho diHaj)peare4 
 from tho scone, and was for a time invisible. At 
 about this time, a party of volunteers in sympathy 
 with tho invjiders, succeeded with a small ferry 
 steamer, the Paul Pry, in getting tho stranded 
 Bchoonor afloat. Passing down to tho Point, a portion 
 of her cargo of stores was soon removed ashore, when 
 both vessels returned to Ogdonsburg. 
 
 The events just narrated occurred on Monday. 
 That night was a busy one. Tho invaders, whose 
 camp-fires were built under tho shelter of tho river 
 bank and within tho grove of cedars that then stood 
 upon the point, that their light might not reveal their 
 operations to the foe, were em2)loyed in erecting 
 
THE liATTLE OF WIND MILL POINT. 219 
 
 battcrios, throwin;^ np M^ht ourth-workH and in doing 
 what oImu waH posniblo to strengthen thoii position, 
 while throughout the HUrrounding country mojs^onn'ers 
 were speeding, rallying the millitia to nrms, and the 
 roads resounded with the sound of the footsteps of 
 men hurrying to places of rendezvous, and the march 
 of battalions for the scene of action. 
 
 Early Tuesday morning two English gun-boats, 
 the Cohurg and the Victoria, arrived at Prescott with 
 a small detachment of regular troops, which being 
 landed, the steamers came down tlie stream and 
 opened tire upon the position of the invaders, which 
 was returned with spirit by their guns. A force 
 about double in numbers to that of the invaders 
 having also assembled, lino was formed and an 
 advance made upon the position. The assaulting 
 party advanced spiritedly in two columns. The 
 defenders were silent and invisible, with the excep- 
 tion of a party of sharp-shooters stationed on the 
 flanks of their line, who did great execution, especially 
 in picking off the officers of the advancing columns, 
 until the foe was within easy range, when a ringing* 
 cheer along the line and a deadly volley opened the 
 action on their part. Both sides fought with coolness 
 and bravery. The ^.-^mpany of Captain Gillespie 
 
220 TALES OF THE ST. LAWRENCE. 
 
 held the centre, and as he passed up and down along 
 its line, his eye often rested upon Private Clark^ 
 whose coolness contrasted strangely with the timidity 
 that he had previously manifested ; but what appeared 
 as most singular was that his eye sought his furtively 
 and almost constantly, and with a meaning that he 
 could not comprehend. " There is some mystery 
 connected with that boy," he muttered to himself, 
 momentarily, regardless of the whizzing bullets j 
 " he did not join the expedition on account of the 
 love of adventure or for the love of Canadian inde- 
 pendence, I will warrant." 
 
 The action was of considerable duration. Sheltered 
 behind stone walls and earth-w^orks, the defenders 
 fought at a great advantage over the assailants who 
 advanced over open fields, yet they were finally 
 victorious, compelling the invaders to retire to the 
 ghelter of the houses and mill. The loss of the 
 former was officially stated to be seven officers anrl 
 seventy-three rank and file, and that of the former 
 but nineteen men. A company of the invaders^ 
 however, numbering fifty-two men, discouraged by 
 the success of the attacking party, and acting without 
 orders, attempted to effect an escape, and were cut off 
 and captured. This mishap to their fortunes caused 
 
THE BATTLE OF WIND MILL POINT. 221 
 
 the spirits of the invaders to become correspondingly 
 depressed. 
 
 From that time the action assumed the form 
 of a seige. The gun-boats toolc up positions in tho 
 river and kept up a steady cannonade, while 
 batteries erected on the land also maintained an 
 almost incessant fire. Added to this, a consider- 
 able body of U. S. troops had arrived at Ogdens- 
 burg under tho command of Colonel, afterwards 
 Major General W. J. Worth, for the purpose of 
 preventing any reinforcements for the beleaguered 
 party from leaving American soil. The long days 
 and longer nights wore on. From the summit of 
 the Mill, "Von Shultz, in almost constant consultation 
 with his more trusted subordinates, swept the range 
 of country arouijd in search of indications of the 
 approach of succor in the shape of columns of 
 Canadian rebels whom he had been promised would 
 arise and co-operate with him immediately on his 
 landing, but looked in vain. The moderate store of 
 ammunition and provisions that they possessed had 
 been designed only for rapid field movements and 
 not to enable them to withstand a siege, and was, by 
 Thursday, nearly exhausted. The coward Birge, 
 from the American shore, communicated with them 
 
222 TALES OF THE ST. LAWRENCE. 
 
 each night by means of a pre-arranged signal-code of 
 lights, and, by false promises of succor, succeeded in 
 maintaining in a measure their hopes of being 
 relieved. 
 
 On this day Colonel Worth had an interview with 
 Colonel Young, a modern Chevalier Bayard, the Eng- 
 lish commandant, and asked permission to remove the 
 invaders to American soil, pledging that he would be 
 responsible for their conduct in the future, thus stay- 
 ing the shedding of blood and preventing the sacrifice 
 of the lives of so large a number of brave men It is 
 piy pleasing duty to pay the tribute of putting on 
 record the noble and morally courageous act ofhu- 
 inanity of Colonel Young, performed upon this occa- 
 sion. It was an act nobler than could have been per- 
 formed upon the field of battle. The invaders were 
 defeated and were captives within his power — the time 
 of their surrender was a matter of but a few hours — no 
 human agencj^ could relieve them or take from him 
 the well earned fame of their capture, yet he proved 
 that, for the sole purpose of preserving the lives and 
 saving from the gallows and felons' cells men w^hom 
 he had found brave adversaries, he was not only will- 
 ing but anxious to forego the reputation already with- 
 in his grasp and become the object of blame and pos- 
 
THE BATTLE OF WIND MILL POINT. 223 
 
 sibly of military disgrace. Yet this request he could 
 not grant, consistently with the duty owed to his 
 flag, but endeavored to serve the interests of human- 
 ity as well by stating, ostensibly in an indiflererit 
 manner, that two of the three gun-boats had gone up 
 the river that morning while the third one was lying 
 at Prescott undergoing repairs, and would not be out 
 again until two o'clock on the following morning. 
 This was quickly understood to be a hint, by Colonel 
 Worth, that an opportunity would be thus afforded 
 for the escape of the party, and acting in accordance 
 therewith the st.^amer Paul Pry was despatched 
 shortly betore midnight in charge of a party of volun- 
 teers to accomplish that object. This party was com- 
 posed of citizens of the then village of Ogdensburg, 
 and was under the charge of Preston King, afterwards 
 the eminent United States Senator of that name. 
 No difficulty was experienced in effecting a landing 
 and in sending a messenger ashore to communicate 
 their object. All was still save the occasional ex- 
 change of shots by the pickets upon both sides, and 
 no obstacle intei-fered to prevent or hinder the pro- 
 posed embarcation of the entire force. 
 
 Von Shultz at once assembled his oflBcers to consi- 
 der the proposed offer of transit to American soil. 
 
224 TALES OF TTTE ST. LA WRENCE. 
 
 All at once decided in favor of embracing the chance 
 of escape so unexpectedly offered, as all well knew 
 that their power of resistance could not last much 
 longer. As this conclusion was reached, a messenger 
 descended from one of the upper stories of the AVind- 
 mill to the lower one, in which the consultation was 
 being held, and placed in the hands of the leader a 
 communication from the signal officer stationed 
 above. 
 
 " Ah !" exclaimed Von Shultz, after scanning it 
 eagerly, " from Birge — your attention to this, gentle- 
 men :" 
 
 ^^ Important risings reported in Canada ! — Reinforce- 
 ments will reach you in the morning ! Hold your posi- 
 tion ! 
 
 Birge." 
 
 With loud-spoken maledictions upon the coward 
 who, though not daring to share their peril was yet 
 desirous of sacrificing them for the faintest chance of 
 achieving personal reputation, it was at once voted 
 by all to disregard it and embark, but befoi'e this 
 could be accomplished, the civilian party aboard ot 
 the steamer became exceedingly restless and fearful 
 of the return of the gun-boat, and took its departure. 
 A grave mistake had also been made in not selecting 
 
THE BATTLE OF WIND MILL POINT. 226 
 
 as tho chief of the rescuing expedition, a military 
 man whom trivial dangers would not have rendered 
 timid, or at least a person of well-known and tried 
 courage. Had that been done, a bloody page would 
 have been torn from Border History. As it was, the 
 invaders were thus left to their fate. 
 
 Possessed of a noble and generous nature, yet not 
 one fitting him for such a trust as then devolved upon 
 him, the leader of the expedition of rescue, chagrined 
 at his failure, soon became a raving mad-man and 
 was placed in an asylum. He afterwards recovered 
 his reason and rose to an exalted position, as has been 
 stated ; but the memory of that night haunted him 
 throughout life like a spectre, and on its anniversary, 
 twenty odd years later, while occupying the lucrative 
 and enviable position of Collector of Customs of the 
 Port of New York, he committed suicide by jumping 
 from a ferry boat in the harbor of that city, having 
 previously taken the precaution to weight himself 
 with bags of shot, thus sacrificing his life for the 
 regret of not having risked it so many years before. 
 
 The steamer, however, conveyed away a few of the 
 wounded, and while assisting these aboard, and before 
 being aware of the decision of the council of officers, 
 which he feared might be adverse to an abandonment 
 
226 TALES OF THE ST. LAWRENCE. 
 
 of the position, Captain Gillespie observed Frank 
 Clark standing near him. Moved by a kind impulse,^ 
 he approached him, and said : 
 
 " Frank, you have been a good soldier and have 
 done your duty well, but you are young and unfitted 
 for this life. You may proceed aboard of the steamer 
 and go to Ogdensburg, and I will assume the respon- 
 sibility of it." 
 
 " Thank you, Captain," replied the youth, in a sad 
 yet singularly melodious voice, " but I do not desire 
 to abandon the expedition." 
 
 Something as before in the voice and manner affect- 
 ed Captain Gillespie, yet Avhat that something was or 
 
 reminded him of, he could not have guessed, but it 
 
 y 
 prompted him to continue his efforts of persuasion. 
 
 "Perhaps not," he said, "but from some reason I 
 have taken a fancy to you, and will tell yon that I 
 consider that our lives are already forfeit to the 
 enemy I Colonel Yon Schultz will probably refuse to 
 embark his force upon the steamer and abandon the 
 expedition, in what I fear is but a delusive hope of 
 obtaining succor. We will soon in all probability be 
 captives — you need not share our fate ; please me, at 
 least by going." 
 
 " I do not wish to leave you I" was the reply, in a 
 
THE BATTLE OF WIND MILL POINT. 227 
 
 low, sad tone, and without another word the youth 
 turned away. 
 
 *' Singular — very I" mused the Captain, but in the 
 multiplicity of matters that engaged his attention. 
 Private Clark was soon forgotten. 
 
 With the steamer departed the last hope of escape of 
 the invaders, for in an hour afterwards the river was 
 again patrolled by the flotilla of gun-boats that main, 
 tained a constant fire during the night. 
 
 The morning dawned and the day wore away, but 
 brought no succor, and upon the following day all 
 hope of receiving it was abandoned. A brief consul- 
 tation of the officers decided that resistance was no 
 longer practicable, and calling his force together, Von 
 Schultz in few words informed them of the existing 
 condition of afiairs, and earnestly appealed to them to 
 charge together upon the line of the enemy and 
 perish together as became soldiers. To this a half 
 implied consent was given by the majority, and the 
 company of Captain Gillespie was designated to lead 
 the advance. 
 
 Upon a run and with a faint attempt at a cheer, it 
 advahced toward the crest of the ridge that marked 
 the enemy's line, while Yon Schultz endeavored to 
 urge forward the remainder of the force to its support. 
 
228 TALES OF THE ST. LAWRENCE. 
 
 The advanced company waw met by a storm of bullotB 
 that cauHod its demoralization, and it« leader behold 
 all of hiH followers save 0!ie, break from the ranks 
 and flee for a place of shelter. 
 
 "Cowards!" he muttered, hoarse with rage, "bo 
 you alone are made of true metal I Butyou can return 
 with them — I will die alone!" 
 
 " Oh Arthur!" cried the other wildly, " do not des- 
 troy yourself — come with me !" and rushing to him, 
 his arms wore thrown around his Captain as if he 
 would enforce his request. 
 
 At that instant, and before Gillespie could reply, 
 there came a volley of bullets from along the entire 
 English line, and they fell side by side, clasped in 
 each other's arms ! 
 
 " Arthur ! Arthur ! do not you know me — your 
 Lillian!" 
 
 " Lillian ! my God ! it is true !" exclaimed the dy- 
 ing officer. 
 
 " I could not be parted from you, dearest, and so 
 came with you thus, and am so glad that I did so !" 
 
 " Kiss me, darling!" came in faint tones from the 
 other. Her lips were pressed to his once — twice 
 they moved and then grew rigid. Both were dead I 
 
 The contest was over. A white flag was displayed 
 
THE BATTLE OF WIND MILL POINT 229 
 
 from tho Mill and an unconditional surrondor mado 
 — a HuiTondor that meant death iij)on tho galiowH to 
 those holding rank, and transportation for long terms 
 for tho others. 
 
 An unmarked grave, whone precise locality cannot 
 now bo distinguished, but v/hich lies between the Mill 
 and the present wagon road, contains tho uncotMned 
 remains of those who fell upon the field. Tho corpses 
 of the lovers wore not parted, nor was the secret of 
 the SOX of the heroine of this sad talo discovered by 
 the victors. As peacefully they sleep as if sculptured 
 marble marked their resting place, while the old. 
 Mill, yet steadily resisting the encroachments of 
 time, stands near by, and is often visited by those 
 familiar with the historical events related, and always 
 shunned after nightfall by those residents of the 
 vicinity who are of superstitious mind, who aver to 
 having beheld the spirits of Von Schultz and his 
 slain comrades peopling the old tower when storms 
 have raged, and those of the lovers strolling over the 
 turf and along the shore, when the moon has shone 
 brightly and the old ruin cast its shadow upon their 
 grave I 
 
fillm ^$imm 
 
WILLIAM JOHNSON. 
 
 William Johnson, " Tho Pirate of the St. Lawrence" 
 as he was dubbed by all excepting his friends and 
 sympathizerH, a title, which, by the way, was not at 
 all (lisploaHing to him in hiH hitter years, was ont) of 
 tho prominent actors in the ill conceived and ill fated 
 " Patriot" campaign, if the operations of the self- 
 styled "Liberators of Canada" merit the dignity of 
 being so styled, and quite a remarkable character in 
 his way, possessed of no smaW amount of courage, 
 resolution and tact. He hbld a commission from the 
 provisional Patriot Government as " Commander-in- 
 chief of the naval forces and flotilla." It would have 
 puzzled him to have imagined even a mythical navy 
 under his command, while his "flotilla" consisted of 
 the few row-boats and canoes that with his band of 
 adventurous followers he was able to secrete among 
 the islands, and for a considerable time maintain 
 
234 TALES OF THE ST. LAWRENCE. 
 
 possession of, despite the efforts of both the English 
 and American Governments to effect his capture. 
 
 On the night of the 29th of May, 1838, the English 
 •passenger steamer Sir Robert Peel, while on a ti-ipup 
 the river, stopped at a wooding station on Wells* 
 Island, near the head of the stream; here it was 
 boarded by Johnson, at the head of something over a 
 Bcore of well armed men, disguised in Indian costume, 
 who at once proceeded to put the passengers and 
 crew, about forty in number, ashore, and then to fire 
 the boat, which was soon burned to the water's edge. 
 This act of hostility towards one government, and the 
 violation of the neutrality of the other, was produc- 
 tive of great excitement — a reward was offered by the 
 Governor of the State of New York for his apprehcn- 
 Bion, and strenuous efforts were made by the British 
 military authorities to effect his capture. 
 
 When closely pursued, Johnson had a secret place 
 of retreat, that for a long time served as a place of con- 
 cealment, and the knowledge of the locality of which 
 was loiown but to himself and a few of his most 
 trusted confederates. This was a cavern, upon one of 
 the almost innumerable islands of the archij^elago of 
 the river, sufficiently capacious to serve as a place of 
 residence and concealment for a score of men, and 
 
WILLIAM JOHNSON. 235 
 
 whose entrance it was very difficult, for one not 
 acquainted with the spot, to discover. 
 
 Stimulated by the rewards offered, or by a desire to 
 gain the plaudits that the consummation of the act 
 would secure, as well as probable promotion, a young 
 and daring English officer then in Canada, but Unat- 
 tached, undertook the project of eifecting the capture 
 of Johnson, and proceeded in a cautious and systematic 
 manner that promised success, if that was possible. 
 Enlisting half a score of trusty men, to but a couple 
 of whom however he entrusted the secret of his mis- 
 sion, he quietly started out upon a cruise among the 
 islands in a yacht, under the guise of sportsmen. This 
 gave them sufficient excuse for going well armed 
 without their hostile character being suspected. For 
 the j)eriod of several weeks their mission was nearly 
 fruitless, for although they at times met small bodies 
 of men who avowed themselves to be partisans of 
 Johnson, and others whom they had reason to sup- 
 pect were in league with him, the notorious leader 
 seemed to evade them like a Will o' the wisp. Every 
 resident along the banks, and every hunter or fishcTr- 
 man encountered, had some report or tale to commu- 
 nicate concerning him, yet these were more variable 
 than tho winds \ one located him strongly fortified in 
 
236 TALES OF THE ST. LAWRENCE, 
 
 ., 
 
 ore locality — another as cruising with a flotilla in 
 another, while his name was a terror along the 
 Canadian border ; no farmer retired to rest at night 
 but in fear that the morning would behold his dwell- 
 ing and barns in ashes and his place pillaged by 
 "The Pirate," while the residents of the villages 
 stationed sentries and kept out patrols to announce 
 his coming and summon the Yeomanry to the defence. 
 And yet there is no evidence that this once noted 
 personage, this Eobin Hood of the New World, 
 had at any one time more than two score of fol- 
 lowers obedient to his will. But that was not the 
 age of the Telegraph and Eailway ; and startled ru- 
 mor travelled faster than the lumbering mail coaches. 
 Fortune at length rewarded the perseverence of 
 Captain Boyd, for such was his name, and the secret 
 of the outlaw's retreat was discovered to him, as is 
 believed, by one of Johnson's band, to whom a few 
 gold pieces proved a stronger incentive than the oath 
 of fidelity given to his leader. He also became cog- 
 nizant of the fact that the disturber of the peace was 
 sojourning at the cave, accompanied but by half a 
 dozen followers; and by watching the opportunity 
 Captain Boyd was enabled to not only surprise him- 
 when there wai but a single follower with him, but 
 
WILLIAM JOHNSON. 237 
 
 to effect an entrance to the cavern unopposed, backed 
 hy his men, who with presented rifles covered the two 
 inmates. 
 
 The insurgent l«ader could not but manifest some 
 trepidation at first at this very unexpected intrusion, 
 but almost at once recovered his presence of mind, 
 and in a firm voice demanded: 
 
 " Who are you ? What means this ?" 
 
 " I am Captain Boyd, of the English Army, and 
 you are my prisoner !" was th« prompt reply. 
 
 "Well ! Captain, I will not dispute you,'' returned 
 Johnson, coolly, " but com« in, and we will talk the 
 matter over." 
 
 As he spoke he pointed to a seat upon a keg at one 
 side of the cavern, which apartment was of about 
 ten feet in width by something less than forty in 
 length. 
 
 The Captain accepted the proffered seat, and at a 
 glance surveyed the strange room. The view that it 
 presented was in keeping with the character and pur- 
 suits of those whose home it was — ^rifles, powder-flasks 
 and bullet pouches adorned the walls— at the further 
 end were couches formed of branches of evergreens cov- 
 ered with blankets — at one side was a rude fireplace, 
 the smoke from which found its way upward through 
 
858 TALES OF THE ST. LAWREKCE. 
 
 a crevice in the rocks above, while the place was 
 lighted by day by the aperture of a hollow tree- 
 trunk sunk through the roof so skilfully that upon 
 the outside it appeared to have grown there. 
 
 The remainder of the captors remained at the en- 
 trance, with rifles held ready to answer any possible 
 demonstration on the part of the two prisoners. 
 
 " It is a rule," resumed Johnson, as ho took a bottle 
 from a shelf in the rock, " that all persons who visit 
 Fort Wallace shall partake of its hospitalities ; we are 
 plain people here and have no use for the luxuries of 
 life, among which we rank glasses, so be kind enough 
 to partake of it from the bottle." 
 
 The Captain, astonished at and admiring the cool- 
 ness of his captive, courteously accepted it and placed 
 it to his lips, but, fearful of some ruse, permitted none 
 of the liquor to pass them. 
 
 ^^ Your friends,'' said Johnson, "will they not par- 
 take?" 
 
 "No, thanks," returned the captain, smiling invol- 
 untarily, " not upon this occasion I" 
 
 " Your health. Captain," said the other, receiving 
 back the bottle, and partaking of a liberal quantity of 
 its contents* 
 
 " Well, Captain," he continued, after replacing the 
 
WILLIAM JOHNSON. 239 
 
 bottle carefully in its place, "we have a little business 
 to transact and I suppose that you are impatient, — 
 and that the subject is open for remarks j to commence; 
 what do you wish of me ?" 
 
 " To accompany me, at once." 
 
 " To what place, permit me to inquire ?" and as he 
 asked this he seated himself upon the head of a barrel 
 opposite to the Captain. 
 
 "To whatever place we may choose to convey 
 you." 
 
 " To Kingston, perhaps ?" 
 
 " Quite likely." 
 
 The cajitive appeared to reflect for a moment — 
 then he walked toward the fireplace and took from 
 one of his pockets a pipe ; 
 
 " No objections to my smoking, I suppose ?" he 
 inquired. 
 
 "Koneatall." 
 
 The outlaw calmly proceeded to fill the pipe — 
 then he took from the embers a large coal and placed 
 it upon it, and returning to his seat upon the barrel, 
 proceeded to. give a couple of invigorating whiffs. 
 
 " Come," spoke the Captain, " I cannot delay longer ; 
 you must come at once." 
 
240 TALES OF THE ST. LAWRENCE. 
 
 Johnson calmly removed the pipe from his lips and 
 held it in his hand j 
 
 " I object to accompanying you to Kingston," he 
 said, " but if you so determine have no objection to 
 making a quick trip with you to h — 1 !" 
 
 "This barrel, ' he continued with a meaning glance, 
 as ho observed the expression of surprise upon the 
 countenance of the other, and removed one of the 
 boards of the lid, " contains powder, and this," as he 
 held the pipe over it, " is a coal ! Shall we make the 
 journey!" 
 
 Brave as he was, it is feared that the adventurous 
 Captain, as he quickly comprehended the situation, 
 paled a little, while his followers made a rapid move- 
 ment toward the entrance of the cavern, and sought 
 safety in flight, save a couple, more valiant than the 
 rest, who remained at the door to keep Johnson and 
 his single follower covered with their pieces. 
 
 A pause succeeded — an unpleasant one for all, since 
 a spark from the coal, or the coal itself, was moment- 
 arily liable to fall into the barrel of powder and 
 usher them into eternity, without further warning. 
 
 Johnson was the first to speak—" You should have 
 known, Captain," he said, " that William Johnson 
 could never be taken alive; now we can treat on 
 equal terms ; a life for a life, if you so decide I 
 
::^ieVf,^>^f4!ff>. 
 
 J 
 
Keep your seat," thundered Johnson, handling the pipe menacingly. 
 
WILLIAM JOHNSON. 241 
 
 " I confess myself beaton," commenced the Captain, 
 rising as he spoke. 
 
 "Keep your seatl" thundered Johnson handling 
 the pipe menacingly. 
 
 The Captain resumed his place upon the keg. 
 
 "Now I will listen to you," said the outlaw. 
 
 "I was about to say that I was willing to confess 
 myself beaten, and propose that wo call this a draw-^ 
 we depart, and you remain in peace." 
 
 "That is satisfactory," rejoined the other, "but 
 hold a moment — here, Sam," addressing his follower, 
 who stood a few yards off, " hand me a coal from the 
 fire." 
 
 The man silently obeyed ; Johnson received it while 
 the others watched him apprehensively, and placed it 
 upon the head of the barrel, a few inches from the 
 powder, where it gleamed with vindictive brightness. 
 " The pipe is in danger of going out," he said, in expla- 
 nation, " and I wish to keep another in readiness. 
 Now, to continue, my terms are that you not only 
 depart in peace, but that you give me your word of 
 honor that you will not again attempt to molest me 
 in any manner unless you should be called upon to do 
 80 in self-defence — that you will not disclose the 
 secret of this retreat to any one, and that you will 
 
242 TAI.ES OF THE ST. LA WHENCE. 
 
 roquiro tho samo pledge from each and all of your 
 men. 
 
 " I'apjreo to them," said the Captain promptly ; 
 
 "And give me your oath upon it?" naid Johnson; 
 
 " I do, upon tho honor of an officer of tho Eni^liHh 
 Army; — and now I suppose that wo may depart?" 
 
 " Wont you try a little more out of the bottle, first," 
 inquired Johnson, with mock gravity and provoking 
 coolness. 
 
 "No— thanks I" returned the Captain, rising and 
 leaving i;he cavern as soon as possible consistent with 
 official dignity, preceded by the two men that had 
 remained at the entrance. The remainder of the 
 party were found a short distanre away, and re-enter- 
 ing their boat, they took speedy departure. 
 
 They were quickly followed from the cave by John- 
 son and his follower, rifles in hand, who, somewhat 
 distrustful in regard to the good faith of their late 
 captors, hurried to a spot on the island from wh^ere 
 such of their companions as were in the vicinity could 
 be summoned by signal tO' hasten at once to the 
 rendezvous. 
 
 The signal had hardly been displayed and the boat 
 of Captain Boyd had not disappeared behind the 
 nearest island, when there was heard a loud explosion, 
 
WILLIAM JOHNSON. 243 
 
 and from the spot occupied by the cavern, huge rockn, 
 earth and trees were shot into the air. Tiio trutii wa^ 
 Boon apparent to all — the barrel of powder had boon 
 fired, the cavern had boon blown up ! 
 
 "Wretched fool that 1 was," exclainiod Jolwison ; 
 " I left the coal upon the head of the barrel !" 
 
 Johnson survived this epoch in the border iiistory 
 of the two countries, and died but a few years ago, at 
 a ripe age. After the cessation of the insurrectionary 
 movements, ho devoted his years to agricultural 
 pursuits, tilling an island near the head of the river, 
 which bears his name. Of the notoriety that he had 
 gained he was somewhat vain — it was his greatest 
 pleasure to recount to attentive listeners tales of hi« 
 exploits, adventures and escapes ; and above all, as has 
 been stated, he was rather pleased than othorwiso by 
 the appellation of " The Pirate of the St. Lawrence. 
 
,1 
 
SAVED BY AN EaETIIQUAKE. 
 
 On the evening of the seventeenth day of December, 
 1867, a cheerful camp-lire blazed upon a bank of the 
 lower St. Lawrence, its cheerful rays visible across 
 the expanse of water, while its flames diffused genial 
 
 warmth and mellowed the chill air in its immediate 
 'vicinity. Before it, two persons, young men whose 
 garb and demeanor proclaimed them to be amateur 
 sportsmen, half reclined or busied themselves in pre- 
 
248 TALES OF THE ST. LAWRENCE. 
 
 paring thoir evening repast. The river was still, not a 
 ripple from the shore being heard, and a dead calm 
 prevailed. The stars took up positions, one by one on 
 the parade ground of the heavens and gazed stolidly 
 upon their companion planet upon which was the scene 
 that I have depicted. A short distance from the fire and 
 sufficiently near to be within the influence of its heat, 
 was pitched a shelter-tent, supported in front by poles 
 cut near by, the back of it being fastened to the 
 ground, leaving the front and sides open. Guns, 
 fishing-tackle and the other articles of their outfit 
 were scattered around in what might aptly be termed 
 well ordered confusion, while at the river's side lay a 
 small but finely modelled ^nd equipped sailing yacht. 
 The individuals were citizens of the great Eepublicj 
 drawn vO the locality in which we find them in pursuit 
 of game, which at that season abounds in that vicinity. 
 The meal was cooked and eaten almost in silence. 
 The fire was then replenished, a sufficient quantity 
 of wood collected to keep it bui'ning during the night, 
 and pipes being lighted, white clouds of incense to 
 the somnolent god were soon floating upward from 
 them. 
 
 . Both smoked for awhile in silence. 
 At length one of them broke the spell by saying, 
 
SAVED BY AN EARTHQUAKE. 249 
 
 <* What the deuce is the matter with you anyway, 
 Tom — you have hardly deigned to favor me with a 
 remark for the past two hours, while your thought* 
 Beem to be anywhere rather than upon the banks of 
 the lower St. Lawrence 1" 
 
 A short, nervous laugh, suspended midway, was 
 the first reply of the one addressed — then after a fiew 
 quick puffs of his pipe, he said : 
 
 " The fact is, old fellow, that I hardly know what 
 to tell you — I suppose that my manner has appeared 
 somewhat singular to you." 
 
 The first speaker continued to smoke on in silence, 
 awaiting the explanation which he felt certain of 
 receiving. 
 
 "But I confess," resumed the other after a lengthy 
 pause, " that I have felt for sev ral hours as I have 
 but twice before in my life, and the feeling has grown 
 constantly stronger. It is the same feeling of vague 
 apprehension, yet sufficiently strong to constitute a 
 real fear, that I experienced shortly before that capsize 
 that we had at the head of the Beauharnois rapids, 
 when we bade farewell to things earthly for awhile 
 and would have perished but for the gallant act of the 
 residents of the villa of " Sunny Side," — and once 
 again, years before, when the accident occurred that 
 
250 TALES OF THE ST. LAWRENCE. 
 
 deprived us of the life of m j darling sister" — and the 
 voice of the speaker trembled with emotion and he 
 relapsed into silence. 
 
 " A presentiment of some ill to come, I suppose ?" 
 suggested the other, after another protracted silence- 
 "Yes," was the reply, "that very nearly expresses 
 it. It is a feeling that I of course cannot account, nor 
 assign any reason, for. And then there appears to 
 me to be something very peculiar about the whole of 
 visible nature to-night. How still the air is ! One 
 would not imagine that there had ever been a breath 
 of it in motion. Even the river seems motionless, 
 as if standing in awe awaiting some terrible commo- 
 tion of nature I" 
 
 " All imagination, old boy 1 I can discover nothing 
 startling in the appearance of either the earth below 
 or the heavens above, unless it is the promise of a 
 lively storm to succeed this interval of rest of the 
 elements. We have weathered too many of those to 
 be alarmed at one in advance of its arrival. So if you 
 can base your fears upon nothing more tangible, I 
 shall refuse to take any interest in them." 
 
 " I can hardly suppose that you will, ".returned the 
 other, " and I should very much like to dismiss the 
 thought from my own mind ; as I stated, I can 
 
SAVED BY AN EARTHQUAKE. 251 
 
 give no reason for it. It is a Hometliing beyond 
 human comprehension, and I dare say is as absurd as 
 you deem it to be, but when I contemplate the past, 
 I am unable to put it aside. Visible danger would 
 trouble me little in comparison with that of the vague 
 and indelinite. But without any reference to this, 
 have you noticed nothing suspicious occurring during 
 the past two days that seems to demand precaution 
 upon our part ?" 
 
 " Nothing whatever, unless it be the raid which 
 your inordinate appetite has made upon the stores ! 
 Is the prospect of speedy starvation the cause of your 
 apprehensions ?" and he indulged in a loud laugh at 
 his own witticism. 
 
 " Do you not remember," continued the other, 
 unmove'l, '^ the two villainous looking half-breeds 
 that encamped near us last night ?" 
 
 " Perfectly," was the reply, " but I cannot recall 
 anything very unusual in either their appearance or 
 behavior." 
 
 " You remember also that we were aroused in the 
 night by the barking of our dog and were satisfied 
 that we observed the forms of two men retreating 
 from us?" 
 
 " Yes — some poor scoundrels who were doubtless 
 more alarmed than we were." 
 
262 TALUS OF THE ST. LA WRENCE. 
 
 " And you recollect also that this morning our dog 
 disappeared — could not bo found?" 
 
 " And may the villainous wretch who stole him 
 from us perish by hydrophobia, without the benelit 
 of clergy!" 
 
 "One thing more — you do not know, perhaps, that 
 I discovered the two half-breeds steering after us, to- 
 day, and I will wager that they are now not half a 
 mile away from us." 
 
 *' Which all goes to prove, I suppose," said the 
 listener, removing his pipe from his lips and speaking 
 very deliberately, " that they meditate foul-play 
 toward ourselves. If you wish my opinion, it is that 
 you have given the two individuals in' question credit 
 for more shrewdness and courage than the whole of 
 their mongrel race possesses I If we are to be fright- 
 ened at apprehended vioLnce from a couple of fisher- 
 men, we should never have ventured into this part 
 of the world 1" 
 
 "I only mentioned what appeared to me to be a 
 chain of suspicious circumstances," replied Tom, half 
 apologetically, " and should cause us to use all due 
 precaution for our safety." 
 
 " I do not wish to be thought unreasonable," re- 
 turned his companion, " but one thing you may con" 
 
SAVED BY AN EARTHQUAKE. 253 
 
 Bidor certain, and that is that I shall not lose an 
 hour's sleep on account of all of the. half-breeds ia 
 Canada !" 
 
 There was silence for awhile, and then the subject 
 of conversation was changed. After the lapse of an 
 hour, both retired to rei^t beneath their canvas cover- 
 ing. Fatigued by the exertions of the day, the 
 incredulous sportsman was soon in deep slumber, but 
 his companion could not rest. The terrible presenti- 
 ment of coming danger grew constantly stronger, 
 until he could endure inaction no longer. Eising 
 without disturbing his companion, he proceeded to 
 the river side and nervously paced to and fro. The 
 night was clear, chilly and moonless. The strange 
 stillness pervading nature seemed to him not only 
 wonderful but almost unaccountable. The air was so 
 still that his footsteps upon the sandy beach awoke 
 echoes, and not even the voice or fluttering of wing 
 of a night-bird was to be heard. 
 
 For several hours he thus maintained solitary vigil, 
 but at length becoming fatigued, he returned to the 
 tent and again lay down by the side of his comrade, 
 fully determined however, not to close his eyes in 
 sleep. This determination he was not long able to 
 fulfil. Exhausted nature asserted its claims and he 
 slept as did his friend. 
 
254 TALES OF THE ST. LAWRENCE 
 
 A half lioiir passed, and then there emerged from 
 the sal)le cloud of darkness that Heoined to hanii- like 
 a curtain hehind the yet brightly burning camp-tiro, 
 two forms — those of men ci'ccping stealthily foi-vvard, 
 and the flames lighted up two countenances that 
 glared like those of famished wolves 1 
 
 Nearer and nearer they a])pr()ached, pausing fre- 
 quently to reassure themselves that their intended 
 victims were unconscious of their presence. When 
 within a few yards of the sleepers, they separated, 
 approaching them one upon each side, until they 
 almost bent over them. 
 
 Then from their sheaths were drawn two long 
 knives, whoso blades brightly reflected the rays of the 
 fire. 
 
 The weapons were firmly clasped and upraised 
 above the sleepers, and the assassins paused only to 
 assure themselves that their aim should be the heart! 
 
 But at that moment nature seemed to speak in 
 remonstrance and anger against the commission of 
 the dastardly crime ! From all sides — from the tran- 
 quil stream and from the shore was heard tho sound as 
 of a mighty tempest, such as the Eulor of the universe 
 might invoke to be the messenger of His wrath ! A 
 moment later and the earth trembled as if crumbling 
 
The weapons were firmly clasped and raised above the sleepers, and the assas- 
 sins paused only to assure themselves that tlieir aim should be the heart. 
 
SAVED BY AN EARTnQOAKE. 265 
 
 into fragments, while a dull roar, as if the combined 
 thunders of the world spoke with united voice, in 
 tones that could almost be seen — be felt, seemed to 
 pass beneath them I 
 
 Ilastily springing to their feet, the aroused sleepers 
 at once realized that they had been awakened by the 
 most severe shock of earthquake experienced along 
 the St. Lawrence valley in modern times, and did not 
 at first notice the abject and cringing half-broods that 
 lay prostrate upon the ground, almost insensible from 
 the terror occasioned by their superstitious fears I 
 
'kt ^alal ift^tt. 
 
THE FATAL WAGER. 
 
 *' In love!" exclaimed Frank Morris, with an incre- 
 dulous laugh and tone of pretended amazement/'madly 
 and desperately in love ! Pray what act am I guilty of 
 and what eccentricity have you observed, that you 
 should imagine that my senses are about to forsake 
 me ?" 
 
 We were in the parlor. The rays of the declining 
 surameT' sun shone into the apartment, mantling the 
 walls with a hue of gold. I sat near one of the windows 
 viewing the beauty of the landscape. He reclined upon 
 a sofa. A sportive remark of mine had called forth this 
 reply. 
 
 " And yet," I continued, "you would hardly be a sin- 
 gular case, should you become as desperate as you 
 have fancied!" 
 
 " Marriage is very well," he replied, with the air of 
 a person confident of the accuracy of his opinion, 
 when youth has passed and the tranquillity of a home 
 becomes the paramount pleasure of life, but until 
 
260 TALES OF THE ST. LAWRENCE. 
 
 then, do not imagine that I shall entertain the idea of 
 it for a moment." 
 
 " Do not be so confident of your strength," I rejoined, 
 " for you ma}'- yet encounter the bright eyes and fair 
 features of one who will cause you to become a 
 worshipper at the shrine of the rosy god !" 
 
 "Never!" 
 
 "Why so certain?" 
 
 "Not because I do not find the society of the fair 
 ones very pleasant, but I am resolved never to sacri- 
 fice my freedom for a sweet smile or a designing 
 glance." 
 
 " My ring against your watch guard," I said, " that 
 you yield to some fair conqueror ere a year passes!" 
 
 " Done !" 
 
 " Your hand upon the compact !" 
 
 " Your ring," he sdid, holding up his left hand as if 
 already beholding it in imagination, " will grace that 
 finger. I always admired that diamond ! Should 
 there be danger of my yielding, yoa will have an 
 opportunity of knowing how much more powerfully 
 its rays will aff'ect me than those of the brightest eyes 
 that surround me !" 
 . " That we shall learn !" 
 
 " Yes, that no woman, a Hebe although she may be, 
 
THE FATAL WAOER. 261 
 
 is sufficiently beautiful or designing to achieve a con- 
 quest of myself, barren although the victory might 
 be!" "" 
 
 He soon left the room. 
 
 For a moment all was silent. Then I was aroused 
 from my reverie by the rustle of silk and the sound 
 of a light footstep near me. Looking up I beheld 
 Minnie Sherman, an intimate acquaintance of both 
 Frank Morris and myself, and a reigning belle in our 
 circle. A charming brunette was she of about twenty ' 
 summers, whose claims to regal beauty none could dis- 
 pute. Although usually vivacious in manner, I read 
 an indefinable emotion in her entire manner that 
 checked the lit,ht words of salutation in which I was 
 about to adJ i-ess her. 
 
 I could not avoid regarding her intently and in 
 silence. Her long curls seemed darker than ever in 
 
 « 
 
 contrast with her palo brow, while her eyes beamed 
 with a fierce light that I had never before beheld in 
 them. 
 
 Seated outside of the open window, she had unwil- 
 lingly been a listener to the conversation between 
 I'rank Morris and myself. 
 
 " Frank considers himself unimpressible," I at 
 length remarked, with an attempt at a laugh, anxi- 
 
262 TALES OF Tilt: ST. LAWRENCE. 
 
 0U8 to break the awkward silence, for which I could 
 divine no reason. 
 
 " It was not my intention to listen," she replied 
 with some embarrassment and a scornful smile, if it 
 may so be termed — and then in a moment, with an 
 entire change of manner, she exclaimed, excitedly : 
 
 " You are a true friend of mine?" ' 
 
 " And hope to be always considered so." 
 
 " Will you answer me a question — as if you were 
 ' doing it upon your oath truly ?" 
 
 "I will!" 
 
 " Then — do you think that I am beautiful ?" 
 
 " Beautiful ?" for I could hardly believe that I had 
 understood aright. 
 
 " Yes ; without flattery — as you value your word, 
 tell me truly !" 
 
 I gazed upon her regularly formed features, upon 
 the light glowing upon her cheeks, and into the depths 
 of her glowing eyes, and with an impulse of earnest 
 enthusiasm that carried-conviction with it, exclaimed : 
 
 'I You are — as it is possible for one to have ever 
 been!" 
 
 " Could I— do you imagine it possible" —she paused 
 — seemed confused, and hastily turning from me, has- 
 tened from the room ! 
 
 * * * ' :(c 
 
THE FATAL WAOER. 263' 
 
 A couple of months had elapsed. On a magnificent 
 river steamer, our festive party glided gaily down the 
 noble St. Lawrence, its prow parting the unrippled sur- 
 face upon which the moonbeams fell in a shower of 
 light. The trees and rocks were dimly visible upon 
 the somewhat distant banks, forming a frame work 
 for the apparent picture of enchantment. 
 
 Frank Morris and Minnie Sherman were members 
 of the party. Encountering the latter alone, my 
 thoughts reverted to our wager, and I glanced at my 
 ring. He seemed to divine my meaning — our eyea 
 met. He smiled. 
 
 " Are you yet confident ?" I asked. 
 
 " To be perfectly candid," he replied, *' I am not 
 wholly 80." 
 
 " Already yielding ?" ' . 
 
 " Time will decide — I never could have been won by 
 design ; I may be by disinterestedness 1" What 
 charm, I marvelled, as he turned away, could have 
 been exerting its spell ? 
 
 An hour later, finding a life boat suspend- 
 ed near the stern of the steamer, I had climb- 
 ed into it and reclined at ease, invisible to those 
 that passed below, No sound broke the stillness save 
 the faint but incessant hum of the plashing wheels 
 
264 TALES OF THE ST. LAWRENCE. 
 
 and music from the cabin that doated off upon the air. 
 
 I was at length aroused from my pleasant reverie by 
 the sound of voices near me. Looking over upon the 
 deck, I beheld Frank Morris and Minnie Sherman. 
 Her curls were unfettered by any covering and her 
 manner seemed quite animated. His left arm parti- 
 ally encircled her slender waist, while his right hand 
 held one of hers, when it was not toying with her 
 curls. The deck was deserted save by them. 
 
 " Their conversation will not be so important," I 
 thought, " that it should annoy them more to have me 
 discover my presence to them than to overhear it." 
 
 " Is it not a glorious night ?" asked she : 
 
 " Yes, but not more so to me than it would be were 
 the moon aud all of the stars to disappear in utter 
 darkness, and the fury of the tempest rage around us, 
 would you still but grant me a smile and permit me 
 to retain this little hand within mine!" and he bent 
 tenderly over it. 
 
 Her eyes were downcast — then her head touched 
 his shoulder, but only for a moment. 
 
 " I shall really be angry with you, Frank," she said," 
 if—" 
 
 " I hope that I have not offended by being too 
 ti-uthful?" 
 
THE F/ITAL WAGER. 266 
 
 " If you — because I have not controlled my feel- 
 ings as well as I should, you would ridicule them I 
 
 " Eidicule ? Minnie, dear Minnie, what can you 
 mean ?" 
 
 "Lecauso I have foolishly treasured thoughts of 
 you, why should you make avowals that are too wildly 
 absurd to be true especially of me, for whom you 
 would never entertain more than ordinary regard." 
 
 " Minnie, why speak thus ? you render me happy 
 and miserable at the same moment! Will you not 
 believe me sincere ?" 
 
 " I cannot think but that you will soon forget 
 me. 
 
 "Forget you! By all that is true, I swear 
 that I love you, fondly and passionately ! Tell me 
 ^gain that I may hope to be loved in return." 
 
 She stood irresolute — then her head sank upon his 
 breast. 
 
 He drew her toward him. 
 
 " Let this pledge it !" and he would have imprinted 
 A kiss upon her lips, but she averted her Lead. 
 
 " A question first," she said. 
 
 ^* And then ?" 
 
 "Perhaps!" 
 
 *' Ask it, dearest 1" 
 
 8 
 
266 TALES OF THE ST. LAWRENCE. 
 
 " You will be candid ?" 
 
 " As the truth itself I" 
 
 " Frank 1" and she turned more directly toward 
 him and met his earnest gaze with a look of surprised 
 inquiry. 
 
 "Well?" 
 
 " Are you really in love ?" 
 
 "Minnie?" 
 
 "And with a woman ?" she continued in a mock 
 serious tone! 
 
 " Minnie, what can you mean?" 
 
 " Did you mean an offer oi! marriage, Frank?" 
 
 " What else could I mean ?" 
 
 " Then I am indeed surprised I" 
 
 "Surprised Minnie?" 
 
 "Yes — that the joyousness of your youth has al- 
 ready begun to fade — did you notice that island, 
 Frank, that we first passed ? What a tranquil spot — 
 and that little cottage ? — Oh, excuse me, but I came 
 ^ear forgetting what we were conversing about ! — 
 that the joyousness of your youth should so soon fade 
 and you should be so soon seeking the solitude of a 
 home I" and her light laugh rang out merrily and 
 provokingly. 
 
 He appeared greatly discomfited but rallying 
 somewhat, asked : 
 
THE FATAL WAGER. 267 
 
 " Why treat my love so lightly ?" 
 
 " Lightly ? oh no— for if it would not prove me 
 conceited to indulge the thought, I should really con- 
 sider that you were quite susceptible I" 
 
 " It is contrary to the laws of love's warfare to 
 treat captives so cruelly I" he said, with an attempt 
 at gaiety. 
 
 " But, Frank, I always thought that you claimed 
 to be a man I" 
 
 " Well ?" 
 
 "And that although you might often chance to 
 find the society of the designing members of our sex 
 paBsably pleasant, that you would never sacrifice your 
 manliness and freedom to a sweet smile or a design- 
 ing look ; was it not so ?" and she gazed into his facp ; 
 " and then, I always admired that watch-guard of yours 
 and should be very sorry to have you part with it.! 
 she continued.. 
 
 " My foolish speech and thoughtless wager I so my 
 kind friend has reported it to you I" a 
 
 " You are quite too hasty. I had the edification of 
 listening to those gallant words as they fell from 
 your Hps." j 
 
 " Then pardon and forgive. Behold me vanquish-" 
 ed at your feet," and he knelt and pressed her hand 
 to his lips. 
 
268 TALES OF THE ST. LAWRENCE. 
 
 She was for a while silent — she seemed about to 
 yield. 
 
 " Frank !" she said softly. 
 
 " My Minnie I" 
 
 " T)oyou indeed love me as you say?" 
 
 " Oh Minnie, what proof more can I give you of 
 it?" 
 
 " You will not admire the next fair face that you 
 meet, more than mine ?" 
 
 " Through life and eternity," he said fervently, "you 
 are the only one who will possess any charm for me I" 
 
 "Truly, forever?" 
 
 "Forever and ever!" 
 
 " Bravo ! Frank !" she exclaimed, " you do the dra- 
 matic splendidly I If you will only release my hand, 
 I will applaud. You should go upon the stage without 
 delay !" 
 
 " Minnie," said he, rising as though a fearful convic- 
 tion was forcing itself upon him, that he sought to 
 strive against, " are you indeed as upfeeling as you 
 would seem ? Speak ! Have you been deceiving me ?" 
 
 "Now Frank," she replied in an assumed tone of 
 chiding," if you speak so loudly you will alarm the 
 persons in the saloon and will have them all out here 
 to listen to you I" 
 
THE FATAL WAOER. 269 
 
 " Minnie, if you have a heart, do not trifle with me 
 thuH unfoolingly! If you love me, do not torture mo 
 further. If not—" 
 
 " Love you I" and who n^ain laughed gaily; " well," 
 and Hhe protended to look critically upon him, " you 
 would appear very loveahle if you did not wear «uch 
 a woe-begone look ! It is strange indeed that you 
 should insist upon acknowledging the charms and 
 influence of one of our sex I" 
 
 He made no reply. 
 
 " And to think," she continued gleefully," that the 
 cold and unimpressible Frank Morris should actually 
 be raging as desj^erately as the most foolish youth I 
 I am surprised I And to me I Don't tell of it, Prank, 
 or all of my acquaintances will die of envy I" 
 
 lie still seemed irresolute. 
 
 " And to think," she continued," that I should have 
 succeeded in overcoming your invulnerability !" 
 
 '' Succeeded I" he exclaimed fiercely," have you 
 then striven for this ? Is this the meaning of your 
 smiles ? Is it for this that you have spoken words of 
 encouragement and indicated by your manner more 
 that you have dared to speak ? Instead of an angel, 
 have you been a fiend, enticing me on to ruin ?" 
 
 "How unreasonable I" she replied, in a petulant 
 
I 
 
 270 Tj^LES of the ST. LA WRENCE. 
 
 tone, " you are really becoming tedious ! To think 
 that you should rave about so trivial a matter as the 
 loss of a wager I" ^ 
 
 " Would that I could curse you !" 
 
 " Frank !" and her voice was now sweet and re- 
 proachful, "you do not mean it?" 
 
 " Will you unsay the words that you have spoken ?" 
 , " Could you forgive me ?" 
 
 " Yes, all !" he exclaimed, newly animated, " only 
 bid me hope !" 
 
 " After all that has passed," she asked timidly, 
 " could you still love me as devotedly as ever ?" 
 
 " May I give you proof of it?" 
 
 " And could you forget all of the cruel words that 
 I have said, and how I have treated you?" » 
 
 " Do not allude to it." 
 ; "Frank?" \ 
 
 "Dearestl" ' ' " .. 
 
 "Look into my eyes!" : ..- 
 
 " To read your thoughts ?" 
 
 " No, not precisely that." 
 
 " What then ?" 
 
 " Have you examined them critically ?" 
 
 " If dve I not done so a thousand times ?" 
 ^ " Then tell me, pray, what there is about them that 
 
THE FATAL WAOER. 271 
 
 has influenced you soa.uch more powerfully than the 
 rays of that diamond! Ha! Hal" 
 
 He staggered back, clutching at the rail for sup- 
 port. 
 
 While this scene was being enacted, our surround- 
 ings had somewhat changed. The boat was no longer 
 in tranquil water, but had entered the eddys of a 
 rapid. Onward it rode, now sinking almost to the 
 bottom as the waves receded and rose like silvery walls 
 around us, and then daringly mounting their crests. 
 ' The grim pilot at the wheel bent every energy to 
 his task. Above us, two stalwart men at the tiller 
 answered to his commands. 
 
 From the saloon still came the sound of music and 
 happy voices. The moon still smiled as if none but 
 joyous ones were beneath it. By its rays I saw the 
 face of Minnie Sherman. It was as placid as if she had 
 not broken a heart 1 • » • ■ ' 
 
 There was an interval of silence. Frank Morris 
 alternately gazed upon her — the heavens and the 
 surging stream. In her face and in the heavens he 
 read indifference — in the waters, forgetfulness ! 
 
 He bent over the rail as if to resolve upon a purpose. 
 Then ho stood erect and approached her. 
 
 He folded her in his arms — she seemed unable to 
 resist 
 
272 TALES OF THE ST. LAWRENCE. 
 
 " But one," he said faintly, as he pressed his lips to 
 hers. 
 
 « Good by, Minnie I Think kindly of me!" 
 
 He released her — placed his hand upon the rail — 
 a quick spring and he was overboard ! 
 
 For an instant his form seemed suspended in the 
 air. Then the angry waters seemed to rise and grasp 
 it, while their infernal shout of exultation arose as 
 it vanished from sight I 
 
 The rest seemed not so clear to me. I knew that 
 I heard her agonizing shriek and that I sprang ta 
 the deck in time to catch her fainting form. There 
 was a cry, fearful always, of " a man overboard," and 
 a hurried tread of feet. 
 
 * ' * * 'if * 
 
 There is a fearful secret known only to Minnie 
 Sherman and myself. It is the memory of that night. 
 She smiles, but not as of old, and oft-times when the 
 moon shines brightly and gentle words are spoken, I 
 observe her grow suddenly as pale as she was when 
 unconscious in my arms, or when she hears the sound 
 of the ruahing stream, I observe her shudder and press 
 her hands to her eyes as if to shut out a horrid vision. 
 
|lif fapfwes 4 |ratte'5 Island. 
 
I* 
 
 
THE CAPTIVE OF CEANE'S ISLAND. 
 
 t 
 
 In the lower St. Lawrence, about thirty-six miles 
 from the city of Quebec, is a group of islands, the 
 largest and mosx; important of which is named 
 Crane's Island. It is a wild appearing, and at the 
 most unfavorable seasons of the year, a rather desolate 
 Bpot ; ^et much of the surrounding scenery together 
 with the waters of the noble river that here widens 
 to a majestic range, relieve this and add a tint of 
 romantic picturesqueness to the locality. 
 
 The islands at high tide lie low in the water, but 
 on Crane's Island is an elevated plot of ground upon 
 which stands a commodious and substantially con- 
 structed residence, the occupant of which may often 
 imagine himself a veritable Crusoe from his sur- 
 roundings, and especially when the myriads of wild 
 fowl that have their haunts near, exhibit " the shock- 
 ing tameness" of alighting in flocks by his door 
 way. 
 
 The island was the scene of a drama in real life that, 
 was it not tolerably well autaenticated, would not be 
 entitled to belief, but which found its fitting scene in 
 
276 TALES OF THE ST. LAWRENCE. 
 
 this wild, and, at the time of its occurrence, almost 
 unfrequented spot. 
 
 Sometime not far from the year ITSO, a French 
 officer by the name of D'Granville, young, dis- 
 tinguished and of good family, obtained aigvant of 
 the Seigneury of the group of islands of which this is 
 one, and sailed for the new world accompanied by his 
 youthful and beautiful bride. Canada at that time 
 attracted many of the adventurously disposed of the 
 old world, but none that landed upon its shores with 
 higher anticipations of happy years of future enjoy- 
 ment then did D'Granville and his bride. Few high- 
 born ladies would at that day have consented to 
 depart forever from the land of gayety and pleasure 
 for a home in the almost wilderness, but entertaining 
 an affection for her husband that c^mounted almost 
 to idolatry, she warmly seconded his project, looking 
 forward to a life in the new wurld with delight, the 
 one thought that she should thus render herself dearer 
 to him, while banishing a fear of a possible coming 
 rival for his love, overpowering all others. 
 
 Accompained by a small number of servants and 
 retainers, they landed. A massive stone dwelling was 
 erected upon the site of the one at present standing, 
 and their life of dull monotony commenced. For 
 
THE CAPTIVE OF CRANE'S ISLAND. 277 
 
 a time all passed pleasantly and the beautiful 
 bride was happy in the enjoymen!: of the society and 
 love of her husband, while in directing the cultiva. 
 tion of portions of his domain and in the enjoyment 
 of the chase, he passed his days. The Indians of the 
 adjacent tribes were friendly, and no danger threatened 
 nor trouble intruded upon their private Eden. 
 
 But at length strange rumors of the infidelity of her 
 husband reached the ears of Madame D'Granville, 
 and these soon became too well authenticated to 
 allow of her disregarding them. The lonely spot 
 which they had chosen for a residence had proven as 
 dangerous to her domestic peace as she had feared 
 might the gay capital of France. A young Indian 
 girl whose habitation was upon the mainland not far 
 off, and who was said to be quite prepossessing in 
 appearance, was reported to be the charmer who had 
 won her husband from his allegiance to her. Almost 
 frantic with jealous rage, she yet managed to con- 
 ceal her suspicion of the secret until one evening at 
 nightfall, rightly conjecturing that he was departing 
 from home to meet his charmer, she followed him 
 unseen in a canoe *|)ropelled by her own hands, and 
 surprised them together. Then her anger founc' full 
 vent and the scene that ensued between husband and 
 
278 TALES OP THE ST. LAWRENCE. 
 
 wife it would be vain to attempt to picture. Together 
 they returned home, but all proposals for a recon- 
 ciliation were rejected by her, save the self-made one 
 that he should by solemn oath bind himself to never, 
 dui'ing life, depart from their residence save by her 
 permission. This obligation was at length assumed, 
 and during his life she proved an assiduous and most 
 unrelenting jailor. The sense of her wrong seems to 
 have rendered her a monomaniac upon this subject, 
 for all of his pleas for release from his vow were 
 regarded by her as indications of a desire to again 
 renew his intimacy with the Indian maiden. His 
 life was one of continu id captivity. Day by day and 
 year by year he counted the monotonous hours roll 
 by, gazing wistfully upon the opposite banks and 
 sighing for the freedom which could only be pur- 
 chased by the violation of his oath. She was ever 
 kind and aifectionate, and gratified his every want, 
 but would never consent to speak the words that would 
 render him a free man once more and render it pos- 
 sible for him to again prove unfaithful to her. In 
 this relentlessly maintained captivity he lived for 
 many years, and died without secUring a revocation 
 of the sentence, and when the earth relieved her of 
 the trust of her once truant but loved companion, 
 sorrowingly she recrossed the sea. 
 
km ikt mih. 
 
DOWN THE RAPIDS. 
 
 It was hot — roasting 
 — unendurable I The 
 sun seemed bent on 
 reducing the world to 
 a cinder. The clouds 
 of the^heavens with- 
 dre\v their protecting 
 shadjD. Trees, shrubs 
 and even the blades of 
 grass bent in mute supplication, imploring, as they 
 had when Phoebus made such a wretched failure in 
 driving the chariot of the sun, the intervention of 
 Jove's thunderbolts to stay its course. ^ 
 
 Very natural thought — why waste sweet moments 
 in this torrid spot ? Fortunate thought — to take a 
 trip down the St. Lawrence Rapids. Query — wi?I 
 Murphy go? Explanatory— Murphy and I, Ralph 
 Elmore, always travel together. Should one of us be 
 seen perambulating alone, there would be no occasion 
 for publishing the obituary of the other. lUufltrative 
 
282 TALES OF THE ST. LAWRENCE. 
 
 — Murphy is married. When he courted the present 
 original Mrs. Murphy, there was much speculation 
 in regard to which one of us aspired to benedictine 
 honors, as he never called upon her without me. I 
 once ventured to hint to him that she preferred me. 
 The poor fellow thought otherwise^ so I humored his 
 fancy. 
 
 Joyous solution — Murphy would go. So behold us 
 embarked. 
 
 The day was pleasant, the river breeze was refresh- 
 ing, there was a pleasant party aboard and all seemed 
 determined to be happy. Slingo was with us. He is, 
 however, always along. It is his business to be along 
 .without being aware of it. Conundrum by Slingo 
 — " When does a boat resemble a snow-bank ?" Answer 
 by Slingo — " when it is a drift !" 
 
 We approach the firet rapids with commendable 
 propaptness. Held a three-cornered council in regard 
 to their appearance. Not at all pleased with the 
 general looseness of their movements. Precautionary 
 thouajht — Eesolved ourselves into a committee of three. 
 Asked the captain to tie up until they had quieted 
 down. Satisfactory replj'- — that there would be no 
 difficulty in going over ; that it would, in fact, soon 
 require all of their energies to prevent the boat from 
 
DO WN THE RAPIDS. 283 
 
 going over. Inquisitive thought of Murphy's — " Is 
 a vessel considered safe after it has gone over ?" Slingo 
 has meanwhile heen immersed in contemplation, from 
 which he emerges thus — 
 
 "How strange it seemg, as time to time 
 
 We think the matter o'er, 
 That though they never run on land, 
 They often run ashore I 
 
 And yet again, when viewed aright, 
 
 The thought gives us a shock — 
 That though they never run on land, 
 They can on a rock I" 
 
 The first rapids are reached. "We shoot onward, 
 rolling, pitching, tumbling — past islands, through 
 devious channels and intricate courses. The more 
 bold of the excursionists are congregated upon the 
 forward deck, in order to fully enjoy the danger and 
 sublimity of the scene. Others shrink from it and 
 are assembled in the cabin, where ample accommoda- 
 tions have been provided for ladies desiring to faint. 
 All of the young ladies are out forward. For the 
 first time we realize the peculiar charm of the trip. 
 The young ladies, we notice, are all acting as clingists. 
 For the first time, also, recalled the fact that I had 
 no one to cling apprehensively to me and shriek 
 
'284 TALES OF TBE ST. LAWRENCE. 
 
 prettily, where the agitation of the waters was the 
 worst. Determined, if possible, to remedy the defici- 
 ency. Practical thought — Sought the captain and 
 inquired of him if " clingists" were not included in 
 first class tickets ? — if so, to provide us. His reply 
 was negatively emphatic and will not be reproduced. 
 
 Eeturned to the deck and observed a very fair 
 
 young lady seated alone. She was not only fair but 
 
 a blonde. Blue dress, pink and white complexion, 
 
 Bun-hued curls. She evidently had no one to cling to. 
 
 . Seated myself near her with Murphy . , 
 
 Slingo had 'disappeared before we came to the 
 rapids. Poetic thought — to whisper audibly to 
 Murphy, concerning water-spirits. Stupid compre- 
 hension of Murphy's — he asserts that it is not wise to 
 water spirits. Sentimental expression fades from the 
 fair one's countenance. Agonizing thought — first 
 assault disastrously repulsed ! Mental suggestion — to 
 restore. the equilibrium of feeling by punching Mur- 
 phy's head 1 Suggestion not acted upon. 
 
 Slingo now reapppears, and I retire with them into 
 the cabin. Fortunate thought — to get them engaged 
 in conversation with the persons 'thore seated, and 
 then to leave them. I say something about the. 
 Aborigines of the country. Murphy wishes to know 
 
DOWN THE RAPIDS. 285 
 
 if I refer to Aboriginal Indians ! Slingo takes up 
 the subject and- proceeds to descant upon the " noble 
 red men" of the past and the indigent residents of the 
 present age. " This noble country," he remarks, as 
 he politely accepts a glass of wine that a waiter has 
 just poured out for an aged and irritable foreigner, 
 " was once inhabited by reds without a white, but is 
 now peopled by whites without a red 1" 
 
 Leaving them, I return to my seat near the fair 
 one. Can distinctly hear Slingo and Murphy discuss- 
 ing Indian affairs with the party in the cabin. Slingo 
 explains that Tom A. Hawk was a famous chief of 
 the Oswegatchies, while Murphy is anxious to ascer- 
 tain if he was any connection of S. Q. Maux's ! 
 
 In a few moments I observe a well known form 
 approaching. Have not noticed him before since 
 coming aboard. His name is Bings and he is a 
 dreadful bore, as I know to my sorrow — always 
 wanting to borrow money, and all of that. Lucky 
 thought — to pretend not to know him ! He approaches 
 me, apparently delighted, and accosts me familiarly. 
 I take his extended hand doubtfully. " May perhaps 
 have met him before — so many strange faces — cannot 
 recall him, &c." He explains, but all to no purpose, 
 and abandons the attempt in bewilderment. He seats 
 
286 TALES OF THE ST. LAWRENCE. 
 
 himself by the side of the fair unknown. He calls 
 her "Maude!" What can it mean? yes, it must be 
 80. 1 have ofter heard him allude to his sister Maude, 
 and had I not been so foolish as to have c';t him, an 
 introduction to her would have at once followed our 
 meeting. • But now I can understand that he is ex- 
 plaining the matter to her, and fully understand the 
 involuntary look of scorn that she gives me. Fortu- 
 nate thought — to pass it all off as a practical joke ! I 
 approach him and put my hand upon his shoulder. 
 He looks up. I remark, in a very meaning way, that 
 I begin to remember him. Before he can make any 
 reply, I follow it up by saying that he " takes jokes 
 easily, to-day !" The j)lan works to a charm ; Bings 
 admits that he " was most staving taken in," '. am 
 introduced to the fair Maude, and we are all heippy. 
 
 On approaching the Lachine rapids, an Indian 
 pilot is taken aboard ; and I calmly appeal to the 
 unbiassed reader, if it is to be wondered at, that Slingo, 
 unaware of this proceeding — on emerging from the 
 cabin and beholding this son of the forest standing 
 immovable and serene in front of the Pilot-house, 
 should have mistaken him for a cigar sign ? 
 
 " Got any cheroots ?" he inquired of the man at the 
 helm, in a business-like tone. And I also ask if any 
 
DOWN THE RAPIDS. 287 
 
 ■■—■■"■■ ■— ■ ' ' — ^ "" ■'■■'■■ -I . .. ■■ ■■ — I. M I ■■- , ■ ■ ■ . , ^ 
 
 rational person can marvel at the fact of his being 
 sufficiently disconcerted by the shout of laughter from 
 a deck-load of passengers that greeted his mistake, 
 to cause him to miss his footing as he approached us ? 
 
 "I beg your pardon, sir," said he, addressing Bings, 
 "for treading upon your foot!" 
 . "It was not my foot," was the reply of that indi- 
 vidual. 
 
 He offered the same apology to me, and received a 
 similiar assurance. 
 
 " Then," said he, carefully removing his hat and 
 •adressing Miss Maude, " I still more deeply regret it ; 
 and be so kind as to accept the most humble apology 
 that I can offer." . . 
 
 " You labor under a mistake, sir," she replied ; 
 "you did not step upon my foot !" 
 
 "Then," he exclaimed, with fearful earnestness, as 
 the truth dawned upon him, "it was my own foot 
 that I stepped upon ! Slingo my boy, have the kindness 
 to pardon me !" 
 
 Fortunate thought— (three months later) — to ask 
 Maude to change her name to that of Maude Elmore. 
 
 Sensible thought — (six months later) — to be married 
 in June and to include a trip down the St. Lawrence 
 in our bridal one. 
 
h feic' $1 
 
 mmt. 
 
THE ISLE OF MASSACRE. 
 
 At the time of the settlement of this continoat, the 
 Adirondacs were undoubtedly the most powerful and 
 warlike of all of the tribes inhabiting it. Their coun- 
 try embraced the Northern portion of the state of New 
 York bordering upon the St. Lawrence and extending 
 to the Southern limit of the Adirondac and Green 
 Mountain chain. After the union of the Mohawkb, 
 Oneidas, Onondagas, Cayugas and Senecas under a 
 treaty of mutual alliance, offensive, and defensive 
 which rendered them in their dealings with other na- 
 tions, as one people, these united " Five Nations" or as 
 they have been generally known, the Iroquois, became 
 at once both powerful and bitter enemies of the Adiron- 
 dacs and a long and sanguinary contest was waged 
 between them. Although the war continued without 
 decisive results, the advantages gained were yet con- 
 siderably in favor of the Adirondacs, until, in the 
 year 1615 the Iroquois defeated the combined forces 
 of the Adirondacs and Hurons within six miles of 
 Quebec, the French being obliged to remain neutral 
 
292 TALES OF THE ST. LAWRENCE. 
 
 in the struggle. A peace was then concluded between 
 the Iroquois and Adirondaos, and the former were so 
 much encouraged and emboldened by their success in 
 this campaign that on the following year with a force 
 of over a thousand men, they set out with the inten- 
 tion of attacking the French settlements, but when 
 proceeding through the territory of the Adirondacs 
 and when not far from the present site of Ogdcnsburg, 
 they fell in with a noted chief of the Adirondacs 
 named Piskaret, a famous warrior and one who had 
 inflicted much loss upon them. To him they made 
 the strongest protestations of friendship, with which 
 . he was so thoroughly deceived as to be led into in- 
 forming them that the warriors of his tribe were 
 separated into hunting parties. The Iroquois aban- 
 doned their plan of campaign against the French, 
 and determined to again wage war upon their ancient 
 enemies. After putting the captive chief to death 
 with as cruel tortures as their ingenuity could devise, 
 they separated- into parties and fell upon the unsus- 
 pecting and unprepared bdnds of Adirondacs. So 
 successful were they that the power and prestige of 
 the tribe were forever destroyed and the survivors 
 forced to abandon their country and take up their 
 residence at a greater distance from their enemies. 
 
TUE ISLE OF MASSACRE, 293 
 
 Nor were the feats of valor performed by the 
 Iroquois confined to their immediate locality, or war 
 ' waged only upon their neighbors. They penetrated 
 to the section bordering upon the South Atlantic, 
 crossed the Mississippi and gave battle to the tribes of 
 Maine and the St. Lawrence Gulf. In the Summer 
 of 1688 a force of twelve hundred of them made a 
 descent upon the Island of Montreal and put to death 
 nearly every person that it contained, numbering 
 upwards of one thousand, a blow from which the co- 
 lony for a long time did not recover. 
 
 About one hundred and seventy miles below Quebec 
 is a small island whose name marks one of the 
 triumphs of the Iroquois, as well as an incident that 
 well illustrates the craft and skill that characterized 
 their movements and in a great degree contributed 
 to their many successes. It is termed L' Islet au 
 Massacre. Upon it is a large cavern, of suiBficient 
 size to contain several hundred persons. The entrance 
 is near the water and is of considerable size. 
 
 On a night in the sixteenth century, a party con- 
 sisting of upward of two hundred members of the 
 Micmac tribe of Indians, who from time imme- 
 morial had been foes of the Iroquois, landed upon it. 
 The party embraced warriors, women and children. 
 
294 TALES OF THE ST. LA WRENCE. 
 
 TLc}"^ wore journeying from one to another of their 
 villafi^es, entirely unaware that any of their enemies 
 were witliin hmulrods of miloH, but for days their old 
 and implacable oncmieis had been stealthily following 
 upon their track. On the night in question their 
 canoes were drawn up upon tlie bank beyond the reach 
 of the tide and the entire party retired to rest in the 
 cavern. So secure from molestation did they believe 
 themselves to be, that the o^-dinary precaution of 
 placing sentinels to give notice of the approach of a 
 foe was not taken. The night was dark and well ad- 
 apted to ensure the success of a party intent ujion 
 surprising them. At an early hour in the morning 
 the Iroquois lauded from their canoes upon the adja- 
 cent shore and despatched experienced and trusty 
 scouts to reconnoitre the position of their foes and 
 victims. These soon returned, reporting, to the 
 great delight of the others the situation of affairs. 
 The chiefs of the Iroquois then resolved upon 
 both a surprise and the death of the Micmacs 
 in a terrible manner. Providing themselves 
 with a liberal supply of fagots and birch bark, they 
 noiselessly effected a landing upon the side of the Is- 
 land opposite to that upon which their foes wqyq 
 encamped. Stealthily and noiselessly they advanced 
 
THE ISLE OF MASSACRE. 29? 
 
 until tho mouth of tho ciivorn was roaehod, and tlion 
 succeeded, without awakening tho Hitimhercrs, in 
 building a wall of bark and fagots in front of the 
 entrance. 
 
 From the lui'id light of the flames that suddenly 
 lighted up tho cavern, the Micmacs obtained their 
 first intimation of the presence of a foe. By tho time 
 that they were able to fully realize the nature of tho 
 danger, a wall of fire barred their passage. With one 
 accord, tho warriors seized their weapons and attempt- 
 ed to rush through tho flames to confront their anta- 
 gonists, but as fast as they emerged to view they 
 were pierced by the arrows of their invisible foes. 
 The scene cannot bo portrayed. The glare of the 
 flames reflected upon tho agonized countenances of 
 tho victims — tho showers of whizzing arrows— the ex- 
 ultant cries of tho Iroquois who remained invisible 
 in the darkness — the death-cries of the perishing war- 
 riors combined with the shrieks and cries of burning 
 women and children, all combined to make the scene 
 one that fiends might envy the conception of, and 
 cause all mortals to contemplate only with a shudder I 
 
 Of the Micmacs but five persons, it is believed, 
 effected an escape. All of the remainder perished 
 upon the spot. The whitened bones of the slain, un- 
 
296 TALES OF THE ST. LAWRENCE. 
 
 less they have been removed within the period of a 
 few years, yet rest in the caver^^. and attest the truth 
 of what has been related. 
 
 As a portion of this article bias related to the war- 
 like nature and ability of the two most powerful tribes 
 of Aborigines, the reflection may here be made that 
 to the one cause of constant and sanguinary wars 
 between the tribes that inhabited the continent, is 
 due the success of whites in being able tr maintain 
 settlements and finally to acquire suSicie'it power 
 to practically exterminate the natives. The Indian 
 tribes combined, and having resistance to the whites 
 as the first article of their policy, could easily have 
 defied all of the forces that the nations of the old 
 world could have sent against them. Had a Tecumseh 
 lived in the seventeenth century, America would 
 doubtless have yet been a wilderness. 
 
^aJ4i»jJ a $wttij0l<^t 
 
 'iitfj> 
 
CATCHING A SMUGGLER. 
 
 The blue waters of the broad St. Lawrence sparkled 
 in the sunshine of an August day, bright and even as 
 the surface of a mirror, save when a cooling breeze 
 ■n fitful breaths, ruffled for a moment its serenity. 
 
 The United States Eevenue Cutter " Chase,'" a six- 
 gun vessel, lay at anchor near the Ogdensburg Light- 
 house. The current just sufficed to keep her headed 
 with the stream ; the awning that covered her main- 
 deck was tightly drawn ; her ensign now and then 
 endeavored to display its folds, but always disappoint- 
 ed by the fickle breezes that but toyed with it to speed 
 away, its eagle folded its wings and drooped lazily 
 dowmward. The sun- beams glistened from her bat- 
 tery of brass guns that stood in dignified silence, and 
 so trimly was every rope adjusted that it would have 
 required no great stretch of the imagination to have 
 fancied her " A painted ship upon a painted ocean." 
 
 The scene from the deck was quite picturesque. To 
 the left were the wharves, warehouses and harbor of 
 the city, bordering the blocks of mercantile structures 
 
300 TALES OF THE ST. LAWRENCE. 
 
 and streets of residences. On the right, a mile away 
 were the stone walls and glistening spires of a Cana- 
 dian town. Near by, steamers plied to and fro, a 
 connecting link of passage, thought and amity between 
 the two nations ; the young giant Eopublic, sturdy in 
 his vigor of manhood that has not yet ripened to ma- 
 turity — whose shoulders bear up, Atlas like, the skies 
 of freedom : whose brow is fanned by the cool breezes 
 of the North and whose heart is warmed by the sun 
 of the South — and Miss Canada, almost of a marble 
 frigidity in her classic beauty, who has thus far ans- 
 wered " nay" to the wooing of her neighbor when 
 solicited to exchange the regal diadem that decks her 
 brow, for the bridal flowers of the Republic ! 
 
 Aboard of the vessel all was quiet. In the galley, 
 the cooks had given a parting polish to the brass- ware 
 and were engaged in a friendly game of cards. In the 
 forecastle and under the awnings of the forward- 
 diBck, blue-garbed sailors were gathered into groups 
 or were reposing in their hammocks. On the main- 
 deck, behind the armory, was seated a group of officers 
 Interested in a closely contested game of chess. After 
 taking this view, a person might very naturally con- 
 clude that the surrounding waters were never troubled 
 by the crafts of bold or crafty smugglers, or that if 
 
* CATCHING A SMUOOLER. 301 
 
 they were, that the smugglers were in little danger 
 of being annoyed by those aboard of the cutter. But 
 he would decide too hastily. On the upper deck is a 
 watchman who appears nearly as unoccupied as the 
 others, but whose vigilant eye ia ever upon the river 
 or the opposite shore. His attention now seems to be 
 engrossed by some object near the Canadian side, upon 
 which he frequently brings a glass to bear. At length 
 his doubts appear to shape themselves into a certainty 
 and descending the steps leading to the main-deck, he 
 approaches an officer — the one upon duty for the day 
 — and after giving the customary salute, waits to fee 
 addressed. 
 
 "Well, what is it?" 
 
 " If you please, sir, I have been watching a boat for 
 gome time that put out of Prescott harbor; I think 
 that it contains articles to be smuggled.'* 
 
 " What kind of a boat is it ?" 
 
 "A small one, sir; a skiff." 
 
 " How many persons are in it ?" 
 
 " Two, sir — both of them women.' 
 
 " Why do you believe them to be smuggling ?" 
 
 " Because, sir, I watched them with the glass when 
 they were getting into the boat, and saw that they 
 had packages of something with them." 
 
302 TALES OF THE ST. LAWRENCE. 
 
 The officer gave a last look at the undecided game 
 of chess, took a spy-glass from the cabin stairway' 
 and approached the side of the vessel. 
 
 " Where is it ?" he inquired. 
 
 *' It is that skiff that is now opposite to us and pull- 
 ing to cross our stern. 
 
 The lieutenant, slowly and apparently without 
 much interest in the matter, save in the routine dis- 
 charge of duty, adjusted the glass and proceeded to 
 examine the suspicious craft; but no sooner had he 
 obtained a view than all of his indifference vanished, 
 and he scrutinised it very particularly, and if he 
 thought but of the danger of the government being 
 defrauded in revenue, then the country had, for a 
 short time at least, a very efficient officer. 
 
 "Yes," he remarked, after a long examination, 
 " there are two of them ; one in the stern and one row- 
 ing — the latter carries a full head of curls — looks like a 
 man-of-war deaked out with the flags of all nations !" 
 
 " Women smugglers 1" echoed the group around the 
 chess board, and the game was suddenly forgotten, 
 while a rush was made for the post of observation, 
 and the glass passed around until all had satisfied 
 their curiosity in the matter and volunteered com- 
 ments accordingly. 
 
CATCHING A SMUGGLER. 303 
 
 " Seems to be a prettjjr girl that is rowing." 
 
 " Don't think that it would do to brag much upon 
 the other one !" 
 
 " Those oars are handled well — she would make just 
 the wife for a sailor." 
 
 "I don't see any package," said the officer on duty 
 to the look-out. 
 
 " They have it, sir," was the reply. " They put it 
 under one of the seats before coming out." 
 
 " I suppose that I must report the matter to the 
 captain," said the lieutenant, after a moment's hesita- 
 tion, and he descended the stairs and rapped upon ihe 
 door of the cabin of that officer. 
 
 "Come in!" responded he, arousing himself from 
 an afternoon slumber, which had been graced with 
 dreams of days spent upon the shores of the Mediter- 
 ranean, in Italy and in sunny France, and assuming 
 a projDer dignity before admitting his subordinate. 
 
 The lieutenant entered. 
 
 "Captain Cornell, there is a small boat passing 
 down the river with the evident intention of .landing 
 below us. The look-out reports that he observed them 
 concealing a package of goods at starting." 
 
 " Yery well ; signal them to come to, and if they 
 do not comply, send a shot over them!" command- 
 
804 TALES OF THE ST. LAWRENCE. 
 
 .1 « II 
 
 cd the veteran, one of the truest men and best oflficers 
 that ever graced any service, and now numbered no 
 longer among the living. 
 
 " But, captain, they are ladies 1" replied the troubled 
 lieutenant. 
 
 " Ladies, eh ?" responded the now interested com- 
 mander, " we cannot treat them in that style, if that 
 is the case. I will go upon deck and take a look at 
 them." 
 
 The two oficers accordingly ascended to the deck, 
 and the captain indulged in a close inspection of the 
 objects of interest with the glass, the others standing 
 by in respectful silence. 
 
 " They remind me," said he at length as he lowered 
 the glass, " of a joke that my officers once had at my 
 expense. It was many years ago and the government 
 had kept us upon the Lake Superior station for so 
 long a time that a tribe of friendly Indians there 
 imagined that we were to remain dui'ing life and 
 wished to adopt us into their tribe. I had a lieu- 
 tenant with me who was considerably like Macintyro 
 here, a good looking young fellow and a great favorite 
 with the fair sex. ** Stay with us," proposed one of 
 the chiefs, " and we will do well by you. We will 
 get nice little squaw for lieutenant — any old hag will 
 
CATCniNG A SMUGGLER. 305 
 
 do for the captain !" The moral of the story is that 
 the pair in the skiff yonder, appears very much like 
 the one that was offered us !" ^ 
 
 After the laugh which this incited had subsided, the 
 captain continued : * 
 
 " I suppose that it is not corsistent with our duty 
 to allow smugglers to escape, if they are women. 
 Lieutenant Macintyre, man a boat and intercept 
 them 1" 
 
 " Yes, sir," replied that person, evidently a little em- 
 barrassed in regard to his duty in the matter, " and 
 what then ?" 
 
 " You will accompany the boat ; if you find that they 
 have nothing, allow them to proceed ; if they have, 
 Iwing them aboard I" 
 
 On© of the boats that were floating idly by the 
 side of the vessel was soon manned by half-a-dozen 
 atalwart and experienced oarsmen and taking his seat 
 in the stern, the lieutenant gave orders to shove off^ 
 and headed it so as to intercept the skiff which was now 
 proceeding at a moderate rat© toward the American 
 shore, but headed at an angle down the river. 
 
 Let us now pay some attention to the disturbers of 
 the peace of the watchful guardians of the country's 
 revenue. In a light, small and delicately formed 
 
300 TALES OF THE ST. LAWRENCE. 
 
 skiff — one evidently designed for rapid rowing — v/ere 
 two persons. One of them, a middle-agod female, 
 was evidently not designed by Nature to furnish in- 
 spiration for poets or a model for artists, or, it may be 
 added, to excite the admiration of the wearers of 
 shoulder straps ! But thei^e is no necessity for a de- 
 tailed description of a maiden lady who has some time 
 ago seen the summers of forty years, and whose fea- 
 tures, never lovely, and voice never sweet, had not 
 improved with the flight of time. She was seated in 
 the stern of the boat and busily engaged in keeping 
 up a conversation with her companion, in which, how- 
 ever, she had to bear the greater share, as she receiv- 
 ed but brief although pleasant replies. 
 
 Wo cannot pass the fair rower with as few words. 
 Clad in a close-fitting dress of blue that displayed her 
 form to excellent advantage as she deftly plied her 
 light oars, the exercise causing her eyes to beam with 
 more than usual brightness and sending bright hues 
 to her cheeks — her brown hair falling from under a 
 small "sailor's hat" and her half-parted lips appear- 
 ing like rose-buds half unfolded, you might have 
 fancied her to be some fair water-spirit, guarded with 
 jealous care by the dragon near her, lest some ena- 
 mored mortal should strive to bear her away I 
 
CATCHING A SMUGGLER. 307 
 
 To descend to plain realities, the younger and fairer 
 of the voyagers was named Ilattie "Wheeler and resid- 
 ed in a very pretty cottage upon the American side 
 of the river. Having been reared near tlie stream she 
 had been allowed to indulge her passion for boating 
 until she had become the skilful rower that we find 
 her. Iler companion was a maiden aunt " from the 
 country," who had lieen for some days honoring her 
 family with a visit, and the two had this day proceed- 
 ed to Canada, a distance of but from two to tliree miles 
 from home. 
 
 Aunt Cynthia, for such was the name that she bore, 
 was somewhat positively expressing her opinion in 
 regard to the Canadian styles and customs that came 
 under her observation, to which Ilattie was dutifully 
 listening, when the ap2:)roach of the boat from the 
 Revenue Cutter was discovered. 
 
 " I declare I" exclaimed the former, " if there is not 
 a boat-load of those water soldiers coming right toward 
 
 us!" 
 
 " Yes," responded Hattie, after looking in the di- 
 rection indicated, "although the title might perhaps 
 prove new to them ; and there is an officer in the stern 
 of the boat." 
 
 "An officer? What, that pert-looking chap with 
 
308 TALES OF THE ST. LAWRENCE. 
 
 those brass trunk-handles on his shoulders, that looks 
 for all the world like my old brass-bound trunk all 
 over?" 
 
 A merry peal of laughter Was the answer to this 
 description of their iinsuspecited pursuer, and waa 
 borne across the water to the ears of the officer in 
 question. She had not fully recovered her /Gravity, 
 and this she may well be pardoned for — a laugh be- 
 came her so well — when Aunt Cynthia again spoke : 
 
 " You will have to bo careful of your rowing, or that 
 boat will be striking us I" 
 
 The pursuing boat was headed just across thei 
 course, and with the intention of allowing it to pass 
 Hattie ceased rowing. She was surprised to observe 
 the officer in charge direct its course so as to bring 
 his boat alongside of her, and quite astonished when 
 he stopped it there. The two boats were a couple of 
 lengths of oars only, apart. 
 
 While his observers regarded him in undisguised 
 wonder, the lieutenant raised his cap very politely 
 and thus addressed them : 
 
 " Pardon me, ladies, for stopping you thus, but we 
 have been informed and have reason to believe that 
 you have goods with you of which a report should be 
 made at the Custom House." 
 
you will Uave to be cj^rel'ul of your rowing, or that bqat will be striking us." 
 
CATCHING A Sl^UGGLER. 309 
 
 "Is that the reason that you have followed us 
 in this manner ?" returned Hattie, somewhat indig- 
 nantly. 
 
 '' You are perhaps aware," replied the lieute- 
 nant, deferentially, " that we are stationed here for 
 the purpose of preventing anything from being smug- 
 gled into the country. In a case like this our duty 
 , becomes a very unpleasant one, and if you will assure 
 me that you have nothing dutiable with you, we will 
 trouble you no longer." 
 
 A deep blush overspread Hattie's face, plainly ex- 
 pressing her mortification, and telling of her insulted 
 pride ; then an appealing tear clung for a moment to 
 her eyelashes and then fell, while the lieutenant for 
 a moment almost forgot the matter in question and 
 only thought to himself, ''how pretty she is!" and 
 then, for the first time in a life of eventful service, 
 feared that he might prove unequal to the stern re- 
 quirements of duty. 
 
 " I cannot give you such a positive assurance," she 
 at length said, in a not very firm tone. 
 
 "Then," said the lieutenant, "in obedience to the 
 instructions of the captain, I must request that you 
 will accompany us to the Eevenue Cutter." 
 
 "To the Revenue Cutter?" 
 
310 TALES OF THE ST. LAWRENCE. 
 
 "Yes, MisP." . 
 
 " Smuggling !" fiercely exclaimed Aunt Cynthia, 
 who now for the first time seemed to fully com2)rehend 
 matters, "I'd like to know who has been smuggling? 
 We have not got an inch of cloth with us, and if you 
 come a foot nearer I will throw the whole twenty- 
 seven yards at you and your blue-shirted scoundrels, 
 you old brass-factory I" 
 
 ''Aunt, do keep still," said Hattie, now partly re- 
 covering her composure and not knowing which was 
 the greater, her amusement or mortification at this 
 speech of her companion, and then addressing the 
 lieutenant, "you will please give our compliments 
 to your captain, and say that we cannot accede to his 
 request I" 
 
 With this she quickly seized her oars again, and 
 with a single stroke her boat was sent twi^o its length 
 from the other, and each succeeding one raj)idly in- 
 creased the distance. 
 
 "Yes!" screamed Aunt Cynthia, "tell him that 
 we can't stop to-day !" 
 
 The gallant lieutenant was for a moment nonplussed 
 and mentally cursed the fate that placed him in so 
 embarrassing a position. It was certainly bad enough 
 to be sent to intercept a young lady on such a mission 
 
CATCHING A SMUGGLER. 311 
 
 had she willingly acceded to his request — still worse 
 if she acceded unwillingly, but now to cap the climax 
 of provocation, she flatly refused to do anything of 
 the kind and boldly set him at defiance ! 
 
 His first impulse was to return to the Cutter and 
 risk being censured for failing in his task, but a look 
 in that direction showed that all aboard, from the 
 captain to cabin-boys were watching the result of 
 the undertaking, and the thought of being ridiculed for 
 being thus easily baffled, overcame his inclination, for 
 he could easily imagine the jokes at his expense that 
 would be bandied about the ward-room, for even in 
 the faces of his crew he read that they appreciated 
 it, and so gave orders to continue the chase. It is 
 quite possible that he may have also been prompted 
 in this by being somewhat piqued at the manner in 
 which the pursued beauty had treated him, and the 
 evident haste that she made to escape from his pre- 
 sence, for certain it was, that — 
 
 •' Not his the form nor his the eye 
 That youthful maidens wont to flyl" 
 
 On sped the skiff, and on went the boat in chase. 
 The lieutenant urged his men to redoubled exertions, 
 and they bent to their oars until "the tough, ashen 
 blades threatened to snap asunder. In the skiff, 
 
312 TALES OF THE ST. LAWRENCE. 
 
 Annt Cynthia lent words of encouragement and 
 exhortation as well as indulging in a spirited denun- 
 ciation of the wearers of shoulder-straps in general 
 and of their pursuer more particularly. The groups 
 upon the decks of the cutter watched the race 
 with much interest, and freely made wagers as to 
 the result; the decks of a passenger steamer that 
 chanced to be passing, were crowed with persons who 
 witnessed the novel contest in undisguised wonder and 
 freely indulged in demonstrations of encouragement 
 to the pursued, although evidently considering it 
 but a friendly trial of speed. The brawny oarsmen 
 panted with exhaustion, and the large drops of per- 
 spiration rolled down their foreheads ; but with every 
 stroke of the oars Hattie widened the distance between 
 them. The heavy boat of the Cutter was not able to 
 cope with her light one in speed, and very soon would 
 victory have been decided in her favor, had not an 
 accident occurred that put it out of the question. 
 Without the slightest warning, one of the row-locks 
 of her boat proved treacherous and gave way, and 
 the oar floated useless. The boat was now wholly 
 disabled, and its occupants had no option but to await 
 the arrival of their pursuers with as much composure 
 as they could assume. 
 
tJATCniNG A SMOGOLEIU 813 
 
 ' ' ' ' ' " " ■ ■ » 
 
 We can easily pardon the lieutenant for not being 
 perfectly self-posstissed and observant under the pecu- 
 liar and trying circumstances, and he was so earnestly 
 engaged in urging his men to do their utmost that 
 he failed to observe the accident that had befallen his 
 fair competitor, as her boat, owing to the momentum 
 that it had acquired, did not immediately stop. 
 And here it may be parenthetically remarked that 
 he had formed a resolution that was a compromise 
 between his gallantry and sense of duty, that if he 
 succeeded in capturing the objects of his pursuit, he 
 would simply request that they should, on landing, 
 make report of such articles as they might have with 
 them, and then generously allow them to proceed 
 upon their way. But when he discovered the accident 
 that had disabled the other boat, it was too late to 
 avoid a collision. Although he frantically gave the 
 order to " back water" and the men obeyed with 
 alacrity, the heavy boat struck the frail skiff in the 
 center, almost cutting it in two, and the next moment 
 its two immates were engulfed in the stream and he 
 saw the brown curls of Hattie Wheeler disappearing 
 beneath the waves, while her soft eyes were reproach- 
 fully fixed upon him, accusing him of being her 
 
 murderer I 
 
 V 
 
314 TALES OF THE ST. LAWRENCE, 
 
 For a moment everything seemed to fade before his 
 eyes ; a sharp pang seemed to paralise his life and he 
 came near falling insensible, but summoning every 
 energy, he recovered his self-possession, and without 
 a second thought, sprang into the stream in the spot 
 at which she had disappeared I 
 
 Annt Cynthia was meanwhile frantically strug- 
 gling in the water. 
 
 " Throw the old woman an oar 1" shouted one of the 
 sailors. 
 
 " Don't you call me an old woman, you — " but she 
 sank ere the sentence could be finished, but a man 
 sprang after her and succeeded in bringing her to the 
 surface. 
 
 A few moments of terrible suspense. Then a hand 
 emerges from the water — is caught hold of, and the 
 lieutenant is drawn into the boat, but alas, the lieute- 
 nant alone ! 
 
 When he had recovered breath, he paused for a 
 moment irresolute. In diving he had not been able 
 to reach the bottom and had not seen her, although 
 the water was as clear as crystal. Then a small 
 bubble appeared upon the surface of the water. It 
 Was her fleeting and expiring breath rising to the 
 surface 1 
 
CATCHING A SMUGGLER. 315 
 
 A seaman would have gone down, but with a cry 
 the lieutenant prevented him and again sprang in. 
 Down, down, he went, with no thought of his failing 
 strength and with but one resolve — that of rescuing 
 her or of dying with her. 
 
 Almost exhausted, he struck the bottom. Not 
 far from him, nestled between some rocks, lay the 
 inanimate form of her whom he sought. With a 
 strength inspired by desperation he grasped her, raised 
 her in his arms and sprang for the surface. 
 
 For a short distance they rose and then seemed to 
 remain stationary. The surface is but a few yards 
 away ; he can distinctly see his boat and the anxious 
 faces of his men peering into the depths, yet finds 
 that his strength is rapidly failing and that his efforts 
 to rise further are wholly in vain. 
 
 The instinct for the preservation of his own life is 
 strong, and he has time to reflect that if he clings 
 longer to her, both must perish ; that it is possible, 
 aye, more than probable that the one whom he would 
 save is beyond all human aid : if he relinquishes her 
 his safety is assured. 
 
 This he nearly determines upon, and his grasp ^s 
 loosening, when his manhood reasserts itself: again his 
 arms are clasped firmly around her, and slowly they 
 sink until they rest together upon the bottom. 
 
316 TALES OF THE ST. LAWRENCE. 
 
 He pressed his lips to her cold forehead and thought, 
 " I could not save you, but in death I will not leave 
 you !" 
 
 He closed his eyes — "A moment," he thought, 
 and all will be over I" 
 
 Nothing less than a divine miracle, it seemed, could 
 save them, yet a very simple thing did so. In the 
 boat above was a man — one of a not small class, who 
 in times of great excitement, cannot remain idle, 
 whether what they do has any prospect of being of 
 the slightest service or not. This one had taken a 
 grapple carried in the boat, to which was attached a 
 rope of considerable length, and lowered it into the 
 water. In sinking, it chanced, by the merest good 
 fortune to strike the lieutenant. Instinctively he 
 grasped for it and caught the rope — it remained firm 
 in his grasp — a new hope animated him and the 
 warm blood again coursed through his veins ! The 
 men above felt his weight and pulled upon it with a 
 will, and in a few seconds, the two were at the surface 
 seized by strong hands and drawn into the boat. 
 
 As quickly as possible they were taken aboard of 
 the Cutter, where the efforts of the kind hearted and 
 energetic wife of the Captain, seconded by those of 
 Aunt Cynthia, to whose credit be it said that she im- 
 
CATCHING A SMUGGLER. 317 
 
 plicitly followed the directions of the former, Hattie 
 was soon restored to consciousness, while the lieute- 
 nant was as well cared for by his brother officers. 
 
 As was to have been expected, quite a serious illness 
 resulted i both cases. Hattie went on no more boat- 
 ing excursions for a couple of months, while it was 
 a number of weeks before the lieutenant could do full 
 duty again. 
 
 The conclusion of the story is best told in Aunt 
 Cynthia's own words : 
 
 " Lieutenant Macintyre is a pretty clever sort of a 
 fellow, after all, and will manage to get a wife by 
 means of the affair, but he didn't get my dress-patterns, 
 after all ! But you don't get me across that river 
 again if I live to be all of your great-grandmothers I" 
 
h fkmifq iff ^$k fc|4, 
 
THE PHANTOM OF ISLE PEECE. 
 
 Nature has been liberal in its fanciful adornments 
 of many portions of the lower St. Lawrence, and so 
 wild and unique are many of its specimens of handi- 
 work as to become the natural foundation for super- 
 stitions, not only of the simple minded and naturally 
 credulous, but of all of the past century who were 
 believers in the physical manifestations of super- 
 natural powers. Perhaps the most remarkable of all of 
 its freaks was the creation of the " Phantom Ship" or 
 " Shiphead" Rock, a large^ projection of rock standing 
 near Cape Hosier, at the very mouth of the river, its 
 base washed by the rolling seas of the Atlantic, and 
 presenting to the eye of the observer when a short 
 distance fbrm it, the appearance of a ship under ftiU 
 sail I This remarkable rock has within a few years 
 crumbled to pieces and the greater part of it fallen 
 into the sea. A sufficient portion however yet re- 
 mains to fully mark the spot upon which it stood. 
 Near this is another singular formation, standing upon 
 a small island of jutting rock, known as Isle Perc^, 
 
4J22 TALES OF THE ST. LAWRENCE. 
 
 which formerly consisted of two archways of consi- 
 -derable size, the central support of which has fallen 
 into the water, leaving a single one, through which a 
 large sized yacht can pass under full sail. 
 
 As is not strange, these have a wild and thrilling 
 legend connected with them which the greater portion 
 of the residents of the adjacent county and the many 
 fishermen who frequently pass and repass them, 
 implicitly believe. They may perhaps be the more 
 readily pardoned for this as the solitary and wild grand- 
 eur of that portion of the world, with its accessories of 
 storms, mists, vapors, mirages, optical delusions and 
 occasional floating icebergs, seem to combine to 
 suggest the unreal. Not far from here is also the 
 spot — a ledge of dangerous reefs — upon which an 
 English transport fleet was wrecked in the year 1711, 
 eight vessels being driven to pieces and nearly nine 
 hundred lives lost. The superstitious habitants and 
 fishermen yet believe that the spirits of those that 
 perished at that time still linger near the spot and that 
 they re-inhabit their bodies at the beginning of a storm 
 and again and again endure the agonies of ship-wreck 
 and death. Numbers conscientiously believe that 
 they have beheld a legion of the corpses rising from 
 their resting places upon the bottom, swayed to and 
 
THE PHANTOM OF ISLE PERCE. 823 
 
 xro by the waves. Imagination hears in the angry 
 roar of the seas breaking against the rocks, their 
 cries for help and screams of despair, and in mur- 
 muring tones of the lightly impelled waves when 
 the winds are the gentlest, their voices as they con- 
 fer in whispers. Valiant indeed is the voyager who 
 dare approach this reef after night-fall, or pass the 
 '* Phantom ship" or Isle Perc6 rocks without invoking 
 Divine protection. 
 
 The legend accounting for the origin of the Phan- 
 tom Ship rock and for the Phantom of Isle Perce, is, 
 as nearly as can be learned, as follows : 
 
 Sometime during the last century, a young French 
 officer of noble birth, commendable character and 
 much ability, was called upon to depart suddenly 
 ftom France with his regiment, for duty in Canada, 
 where, on airival, he was stationed at Quebec. He 
 obeyed the call of duty with much regret, as he was 
 forced to part from his betrothed to whom he was 
 soon to have been united in marriage. As the date 
 of his return v^as uncertain and his absence was liable 
 to be prolonged for a considerable number of years, 
 and her affection for him was so strong that she was 
 content to abandon her home in the old world to share 
 one with him in the new, it was arranged, soon after 
 
324 TALES OF THE ST. LAWRENCE. 
 
 his arrival, that she should join him, and accompanied 
 by a few friends, she sailed for Quebec. 
 
 Before one half of the trip had been accomplished, 
 the ship fell in with a Spanish Pirate craft, and after 
 a desperate and sanguinary conflict, was captured. 
 The captors at once proceeded to plunder and then to 
 destroy their prize, after putting all upon board to 
 death with the sole exception of the betrothed of the 
 French officer, whose exceeding beauty excited the 
 sensuous passion of the chief of the Buccaneers. 
 Despite her supplications and prayers for death he 
 resolved upon making her his mistress, and forced 
 her to accede to his demands. Finding that she 
 continued implacable and continued to seek every 
 possible opportunity for committing self destruction, 
 and having learned from her something of her history 
 and the object of her voyage, with a refinement of 
 cruelty he resolved to run his vessel within sight of 
 Quebec that she might behold from a distance the 
 spot where her lover, in ignorance of her fate, was 
 awaiting her arrival. 
 
 This plan she contrived to frustrate as they were 
 Hearing the mouth of the river, by springing from a 
 window of the cabin where she was confined, into the 
 sea. Although deeply enraged at the success of his 
 
When within a stone's throw of the column there suddenly appeared upon it a 
 .spectral form, whom all instantly recognized as that of her wuo had so lately 
 been their captive. 
 
THE PHANTOM OF ISLE PERCE. 325 
 
 victim in finding a refuge from his brutalities in the 
 arms of death, he continued his vessel upon the same 
 course, doubtless in the hope of encountering some 
 outward bound merchant vessel. 
 
 On the evening of the next day after her death, 
 and at the same hour, the vessel was approaching, with 
 a favorable wind, the rock of Isle Perc4. The Pirate 
 chief, standing near the bow of his vessel, scanned 
 the surrounding shores and particularly the curiously 
 formed rock, and impelled either by curiosity or by 
 an invisible power, caused his vessel to head nearly 
 upon it. The attention of all on board as well as 
 of the leader, was directed to it. When within a 
 stone's throw of the column, there suddenly appeared 
 upon it a spectral form, whom all instantly recog- 
 nized as that of her who had so lately been their 
 captive ! 
 
 Terror seized upon all, and the vessel was headed 
 off, but ere proceeding far, was turned, together with 
 all upon board, into a mass of solidly anchored rock 
 which still retained the appearance of a ship ! 
 
 Thus were the wrongs of the injured one avenged, 
 and when the mists that oft encircle the summit of the 
 rock assume shadowy shapes resembling mortal 
 forms, the fishermen who behold them believe that 
 
326 TALES OF THE ST. LAWRENCE. 
 
 they look upon her spectre again returned and some- 
 times in company with that of her lover, to be assured 
 that the doom pronounced and executed by Heaven 
 upon her captors is not yet revoked and will not be 
 while the world shall endure. 
 
ink ^a^ 0i 1 ilia ^mk. 
 
LITTLE MARY OF VILLA MARIA. 
 
 The edifice of the convent school of Villa Maria, 
 tinder the charge of the order of the Black Sisters of 
 the Congregation de Notre Dame, is located a couple 
 of miles distant from the boundary of the city of Mon- 
 treal, and stands upon a beautiful and commanding 
 eminence, raising its sombre grey walls from out a 
 mass of foliage in the embrace of which it seems to 
 confidingly nestle. The location is a beautiful one ; 
 the light clouds that encircle the crost of the mount 
 seem to form a crown of mingled earthly beauty and 
 Heavenly radiance above it, while the surroundings 
 combine the rival beauties of art and nature. The 
 grounds are extensive, and the long walks, rustic 
 rambles and the fairy-like lake that lies near, cling- 
 ing to the hill-side, are as sacred from the visitation 
 of man as were the groves of Diana. 
 
 From childhood. Little Mary, as she came to be 
 familiarly termed, had been an inmate of the Villa, 
 and at the time of which I wi*ite, hardly realized that 
 «he was no longer a child but a graceful young 
 
330 TALES OF THE ST. LAWRENCE, 
 
 woman. Ilcrs was not the beauty of the glowing 
 typo of many of her companions, some of whom 
 owned the sunny south for a home, and wore like 
 prisoned birds amid their lovely surroundings, but 
 yet it would have been difficult to have chosen from 
 them any who would as well fill the artist's or poet's 
 ideal, or one who would so well servo to add grace to 
 the spot. Small in stature, with a wealth of the darkest 
 hair and dark eyes luminous with the expressive light 
 of a rare spirit, and lips that of themselves suggested 
 a reverently whispered " Ave Maria,^^ little hands 
 that seemed to fold themselves instinctively .for 
 prayer, and a step almost as light as those of the merry 
 birds that were during the bright days of the year 
 her companions and almost confidents. 
 
 It seems almost vain to write that " Little Mary"" 
 was a universal favorite and universally beloved by 
 all, from the grave and exacting Sister Superior 
 whose every thought and action was regulated by 
 precepts that contained no maxims that were only 
 deemed but adapted ta earthly existence, to- the timid 
 and not successful " last pupil" whose instinctive con- 
 fidence she at once became the recipient of, and whose 
 tasks she assisted in at the sacrifice of weary hours to 
 herself. 
 
LITTLE MARY OF VILLA MARIA. 331 
 
 To Mary the world was in reality but a picture seen 
 through the vistas loading from her mountain convent 
 home — a moderate extent of surging river and its 
 frame-work of beautiful scenery through which she 
 journeyed once each year to be welcomed at a loving 
 home — a few villages and the slightest imaginable 
 knowledge of a bustling city whose blocks and spires 
 were just visible from the Villa. It was not strange 
 then that as she grew to womanhood, adopting 
 the views of the self-sacrificing Sisters who were her 
 constant companions and instructresses, she came to 
 regard the world as a place to be avoided, instead of 
 looking forward with eager anticipation, like most of 
 her companions, to the day when she would be permit- 
 ted to become one of the participants in its busy turmoil 
 and changing scenes. To her the convent had become 
 a home, and as she listened to the reverential tales of 
 the Sisters, she too longed to be through life 
 
 " Where oft devotion's glow 
 Can such a glimpse of Heaven begtow 
 That the enraptured sisters see 
 High vision and deep mystery," 
 
 and Yilla Maria became in her imagination a sweet 
 place of refuge from the sinful allurements of the 
 world, and little else than the antechamber of Heaven. 
 
332 TALES OF THE ST. LAWRENCE. 
 
 Instead of joining her companions of the graduating 
 class of the next approaching school year in their self- 
 congratulations at speedy escapes from the thraldom 
 of school-days, she instinctively shrank, as might 
 Mooro's Peri, from entering the dark and sombre 
 portals of the world, and finally gave a half promise 
 that she had little doubt her inclination would cause 
 her to doubly ratify, to resign it all at the conclusion 
 of her school-term, and accepting the veil, become 
 the bride of Heaven. 
 
 It was not reluctantly, however, that she accepted 
 the opportunity of passing her last vacation at home, 
 and it was during these brief, bright days of summer 
 that she came to doubt if the world did not — perchance 
 to believe that the world could after all possess a 
 charm that is denied to the inhabitants of cloisters, 
 saintly though they be and saintly though may be 
 the reward of their self-immolation. This is a strict 
 narrative of facts, untinted by the faintest coloring 
 of fiction, and the subject is too sacred to be more 
 than alluded to, yet a view — an undefinable reality of 
 existence seemed to have awakened itself in her heart 
 or rather that she had encountered the Magician 
 whose presence, unknown to himself, had awakened 
 in a few short hours, the life and love of womanhood 1 
 
LITTLE MARY OF VILLA MARIA. 333 
 
 For the first time, she would have jirolongod her 
 days of liberty from convent seclusion and scholastic 
 tasks, and beheld the time for her return draw near 
 with a faint pang of regret. 
 
 Nature seemed to endeavor to woo her spirit back 
 to worldly scenes, on the last day of her accorded 
 freedom, as, in the companionship of a number of 
 loving friends, and one, ranking yet as scarcely more 
 than an acquaintance — the Magician aforesaid, she 
 sped down the St. Lawrence toward her convent 
 home. The boat was rapidly drawing near to the 
 wild rapid of Lachino and the mountain of Mont- 
 real raised its green cone in the distance, when 
 by accident or design, Mary was alone in a secluded 
 corner of the deck, in company with the Magician. 
 She was for some time silent, and her eyes that occa- 
 sionally sought the surrounding scene of wild grand- 
 eur, were as often withdrawn and dropped as if in 
 deep meditation. 
 
 " Pardon me," said her companion, after a long 
 and involuntary pause," but you appear sad — is 
 the thought of returning to the seclusion of convent 
 walls then unpleasant ?" 
 
 She turned her large eyes to his, and after a long 
 inquiring look, replied j 
 
334 TALES OF THE ST. LAWRENCE. 
 
 " It should not be, for those who never leave them 
 enjoy a peace of mind and holy rest of spirit that those 
 who belong to the world never can experience. And 
 yet," she continued, " I must own that 1 have been 
 Bomewhat sad during this day, for you know that this 
 will probably be my last day of worldy freedom — it 
 is not right to feel thus, I know, but I am not yet as 
 strong as I should be." 
 
 "I — really — am not sure that I have your mean- 
 ing ! " rejoined her companion, with some hesitation ; 
 
 "Why, I supposed that you knew!" she replied — 
 " I have resolved to become a Nun — to assume the 
 veil on my graduation." 
 
 " Heaven forbid !" exclaimed her comj^anion : 
 
 A half horrified look — a rebuking jesturo, were 
 her only reply to this, while he impulsively con- 
 tinued ; 
 
 " You mistake, I am certain, what is your duty. 
 Heaven can require no such sacrifice; it gave you 
 beauty, amiability and genius to assist in brightening 
 the world, and you can best serve it by remaining with 
 it ; yon are too pure to suffer by contact with man- 
 kind — the world cannot but be made better by your 
 presence in it!" 
 
 He paused — a faint hue stole over her face, and 
 
LITTLE MARY OF VILLA MARIA. 335 
 
 when she raised her eyes again their glance was 
 not as steady as before, there was a perceptible tremor 
 in her voice ; 
 
 "Would it please you," she asked, hardly above a 
 whisper, "if I should renounce my intention to take 
 the veil?" 
 
 " It would — very much,^' he returned candidly. 
 She made no reply, unless a halfinquiring, half start- 
 led look that she gave him — a glance that he long 
 seemed to feel attempting to read his thoughts — was 
 one, and the coAversation was at this point interrup- 
 ted, never to be resumed. 
 
 The precincts of Villa Maria did not seem to pos- 
 sess the only charm that the world held for her, there- 
 after. If the birds sang as sweetly as before, their 
 songs seemed to tell of some one absent, and her 
 intimate companions could not but notice a marked 
 change in her demeanor, nor did they fail to e arprise 
 her on more than one occasion, industriously at 
 work upon a beautiful and intricate piece of needle- 
 work that was evidently intended as a gift for 
 some one, but the only reply made to their question- 
 ing and gentle raillery would be the suffusing of her 
 pale cheeks with the hue of the rose. 
 
 The Autumn passed — then the long Winter, and it 
 
336 TALES OF THE ST LA WRENCK 
 
 was Spring again in name, although Winter in reality. 
 A few more weeks of study and seclusion, and with 
 the earliest flowers of the Summer, Mary would bid 
 adieu to the seclusion of the Convent and enter upon 
 the great and to her almost unknown world. 
 
 At this time the fearful epidemic of small Pox was 
 raging in Montreal, but in the isolation of their 
 mountain home, the inhabitants of the Yilla imagined 
 that they at least were secure from the visitation of 
 the demon, the blight of whose breath was death. 
 But not even convent walls and the magic circle of 
 the Church's power could form adequate protection 
 against the foul plague, for without warning Mary 
 was stricken down by it, to the consternation of the 
 worthy Sisters,who feared also for the other members 
 of their chr .ge. 
 
 r. It was upon a cold and inclement night, that in 
 company with a couple of attendant Nuns, she was 
 driven in a close carriage from the Convent to an 
 Hospital, for the nature of the disease would nat 
 permit of her retention at the Yilla. "Well enveloped 
 in robes, she sat upright in silence upon one of the 
 seats, while the Nuns occupied the opposite one. At 
 length her head fell forward — her arms reposed by 
 her side — she grew pallid — 
 
LITTLE MARY OF VILLA MARIA. 33T 
 
 The Nuns sprang forward, with many w.ords of 
 supplication and alarm, for they believed that her 
 spirit had taken its flight, but she slowly recovered, 
 and again regarded them : 
 
 "It wa« so strange," she said, at length, " for I 
 seemed to leave the carriage and fly to my home* 
 I stood by the bed-side of my brother and awoke him 
 and pointed to where I at the same time was riding 
 in the carriage here with you 1" 
 
 " Only a dream," was the repy of the Sisters, and 
 . all relapsed into silence again, but at the very moment 
 of the occurrence here related, in her far distant home, 
 a brother was aroused from sleep and beheld — or 
 * • beheld in his sleep — who shall determine ? his loved, 
 sister journeying at midnight in a carriage attended 
 by two Nuns — it vanished and she stood b^' his bed- 
 side, trembling and pale — she would have spoken, 
 but with a cry he awoke and the vision vanished. 
 With conflicting emotions of fear and doubt, he arose 
 and for a long time upon his knees implored the 
 protection of Heaven against the seemingly threaten- 
 ed ill. 
 
 At the breakfast table, he, now more calm and 
 rather doubting his own senses, related the circum- 
 stance. It was viewed only as a dream whose fabric 
 
338 TALES OF THE ST. LAWRENCE. 
 
 was of course baseless, but ere the conclusion of the 
 meal, the words of the telegraph had announced to 
 them that it was sad reality. 
 
 A few days of terrible suspense followed. A de- 
 voted mother hastened to her side, and although all 
 that love could accomplish was done, life and death 
 struggled for the mastery. Calmly, sweetly and with 
 a tranquil resignation that seemed of more than an 
 earthly spirit, she awaited her fate. 
 
 It is hard," she once said, a sigh for the only time 
 escaping her, " to die so young and with so much to 
 live for, but if God wishes to take me to Heaven now, 
 I should rather be thankful." 
 
 It was a wild, dark night, but in the apartment in 
 which the sufferer lay, the storm was not heard. 
 Lying upon her couch she had long been in silent 
 communion with her own thoughts. Her mother 
 and a N'un kept silent vigil near by. At length the 
 summons came — an angel awaited by her bedside and 
 whispered his message. She called her mother to 
 her side — " Mother," she snid calmly, " I am dying !" 
 
 ^'No my darling," was the confident reply, "you 
 are better this evening than you have been before 
 for days." 
 
 "No, mother," returned the sufferer, "you deceive 
 yourself — I am your dying child!" 
 
LITTLE MARY OF VILLA MARIA. 339 
 
 Then as calmly as if conversing in regard to the 
 ordinary affairs of life, she made known her wishes 
 concerning the adornment of her form after death 
 — spoke a few words of farewell — arose, walked across 
 the apar^^ment and sat down — the attendant Nun 
 hastened to her side, but the Angel had flown out 
 into the storm, and not alone, and Little Mary was 
 the Bride of Heaven ! 
 
 Not far from the blue waters of the great river-, lov- 
 ing hands laid her to rest. There she sleeps, heeding 
 not the never-ceasing murmur of its waters, which 
 fall upon the ears of mourning ones who wonder if its 
 voice chants the hymn of the evermore, and gives a 
 promise that the love of ''Little Mary" shall not be 
 otily a bright, sweet, sad remembrance of the past, 
 but a recompen ^e of the unknown and limitless future. 
 
h 
 
 Oi 
 
 %\i\U 
 
 d%t Ifmment 
 
THE " HUKTER LODGE " MOVEMENT OF 1838. 
 
 The movement that occasioned so much interna- 
 tional disquietude, and for which I can find no more 
 seemingly proper name than that given above, and 
 which culminated in the action of Wind Mill Point, 
 was one of the most singular in its conduct and deve- 
 lopment of all that mark the history of the two coun- 
 tries. In it the deep seated animosity that remained 
 after the war of 1812-15 came to a head and found 
 vent, and the bubble once exploded, became harmless. 
 The English and Canadian participators in its scenes 
 of tragedy and melodrama have hud their actians 
 voluminously recorded, but very much of interest 
 concerning the purposes and deeds of the would-be 
 " liberators" of Canada has thus far remained en- 
 shrouded in mystery, or what is worse, grossly mis- 
 stated by those writers who have dwelt upon them. 
 The death of nearly all of the leaders who participated 
 in the Wind Mill Point aifray — the banishment to 
 penal servitude of nearly all of the others, and the 
 cloaking of falsehood with which those who planned 
 
344 TALES OF THE ST. LAWRENCE. 
 
 for others braver than themselves to execute have 
 covered their statements, have combined to render it 
 exceedingly difficult to arrive at a full and reliable 
 statement of the matter. Of the officers of the invaders 
 who participated in the fight alluded to, but one sur- 
 vives — Hon. E. Wingate Davis, now a resident of the 
 state of Wisconsin, who held the position of Captain 
 in the service of the assumed " Eejiublic of Canada," 
 and who, recognising the claim made upon him, 
 has prepared a statement, the first and only fully 
 authentic one that has appeared in relation to the 
 " Hunter Lodge" movement and its works, especially 
 as relates to the most important of all. 
 
 The Fort Wellington expedition, which resulted in 
 this engagement, was notably characterised by two 
 opposite traits of character, as far as " The Hunters" 
 were concerned, that stand out in bold relief fronting 
 
 each other the coolest of bravery and the most 
 
 absolute cowardice ! With one or the other of these 
 characteristics every prominent participator in the 
 exciting events of that week, seems to have been 
 endowed. 
 
 The time for partisanship in authors treating of 
 this matter has long since passed, if it can ever have 
 been said to have been justifiable. Historical accu- 
 
rnE HUNTER LODGE MOVEMENT OF 1838. 355 
 
 racy is all that is desirable, and T feel assured that 
 the interesting and exceedingly lucid statement pre- 
 sented will be perused with equal pleasure by all, as 
 all must now join with the writer in deploring that 
 un-called for and extremely ill-advised enterprise. 
 
 NARRATIVE OF CAPTAIN E, WINGATE DAVIS. 
 
 I will commence my narrative by saying that I 
 left the state of Massachusetts late in the fall of 1837 
 and arrived in Schenectady at the time that excite- 
 ment ran high in regard to the Van Eensselaer expe- 
 dition on Navy Island, and was in that city at the 
 time that the Caroline was cut out from Schlasser and 
 sent over Niagara Falls, which caused excitement to 
 run wild, and being unfamiliar with the ways of the 
 world, my prejudices were made more intense against 
 British rule in Canada than they had ever been 
 against it in the United States. In the Spring of 18.38 
 I went to the then village of Salina, where excitement 
 was intense, and prejudice against British rule in 
 Canada bitter in the extreme. Sometime during the 
 summer a gentleman from Kentucky came througk 
 the state of New York organizing " Hunters' Lodges," 
 a secret order in the interest of Canadian liberty. 
 
^3B6 TALES OF THE ST. LA WRENCE. 
 
 A very few argunientH from my employer induced 
 me to join the iuHtitutiou. 
 
 In the month of Auguut an expedition was set on 
 foot to liberate four Americans, priboners in Niagara 
 jail, (in Canada,) who had beenyentenced to be hanged, 
 drawn and quartered and drawn on hurdles, for rais- 
 ing the American flag on the 4th day of July, 1838, 
 at Short Hills, Upper Canada. A proportionate 
 number of men from each Lodge along the border 
 was called for, to make up the expedition. Five wa» 
 the number assigned for our Lodge to furnish. Four 
 others and myself volunteered to make up the quota. 
 We went by the way of Oswego and thence by steam- 
 boat to Rochester, and from there by way of Batavia, 
 Lockport and Niagara Falls to Lewiston, where 
 about sixty men had gathered to act under the direc- 
 tion of a Mr. Bagley, a lawyer from Watertown, N. Y, 
 But few of these men were armed, and he went up to 
 Buffalo to procure the necessary supply of arms for 
 the expedition, and dui'ing liis absence I went by 
 steamboat to the village of Niagara to " spy the land.'^ 
 Tlie place is in the angle formed by the Lake shore 
 and the bank of the Niagara river. On arriving at 
 the village I found five hundrt<^l cavalry stationed in 
 the place ; nevertheless I visited the jail where the 
 
THE HUJSTER LODOE MOVEMENT OF 1838. 357 
 
 men were ira prisoned, located nearly two miles 
 back of the place, and equi-distant from the Lake 
 shore and river. I made a rough map of the place, 
 giving the roadn, streetn and fences, especially between 
 the river and the jail, and thence to the Lake shore 
 and in the evening returned to Lewiston. Mr. Bagley 
 also returned from Buti'alo with an ample supply ^f 
 arms, and preparations were made to liberate the 
 prisoners on the following night, but on the arrival 
 of the boat, news came to us that the sentence of the 
 prisoners had been commuted to banishment for life, 
 and that they wore already on their way to freedom. 
 So that in this instance I failed to act the role of 
 rioter and disturber of the public peace, and returned 
 quietly to Salina. 
 
 A few weeks later — some time in the month of 
 September, another call was made upon the Lodges 
 for definite quotas of men to go to Rochester and 
 organize an expedition to proceed down the Genesee 
 river to Carthage and seize a Canadian armed steamer 
 that had been forced into that port by stress of weather, 
 and was obliged to remain a few days for repairs* 
 After obtaining possession of the boat we were to 
 cruise on Lake Ontario and prey upon Canadian com- 
 merce. Seven of us volunteered from the Salina 
 
358 TALES OF THE ST. LAWRENCE. 
 
 Lodge and immediately started for Eochester, but 
 before we had accomplished one half of the journey, 
 an express met us with orders to return home, as the 
 commander of the armed steamer had become alarmed, 
 perhaps through information received from some 
 traitor, and hac. sailed away without completing 
 repairs. So that in this case I failed to act the role 
 of Pirate. ' - - • 
 
 Sometime during the month of September, 1838, a 
 congress of delegates from the various Hunters' Lodges 
 in Ne^-York, Vermont, Ohio and Michigan met in 
 either Detroit or Cleveland and organized the Ca^ adian 
 Republic, electing A. D. Smith, President, and vleorge 
 Lawton, Secretary of War. This Congress also ap- 
 pointed officers for the army of invasion, and chartered 
 "The Bank of the Republic of Canada," from which 
 ■bills were issued, the sale of which, at a discount, was 
 the only source of revenue, except small contributions. 
 At the same time commissions were issued to the 
 officers appointed, and signed by A. D. Smith, Presi- 
 dent, in secret characters, but George Lawton, as 
 Secretary of War, signed his name in full English 
 letters. A I'aptain's commission, without solicitation 
 ' on my part, was sent to mo by the hand of J. R. Tri- 
 caureau, the delegate from our Lodge, in consequence, 
 
THE HUNTER LODGE MOVEMENT OF 1838. 359 
 
 as he said, of the two very inconsiderate and inconsi- 
 derable acts of mine, in making a map of the village 
 of Niagara, and manifesting a willingness to go with 
 the expedition to seize the war steamer at Carthage. 
 Von Schoultz and Buckley, two as cool and brave 
 men as ever handled sword, received commissions 
 also, the first as Colonel and the second as Captain, 
 at the same time, and on taking the oath of fidelity 
 to the cause, we were invested with the highest sign 
 of recognition of the " Order of Hunters," which was 
 only given to the highest officers of the army. v 
 
 • After receiving my commission, 1 enlisted about 
 fifty men to go on a " hunting expedition," mostly 
 " salt boilers" from the villages of Salina, Liverpool 
 and Gettisburg. In the latter part of October I went 
 to Osw ego and took passage on a steamboat to Toronto 
 where I remained nearly a week, stopping at the 
 " American House," dining with, wincing and playing 
 checkers with ten or twelve English Army Officers 
 who were stopping at the same Hotel. Thus I ob- 
 tained rJl of the information possible in regard to the 
 state of feeling in Canada, without reciprocating favors 
 of that kind. From Toronto I went to Port Hope, 
 (Joburg and Kingston, for the purpose of learning the 
 actual state of feeling among the Canadian people. 
 
360 TALES OF THE ST. LAWRENCE. 
 
 In all of the places that I visited on this trip, I found 
 persons belonging to Hunters' Lodges who recognized 
 the "signs sent to them" by me. Most of the men 
 assured me that the larger portion of the Canadian 
 people were ripe for rebellion and would join our 
 standard as soon as we had gained a foot-hold in 
 Canada. Aside from this, several persons who had 
 came from Canada to our Lodge had assured us that 
 there would be a general uprising when Winter set 
 in, as it would then be difficult for the British Govern- 
 ment to furnish reinforcements and munitions, as 
 well as to move their forces from point to point. 
 And further, many persons high in social and official 
 positions on our side of the line, from a pretended 
 knowledge of Canadian feeling confirmed the forego- 
 ing assurances and gave the seductive information 
 that an invading force, in numbers all the way from 
 15,000 to 40,000 men would be concentrated on the 
 border to invade Canada at the first opportune 
 moment. 
 
 ; From Kingston I crossed to Oswego and returned 
 to Salina, a few days before our expedition was to start 
 for Prescott, not knowing, however, its place of desti- 
 nation. On the day ofthe State election, in Nov. 1838, 
 Col. Von Schoultz, Col. Woodruff of the N.Y. State 
 
THE HUNTER LODGE MOVEMENT OF 1838. 361 
 
 Militia, a volunteer without commission who had been 
 with Von Eensselaer on Navy Island th« year before, 
 Captain Buckley with TS men, myself with 50 men, 
 and a few others went aboard of Canal boats at Salina 
 and proceeded to Oswego, where we were detained for 
 nearly two weeks, stopping at the City Hotel, kept by 
 one Parker. This delay was because nearly all of 
 those having duties to perform as assigned them 
 in connection with the expedition, had n-eglected them. 
 But finally, after many persons had become discou- 
 raged and turned back, on one Sunday morning we 
 went on board the Steamer United States, taking 
 passage for Sackets Harbor, Cape Vincent and other 
 small ports at the Bast end of the Lake, and taking 
 aboard men, munitioiiS and suj)plies at all of the places 
 touched at. It was nearly or quit© dark when we 
 •entered the river St. Lawrence. "While sailing among 
 the thousand Islands, Col. Von Schoutlz called Cap- 
 tain Buckley and myself into a state-room, and there 
 for the the first time informed us of the place of oup 
 destination and the jjlan of attack on Fort Wellington. 
 We were also informed that a force of about a thou- 
 sand men was ahead of us in schooners, with large 
 quantities of munitions, which we should overtake in 
 the ni^ht, when the men and officers on th« steamer 
 
362 TALES OF rSE ST. LAWREjyCET. \<^ 
 
 would be transferred to the schooners, when we would 
 float dow 1 the river together, land at the Prescott 
 docks, form a column of attack and marching through 
 the village ta Fort Wellington, seize it. Col. Voa 
 Schoultz was to lead the center of the attacking co- 
 lumn, Captain Buckley the right and myself the left. 
 This programme was carried out until we reached 
 the last dock down the stream in Prescott,^ and al- 
 most within musket shot of the Fort, and came 
 alongside of it while still under-way. At this moment 
 occured the initial failure — the person assigned to the 
 duty of jumping ashore to make the vessel fast to the 
 wharf, failed to perform that very essential part of 
 the programme. He sprang to the dock — an English 
 guard fired an alarm gun that so alarmed 
 him that he jumped back to the schooner as 
 quickly as possible, and the vessels were past 
 the dock before an attempt could be made t.> 
 remedy the evil. An attempt was immediately made 
 however, to go about, sail up the stream and down 
 again and make another effort to land and complete 
 the first arrangements^ but our schooners were lashed 
 together and thus rendered difficult to handle, and 
 the attempt proved a failure, and wind and Cv-^rent 
 carried our two unwieldy schooners over to the Ameri- 
 
THE HUNTER LODGE MOVEMENT OF 1838. 363 
 
 can side, where the larger one grounded on the bar at 
 the mouth of the Oswegatchie river. Ab soon as it 
 was day-light, the smaller schooner sailed into Ogdens- 
 burg harbor, taking along more than half of our men. 
 I was left aboard of the grounded vessel, and therefore 
 had an excellent view of the changing scenes of the 
 panorama on all sides. 
 
 Sometime during the same night the steamer United 
 States had arrived at its dock at Ogdensburg, and 
 shortly after sunrise Monday morning, the celebrated 
 Bill Johnson seized her, got some men on board and 
 forced the Pilot to run her over to the Wind Mill, 
 where she landed about thirty men who took posses- 
 sion of the Mill as a very good fort. As nearly as I 
 can recollect or understood at the time, General Birge, 
 Col. Von Schoultz, Col. Woodruff, Col. Abbey, Cap- 
 tain Buckley and some other officers whose names I 
 have forgotten, went over to the Mill on the steamer, 
 and all remained excepting Birge, who returned to 
 Ogdensburg. While the men were landing at the 
 Mill, a small steamer with about an hundred English 
 Regulars and two six-pounders aboard, had fired up 
 and come outof Prescott and "went for" the steamer 
 United States, which being the faster boat got away 
 from b'or by running over toward Mil© Point. But 
 
364 TALES OF THE ST. LAWRENCE. 
 
 before she got out of range, the Canadian i tearaer 
 fired at her, and the ball striking the water, glanced 
 up through the Pilothouse, carrrying away the back 
 part of the Pilot's head, killing him instantly. Bill 
 Johnson being the only man on board of the United 
 States who understood anything of steamboat naviga- 
 tion, took charge and ran the boat up the American 
 shore and grounded her on the Oswegatchie flats. 
 The Canadian steamer was still active, and being sus- 
 picious that she would attack us on the schooner on 
 the bar, the men were persuaded to get up two or 
 three hundred muskets from the hold and load them 
 ready for action, in case of an attack, but I failed to 
 induce them to get up cannon, the men upon this 
 vessel being all strangers to me, tho^e that I enlisted 
 having all gone down to the Wind Mill on the other 
 fichooner. A couple of boys in a small boat coming off 
 at this opportune time, I hired them to take me to 
 the steamer on the flats. My object in proceeding 
 there was to get an order frem Birge to have some 
 cannon taken up from the hold of the schooner, in order 
 to be prepared in case of an attack. On going aboard 
 the steamer, I met a young man by the name of Leach, 
 an active partizan in our cause, whom I had formerly 
 known in Salina, and wished him to inform me where 
 
THE HUNTER LODGE MOVEMENT OF 1838. 365 
 
 I could find Gen. Birge, our Commander-in-chief, a8 
 I had been informed, but whom I had not seen as yet. 
 Leach seemed quite reluctant to give me the desired 
 information, and inquired what I wanted of Birge ? 
 I informed him of my desires and he then told me to 
 go back and tell the men that the Commander-in-chief 
 had ordered the cannon to be taken up. I insisted 
 that I must have a written order, otherwise it would 
 be useless. On finding that I was not to be put off, 
 Leach took me up to the Pilot-house to see the dead 
 Pilot, and then took me into the dining cabin to see 
 our Commander-in-Chirf, G-en. Birge, stretched out at 
 full length on a matUaas which had been placed on eight 
 or ten dining stools, pale as a ghost and senseless, ap- 
 parently dead ! The death of the Pilot had shocked the 
 great warrior's nervous system too severely I This part 
 of the narrative will, I hope, give satisfactory light 
 upon the question as to whether Birge was the original 
 leader of the expedition, and whether he abandoned 
 it through cowardice. 
 
 I turned with chagrin and disgust from the scene 
 in the cabin, and immediately went back to the 
 schooner with orders from the Commander-in-Chief that 
 some of the cannon must be taken up from the hold, 
 loaded, and prepared in case of an attack, which were 
 
366 TALES OF THE ST. LA WRENCE. 
 
 obeyed with alacrity. And as was expected, but a 
 short time elapsed before the Canadian steamer came 
 down upon us, when the hundred " red-coats" on its 
 decks opened fire at us, shooting over our heads, rid- 
 dling the sails which had been kept set in the hope 
 that the schooner might be carried off the bar. 
 Every man on the schooner kept himself active in pick, 
 ing up guns and firing them as rapidly as possible. 
 This rapid firing or some other freak of fortune caus- 
 ed the steamer to leave us again, heading toward 
 Prescott, and when at proper distance in range she 
 received the contents of our cannon, which I think 
 must have done some damage. Soon after this little 
 affair, the Ferry Boat Paul Pry came along-side and 
 took off some of the load from the schooner, when 
 she floated and was taken into Ogdensburg. 
 
 Some 1 ' ue in the afternoon I learned that the small 
 schooner was down at the cove opposite to the Wind 
 Mill. I went down to it and found Bill Johnson in 
 charge, ready to carry men over to the Mill, and he 
 gave his pledge that if any did go, he would go over and 
 stay with them I With this pledge I went up to the 
 village and persuaded quite a number, about fifty, I 
 think, to go over with him. It was near sunset when 
 we landed. I met the commissioned officers at the 
 
THE HUNTER LODGE MOVEMENT OF 1838. 367 
 
 Mill, and confirmed the rumor which had preceded 
 me, that Birge had fainted! A council of the officers 
 wa8 called at a stone house west of the Mill, 
 previously used for a tavern, where we unanimously 
 elected Von Schoultz our Commander-in-Chief. 
 
 Order was established and a picket guard set for 
 the night. I had charge of the first watch, until 
 midnight, and Captain Buckley of the second, until 
 morning. 
 
 At early dawn on Tuesday morning, it was discov- 
 ered that Bill Johnson had gone off with the schooner, 
 taking all of our cannon except two six pounders and 
 a small brass piece which was placed in position near 
 the mill— nearly all of our cannon ammunition and 
 twenty-five or thirty men, eight or ten of these men 
 being a part of the guard that had been placed at the 
 north or down the river side of our camp. The 
 schooner and all of its war munitions was seized on 
 Wednesday, by Col. Worth of the U. S. Army. 
 
 After this desertion, our remaining force consisted 
 of about 225 ofiicers and men all told. Soon after 
 the discovery of this act of treachery, we made another 
 sad discovery, and one that was not much more agree- 
 able — a force of about six hundred men, two hundred 
 of them being " red coats" or Kegulars, was seen com- 
 
368 TALES OF THE ST. LAWRENCE. 
 
 ing out of Prescott and marching along the road to 
 the West of our position. This force formed a line 
 on a rising piece of ground where potatoes had been 
 raised, and immediately opened tire upon us. Our 
 little force having first formed a line near a stone 
 fence perpendicular to the riv'er, was by the enemy's 
 position forced to change front and wheel up into a 
 line parallel to the river in order to face them, and to 
 extend our line as far as theirs. After keeping up a 
 brisk fire for about an hour at the enemy, with two 
 mortars throwing bombs at our rear from steamers 
 on the river, Gen. Yon Schoultz ordered us to take 
 shelter in the stone houses and Wind Mill. Our men 
 continued to stand their ground some time after the 
 order was given, seemingly loth to give up the posi- 
 tion until forced to. As soon however, as we did 
 comply with the order, the enemy rushed upon us, 
 led by a Major Johnson, I think, who being conside- 
 rably in advance of his men, was instantly killed by 
 having five or six balls put into and through his body. 
 A young Polander went and took off Johnson's coat 
 and a five dollar Canadian bill from his vest pocket 
 when the bullets were flying about him as thick as 
 hail. This act of bravery enabled the Polander 
 to get away at the time of the surrender by passing 
 
THE HUNTER LODGE MOVEMENT OF 1838. 369 
 
 tbo British iinoH diHguiHed in the captured coat. This, 
 with many other acts, courageous and otherwise, 
 could be made to form an amusing chai^tor. 
 
 Gen. Von Schoultz after giving the order to take 
 shelter, took charge of our two pieces at the Mill, 
 and with them did excellent service, driving the two 
 Canadian steamers to a safer distance, and disabling 
 one, the Coburrj, so that she put into Prescott. When 
 on the field, our riflemen, twenty five in number, 
 sharp-shooters, were placed at our right, doing good 
 service, as the wind at the time was blowing up the 
 river and cleared the smoke away, thus affording a 
 chance for deliberate aim, which, with the random 
 shots of the musket men, kept a number of one horso 
 carts employed in removing the dead and wounded 
 of the enemy to Prescott. On coming off the field, 
 sixty odd of our men attempted to get away by run- 
 ning down the road, but were all captured or slain 
 Some of those killed remained within sight of the 
 contending forces while we remained. But few of 
 our men were killed or wounded in the engagement. 
 
 A portion of our force now took shelter in the stone 
 tavern — a much larger number in the Mill and about 
 twenty five in the stone house north of the Mill. On 
 coming from tho field into the road, I was hailed by 
 
370 TALrs OF THE ST. LAWRENCE. 
 
 a Mr. Stewart and requested to come into the latter 
 building, as there was no commissioned officer with 
 them, which I did. Arrangements were immediately 
 made for defending the house. The cellar door was 
 barricaded and about eight sharp-shooters placed in 
 the half storey above, while those with muskets were 
 stationed at the doors and windows of the lower storey, 
 with orders to each to defend his position to the last. 
 These arrangements seemed to be eminently necessa- 
 ry, as a large number of the enemy had come up very 
 close on two sides of the house, under the shelter of 
 the stone garden fence. Our rapid firing and direct 
 aim soon drove them from this position, leaving quite 
 a number of their dead behind them. Three or four 
 of our men were killed in this house, and about the 
 same number were wounded. The parties in the 
 Mill were brave and active, which soon compelled our 
 foes to retired to a safer distance, where they formed 
 in squads at the north and west of us, to prevent 
 any of our party from escaping. 
 
 A curious incident occurred during these fights, 
 worth relating. We had taken two prisoners wound- 
 ed. One had a ball pass across hie eyes, putting them 
 both o'l.t — the other was disabled in the legs. The 
 lame man was put on the blind man's back and sent 
 
THE HUNTER LODGE MOVEMENT OF 1838. 371 
 
 to the enemy's lines with a note from Gren. Von 
 Schoultz to their commanding officer, desiring him 
 to treat his prisoners as mercifully as he, Von Schoulta 
 had, in sending them where they could have their 
 wounds dressed, as we had no surgeon. 
 
 On Wednesday I was ordered to take charge of the 
 second story of the Mill, Captain Buckley having 
 previously been placed in charge of the first story. 
 A wall of cooble stones, eight feet in height and of 
 equal thickness, taken from the fences, was built 
 around the door of the Mill, with ample space in the 
 enclosure for the cannon which were placed in em- 
 brasures, one pointing up the road and the other 
 down. Another occurrence took place this day, 
 indicating our doom. Our Quarter-Master having 
 between two and three thousand dollars with him, 
 deemed it best to leave the Mill for a safer place, and 
 took a small boat and with two others attempted to 
 cross over to Ogdensburg, When nearly half way 
 across the river a Canadian steamer with the inevi- 
 table " red-coats" on board, ran thom down and the 
 soldiers fired a volley at them. The scene could be 
 plainly witnessed from the Mill, and we supposed 
 that the whole party in the small boat nust be killed, 
 
 Y 
 
372 '•'■-■''^ TALES OF THE ST. LAWRENCE. 
 
 but they were quickly taken aboard of the steamer, 
 apparently uninjured. 
 
 During "Wednesday and Thursday, the sharp-shoot- 
 ers on both sides kept up a guerrilla warfare all 
 around, and several times we had to get out our 
 -cannon and fire bullets sewed up in strong cloth 
 bags, our cannon balls having been all exhausted on 
 Tuesday. The fact was noted also, that the enemy 
 was constantly receiving accessions to his force. 
 The weather was cold and disagreeable with sleet and 
 rain. We could have no fire in the Mill, and conse- 
 quently had no ' warm food — scarcely any kind of 
 food in fact, excepting " hard tack," which with little 
 sleep, materially discouraged and demoralised our 
 little band. 
 
 Thursday morning a steamer came down from Kings- 
 ton with a large reinforcement of men and three 
 eighteen pounders on board, and two gun barges in 
 tow. Most of the men landed at Prescott and march- 
 ed down to assist our other enemies in guarding our 
 little band of 113 men able to do duty, and 28 wound- 
 ed, while one of the big guns in position in the potato 
 field was doing effective work on the stone houses, 
 killing and wounding several of our men. The other 
 two big guns were on barges out in the middle of the 
 
THE HUNTER LODGE MOVEMENT OF 1838. 373 
 
 river, one opposite to the Mill and the other further 
 down stream, firing all day at the Mill but doing very 
 little harm to it. 
 
 Sometime in the first part of the night of Thursday, 
 when all was much more quiet than usual with us, as 
 also with the enemy whose actions governed ours, a 
 messenger came to the Mill and informed Gen. Von 
 Schoultz that Preston King with the Paul Pry was 
 near the Mill, repdy to take our party off if such was 
 our wish. A man by the name of Nevins, an " Aid " to 
 Birge also came from thePaulPry into the Mill. A coun- 
 cil was immediately called at the stone tavern. Captain 
 Buckley and myself having charge of the first and 
 second stories of the Mill, could not, on account of 
 strict ordej's and stern necessity be both, absent from 
 our posts at the same time , consequently, Captain 
 Buckley attended the council first, and after his le- 
 turn I went to it, when I found that all of the arran- 
 gements had been made for us to leave. I was hastily 
 informed what these were, all of the officers acquiesc- 
 ing, and Gen. Von. Schoutlz ordered me to get the 
 wounded down from the upper stories of the Mill, as 
 they were to be placed aboard of the boat first. While 
 on the way to carry out this order, I expressed some 
 doubts as to the feasibility of getting all of our party 
 
374 V • TALES OF THE ST. LAWRENCE. 
 
 safely across the river while being closely watched 
 by a vigilant enemy of nearly ten times our force, 
 and was then told, but not by the messenger or any 
 of the chief officers, that arrangements had been made 
 with the British officer in command at Prescott, that 
 King might take us away if it could be done without 
 noise or discovery ; that we must be very quiet about 
 the matter. During this time the man l!^evins was 
 boisterously and confidently promising that in a short 
 time we would have sufficient reinforcements to hold 
 our position and drive the enemy away. But we had 
 had enough of Birge and his " Aids," if not of his aid 
 and could not see the propriety of remaining longer 
 in a cold stone Mill without food or fire, and I has- 
 tened to obey the order, and personally superintended 
 the removal of two very severely wounded conrades. 
 These two were the last to be got down, and when 
 we had reached the second storey of the mill the sad 
 news came to us that the Paul Pry had departed. I 
 immediately went down and out of the Mill, and dim- 
 ly saw the boat leaving. The whole time that the 
 steamer remained at the Mill, could not have exceed- 
 ed thirty-five minutes. About that length of time 
 after its departure, the Canadian armed steamer came 
 out from Presoott and ran down the river until near- 
 
THE HUNTER LODGE MOVEMENT OF 1838. 375 
 
 ly opposite to the Mill, when she fired her two guns 
 down the river and immediately went about and 
 up to Prescott again. I cannot state that King did 
 not come ashore, but I did not see him nor hear of 
 his being there. After the first day's fight. Gen. Von 
 Schoultz had the entire confidence of all of the men 
 and ofiicers in our band, »nd all would have obeyed a 
 rational order from him as if in the Regular service, 
 and his advice, in all matters pertaining to our situa- 
 tion would have been regarded as almost oracular — 
 yet all of our men were so anxious to get away that 
 I am sure that all advice or orders from him or any 
 one else to remain longer when a chance of escape 
 had been offered, would have been treated with almost 
 unceremonious contempt, as were the advice and pro- 
 mise of Nevins. But neither Yon Schoultz nor any 
 other officer of our party ordered or advised a longer 
 stay at the Mill after it was knc wn that the Paul Pry 
 was there to take us away, but all made as noiseless 
 haste as possible to carry out the programme and get 
 away from a place where nothing but death, either by 
 the bayonet, bullet or starvation stared them in the 
 face. 
 
 Just before the boat left, Nevins went on board, and 
 I have always attributed the failure of the Paul Pry 
 
*\ 
 
 3'J6 ^«., TALES OF THE ST. LAWRENCE. 
 
 *• , III 
 
 expedition to his benevolent efforts in either telling 
 King that we did not wish to leave, or in persuading 
 him to leave us at the mercy of our enemies. There 
 was a considerable busUe and stir throughout tho 
 enemy's lines just previous to the departure of the 
 boat, which may have added force to Nevins' falshoods 
 or persuasions. Our sadly disappointed and suffering 
 wounded comrades were taken back to their old quar- 
 ters to pass a sleepless night. *, 
 
 Appearances were so unfavorable on Friday that all 
 of our men voted to surrender at discretion. All of 
 the commissioned officers refused assent to an uncon- 
 ditional surrender. 
 
 A little after sunset, foggy and cloudy weather 
 making it quite dark, I contrived to obtain possession 
 of a small boat, and well knowing that a surrender 
 of the force was inevitable, resolved to attempt an 
 escape. With some peril I succeeded in reaching tho 
 American shore, landing in the cove just above Mile 
 Point. While proceeding to Ogdensburg, a coi^inu- 
 ous firing was kept up around the Mill and all along 
 the enemy's lines to Prescott, and when I had arrived 
 at the village, Prescott was lighted up and I supposed 
 that all of the fuss, firing and lighting was on account 
 of all of my late comrades having been shot^ for I 
 
THE PUNTER LODGE MOVEMENT OF 1838. 377 
 
 * 
 
 really supposed that when the tiring commenced so 
 fiercely, that the enemy were shooting th\.> prisoners, 
 as it had been reported had been done at other places 
 previously. I felt very sad and wished myself back 
 across the river, sharing the fate of my comrades. 
 
 i found on my arrival at Ogdensburg that a party 
 of indignant citizens were searching for a Major Ward, 
 a jeweller from Auburn, commissioned in our service, 
 threatening to do him personal violence, because he 
 had, on the previous Wednesday refused to lead a 
 considerable reinforcement from Ogdensbui'g to our 
 aid at the Mill. I had became acquainted with Mr. 
 Ward at Opwego and found him a genial gentleman, 
 and while going down on the steamer we had mutu- 
 ally pledged ourselves to stand by each other in case 
 of mishap or misfortune. Accidentally happening 
 to come across a friend of his, I learned where I could 
 find him. I went over to the South side of the Oswe- 
 gatchie river, took him from his hiding place, changed 
 coats and hats with him and we went together to the 
 Hotel and slept until four o'clock a. m., when we took 
 stage for Watertown and Syracuse. On the "Way 
 Bill" of the mail stage in which we travelled, my 
 name was placed with the information that I been at 
 the Wind Mill fight and had escaped, which caused 
 
378 TALES OF THE ST. LAWRENCE. 
 
 mo considerable annoyance, as I had to fight the 
 battles over again at every station and stopping 
 place along the route to Watertown. Besides this, 
 people were stopping by the roadside, waiting for 
 the stage, in order to learn the fate of the party at 
 the Wind Mill. The people along the road were 
 however very kind, thrusting money into my pockets 
 to make up my losses. 
 
 In this narrative I have given a detailed statement 
 of what I saw and heard in connection with the"Patriot 
 'V;''ar," and hop3 that it will subserve your purpose 
 of a chapter for your Border History. I have given 
 the names of but four of thf eleven officers who par- 
 ticipated in the Wind Mill fight, for the reason that 
 I have forgotten them. My acquaintance with those 
 not named was brief and under the circumstances un- 
 favorable to a closer intimacy- With Von Schoultz 
 I was acquainted intimately during the summer of 
 1838, at Salina, and found him to be an educated 
 gentleman of good sciantific attainm^ents and excellent 
 military knowledge and experience, obtained as Lieut- 
 Colonel under his father, a commander in the Polish 
 army, in actual war He was a fluent speaker with 
 just enough of a foreign accent to make it interesting. 
 He stood six feet higli, well proportioned, had a pleas- 
 
THE HUNTER LODGE MOVEMENT OF 1838. 3*79 
 
 ing address and a military bearing. I was also ac- 
 quainted with Col. "Woodruif during the same time 
 and at the same place. Ho had no commission in 
 our service, for the reason, as it was said, that he had 
 been a little too cautious the winter before, in the Van 
 Rensselaer expedition, and he went with us for the 
 purpose of wiping out that stigma. He was perfect 
 in a knowledge of military tactics and drill, and for a 
 number of years had been employed to instruct and 
 drill the officers of the Militia of the State of New 
 York. He was a kind hearted gentleman, a firm 
 friend, and as far as noticed, cool and brave. Capt. 
 Buckley I saw almost every day during the summer 
 of 1838. He was a Salina salt manufacturer and had 
 accumulated a handsome property. He was a genial, 
 generous man, of cool courage, and very popnlar 
 among his associates. Col. Abbey I only became 
 acquainted with during the trip on the steamer 
 United States, and at the Mill. He seemed to be a 
 genial gentleman, of very strong impulses. What I 
 saw of the other officers, whose names I have forgot- 
 ten, gave me a very favorable opinion of them and 
 assurance that they could be trusted in any emer- 
 gency of war or friendship. 
 It may appear singular, perhaps, to military men, 
 
380 TALES OF THE ST. LAWRENCE. " 
 
 that Von Schoultz, aware of the desperate situation in 
 which he was placed, should not at once have de- 
 spatched a guard under the charge of a reliable officer, 
 to take possession of and prevent the departure of the 
 Paul Pry until his force was embarked U2)on it, but 
 it must be taken into consideration that he was a 
 Polander, having a very favorable opinion of American 
 character, and not knowing of the want of military 
 drill and experience among persons of such apparent 
 dash and courage as volunteered in the expedition. 
 This was illustrated throughout. He first placed im- 
 plicit confidence in the representations, pledges and 
 promises of men in high places, whom he supposed 
 possessed that lofty honor that he had been accustomed 
 to see manifested by the Polish noblemen, and by 
 them was induced to believe that he was to co-operate 
 with a powerful invading army, instead of leading a 
 handful of men upon a hopeless expedition. Even 
 when it was discovered on Tuesday morning, that 
 Bill Johnson had abandoned us with our schooner, 
 guns and ammunition, no doubt was entertained by 
 him that he would return with reinforcements. 
 The character and standing of Preston King was 
 known to us, and for Yon Schultz to have doubted 
 his courage or good intentions, or his ability to carry 
 
THE HUNTER LODGE MOVEMENT OF 1838. 381 
 
 them out, would have been regarded as very di.scour- 
 teous. A better acquaintance with the perwons with 
 whom he was brought in contact in the expedition, 
 would have doubtless rendered him more self-reliant. 
 
 None of our force was uniformed j all, even tke 
 officers, were dressed in citizens clothes, with no dis- 
 tinguishing insignia, and the only flag that wo had 
 was a small one with various designs and devices 
 worked in varied colors on a white tield of silk, by the 
 ladies of Salina and by them presented to Yon Schoultz 
 a short time before the departure of the expedition. 
 
 On the following day an unconditional surrender 
 of the force was made. The prisoners were conveyed 
 to Kingston and there tried upon the charge of 
 Brigandage. All of the officers and nearly all of the 
 rank-and-file were found guilty. The former wefe 
 all hanged and the latter, with the exception of a few 
 pardoned, sent to Van Dieman's Land for long periods. 
 The stone buildings surrounding the Mill were burned 
 hy the victors after the surrender, for the probable 
 purpose of driving from their places of concealment 
 any who might have taken refuge in them. 
 
 The action of the English Commandant, Col. 
 Young, in consenting to the Paul Pry expedition, 
 remains enshrouded in considerable mystery. He 
 
382 TALES OF THE ST. LAWRENCE. 
 
 was understood by Col. Worth to yield a tacit consent, 
 while refusing it directly, and circumstances .favor 
 this belief, although it is but a matter of speculation. 
 He was afterward tried by a Court-martial upon this 
 charge — that of consenting to the escape of a foe held 
 in his power, but acquitted. 
 
 While this work has been in press, the old tower 
 of the historic mill has been rescued from decay by 
 the Dominion government and converted into a Light 
 House, from the dome of which beacon lights now 
 gleam, not as of yore, a menace or signal light of in- 
 citement to strife, or the appeal of doomed men for 
 rescue, but as a friendly meteor to those who guide 
 the crafts of commerce upon the waters sailed over 
 by Champlain, Frontenac, De la Burre, Vaudreuil, 
 Amherst and their companions and co-patriots of the 
 past centuries. 
 
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