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ry of Michillimackimic," "The Last Siege of Quebec," "The Story of Brock," and "Tlie Story of Tecumseh" — were specially written for these juiges. T. a M. " Stratford, Ont. Sept. 1893. ^2.fi^SV Oiii V] ] X XI XI X x\ XV] CONTENTS. CitAPrnt Pao*. I. — Thr DwcovkrV of America 1 II. — Story of Jacquks Cartikr 6 in. — Story OF Port RoYAt 10 IV. — Story of Champlain 15 V. — Story of Villk Marie he Montreal 21 VI.— A Canadian Thermopylae 20 VII. — Story of Br^oeuf 33 Vni. — Story of Robert de La Salle 38 IX.— The Three War-Partibs 45 X. — ^The First Great Sieoe of Quebec 51 XI. — Heroine of Castle Dangerous 56 XII. — The Exile of the Acadians 61 Xni.— The Capture of Quebec 67 XIV. — ^Thb Story of Fort Michilumaokinao 73 XV. — The Last Siege of Quebec 79 XVI. — ^Thb Story of Brock 86 XVn. — The Story of Tecumsbh 90 Li then whit( thuf eurtli kiiuw belie bygi of 8tl make He (lid ni forth new r: Diaz 1 It is a Batho The sailon STORIES FROM CANADIAN HISTORY. CHAPTER I. THE DIHCOVERY OF AMERICA. *'Colunibus is the real dioooverer of America."— //({/A School History, page StS. Livihg in an age when the whole world has been traversed, when there is hardly an island of the sea but has known the foot of the white man, it is hard to realise what the inliabitants of Euro{)e of the fifteenth century imagined about the unexplored parts of the earth. Europe and a part of Asia and Afiica made up the then known world, and the superstitious men and women of the time believed the places beyond the explored territory to be inhabited by giants and ])igmie8, by sea-monsters and 1. nd monsters, by men of strange shape and stranger manners. Even our own Shakespeare makes Othello when relating his experience to Desdemona s()eak of " The cannibals that each other eat, The Anthropophagi, aud men whose heads Do grow beneath their shoulders." Henry IV. the large-minded and noble-hearted King of Portugal, did nmch to dispel this darkness. He sent voyager after voyager forth to examine the coast of Afriui, and year by year new capes, new rivers, new peoples, were discovered, until at last Bartholemew Diaz reached the Cape of Good Hope, called by him Stormy Cape. It is a note- worthy fact that on this voyage he was accompanied by Batholemew Columbus, brother of Christopher. These discoveries excited the whole maritime world, and many sailors hoped to be the successful ones in the search for the wealth 3 3 STORIRA KKOM CANADIAN HISTORY. of the Indies, tlte kingduni uf the legendary luonarch ProHtoi John, or the luid of the Grand Klian. There was no larger mind or more daring spirit in Eurojiie at this time than Chriatopher Coliirabua, the aon of a weing made influenced his mind, and he IrnKxlod over onterpriseH that the bravest mariners never dreamed of. It was nothing to him to coast along the African shore. There he would ever be in sight of known land, but his heart yearned after something greater than had yet lieen done. The broad expiinHe of ocean that lay far to the west had a secret that he felt he could discover. There night and day he dreamed he saw the land of the East, the land of wealth and wonders. To this land ho would go, and every year he lived made him more fixed in his determination. Jle married a daughter of Perestrelo, a famous Portugese navigator, and his father-iu-law's books and charts, which fell into his hands, added fuel to his ambition. He perused lovingly the works of Paido Toscanelli, and the famous " CoHUiographia " of Cardinal Aliaco, where wise and accurate knowledge is almost clouded in a mist of absurd fables of lion- bodied men and dog-faced women, of nioiistors of gigantic size, and of sea Her]jents and salamanders. Columbus devoured eagerly all that related to the unknown world, and at length determined to ask aid to go forth to discover it for himself. His first appeal was to the King of Portugal, but the king of his time had none of the enterprise of Henry IV., and so he liad to turn his eyes to the court of Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain. In 1485 he began his entreaties, and till 1492 he left no stone unturned to get a chance t-o venture out on the unknown seas. He had but faint encouragement from the couii;; he was rebufied by the wealthy, and called a monomaniac by his fellow-mariners ; but he had a daring spirit and could not be borne down. When he des- paired of aid from Spain, he sent his brother to Charles VIII. of France and Henry VH. of Eli^^land to get either to help. The noble queen Isabella and her ambitious husband saw that Columbus TIIK I)IM(X)VKIIY or AMKRIOA. WAM not to bti (launtiMl, and protmbly fuaring that Homo othuv nation would foroMtall Hi>ain, consuiitod to aid him. Throe vcbhuIm were got rtuuly at PaU« ; the ** Santa Maria," a docko DISCOVERY OF AMERICA. From San Salvador the vessels sailed to other islands of the West Indian group, and every ])lace Columbus touched at he claimed for liis sovereign. At length, bearing the joyful tidings of a new world, he set sail for Siwvin on the fourth of January. The winter storms were sweeping the Atlantic, ]>ut the vessels arrived safely on the fifteenth of Marcli. On reaching Pal(»s Columbus was given a royal welcome, and was for a time the hero of Spain. The strange men, the strange weapons, tlie strange oVijects of nature that he brought with him, filled all with amazement. The wonders of tlie new land stiired every mind, and rich and poor were eager to ven- ture all «>n voyages of exploration. Although the continent of Aujerica was ny means of signs and little gifts of hatchets, knives, bojuls, and toys, often having as many as fifty canoes al)out them. Cartier tried in vain all tlio little inlets and rivers opening out of the Bay of Chaleurs, and then sailed along the coast of Gasp^ Bay. Here he landed and set up a large wooden cross, thirty feet high, carved with three .^('»fr«-rfe-iw, and' bearing the inscription, "Long live the King of France ! " By this means he formally took posses- sion of the land for tlie king. This done, Cartier and his men returned to their ships and were visited afterwards by many of the Indians, including the chief, his brother, and three sons. Cartier treated the chief lu>spitfkbly, expressing a great desire to make friends with his people, and promising to return, bringing many useful articles made of iron to exchange for furs. Two of the chief's sons were persuaded to accompjmy him to France. Then, with good will expressed on all sides, the French captain sailed away, exhorting the Indians to respect the cross he had set up on the shore. When he arrived at home in September, his account of his adventures was eagerly listened to. The two young Indians he had brought with him were objects of great interest to the Bretons, and were taught to speak French, so that they might answer the questions that were asked on all sides. Cartier received great honors for his discoveries, and many people in France were most anxious that he should make a second voyage in order to extend them. In spite of opposition they succeeded in organizing another and a better equipped expedition. Great preparations were made during the winter, and on May 16, 1535, all St. Malo was astir to JACQUES CARTIER. see the great religious ceremonial which celebrated the departure of the little fleet. And in the old cathedral were assembled the officers and men to hear mass, and to receive absolution and the paternal blessing of the bishop on their perilous enterprise. Three days later the flotilla set sail for the setting sun. It was the f6te of St. Lawrence when they entered the gulf, and Gartier bestowed that name on a small bay o])poHite the Isle of Anticosti, from whe!.v,e it afterwards extended to the whole gulf and thenpe to the noble river, then called by Cartier the River of Hochelaga. Piloted by the young Indians who had accomjianied Cartier to France, they sailed up the St. Lawrence until they dropped anchor at last on the lee of a fair island, known now as the beautiful Island of Orleans, whose purple mans divides the river below the rock of Quebec. As the ships approached the shore and casfc anchor, the Indians could be seen watching them with great interest and wonder. At first they seemed disposed to fly, but Cartier sent ashore his two young Indian pilots. Very smm curiosity overcame fear, and the red men's birch canoes were seen swarming about the ships. Cartier's two young Indians could now speak French pretty well, and acted as interpreters. Next day their old chief Donnacona came in state to visit Cartier. He left ten canoes at a safe distance, and approiiching the ships with two others he began a long ora- tion, inquiring whether the strangers had come for peace or war. With the help of his interpreters, Cartier succeeded in reassur- ing him, and invited him into his cabin, where he regaled him before they parted, the old chief kissing Cartier's arm and placing it round his own neck, as the greatest mark of respect he could show him. From this place Cartier sailed on till he reached the mouth of the St. Charles. Here the St. Lawrence became a mile wide strait. On one side were the wooded heights of Point Levis ; on tlie other, rising grand and sheer from the river, the great brown rock of Cape Diamond. Cartier moored his ships in the St. Charles, and Donnacona came with a train of five hundred Indians to welcome him to his village of Stadacona that nestled at the base of the mighty rock. At tliis village the French captain and his I 8 STORIES FROM CANADIAN BISTORT. M ! I . • II friends were received with great joy — the men and boys screeching out welcome, and the squaws dancing knee-deep in the water. But Cartier had heard that miles away up the mighty river lay a large Indian town called Hochel^a, the capital of a great country. Thither he wished to proceed, with his two young Indian guides as interpreters. He tiow laid up his two larger vessels in the St. Charles, and in his smallest vessel, the Hemierillon, he set stiil again on the noble river. The Hermerillon grounded in Lake St. Peter, and from thence the j^arty proceeded in small boats, till, on the second of*October they approached the beautiful forest-crowned slopes of the hill below which lay the renowned Hochelaga. As they drew near the Indians thronged to the shore, dancing, singing, and shouting their rude welcome, offering ready gifts of fish and maize, in return for which they joyfully received beads and knives. In the early dawn of the third of October Cartier landed with his men in all the splendor of full dress and martial accoutrement. They were met by an Indian chief, followed by a numerous train. The chief made them a long address in his own laiiguage, and received, with much satisfaction, the gifts of hatchets, knives, and a crucifix. Marching on a little way through the forest, they came out on the cleared fields of yellow, rustling maize that encircled the Indian town, of which nothing could be seen at first, but the protecting palisades. In the middle of this town was an open square, about a stone's- throw in width, and here Cartier and his companions held a confer- ence with the inhabitants, who swarmed out of their huts — men, women, and children — to survey and touch the mysterious strangers. But the *' braves'' called the village to order, sent the women and children indoors, and squatted round the French in rows. The ruling chief, a helpless, paralyzed old man, was carried out on a deer-skin, and laid down at Cartier's feet. He could only point to his powerless and shrivelled limbs, silently imploring from the white strangers the touch in which Indian superstition supposed a mysterious healing power to lie. Cartier willingly fulfilled the request, though we are not told whether it did any good ; and the grateful old man gave him a fillet he wore in token of his thanks. A throng of sick, lame, infirm, and blind people then crowded about the French captain to share his healing touch. JACQUES CAKTIEII. 9 shing lay a ntry. les as te St. t Btiil keSt. ill, on i>wiied \. As nging, ih and inives. ;d with ement, I train. and and jes, y came ed the >ut the Btone's- ctmfer- — men, angers, ■len and The it on a )oint to m the pposed led the nd the Ithanks. irowded a Sorely puzzled what to do, Cartier pronounced over his patients a portion of St. John's Gospel, with a prayer not -only for the healing of their Wiies, but of their souls as well. After that there came what they understood much better —the distribution of gifts. Before departi ig Cartier and his friends ascended the beautiful hill above the \illage. Delighted with the magniticent view of broad river and boandless forests and distant cloudlike mountain, he called the liill Mont Roijal — Montreal. Cartier would gladly have pressed on up the enticing river that lay before him, past the foaming rapids whose snowy crests he co\dd see flashing to west- ward, but he had no means of doing so, and the season was growing late. So, turning his back on the "Royal Mountain," he and his companions began to retrace their way to the ships and men they luul left on the St. Charles. At Stadacona Cartier was again kindly received by Donnacona. Ills men liad built a palisaded fort round their ships, and Cartier, thinking it well, to be wary in dealing with the savages, whose friendliness might not last, strengthened the little fort with some f the guns from his ships. Now the face of the country was changed indeed. The winds howled through the leafless forest, great masses of ice began to drift down the St. Lawrence, and soon a solid bridge of ice was formed across the river. But a worse foe than cohX attacked the vmfortunate explorers. The terrible scurvy brf>ke out among them, and spread until only three or four healthy men were left to wait on the sick. Twenty-six died before April, and the survivors, too weak to break through the ice-bound soil, buried the dead in the snow-drifts till spring should return. Still Cartier did not lose his faith in God, who, as he said, "looked down in pity u][)on us and sent to us a knowledge of the means of cure." One of their young guides, who had himself been suflfering from scurvy and had recovered, told Cartier of the remedy which had cured him — a decoction from an evergreen called Ameda, su[)posod to have been the spruce fir. The sick men eagerly tried it, and drank it in such quantities, that in six days they had boiled down a tree as large as a French oak ; and very soon all the invalids were restored to health, courage, and hope. At last the great snow-drifts melted away under the warm spring 10 STORIES FROM CANADIAN BISTORT. [ 1! sunshine, and the ice slowly broke up, and the blue water, sparkling in the sunshine, ^Ift^ldened the eyes of the imprisoned French. Cartier and his men joyfully prepared for departure ; but in leaving the country he committed a base and ungrateful act of treachery. He wanted to take home some trophies of his enterprise, and as the chief Donnacona had travelled far and professed to have seen miuiy wonders, Cartier carried him and some of his braves off by force. Tills cruel and false act was a foul stain on the honor of the brave explorer, and, like most such actions, brought its just recompense in future disaster. It was five years before Cartier again saw the shores of the New World ; and then it was without his captives, who had all died in France. Ho lied to the Indians about their fates, saying that Donnacona was dead, but that the others had niarrie y life of the cohmy suddenly came to an unexpected close. One fine spring mt or Ohamplain to plan little feHtivitios or '* spectacles," no knightly Ordre du Ban Temps to provide good cheer for their tiible. Provi- sions ran very low, and they had to eoononiize their stores by putting each man on a small daily allowance of fotxl. Occasionally some one from Membertou's household would bring them a present of game, and then all would be gaiety and good cheer, and courage would return to their drooping hearts. The winter wore slowly and drearily away, and the two Fathers did their best to console their disconsolate countrymen. But the life of the Jesuits at Port Royal, as well as tlie existence of the little cry of North America, and in the spring of 1613 a ship from Honfleur, bringing two more Jesuits, arrived at Port Royal, and carried off the Fathers Biard and Mass^ to find a new site for their Mission. After exploring the coast for some distance they selected a site near Mount Desert, where they pitched their tents and planned houses and fields. But here they had to meet a new and unex- pected obstacle. The King of France was not the only monarch who claimed all North America as his own. King James of Eng- land made the same claim, to the exclusion of all others. And against this powerful rival monopoly would not hold. Before the imrty had had time to break ground for building their houses, an armed vessel, with blood-red flag, bore down up(m them "swifter than an arrow." It was the ship of Samuel Argall, one of the unscrupulous adventurers of the time. ITiere was no time to organize a defense. Saussaye, the cowardly French captain, fled to the woods, and after a slight resistance, the ship, tents, and stores were seized by Argall. Taking his own ship and that captured from Saussaye, Argall steered northward on an errand of still more sweeping destruction. He first landed at Mount Desert and levelled its unfinished de- fenses, then steered for St. Croix, and did the same to all that remained of that deserted post. He hail lost so much time in searching for St. Croix, and in find^ ing an Indian to guide him to it, tliat he now nearly gave up designs ho had on Port Royal, and P6re Biard endeavored to induce 1 1 CIIAMPLAIN. 15 him to do so. Bui unhappily he ponevered, entered the beautiful harbor and descended upon the unauNpecting little colony. There was no attempt at resistance. The English seized all the stores, plundered the buildings, killed or carried off all the animals they found, and then burned the whole settlement to the ground. They then destroyed the harvest also, and having thus completed the devastation, returned to their shii)s. Baron Poutrincourt, ignorant of these events, returned in the f(»llowing spring to Port Royal, to find his domain laid waste, his buildings in ashes, and his son, with the other settlers, wandering shelterless in the woods. Even no was at last driven to des|Niir by this calamity, and, losing heart and hope, returned finally to France. There he frll, some years later, sword in hand, leading the royal forces into battle, a brave and gallant leader, who at least deserved the success he failed to grasp. But though Poit Royal as a colony was ruined, the French still kept a foothold in Acadia. Poutrincourt did not altogether desert Port Royal, and the traders' huts at least kept the spot from re- turning to utter solitude. New France was by no means crushed in the ruins of Port Royal. But this high handed act of destruc- » tion, committed in time of peace between the two great nations who were contending for the prize of the great continent, was but the beginning ot a long and bitter conflict — the fruitful source of misery and death, until it ended at last with the ebbing lives of Montcalm and Wolfe on the blood-dyed Plains of Abraham. Argall iction. d de- 1 that find^ Lve up Induce CHAPTER IV. Frdeu fortress, surrounded by a loopholed gallery, and enclosing three buildings. A tall dove-cote, like a belfry, rose from the courtyard, and a moat, with two or three primitive cannon, completed its defenses ; a maga/ine l)eing built close by. Champlain had his garden too, and eLJoyed cultivating his roses as well as his vegetjibles. In Septeniber, I*ontgrave went to France hmvin^ Champlain with twenty-eight men to brave the terrors of the winter, so fatal to the jNirties t)f Cartier. The cold did not seem quite 8(» severe, possibly beoiuse Champlain and his men were better housed and fed. Yet neverthelesK, out of the twenty-eight, eight only survived till spring, the rest having fallen victims to the inevitable scurvy which had broken out towards the close of the winter. At last the dreary winter was over, and it was a welcome sight when a sail rounded the Isle of Orleans, lu'inging Pontgrav(5's son- in-law, with the news that he himself was at Tadousac. Thither Champlain luistened to meet him and discuss an intended voyage of discovery. It was his cherished hope to realize the dream of a short pasMige to India and China, and he desired as ardently to gain influence over the Indians and convert them to the true faith. To these aims his life was devoted. But to his exploring zeal there was a formidable barrier. These vast forests were infested by a ferocious* Indian tribe called the Five Nations or Inxpiois, warlike and powerful, whose toma- hawks were ever ready for action, and to whom an explorer must almost certainly fall a victim, sooner or later. Tlie Huron and Algonquin tribes pleaded with him, not in vain, to help them to overcmue these strong foes. And he naturally believed that if he cuuld do them this service he would gain over them great influence which he could use to promote both his cherished projects. He had little idea, however, of the power and numbers of the savages whose enmity he so rashly provoked. It was about the middle of May, 1609, that Champlain set out CHAMPLAIN. 17 M'ith a war {larty of Montinagnais, bont on asconding, under thuir guidance, tlio Kiriiir den Innputin^ aH the River Uiuhulieu was thun callvend on the aid of Iuh now allioH. They (Micain{)ed for two days on the way, and cr going hack in dis- ^UHt to their homes. He found, too, that the iMcent of the Htrouni wtiH luined hy rocky ledgoN, over which the wliite surging rapids daHhed with furious force. He was obliged to send home his own boat and men, keeping only tw(i Frenchmen with him, while the Indian warriors carried their canoes through the tangled forest to the smooth stream al)ove. At last, however, Chaniplain had the satisfaction of entering the beautiful lake that still bears his name. Its shores were the hunting grounds of the fierce Irofjuois, and the valley of New York State beyond it was dottetl with the i^ialisaded villages that formed their strongholds. To pass from Lake Chaniplain to Lake George and thence by portage to the Hudson, and attack the Mohawks in their home, was the plan of the Indian warriors, provided they did not meet the enemy on the way. But at Crown Point this expedition of red men discovered at nightfall, through the dusk, a flotilla of the Iroquois canoes. Dark HH it was the enemies recognized each other with savage war-cries. The Iroquois landed close by and labored all night, as Champlain c(juld see, at the work of entrenching themselves behind a barricade made of trees felled on the spot. Champlain's allies lashed their canoes together with poles and danced and shouted till morning broke. The three Frenchmen lay concealed, each in his canoe, till the critical moment approached. When the attacking canoes reached the shore and their owners landed, Champlain could see some two hundred tall, strong Indian warriors advancing from the forest to meet them. As they approached the attacking Indians called for their gallant defender, who came forward before the astonished Iroquois in the imposing garb of a French soldier, and fired his arquebuse. As itt report resounded tw o of the Iroquois warriors fell. The savagos replied with a yell and showers of arrows, but shots in rapid succession soon broke their advance into a retreat, and they fled in terror and confusion, pr 18 STORIES FKOM CANADIAN HISTORY. I' III ■8. Satisfied with this successful skirmish, and probably fearing speedy vengeance, the party turned their canoes toward home. At the mouth of the Richelieu the expedition broke up, and Champlain sailed for Tadousiic. Champlain soon »iiled for France with Pontgrav^, where they spent the winter, .ind early in the following spring returned to Canada. Champlain had various schemes for exploring expeditions ready to carry into action. One of these was to go with the Hu- rons to see the great lakes and near them the copper mines, which they had promised to show him. They met, accordingly, at a ren- dezvous on the Richelieu. But while they were preparing for a dance and a feast, a canoe came, swiftly paddled toward them, bearing the news that a battle was going on in the forest between Algonquins and Inxiuois. Champlain and his friends pressed on through the forest jtmgle as best they might, stumbling over fallen trees and entangling vines, wading through swamps, until at last they came to the scene o* action. Champlain wtus wounded in the battle that followed ; but he fought oii undaunted, and again won the day for his Indian allies, who re- joiced that a heavy blow had been dealt to their enemies. The tumultuous savages celebrated their success with songs and dances, and then, decorated with ghastly scjilps, set out for home in their canoes, without a thought of following up the blow they had struck. Neither did Champlain insist on their guiding him on to the great lakes he had set out to reach. For startling tidings from France seemed, for a time, to drive these projects from his mind. Henry the Fourth had fallen beneath the dagger of Ravaillac. This was sad news for the hopes of Quebec. Champlain must hasten home, to look after the interests of his colony. When he returned in the following spring he chose a site for a new trading-post at the foot of the beautiful Mont Royal, where he thought he could establish a trade with the great tribes of the in- terior as they came down from the Ottawa. Not far from the place where had once stood the Indian town of Hochelaga, on a spot now covered })y the massive stone warehouses of Montreal, he cleared a site for his trading-post, and built a wall of bricks of his own manufacture, to preserve it from damage by the ** ice-shove" in the spring. QMitittKif, 19 At this appointed rendezvous a band of Hurons were the first to iirive, paddling their canues down the dashing surges of tlie Lachino rapids. They invited Ghamplain to visit their country, l.iiy their beavers, build a fort, and teach them the true faith. ( 'lijunplain promised to protect them from their enemies, and went to visit them at their camp on Ljvke St. Louis, from whence they c( 111* eyed him down the rapids in their canoes. Shortly after this Ghamplain again went to France, where he 1 cniained until the spring of 1613. When he returned to Canada ]\v. ascended the Ottawa on another exploring expedition, to which lie was lured by the false report of a young Frenchman who hail Mihiuteered to winter with the Indians. This young man brought tn France a wonderful story of having ascended a northern river from the interior, and having discovered the shore of the eastern se.v. Ghamplain believed him, and hastened to Ganada to follow up the welcome discovery. He, with four Frenclmien and two Indians, sot (jut from Mont Royal in two small canoes, which they dragged with great labor up the foaming rapids near Carillon, and reached tho calmer stream which swoeps on between high hills to the [iresent capital of Ganada. They lighted their camp-fires at night on the shore, passed the snowy cascade of the Rideau, and drew up tlioir canoes below the poiiit where the great caldron of the Ghau- iliore sends up its clouds of boiling spray. Paddling on over Lake Chaudiere they reached at last the settle- ment of the Ottiiwa chief Tessouat, with its maize fields and bark wig warns. Here he found, to his great vexation, that the young Frenchman's story was a lie, and that he had never gone farther than the settlement of Tessouat. Disappointed and disheartened, Chiimplain returned to Mtmtreal, and, magnanimously leaving the (locoiver unpunished, sailed in a trading ship for France. Two years after this he returned to Ganada, and set out once more t<» explore the region of the Ottawa. He reached the limit of his former journey, and pressed onward, till he reached the shore of L;ike Nipissing. After exploring this region he kept his steady way westward until, paddling down French River, he came out on llie great expanse of Lake Huron. Exploring its shores for a liuniln;d miles, he left his canoe somewliere near Thunder Bay, and followed an Indian trail through the forest till he met the 20 STORIES FROM CANADIAN HISTORY. welcome sight of the broad fields of maize and ])iimpkin8 that surrounded the palisaded villages and long hark lodges of the great Huron nation. Champlain continued his journey to the capital of the Hurons, Cahiague, near Liike Simcoe, and then folhjwed the devious chain of lakes and rivers till he came out at last on the shore of Lake Ontario. Crossing it to what is now the American shore, Cham- plain, with a Huron army which had followed him from Cahiagud, pursued his way into the country of the Iroquois. An attack on one of their towns failed tlirough the uncontrollable rashness and stupidity of the undisciplined Indians Champlain was wounded, and the crestfallen Indians would not renew the attack but retreated in despondency. They refused to escort Champlain to Quebec, and he found himself obliged to spend the winter with them in the country northeast of the present city of Kingston. He joined his hosts in their deer-hunts, and once lost himself in the forest, in which he wandered shelterless for days and nights. He shared their inarches through mud and slush, or on snow-shoes through the snow-clad forests. Finally, he returned to Cahiagu^. After settling a quarrel between the Indians and ex- horting them to keep peace among themselves, and, the alliance with the French, and getting a promise from the Nipissings to guide him to that northern sea which he still hoped to reach, he began his long and circuitous journey homeward. This was the last of Champlain's hmg voyages of discovery. He had penetrated into the depths of the wilderness far beyond where any white man had gone before him. He seems to have begun to feel the futility of wasting his time and risking his life in the skir- mishing forays of the savages, which led to no result. At all events, he now applied his whole strength to fostering the struggling life of his little colony, whose growth was so weak and slow. At Quebec he lived and worked until his active life, so devoted to New France, closed on Christmas day, 1635. The whole colony mourned with good cause, for the brave leader and true knight who had entered into his well-earned rest. VILLE MAUIE DE MONTREAL. 21 CHAPTER V. From ** Story of Ville Marie de Montreal " by Miss A. M. Machar. " Out of this interest came the founding of Montreal as a Mission, in 1642." — High s hool History, page SSO. The little settlement of Quebec, so carefully tended by Champlain uuid so many difficulties and disjvsters, had grown very slowly since his death. His successor, M. de Montmagny, a Knight of Malta, w.is a fairly good governor, and although without Champlain's mtliusiastic devotion, he tried to do his duty towards the settle- nu'iit .and the Mission. But there were, as yet, very few settlers at Quebec. The new (.'ompany of the Hundred Associates had undertaken to send out from France two thousand colonists. But it was not easy to induce many to go to settle in that savage country. Only the self-sacri- ticing enthusiasm of those devoted men and women who left their hmues for the sake of converting the Indian, proved stronger than even the love of gain, and kept life and spirit in the little colony. It was to this enthusiastic missionary devotion that Montreal owed its origin. , A tax-gatherer of Anjou, named Dauversiere, and a priest named D'Olier, the founder of the Seminary of the Sulpitians, were inspired w ith an ardent enthusiasm for establishing an Indian Mission on tlie island of Montreal. They soon found wealthy friends willing to help to found a mission at this central spot which might throw its light far into the surrounding darkness. Forty men were sent out to clear and cultivate the land and entrench themselves securely on the spot ; while the founders occupied themselves in collecting mission workers. They found an adniirable leader in a brave soldier and Christian knight, Paul de M.iisonneuve. A devoted lady named Mademoiselle Mance had also become deeply interested in the proposed plan, and resolved to join the mission. There were delays in the start, and the party jached Quebec too late to proceed to Montreal that season. ^^t last the icy barriers of winter broke before the soft breezes of April, and tho deep blue of the river greeted the longing eyes of 22 STORIES PROM CANADIAN HISTORY. the colonists. Early in May, all were embarked in a little flotilla, consisting of a pinnace, a flat-bottomed barge with sails, and tWo row boats. On the seventeenth of May, 1642, the little expedition drew near the forest clad slopes of the stately ]\Iont Royal, and as they approached it, a hymn of grateful praise went up from all the boats. Maisonneuve was the first to spring to shore. The tents and baggage were soon landed, and then an altar was erected in a pleasant spot near the river. This was tastefully decorated by the ladies of the party with the wild flowers that grew in such abundance around them. Then the whole party gathered about it— M. Vin- cent, the Superior of the Jesuits, in his rich ecclesiastical robes ; the Governor, Montmagny, in his state dress ; the tall soldierly figure of Maisonneuve ; the ladies with their female attendant, and all the sailors, soldiers, and artisans. Each knelt in solemn silence as the ceremony of high mass was performed by M. Vincent. Next day everybody was early astir and hard at work. The men began to fell the great forest trees, and very soon all the tents were surrounded by palisades, and the altar was sheltered by a little chapel of biich-bark. In a short time small wooden houses took the place of the tents, and the little settlement had some visible existence. The first experiences of the colonists here were all pleasant ones, with charniing summer weather, with a fair landscape spread around them, rich in noble outlines of distant hills and dense masses of forest. But that summer of 1642 was an exciting one in the eventful history of New France. The hatred of the fierce Iroquois tribe had been silently smouldering ever since Champlain had unhappily commenced his warfare with them thirty -two years before. They declared that they would sweep away not only the Algonquins and Hurons, but the French also, and carry off" the "white girls" (the nuns) to their villages. The colonists were harrassed by sudden attacks on passing boats and canoes, or stealthy descents on French traders, or on the settlers near Quebec and Three Rivers, while crafty ambuscades were laid for the Hurons also, as they brought their furs to the trading posts. With ':he frosts of December came the first great troubles to the settlement of Ville Marie. The swollen river, dammed up by the VILLE MARIE DE MONTREAL. 23 accumulating ice, rose rapidly and threatened to sweep away their whole summer's work. Powerless to stop the advancing flood, the colonists had recourse to prayer. V Maisouneuve raised a wooden cross in front of the flood and vowed to plant another cross on the mountiiin summit as a thank- oflFering for deliverance. The advancing river stayed its course just as the waves were threatening to sap the powder- magazine ; and as it soon began to recede, the colonists felt that they were safe. Maisonneuve at once prepared to fulfill his vow. A path was cleared through the forest to the top of the mountain, and a large wooden cross was made and blessed for the purpose. On the sixteenth of January a solemn procession ascended the newly-made pathway, headed by the Jesuit Du Peron followed by Maisonneuve, beaiing on his shoulders the heavy cross which had taxed even his strength to carry up the steep and rugged ascent. When the cross had been set up, the leaders received the sacrament on the summit of Mont Royal. The winter — ^little less severe than the winter of Quebec — was passed by the colonists in tolerable comfort. Still it was with gladness that they again saw the snows melt away and give place to the fresh foliage and flowers of spring. In the following August they had the joy of welcoming a vessel from France which brought them new helpers — Louis D'Aillebout, a brave and devout gentle- man who afterwards succeeded M. de Montmagny as Governor of Canada, with his wife and her sister, both as zealous as himself, to dfivote their all to the Canadian Mission. A lady in France had contributed a large sum of money for the equipment of a hospital, which was built accordingly, though as yet there were no patients, and provided with all the necessary furniture, linen, and medicines. Mademoiselle Mance was duly installed in it, to wait for the Indian patients whose bodies and souls were to be cared for within its walls. Meantime, she and the other ladies made pilgrimages to the mountain cross, to pray for the success of their work. Sometimes fifteen or sixteen of the settlers would join in these pilgrimages. They seized every opportunity of gaining an influence over the Indians who came near Ville Marie. Their efforts were crowned with some apparent success, and among their professed converts was numbered a chief famed for his savage and 24 STORIES l^fiOM CANADIAN HISTOKV. crafty nature — Le Borgne. He was christened by the name of Paul, and presented with a gun, as an encouragement to others to follow his example. The French did all they could, however, to stimulate the Indians to the more peaceful pursuits of agriculture, giving them implements for tilling the ground and showing them how to use them. But the dreaded Iroquois were perpetually lurking near, ready to harass and destroy. A party of Hurons, coming down in June to sell their furs, were startled by finding at Lachine a rough Indian fort, held by a large party of Iroquois. The Hurons, to save themselves, turned traitors to their French friends, and professed great friendship for the Iroquois, telling them all they knew about Ville Marie, and assuring them of an easy victory if they would attack it. The Iroquois were very ready to do this, and sent out a party of their warriors, who surprised six French laborers hewing wood near the fort, killing three and taking the others prisoners. The treachery of the Hurons, however, returned upon their own heads, for tlie Iroquois fell upon them unawares, and killed or captured all but a few fugitives, who fled to Ville Marie, where the unsuspected traitors were kindly received and sheltered. After this successful raid, the vicinity of Ville Marie was more than ever infested by the blood-thirsty savages, who would hide, singly or in large parties, waiting for their prey. In the latter case, they would send out a few men to try to allure the French to attack them. But Maisonneuve was a very prudent commandant. He knew that the wisest plan for his small band was to keep within the shelter of their fortifications, and that a single defeat would mean ruin to the whole settlement. So, although his men often murmured, at being kept in forced inaction, he maintained this wise policy, until an occasion arose when he thought it best to act differently, and by one brilliant exploit he silenced the complaints of his men ai.\J •r.'^nireu the whole party with renewed courage. One M- f . ; ; nmg m 1644, Pilot, a sagacious watch-dog, scented Indian v' cva^j ci towards the fort over the eastward clearing, barking '\k« ;as1y The soldiers crowded about their commander asking if tr.^y w>ie .i.'/er to go out to meet this invisible enemy. Maisonneuve answered promptly that he would lead them out VILLE MARIE DE MONTUEAL, 25 JiimSelf, and would see if they were as brave as they professed to be. Quickly the little band was put in battle array. Guns wore sliouldered, and all the available snow-shoes were tied on. At the lio.ad of his troop of thirty men, Maisonneuve crossed the clearing, and entered the forest beyond, where for some time tliey saw no sign of human j)resence. But after wading for a good way through the deep snow, they were suddenly saluted with a shower of ar- rows and bullets from some eighty Irocjuois springing from their ambush. Maisonneuve ordered his men to take shelter behind the trees and fire at the enemy. For a time, they stood their ground, though tliree of their men were killed and several wounded. But their ammunition began to fail, while the Iroquois still pressed them close with a galling fire which broke the steadiness of the men and made them begin a retreat. They covered their retreat by turning fro(iuently to fire, but when they reached the beaten track leading to the fort, they made such a wild rush that they were mistaken f(»r enemies by their friends, and, but for an accident, they would iiavo received a fatal fire. Maisonneuve gallantly stood his ground to the last, retreating backward with a pistol in each hand, with which he kept back his pursuers. The Indians were anxious to take him alive, and there- fore would not shoot him. The chief wished himself to have the lionor of capturing the French commander, and was in the act of seizing him, when Maisonneuve shot him dead. This caused such a confusion among the Iroquois, who rushed to secure the dead body of their chief, that Maisonneuve escaped during the excite- ment and was soon safe in the fort. Thenceforward his men recognized him as a hero, and the wisdom of his generalsliip was unquestioned. For some time after tliis Ville Marie enjoyed com- parative peace. The scene of this brilliant action of Maisonneuve is believed to have been what is now the Place d'Armes, close to the great church of Notre Dame. But there were still many dark days and bloody struggles in store for the little settlement. Rumors of raids being planned con- tinually reached the ears of the settlers, and the outlook for Montreal as for the whole colony, was just at the darkest point 26 STORIES FROM CANADIAN HISTORY. I A CANADIAN THERMOPYLAE. 27 the undertaking, and a quantity of hominy or crashed corn for food, they took a Bulemn and tender farewell of their friends, who inwardly felt they would never again see their brave defenders. The seventeen youths then embarked in several large canoes, and began their arduou.o journey. A week was spent in attempts to pass the swift waters of Sainte Anne at the head of Montreal Island. After passing this they toiled across the Lake of the Two Mountains and up the Ottawa, until the fierce current at Carillon was reached. Here they took a brief rest, and then began the heavy labor of poling and hauling their canoes up the rapid torrent. But their energy soon left this obstacle behind them, and they joy- ouMly paddled on till tliey heard the hoarse roar of the foaming " Long Sault." These rapids were much more difficult to pass than those of Sainte i^nne or Carillon ; and as the Frenchmen gazed at the furious waters boiling and seething around boulders and sunken rocks, they decided that it would not be possible to make the ascent. They knew that a large party of the Iroquois were encamped on the Upper Ottawa, and that they would have to shoot the rapids on their way down ; and so thought it best to wait and give them a hot reception as soon as their canoes appeared. While debating this matter, they saw at the foot of the rapid a partially cleared spot in the midst of which %as a rude palisaded fort that an Algonquin war party had erected in the previous autumn. Worn out as they were, the Frenchmen gladly took possession of it, and, after unloading their canoes and hauling them up on the shore, they stored their provisions and ammunition in the fort. Tliey were so fatigued by the journey that instead of setting to work to repair the fore, much dilapidated by the winter's storms, they slung their kettles by the shore, partook of a hearty meal, then wrapped themselves in their blankets and lay down for a much needed rest. A few days after this a heroic Huron named Etienne Annahotaha, * with forty followers, and an Algonquin named Mituvemeg, with several of his tribe, joined Daulac's party, much to the delight of the little band. Scouts were now constantly sent out to give timely warning of the approach of the foe. Early one morning several scouts of Etienno's band rushed into camp with the news 28 STORIES FROM CANADIAN H18T0KY. M hi that two canooH were speeding down the rapids Daulac hastily ouncealed a few of his men near the shore, where he thought the Inxjuois woidd land after their exliausting labors, ordering them to bo ready to fire on the foe. and if possible to allow none to escape. The ambushf d party waited patiently for their victims, who were not long in ap[)earing, their canoes bounding down the seething water. Daulac had chosen the spot for ambush well, for the Iro- quois turned their csmoes to the shore just at the point where he expected them. As they were about to land Daulac's men fired a too hasty volley, and some of the Indians escaped to the forest before the Frenchmen had time to pursue them or to re-load their guns. The Indians who escaped rushed up the Ottawa to warn their com- panions. Burning for revenge, the whole party straightway broke up camp, launched their canoes, and paddled swiftly towards the "LrmgSault." The French, with their Indian allies, after this attack set to work to prepare their morning meal, when suddenly they were interrupted by the news that a fleet of almost one hundred canoes was already on its way dtjwn the Sault. Scarcely had the alarm been given when the foremost boats were seen in the distance. For a moment they all stood watching the canoes as they came skimming, dancing, shooting, down the turbulent waters, now swiftly gliding over some calm stretch, then rushing with face-horse speed towards a boulder, only to be turned aside at the right moment by the skillful paddle of the steersman ; again plunging down some little waterfall and sending the spray about their prows like the foam on the mouth of a spirited charger, - As soon as they began to reach the smooth water at the foot of the rapids, the anxious watchers left their kettles and dishes on shore, and rushed into the fort to prepare for the onset. The Iro- quois on landing saw their slain comrades, and, maddened with rage, charged upon the fort, but were driven back with considerable loss. They then endeavored to induce Daulac to surrender, holding out favorable terms, but he only derided their demands. Before renewing the assault they built a fort in the forest, to which they might retreat in case of a second repulse. While they were thus engaged the French party were not idle. Some busily plied their axes in cutting down small trees and erecting a double A CANADIAN T1IEI«M(H»VLAE. 29 row of piiliHudcH ; other« worked diligently with the pick und shovol, filling up tho hjmico botwoon thu tv\«» rows with e.irth high enough to protect a umn standing upright. In the earthwork were left twenty loo}>h(»les large enough to allow three marksmen to uho their muskets to advantage at each. .lust as they were throwing the hist shovelful of earth between the palisades, they were called to arms by the savage yells of the Inxpiois, who luwl ctuupleted their fort, and were returning to the attack. This time they were trying a new plan. They had broken ui> the cauues of the besiegen the lM3Hiogod. They advanced accordingly, but an H(M>n im any one showed liinmelf he waH met with a volley. At laHt the whole l>ody made a dash for the palisadeH, but the French were prepared for it, and made such havoc in their ranks that they were fuiH^ed to flee. For throe days and nights a series of atUicks, without order or |)lan, was made on the fort. Nothing was gained, and not a few of the Indian warriors fell belure tho unerring aim of tho boHieged. The Iroquois began to look upon them as aided by tho Manitou, and many wanted to give -up tho seemingly useless contest and rotuni to their lodges. But all wheir bravest warriors cried out against such a course. A cotuicil was called, and the more daring among them made soul-stirring speeches, calling on their brother warriors to uphold the honor of their race. After tho speeches small sticks were tied up in bundles and thrown on tlie ground, and each one willing to risk all, and join in a determined attack, showed his readiness })y picking up a bundle. Warrior after warrior eagerly stepped forward and seized one, while grunts of a]>proval rose from their companions. Sly, being out of supplies, was obliged to sail away. In October La Salle set out in quest of his "fatal river," but in March he and his men returned exhausted, after fruitless wander- ings and adventures with savage tribes. This vain journey, added to the loss of his last vessel, threw him into a dangerous ilhiess. But on his recovery, still undaunted, he determined to make another attempt to find his way back to Canada by the Mississippi and the Illinois, to procure succor for his now destitute colon}'. He set out again in April, 1680, with about twenty of liis men fitted out for the expedition with garments patched with nuich care, or borrowed fiom those who remained in the fort. They were ol)liged, however, to return without other result than the exploring of a magnificent country. La Salle had h)ng endured undaunted "the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune. " One other, which released him from all, was in store for him. In March as he and his party were encamjjed in the n(^)rthern part of Texas, a few of his men set out on a hunting ex- pedition. A dispute arising about the division of their game, three of the men were murdered by tlie rest, who then saw no chance of safety from punishment, except in tlie death of their brave leader. On March 19, 1687, La Salle, uneasy at the long absence of the hunters, set out in search of them. As he walked on with the Friar Donay through the Texan wilderness his keen eyes noticed two eagles circling in the air as if attracted by some carcass. He fired his gun as a signal to any of his men who might be within hearing, and immediately after one of the conspirators appeared and answered his inquiries with ostentatious insolence. La Salle rebuked him, and unconsciously drew near an ambuscade from which a traitor called Buhaut fired on him, and the dauntless THE THREE WAR-PARTIES. 45 loador foil (load. Thus, hy the bullet of n trcftchorous nsAaHsin, was elusod tho tragic caroor of one of tlio most huroic spirits of a heroic age, wlio, against all odds, had pursiied for twenty years an object that Heemed over destined to elude him just as he whs on the point of achieving success. The recited would seem almost too sad, but for the light of heroic endurance that shijies upon his story. CHAPTER IX. THE THREE WAR-PARTIES. " Bands of French and their Indian allioH made frequent raids in New York and other colonies." — lliffh School llistorg, page 330. The French and English colonies had long been quarrelling over territory and tho fur trade, and the struggles of the mother countries in the Old World gave their children an opportunity of drawing the sword in the New. Border raids were coinmon, and wholesale invasions were threatened. Frontenac had been absent from Canada for several years, and on his return in the Autumn of 1689, a rumor that the New Englanders were planning a vast expe- dition for the following spring reached his ears. With his usual ;)romptne8s of action he determined to strike t be first blow. Knowing that the English would suppose lat the j^reat barriers of snow-drifts and ice-bound rivers would give them comparative sfvfety, he determined to take them by surprise. For this pur- pose he called together his best marksmen and tried soldiers, and planned with some of the friendly Indians a threefold invasion on the unsuspecting foe. He permitted no delay in getting up the parties which were to work such havoc on his enemies, but at once began at Montreal, Three Rivers, and Quebec, to fit them out for their winter march. That mustered at Montreal was the lirst ready, and at once started for the south. The party was made up of a motley crowd, number- ing in all about two hundred and ten men. It was composed mainly of the savage Senecas, who had lately, through the visits of De Courcelles and others, the christianizing influence of the Jesuit missionaries, and the diplomacy of Frortenac, become able allies of the French. 46 STORIES FROM CANADIAN HISTORY. Next in number to the Senecas were the Coureurs du Boisy or *' Runners of the Woods," who were but a step in advance of the civilization of their Indian allies. Besides these two classes of men a number of young French nobles who had come to Canada in search of adventure and fame found in these expeditions a fitting opportunity to show their courage, and eagerly joined them. About mid-winter the party set out from Montreal. They made a picturesque appears* nee as they toiled along on their snow-shoes, the hoods of their blanket coats drawn over their heads, and their knives, hatchets, and tobacco-pouches, slung at their belts, — braving the long journey and the bitter-cold just to inflict devastation and death and then retreat home again. As they travelled southward spring approached, and with it the march became more and more difficult. The heavy falls of snow now became slush that clung to their snow-shoes in such a way as to compel them to abandon their use. On they plodded through the slush, knee-deep, fearing every moment that the expedition would have to be abandoned. At last, on the banks of Lake Champlain, they decided to halt for a rest, and to consider what would be the best course to pursue. The Indians, when they learned that their commanders intended making the strongly fortified town of Albany their destination, began to murmur, and many of the Coureurs du Bois joined them in their protests against such a course. Their leaders recognised the wisdom of directing their march to the nearer and weaker settlement of Schenectady ; and when they came to a place where the Albany and Schenectady roads met, took the latter. The terrible march was continued, making daily but little pro- gress, until almost within sight of the Mohawk river, on whose banks Schenectady was built. Suddenly a change in the weather occurred. The hot March sun that had been melting the winter snows disappeared behind a cloud ; the warm south wind changed to a piercing north-easter, and soon the path beneath their feet hardened under the crisp, frosty air. The change was too sudden. They were tocp^Uy unprepared for it, and suffered severely. Th eir clothes, soaked by the rain water, now hardened about their limbs. The snow, turned to ice, was almost as difficult to march on as when there was nothing but slush. To add to their ills, a driving snow- storm came up, beating in their faces and almost blinding them. THE THREE WAR-PARTIES. 47 Once more their spirits began to droop, and after a night of dishearteninng suffering, they were thinking that perhaps it would be better to try to make a friendly approach to Schenectady, when one of them descried through the storm the bluish white smoke of a wood fire rising from a hut in the distance. At sight of this the hopes of all rose, and with eager steps they hastened towards it. As they approached the snow covered-hut, they moved cautiously, in order to surprise the inhabitants, and keep them from escaping and alarming the people of Schenectady. They succeeded so well in this, that they reach'^d the very door before the inmates — four Mohawk squaws — were aware of their approach. Eagerly the worn out party crowded into the hut and heaped wood on the * fire. Their feet and hands were almost frozen, and in their efforts to warm them they made the walls of the hut resound with stamping and clapping. # A Mohawk village was not far distant, and after a brief rest they decided to push on to it. The frightened squaws were compelled to guide them. They arrived at the village just c*o darkness was wrapping the ice-bridged river in its embrace, and here a halt was called. As Schenectady was further down and on the opposite side, a few men were sent out to reconnoitre. In several hours' time they returned with a very encouraging report. No one was on the alert ; not a single sentry could be seen. And they added, moreover, that sounds of music and laughter were heard within the palisades, as if the people of the village were enjoying themselves, in happy ignorance of the impending danger. This was indeed the case. Tlie inhabitants of Schenectady — Dutch people now under English rule — through their long freedom from attack had become careless. There was a division of opinion in the place, and while the wise few had counselled watchfulness, the foolish many had laughed them to scorn, thrown both gates open, and, in mockery of their desire to have sentinels posted, moulded snow men and set them up at the gates with sticks by their sides to represent guns. On this very day all Schenectady was feasting to show how secure they felt themselves, and to remind them of their fatherland. On hearing the report of the scouts, the leaders at first deter- mined to wait until after midnight before bursting in upon the 48 STORIES FROM CANADIAN HISTORY. village, but t.he piercing cold that caused discontent among their followers changed their intention, and they at once recommenced their march down the frozen Mohawk. In three hours the walls of the village were sighted, and the utmost caution was used not to alarm the inhabitants. At last one of the gates was reached. The party now split, the one half going to the right in single file, the other to the left, until the two met. When the leaders faced one another, the signal was given, and a fiendish shout arose from the throats of their followers. The people of Schenectady, tired with the pleasures of the day, were wrapped in deep sleep ; but at this cry they sprang in terror to their feet, fathers and sons rushing for their weapons, mothers clasping their little ones to their breasts, all feeling that a horrible moment was at hand. It was too late ! Many of their doors were unlocked and the rest were insecurely^astened, so that, before any of the men could rally to the defence, the enemy were upon them; The Indians and Couretirs du Bois seemed to have become intoxi- cated with blood. They spared no one, from the gray-haired grandsire to the babe nestling at the breast. At last their com- manders ordered them to cease their slaughter, but not before devastation and death had visited almost every house. A few of the inhabitants escaped to Albany and alarmed their countrymen, but before a force could reach the scene of slaughter, the French were hurrying back to Montreal, where leaders and men were lionized as heroes. The second war party was but small in numbers, consisting of the leader Frangois Hertel and about fifty soldiers. But it was no less destructive than the one that destroyed Schenectady. After a rapid march from Three Rivers they reached Salmon Falls, — a small settle- ment on the stream separating New Hampshire and Maine, — fell upon the inhabitants, slew everyone they could get in their power, and exultingly retreated, On their way back Hertel fell in with the third party that had set out from Quebec to attack Fort Royal on Casco Bay, and, eager for more bloodshed, joined them. This party at first consisted of one hundred and ten men, but on their frequent halts they had been joined by many others, anxious to wreak vengeance upon their THE THREE WAR-PARTIES. 49 English enemies, until now, as they neared their destination, they numbered between four and five hundred. Scouts were sent out to examine the country, and reported that, besides the fort, there were four block-houses protecting the village. Fort Royal was large and strongly built on a rising ground ; sur- mounting it there were eight cannon capable of doing good work, if properly handled. The French leaders determined if possible to take the place by surprise ; but, unfortunately for this scheme, several of the Indian scouts met a farmer on the border of the forest, and forgetting the orders to be careful in no way to reveal themselves, rushed on him with a savage yell, slew him and carried off his scalp. The yells reached the ears of the garrison, and every available man was at once summoned to hold himself in readiness for an attack, while the frightened villagers rushed to the protection of the fort, Portneuf, the leader of this party, had expected that he might have to lay siege to the fort, and for this purpose had brought shovels and picks to dig trenches ; with those and many others obtained from the settlers' houses, his band went to work. Busily the work went on, and in three days they were almost up to the wall of the fort. While they were performing this task, Sylvanus Davis, the com- mander of the fort, kept up a regular fire from his cannon and small arms, but on account of the trenches but few of the enemy were killed. On the enemy's side some worked while others re- turned the fire of the foe with deadly effect. Many of them had been for years constantly using the rifles in search of furs, and were marksmen of exceptional skill, so that rarely was a form seen at a loophole or on the roof, loading and directing the cannon, but a death cry was speedily heard to follow. On the fifth day of the siege the English were startled by a bright light almost under their very walls. On looking out, they saw that the enemy, by means of long poles, were pushing a platform loaded with several blazing tar barrels and planks smeared with oil, up to the palisades that surrounded the fort. This was too nmch for the besieged. They felt they could hold out no longer. Davis resolved to stand firm, but the women and children clung about him urging B 50 STORIES FROM CANADIAN HISTORY. him to save them ; and the men, who knew that it was only a question of time, begged him to surrender if he could obtain per- mission for them to depart with their lives. Davis, knowing that if there were none but Indians in the party he could expect but little mercy, under a flag of truce desired to know if there were any Frenchmen among them. With joy he learned that the party was commanded by Frenchmen. At once he agreed to surrender on condition that mercy should be shown to the garrison, and that all should be allowed to retreat to the next English village. Portneuf, without the slightest hesitation, granted his request, confirming his reply by oath. Great joy reigned within Fort Royal when they learned that their lives were to be spared. Speedily preparations were made for the march. First the men filed out, and Portneuf's awaiting band received their arms. A s they, one by one, surrendered them, they had an uneasy feeling that all was not well. The lowering scowls on the savage faces boded ill for the lives of those at their mercy. The women and children hurried out next, trembling at the array of plumed and painted foes whose very names had for years sent a chill of terror to their hearts. Scarcely had the last one left the gate when with heart-appalling yells the Indians fell upon them and began a brutal slaughter. Davis cried out against this treachery and demanded why the French did not interfere. Perhaps they could not ; the Indians in the party outnumbered the French five to one. For years they had been at war with the English, and it would have been no easy matter to keep them now from wreaking their spite on the foe. However, Portneuf offered no such excuse. He told Davis that both he and the garrison were rebels against James the Seoond, who had been driven from the English throne, which William, Prince of Orange, now occupied, and that as rebellious subjects they deserved no better fate. When the horrible slaughter was over, Portneuf began his home- Vard march. About the middle of June, this last of the three famous war parties arrived at Quebec, with Davis and four other prisoners, the sole survivors of the massacre. THE FIRST GREAT SIEGE OF QUEBEC. 51 CHAPTER X. THE FIRST GREAT SIEGE OF QUEBEC. "Phips then sailed up the St. Lawrence to take Quebec. "—//I'flf^ School Ilintory, page 33G. The havoc wrought by the War-Parties aroused in the English a spirit of revenge, and they determined to make a united efl'ort to crush their enemies to the, north. No help could be had from the motherland, and as a preliminary step Sir William Phips was sent out from Boston to procure funds for the war by ravaging Acadia. Phips soon returned laden with spoil, and preparations were now hurried on. A twofold invasion by land and water was planned. The land force, under Generals Winthrop and Schuyler, was to march on Montreal by way of Ljvke Champlain, while the fleet was to steal up the St. Lawrence and surprise Quebec. The expedition on Montreal was a total failure, and the troops, when almost within sight of the enemy's country, beat a hasty and inglorious retreat to Albany, without striking a blow. The fleet, under Phips and Major Wa^ley, at least reached its destination. It looked tolerably imposing with its thirty-two ships, great and small, the largest carrying forty-four guns, the smallest l)uing a fishing-smack. Phips was what is usujilly styled a self- made man. He had under his command about twenty-two hundred men, including sailors ; an exceedingly large force when we consider how few people then inhabited New England, and that thirteen hundred men were with Winthrop and Schuyler marching on Montreal. The soldiers were principally farmers and fishermen, quite un- accustomed to the use of warlike weapons, and the commanders of the vessels were ship-owners and ship-captains, who had had ex- perience neither in the management of artillery nor in the use of small arms. The militia officers were recruited from the merchant's desk and the plough, so that they had yet to learn the art of war. This fleet, with its untutored warriors, sailed from Nantasket on the ninth of August, 1G90, followed by prayers for success from every church and every home in New England. 52 STORIES FKOM CANADIAN HISTORY. Scarcely had Montreal rejoiced over the news that Winthrop and Schuyler had retired to Albany, when Frontenac, at Montreal, was told that a fleet was advancing on Quebec. An Abenaqui Indian had discovered from a woman captured l)y his tribe that a fleet hatl left Boston for Quebec. Being friendly to the French, he deter- mined to warn them of the impending danger. There was but one way to do this, and that was by speeding on foot across the country from his home in Maine to Quebec. Unmindful of the hardships of the way, only remembering the kindness done to his people by the French, he eagerly toiled over the many weary miles until he arrived at the Chateau St. Louis. As the danger threatening Montreal was removed, Frontenac with all possible speed hastened to Quebec, eager to reach the rocky fortress before the foe, and on his way he ordered the commanders of the various forts to send on their men after him. To his delight he succeeded in reaching his destination before any of the enemy's vessels could be seen from the citadel. When the anxious watchers in Quebec saw him approaching their hearts beat with renewed hope, and, as soon as he reached the shore, he was met with a royal welcome ; the warm-hearted Frenchmen forgetting their usual *^ Vive le roi," burst out with ^^Vive le Frontenac,'" and showed their joy by a most boisterous salute. As the old gray -haired warrior toiled up Mountain Street — the steep path leading from the lower to the upper town — he felt the youthful blood surge througli his veins, and as he thought of the threatened attempt to storm Quebec — his Quebec — his eyes flashed and his lips were firmly pressed together with the determination to leave his bones on the rocky heights before he would permit the Fleur-de-lis to be lowered before the Union Jack of hated England. With the greatest alacrity he at once began examining the forti- fications. Prevost, his lieutenant, although he had heard of the approaching fleet but a short time before, had everything fairly well secured. The city gates had had large beams strung across them, and were barricaded with casks of earth ; palisades had been erected along the St. Charles, extensive entrenchments had been thrown up, and from every available point the black-lipped cannon loomed over the river. Frontenac was much pleased with the work done, (1 s^ fj I li THE FIKST GREAT SIEGE OF QUEBEC. 63 and in two days after his arrival had everything in readiness to meet his foes with a strong resistance. At last the foe came in sight of Quebec, and vessel after vessel dropped anchor in the basin just below the grand old rock. The sailors and rustic soldiers were filled with misgivings as they gazed at the frowning heights, and even the sanguine Phips felt his hopes fall many degrees. Shortly after the fleet had anchored, Phips despatched an officer under a flag of truce to Frontenac. As s<5on as the boat touched shore the officer was blind-folded and led to the chief. The French (lid all in their power to impress him with their strength, leading him by a very circuitous route, and dragging him over barricade after barricade, much to the delight of the mirth-loving inhabitants. As he passed through the garrison the soldiers made as much noise ;is possible by clash of weapons and heavy tramp of feet ; and, by the time he -reached the council chamber, he had a greatly exagger- ated idea of the strength of the garrison. When he was ushered into the council chamber, men in uniforms glittering with gold and silver lace gazed at him with haughty disdain. At last he found courage enough to give Phips' message to Frontenac, who ordered it to be read aloud in French, for the benefit of all. The letter was a brief demand in the name of William and Mary for an unconditional surrender. The closing paragraph ran : " Your answer positive in an hour, returned by your own trumpet, with the return of mine, is required upon the peril that will ensue." The very mention of the names — "William and Mary" — so hated by Frenchmen of that time, made Frontenac's blood boil, and when the English envoy handed him his watch, stating that, as it was now ten o'clock, Sir William Phips would expect his reply by eleven, he burst into passionate words of indignation, and in a voice of anger defied Phips and his armament. As the thunder of the old man's voice ceased, the walls of the chateau rang with the applause and approval of his subordinates. The envoy stood silent and trembling until the applause had ceased, and then timorously requested Frontenac to write his reply. "Nol" burst forth the haughty old general; "I will answer your general only by the mouths of my cannon, that he may learn 54 STORIES FROM CANADIAN HISTORY. that a man like me is not to bo summoned after this fashion. Let him do his best and I will do mine ! " The messenger then returned to the fleet, and his report spread dismay through all hearts. Their hopes were to have a still severer shock, for that same day a strong contingent under De Callieres, the Governor of Montreal, succeeded in reaching Quebec, and were welcomed with shouts of joy. After another day's delay on account of unfavorable weather, the siege of Quebec began in earnest. Major Walley landed, with about thirteen hundred men, near the mouth of the St. Charles. Fron- tenac felt that he had nothing to fear from the landing of these troops, and did not oppose them until they had formed on the muddy banks of the river. But as soon as they attempted to advance French sharp-shooters kept up a continuous fire on them from sheltered positions. This was unexpected by the English, and threw them into dis- order ; however, after a short ba})tism of fire, they showed the stern front that Englishmen always havp opposed to danger, and calmly waited their commander's order to charge the foe. At last they received the command, and, with the impetuous daring of the Briton rushed on the enemy's position — visible only by pufis of smoke rising from behind trees and rocks. Volley after volley was poured into them as they advanced, but, nothing daunted, they continued their charge until the French turned and fled. When they had reached a safe distance they halted, took shelter, and renewed the attack. Walley, seeing it would be useless to charge them again, called back his men and encamped. While Walley was doing his poor best on land, Phips dropped down in front of the citadel and began bombarding it. A steady cannonade was kept up from both the fleet and the rock, without doing much harm to either party, until darkness came on, when the fighting ceased, only to be begun next morning. On the second day of the fight the boldness of the English gave their foes an opportunity of doing good work. The French gunners were old experienced soldiers, and all over the fleet torn sails and falling spars told how effective was the answer from the "cannon- mouths " that Frontenac had spoken of. THE FIRST GREAT SIEGE OF QUEBEC. 05 One of the first shots aimed at Phips's vessel, carried away his flag, and as it fell into the water a great shout rose from Quebec. It was to the French a sign that the defeat would be to the British flj^ and not to their Fleur-de-lis. As the flag floated down stream several foolhardy Canadians determined to bring it ashore to hang it below their own. Leaping into a birch canoe, they bent their ashen paddles as they sped in the direction of the desired trophy, but their movements were observed by the enemy, who began a heavy fire on them. One of the youths leaped from the canoe, and swimming — now diving, now sinking, to divert the enemy's aim — succeeded in reaching the flag, and, with a strong efibrt, managed to bring it ashore, amid the exultations of his countrymen. The English guns were not doing anything like the work of their opponents. The soldiers, at any time poor marksmen, were ex- ceptionally so under this heavy fire, and many of their shots fell harmless into the water, or, striking against the cliff", rolled back in seeming derision. The expedition had set out ill supplied with powder, and now the gunners had to use their scanty supplies with the utmost care ; so much so that many of the balls did not pierce the houses on which they fell, and but little injury was done Quebec. Poor Walley and his men had all this time been suffering terribly. The cold Canadian October weather had settled down upon them, and, after their retreat, they were forced to realize more and more the task they had undertaken. As they lay in camp on the muddy shore, they passed a sleepless night, owing to the intense cold. Shivering they arose, made another feeble attempt to advance, only to be repulsed. Small-pox had broken out among them, cutting off many. Never was there a more hopeless spectacle ; a large fleet many miles from home, with but little ammunition, facing an in- surmountable rock, without any regular plan of attack ; a large army gathered on the shore, not knowing what to do next, suffering physically, and tormented by the constant fire of sharpshooters. Phips saw no other course open but to recall Walley and then retreat to Boston. Boats were put ashore, and Walley and his men re-embarked in the utmost confusion, leaving behind them five pieces of artillery. When the. inhabitants of Quebec realized that the enemy had I r^ 56 STORIES PROM CANADIAN HISTORY. withdrawn, they bunt into shouts of exultation. Even those who hated Frontenac now joined with the others in doing him honor. A procession was formed in honor of France, of the king, of the victory, of Frontenac, and of the Saints, to whose interccHsion they ascribed the victory. At the head of the procession was borne in derision the flag that had been shot from Phips' vessel. This re. joicing was kept up all day long ; men, women, and children joining in the general thanksgiving ; and when the last rays of the sun faded behind the hills, a huge bon-fire in honor of their white, haired preserver was lighted on the summit of the rock, its blaze turning the night into day. Frontenac's heart was overflowing with joy. He had suffered much in Canada, but this huncr from his children was, he felt, a sufficient reward. The story is almost finished. The hasty and ill-managed ex- pedition on its way home suffered even greater damage than it had done before Que})ec. The Gulf and Atlantic were then darkened with the autumn storms, and many vessels were lost. Hundreds of the brave fellows were washed ashore on Anticosti, then as now the seaman's dread. When the fleet at last arrived in Boston, it was found that between the havoc of battle, disease — particularly the small-pox — and shipwrecks, they had lost in all about a thousand men, and had accomplished nothing. CHAPTER XT. HEROINE OP CASTLE DANGEROUS. "These seigneurs generally settled near Quebec, Three Rivers, and Montreal, along the banks of the St. Lawrence." — High School History, page SS3. Foremost among the heroines of New France stands Madeleine Verch^res, the daughter of a seignior living about twenty miles from Montreal, on the south side of the St. Lawrence. His seigniory was directly in the way of the Iroquois, as they marched against the settlers ; and subject as it was to constant attack, it was called the * * Castle Dangerous " of Canada. This seigniory, like the others, HEROINE OF CASTLE OANOBKOUS. 67 was a large tract of land, partially cleared, on which lived the seignior and his tenant farmers. For protection they all resided in a fort with four bastionn, and a large, strong block-house, connected with it by a covered passage. In this bUnik-house the women and children might take refuge, while the men in the fort defended them, or, in case of their being driven from the hitter, the block- house would serve as a place of refuge for all. To the right and left of this fortified post, they cleared tracts of land ruiniing aloitg the river, always within a short distance of tlie stronghold, both by land and water. In case of a surprise but a few minutes need elapse before all the men working in the fields could be under cover. One sunny morning, late in October of 1G92, as the farmers were going, by land or by boat, to their little open patches either to clear new fields or to break up the soil with their rude ploughs, the fair young daughter of Seignior Vercheres, a little maid of fourteen years, came out of the gate of the fort. Accompanied by a servant she proceeded to the landing place by the river. She was expecting a visitor. Madame Fontaine, a young French woman from Paris had lately joined her husband at the settlement ; and since her arrival Madeleine had enjoyed a few pleasant days of feminine companionship. She had invited her visitor to remain all day at the fort, of which she had charge, her father being in Quebec and her mother on a visit to Montreal. " Laviolette," she said to the serving man as they stood on the little pier, *'is that Monsieur Fontaine's boat I see coming down the river ? " ^^ Mais non, Mademoiselle ; that is one of the men going to his farm. I do not think Monsieur Fontaine will be here for some time." Scarcely had he spoken when the report of a gun in the distance arrested their attention. ''Laviolette," she exclaimed, "I wish you would go to that little hillock, and see if you can find out why that gun was fired." The man went as directed, while Madeleine anxiously awaited his return. In a few minutes he came rushing down the slope, crying out, "Run Mademoiselle ! the Iroquois ! the Iroquois ! " Turning round, she saw some fifty of the dreaded foe not many yards off. Offering up a hurried prayer she fled to the fort. As ^ 58 STORIES FROM CANADIAN HISTORY. soon US sho was within hearing distance, she bravely began to cry out "aux amies ! aux armes ! " But the inmates were paralysed with fear, and did not heed her cries. On reaching the gate, she met two women, loudly lamenting their husbands who had just been killed ; and Madeleine, knowing that they too would be slain if they remained outside, promptly ordered them in, and closed the gate against the advancing foe. With the experience gained from her brave father and heroic mother, she at once took command, and hastened to the defence. On examining the walls, she found some of the palisades thrown down, leaving spaces through which the enemy could make an easy entrance. She at once ordered them to be set up again with all haste, helping the men to carry them int() position herself. Having filled up the breaches, she hurried to the block-house, where the ammunition and arms were kept, and found the only two soldiers in the place hiding, terror-stricken, from the foe. One of them, named La Bont^, was standing near the powder with a lighted match in his hand. Madeleine, seeing him, cried out, ** What are you going to do with that match. La Bont^ ? " "Light the powder and blow us all up and save us from the fiendish torture of the Iroquois ! " said the man sullenly. " You are a miserable coward ! " she cried ; and dashing the match to the ground angrily stamped out the flame. She then ordered La Bont^ and his comrade Cachet to leave the block-house and go to the defence of the fort. Inspired by her words, and awed by her dauntless bearing, they at once obeyed. Throwing off her bonnet she put on a hat, and taking a gun, said to her two little brothers — Louis, a boy of twelve, and Alexander, a little fellow of ten — " Let us fight to the death. We are fighting for our country and our religion ! Remember that our father has taught you that gentlemen are born to shed their blood for the service of God and the King ! " With these words the three young warriors went to join the other defenders of Ihe fort. The Iroquois were standing at some distance, parleying as to what it would be best to do. They did not know that the fort con- tained but two soldiers, a serving man, two boys, an old man of eighty, and a number of women and children ; and that the commandant was a girl of fourteen. Had they known they HBKOINB OF CASTLB DANOEKOUH. 69 would certainly have ruHhed upun it and made uhurt wurk uf the iniiiutes. Madeleine, knowing that many laborers were in the surroundihg fields and forest, ordered the only cannon of the fort to be fired to warn ^-hem of the danger. When the Irociuois heard the report of the cannon, and saw the ground torn up by the shower of bullets that fell near them, they gave up the idea of taking the strong-hold by assault, but determined to try to take it by stealth. Very soon a canoe was seen approaching the landing place, which, on closer observation, proved to be tliut of the Fonbiino family. The wann-hearted girl was filled with alarm as she »iw them approaching. If the Iroquois were to observe them they would fall an easy prey. She tried to devise some way of saving them. At last she deter- mined to send some one out to warn them, thinking that the Iro- quois, seeing anyone boldly leave the gate, would imagine it a ruse to beguile them within range of the muskets, and especially of the much-dreaded cannon, and would not come to the attack. She tried to persuade La Bont^ and Gachet to go to the river ; but they feared the scalping knives of the Iroquois too much to undertake such a task, and Madeleine decided to go herself. She posted her servant Laviolette at the gate, and bravely started for the river. The Iroquois were misled as she expected, and did not molest her, and she succeeded in getting the Fontaine family safely within the fort. All through the bright October day a careful watch was kept, and every time an enemy showed himself, a shot followed. An occasional yell of pain told that the fire was not altogether ineffec- tual. As the sun wjis setting a sudden change took place in the weather. A cold, piercing, north-east wind began to blow, .and dark, leaden-hued clouds covered the skies, heralding a snow storm. Very soon a blinding snow and hail storm came up, and the air grew ominously dark. Madeleine, fearing that the Iroquois would try to iter the fort under the cover of darkness, prepared with a veteran's •resight to post her sentries. She Jissombled her little company of ax — the two soldiers, Pierre Fontaine, the old man of eighty, and her two brothers — and earnestly addressed t'tc?n in the encouraging words : " Gcd has saved us to-day from the hands of our enemies, but we rmst take care not to fall into their snares to-night. As for 60 STORIES FROM CANADIAN HISTORY. me, I want you to see that T am not afraid. I will take charge of the fort, with an old man of eighty, and another who never fired a glin ; and you, Pierre Fontaine, with La Bont^ and Gachet, will go to the block-house with our women and children, because that is the strongest place. And," she continued, with a look of determination brightening her young face, '*if I am taken, don't surrender, even if I am cut to pieces and burned before your eyes ! Tlie enemy cannot hurt you in the block -house if you make the least show of fight." After listening to her inspiring words the three men went to the block-house ; and Madeleine, with her two manly young brothers and the old man, took up positions on the bastions. Every few minutes the words "all's well ! " were passed from fort to block- house. As soon as darkness came on the Iroquois called a council and began planning a night attsick on tha palisades. In the middle of their consultations the cry " .all's well ! " was carried to their ears. So often and regularly was this cry repeated, that they began to imagine the fort full of watchful soldiers, and had not courage enough to try to enter it. For a week the siege continued ; and during that time Madeleine took but hasty meals, and, like the brave little warrior she was, contented herself with brief naps at a table, pillowing her he^d on her arms folded over her gun, so as to be ready for action on the shortest notice. Her two young brothers emulated her in all things, and never once faltered or displayed signs of fear. The Iroquois now and then showed themselves, but never found the French im- watchful, and a hastily discharged musket warned them to keep carefully under cover. But the urgently needed succor was already on its way. A few of the laborers in the fields had managed to escape the foe, and carried to Montreal the sad news of the massacre, and of the weak state of Seigniory Vercheres. The Governor, Monsieur de Callieres, despatched Lieutenant de la Monnerie with forty men to the scene of conflict. On the seventh day of the siege, about one in the morning, the boy Alexander heard voices and a splashing of paddles on the river, and promptly cried out " Qidvive!^' Madeleine, on hearing the cry, rose from the table at which she was taking a short sleep, and went to the bastion. Her brother told her he had heard THE EXILE OP THE ACADIANS. 61 what he thought to be voices speaking their language. Made- leine, hearing the voices, cried out, '* Who are you ? " and the glad news was carried to her ears, " We are Frenchmen ; it is La Mon- nerie who comes to bring you help." Madeleine, after posting a sentry, opened the gates and went down to the river to meet her countrymen. On seeir g Monsieur de la Monnerie she saluted him with the dignity of a soldier, and said : "Monsieur, I surrender to you my arms." The gallant La Monnerie smiling replied, *' Mademoiselle, they are in good hands ! " Enter- ing the fort he examined it and found everything in good ordpr. The Iroquois, who now learned of the reinforcement, saw that they had no chance against this strong force and hurriedly made preparations for departure, taking with them about twenty prisoners. La Monnerie sent an elaborate report of Madeleine's heroism to the Governor of Montreal and to her father, who was on duty at Quebec. Monsieur de Vercheres obtained leave of absence, and joining his wife in Montreal, they returned to their home to rejoice over their two brave little sons and their lion-hearted young daughter. CHAPTER XII. THE EXILE OF THE ACADIANS. *' It waa decided to remove the Acadians from their homes.' paffe 392. High Schvol Ilistory, In the year 1710 General Nicholson compelled Subercase, Gover- nor of Acfidia, to surrender Port Royal to the British. He changed the name of the place to AnnapolLs, in lujuor of Queen Anne, and never again did the French flag float over the Acadian capital. This conquest was final, but peace did not follow. The English felt that Annapolis was not strong enough to over- awe the French population, should a general rising occur. To remedy this weakness they resolved to estublisli anotlier stronghold on Chebucto Bay. In 1749 Edward Cornwallis sailed up the bay with a fleet carrying two thousand five hundred settlers, and soon 62 STORIES PROM CANADIAN HISTORY. the foundation of the present city of Halifax was laid. The Aca- dians hated the new settlement, and hovered about the outskirts, applying the torch to some of tlie newly erected houses, and killing any unwary settlers who strayed into the woods. Abbe Le Loutre, who had come to Acadia as a missionary to the Indians, did all he could to embroil the Acadians with their new masters. He feared lest long familiarity with the English might make them at length willing to submit to the rule of the hated in- truders, and endeavored to persuade them to leave the peninsula. Not a few were led, either by force or persuasion, to leave their farms and seek new abodes on He St. Jean, Cape Breton, or in the woods of New Brunswick. This was, perhaps, a more cruel exile than the wholesale one which shortly followed, for the poor French had no heart to begin life over again: in a strange land. Le Loutre in doing tins work was merely acting as a zealous servant for his masters, La Jonquiere and Louis the Fifteenth. The first two governors of Nova Scotia — Cornwallis and his suc- cessor Hobson — were warm-hearted, sympathetic men ; both real- ized the position of the poor Acadians, and tried to make them contented and loyal subjects. They gave them assistance in loans ; they left them in peaceful possession of their farms, and they did not ask them to fight with the English against their own countrymen. The first great breach between the English and the Acadians occurred at the Isthmus of Chignecto, which Avas supposed to be the boundary between the French and the English possessions. The French had encamped on a little hill called Beau Sejour, to the north of a small stream on the boundary, with a strong force under two officers, Boishebert and La Corne. On the south side of the stream lay the quiet hamlet of Beau Bassin, with its numerous and thrifty villagers. The French officers encouraged and aided the peaceful farmers to leave their homes on the English side and come over to the French territory, and the ever vigilant Le Loutre greatly exerted hims^4f in helping on this emigration. Besides this, these simple people were easily led to keep up petty attacks on the English in concert with their Indian allies. Cornwallis saw that the only way to put an end to this annoyance was to occupy Beau Bassin with a strong force, and to erect a fort to counteract the effect of the troops at Beau T^IE EXILE OF THE ACADIANS. 63 Sejour. He, therefore, in the spring of 1750 sent Major Lawrence with four liundred men to take possession of Beau Bassin. When Lawrence arrived, he sent his troops ashore, but as La Come came out to give him battle with a force twice liis number, he quickly re- embarked. In September he returned with a nmch larfjer force, and taking possession of Beau Bassin, erected a palisaded fort, naming it after himself — Fort Ljiwrence. For the next five years the colony was in a troubled and excited state. The Acadians longed to come back to their deserted farms, and would have been gladly welcomed by both Cornwallis and Hob- son, but all their eflForts were thwarted by Le Loutre. The next governor of Nova Scotia was a man of a very different character from the two first. Governor Liiwrence was much sterner than either of his kindly predecessors. When he came into power Nova Scotia needed a strong, sure, and perhaps severe hand. The French ministry and Du Quesne, the Governor of Canada, were planning a general rising of the Acadians still left in the Province and an attack by the French tr()0[)8 on the British colony. Le Loutre was corresponding with Du Quesne, and to him was assigned the task of exciting the Acadians to rebellion, while Vergor, the commandant of Beau Sejour, was to bring his soldiers to their aid. Governor Lawrence, knowing that the small body of troops in Nova Scotia would stand a poor chance in case of a general uprising, determined to go vigorously to work at once and tiiko the aggressive. He wrote to Shirley, Governor of New England, tell- ing him of the intended invasion, and especially of the attiick planned on Fort Lawrence, adding that he thought it "high ti.ae to drive them [the Acadians] from the north side of the Bay of Fundy." Monckton was the bearer of Lawrence's letter, with authority to induce Shirley to raise two thousand soldiers in New England for attacking Beau S(^jour and the surrounding forts. Shirley readily agreed and commissioned John Winslow to collect the troops. After many delays, on the twenty-second of May, 1755, the vessels that were to bear the troops to the scene of conflict were ready for sea, and they arrived at their destination on the fifteenth of June. When the sun rose next morning it revealed the fleet lying ofi" Beau Sejour, to the great alarm of the commandant. He at once 64 STORIES FROM CANADIAN HISTORY. I s called in all the men fit for bearing arms, and sent messengers to rouse the other forts in his vicinity. Monckton, now in command of the force sent by Shirley, landed his men, en»imped round Fort Lawrence, and began prejiarations for the siege. Vergor held out for a fortnight, but an unexpected incident led him hastily to come to terms. One morning, while a party of officers were breakfasting in what they supposed to I^g a bomb-proof room, a shell burst in among them, killing six and wounding others. Vergor began to tremble for his life, and speedily concluded to call a truce. He ran up a white flag over the fort, much to the amazement of the besiegers, who were preparing for a long siege. A settlement was very quickly arrived at, and the British took possession of Beau Sejour, changing its name to Fort Cumber- land. Governor Lawrence strongly desired to secure the Acadians as British subjects; but it was indispensable that they should take the oath of allegiance to the English king. After Beau Sejour fell, the whole peninsula was absolutely in the hands of the British. Still the Acadians stubbornly and stupidly refused to take the oath. Lawrence saw no other course than the severe one of compelling them to lea> e the isthmus altogether. Before doing so, however, he gave them another chance. He sent for messengers to report from the people in the various hamlets. No satisfaction was received. The deputies were even insolent to the governor, who learned that the Acadians were expecting a French descent on the province, and that this was why they so obstinately resisted his commands. It was plain that even if they did take the oath they could not be trusted. The council met in Halifax to receive the deputies, and, after carefully considering the past and present conduct of the Acadians and the possibility of making them peaceful citizens, they decided that the only safe course for the colony v 's to banish them from the peninsala. Monckton, then at Beau Sejour, was informed of the decision of the Council, and ordered to make prisoners of all the adult males in and about the fort. He at once obeyed orders and summoned the men and boys to appear. About a third complied, and the re- THE EXILE OP THE ACADIANS. 65 mahider fled to the woods and eswiped the soldiers sent out to bring them in. Colonel Winslow was ordered to perform the same task at the Basin of Minas, where occurred the ssid events so pathetically pictured in Longfellow's " Evangeline." Major Handfield, in com- mand of Annapolis, had to perform the same duty in liis portion of the country. Great care was taken not to alarm the inhabitants of the Basin of Minas, and the exile from this regi(m was sudden and complete. Colonel Winslow left Monckton's Cfimp at Beau Sejour on his pain- ful mission about the middle of August. On the second of Septem- ber he issued an edict " to the people of Grand Pre, Minas Basin, River Canard, and other adjacent places, reipiiring both old and young men, as well as the lads of ten years of age, to attend at the church in Grand Pre on the fifth instant, at three o'clock in the afternoon, that we may impart what we are ordered to them." The astonished farmers hastened to finish their harvest so as to be able to take a holiday on Friday to obey the summons; and on Tliursday evening the setting sun saw scarcely any grain in the fields. On Friday, the little chapel was crowded with anxious faces, and a death-like silence reigned while Winslow announced to them the decision of the king as committed to him by Governor Lawrence : ' ' That all tlie French inhabitants of these districts be removed ; and that, through his Majesty's goodness, I am directed to allow you the liberty of carrying with you your money and as many of your household goods as you can take without overloading the vessels you go in." There were four hundred and eighteen men assembled in the church, — which was now their prison, — wlien this startling edict was announced ; and their heavy hearts could scarcely comprehend the voice that told them that they should no longer enjoy the tranquil life of their lovely valleys. They could not realise that Winslow actually intended to drive them out of Nova Scotia. They imagined that it was only a new scheme to induce them to take the oath of allegiance. Some of the old men begged permission to visit their families and tell the cause of their imprisonment. Winslow consulted with his officers, and, in order to show them as much kindness as possible, F 66 STORIES FROM CANADIAN HISTORY. they determined that twenty should each day visit their hoi&es. Messengers were sent to the friends of the prisoners, telling them of the position of their relatives and asking supplies of food. All the millers were permitted to return to their mills and keep them at work, but strict guard was maintained over the rest. About the middle of the week following their capture, ominous glances were noticed among the prisoners, and a rising was dreaded. In order to avoid any such calamity, Winslow determined that fifty of the men should be placed on board each of five transports lying a short distance from the mouth of the Gaspereau River. The prisoners misunderstood the movement and thought it a ruse to get them on board the vessels that were to bear them away at once. They refused to go. A squad of soldiers were ordered to fix bayo- nets and advance on them. On seeing the cold steel they began to waver, and when Winsltfw seized one of the foremost young men by the shoulder he trem- blingly obeyed. Slowly the whole company followed, praying, singing, and crying. The women and children, ever near the church, had heard of the intended embarkation, and as their friends marched along the dusty road to the river, they met then* weeping and praying, — mothers, sweethearts, and wives — lamenting the dear ones who they believed were being torn from them. At length the vessels the English had been awaiting arrived, and on the eighth of October the cruel exile was begun in earnest. No sadder scene could be imagined. Weeping mothers carrying their weeping children, strong sons and daughters wheeling their aged parents in carts, all lamenting the forced and cruel removal. There was now no chance of escape. They must say farewell to Acadia. Winslow felt for the inhabitants, and did all he could to make their lot as comfortable as possible under the circumstances. He did not permit any of his soldiers to ill-treat them or pillage their goods, and severely punished those who disobeyed this order. Great care was taken to embark all the members of families on board together, and not to add to the miseries of exile that of separation. On the twenty-seventh of the month, all were on board whom the transports could carry, and they put out to sea with their sorrowful cargo of human souls. This was not the end of the THE CAPTURE OF QUEBEC. 67 gloomy undertaking. Six hundred prisoners were still left behind rtt Grand Pre, and Wiuslovv coidd not depart till they were shipped to other lands. Several months elapsed in weary waiting for the needed transports, and about two days before Christmas, ' ' the last of the Frenchmen passed Cape Blomidon on the way to the land of the stranger." CHAPTER XIII. THE CAPTURE OF QUEBEC. " Quebeo surrendered, and Canada practically ceased to be a Frenrh possession." —High School HUtonj, page iiUO. In the year 1759 the British determined to make a mighty effort to get possession of the entire continent of America. Cape Breton, Acadia, and the Ohio Valley had been won. They would next attack the three remaining strongholds ; the forts at Lake Cham- plain, at Niagara, and, chief of all, Quebec. Generals Amherst and Johnson were chosen to proceed against the first two points, and General Wolfe was appointed to the almost superhuman task of storming the seemingly im[)regnable rock of Quebec. Montcalm was in command at the French capital. Fiance at this time, did not own a cooler head and braver heart than Montcalm's. England, likewise, had not a truer soldier than young Wolfe. The encounter was indeed to be a meeting of heroes, and a long and severe struggle was expected. In the spring of the year, the news reached Quebec that the English fleet was en route for the St. Lawrence. At first the in- habitants were terror-stricken, as they were not prepared to stand a long siege, but their fears were dispersed by the arrival of a fleet of eighteen sail, with supplies from France. On the twenty-first of June a portion of Wolfe's fleet arrived in the north channel of Orleans Island. Several vain attempts were made to destroy them with fire-ships and fire-rafts. Soon all the vessels passed the difficult navigation of the St. Lawrence, and anchored south of the island- Tlie next day was a busy one for the British soldiers ; boats loaded with troops plied busily between 68 STORIES FROM CANADIAN HISTORY. the ships ftiid the island until the entire iwniy was landed and drawn up on the beach. On this same day a furious gale arose and lasted for some hours. While it lasted it drove the shijjs hitlier and tliither, and in spite of the utmost vigilance, s(mie were driven ashore and others collided, causing no small damage. When the storm went down, the French again determined to try the eti'ect of the fire-sliips on the invaders. These ships had been equipped for their present work at enormous cost. To make their deadly work almost certain, they had been filled with i)itch, ttir, and other inflanunable material, besides having on board fire-arms and cannon crannued to the muzzle, together with every other conceivable explosive. Vaudreuil, the Governor, appointed Duluche, a distinguished naval officer, to the hazardijus task of guiding the fire-ships to the fleet of the foe, and firing them at the right time. Fortunately for the English, Deluche's courage failed him, c;id ho set fire to his vessel much too soon. One after another the vessels leaped into flame, and soon the whole river was as light as day. Tlie flames soon reached the explosives, and the air was filled with the clash of loud reports and the whizzing of shot and shell. However, Deluche had been so hasty in his work that no harm was done to the British vessels. Some of the fire-ships ran ashore before reaching them, and others were towed out of the way by the energetic English sailors, who rowed out and grappled them. One of the fire-ships blazed so rapidly that its captain and a number of the crew were burned before they could escape in their boats. Wolfe determined to begin active hostilities at once. He carefully considered every available point of attack, and concluded that his best move would be to take up a position on Point Levis, directly opposite Quebec. He disi)atched General Monckton tliither with his brigade, on the twenty-ninth of June, and on the next day went over himself and chose the most commanding point, from which his cannon might play upon the city. As soon as his intention was discovered, the guns of Quebec poured an iron shower upon his workmen. Many were killed, but the work of entrenchment was vigorously continued, and they soon had secured a very strong posi- tion. An attempt was made to storm their entrenchments, but without success. When all was ready, the besiegers turned their THE CAPTURE OP QUEBEC. 69 lut 3ir guns upon the city. The people fled to the country in terror. In all directions bursting shells set Are to the houses, and aniong other buildings, their revered cathedral was given to the flames. Tliis fire made the inhabitants realize that a more formidable foe than Phips was before their walls. N ear the end of July, Admiral Holmes succeeded in passing the fortress with several vessels, and took up his position above the city, where he captured several French vessels. As Wolfe had already begun an attack from the Falls of Montmorency, the French were now attacked from three points, Montmorency, Levis, and the river beneath the plateau above Quebec. Montcalm, though vigil- ant, smiled at the eff()rts of his foes. He knew his own strength, but wisely determihed to remain tm the defensive. Vaudreuil's fire-ships had been a failure, but he decided to make another similar effort. He had some seventy rafts, boats and schooners joined together and loaded with guns of all sorts, cram- med to the muzzles with grenades, bombs, and other explosive weapons. This "gi^jantic infernal machine" was cjirefuUy directed, and seemed as if it would utterly destroy the fleet. But British courage was too much for French ingenuity, and the hardy sailors galLantly manned their boats, and grapjjling the blazing raft, towed it ashore, with bursting cannon and showers of bullets falling about them. Shout ofter shout went up from their lusty throats, as one piece of the raft after another struck ground and blazed itself out. The French turned away in disgust. It was no use to try to in- timidate such men. The only thing they could do was to keep them outside of the city, and this at least seemed easy enough. Wolfe, from the commencement of the siege, had longed to meet the French, in the open field ; but Montcalm knew that his raw militia were much more serviceable behind entrenchments than they could be in a fair, hand to hand engagement ; and so would run no risks. Wolfe, on his first arrival in the country, had anxiously looked to the heights above Quebec, and now he once more turned to the hope of getting up on the broad plains. On the twentieth of August great sorrow spread through the British troops. Wolfe, who had exhausted himself by ceaseless toil and thought, and who was to be seen everywhere strengthening the weak and encouraging the strong by his hopeful spirit, was seized ■^ 70 STORIES FROM CANADIAN HISTORY. witli illness so sevoro that ho was confined to his bed, and lay rest- lessly tossing with fever in a fannhouHe at Montmorency. Ho recovered, however, about the end of the month ; so far, at least, aH to be able to devise another plan of atttick. On the last day of August, he was able to leave the ho' se for the first time since his illness, and his i)resence greatly raisetl the spirits of the army. Ho had not much hope of success, but he was determined that they should not have it to say in England that he had not done his duty. His first task was to concentrate his forces along the upper bank of the river. He sent up to join Admiral Htdmes all the ships he could 8i)are from his fleet behjw Quebec. Seeing that his men at Montmorency were of no practical use, he at once decided on evacuating his position there. Montcalm, ob- serving this move, sent a force to harass the retreating British troops. But Monckton, who had been viewing the operation from Point Levis, disi)atched a considerable force to attack Montcalm in front, compelling him to recall his men ; and the English were thus enabled to retire without loss. This work had been too much for the heroic Wolfe, and on the fourth of September he was again prostrated on a bed of sickness. This unfortunate event affected every man in the army. Wolfe, however, had a will capable of crushing down pain, and overcoming bodily weakness ; and on the following day was once more among his men, haggard and worn, but as energetic as ever. He at once began to h^ok for a sailing place. Every cove, bay, and rock was eagerly scanned with the telescope, and he at length fixed upon a place where he thought it possible to scramble up. It was evidently a weak spot in the cliff', for the white tents of a guard could be seen gleaming in the September sunshine. This was the Anse du Foulon, perhaps the weakest point anywhere about Quebec. The French expected that Wolfe would not leave without trying this point. A strong guard was tlierefore posted for its protection, under com- mand of Captain de Vergor of the colony troops. Besides this guard, the battalion of Guienne was within hailing distance, and the batteries on the headland of Samos, and on the heights of Sillery, could work havoc on any approaching boats. On the twelfth of the month, Wolfe issued his last general orders. He felt that at length the time had come to strike, and the sooner a THE CAPTURE OP QUEBEC, 71 battle was fought the better. He was confident of success, and his hopeful spirit inspired both officers and men. They were ready to follow him anywhere, and knew that if they could but once meet the enemy in battle the siege would be as good as finished. He had but eight thousand four hundred men that he could land, and the enemy numbered double as many. The first task was to choose an advance party, to undertake the hazardous feat of scaling the cliff and surprising the guard, so as to clear the way for the troops. Among such men it was not diffi- cult to find twenty-four volunteers ready to face even death ; and Wolfe had soon mustered a party of men as brave as ever led a for- lorn hope. Seventeen hundred were to go ashore with the scaling party, to be ready to follow them to the heights in case of success. On this same day French deserters brought in the welcome news that during the night supplies were to pass down to Montcalm's camp under cover of the darkness. Wolfe at once thought that his boats might seize the opportunity of going down in advance of them, deceive the sentinels along the river, and gain the Anse du Foulon without opposition. He had some fear that Montcalm might suspect his intention, and so might be in force on the Plains to oppose his landing. To avoid this, Admiral Saunders, who was in command of the fleet in the Basin of Quebec, was to storm Montcalm's position, while he led the attack above the city. At nightfall, Saunders be- gan a fierce fire on the entrenchments and sent off boats loaded with men to pretend a landing. Montcalm was completely deceived, and as the battle grew hot and vigorous, he called his troops to- gether to resist what he supposed to be a concentrated attack. While Saunders was doing such effective work on Montcalm's entrenchments, Wolfe was patiently awaiting the ebb of the tide. At two o'clock in the morning two lanterns were raised in the main- top of his vessel. This was the signal for work, and the boats at once began to float towards their destination. Wolfe was in one of the foremost boats, and while he was being rowed ashore he recited the celebrated poem — Gray's " Elegy in a Country Churchyard " — saying as he finished, "Gentlemen, I would rather have written those lines than take Quebec." As they neared the shore a French sentinel seeing the boats cried out "Qui vive!" "France!" was the reply of a H^hland officer ^ 72 BTOKIES FIIOM CANADIAN HISTORY. familiar with tho French hinguago. Aftor a few words more the troopH paBsud on unniolustud. Thuy weru again challenged at tho headland of Sanum, but this, too, they passed in safety, by replying to the sentinel, "Provision boats ! Don't make a noise ; the English will hear uh 1 " In a few minutes after jmHsing this point they landed at the Anse du Foulon, and quickly diHembarked. The volunteers at once began scaling the wooded heights, scrambling up through the rough bushes that clustered thickly on the steep bank. De Vergor was not on his guard, but had gone to bed. He relied too much on the difficulties of the ascent. The foe were upon him before he could dress. He endeavored to escape, but was shot in the heel and captured. The guard was soon overpowered, and the troops below came scrambling up after their victorious comrades. At day-break, the heights were held, not only by a large force, but also by several cannon that had been dragged up tho difficult pass. Wolfe at once looked about him for a battle ground, and soon de- cided on drawing up his troops on the rough plateau known as the " Plains of Abraham." Meantime, in the early September morning, Montcalm, in his tent, was roused by the startling news of this unforeseen landing effected by his gallant antagonist. With break-neck speed he galloped to the scene of action, and to his amazement found the Plains occupied by a strong force. For the first time since tho commencement of the siege he seems to have lost his head and acted rashly, and to have begun the engagement with undue preci- pitation. He hoped that Vaudreuil would join him with a strong force, but in this he was disappointed. He would not wait. His men were eager for action, and with them he went at once to meet tlie foe. His thrilling voice urged on his excited troops to the charge for the honor of France, and on his spirited black steed he galloped from point to point, brandishing his sword and urging his men to their arduous and perilous task. The English troops waited steadily the charge of the foe, holding their ground with admirable steadiness, notwithstanding the haras- sing fire of skirmishing parties. Wolfe went from company to company, cheering his men by word and deed. At ten in the morn- ing he saw that the moment had come for the decisive blow. The FrencU assembled on a ridge in front of him, and collected FOKT &IlClliLLIMACKINAC. 73 their strength for the finul dmrge. In ii fow nioments the wliolo force WiiH in motion, Montcnkn, on liis hiack cliurgor, leading the way. Volley after volley poureil from tluiir ranks aH they rimhed on the steady philanx of the foe. Not an En^liHhman moved from his post, save where one fell and a comrade took the vacant place. When the enemy was within forty paces, the command "Fire"! rang out, and as one man the whole h«)dy poured a leaden hail into the advancing ranks. A sectmd almoHt instantly followed which made the French troops pause and waver in their advance. A third volley changed the advance into a retreat. The British troops were then ordered to "charge''! and with a true British cheer they drove the scattered enemy in full flight towards Quebec. Montcalm received a shot through the body, in the retreat, but succeeded in reaching the city, where he died a hero's death. Wolfe had been three times wounded. The last time a charge lodged in his breast, and he fell, to rise no more. He was carried to the rear, where, in reply to his eager "Who run?" the glad news reached his dying ears, "The French!" A happy pmile l>assed over his face. But even at that moment his own duty was not forgotten. "Go, one of you, to Colonel Burton," he said, "and tell him to march Webb's regiment down to the Charles River, to cut off their retreat from the bridge ! " Then, as he felt that his work was done, and done well, he turned on his side, with the words, "Now, God be praised, I die in peace ! " CHAPTER XIV. THE STORV OP FORT MICHILLIMACKINAC. "A famous Indian chief Pontiac, stirred up the Indian warriors to seize the nide forts in the Weat recently handed over hy the French to the British." — High School History, par/e S/J. Although Quebec fell in September, 1759, Canada was not handed over to the British till the following year. De L^vis succeeded Montcalm as commander of the forces, and with ten tliousivnd men made a giant effort to retake the Gibralter of America. Murray, who succeeded Wolfe, struggled nobly against a force vastly greater m 74 STORIES FROM CANADIAN HISTORY. than his own, until aid came from Britain, and De L^vis was com- pelled to retreat to Montreal, where he and the governor of Canada, Vaudreuil, made a final stand. But it was of short duration, General Murray, with all the strength he could collect, followed De Levis up the St. Lawrence ; Colonel Haviland, with three thousand men, hastened from '^rown Point against the fated city ; and General Amherst, with ten thou- sand soldiers und a number of Indian allies, advanced from Albany. The ,0 three armies reached Montreal almost simultaneously, and on the 8th Sept., 1760, sixteen thousand men began the siege of the city. Vaudreuil saw how useless it would be to hold out, and wisely capitulated, surrendering the whole < if Canada to the British ; and soon the flag of England was raised on every fort in the West, from Montreal to Michillimackinac. The Indians, with the exception of the Iroquois, had ever shown more love to the French than to the English, and had great faith in the power of France. Thev could not understand this change t)f rulers, and did not take ki-.dly to it. As one of them expressed it, they believed, "The King of France is old and infirm; and that, being fatigued with making war upon your nation, he is fallen asleep. During his sleep you have taken advantage of him, and possessed yourselves of Canada. But his nap i:^ almost at an end. I think I heir him already stirring, and inquiring for his children, the Indians ; and when he does awake, what must become of you ? He will destroy you utterly. Our father, the King of France, em- ployed our young men to make war upon your nation. In this warfare many of them have been killed ; and it is oar custom to retaliate until such time as the spirit? of the slain are satisfied." Chief among the red men at this time was the fa nous warrior Pontiac, a savage of marvellous intelligence, strength ot will, and diplomacy. He had an overwhelming ambition to rule over the forest tribes as a monarch, and would not at firat brook England's interference in the West. At last, however, thniking it might add to his own power, he consented to become their ally. But the English soldiers and traders were very unlike their French predeces- sors in their attitude towards the Indians. Where the French had fraternised with them, adopting their manners and dress, the British kept aloof, and treated them with scorn and too often insult. FORT MICHILLIMACKINAC. 76 fior uid the kl's Ud bhe tes- ich the lit. For a time they endured it sullenly, hut suddenly the smouldering volcano of vnath burst forth, and the whole West was overnui with war-parties. Pontiac took the lead ; and by his strong personality and diplomacy succeeded in uniting the tribes of the Upper Ljikes, of the Ohio Valley, of Virginia, of Maryland, and of Pennsylvania, into one confederacy. He determined to strike the first blow against the British in person, and as Detroit was the strongest position in the West, in May, 1763, with a horde of savage warriors, he began the siege of this fort. Pk)t after plot was tried without success, and for fifteen months a siege unparalleled in the history of Indian warfare con- tinued, and was only raised when General Bradstreet, with a force of twelve hundred men, came to the rescue of the garrison. Before beginning his attack ou Detroit, Pontiac had sent mes- sengers to all the tribes in the confederacy to be ready to aid him. To his western brethern he sent the war-belt of black and purple wampum, and at a meeting of the Ojibwas and Ottawab, the red war hatchet, which Pontiac's messengers flung at their feet, was taken up, and a^ agreed to enter into the fight against the English. At this time the British were far from being stnmg in the West. They had there three forts in all, Sault Ste. Marie, Michillimackinac, and (Jreen Bay. But Sault Ste. Marie had been partially destroyed by fire in the previous winter and had been disbanded. At Green Bay there were but seventeen men under Lieutenant Gorell,and Vne to take account of the " foul play," and if a warrior was not able to "body- check" an opponent he had little hesitation in knocking him down, with either his fist or his stick. Backward and forward sped the ball ; now the Sac goal was in danger, and again the Ojibwas des- paired of the victory. At length the play became centered in the middle of the field; contest followed contest at close (juarters ; tripping, slashing, striking, occurred on all sides. Suddenly an Indian, seemingly more figile than the others, got the ball on his stick, eluded his opponents, and, turning rapidly, threw it far out of the field of play. It fell close to the gate, and the spectators, admiring the strength of the throw, forgf)t to notice the strange movement of the players. This was a part of the plot. The whole field made a wild rush for i\ie ball, even the goal-keepers leaving their posts to start in pursuit. In a moment they were among the spectators, and the yells that had been urging on tlu; game were suddenly changed for their ai)palling war-whoops. The squaws hatl hatchets concealed be- 78 STORIES FROM CANADIAN HISTORY. neath their blankets, and the warriors, seizing these weapons, rushed madly on the unjjrepared garrison. Captain Etherington and Lieutenant Leslie, who had been betting on the results of the game, were rudely seized, bound, and hurried to the woods. While some of the Indians turned their attention to the soldiers without the fort, others rushed through the open gates and slew or captured every Englishman they could find. The attack was over in a moment, and the strongest point west of Detroit was in the hands of a howling mob of merciless savages. A few prisoners were reserved for, perhaps, a worse fate, but they were afterwards fortunately rescued by the Ottawas, who were jealous that the Ojibwas had not taken them into the plot. For several days the Indians caroused over their victory, and then started with their prisoners for Isle du Castor, near the mouth of Green Bay, but when they were approaching L'Arbre Croche a hundred Ottawas rushed into the lake, seized their canoes, and took their English prisoners from their hands. So jeah^us were they of the Ojibwas that^ they determined to take the British back to Michillimackinac, and so, much to the prisoners' Sur- prise, they were soon on the return journey to the scene of the late massjicre. From Michillimackinac Etherington sent a letter to Gorell at Green Bay, requesting him to come to his aid *' with all your gar- rison, and what English- tradsrs you have with you, and come with the Indians who give you this, who will conduc£ you safe to me." Gorell was an able soldier and a diplomatic commander. His rule had won the friendship of the Indians about Green Bay, and when he called upon ohem to aid him many were ready to do so. On the twenty first of June, accompanied by his soldiers and ninety warriors he started for L'Arbre Croche, where Etherington, Leslie, and eleven soldiers had finally been taken as prisoners. On the thirtieth he arrived there, and the Ottawas desired his pjirty to surrender their arms, bat Gorell presented such determined opposition to this that the Ottawas were afraid to press their wish. The only thing now left the English to consider was how to get out of the West without loss of life. Several councils wei-e held. FORT MICUILLIMACKINAC. 79 and after much difficulty, and many threats on the part of the Ojibwas, the few Englishmen left alive in this region started for Montreal by way of Lake Huron and the Ottawa, and left the en- tire upper lake country to the savage hordes, and the few French settlers who had become rooted to the soil. CHAPTER XV. THE LAST SIEGE OF QUEBEC. "The Americans uii'ted their forces under Generals Montgomery and Arnold, and advanced against the fai lous old fortress. — High School History, page 351. The American c(^)lonies had drawn the sword against the mother- land and had determined to drive the British from this continent. Washington, the commander of the forct-o, knew that while the British held Montreal and Quebec, they really held the key to this continent, and so he despatched Montgomery against Montreal and the West, and Colonel Benedict Arnold against Quebec, by the difficult route of the Kennebec and the Chaudiere. In case Arnold were unsuccessful in liis attempt, Montgomery was to join him, and the two were to make a united oifort to drive the English from the stronghold Wolfe's courage and perseverance had won. Arnold's march is one of the most remarkable in the history of war. He embarked on the Kennebec towards the latter part of September, and struggled for days against that rapid stream, then portaged his canoes across the high land to the Chaudiere, and swept down that turbulent river towards the St. Lawrence. After thirty days of severe toil, his troops found themselves reduced to the necessity of killing some dogs they had with them for food, and some even endeavored to devour the very moccasins they wore. On the fourth of November they reached a French settlement^^, where they procured food, and some of the famished soldiers ate so greedily that they died from the effect of their gluttony, and left their bones to bleach on the line of march. On the eighth. Point m 80 STOUIES FROM CANADIAN lllsTOllY. Levis was retached, and after five days delay they succeeded in cross- ing the St. Lawrence, and landed miobserved at the very spot where Wolfe had landed sixteen years before. Arnold expected that tlie huhllniDi would eagerly rush to his ])anner, but in this he was diHap[>ointed. The French had no love for the British flag, but they found their lot under it nuich easier than it had been under France and lier governors. Again, they had less love for the New Englanders : the luited Bostonnais had ever been their enemies, and so, of the two English speaking masters, they preferred the out-and-out Englishman. But Arnold and his men had come far and suffered nnich, and were eager to have their reward, so, although they had no encouragement from tlie inhabi- tants of Canada, they drew up before the walls of Quebec, and demanded an unciniditional surrender. When the citizens of Quebec saw the formidable force of the '* Continentrol " army they trembled for the safety of their city, but their engineer, Mr. James Thompson, was far from being hopeless. He had received orders from General Carleton to put (Quebec into a state of defence. Palace, Hope, find St. Louis gates, and the whole brow of Cape Diamond were fortified without loss of time. In the Lower Town all the windows facing the river were closed, loopholes alone being left for musketry. Tlie defences were done hastily, but Thompson had no doubt that they would keep out the foe, till General Carleton arrived tf) take charge of the city, and to cement the English and French within the citadel into one grand resisting force. Thompson's hopeful toss mtfiised itself among ^ho citizens, and when Arnold reijuested the- ; to open their gates, they treated his demand witli derision, climbmg on the walls and hurling' at him the opprobrious name "Horse Jockey," in reference to his having tiaded with them as a horse-dealer on former occasions. Thompson treated his demand in a more serious way, levelling at his troops a twenty- four pounder, that had the effect of showing them that they had watchful enemies within Quebec. Arnold's force had been reduced by desertion by one-third of its number, and he felt that, with his present strength, it woull bo impossible to storm the city, so he retiviated to Pointe-aux-Trembles to await the arrival of General Montgomery and his army. THE LAST SIEGE OP QUEBEC. 81 I inid the Lded ited hty Iliad Iced his he 3ral 111 the mefintiine the Britisli had been sutfering in the West. Fort St. Jolin's, Fort Chambly, and Montreal had surrendered in rapid succession, and it wjvs with difliculty that Guy Carleton escaped from M(»ntreal. When Montreal fell, Governor Carleton felt that the only hope of saving Canada from the invading forces was to hasten to Quebec at once. Captain Bouchette, a hardy Canadian, undertook to pass him through the American lin6s. On a ])itch dark night in Novem- ber, the Governor of Canada, accompanied by several trusty otHcers, began his flight in a skiff propelled by muffled paddles. Not a word was spoken ; and the commands were given by signs. Time and again they were almost discovered as they crept down the river past the watch-fires of the enemy. So near did they approach the sentinels at times, that they were compelled to stop paddling altogether, and to allow their skiff to drift as lifeless as a log down the stream. Once when in danger of drifting on the shore, they kept their skiff out in mid-stream by propelling it for nine miles with their hands. They halted at Three Rivers and went to an Tnn to rest, and the tired Governor, resting his head on his arms, fell into a much-needed slumber. But he was soon rudely awakened by the loud talking of American soldiers in an adjoining room. He despaired of escaping, but Captain Bouchette with great cleverness succeeded in passing him and his party through their midst, and without loss of time their skiff was once more on its way to Quebec. They soon met and boarded the armed brig "Fell," and before long a favorable breeze had swept them to their goal. There was great rejoicing in the city at their arrival, and the shouting and firing of joy-guns reached Arnold on his retreat to Pointe-aux- Trembles. Without delay Carleton examined the fortifications, and soon had everything in a fit state to stand a protracted siege. On the first of December General Montgomery reached Arnold's camp, and the men, impatient from their inactivity, met him with exulting shouts. They clamored to be led against Quebec at once. Montgomery acquie^^ed in their wish, and f)n the fifth of the month tht ^' were marched along the frozen roads to the city. When it was reached the American commander at once sent in a flag of trucu, >)ut Carleton wouM have no communication with rebels, and the siege commence^; in earnest. G 82 STORIES FROM CANADIAN HISTORY. The Canadian winter had set in, and although Montgomery was not prepared for a lengthy siege, he placed several guns on the far side of the St. Charles, four on Point Levis, and a strong hattery of six pieces before St. John's Gate, and began to bombard the city. In the meantime his men took possession of the country round about, and soon from every important point could be seen the crim- son, or red and black flag of the *' Continental " army. The inhabitants, particularly the French, began to think that Carleton would yet have to surrender, and not a few living outside of the city walls became sympathisers with the rebels. The suburb of St. Roch was particularly disloyql ; every house sheltered one or more of the enemy, who kept up a constant series of petty at- tacks on the city. The famous palace erected by the Intendant Bigot in this suburb offered an excellent opportunity to the foe, and they crowded its cupola with riflemen, wlio succeeded in pick- ing off several of the British sentries ; but Carleton turned a nine pounder on this pijsition, and soon the lordly palace, so famous in the history of New France, was laid in ruins. All through the month of December the siege lasted with but little injury being done to either side. Tlie Americans were be- coming disheartened, and many believed that their long and trying march had been all in vain. Their only hope lay in attempting to take the city by assault, and their general decided on adopting this course. Towards the end of the month the order was given for every man to hold himself in readiness for a night attack. A gather- ing storm was to be the signal for assembling, and eagerly the officers and men watched the heavens for the propitiov..^ sign. Several times they were called out, but the moon swept from be- hind the clouds just as the advance was about to be sounded, and all were sent to their quarters. At last, on the night of December the thirtieth, leaden clouds swept down from the north, and all felt that the decisive time had arrived. The skies grew darker and darker, and at two o'clock on the following morning Montgomery called out his men, and gave the officers their orders. Colonel Livingstone, in command of a regiment of mercenary Canadians, and Major Brown, with a part of a Boston regiment, were detailed to make a false attack on St. John's Gate, and if THE LAST SIEGE OF QUEBKC. 83 possible to set it on fire. Colonel Arnold at the head of a strong force was to march round l)y the way of the suburb of St. Uoch; while General Montgomery took upon himself the almost foolhardy task of leading a band round the base of the cliff, in face of the fact tiiat a strong guard was posted in this position. If ho and Arnold were successful, they were to luiite their forces at the foot of Mountain Hill, and the forcing of Prescott Gate, and the taking of the Upper Town would be a comparatively easy task. Shortly before daybreak they moved to the attack. Colonel Livingstone's command, for some unexplained reason, was alto- gether unsuccessful, and retreated without even attempting to carry out their orders. Some ascribe it to the depth of the snow, that made their advance impossible, while others say that the Canadian mercenaries failed the Americans at tli'' critical moment. Montgomery and his men crept si ^\iy along the St. Lawrence from Wolfe's Cove, till they reached tiie base of the cliff on which stands the modern citadel. Here, under thft frowning heights that loomed up threateningly through the piercing storm, they found the narrow passage, known as Pres-de-ville, protected by pickets, and they were compelled to halt and reconnoitre. The British had expected an attfvck from this side, and had not only protected the pass by pickets, but had erected in it a block- house in which was a battery of three guns. Here a force of about fifty men was stationed under Captain Barnsfare, a mastar of a transport. On this fateful morning the men were on the alert, and the presence of the Americans soon became known. Montgomery went forward with his carpenters to cut away the palisades, and helped pull them down with his own hands. This work completed, he and several of his officers, with great foolhardi- ness, advanced ahmg the pass towards the blockhouse. As they saw no light they took it for granted that the soldiers there were not watchful. But this was what the British had hoped for. Captain Barnsfare gave the command to fire, and Sergeant Hugh Mc- Quarters, who was in charge of the guns, sent a shower of grape- shot hurtling along the pass. At the same time the small-arms of the guard rang out with telling effect. Through the storm several men were seen to plunge forward and fall, never to rise again. They were General Montgomery, his two aides-de-camp, and a 84 STOKIKS FROM CANADIAN HISTOKY. number <»f Imive soldiorw. flis l)Dvvil,'0(k1, for the Aiiu'rican r\ttvu\ci\."-Uiijh School nixtori/, paije •UIJ. In the year 17<)0 threu of tho world's military heroes wore born, Njip(»lo(>n, VVollinj^ton, and our own Hrock. Tho last, named from liis earliest years had set his heart on a military career, and began his life's work as an ensign at tho ago of sixteen. In a little more llian seven years his noblo character and sterling intellect had advanced him to the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel of tho 40th, a regiment with which he was to bo identified till the day of his death. Ho first saw active service in Holland, Avhere, at the battle of Egmont-op-Zoe, he ac, ^ ■^^ vv^« IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 ^1^ 1^ «i Ki 155 :• Si ■" 1.1 l.'^t^ m 4 6" ► ^ /. ^J> *» 7 '/ ^-^^ Photographic Sciences Corporation 23 WIST MAIN STRUT WIBSTfR.N.Y. MStO (716) •72-4903 4f^ 86 STORIES PKOM CANADIAN HISTORY. Brock carefully examined the whole frontier, studying the country, and making preparations for the struggle that must take place. In the year after his arrival in the U[)por Provinces, Francis Gore, Lieutenant-Governor of Upper Canada, went to England, and our hero was left in entire control of the Province, being first both in civil and military affairs. On the 18th of June, 1812, the long anticipated war was declared, and seven days later Brock received word of it at Fort George. He at once saw to the defences of the entire West, visiting in per- son every importiuit point from Niagara to Detroit, The Eastern frontier, with Kingston as its chief point, was in ecjually imminent danger, and this he confided to an able officer, Major-General Shaw. The blow was not long in falling. On the 12th of July, Brigadier- General Hull marched into Canada with a strong force, and issued a proclamation threatening dire vengeance to all who dared resist his progress, and promising (leace and plenty to those who would aid him. Brock was not in the least alarmed, and replied to his arrogant threats that England was prepared, not only to defend, but to avenge, all her subjects, wheMier red or white. And the province was prepared to aid him in making good his reply. No sooner wa^; the invasion known than men from all districts rushed to his stan- dard, and he soon had more soldiers than he could supply with arms, and hundreds had to return distvppointed to their homes. Hull had not the success he expected. The Canadians held aloof from him, and he soon found himself in a foreign country with a large body of troops, and without means of providing food for them, except by ciirrying it long distances. He sent letters by Major Vail Home to the American headquarters, in which he stated his difficulties, and added fuither that his army was in a demoralized condition. Proctor was in command at Amherstburg, and hearing of Van Home's mission sent out Tecumseli, a brave Shawnee chief, to intercept him. Tecumseh was successful, ',nd captured not only a largo amount of spoil, but the very important letters that had been intrusted to Van Home. When news of this disaster reached Hull, he became alarmed for his own safety on Canadian soil, and on the 7th and 8th of August withdrew his men to Detroit, after having wasted a month. All this ime Brock * ad been busy making hurried preparations rHB 8T0RT OF BBOCK. 87 ktions at York [Toronto]. On the 6th of August all was ready, and he set out for Burlington Bay. After a severe and fatiguing journey by day and night, across a rugged country, and in boats that offered no shelter from the weather, he drew up his squadron of a little over three hundred men at Amherstburg on the night of August 13th. Here he received the correspondence Tecumseh had captured, and when he learned of the weak state of the American force, he determined to strike a quick, sure blow. Hull was at Detroit, and although the fort was a strong one, Brock hoped to take* it by a prompt assault. He sent Tecumseh with six hundred warriors across the river, and that wily Indian placed his men so as to cut off all communication with the fort. The night after the successful passage of Tecumseh's forces was a dark one, and, under cover of the darkness, the Canadian boats plied across the river. At the first grey of morning three hundred and thirty regulars and four htmdred militia, who made up in eager- ness what they lacked in experience, were drawn up at Springwell, four miles below Detroit. Brock summoned Hull to surrender. The American general took two hours to deliberate, and then sent back a refusal. Without delay the Canadians advanced ; they were confident of success, and eager for a fight. The main body while it advanced was ably supported by Tecumseh's braves on the left flank, and by a small vessel of war, the Queen Charlotte, on the right. The untried York volunteers were thrown forward as a skirmish- ing party, and so vigorously and bravely did they do their work that the Americans hurriedly abandoned a strong outpost, and retreated to the fort, leaving behind them two twenty-four pounders. Tliey brought such an exaggerated report of the numbers of the enemy, that, just when Brock had his men in readiness for an assault, Hull sent out an officer with a flag of truce, and surrendered without a struggle. Detroit was won, and with it was given up the whole of Michigan territory, a ship of war, thirty-three pieces of cannon, abundant stores, one stand of colors, a military chest, and a large body of troops. News of this victory soon spread througli Canada. Brock's name was on every lip, and all felt that the country was safe while it had such a brave and dashing commander to lead its hardy sons to battle. ■i^n»5SW !P^B»! 88 STORIES FROM CAN/DIAN HISTORY. Although viotclrious at Detroit, Brock had great misgivingn for the safety of the Niagara frontier. Brigadier-General Van Rens- selaer was stationed there with a strong force, and prompt action was, in Brock's mind, the only thing that could siive Canada at that point. But an armistice was agreed on between the foes, and Brock had to go to Niagara, and remain there, deploring the inactivity that only gave his enemies a cliance to concentrate their forces and get in supplies. But the armistice was of short duration, and early in October the two peoples were at war once more. A spy who had ventured irito the British camp brought to Van Rensselaer the false information that Brock liad left Niagara for Detroit. The American general knew the spirit of the man oppos- ing him, and hoped in his absence to take the strong position known as Queenston Heights. This spot, one of the most i)icturesque in Canada, is a noble plateau rising twc» hundred and fifty feet above the turbulent Niagara River. It is to the West what Quebec is to the East of Canada, a natural fortress that a few brave men might defend against an army. But Van Rensselaer had a strong force, and did not hesitate to attempt its capture. On the 11th of October he made an effort to cross to the Canadian shore, but utterly failed. Two days were spent in preparations, and by the 13th all was ready. Early in the morning, before the autumn sun had risen to glorify the gorgeous foliage of the maples, the thunder of cannon was heard resounding above the furious roar of the river. General Van Rensselaer, at the head of a few brave fellown was attempt ing the passtige. Two comj^anies of the 49th, and tv/o hundred soldiers of the York militia were energetically opposing them. An eighteen pounder, on a place of vantage on the cliff, swept the river with a deadly fire ; but the Americans protected their men by a strong battery of four pieces, and the first detach- ment was soon across with but little loss. Busily the boats plied, and before long thirteen hundred men were drawn up in order of battle. It was to be a fight to the death. General Van Rensselaer was no coward, and though wounded in four places, cheered his men on to the conflict. Brock was at Fort George. He had been expecting an attack, and when at daybreak he was aroused by the roar of cannon, he knew that Queenston Heights were in danger. In a few minutes THE STORY OF BROCK. 89 he was in the saddle, and galloping furiously to the Imttle-field. He did not check his horse until he reached the eighteen-pounder battery that had been placed to sweep the river, but which was now useless, since the Americans had crossed. Here he dismounted, and swept the field with a general's eye. Suddenly the rattle of musketry alx>vo him told that the enemy had gained the height, and he and his staff were compelled to desert their position. Captain Wool and a number of American soldiers had scrambled up a fisherman's path, and had won a position, one liundred and eighty feet al)ove the river. Lustily they cheered as the Canadians deserted the gun, and calmly they awaited Williams of the 49th, who came against them with one hundred men. These were com- pelled to retire with great loss, but they were joined by others, and rushed again to the battle, driving the Americans to the margin of the precipice. Their position was a trying one, and someof«the Boldien; attempted to raise a white flag, but Wool tore it down in great anger, and urged his men on to the fight. Brock was now at the head of a strong party, and ao he gallantly rushed up the height shouting "Push on the bravo Yori; volunteers," a ball struck him in the breast, and he fell. Unmindful of himself, thinking only of hir: adopted country, he begged, with his dying breath, that his death should be kept from his men. On pushed the volunteers under the command of Lieutenant- Colonel McDonnell, but this noble fellow, too, received a mortal wound, and the Canadians had to retire to await reinforcement ; but not before the Americans had lost many brave oflicers and soldiers, and so crippled were they that unless help came from the opposite shore they must either surrender or plunge into the seeth- ing torrent below. General Sheafie, in command at Fort George, was rapidly speeding to the fight with three hundred regulars, two companies of militia, and a few Indians. On his way lis was reinforced by a number of others, and about noon he reached the Heights with eight hundred men. The Americans were now encircled by a strong force, determined to avenge their fallen commander, and by the seething Niagara. Their friends offered them no assistance, and as the Canadians came to the final charge they awaited their fate like Spartans. The men ^5BB 90 STORIES PROM CANADIAK HISTORY. were commanded to hold their fire till the enemy were within forty yards. Soldiers were stationed in the rear of the troops to shoot down any man who fired before the word was given. Steadily the foe advanced, and calmly the Americans awaited thom ; when they were almost upon them a deadly, telling fire swept the hill. But there was no stopping the rush, and in a few minutes the Heights were won. Some surrendered ; the hill was strewn with dead and dying, and many brave fellows who would not yield cast themselves into the stream, and in their efforts to escape perished in the ruth- less waters. The victory was a noble one, but Oanada wept over it. Her heroic Brock waa no more, and she deemed the battle dearly bought. England, too, had recognized his worth, and on the very day of his death the guns of the Tower of London roared forth rejoicingly over his victory at Detroit, and his sovereign had made him a Knight of the Order of the Bath. Even his foes had learned to respect their brave enemy, and, on the day of his funeral, the commander of Fort Niagara hoisted his flag at half-mast, and fired minute guns, shot for shot with the Canadian mourners CHAPTER XVII. THE STORY OF TECUMSEH. "Proctor fled and left Tocutnseh and his IndiaiM to uphold the honor of Britiah Knn»."—Uigh School History, page SG5. In casting the eye back over the pages of Canadian History many noble savages are seen to stand out as actors in prominent events in our young country's life. Two strike the reader as being more closely connected with our past than the others ; and as one of them, Pontiac, the enemy of the English, has already been treated at some length in "The Story of Michillimackinac," Tecumseh, our friend, will form a fitting subject for the closing story of this book. Tecumseh was bom about the same year as Brock, and was a member of the Shawnee tribe, living in the valley of the Miami, in THE STORY OP TKCUM8BH. 91 OYiiu. Tlie Amoriciins Imil for years been encroaching on the indian lands, and frum IiIh youth Tecumaeh endeavored to put a Slop to their inioads. Before his twenty-fifth year he had several times faced tlie " long-knives," as he called the American soldiers, and had proved himself a valiant foe. In 1704 the Indians suffered a severe defeat, and were compelled to surrender a large portion of^ their territory. Tliis made Tecumseh. an even bitterer enemy to the Americans than ho already was, and with a vigor and intelli- gence not often seen in a savage he endeavored to form a league among the Indians Ut compel the white men to surrender the land already seized, and to keep them from advancing farther west. In 1804 his brother, ElskwaUwH, announced himself a prophet, and warned his rod brethren that if they wished to regain their old power they must loid the life of their fathers who inliabited this continent before the whites appeared among them ; that they must dist away their woollen gsirments, and clothe themselves in skins ; and that they must entirely give up the use of ardent spirits. The fame of this prophet soon spread through the Indian villages and a vast concourse of savages came t^j dwell near one who was lieboved not only to be sent by the Great Spirit, but who, it was held, had the |)ower of working miracles. It is difficult to tell whether Tecumseh believed in his brother's supernatural powers, but at any rate he used the belief of others to unite all in his confederacy. Tlie authorities, becoming alarmed, ordered Tecumseh and his brother to change theit homes, and they removed to the Walmsh, where the work of uniting the people went on. A brief extract from a speech delivered by Tecumseh before a large assemblage of braves will give some idea of the character of the man and his aims. ' ' Brothers, — We are friends ; wo must assist each other to bear our burdens. The bld of many of our fathers and brothers haa run like water on the ground, to ssitisfy the avarice of the white men. We, ouraelves, are thretitenud with a great evil ; nothing will pacify them but the destruction of all the red men. *' Brothers, — Wo must be united ; we must smoke the same pipe ; we must fight each others battles ; and, more than all, we must love 92 BTORIRS FkOM CANADIAN HISTORY. ye Great Spirit ; ho is for uh ; he will destroy our unemies, and make all hitt red childruii happy." In 1811 the AmericanH under General Harrison met Tecumseh's Indians at Tippecanoe in the alwence of their, chief, and utterly defeated them. Tliis defeat rankled in the hrcast of Tecc nseh, and when, in the following year, war was dechired between the United Stat«8 and Britain, he was one of the first Ut rush to the British standard, with him went an immense following, ready to fight to the death against their lifelong enemies. Tecumseh was soon to see active service. General ^ ock was unable to proceed to the scone of action at once, and so dispatched Colonel Proctor with a number of men to take a>mmand at Am- herstbnrg. Proctor, wishing to strike the enemy a blow, sent across to Brownstown — a village twenty-five miles from Detroit — a iiart of the forty-first regiment and a number of Indians under Tocmnsoh. Major Van Home was known to l>e on his way from Detroit with important jjapers, and Tucumseh and seventy of his braves lay in ambush. When the Americans reached their place of hiding the Indians suddenly sprang upon them, and in the short battle that followed the troops were completely routed. Many of them were killed, and the important disjiatches were seized by Tecumseh. In a few days Hull, in command at Detroit, sent a strong force against the foe at Brownstown, and compelled them to retreat to their own side of the river. On the 13th of August, Brock reached Amherstburg, and the Indians, learning that so brave a soldier had arrived, began firing their guns to show their joy. But powder was scarce, and Brock, anxious to save it, sent for their chief, — for whom he ever after had the greatest admiration. Tecumseh came, and after a short con- versation with Brock saw that the firing ceased. The chief made such an impression on the General and his stafl that one of the aides-de-camp. Captain Glegg, has given us a faith- ful pen-picture of him. "Tecumseh's appearance was very prepossessing; his figure light and finely proportioned ; his age I imagine to be about five and thirty ; in height, five feet nine or ten inches ; his complexion, light copper ; countenance, oval, with bright hazel eyes, beaming cheerfulness, energy, and decision. Three small silver crowns, or THE 8TOKY OF TF^CUMSEH. 93 coronetH woro 8UH}k)I1(IciI from tho lowur oirtilago of his aquilino none ; and a large Hilvur luuilullioii of Guorgu the Tliinl, which 1 huliuvu hia ancuHtor hud recuivctl from Lord DorehuHter, when (ioveniur-(toiu)ral of Ouiiada, W)&m atUichiMl to a mixud colorud WHiiiinim Hiring, tliat liung roinid his neck. llin drusH conHistud of a plain, nuat uniform, t^innud duer-Hkin jiic'kut, long trtuiHcrN of tho fuunu material, the seaniH of lM>th being covered with neatly cut fringe; a!id he had on Iuh feet leather mocuvHiuH, much ornamented with work made from the dyed quills of the porcupine." On tho following (hiy Brock cdled a council at which about one thousiind IndiauH were proHont. Brock Hpoko lovingly to the red men, and told them that their gi'eat father over the ocean had Ment him to aid them in their tight against the ''long-knives;" he finiHlied hia apeech by wiying tjiat he Hoon hoped to drive Hull from Detroit. His Hpoecli was joyfully received by the waiTiors, and with one voice they called upon TeciuuHeh as a fitting brave Ui re- ply to HO noted a leader as the Englinh general. TecuuiHch replied with Huitiible words, and cloHed an elcNiuent Kpeech by saying that all proHcnt were ready "to shed their last drop of blood in their groat father'a service." Other speeches were made by noted chiefs, and all only reiterated the words of their leader. Brock was so deeply impresHod by Tecumseh's wisdom that ho determined to take him into his confidence, and after the council was ended ho led him apart with several other chiefs, and told them of a proposed plan to attack Detroit at once. Nothing could have pleased Tecumseh better. In Detroit were the 4th U. S. Infantry, a part of the troops which had laid his village waste and slaughtered his braves at Tippecanoe. Brock asked the chief if ho could give a description of tho country about Detroit. Without a moment's hesittition Tecumseh took a piece of birch bark, sjjread it on the ground, jdacing a stone on each corner to keep it in position, and with a scalping knife sketched upon it an accurate plan of the district, locating hills, woods, rivei-s, roads, and morasses with the skill of a trained military engineer. Brock was delighted, and deemed that the beat course would be to send Tecumseh and his warriors across the river to take up a position in the woods before sending over his regulars And militia. After the capture of the fort, Brock feared that the 94 8T0HIB8 PROM CANADIAN HISTORY. Indians might fall upon the Amoricann and (daughter them, but to a hint of the kind TecuniHuh replied, with great haughtiness, '* I despise them too much to meddle with them." All through the war he seemed to have not only a restraining hand uikui his own toma- hawk and scalping knife, but to have been able to hold in check his fellow-warriors when prisoners fell into their hands. The British leader was so pleased with the conduct of the brave Shawnee at the capture of Detrtiit that ho took off his silken Bcarf, and wound it round the Ixnly of his red friend. On the following day Tecumseh was seen without it. Brock wondered at this, as the chief had expresHed, in his stoictU way, great pleasure at the honor his general conferred on him, — and on impiiring learned that he had given it to Round-head, a Wyandot chief, who, he claimed, wiis an elder and abler warrior than himself. All through this year he fought bravely, and when Brock fell at Queenston, he had no sinc^rer mourner than the chief, who had learned to love him as a worthy brother warrior. After the general's death, he lost something «>f the enthusiiistic hope he had had in the British arms, but he still fought on, never once playing the cowartl's part ; and when the war was waged with increased vigour in 1813, no hero stands tnit more pixnninently than this noble red man. In this year the British met with severe reverses, and Proctor, in command at Detroit, was comijelled to desert that stronghold and fall back upon Canadian soil. Tecumseh was with him, and with a heavy heart joined in tlie flight till an Indian village, known as Moraviantown, w>is reached. Here they received intelligence that the enemy was rapidly coming down u{)on them. Proctor had retretited hastily and with great lack of forethought. The very bridges he crossoil were left standing, and his woni-out tr(K)i>s were no match on the march for the lightly-armed Kentucky riflemen that Kerved under General Harrison. The Americans greatly outnuml)ered the Canadians, but Proctor determined to make a stand on the banks of the Thames, and give them battle. His men were drawn up in a favorable position ; on the left flank was the Thames, on the right an impassable cedar swamp. From the river to the swamp the distance was in all about five hundred yards, and hi the centre of this space Proctor planted THB 8TOKT OF TBCUM8BH. 90 the only gun — a ■ix-fiounder — that he had managed to bring with him. Tecumseli and his warriors were posted in the swamp, where the mounted infantry of the Americans could not advance, and whore their trusty rifles might work havoc among the foe. When all was ready, Tocumaeh took leave of Proctor with the encouraging words ** Father! have a big heart!" and joined his warriors to await the signal to begin the fight, which was to be the firing of the gun. Never did the warrior present a more heroic picture. His every movement bespoke the soldier, and as he joined his braves all eyes looked trustingly to the commander who had for two years led them through HO many hanl fought fights. This day was an important one for him, ^nd while the British ofiicers donned their uniforms bedecked with gold and silver lace he rolled his handkerchief in the form of a turlmn, and as a mark of his rank stuck in it a white ostrich feather that ntxlded royally in the breeze as he passed along the British line. Proctor Hoems to have acted with great negligence. He awaited the foe without making an effort to entrench or protect his men by barricades. There were abundant trees about him, and the two hours that elapsed before the battle would have given his troops ample time to erect a protecting barrier. Stealthily the enemy advanced, sheltering themselves by the trees growing along the river bank, till almost on the Brituih line ; and then charged with great dash. They were met by a bold resistance, but the British, outnumbered, and exhausted by their trying march, gave way before the im})etuous charge, and the gun was suon in the hands of the Americans. Proctor saw that all was lost, and left the field in headlong flight, nor did he stop till he was safe at Burlington Heights. While the right division of the foe had been sweeping everything in the open before them, the loft division under Colonel Johnson were meeting worthy foes in the swamp. They saw that the only hope of success was to draw the Indians from their strong position and twenty brave fellows under their Colonel advanced into the very "jaws of death." Johnson alone lived to return to his sol- diers. Tecumseh and his braves, overjoyed at this first success, rushed boldly to the battle and fought with dauntless courage. wr-r M ■»«■ MM «uiiAi.i4« mmon. to four pl*«^ .m, „ h, «d.dThto JSTT^S'" ""'»''«> l^»n.»h d«h«j though hi fJlowl.^ ^^ '•" "' ^^. him dotru with hi, tonuLwk T^T" ^ """••"'wd to strike t •«tco..p.u«, to ^^'-^'-.J^'"' '»"«!" ™ •'--•'y. but w.„ o» their foefc "' '"'•"*•«"'"> AeM »m in the hand. Thi», hoirerer, mg not the ami «f ti. - the bloody «.d ™ele., BtrZhZ^tJ^ "'^ '■" •»""•" y"" of Ghent g»Te p»«» to thi. „ .• ^ **• '"^ "°* *"' "'» Treaty to build % uT^V^^Tr "7 ^ '"""'^ '«« "^ .^oHeeiniteh^^^STc^rtoTel:!:;:.'^' "''' "»' XBB lin>. Ma^ll 1893 (83) DATE DUE DATE DE RETOUR . .-t ryiic 2^-^-9/ ! 1 i 1 1 1 1 1 f f LOWI -MARTIN No. 1 1 37 1 f *■