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For a part of the history of this later sts^ of his adventures, we are still dependent on the veracity of our Author ; but for other, and by far the most important parts, we are able to rely pn testimony altogether distinct and iqdependent. At page 73, below, Mr. Bates pro- duces a writtep document^ copies of which may be seen on the fil^s of every newspaper printed in the United St{^tes. The Navratiiw is that of H young man;, said to bo a nalive ot EnglaMl*> eomnutting a vaiiety of * Hit name appears to be Moon, and his birth-place Br^ht- belnutone. He pretends to have rehitions in Liverpool, £ic.8ce. JMREFACa frfifiicb and loM^riet, first m N«w BrmMwiGk, ani next in tb« Ufnited StAtts ; exfWttng bimself, in dw former, to the punishment of death, but pardoned, sMtftrod^ and auccoiured; and, at liEut, Mceiving 8»ntAnce of imprisoonent for a short term of ycnn^ upon conviction of an inferior crime, in. the Umtedl States. He was. first tried for, and convicted^ o£ hoirse-stealing, and, at kst, pnniabed for bonier robbery. The artifices^ the inpostnres, ai^, ahoTa al],. the extraordinary share of talent^ ander me^ cbavical and other aspects^ fay which the crookadb Cjonrsq of this iwserahlc 'vagrant is ^atingalriicdy cQiittiUil« the ohitf motiv-^ af^er, within the limits of an honest course of life, • and directing to the exercise of an honourable in- dustry, the> individual concerned, who, at the end' of a short space of time, is to be turned loose again' upon the public ;•— but this, or these, considerations, ' though the most obvious, are, perhaps, the least important of the whole. It is of value to know, upon every subject, all that the human powers can perform. If we look at the mechanical ingenuity — the skilful employment of the hands — and the extra- ordinary aptness in providing tools, and discover- ing materials and resourcies, attributed, in these pages, to the subject of them, (and more or less of which, it is impossible not to give credit to,) we shall see, in these things, a rational object of emu- lation, and be strongly impressed with the senti- ment, which we find in the mouth of the adventurer himself,—* That a man knows not what he can do, till he tries.* it J: PREFACE. fX .' If we are struck with any" sen^e of admiration at the talent displayed by the perverse individoal be- fore U8, we shall be led to lament, that- so much ability shoald be mis-directed, and employed only to lead the possessor to misfortune, and an igno- minious punishment, or to extiicate him from dangers to' which' vice only has exposed him. fj' If we look at the toils, sufferings, and disap- pointments of Henry Frederic Moon—at the in^^ gehuity called into action for his safety, for no pur- pose but that of relieving him from the conse- quences of' his crimes, we cannot fail ta repeat, within ourselves, the observation — How much easier it is, to be an honest man than a rogue ! If we contemplate the reward of all the machi- nations which are exhibited, how much shall we not be struck with the reflection — ^that knavery^ after all, is but a poor trade ! — and, that with a most moderate comparative share of talent, an honest man may succeed better than Henry Frederic Moon! What was the amount of all his gains, when most successful? and to what has he not, from time to time, been reduced, upon the failure of so many wily schemes ? The moral utility, therefore, of the example held out to us in these pages, is general, since item- braces a practical and lively example of the great ^m PREFACB. m traih'^thai hxmett^ k the best jH>ficf«Hei tnith vfhich the ignorant, the diiappointed, and th« knavitb, are frequently dispoMd to call in question. The gains of roguery are too commonly magnified, and its failures and sufierings too much kept out of light. Bat the utility, of the example to which we af« looking, does not terminate here. Henry Frederic Moon is a model to be copied under some views, as it is one to be avoided under others. Talent is nea«- tral as it respects morality ; it may be applied either to good or to bad purposes. Men can never possess nor exercise too much talent, too much ingenuity; nor employ it too innocently, nor too usefully. The sum of all is, as laid down in the Gospel, for men to be wise as serpents^ and harmless as doves. This is advanced here, because certain readers, (it is to be apprehended,) will hastily imagine, that there is a possible mischief in the bringing into view sooM of the means resorted to by Henry Frederic MooB. Such a conclusion would be erroneous. Eipety thing, that human skill can accomplish, dioold not only^ be known, but as universally dif- fosod as possible; bat, when known, it should be ap]dicd oftly to good purposes. Talent is, in itself, neither honesty nor rognery; bot talent should only be employed in honesty. - Not is it not only in matters of handieralil^ but in the conduct of USe, amd govemtnent of the mintf^ if i P together with an activity and enterprize the mo^t vigorous, at the moment when exertion promises to be useful. None, it would seem, so meek — non« so tranquil and unresisting, under the pressure of circumstances, and so long as the pressure is irresistible ; and none so ready to take advantage of the moment, when 'the pressure has lost itis . strength, and resistance promises to be successful. How many men, of an opposite character, mia themselves by impatience and violence, at times Tvhen no effort of theirs can alter their situation ;• and by supineness when the instant arrives in which fortune offers them their deliverance ! They buffet the tide while it runs against them, and are spient and asleep when the stream wonld carry them to their haven. There is one particular, in the succeeding history, which shall be made the subject of a single and se- parate remark. It appears, that Moon asserts, that the practice of his system of imposition was com- menced in England itself, before bis departure for the Colonies ; and that although still young, he has Il . \ Hi I hf'v I If ujii, if' ' ! ! PREFACiE. V formerly figured, and been followed, as a Methodist preacher, *' in Brighton, Northampton, Sonth- ampton, and London*." The simple assertions, of snch a person as this in question, wonld be bat nn- satisfactory evidence ; but many facts betray them- selves, in the Narrative, of a nature to gain our be- lief to the representation thus liiade. We find Moon abundantly capable of preaching and sing- ing, and intimately acquainted with the Bible* Now, on the probability of his having filled the office of a preacher to Methodist congregations, it shall only be observed, that the circumstances under which preachers of that description are re- ceived, necessarily expose the flocks to imposi- .tions of the kind before us. As no previous and originai education for the ministry is required in such persons — as no rank, name, nor condition in so- ciety is looked for— and as even previous demerit and unsoundness of life, constitute, in those individuals, claims to peculiar favour, and array them, by pre- sumed repentance, in more than ordinary sanctity •«-it must follow, not only, that in the number of Methodist preachers, there will be those whose former life can cast, in a worldly view, no credit upon their 'persuasion, but those whose entrance upon the ministry is itself a new item in the cata- logue of their ofFences-^a new fraud upon their fel- low-creatures, and a new contrivance to live by im- posture — and those also, whose subsequent career, i' . ) ■ * See below, paje Co. ^-iF PREFACE, i^ when new projects present themselves, will be knarked by further vice and ignominy. All this is a necessary consequence, and neither can be denied, nor ought to be exaggerated. -xMnn a;i ^ There is still another circumstance connected with the foregoing, and which may be worth ah ob- servation. We shall see, in the history of Moon, the use which that impostor has made of the ex** terior of I'eligion, and the facility with which he applies texts of Scripture to all his purposes. Per^* haps, these facts may suggest to some minds, and strengthen the belief in others, that there is some- thing of mor€ importance to society, than the in- discriminate distribution of the Scriptures— than the scattering of Bibles, am qng the multitude; and that that something is, the careful instillation of t known and moral system of religion-^-~in a word> an education that shall teach the use of the Bible, In preparing the pages that follow, for the pem^ sal of the English public, the Editor was at Brst tempted to make some alterations in the style of writing, and provincial phraseol'jgy, of the Autborl But this task, on the one hand, he soon found, would be endless ; and, beside, he doubted whether hs exe- cution would not rather diminish, than increase,, the gratification of the reader. The sense of some^ passages would, perhaps, have been more readily apprehended^ if the alterations had been made ; but ba i' ir 11 ^ .1 ||. m PREFACE. V. the stamp of originality, and with it, in great mea- sure, the pledge of veracity, would have been.lost. The Narrative, as it is now printed, affords, in its manner, an amusing specimen of the English language, as it is ordinarily spoken and written on the eastern coast of America, together with some striking indications of the state of local society and manners. As to the language merely, the terms and phraseology are what are usually termed Yankee — a mixture, first, of words properly provincial or peculiar — and se- condly, of forms of speech that are merely illiterate, and that are spoken and written, though rarely printed, among ourselves. The Author has per- formed a useful and respectable task in what relates to the substance of his work ; and it is to be trUvSted that his good sense will lead him to view in its pro- per light, the freedom of these remarks upon what is no more than the surface, t ':sT The impostures practised by Henry Frederic Moon will irresistibly remind the reader of those of Caraboo, the late female adventurer at Bristol ; and hence, though there is mucn dissimilitude on the one side, as well as resemblance on the other, the two names have been connected in the title- page, and some brief documents, concerning Cara- ,boo, have been added, as a Postscript, to th^se pages. 'A ■" .-. ■ ■:' ,,;,^ :^ ^ ,. . ><'■'■ ■>.",- » '■■ ' , ^ -' ■' '.' - -r ; f "' . i. ^ : . . ■ . ^, ... -• -u \:i . -^ :* .-' {\ * « » • ■ »^^*:,:*i mea- .The Winer, I, as it I coast ^ lations As to •gy are B, first, ind se- iterate, rarely lis per- ; relates trusted its pro- m what rederic >f those Bristol ; ade on e other, le title- g Cara> o th^se DESCRIPTION or NEW BRUNSWICK, NOVA SCOTIA, 4 ft'J .•'■•t.-r For the better elucidation of the facts presented in the Narrative, an introductory description of New Brunswick, the principal scene of their occurrence, and of its position, with respect to those parts of the Uni4ed States that are abo mentioned, is here prefixed. New Brunswick and Nova Scotia are two of the four pro- vinces, territories, or governments, which have been erected in the eastern part of British America. New Brunswick and Nova Scotia are comprehended within the country once called Acadie, a name bestowed by the French, \vho were the first to attempt its colonization. The French being expelled, the wllole country, bounded on the north by the Gulf of Saint Lawrence, and on the south by the Province of Maine, was granted, in 1621, by King James I, to Sir William {Stirling, upon consideration of form- ing settlements upon it. The country then received the name of Nova Scotia; but the project failed; and nothing was effectually done, till the year 1749| when the town of Hahfax was bui(t. i - > . - ' « ■# XIV A DESCRIPTION OF V rill Wi'V The division of Nova Scotia into two provinces, of which the largest has received the name of New Brunswick, did not take place till 1784, subsequently to the acknowledgment of the independence of the thirteen revolted colonies, now the United States. New Brunswick comprizes the whole of the country, first called Acadie, and afterwards Nova Scotia, with the exception of the peninsula, formed by the Bay of Fundy, on the south, and by Bay Verte, on the north. That peninsula f is the modern Nova Scotia. ^ ^ New Brunswick is bounded on the west by the British pro- vince of Lower* Canada ; on the east, by the Bay of Fundy, the British province of Nova Scotia, and the Atlantic Ocean; on the north, by the Gulf of Saint Lawrence; an4 on the south, by Maine, a part of the United States. The river Sainte* Croix, which falls into the Bay of Passamaquady, forms the southern boundary, from its mouth to its source. The chief towns of New Bruns\yick are, Saint-John, Frede- ric-town, Saint- Andrew, and Saint- Ann. The prbcipal rivers are, Saint-John, Magedavic, Dicwasset, Sainte-Croix, Mira- michi, Grand Codiac, Petit Codiac, and Memramcook, all of which, the three last excepted, empty themselves into the Bay of Fundy. The river Saint-John runs through a fine country of vast extent, being bordered by low grounds, locally called intervals, as lying between the river and the mountains, and which are annually enriched by the inundations. The greater part of these lands are settled, and under cultivation. The upland is generally well timbered ; the trees are pine and fir^ beech, birch, maple, elm, and a small proportion of ash. The pines are the largest to be met with in British America. The rivers which fail in.to the Bay of Passaraaquady (an inlet from the Bay of Fundv) have meadows and low-lands along their banks, and, as appears from the remains of large trunks, still to be met with, liaVe formerly been covered with heavy timber. Timber and iisl^ (the latter the produce of the neigh- bouring seas) have' hitherto been the principal exports cf New Brunswic ; but the gradual clearing of the country, and increase of population, will hereafter render its produce, in •4 ■fj KEW BRtNSWICK, &c. XV cattle, grain, and other agricultural commodities, of equal, if not superior, importance. The sea*coa8t of New Brunswic abounds with cod and scale fish, and its rivers are annually visited by immense shoals of herrings, shad, and salmon. The numerous harbours along the coast are roost conveniently situated for carrying on the cod-fishery, which may be prosecuted to any extent imaginable. The herrings which frequent its rivers are a species pecu- liarly adapted for the West India market; being equally nutri- tious with the common herrings, and possessed of a greater degree of firmness, they are capable of being kept longer m a warm climate. In such abundance are they annually to be found, that the quantity cured can only be limited by the number of hands employed in the business. The interior of the province, as well as the parts borderii^ on the sea-coast, is every where intersected by rivers, creeks, and lakes, on the margin of which, or at no great distance from them, the country, for the most part, is covered with inexhaustible forests of pine, spruce, birch, beech, maple, elm, fir, and other timber, proper for masts of any size, lum- ber, and ship-building. The smaller rivers afford excellent situations for saw-mills, and every stream, by the melting of the snow in the spring, is rendered deep enough to float down the masts and timber of every description, which the inhabi- tants have cut and brouglit to its banks, during the long and severe winters of this climate, when their agricultural pur- suits are necessarily suspended. The lands in the interior of the province are generally excellent, and, where cleared, have proved very productive. , . ' ^ ' .. ^ ^t . . . ■ . ... Great advances have not hitherto been made in agriculture, fur want of a sufficient number of inhabitants ; yet, within a few years, there has remained, beyond the domestic supply, a considerable surplus, in horses, salted provisions, and butter, for exportation*. * See the Quarterly Colonial Journal, i ! XVI A DESCRIPTION, &c. >. y Nova Scotia lies to the eastward of New Brunswick, the ' Bay of Fundy entering between the two colonies. Its di- mensions are much smaller than those of New Brunswick ; and, as above intimated, it is, for the most part, surrounded by the sea. Like New Brunswick, its chief riches have hitherto consisted in timber, or lumber, and fish ; but its agricultural produce is now increasing, and its climfite is found to be very superior to what has been hitherto represented'*^. - Halifax, situate in the Bay of Chebuclo, on the Atlantic Ocean, is the capital of Nova Scotia ; and Windsor, situ- ate in the Bay of Fundy, is a principal town of the same province. j-'i ,*■ •>! Maine, a district of the United States, and part of the state of Massachusetts, borders to the southward, on New Brunswick, and like it, is bounded on the west by Lower Canada and New Hampshire. Like Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, it!) principal exports are lumber and fish, and its agriculture is also advancing. A strong spirit of emigration, however, prevails among its inhabitants, great numbers of whom are leaving it, in order to settle on the Ohio and Mis- sissippi. Portland is its principal town. Massachusetts Proper, of which the principal town is Bos- ton, lies to the southward of Maine. Connecticut, of which Newhaven is a principal town, lies to the southward of Massachusetts ; and New York is to the southward of Connecticut. * For Meteorological tables, and various exact details concerning the climate of Novh Scotia, aud for a view and description of li^ii- iifix, sec the Quarterly Colonial Journal, No. YI, &c. ...,-);:■. :i- :. ' ' \ ' .:,''. • , \-.^->f^' • -'• ■ m K A NARRATIVE, %C. ^C. 4fC. '> 7 .-.It ■»\%' On the second day of August, 1814, in the afteraoon, I was called upon by Wills Frederick Knox, Esq. resident in^ the parish of Norton, King's county, province of New Brunswick, (son of the celebrated William Knox, Esq. for- merly Under Secretary of State, and agent for the province of New- Brunswick and Prince Edward Island,) who requested me to take into custody, and confine in the gaol of the said county of King's, a decent-looking young man, by the name of Henry More Smith, who, he informed me, had been ap- prehended for stealing and carrying away a valuable horse from him, on the 20th of July last; and that he had himself pursued him into the province of Nova Scotia, as far as Pictou, a distance of 270 miles, which the prisoner had performed in three days.^-That, by procuring fresh horses, he overtook him on the 24th, and had him apprehended by John Pearson, Deputy Sheriff at Pictou, and taken before the Justices, in their Court, then sitting at that place— that he had recovered his horse, a watch, and fifteen guineas, found with the pri- A NARRATIVE, &c. V. M 8oner-~and obtained a warrant of conveyance through the several counties, to the county of King's, in order there to take his trial — that he had found him to be a great villain ; that he a.ssuined dit)'erent names; had committed depredations on the road to Pictuu— 9nd attempted several times to make liis escape from the SheriM'!)— that if it had not been for his own vigilance, they would not have kept hiiii— ihiit he had thus brought ]iim sa(e to prison^^and unless he was well taken care of he would effect an escape yet. I replied, Sir, I think you deserve credit for your exertions in pursuing the thief, and recovering your horse ; but if such is his character, I can- not thank you for bringing him to me ; I had much rather you had left him to his fate in that province. I fear we shall have much trouble with him— which was verified in the extreme, as will appear in the sequel. I shall take care, however, that he does not escape very easily. He was then received into prison, on the warrant of conveyance, for examination, without a regular commitment. .. t The prisoner came on horseback— it was raining and near night. Having rode all day, he was very wet ; ^nd not having a shift of clothes, and the stove out of order in the criminals' room in the prison, I directed the gaoler to put him hand* cu^d into the debtors', and give him fire, that he might dry himself, or his health would be in danger. The day foUoiviag he was removed into the criminals' room, which being very strong, irons were considered unnecessary— 'and, as he appeared to be very inoffensive, his handcuffs were taken off; and, being provided with a comfortable birth, with straw and blankets, he seemed reconciled to his situation* He wished for aa opportunity to send for his portmanteau, which he said he had left, with some other articles, in care of Mr. Joseph Stackhouse, near St. John, and which contained his clothes. He stated, that all his money had been taken from him, and that he must sell his clothes to purchase necessaries, and pro- Cure a lawyer, as he was a stranger in this country, and knew nobody, and had no friends to help him—- that he was young, only twenty-two years of age, and had never seen a court, or. '|i A NAHRATIVE, Sec. * ■k'iMW any ttiihg about the law-^and had not been in America 'mor^ than one year and a half*- that he came from England on • account of the war; that he .was burn in Brighton; that his father and mother were living there now, and that he ex.pected them out to Halifax next spring, as he had lately purchased a valuable farm on the river Philip, and had wrote to them to come-^tkat he had rode to Saint John on business, and saw Colonel Daniels, of the 99th regiment-— w|io enquired of him if he knew a horse that would span with one that he drove in his carriage-*he said he thought he did— the Colonel told him, if he would bring him a horse that would span* with his within a fortnight, that he would pay him two hundred dullars-->lie then said that he had not money enough to purchase the horse ; that if he would let him have fifteen guineas, he would leave the mare he then rode, in pledge, until he brought the horse ; as he knew there was a vessel then ready going from Saint John to Cumberland, where the horse belonged— to which proposal Colonel Daniels agreed ; and gave him the money. Leaving the mare, he went to his lodgings, about one mile out of town : but, before he returned, the vessel had gone, and left him ; and having no other opportunity to go by water, was obliged to set out on foot ; and having a long distance to travel, and short time to perform it, was obliged to travel all night, and at day-break was overtaken by a stranger, with a large horse and a small mare ; which he offered for sale ; and, being tired with walking, he offered ten pounds for the mare, which he accepted— and they rode on together some time, when he began to find that the mare would not answer his purpose ; that he had not money to purchase the horse he was going after— 'that he should not be able to sell the mare, and would thus lose his object— and, as the horse was a good look- ing one, which he might sell for the money again, he bantered the man for a swapjt which he agreed to, and exchanged the horse, saddle and bridle, for the mare, and fifteen pounds to boot, which he paid him, and t&ok a receipt for the nioney^ which he produced, written in the following words : *" Match."— Editor. t '* M^de overtures for an cxcjunnge." — EuiTOR, A 2 - .•^' ■ ■i'i. A NARRATIVF, 8tc. V, ** Received, July fi6tb, 1814, of Henry More Smitb, " fifteen pounds in swap* of a horse, between a small mare ** and a large bay horse, that I let him have, with a star, six " or seven years old. " James Chuknam." This receipt was written and signed in two distinct band- writings. He said, that he then proceeded on his journey to Cumberland, and bargained for the horse, which was the ob- ject of his pursuit ; but, not having money enough to pay for him, was obliged to sell the horse that he rode ; and, hearing that Colonel Dixon, of Truro, wanted such a horse, proceeded there in great haste ; and, arriving at Truro, found Colonel .Dixon was gone to Pictou, forty miles farther, to attend Court, which was to sit at that time ; and he was obl^ed to proceed on with all speed— >The next day being Sunday, was obliged to stay until Monday, before he could sell his horse ; and was there oveiiaken by Mr. Knox, who had him appre- . bended and charged with stealing his horse, and taken before the Court there—- and being a stranger, and no one to speak for him, they had taken all his money and his watch from him, and sent him back to King's county gaol, there to take his trial—* and complained of being misused on his way by Mr. Knox. He shewed great anxiety about his situation, aud to make inquiry after the man who sold him the horse, as he was convinced the horse was stolen, and that the thief would be out of the way unless he was taken soon ; and then his case must be desperate, as he had neitlier money nor friends, and knew nothing of the law himself. :.; It so happened, the day following, that I had occasion to go to the city of St. John, in company with Dr. Paddock, sen. On our way, had occasion to call at Mr. Nathaniel Golden's tavern, at the French village in Hampton; and, when placing our horses under his shed, 1 saw a roan mount a horse in haste, that stood at the steps of the door, and ride away towards St. John with great speed, apparently as if in . ■ •" In exchange.*'— -EniTORt i A NARRATIVE, &c. f feftr of being overtaken— and on inquiry who he was, we were told by Mrs. Golden, that he was a stranger, who had called there once or twice before, and that she believed his name was Cburman or Churnun — I replied, to the Doctor, Maf was the name of the man that the prisoner Smith suid had sold him the horne! Mrs. Golden said, she could know by inquiring in the other room, which she did, and answered in the affirm- ative. We then made inquiries, on the road as we travelled towards St. John ; but heard nothing more of the stranger, by that name, ever afterwards. After my return from St. John, I informed the prisoner. Smith, of the circumstance— he appeared extremely elated with the idea of having him taken, and said, if he had money or friends, he could have him taken and brought to justice, and then be set at liberty— but if he made his escape out of the country, his own case must be miserable. He wished to apply to a lawyer for advice, and was advised to employ Charles I. Peters, Esq. attorney, at St. John, and told, that he need not fear, but if there was any way to get him clear, that he would do it for him faithfully. The first opportunity that offered, he wrote an order to Mr. Joseph Stackhouse, at St. John, where he had lodged, for his portmanteau, and some articles' left for sale, and if sold, to apply the money as a retainer to Mr^^ Peters, his attorney. The return brought a genteel porUpiai^t^, and a pair of boots, leaving a small consideration in thfi h^n^s . of Mr. Peters, as a retainer, upon condition of his racking up the remainder to the amount of five guineas, before Court ; with which he appeared perfectly satisfied, and said he must sell his clothes, and other things out of his portmanteau, that be could spare, and make the money. He gave me his key, with which I opened his portmanteau, and found it well filled with clothes. 1 found two or three genteel coats, with vests and pantaloons, of the first cloth and fashion, with silk stockings and gloves, a superfine over-coat, of the modern (5 A NARRATIVE, &c. fashion, faced with black silk ; a number of books, coniistlng of a neat pocket Bible and Pra}'er Book, London gazetteer, Ready Reckoner, and several other useful books for a traveller —he had also a night and day spy-glass, of the first kind, and a small magnifymg glass, in a turtle-shell case, and several other useful articles, without any thing suspicious ; which induced us to think, at least, he had been fitted out by careful parents, and was possibly innocent of the charge. He soon commenced selling his clothes and other articles ; any person who wished to speak to him, was permitted to come to the wicket door, through which he disposed of his articles, as he said, out of necessity, to raise money to retain his lawyer and to purchase necessaries ; and many purchased out of con»< passion for his situation. — Among others, a young man, who said he knew him while at St. John, came once or twice to visit him ; and, some of the glass being broken, be found it convenient to talk with him through the grates at the window ; and, the last time, took away the night and day glass, as he said, for a debt he was owing him ; but, I suspect, left au old watch in exchange. The prisoner continued to complain of a bad cough, and pain from the ill usage which he said he received from Mr. Knox. He appeared to employ himself in reading his Bible, and behaved himself with great decency and propriety. On the 13th of August, I received a letter from Mr. Chip- man, Clerk of the Circuit Court, directing that the prisoner be examined before two magistrates, and regularly committed. —After proper notice, Judge Pickett, Mr. Justice Ketchum, and Mr. Knox, attended his examination ; and the facts were found to the same effect as before related, upon which a regular commitment was made out. In the course of his examination he said his name was " Hrnry More Smith." Being asked what occupation he had followed in this coun- try ? he answered, " No one in particular." Mr. Knox hastily asked him how he go( his living, then ? he replied, with 1 A NARRATIVE, &c. f grwl firmness ind composure, " By my honetty, Sir /" He was then returned to |iri»nn, and showed no anxiety about what had taken plac^. He cuut plained of pain in his bide, and ap- peared tu I oiigh very hollow, but submitted to his cunfineroent Mithout a murmur. ■ The prison was kept by Mr. Walter Dibblee, a man of lear(un<; and talents, who for several years had been aAicted with iiiat painful infirmity the gravel, so that for the most part ot' his time he was confined to the house, and frequently to his room in the County-House, where he taught a school, which, together with the fees and perquisites of the Gaol ami Court-House, afforded a decent and comfortable living ^ his small family, which consisted of his wife, a daughter, and a son about nineteen years old, named John Dibblee, wh« constantly absisted his father. It is necessary also to mention, that Mr. Dibblee was in high esimation in the Masonic Lodge held at Kingston, of which he was a principal member. Under these circumstances, I bad but seldom occasion to visit the prison, and, as 1 lived at the distance of half a mile, did not visit it oftener than once a week, except on special occasions. 1 am therefore indebted to Mr. Dibblee for some of the particulars related in the subsequent narration. Shortly after hi.s commitment, Smith was visited by Lieut. A. Baxter, an officer of the New Brunswick Fenciblcs, then recruiting at Kingston, who proposed to him to enlist. He spurned the idea of being permitted to enlist to get out of prison. He was, however, prevailed upon to write to his at- torney upon the subject, and received for answer, in very short words, that it was inadmissible, and he advised him to con- tent himself, and wait the issue of his trial. He appeared much dissatisfied with the shortness of his answer, and said he did not know what it meant ; that the attorney appeared scry angry, and that he could not have much to expect from such a man. He was advised to reiy with confidence on Mr. Pe- ters, and assured if any thing could be done in his favour it would not be neglected. He never after inquired for his at- #: I A NARRATIVfi, &c. , III iorney, but set out to free himself from prison by a more sum* mary process than the law. He continued to complain of the ill usage he had received on the road when taken, particularly of a blow from Mr. Knox with a pistol in his side, (as he said,) which felled him to the ground like a dead man— that when he came to, he raised blood, and it was some time before he was ablQ to breathe regular— that he continued to raise blood two or three days on the road, and the pain had never left him, but now increased very fast, owing to the cold he had taken —that he believed it was gathering on the inside ; that it swelled, and was very painful ; and he frequently raised blood when coughing. He showed the bruised place in his side, which appeared black, swelled and sore, verifying his com- plaints: this was about the 7th September. Finding him so ill, we repaired the stove-pipes, supplied him with fuel, and made the room comfortable. He appeared to complain as little as possible, but lost his appetite, and required light food. His health seemed gradually to decay, and his complaints regularly to increase— pain in his head and eyes with dizziness, and sick- ness at the stomach ; puking and raising blood, with great complaints of the soreness in his side, and consequent de- bility and weakness. On the 11th September found him gra- dually falling away— sent for a doctor who examined his side and other complaints, and gave him medicine. The 12th he appeared to be something better-* 13th, at evening, grew worse; pains increased— 14th, unable to walk, very high fever— 15th, puking and raising blood— l6th, the Rev. Mr. Scovil visited the prisoner in the morning ; foimd him very ill ; sent him toast and wine, and otlier things for his comfort— At three P. M. the doctor attended, and gave him medicine— At six o'clock much the same ; unable to help himself— could eat nothing— puked up every thing he took. — 18lh, The prisoner appeared still to grow worse/— Judge Pickett, with several o.ther neighbours visited him ; asked him if he wanted any thing that he could take ; he said nothing, unless it was an orange or a lemon.— 19th, Appeared sensibly to decline verj m A NARRATIVE, &c. m low.— At 2 o'clock the doctor attended him ; said the man must be removed out of that room ; that he was too ill to be kept there, and that it was of no use to give him medicine ill that place.— 20ih, in the morning found him no better—* At 10 o'clock Mr. Thaddeus Scribner, and others, went in to seo the prisoner; examined the room, and found no dampness— 4 o'clock, the Rev. Mr.. Scovil attended him as a clergyman- Smith told him he had no hope that he should ever recover; that he was bom in Englaud ; that his parents were formerly of the persuasion of the Church of England, but latterly had joined the Methodists ; that be came away on account of th« war, and expected his father and mother out— 21st, the Rev. Mr. Scovil, and other of the neighbours, visited him— found him no better, but evidently falling away, and no hopes of his re- covery— 22d, the prisoner very low, and his complaints of the most fatal nature ; violent fever, accompanied with agues and chills ; his feet and legs cold by turns ; great pain, with in- flammation in his bowels ; nothing but blood came from him for two days ; his weakness increasing, was not able to help himself up or down, and had but just strength enough to speak above his breath— he feared he should die for want of medi" cal assistance, as the doctor had refused to attend him any more in that place.— >He had, from his decency, and the inof- fensive simplicity of his manners, excited the compassion of all who visited him.— -At 6 o'clock the Rev. Mr. Scovil, and a large number of the neighbours, came in, and staid until 10; they did not think he would live till morning. — Friday, Sept. £3, went early to the gaol— found the prisoner lying naked on the floor, and in great distress — had fallen through pain and dizziness, (as he said,) and could not get himself up ; was lifted into his bed, almost expired ; he continued to decline ; could take no nourishment ; and could speak with difficulty only, to be heard, until 5 o'clock P. M. when he was supposed to be dying ; all signs of life were gone long enough to go to another room for a bottle of hartshorn, with which he seemed to revive ; called in the Rev. Mr. Scovil, Mr. Perkins, and Mr. G. Raymond, near neighbours, and Mr. Eddy, from 6 10 I' ^ii' i (ill A NARRATIVE, &c. ^- St. John, who happened to be there, and all supposed hint dying ; he, however, revived, and recovered bis senses ; he was told that he bad had a fit ; he said he was sensible of it} that it was a family infirmity ; that most of his connections had died that way, and that he could not survive another, which would probably come upon him about the same time next day ; that he should not recover, but God would have him ; and asked Mr. Scovil to go to prayer, which he did, and prayer was at- tended with solemnity by all present. He had no regular watchers, but it was thought highly improper to leave him alone this night, and John Dibblee and Charles Chambeau were appointed by the sheriff to watch with him ; and the following letter was written by the sheriff, and dispatched, by Mr. Raymond, to Mr. Peters, the prisoner's attorney :— ^^j^ f^:i ** Dear Sir,— I fear we shall be disappointed in our expec** tation of the trial of the prisoner. More Smith, at the approach- ing Court, as I presume he will be removed by death before that time. He is dying, in consequence of a blow that he re- ceived (as he says) from Mr. Knox, with a pistol, which he has regularly complained of since he has been in gaol, and is now thought past recovery. As it will be a matter of inquiry, and new to me, will thank you to let me know by the bearer what will be the necessary steps for me to take ; and not fail, as I have but little hopes of his continuing until morning. ,,, *' Yours, &c. ^ ,; " W. Bates." if y ' Tiie return of the bearer brought the following answer :— " Saiut John, Sept. 24, 1814. " Dear Sir,!— Your favour of yesterday I received this morn- ing, and am sorry to hear so desponding an account of the unfor- tunate man in your custody. It will be your duty, 1 conceive, immediately to have a coroner's inquest on the body, and then cause it to be decently interred. With respect to the charge of the cause of the death, that is a circumstance which must rest wholly on the facts. If any physician shall attend him. t. '9 ! I A NARRATIVE, &c. 11 I kt him be particular in taking down in writing what the man says in his last moments, as to the circumstances; and if a jus- tice should be present, it would not be amiss. In haste, ^ " Yours sincerely, •r *' W, Bates, Etq, « C. J. Peters.*^ Saturday, Sept. S4tb, the watchers reported that he had passed a very restless night, and but just survived the morn- ing. The following note was then sent to the physician who bad attended him :— ^' « Kingston, Sept. 24, 1814. " Dear Doctor, Smith, the prisoner, says that he is suf- fering for want of medical assistance, and that you will not attend him, unless he can be removed into another room, which cannot be permitted ; but he must take his fate, and if he dies in gaol an inquiry will take place, which may prove to your disadvantage. I must therefore request your attention. " I am truly yours, &c. *' W. B." '* ** Dr. A, Paddock, Jun, . At this time, the compassion of the whole neighbourhood was very strongly excited, especially that of the family of Mr. Scovil, who sent him any thing he wanted for his comfort, as did also Mr. Perkiu's and Mr. Raymond's families, who were near. Mr. Perkins visited him about 10 o'clock, and kindly offered to watch with him that night, for which he appeared very thankful. About 5 o'clock the Doctor attended him, and gave him some medicine ; found him so weak that he was obliged to have him lifted up, to give him bis medicine, and, to all human appearance, he was unable to help himself in the least; but the Doctor said, he did not think him so near his end as to die before morning, unless he went off in a fit. He was then left to himself, with a probable expectation that he would shortly be takeu with another fit, and would un- doubtedly expire. About six o'clock in the evening, the Rev. Mr. Scovil observed to his family that it was about the time that Smith had his. fit yesterday, that he thought it probable lA A NARRATIVE, &c. ■I ■, he would die luddcoly, and that he would walk over to Mr* Plbhlee^at the goal, and be ready there, at the time, as it would be unpleasant to him to be alone.— This so much raised the ' sensibility of Madam Scovil, »he could not bear the reflection, that a child, perhaps, of respectable parents, shoidd lie so near to her, in a strange county, and die upon a bed of straw ; so, calling her wench. Amy, " Here," said she, " take this feather bed, and carry it to the gaol, and tell your master that I have sent it for Smith to die on." Mr. Scovil had not been in the house, and sat down with Mr. Dibblee, but a few minutes, when a noise was heard from Smith in the gaol. John Dibblee, who constapily attepded him, ran in haste, and unlocked the prison door, and found Smith expiring ; his feet and legs cold to his knees, and in great pain ; he begged of John to run, and beet a: brick, that was near, to give one moment's relief, while he wm dying. John, of course, ran in haste from the gaol, round the stairway, through a passage that led to the kitchen, where was a large fire of coals, into which he put the brick, waited wH more than three minutes, and returned with it warmed— but to his indescribable astonishment— FOUND NO ONE IN THE BED ! ! He ran with the tidings to his father and the Rev. Mr. Scovil, (who were sitting in a room by which he mwti havepaised to go out) who could not believe the report, un- til; they had examined, and found, that not only the man was gone, ifut every thing he had in the room was taken away teith him ! m \i Irii On going out, and looking round die house for him, Mr. Sco- vil met Amy, with the feather bed, who said to him, " Misses send the bed for Smith." Her master told her to take it home, and tell her mistress, ''Smith was^one." Amy ran home, and (old her, mistress, " M^ssa say, Smit gone ; he no want eiA bedw*W<'Ah!" exclaimed her mistress, "poor euin) is he 4ead I Well, Amy, thea yon may run and carry over a shirt, and a sheet, to lay Smith out »»" Amy ran over, and told her ■MSter accordingly.!-^'' Yuis may take them back," said he, *' Smith ii(%ow."-^" Where ia he gone, massa ?* " I don't know»' said be, " withoMt ibe devil has taken } m off"— se great was bi» Mtonishneat al lie deception. In the mean liiD«» the ahim spfcadia ih« oeighbeviheod, and a Mr. Yea* ,li! '. A NARRATIVE, &c. 13 r to Mf . I it would aised the ' eflection, e so near traw; so, is feather lat I have een in the ites, when blee, who the prison :old to his , and b^ lile he wm round the where was waited not sd— but to ONE IN ler and the which he report, un- * wot gone, zeith him! 1, Mr. Sco- j, " Misses to take it If ran home, iQ want eiA nani is he >ver a shirt, iiid told her ;' said be, « I don't rooflF"— so the me«a » Mr. Yta- die, who happened to be passing, was sent, with the tidings, to the sheriff, uhoui he met on his way to the gaol, to see the last moments of Smith. Being told that Smith was gone— « Poor fellow!" said he, " I expected it; what time did he die ?"— " But he is gone off clear /"— •' It is impossible he can be far out of bed !" " Why," said Mr. Yandle, " on passing, I saw them all out, about the gaol, lookhig for him, and oo one could tell which way he bad gone."—" Unparalleled and abominable deception ! How did he get out of gaol ?"— He believed Johu Dibblee left the door open, and, while he was gone to heat a brick. Smith made bis escape. This was our lirst introduction to the true character of Henry More Smith; and it is impossible to express, or even to conceive, with what wonderful plausibility he imposed a feigned illneis, upon aU who saw him, as a profound reality. In order to explain his further progress, the reader should have some knowledge of the country. Kingston is situated on a neck or tongue of land, formed by the long reach of the river St. John and BeUeisle Bay, running north east and south west on the east side—and by the river Kennebeccasis, run. ning the same course on the west side, and emptying into the Grand Bay of the river St. John, about five miles from its mouth— leaving a tract of land, between the two rivers, of about five miles in width, and upwards of thirty miles in length. The winter road, by ice, from Fredericton (the seat of government) to the city of St, John, crosses the laud to the KenebeecaMs,and is inhabited on both sides. I'his road is inter- sected, in the centre, by another, running north east, about seven miles, and thence branching easterly, crossing the river Kenne- beccasis, at the distance of thirty miles, leading through the county of Westmoreland, heading the bay of Fuudy at Cum- berland ; and leading from thence, by different roads, to Hali- fte, ^ctou, and every part of Nova Scotia. The western branch of the said road, running noslherly to the head of BeUe- isle Bay, thence tothe Washadaiuoac lake; crovsiug the ferry, 14 A NARRATIVE, &c. V. ihence to the Jeni»ag creek, and thence to Fredericton by land, through Maugerville, on the east side of the river St. John. At the intersection of these roads, on an eminence, stand the church and the court-house, (under uhich is the prison,) fronting each other. There is also a road running north-west, and south-east, from the gaol, leading westerly to Belleisle Bay, crossing a ferry at the distance of five miles ; thence to • short ferry at Tenant's Cove, thence to the ferry crossing the river St. John ; and thence through Gagetown, on the west side the river, to Fredericton, distant sixty miles :— the said rbad leading south-easterly from the gaol to the ferry over the Kennebeccasis, and from thence, on the west side of the river, to the city St. John. The house of Mr. F. Newman Per- kins, standing northerly, at the distance of ten rods from the gaol--4t an equal distance southerly, the house of the Rev. E. Scovi], and other houses in different directions— 'the land all clear, and no shelter, for a considerable distance, but fences. r>'ry f* I Ha • • • ' From this situation the prisoner escaped, without any track or trace of him being discovered. After searching the fences and fields, and finding nothing of him, it was concluded, that he had gone either toward St. John, or on the road to Novn Scotia, by Mihich he came. Accordingly, men were sent to the ferry, and on the road to St. John— and I, and Mr. Moses Foster, deputy-sheriff, pursued on the road toward Nova Scotia, with all speed; setting watchers in different places, until we were sensible we must have passed him; and, arrivii^ at a house that he could not pass without coming very noar, we watched for him all night. At day-break, heard nothing of him. I furnished Mr. Foster with money, and sent him on the road, with directions to procf'^-'i on to Mr. M'Leod's tavern, distant forty miles, and, if iic got no intelligence there, to return ; and returned to Kingston myself, where I was in- formed, toward evening, that a man, who answered his descrip- tion, had crossed the ferry at Belleisle Bay, in great haste ; said he was going express to Fredericton, and must be there by ten A NARRATIVE, &c. Id o'clock next norniDg ; and no doubt it was the man. It was now Sunday evening ; he had twenty-fuur hours start, escaping for life; had got out of the county ; and no hopes remained with me of apprehending him : I, however, forwarded advertise- ments after him, utfering a reward of twenty dollars, to an/ one who would apprehend, and bring him back. . Monday morning, the 26th, Mr. Moses Foster returned, of course without success ; and many unfavourable reports began to circulate respecting his escape— and I felt myself not a little chagrined with my situation. A court of Oyer and Terminer and General Gaol Delivery having been ordered, and the Jury summoned from all parts of the county, to at- tend at the Court-House on Tuesday following, for the special purpose of trying the Horse-stealer, my whole attention was required to make the necessary preparations ; and added not a little to my chagrin and disappointment.— -But still more, when, on Tuesday morning, I was informed, by Mr. E. Jones, that the villain, instead of escaping for his life, and getting out of my reach in the most secret manner, had only travelled about ten or twelve miles the first night, and was seen next morning lying on some straw, before the barn of Mr. Robert Bailes, on the road toward Gagetown ; and that he lay there until about twelve o'clock in the day— and, seeing Mr. Bailes and his wife going from home, leaving the door unlocked, and no person in the house, he went in, broke open a trunkj and carried off a silver watch, eight dollars in money, a new pair of velvet pan- taloons, and a pocket book, with other articles ; that he then walked leisurely away, and stopped in at the next house, and at all the houses that were near upon the road, and did not get more than three or four miles before ^ark. When Mr. Bailes came home, found his house had been robbed, and by the track of the heel of his boot, thought he was the man, he alarmed his neighbours, who pursued him with great spirit, hearing of him on the road but little a-head of tbem, and ex- pecting to overtake him in a few minutes; but were disap- pointed, as he disappeared from the road, and no track or information could be found ; and, after the roost diligent search K A NARRATIVE, &c. and pursuit as far as Gagetowii, returned the next day, without any intelligence, leaving advertisements at Gugetown and Fredericton, describing the man and the watch. Late on Sunday night, a man came to the house of Mr.. Green, living on an island at the mouth of the Washadainoac lake, Mho said he was a Frenchman, going to Fredericton after land, and came in to inquire the way. Mr. Green informed him he was on an island, and he might stay till morning, and then he would put him in his way ; made up a large fire, by which the man examined his pocket-book, and was seen to bum several papers, and^ at last, threw the book into the fire, and burned it up ; which caused a strong suspicion in Mr. Green, (it being in time of war,) that he must be a bad character ; and, in tha morning he took him in his canoe, and paddled him directly to Justice Colwell, a neighbouring magistrate, to give account of himself— where, on examination, he appeared to answer with so much simplicity, that the Justice could find nothing that would justify detaining him, and so inoffensive, that thera could be no harm in him ; and in consequence, let him go. That he went to in Indian camp, and hired an Indian, to take him (as he said) to Fredericton ; and, crossing the river, went to Mr. Nathaniel Veal's tavern, on Grimross Neck, nearly opposite Gagetown, where Mr. Bailes, whom he ha<^ robbed the day before, was getting his breakfast, and writing adver- tisements in pursuit of him. The wind blowing hard a-bead, he called for breakfast for himself and his Indian ; staid some* time; had bis boots cleaned; and about eleven o'clock left there, taking with him a set of silver tea-spoons, from a by- closet in the parlour of Mrs. Veal, and nothing had been heard of him since. Four men, with my advertisements, went in pursuit of him. About eleven o'clock, Tuesday morning, the Attorney Ge- neral arrived, from Fredericton^ with very unfavourable im- pressions on his mind ; bringing information, that the prisoner was still traversing along shore, stealing wherever he came, and not apprehended. The Jury also wero collecting from different parishes in the county^ and brought with tbam un- ;;i:;lih A NARRATIVE, &c. 17 favourable ideas, from the reports in circulation, respecting the escape .<— Among which, was a report studiously circulated, that the prisoner was a Freemason, and that it was believed the Masons had contrived to let him escape, because he was one of their order. The public mind became so prejudiced, that we could say nothing in our owu justification, but the plea of his deception, which no one could believe, except those who saw it. As the prisoner escaped through the door, strong suspicion was entertained of a voluntary connivance of his escape. With such impressions the Court assembled. His Honour Judge Chipman presided. The most favourable hope and expecta- tion was entertained that the prisoner would be apprehended, and brought before the Court, as he was pursued in all direc- tions.— After the Grand Jury were empanuelled and sworn, the Court adjourned until eleven o'clock next day, waiting the return of the prisoner ; to hasten which, I dispatched Mr. Benjamin Furnald, with a boat, and directions to pursue him as far as he could hear of him, until he brought him back. Wednesday the Court met, and went to other business : — ^heard nothing of the prisoner. In the afternoon, Mr. John Pearson, witness against the prisoner, arrived from Nova Scotia, a dis- tance of 280 miles. Towards evening, reports began to cir- culate, that the horse-stealer had evaded all his pursuers, and had disappeared. No account could be heard from him up the river St. John, and strong suspicion was had, that he was making his way back for Nova-Scotia*— and it was reported that a man had been seen crossing the Washedemoac, to Belleisle Bay, with an Indian ; but nothing to be relied on. The Court adjourned until next morning at ten o'clock. Nothing more was heard, until Thursday, early in the morning, when Mr. B. Furnald returned, and reported, that he pursued him through Mau- gerville ; that he lodged, the night before I arrived, at Mr. So- lomon Pearley's, and stole a pair of new boots, and he offered the spoons for sale to Mr. Pearley ; that he then walked up, as far as Mr. Bailey's tavern, where be stopped some time, and from tbeoce was leeo, towards night, under a bridge, 18 A NARRATIVE, &c. :!ii' countiDg hii money. No further track could be discovered of hiiiii ill that part, and it watt believed he had taken an Indian to pilot huij, and gone by the way of the WaAhederooac, and head of BelleHle, for Nova-Scotia. At ten o'clock on Thuri- dav morning, the Couit met, according to adjournment, to conciutie the business then before them, with but little hopes of siefin^ the horse-stealer, und, of course, a gloomy appear- ance on our side ;— ^vhen, about three o'clock in the afternoon, a servant of Mr. Knox came express to the Court, with in- formation to his muster, that the other horse was missing out of the pasture ; that he was seen at one o'clock at night, and "was gone in the morning; that a strange Indian had been seen about the place, who it was believec* had piloted Smith through the woods : upon which a gen^irm? alarm took place. Mr. Knox was quite outrageous, would hear nothing to th« Sheritf, who doubted the report ;*«would bet a thousand guineas that Smith had stolen his other horse ; that he knew him to be the greatest villain upon earth ; and that his lifa was in danger if he was suffered to go at large; and tha whole Court were in const'^^^ation.— His Honour the Judge observed that great remission of duty appeared.— A bench warrant was issued by the Court, directed to all the Sheriffs and mmisters of justice throughout the province of New Brunswick, commanding them to apprehend the said More Smith, and bnng him to justice.— Mr. Knox with Henry Lyon and Isaiah Smith, went in pursuit of him toward Nova-Scotia ; Moses Foster, Deputy Sheriff, and Nathan Deforest, were dispatched, by the head of Belleisle Bay, to Fredericton, and directed to pursue on to the American settlement, and as far as they could get any information of him. The Sheriff then wrote an advertisement for the public papers, offering forty dollars leward, and the Attorney General added forty more; Inrhich made the reward eighty dollars. Indictments were pre- pared, and the Grand Jury soon found a bUi against the Sheriff and Gaoler*, for n^ligent escape ; and they were re* cognized, to appear at the next Court of Oyer and Terminer tnd General Gaol Delivery, and traverse the indictment!* * " They entered into rect^n^zances*''— £ditor. A NARRATIVE, &c. 19 The busineis before the Court beiog nearly finished, after paying the witness, Mr. Pearson, for his travel aqd attendance, amounting to one hundred dollars, the Court adjourned without delay. Nothing was heard of our adventurer, until after the return of Mr. Knox with his party, from a fruitless pursuit of tea days, into the province of Nova-Scotia, as far as Ru»habuc- teau. The day following, Mr. Foster and Mr. Deforest returned, and reported, that they had pursued ou to Frede- rickton, without hearing any thing of him, until they had past Fredencton about three miles, where they heard of a stranger having staid all night at a private house, that answered his description, and had gone on the road toward Woodstock ; and, pursuing on, found be staid at Mr. Ingram's tavern the next night, slept till late next morning, being fatigued, paid his bill and went off, having previously opened a trunk that was in the room adfoining where he slept, and taken away with him a full suit of new black clothes of Mr. Ingram's that cost forty dollars ; a silk cloak, with other articles ; which he con- cealed so as not to be discovered. This intelligence left no doubt of his being the person they were in pursuit of. Mr. Ingram, not missing bii clothes immediately, bad not pursued him. The next day, he went only as far as Robertson's, where he found a collection of young people— played the fiddle for them, and staid the next day and night. He then proceeded towards Woodstock, leaving the spoons with Mrs. R., and taking a shirt— took passage in a canoe, and happened to fall in company with another, that had been at Frederickton, in which was passenger the Rev. Mr. Dibble, missionary at Woodstock, with a young man poling his canoe. The young man had seen, at Frederickton, the advertisement of Mr. Bailes, describing the man and the watch, which had a sin- gular steel chain, and observed to Mr. Dibble, that they both answered the appearance of the stranger. Being close along side, Mr. D. asked him the time of day. Being told, h« D S 20 A NARRATIVE, &c. n»ke(l liiin to let liini look at liia watch, observing tliat li« might be mia^nken. He very readily gave it liiiii, and it waaf found so exactly to answer the description that he challenged it as the property of Mr. Bailes. Smith very deliberately said, it was a favourite watch, that he had owned a long time, but if he had heard of one like it being stolen, he hud no ob- jection to leave it with him till he returned, which would be in about two weeks. Mr. D. replied, that the suspicion was so strong, by what the young man said from the advertisement, that he thought he noitld detain him also, until he could hear from Fredericton. He answered, that he was on important business, and could not be detained ; but if he would pay his expences, and make himself responsible for dau)age8 incurred by his dctension, that he had no objection to stop till he could send to Fredericton ;— otherwise, he should be back in ten or twelve days, and by that time he might be satisfied, nnd he would leave the watch until his return. lie appeared so in- difFerent and unconcerned, and talked so plausibly, without exhibiting one sign of guilt, that they let him go, but kept the watch as a pledge for his return. He continued on through the settlement of Woodstock, until he came to the road that leads to the American settlement. Being near night, he was asked, by a man of whom he inquired the road, to tarry all night, as he could not get to the settlement till late, the dis« tance being twelve miles.— He said, two men had gone on before him, on their way to the United States, dnd he feared they would leave him in the morning, and went on. It hap- pened, a short time, after they parted, that two men arrived there from the settlement ; being asked if they met two men on the road, they said; no. It was then concluded, Smith was a deserter. They turned about, and pursued after him to the American side, but found nothing of him. The duy follow- ing, Mr. Foster and Mr. Deforest arrived at Woodstock, and went on to the American settlement, but could hear nothing of him. They informed the inhabitants of the character of Smith, described him, and offered a reward of £20. The people seemed well disposed, and promised^ if he came that way, to secure him. IS. l. )tl A NARRATIVE, 8ic. 31 Messrs. F. and D. jUst then returned to the river St. John, and ugain gut truck uf the prisoner— found he hud crossed the river, stopped ul s«;vt:r:il houses for retieNhnicnl, and called himself Bond ; inquired after a thief that had broke gaol at Kingston ; said he was a notorious vitlain ; and that he tt'oufd certainly be hanged if taken ; and that he was in pursuit of him. 'I hey tru-cd him down the river, to an Indian camp, where they found he hud agreed widi an Indian to pilot him, through the woods, to the United Slates, by the way of Eel River, (a route frequently travelled), and had finally escaped ; upon whitli they thought proper to retiirn, and make their report. It appeared, afterwards, that the Indian, after travelling a day or two on his route through the woods, probably finding that his journey would not be very profitable, and discovering Smith to have a pistol, began to be jealous of him, refused to pilot ''* him any further, gave him back part of bis money, and returned. Smith, of course, was obliged lo return with him, and try his chance the other way, by the American set- tlement, where he arrived about the 10th of October, in the morning, said he was in pursuit of a deserter, and wanted some refreshment.-— While his breakfast was preparing, notice was giving among the uihabitants, when Dr. Rice, a principal character there, caused him to be taken and secured. The clothes he had stolen from Mr. Ingram he had on, except the pantaloons, which he had exchanged for a pisol.— He said he purchased the clothes, very cheap, of a man who, he believed, was a Yankey. He was then placed in charge of Mr. A. Putnam, and a Mr. Watson, of Woodstock, and ordered back to Fredericton. On their way they stopped with the prisoner at the Attorney General's, about three miles from Fredericton, and then proceeded into town, where the Su- preme Court was then sitting. He was brought before the Court, and a large number of spectators. I'he Hon. Judge Sanders asked him his name — he said, " Smith." " Are you the man that escaped from the gaol at Kuigston ?— '^ Yes.** He was then ordered to prison. Being asked how he made • "To pilot," to guide ; " to be jealous," to be suspicious. — Editor. m. 22 A NARRATIVE. &c. ni: r :/ his escape, he said, *• The gaoler opened the door, and the priest praised him out" The day foUuwiiigj he was remanded to Kingston guol. Putnam and Watson sat out with him ia an Indian bark canoe, one sitting at each end. He was hand- cuffed, pinioned, and tied to a bar of the canoe, in the centre. The)' were obhged to watch him the first night. The next day, they arrived at the house of Mr. Bailes, opposite Spoon Island, where he had stolen the watch, &c. It was near night, and the passage to Kingston difficult. They being strangers, Mr. Bailes told them, if they would stop till morn- ing, he would pilot them down. They accordingly stopped ; and, having been up all the night before, Mr. B. said, they had better lie down, and get some rest, and he would watch the prisoner, with his family. Smith inquired the way to St. John, if there were any ferries on this side the river, &c. and asked for a blanket, and leave to lie down. Mrs. B. made him a bed on the floor. He then said, he had occasion to go to the door ; and Mr. B. awaked Watson, who got up to attend him.-— Smith told him, if he had any apprehensions, he had better tie a rope to his arm, which he did, above the handcuffs ; and, with the other end wound round his hand, diey went out. In an unwary moment. Smith seized the opportunity, knocked him down with his handcuffs, and went off', leaving the rope in the hand of Watson, having slipped the other end over his hand, tied the same as it was put on. The night being very dark, no discovery was made whicli way he escaped. The next morning was rainy. Mr. Putnam came to the Sheriff, at Kingston, with the report, who supplied him with money, and he went in pursuit, towards St. John, by the Long Reach. The Sheriff, with two men, proceeded to Bailes's— found he had taken the route towards Fredericton -•crossed the Oaknabock lake, the first night, in haste ; said he was going to purchase laod, and had agreed with Putnam and Watson, who had gone to Kingston with the thief, to take him up in their canoe on their return, and was to meet them at the interval above, early next morning. We had then no doubt be was making his way to the Oromucto, the only remaining passage to the United States. Watsoa bad gone in pursuit ibat I- 111 •■ ,u A NARRATIVE, 8tc. 23 nd the nanded him in s hand- centre, he next Spoon as near y being 1 morn- :opped ; id, they d watch way to ver, &c. Mrs. B. occasion ) got up tensions, bove the is hand, ized the uid went : slipped ut on. le which Putnam supplied it. John, roceeded iderictoa ; said he nam and take him em at the no doubt emaiuing rsuit lliat I r I way. Being informed that a canoe had been taken from the shore, above where he had crossed the lake, and Mas found on the shore of the Belleisle, it was again suggested, thut he had made bis way toward Nova*Scotia on that route, as it was thought he would not return to Fredericton, where he was known. Pursuit was made that way, but we found no trace of him. Nothing more was heard of our adventurer until about the f26th of Oct., when it was found, that instead of going off, he had made his way direct to Fredericton. The first day, being wet and culd, he came to a small house, in a by-place, where no one lived. An old man, named Wicks, and his son, were there at work, repairing the house, and getting in some pota- toes. He came in, wet, cold, and hungry. Wicks told him, he did not lodge there, but if he would go with him to the next house, he could stay all night. He replied, that he must go eight or ten miles turther that night, and went away, as did Wicks and bis son. The next morning, it was found Smith had turned back, and staid all night ; had burned all the wood ; roasted a parcel of potatoes, and was seen, at daylight, travel- ling toward Fredericton. The next night, he came to the house of a Mr. Wilmot, where, it appeared, he went in, and, finding a washing of linen clothes, just sprinkled for ironing, he made seizure of the whole, together with a coat belonging to a young man in the house, and finding them rather burthen- some, took a horse, saddle and bridle, and proceeded on his journey I Within two miles of Fredericton, lived Jack Patterson, a Mulatto man, who had a barrack, or hovel, full of hay. •—Here, Smith concealed himself and his booty, giving his horse some hay, aud letting him run upon the common during the day, and at night catching him, and riding into town, in the full fruition of unrestrained liberty. Thus he continued for several days, committing frequent depredations. At length, he determined to pay a visit to the Attorney General, about three miles above, where he was acquainted, having itopt there on his way down. He arrived between eight and nine o'clock in 24 A NARRATIVE, &c. the evening, and, knowing the form of the house, went boldly into the hall. There being much company in at the time, his modesty would not permit him to intrude amongst them, but he paid his respects to their loose garments, the whole of which he carried off, consisting of five great coats, three plaid cloaks, tippets, comforters, and other articles. He returned through town to his deposit. Having made a fine booty at the Attor- ney General's, he gave bis horse a large allowance of hay, that he might the more willingly stay by him, for the next night's service ; but, unfortunately for him, his generosity to the horse, led to his discovery. The Mulatto, seeing the hay lying in an unusual manner out of the window of his barrack, supposed that some person had been in to sleep ; and, going in, found Smith lying in the hay, with a white comforter or tippet round his neck, and, seeing him a stranger, asked him, where he came from i He said, from the Kennebeccasis, and was going after land, had got belated, and had slept in his hay-- he hoped it was no harm ; but, on the Mulatto going to the house. Smith slipped out of the window, and made towards the woods.— The Mulatto, supposing him to be a deserter, called for help, and soon apprehended him, as he did not ap* pear to make much exertion to escape. It was soon discovered who he was, and he was committed to gaol at Fredericton. The Mulatto, not finding the tippet with him, that he saw about his neck, was induced to look in the hay for it, and thus discovered the secret deposit, which contained all the articles mentioned, and many more, which the owners had the good fortune to recover. — He gave them no satisfaction ; said, a soldier brought them there in the night, rode a little black horse, and left the saddle and bridle. He was then ordered to be taken by the Sheriff of York, and safely delivered to the Sheriff, in the gaol of King's County. Accordingly, the Sheriff prepared, for his safe conveyance, an iron collar, made of a flat bar of iron, one inch and a half wide, with a hinge and clasp, fastened \Ath a padlock, which he put round his neck, with a chain about ten feet long fas* tened to it; put a strong pair of hand-cuffs upon his hands; ./> A NARRATIVE, &c. S5 and with the Mulatto Patterson holding the chain, (after search- wg to see thai he had no sans or other imtruments, ) set off Viith him, on board a sluop, and the wind being favouiablei arrived safe at King!«ton, sixty miles distant, about 12 o'clock, on the night of the 30th Octuber, 18J4. He appeared as composed as if nothing hud happened. The next morning we took him to the gaol, where he was the first man that en- tered, knowing perfectly the way. The room had been swept clean of every thing, and searched closely, after his escape; in doing which we found the remains of several wheels of a watch, the barrel in particular, that contained the main-spring, which convinced us, that he had procured it while he was in gaol, from the young man that took away the »py-glass, and was intended to effect his escape. We also found a knife, whidi he had cut in two, no doubt with a saw which he had made of the main-spring, which gave us strong^ suspicion that he must have saws about him, probably concealed in his clothes. Mr. Barton had searched him before he left Fredericton. However, 1 took off his hand-cuffs, and ordered him to strip off his clothes, which he did without the least reluctance, to his shirt. We then searched the sleeves, wristbands, and collar of his shirt, and the hair of his head, that we might be sure that he did not bring the smallest thing to effect his es- cape again. — We then put on him other clothes, and took, and carried out of the gaol, all the clothes he had on him when he came ; hat, shoes, and every article that he brought with him. The prison in which he was confined, was 22 by 16 feet> built of stone and lime, wall three feet thick on three sides ; the other side, being the purtition-wall between the t\Vo prison rooms, was timber twelve inches thick, lathed and plastered on both sides; the prison plastered with lime on every part ; the floor was of timber ten inches square, on Nvhich rested the side wall ; the door was of two-inch plank made double, and lined with sheet-iron, hung on three iron-bar hinges, three-and- ^-half inches wide, cla«piiig over staples in the opposite post, "Mi it t '. ; '•11 l! ' I- lili 2G A NARRATIVE, &c. and securer! with thieo padlock.s, \vith a small iron wicket door secured also with a padlock. — ^There was one window through the stone wall, iron grated within and without, enclosed with glass outside, so that no conveyance could be had undiscover« cd. The passage that leads to the door is about twenty feet in length, and three feet in width, secured at the entrance by a padlock on the dour, the outside door also locked, that no communication could be had, without going through three doors, the keys of which were always kept by the gaoler; who, being in an inlirm state of health, never left the house day or night; and, having hnd much trouble in consequencjp of his escape, was uncommonly strict : no person was permitted to speak to him. In that situation, I put on him one iron shackle on his right leg, with a chain just long enough to take his provitiiuns from the wicket-door, stapled in the timber of the floor near the partition-wall, so that he could not come to the greatest by five or six feet ; and allowed him a bunk, with straw and blankets, to sleep on.— After these precautions, he was thought perfectly safe. His wrists being much swelled, took oft' his liaiid-cutis ; told the gaoler to look to him fre- quently at the wicket-door, and see that he remained secure, and that i would visit him uccasionully. '^m • rrv The gaoler always found him sitting up in his birth, read- ing, or lying down ; and making no complaints. I visited him once or twice a week ; and, to see that his fetters and chain re> mained secure, ordered him to coute to the door, which he al- ways did, without any reluctance. He appeared comfortable, and satisfied with his situation, without saying a word about the fate of his cause. Under these circumstances began to cidculute that we should keep him safely, until a Court would he ordered for his trial, without any material difficulty. On> the twelfth day, I was informed, that Mr. Neman Perkins heard a strange noise in the night, which induced him to be- lieve that Smith was at work at the grates.— On inquiry, Mrs. Perkins said, she heard a noise, like rubbing or filing, late in the night, and, by putting her head out of the window, she thought she discovered it to be at the gaol, which appear* A NARRATIVE, &c. 27 «d altogether improbable, knowing the siliiatioti of the pri- soner, and the impossibility of his having any thing to work with. I went immediately to the gaol— Moses Foster, George Raymond, Allen Baston, Mr. Dibblee and others, were with me ; it was then evening, and wc had two or three candleb— the gaoler opening the door, on going in, [ found him lying in his birth, chained, just as I left him ; and said to him, " Smith, you have not got out yet f"— He answered, "No, not quite.'* I then examined every bar of the grates, as strictly as possi- ble, as did also every one present, again and again, until we were all satisfied the alarm must be imaginary— Smith lying ^uiet, answering readily any question asked him. Mr. Allen Baston, however, continued searching the inner grate.— -There liad been observed by all, a small.chip, lying on one of the flat bars of the outer grate, and supposed to happen there acci- dentally. Mr. Baston being fully satisfied in viewing the in- ner grates, his fancy led him to reach through, and take off the chip oa one of the outer grates, in Joing w hich, he per- ceived it to hang a little, which led him to further examination, when he discovered the bar of the grate cut one-third off, and concealed with the feather edge of the chip, which astonished all present, knowing it could not be done, without first getting through the inner grates ; on proving which, he had so neatly cut one of the bars, that he could take it out, and replace it at his pleasure, and conceal it in such a way, that it could not be observed ; and would undoubtedly have compleated his es- cape in two or three nights more. T then asked him, what he cut the grate with; he answered, with inditfe.eiiv,e, ''with this saWf and this Jile ;" and, without any hesitation, handed to me, out of his birth, a case-knife steel blade, cut in leelh very neatly, and a common hand-saw file. 1 then asked him, how he got to the grates, and whether he had slipped the shackle off his foot.— He said, " No, he had cut the chain;' imd calmly showed me where he had cut llu; chain, in the joint or ihe links, Avhere it coidd not be readily discovered, i then asked him, where he got his tools — lie said, he left them when he went away from here ; and, that they were all the fools he had— -but we perceived, from the shape of the knife, being bo much thicker on the back than the edge, that the buis wero K.'2 ♦ 28 A NARRATIVE, &c. 'il'i ;^IM i never cut so nicely withuut some other tool ; and on a strict search, we found, in a broken place of the wall, neur th« grates, a neat watch-spring saw, with a string at one end I asked him, who gave him those tools ; with great indifft-rence, he answered, "You need not ask me that again, for 1 never n»li tell you." 1 then renewed the chain to his leg, put the iron collar about his neck, and stapled the chain to the floor, with a heavy pair of hand-cufi's, with 7-B bolt, on his wrists, aii of which he received very willingly. After searching his beii and clothes, we left him, on Saturday nighi, about eievcn o'clock. jjij I 4J4).ttt^^ i>-.( jfuiM fM rtiJii sm 4 (V I J 114: <*>«-- iijfj . .5t4:»V5^ if 1 i Sunday, at four o'clock, T was at the gaol ; the gaoler in- formed me he was lying in his birth, with all his irons on, had been inquiring if the Sheriff was not coming to examine his chains.— About twelve o'clock, the same night I was alarmed by a man, sent by the gaoler, who informed me, that Smith had got loose from all his irons, had got through the inner grate, was cutting the outer grate, and had nearly escaped— that iron the vigilance and attention of Mr. Dibblee, the gaoler, he was discovered to be at work, about ten o'clock at night ; by silently moving towards the prison, he got to the door undiscovered, and, with a candle at the end of a stick a yard long, in an instant opened the wicket door and shoved the light into th« gaol, while Smith was yet at work. The gaoler ordered him to leave every thing, and take to his birth ; he very calmly complied; but returned suddenly to the grates, which were in a situation out of the sight of the gaoler, and then went quickly to the water-closet, and threw something down, which the gaoler heard, and then came to his bed ; the gaoler watching him until the Sheriff came. On going into the gaol, I found he had extricated himself from all his irons, had got through the inner grates with all his clothes, and in the act of cutting the outer grates, which he had cut two thirds off, and would have effected his escape before day-light. 1 said to him, Smith, you keep at work ; he said, he had done work now, and that all his tools were down the water-closet — which, by letting down a candle, was strictly searched, but nothing discovered. He was then stripped of every rag of clothing, except his shirt, which i'- ii ^ii;i:1i A NARRATIVE, &c. S9 were searched, every hem and seam ; his birth knocked all in pieces, removed out of the gaol, and searched in every juint and spht, and the room swept critically, for watch- spring saws, w hich we suspected he had ; but nothing was disc(>vered.-*-We then replaced all his chains, with pad- locks, put on him a pair of screw hand-cuffs, which confined his hands close together ; and then left him, at four o'clock on Monday morning. On Monday, Mr. John Jarvis, blacksmith, had mended the grates, and came to put them in. We found -Smith lying on the floor, apparently in the same situation that we had left lum; but, on examining his hand-cuffs, found them cut in two, and that he could put them off and on when he pleased. Being asked, why he destroyed bis hand-cuffs ; he said, " that they were so stiff, nobody could wear them." No doubt then remaineJ, that he must have his saws concealed about hi^ body. Dr. Paddock, being present, was requested to examine him. He stript off' his clothes without any re- luctance, and, on taking off his shirt, the doctor discovered a muslin slip tie ibout his thigh, close to his body, so hard, that kt could not be discovered by rubbing the hand over it, which concealed, on the inside of his left thigh, a fine steel saw-plate, two inches wide, and ten inches long, with teeth cut on both edges ; no doubt of his own make. After this discovery, we put on him a light pair of hand-cuffs, and secured his chains with pad- locks, aiid set four men to watch him the whole night. The next day, secured the inner grate with hard bricks, filling the squares of the grates, and wedging them from behind; and filling the space between the grates solid with brick, lime and sand, leav'ng only one space at the upper corner, five by four inches, with a square of glass, plastered with lime in the middle, and glass also in the sash without, which prevented all possible conveyance to him undiscovered—- this space, through a wall three feet thick, conveyed little or no light, and left the room a complete dungeon, so that he could not be discovered from the door at any time of day, without a can- dle ; and we never after went into the gaol without two can- dles and three or four men. On the 13th Nov. I addressed a letter to Judge Chipman, and received the following answers— w A NARRATIVE, &c. f^\'. '■ • f * "St. John, Not. 14, 1814. VT « Dear Sir,— I have received your letter of yesterday's dale, relative to the new attcinpt of H. M. Smith to escape-— 'f have forv^arded the same to Fredericton. I presume that a Court will be ordered for his trial, as soon as it may be prac- ticable from the state of the travelling, and the necessity of procuring the witness from Nova Scotia, though, I should suppose, probably not before the ice makes. In the mean time, the utmost vigilance and precaution must be made usb of to secure him ; and you will be justified in any measures of severity that you may find it necessary to adopt for this purpose. " I am, Dear Sir, >i«| ** very faithfully yours, '^* *' W. Bates, Esq. " W. Chipm an.'*. li- ■:#: Wednesday/, Nov. 16.— Went into the gaol, and found he had injured the room by beating the plaster off the partition- Siv'all with his chain ; had broken one of the padlocks, and ap- peared to have been loose; seemed very vicious; said, he Would burn and destroy the building— he would make it smoke before he left it, and we stiould see it. I then procured a pair of steel fetters, well hardened, about ten inches long, with a chain frotn the middle, stapled to the floor ; a chain from the neck-collar to the fetters— the shackles around both his legs well rivetted, and his hand-cuffs rivetied to the chain from his neck. The whole of the irons and cliuiiis he received without showing the least reluctance or coiiceni. The blacksmith, af- ter he had finished rivetting the:n, said to him, " Smith, I tv'ould' advise you to be quiet after this, for if you are not, yoii will have an iron band placed rouiid your body, and be stapled fast to the floor."— He calmly replied, " Old man, if you are not satisfied, you may put it on now — / do not regard it — if you zcilllet me have my hands looss, you may put on as much iron as you please,*' In this situation, loaded ^^ith irons, with- A NARRATIVE, «cc. ai ■.rs * (hi s, with- out any thing to sit or lie upon but the naked ftoor, he was not the least humbled, but grew exceedingly noisy and vicious, seemingly very spiteful to the gaoler, who, in return, having had so much trouble with him, showed him but little favour or compassion. He soon began to roar and rave with mad- oess, and would take little or no notice of any thing said to him, sometimes praying, and repeating texts of scripture, till at length despair seemed to combine with madness, when, with a tremendous voice, he would cry out—" O thou cruel devils ! thou murderers ! man-slnyers ! thou tormenotrs of man ! How I burn to be revenged ! Help ! help ! help ! Lord help me to be avenged of these devils! Help me, that I may tear up tliis place ! that I may turn it upside down ! that there may not be one stick of it left ! My hair shall not be shorn, nor my nails cut, till 1 grow as strong as Samson ; then will I be avenged of all my enemies ! Help ! help ! O Lord, help me to destroy these tormentors ! these murderers of man ! tor- menting me in chains and darkness ! (hallooing and shouting) Darkness ! darkness ! O darkness !-^Not light to read the word of God! Not one word of comfort from any one I All is, 'You rogue! you thief! you villain! you deserve to be hanged !' No pity— not one word of consolation ! all dark* ness ! all trouble ! (singing) Trouble, trouble, trouble, trouble O God ! help me, and have mercy on me; I fear there is no mercy for me ! Yes ! there is mercy ! It is in Jesus, whose arms stand open to receive me ! but how shall 1 dare to look to him, whom I have offended !"— -Then he would call upon his parents, and deprecate his wicked life; then rave again :——" Murderers! tormentors! Consider you have souls to lose as well as I, a poor prisoner ! Consider you have children that may be brought to trouble as well as me! Con- sider I have parents ! if they knew my situation, it would kill them !— My wife ! begone from my sight ! why will you tor- ment me P It is for you I suffer all my sorrow ! It is fbr you my heart bleeds ! It is for you only, is all my trouble !— >Not a friend comes to see me ; nothing before me but pain aud sorrow, chains and darkness, misery and death ! O wretched I,h' ad A NARRATIVE, 8tc. me! bow long tin I to nuflfer in this place ot torment ! Am I to linger a life of pain and sorrow, in chains and misery ! No ! I will cut the thread of life, and be relieved from this place of darkness and trouble!" (singing), "Trouble, trouble, trouble," a thousand times repeated. He continued in this strain a considerable iime, and would not answer when spoken to, or take the least notice of any one present, until he grew very hbarse — and at last heleji off speaking at all, on an if occasion. = > The weather growing cold, I allowed him his bunk again, and made him a comfortable bed. He made one attempt to hang himself, by making a rope out of his blankets, \yhich were taken from him. He then attempted, for three or four days, to starve himself, but gave that over. ; He lay in his bed most of the time, day and night, without committing any act of violence, until the l6th of December, when, on going into the prison, I found he had broken the iron collar from his neck, and drawn the staple from the tim- ber, returning it slightly to its place, so that it would not be retidily discovered. On the 17th, put a chain about his neck, and stapled him to the floor, in a situation to prevent him from reaching either of the staples. In this situation, his wrists being galled by his previous exertions, and very much swelled and sore, he re- mained more quiet, hallooing occasionally, until January 15th. The weather being very cold at this season, and having no fire, he was in danger of freezing. I took off all his irons, except his fetters and hand-cutfs, for which relief he showed not the least thankfulness or acknowledgment, but grew more noisy and troublesome, especially at night ; so much so, that no sleep could be had, for the strange noise he would make*>not like the human voice, but by such tremendous screeches and bowl- ings as were neter heard before, without uttering a word. Iii ^ A NARRATIVE, 8tc. as No I tee of ibie," ain a Ml to, V very asioii. this manner he continued five months, committing many out- rages upon liimseif and his chains, doing many curious and as- tonishing acts, as will be related ; and, during all which time, he could never be provoked or surprised to speak one zcord, and toolc no notice of any person, or any thing done or said to him, any more than a dumb or senseless creature. He had the New Testament, which he k?pt by him, and a leaf in it was observed to be turned down. On examination, it proved to be at the third chapter of Corinthians, beginning in these words, ** And J, brethren, could not speak unto i/ou." The weather being extremely cold throughout the month of January, fears were entertained that he must perish, without fire, presuming that no man could keep from freezing, in his situation. I visited him almost every day, and examined his hands and feet, but never found him cold. He kept in his bunk night and day, and his chains always felt warm. He made no more attempts to escape until February, when the weather began to moderate a little, and he became mOF£ restless and troublesome. Early in the month, he began fo tear off the lime-wall and lathing from the partition ; broke every thing lie could get hold of; a s'rong iron-hooded biicket, that held his drink, he broke all in small pieces ; not a piece of the iron hoops was left, more than three inches long ; atKl when the gaoler came to the wicket-door, with a candle, to see him, he would throw the pieces with such dexterity as to put out the light, although hand-cuifed. He continued, as the weather moderated, to grow more noisy and vicious. On the 10th, I received the following note, from the gaoler:— « Dear Sir, " There must be something done with Smith. He is de- termined to let me know what he is, if no one else does. He sleeps in the day time ; and, w hen I go to tell him to keep quiet at n^;ht, he yells so as not to hear what 1 say. Instead of thanks for taking off his irons, he makes all the noise he can, by yelling and screaming all night, and knocking very loud, with W '0: V ! i 84 A NARRATIVE. &c. some part of his irons. I wish you would come up early, and advise what in best. "W. DlBMLEB." On going into the gaul| found his irons on, whole and safe ; and, to prevent hiui from using his hands so freely, locked a chain from his fetters to his hanJ-cufils, and left him. On Sunday the 19th, two gentlemen from Nova-Scotia, who had been requested by his wife to make some inquiry after him, called upon nic. I persuaded them to go with me to the gaol, to see if he would speuk, or take any notice of them, or any thing they might say to him from his wife. . They said a great deal to him— told him, his wife wished to know his situation, and if he wished her to come to him , what she should do wiUi a colt he had left ; if he would have him sold ; that he would fetch 200 dollars, 8cc. but all made no impression on him, any more than if he was a dead man : which convinced us all, that if he should be hanged, he would go to the gallows without speaking a word, or changing his countenance. The week following, he grew more restless and vicious, and the next Sunday, on going into the gaol with Mr. Ruloifson aud Mr. Griffith, from Woodstock, found Smith had broken up pa^t of his birth ; had broken the chain from his hand-cuffs, leaving one link to the staple, the parted link secreted ; and torn up part of his bedding. It appeared also, that he had been at the grates, but how he got there was a mystery, as the chains to his legs were whole, and the staple well in the timber ; but he had evidently been there, as some of the boarding was broken, and pieces of pine left in the bricks. . We then raised the staple, and again put on the chain to the hand-cuffs, and drove the staple in another place, more out of hia reach. The next day, found he had again parted (he chain from his hands, and torn off a large portion of the lathing and plastering from the middle wall ; the floor covered with rub- bish. I then attempted to confme him nore closely, putting A NARRATIVE, &c. 35 ■ chain from hit feet around liis neck, stapled to the tloor ; •nd his hand-cuffs secured to the middle of the chain. Notwithstanding every exertion I could make to restrain him, I was still fearful, that as the weather grew warmer, he would find means to effect his escape, us he had already done things that seemed to require more than human power to execute ; especially in getting the iron collar off his neck, and drawing the staple from the timber, which two yoke of oxen could not have done. Tlie iron collar, which was made of a flat bar of iron, one and a half inch wide, the edges only rounded* he twisted the same as if a piece of leather, and broke it in two. We very often found him bloody, and his wrists swelled and sore by his exertions ; but he never complained, or took any notice of what he had done, or exhibited any regard for his situation or comfort. March l5^— On going into the gaol, at evening, found him out of his bed, walking ; and exhibiting a remarkable effigy, representing his wife, standing in gaol, supported by the wall, as large as life, apparently visiting him in his miserable con- finement ; himself walking before her, in chains and fetters, as far as they would admit. By the light of candles, this scene exhibited a most striking picture of misery and distress. A wife, visiting her wretched and disconsolate husband in a dungeon, in a most dejected posture, overcome and speechless ; the husband moving restless and silently before her, despair pictured on his countenance— agitated— every muscle of hit frame exhibiting marks of acutest anguish. IVuly, I must say, this scene shocked the feelings of humanity ; its effect can hardly be effaced from my mind. Every one present was awed and astonished at the sight— and I am fully persuaded the Hke never was, and never can be again produced, with equal ingenuity and effect. The effigy was formed of his bedding, and the shirt and clothes he had destroyed, with tbft . , r 2 • i m A NARRATIVE, &c. V. nssistonre of a trough, three or four feet long, used for keeping water ui the gaol, for him to drink. He continued noisy and troublesome until the 5th of Mtu*cb, when I took otY his irons, and gave him a clean shirt-^^ let him wash himself, and comb his huir, which htid not been cut, nor his beard shaved, since he hud been in gaol'^-gave bim some soap, a part of which he ale, and used the rest. The blacksmith again put on his irons and chains, v\hich he received the same as an o.\ would his yoke, or a horse his harness. .;r March 6e had taken off every inch of the plastering from the partition-wtU ; stripped off ail the lath^- ing, and the boarding over the grates ; broken some of the bricks— had gathered ail the fragments together, and sttwking them up, ill a rcuiid stack, with the broken laith fenced it round, willi » worm-fence * ; piled ail tbe lon^ lath close to the wall under the grates, out of sight from the wicketofkyor, then swept tiie Hoor clean; so, that returning to his birth, and tying his leg-cliain to the staple, on looking in with a candle, nothing could be seen out of place. In this situation I found him— Daniel M icheau, Esq. Moses Foster, George Raymond, Walker Tisdale, the gaoler, and others, present. I then raised the staple, secured him by tbe legochain, put on a pair of strong stiff hand-cuffs^ and left him. ■ . He remained in that situation until the 28tb. I was then called again by the gaoler, who saiu he believed be was loose, and was about some mischief.— I went into the gaol, and found him loose ; his chain from his neck separated into three pieces, and hud bruised the plastering from the stone wall, with his chains, about three feet long. We were obliged to leave him. While we were getting his chains mended, he swept tbe room clean. At night, I added another chain, from his fetters to his neck, and stapled him to the floor, with about four feet chain ; secured his handcuffs to the chain between his neck and feet, so, that when standing, he could not reach in any direction, and then left him. • A fence, the form of which is peculiar to the settlements in America. ^ A NARRATIVE, &c. V He remained easy, singing and hallooing occasionally, nntil the 31st. I was then called again by the gaoler, vvho said he was certainly loose again : that opening the door, to see what he was doing, he found a piece of the chain from his neck hanging on the inside of the wicket-door. I went immedi- ately to the gaol ; found he had broken all his chains ; had tied his foot chain to the staple again, long enough to reach the wicket-door ; was lying in bed, as unconcerned as if no- thing had happened, with the piece of chain about his neck. We then took his bunk-bedstead from him, and every thing withhi his reach, and never let him have it any more ; but could not discover by what means he separated his chains. No links of the chains appeared twisted, nor were any broken links to be seen. The manner in which he was chained, as well as the strength of the chains, left it beyond doubt, that he must have means to cut the links, as it was thought beyond human strength, in his situation to break them— to ascertain which we let a candle down the water-closet, by which we could see the bottom clearly ; and, with an iron hook, prepared for the purpose, we brought up a bunch of broken links of his chains, which he had tied up in a piece of his shirt, and thrown down, together with a piece of his neck-chain, about a foot long ; which convinced us that he could have no fur- ther means of cutting his chains ;-»that he must do it by some mysterious art or power. I was then determined to break the enchantment, if strength of chain would do it ; and added to his fetters a large timber-chain, which was used for bunk'chain of a bob-sledge,''^ by which four and five logs are hauled to the mill at once. (I have seen the chain made use of in the gaol at Newhaven*)* ; and this chain was at least one third, if not one half, larger, and twice as strong.) We then left him. April l£/.— Found his neck-chaiii parted again; got it mended, and replaced it. April Gth. — Found his neck-chain ♦ " Bob-sledge," a kind of sledge, used for moving timber^ f In Connecticut, one of the United States. %1 A NARRATIVE, &c. ao again parted ; I then replaced his neck-chain, with a strong ox-cl)ain, a size larger than that usu'il in the prison at New- haven, about seven feet long ; th whole of his irons in good order, and equally strong ; which, being weighed by the gaoler, after they were taken off, amounted to forty-six pounds. Left him that night ; next morning, the gaoler informed me, that from the unaccountable noise he had made through the night, he was persuaded he must be loosed from some of his chains. I then concluded he must have broken his steel fet- ters, as it was impossible for human strength to break either of the ox-chains ; but, to my surprise, found the chain to his neck parted, and tied with a string to the staple, two feet long ; hand-cuffs, fetters, and log-chain, whole. Secured his neck- chain again. After this, he remained more quiet ; his wrists being much galled, and otherwise bruised and sore, from his exertions. He did not commit any further outrages for some time, but busied himself in braiding straw, with which he made a place on the side wall, to put his bread in ; sometimes making an image or likeness of a man or woman, and placing them in very striking situations, discovering great art and ingenuity, and seemed to amuse himself, without breaking his irons ; but made much noise, hallooing, and beating his chains, most of the night. On the 29th, on going into the gaol, discovered the likeness of a woman, representing his wife, sitting at the head of his bed, with the New Testament open before her, as though reading to him, and he sitting in a posture as though listening to her with great attention. I was induced to look in the book, and found it opened to the 13th chapter of St. Luke, the title of which was, " Jesus teacheth repentance" with a leaf turned down, directing to the last verse of the 12th chap- ter—appearing as though she had rebuked him for his con- ~'i t I r , m Am, S ' ii! \i\ Ii.! 40 A ■■.■-3. A NARRATIVE, &c. duct, brining to ttie mind his several escapes, whilst He Bp- peared to justify triiiMelf with that text of Scripture, xVliich «ays, — " When thou gont with thiue adversary to the magis- irnte, «« thau art en the way, give diligence that thou mayest be delivered from Aim, lest he hale thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and the officer cast thee into prieon.** S. Scriboer, T. Scribner, and Mr. Reid, were pre- sent with me. He produced many more of the like represen- tations, 'chat discovered tin ttncomtnon genius, and wonderful Higenuity, more than I vafvMe to describe. A Special Coiirt of Oyer and Tcr^niner, and General Gaol Delivery, had been surijimoned, to be held at Kingston, on the 28th day of April, for the trial of the Horse-stealer, but was put off, and re-summoned, to be held on the 4th of May, oc- casioned by the ice remaining unusually late in the river St. John, as will appear from the following letters: — " Dear Sir, St. John, April 5th, 1816. *' I have received your letter, detailing the very extraordinary conduct of the culprit in your custody. There is certainly a inystery in this man's means and character which is unfathom- able, and 1 fear there will be considerable difficulty with him at the trial. Your vigilance and exertions, of course, must not be relaxed. As th« best thing to be done, I dispatched your letter, without delay, to the Attorney General, that they might adopt, at head-quarters, any such measures as they might think expedient for the further safeguard and security of the prisoner. " Very respectfully yours, ** W. Bates, Esq. « W. Chipman." v « Dear Sir, Smnlay, April, 16, iai6. I have just received, by an express Aom Fredericton, a letter from the Attorney General, ststing, that ffoai itbe state it A NARRATIVE, &c. 41 bf the river, it will be impracticable for him to be at Kingston by the 20th ; aind as he has hitherto taken the whole burthen of the prosecution upon himself, the trial cannot well go on Mrithout him. From this circumstance, therefore, and as the present state of the travelling would probably render it dan- gerous to my father's health, (who is not now very well,) to hold the Court this week, he hlis determined to put it off till Thursday f the Ath of May, for which day, he wished you to summon your Juries, and to proclaim the holding of the Court. He regrets much, giving you this additional trouble, but it must be attributed to the extraordinary backwardness of the season, which was probably not foreseen when it was recom- mended to hold the Court on the 20th April. I have not time to forward a new precept by this conveyance, but I Will for- ward one in time, dr the one you have may be altered. This can easily be arranged when we go up to the Court. • " Yours truly, '* W. Bates, Esq. " W. Chipman, Jun." On the 30th day of April, I informed him, that the Thursday next, the fourth day of May, he must have his trial, before thp Court for his life, and that Mr. Pearson, from Pictou, ha4 come to witness against him. He paid no attention, any more than if I had not spoken to him.— May £nd, Mr. Pear- aon cameto see him— told him, that his wire was. coming to see him ; but he took no more notice of him, than if he could not either see or hear, or had no sense. The third day, found he had been at work at the wall ; his face bruised and blpody ; told him, that the next day, he would be brought* before the Court for his trial. He paid no attention, ate hastily, patted his hands, hallooed, appeared very lively, sang much, and acted the lunatic, or fool, to perfectiou — sang, iuid beat the floor with his chains, most of the night. ^^ .\'i <.'» « np ii|! jrU' 1 !■' r 42 A NARRATIVE, & for a fi!w niiiniites, in perfect silence. The Judge observed^ that the prisoner appeared mort calm this niurning> and directed , that the Cuurt proceed to hia trial, l^he Jury being sworn^ and the witnesses called, the prisoner at the bar was ordered to stand up, for bis dttfenci. H6 took no notiee of what was aaid. The constables were then ordered to hold htm up on his feet. He fought Ihtth, and jerked from them, so that they could not man^gt to do any thing with him. Sent for a rope^ lind pinioned his arms, but to no purpose ; lashed the rope lirdm his atmi baek to the railing of the box. He con-» tinned fighting, and,reabhing the bannisters before him, broke thtem out a^ fast as the constables could take them from him* Sent for another rope, and tied his hands together^ siecuring them to the railing each way. He then fell to kicking the raiU ing, and soon demolished all the bannisters and railing in front of the Criminals' bo:t, in dpite of all the constables could do to prevent him. Was obliged to get another strong rope, and bind hi6 feet together, securing the rope each way, to the po!its of the bo3t. It then took two or three constables to hold him. i After thus setufing him, the Court proceeded on his triair The Attorney General read his declaration, charging the pri" doiier at the bar with having feloniously stolen a certam bay horse, the property of fViUis Frederic Rnox, E^. o( the value of 33?. ; that he was taken in the mannit ; and produced his ^Itbiesses. Mr. KnoX, being sworn, staled the circumstances G 2 II ( ! k ''ii'i ■;i I i^ 44 A NARRATIVE, 8tc. of his pursuit after the prisoner, as far as Truro, where he employed Mr. Pearson to pursue on to Pictou, being inform- ed that the prisoner was going to sell the horse at that place* Mr. Peters, counsel for the prisoner, asked the witness, how he wrote his Christian nvkme-^Wills or Willii'^-to which he replied, " I was christened after my god-fathers, Lord North and the £arl of Willsborough-— and never write my name Willis!' Mr Peters then produced authorities to show, that one letter in a man's name had quashed an indictment, and moved that the prisoner be discharged. This was over-ruled by the Court, but reserved for a question. Mr. Pearson deposed, that he pursued the whole night, and early next morning was shown the prisoner, and took him. He seemed but little surprised; the witness told him the owner of the horse would be there soon. He said that he came honestly by the horse. The witness asked him where the horse was ? He said, " At that house ;" pointing over the creek, were there was but one. He then took the prisoner before a Justice, and thence to tlie gaol at Pictou ; that he afterwards took the horse, returned about ten miles, and met Mr. Knox who knew the horse, and called him Briton. The circumstances against the prisoner were, that he gave contradictory accounts how he came by the horse; at one time saving that he bought him of a pedlar ; at another, of a Frenchman; again, that he swapped for him ; and, at Amherst, produced a receipt for money paid in exchange. Tlie counsel for the prisoner, in cross-examining, asked Mr. Knox,—" Did you ever see the prisoner in possession of the liorse ?** " No ; but he acknowledged it."—" Did you ever hear him acknowledge that he was in possession of the horse, in any other way, than with saying he came honestly by himf' " No.*' Mr. Pearson was cross-examined in the same words, and answered the same no* Mr. Peters, in defence of A NARRATIVE, &c. 45 the Prisoner, produced authorities to show, that by the evi- dence, the prisoner at the bar, was not taken in the manner, as stated in the declaration ; and that it was sufficient for him to prove, in a general way, how he came in possession of the horse, which he was able to do, by a receipt which he pro- duced for the money paid in exchange<«-the best general evi- dence that can be given, as such h the common way of dealing in horses. He acknowledged, if the prisoner had been taken on the back of the horse, he would then have been taken in the manner, as stated by the Attorney General ; and conse- quently, bound to prove how he comein possession ; but, in the present case, he himself, or any one present, might be in this unfortunate prisoner's situation ; dragged to prison, to Court, and to the gallows, because he could not produce the person who had actually sold him the horse. The prosecutor had not produced any evidence of the horse ever being in the possession of the prisoner, only by his own confession ; and he trusted, that the Jury would not hesitate to find, that the prisoner at the bar, was not taken in the manner, as stated in the declaration, but would pronounce him, by their verdict, Not Guilty^ The Judge, in his chaise to the Jury, over-ruled the plea, by stating to the J ury, tnat his being taken in the manner was proved by the various accounts he gave of his getting posses- sion of the horse, thus rendering himself liable to prove how he came by him, or to stand guilty of feloniously taking him, as stated in the indictment. That they had heard the witnesses ; and, if, from the evidence and circumstances before them, they were fully satisfied, that the prisoner at the bar had taken thdl' horse feloniously, as stated in the indictment, they would find him Guilty ; that, and if they had any doubts, leaning to mercy, they would find him Not Guilty, While the Jury were out, I invited the Court and other gen* tiemen to visit the Gaol, where I showed them his irons and chains, and the situation in which he was placed. The Judge II 40 i ' i ' Hi I l^'l A NARRATIVE, lint. Dbternd, it was fortunate that be iKraii Mnt to KitigHon gaol, Ai no otbei- gaol in the province would have kept him. Tlie Jury, after being out about two hours, returned, will) thbir ntdltit^Guiity, . The prisoner did not show the least sign of senubility that tould be perceived) while the Judge pronounced upuii him the sentence of tlie law, Deaths without benefit of clergy-^ but contiiiued shouting and hallooing. The Court asked the Counsel fur the prisoner, if he had Mij thing to offer in al-rest of Judgment^ or why the sentence of death ihould not be executed upon him. Mr. Peters then >«M, and produced authorities, to show, that the present law^ that took awi^ the benefit of clergy for horse-stealings wils not in fbrce in this colony, and that it could not be construed to be in force, ilntil decided in the higher court, ^Vhere h0 hoped to have the honour to discuss it. The Judge gave his opinion against him, but admitted the plea. The prisoner was returned to gaol, where he received his ehnins with willingness, and apparent satisfaction^ and the Conrt adjourned without day. The Attorney General, how- Btttf ^Ve tnb to understand, that he would not be executed very speedilyj and requested that I would obsiarve his beha* viOuf, and infot-ni bin), by letter, of the particulars of his conduct. The next morning I. visited him. Found him as usual, iu- furnied him, he was now under sentence uf death, and that he ^i-ould be allowisd but one pound of bread, and water oiice a a days fof the short tim« he hnd to live ; that as soon as his death-warrant was eiigned by the President) he v^ould be exe- cuted, and but little time was left him to prepar for the dread- A NARRATIVE, Sw. AS ful event. He naid no attention, patted hia haads, inog, fx4 acted the fool a» usual. One of the ipectators, being surpriied at Im» oonduct, obr ■erved to him, " Smith, it ii too late for you to deceive aqy roore; >our fnte is fixed no^, and you bad better enn ploy your little time in mailing yourpeaee with God, than to a^t th.e fool any longer !"TT-which occasioned the following :>^q going \fh to the gaol, obterved his book opened to the following pgav sage •.^^** If anjf man among you afiemeth t9 be mf9f k^t Mn{ beeomeafoolfthal he may bems^.** In this situation, I kept him nine days on bread and w^r. once a day reminding hiai of his fate. He continued i|i tbm same state, and in that time bad torn off every stitqh of olfHJir ing, leuviug himself nuked. He never sbowfid (iny peni^nm or any sign of hunger, more than when fed wi^i.fovf tiote^ t|lM allowance. I then allowed him other provi^^ons, ^l^ his atn^n ceeding conduct is briefly stated in the fpUowiffg \etx^f to ik% Attorney General : ved his nd the how- 2cuted beha- of his f V ** Co]^ of a Utter from the High SJi^erifof Kingh Coujfjti/,^ " My Dear Sir, "Kingston, Jul^ll^ 1816., " Having heani nothing from you iin<;e the I^te Q«^oji Pejjb very at lying's county, 1 beg briefly to s^^e to ypy ip^^ circumstances of the conduct of the crimipalji Henfy ^f pr^ Sniith, since his trij^l and sentence. After secMring hiijp with strong chains to l;iis peck and legs, ai^d with hand*cufts, be cpq- tinvied beating the floor, hajlooing day and night, with littl^ ip- teri^sion, making different sounds ; sometimes Wwh jinking his chains, and sometiipes witl^oMt, apparently in ^iflereiit parts of tlie gaol ; inaon^ucl?, that thi? gaole;r frequently sent for me, si^pppsing he ipust be loo^e from his chains, whiclf I conceived, and frequently observed, wa^ impopibie; being far b^yQ04 tjhe power of l^piT^gii ^tji^gtb pr iiiyeutipn, i^ hif sjilu^ I'i, I! . *: 111' i^' m I 48 A NARRATIVE, &c. lion i— but, on the 24lh of May, going into the gaol early in the morning, (ufte r having examined his chaiiin at two o'clock the day before,) I found three links of hisi heaviest chain sepa- rated, and lying on the floor, being part of the chain without the staple, lie continued in the name way, until the second of June, when we found the largest chain parted about the middle, and tied with a string; which clearly proves, that irons and chains are no security for him. I then put on liini a light chain, with which he has been ever since. I never discovered him at work at any thing, but he frequently produced effigies, or likenesses, very stiiking, representing his wife. Vl^e now produced an effigy of a man in perfect shape, with his features painted, and joints to all his limbs, and dressed him in clothes that he had made, in good shape and fashion, out of the clothes that he had torn off himself, (being now naked,) which was admired for its ingenuity. This he would put sometimes in one position and sometimes in another, and seemed to amuse himself with it, without taking the least notice of any thing else; continuing in his old way hallooing,J without any alteration, until the 13th, when the gaoler informed me, that he refused to eat, and no doubt was sick.—- 1 went to see him every day- found he did not eat.— All the bread, and othei provisions con- veyed to him, he gave his effigy, strung on a string, and put in- to his hands.-^He lay perfectly still day uild night, '^hd/tdo"^ no notice of any thing— would drink tea or milk, which I gave twice a day, for five days; he then refused' to drink any thing for two days, which made seven days he had eaten nothing. In that time he began to speak ; would ask questions, biit' would hold no conversation.— But the most extraordinary||the most wonderful and mysterious of all, is, that in that time, he had prepared, tmdiscovered, and at once eihibited, the tnost striking picture of genius, art, taste, and invention, that ever and I presume, ever will be produced, by any human was being, placed in his situation ; in a dark room, chained and hand-cuffed, under sentence of death, without so much as a nail, or any kind of thing to work with, but his hands, and naked. ..The exhibition is far beyond my pen to describe;- — To give you some faint idea, permit me to say, that at consists A NARRATIVE, 8cc. 40 riy ill cluck scpa- tliout ticond It the ; irons ft light overed fligies, [e now matures clothes clothes :ch was mes in amuse ng else ; eration, refused y day— )us con- put in- tdot I gave ly thing kothiiig. ns, but laryjthe ;ime^ he [he tnost [hat ever human led and ich as a ids, and jcribe;^ — consists of ten characters, men, women, and cliiMren— all made und painted in iliu .nost exprcsaivL* manner, with all the limbi and juull^ of ihf Impiiuu franu -—euch performing different parts; their featuivs, shape and form, all express their different fa- shions, aiitl suitable to the stations in which they act. To view them ni their situation, they appear as perfect as though alive, with all the air and gaiety of actors on the stage. Smith sits in his bed by the oide of the gaol^his exhibition begins about a foot from the floor, and compasses the whole spnce of the ceiling. The uppermost is a mat , whom he calls the tarn- ^ bo ' iiie-player, or, sometimes, Do;. tor Blunt, standing with all the pride and appearance of a mai'iter musician, his left hand a-kimbo, liisi right hand on his tambourine, dressed in suitable uniform. Next him, below, is alady— genteeiiy diesse i, grace- fully hitting ill a handsome swing ; ut her left ha " ', stands % man neatly dressed, in the character of a servant, holding the three figures, sits a young man and a young girl, (apparently about 14,) in a posture for tilting^ at each end, of a board, decently dressed. Directly under these, stands one w horn he calls Buonaparte, or, sometimes, the father of \{w family ; he stands erect; his fea- tures are prominent ; his cheeks red ; his teeth white, set in order ; his gums and lips red ; his nose shaded black, repre- senting the nostrils; his dress \f^ "A.-'X of the harlequin; in one hand he holds an infant, with the other he plays or beats music ; before him stand two children^ apparently three or four years old, holding each other b^ une hand, in the act of playing or dancing, with a iqan, dressed in fashion, who appears in the character of a steward, sometimes in one situation, and some- times in another; and this makes up the show, all of which you have at one view. Then cotnmeiices the performance. The first operation is from the tambourine-player, or master, whp gives three single strokes on his tambourine, that may be heard in any part of the house, without moving his body. He then dances gracefully a few steps, without touching the tambourine^ • H §'Ml ii ■' h.> Mi' Hi: Ml, i si ■Ji' 1 i. m' 50 A NARRATIVE, &c. 'v the lady is then swung two or three times by the steward ; , then the gallant takes a few steps ; then, the two below tilt a few times, in the most easy, pleasant manner; then, the two children dance a little, holding each other by the band : after this. Smith begins to sing, or whistles a tune, to which they are to dance, at which the tambourine strikes, and every one dances to the tune^with motion, ease, and exactness, not to be described. \ Many have been the observations of spectators; amongst them, an old German observed, that when he was starving the seven days, he was making a league with the Devii, and that he helped him. All acknowledge, with me, that it exceeds every thing they ever saw or imagined. His whole conduct, from the first, has been, and is, one continued scene of mystery. He has never shown any idea or knowledge of his trial, or present situation ; he seems happy ; his irons and chains are no ap- parent inconvenience; contented like a dog or a monkey, broke to his chain : shews no more idea of any thing past, than if he had no recollection. He, in short, is a mysterious charac- ter, possessing a wonderful art of invention, beyond common capacity. , ' ''T am almost ashamed to forward you so long a letter upon the subject, and so unintelligible; I think, if I could have done justice in describing the exhibition, it would have been worthy a place in the Royal Gazette, and better worth the at- tention of the public, than all the wax-work ever exhibited in this province. " I am, with all due respect, dear Sir, " Your very humble servant, " Walter Bates." *' Thomas Wetmore, Esq. Attorney General* ** P. S. Wednesday the 28th. \ This morning, I found he had added to his works a drummer, placed at the left of his tambourine player, equal in appearance, and exceeding in per- formance ; beats the drum with either hand, or both occasion- ally, ID concert with the tambourine, keeping time with perfect V. A NARRATIVE, &c. 51 exactness, sometimes sitting, at others standing or dancing. He had also, in a most striking manner, changed the position of his scene. The lady, above described to be sitting grace- fully in her swing, with so many attendants and admirers, is now represented swinging in a dejected posture, with a young infant in her arms ; her gallant has left her, and is taking the young girl before described, about 14, by the hand, with F.a air of great gallantry, leading her, and dancing to the tune, with perfect exactnesa^epresebting more than can be de- scribed. On viewing this, an old Scotsman observed, " Some say he is mad, others he is a fool ; but I say, he is the sharp- est man I have ever seen ; his performance exceeds all I ever met with, and I do not believe he was ever equalled by man. This evening, a gentleman from Boston, having heard the above description, came to see the performance, and declared he could say, as the Queen of Sheba did, that " the half had not been told," [To this the Editor of the Royal Gazette, in which, according to the suggestion of writer, it was printed, adds the following remarks :— '* We have given an entire copy of the above letter, which has excited our astonishment, and will, probably, that of every other person who has not seen the exhibition and per- formance described in it. Those who are acquainted with the Sheriff, know him to be incapable of stating falsehoods, or attempting in any way to practice a deception, and will of course give credit to the statement of facts, wonderful as they may appear to be, which he has made."] »und he t of his in per- :casion- perfect Ju/y 1 s^■— In the morning, I found him repairing his drummer. He »aid, he had a gentleman and lady come from France, but could nut put them up— and, lookmg archly at me, said, " The Devil has no chain about his neck." I answered him, if he did not behave worse than the Devil, I would give him more li- berty ; and took his chain from his neck, and put it to his feet. He then produced a man, fashionably dressed, and, in one H 2 V,. \l' I OS A NARRATIVE, &c. . *!:;il^»H"V I rAf,n;i. Ah minute had him daiiciog. He said, he had no clothes fit for his lady to appear in company; but, if he had a needle and thread, he could have them all til for a ball in two days. T<> gratify the spectators present, I consented, and they soon sup- plied him with thread, needle, calico, ribbons, and a small pair of scissars, the first thing he had had to cut with, having used his teeth. He seemed pleased, and began to seu by candle- light, btit laid it by, and said he could work better in the dark. The next day, found him making clothes for his " family"-— He iaid, he had a drum-major coming out from France, who would beat two drums at once, and his wife would stand upon her head, and beat three ; that he must have drum-sticks, aiid some- thing for drums, which was furnished. He made some of brass, and some of tin, making different sounds, trimmed in elegant style, with ribbons and tassels, and would have appear- ed elegant in a toy-shop. As he proceeded, he was supplied Mrith every thing that he wanted ; and was very industrious ia making his improvements. ■ « 4i.iir»*- --vAt f I 1 -I The Supreme Court being about to be held at Fredericton, and feeling anxious to know the fate of the prisoner, I attend- ed the Court, and having ascertained that the destiny of the prisoner would not be fatal, I returned. The gaoler informed me, that the first night after I had left home. Smith had drawn the staple of the chain that had been about his neck, and had concealed both the chain and the staple, so that they could not be found. The glass in the wall was broken at the same time, but the chain did not go out that way, as the outside glass was whole. The room, and every thing in it, had been strictly searched without discovering it, and it could not be conceived how the glass was broke, as it was entirely out of his reach. On going into the gaol, he said to me, that the Devil told his old drummer, if he did not put that chain out of the way, he would certainly get it about his neck again ; that he hated it, and had murdered it, and put it under the dirt ; but he feared he should have no peace till he raised it again. I told him, he must raise it, and that I would not put it on him^ i', J H i|'4 A NARRATIVE, &c. 53 a^uin if he behaved well. I then took off hi^ hand-cuffs, gave him water to wash himself, with a clean shirt and jacket ; it young man gave him a black handkerchief, which he put about his nect:, and seemed pleased ; pvished he had a fiddle— 'he would give his shirt for a fiddle, tnat he might play, for his "far mily" to dance ; he was offered a fife ; he said, he believed he could learn to play— he then took the fife, and would play any tune, either right or left-handedTI I told him, if he would be^ have well, I would not put his hand-cuffs on that day ; be said, then he would have his " family" in good order ; but, that when he sent one hand to do any thing, the other vould follow it. Gave him some materials that be wanted, and then left kvia* This was the 17th of July. On the ISth, found him at work at his " children," preparing fc improvements. Gave him a pen, and paint, and many ar- ticles for cbthing, 8cc. He had before used coal, and his own blood, for colouring.^ He appeared thankful, and talked more coherently. To account for the broken glass, he said to me, " My old drummer cried out for more air, his ** family" stood so thick about him—' Well,' said I, ' tell me how to get it, and I will go to work at it.' He told me, to make a wisp of straw, long enough to reach the glass, and break it, which I did^ and destroyed the rope, that it might not be discovered." ; He continued his employment, repairing and improving hif "^family," dressing them neatly, and painting their featuresi all new ; and adding to his exhibition, until he said, they were aU present that were coming. With the money that he had re- ceived from spectators, he supplied himself with calico, and about the 1 0th of August completed the show, which consiati- ed of twenty-four characters, men and women ; six beat mu- sic in concert with the fiddle, while sixteen danced to the tune* The other two were fighters, Buonaparte, with a sword, fighting an Irishman with his shillaly. His musicians were dressed in uniforms; some drummers, some tambourine-players, and some bell 'ringers. In the centre of his dancers stood his dancing, master, in a military dress, with hat and boots on, and gloves 54 A NARRATIVE, &c. 4il ■ on his hands. A soldier, in Scotch uniform, at an advanced station, acted as a sentry, stepping regularly one foot before the other. Smith would sit before them, and play a tune on the iiddle, to which they would all dance, and beat to the mu- sic in concert, one half on the right hand to one part of the tune, and the other on the left hand to the other part ; then all together, dancing to the tune as regular and as natural as if alive ; the dancing-master dancing with his right hand and foot with one part, and his left hand and foot with the other part, and then together with the whole, without any stop or hin- drance, to any tune that he should play, and without discover- ing any sign or motion by which they were made to act. His fighters, if they had been alive, could not act and appear more natural. All his figures were formed of straw, curiously twist- ed and interwoven. The coal, he used for colouring, he got from a burnt timber in the partition wall, and their first clothing was made of the pieces of his garments which he had torn up^\ » It is impossible for me to do it justice; therefore, I shall, not attempt any further description, and only add, that great numbers came to see the exhibition, and to view his person, from a great distance— among whom were several physicians-^ ^ and all expressed their astonishment. A gentleman from Pennsylvania, Dr. Prior, a man of learning, (who told me he had spent his whole life travelling for foreign and literary infor- mation, and had made it a point to view all curiosities and phenomena that he could hear of,) having heard that I had an extraordinary character in prison, came to beg the favour of me to let him see him; with . !uch I complied. After view- ing his person, and every pu'v of his exhibition and perform- ance, he was pleased to say, that he had travelled through all the continent of America, and part uf Europe, but hud never met with the equal of it— that he was now writing memoirs of his own life and truvels, and that he should not fail to fill a page with a description of this wonderful performance. With otlier spectators, a gentleman, by the name of Doctor I I A NARRATIVE, &c. 55 Couglyn, from Ireland, who had been surgeon in hi» Majesty's service, both by sea and land, a gentleman of accomplishments . and learning, came to see this new and extraordinary exhibi- tion. After having viewed the scene repeatedly, for several days that he tarried at Kingston, he declared, that he bad tra- velled through Europe, had lived in England, Ireland, and Scotland — that he had been in France and Holland— at Ham- burgh, and other places famous for such exhibitions, but that he had never met with any thing of the kind that equalled the one before him. August 13fA.— When the gaoler went into the gaol. Smith ; said to him, " That he had been fishing, and had caught a ^ large fish, and wished him to cook it for him."—- On looking, • the gaoler saw the chain, that had been missing, then lying on i the fioor. lAfter this. Smith began a new scene of mystery, and com- menced fortune-telling, in which, if he did not possess the power of divination, he was at least wonderfully successful. He .old his fortune in his tea-cupT| after looking in it some time, he took the cup, and kissed it, and told the gaoler that he was going away from this place ; that he was going over the water, and wanted a box to put his *' family" in ; that he saw there were three papers written, and sent, about him ; and that one was a large letter, which he did not understand. )octor In the evening, I went in to see him and, as my curiosity was greatly excited, to know the origin of so extraordinary a charac- ter, and the previous evenis of his life, I hoped to draw some information from him, but he would not answer any questions, and took uo notice of them ; but, when the spirit moved him, he would talk. He said, that he was going away from home; that he was going among his enemies; that every body would be afraid of hiru, and look upon him with distrust and horror ; that he was disturbed in his sleep ; that once, in eight or ten nights, he was troubled with all sorts of creatures coming 09 A NARRATIVE, &c. If} U H about him ; gredt hogs, vith cloven feet ; all kinds of cattle, and creephig things ; snakes and adders, frogs and toads, nnd every ugly thing ; that he would start up from his sleep, aiid w«lk about the prison ; then lie down, get asleep, aiid they ' would come about him again ; he would get up again, and sit and talk'to his ** children," and sometimes take his fiddle and play to amuse himself, and drive away these dreary hours. He saidj these snakes and adders he could "read" very well ; he knew what they all meant, and most of the rest of them ; but these frogs and toads, coming together, he could not understand ; but he knew he was going to leave this place, and go on the water ; that he could see, as clearly as he could see me stand- ing by him, that he should iind enemies, and every body would be afraid of him, but he should hurt nobody; he should £nd trouble, have irons upon him, ^but they should come off again; that the crickets came, and wouldget upon his*' children" and sing amongst them ; that he liked to hear them ; that his mother always told him that he must not hurt them, Sic; and, going on in this way, by a natui'al association of ideas, seemed to betray the nature of his early education. His mother (he said) always gave him good advice, but he had not always followed it— -he had been a bad fellow— done that which he ought not to have done, and he had suffered for it ; had been struck, and had the marks, but he forgave all his enemies ; the Lord says, if you would ask forgiveness of him, forgive thy brother also— -we cannot expect forgiveness, except we repent, and forgive others. The word of God is plain : ** Except ye forgive thy brother his trespasses, neither will your Heavenly Father forgive you when you ask of him." The scrip- ture says, " Repent and pray, lest ye enter into temptation.'' I work and pray, with my " family" continually— and, except you repent, you will also perish in your sins ; you are a sinner, as well as I am ; all men are sinners before God ; consider, you have work to do, as well as I ; you have a soul to save, as well as the poor prisoner*— watch, therefore, and pray; I watch here, and pray, night and day, but I shall not stay long.— He intended to go to sea, as supercargo of some vessel, or he could get a living with his " family" as a show, in any country bu 1 A NARRATIVE, &c. tut he . lone , id for '\ ill his , him, |xcept »lain : |l your scrip- Ition. jxcept ^' ler, as ire, as I'atch |-He Icould k bu England, and he had never seen such a show in England, oi* any where else->*that he dreamed of the whole of them at once, and that he must go to work, and make them, and it would be better for him ; if he did not, it would be bad with him ; that he had worked ever si ce, and had almost finished them, but there was a shoe-maker and a tailor which had not come, for want of room ; that he would make room, if he did not go away. He said, he had been here until he was contented to stay here ; and contentment was the brightest jewel in this life. He never enjoyed himself better than he did at present; with his " family," and he did not care for himself, so that his " family" looked well. He would be willing to die, and should like to die now, rather than go among his enemies ; but he had one friend, he btlieved ; it was Old Willy ; he was in Engf land, and was always his friend, and he would go nnd see him : that he had one sister in England, whom he wanted to see— she played well on the piano-forte ; he could play on it well himself ; that she married a lieutenant in the army, but he was a captain now ; if he could, he would go to see her in England, where he had friends ; that he had an uncle in Liver- pool, a merchant ; and looking earnestly at me, said, " My name is not Smith ; my name is Henry Moon ; my fa- ther's name ([ think he said) is Edward Moon ; I was educated at Cambridge College, in England, and under- stand English, French, and Latin, well, and can speak and write Hve difterent languages ;" that he could write any hand, as handsome or as bad as I ever saw— but he had been a bad man, and had suffered for it, and hoped to do better. He said, he had five hundred pounds in the Bank of England, which wus in the care of Mr. Turner, and wished very much to have his wife get it, as he did not know where he should go, but knew he must meet with trouble; he did not fear what man could do to him, for he could but kill hin., and he iihould hke to die now. After hearing this talk a long lime, 1 left him. Aug.lAth.'-'Xn the morning, he looked in his cup again, and told the gaoler that those papers were coming, and would be iS A NARRATIVE, &c. !■ ' 'i- t i lljil here to-day. About four o'clock, I received a package from Mr. Chipman, containing his pardon, and two other lettera, just as he had predicted. At evening, 2 went to see him ; found him in his bed. He got up, but said be could not eat ; a»ked for new potatoes, and said, to the gaoler's wife, ** You had new potatoes yesterday for dinner." Mrs.Reid asked, how he should know it, as they were the first she had had. He did not ap« pear to be in his usual humour. I then intended to commu- nicate to him the news of his pardon, and to impress upon him, if possible, some sense of his situation ; and told the gaoler, and all present, to leave the room, and shut the door. ' He had never entirely recovered from his pretended imanity, nor did he, until after discharged from my custody, for similar reasons, undoubtedly, to those which first produced it ; but I was in hopes to make some impression on him, by promising assistance to get him out of the province, and showing that compassion which humanity seemed to demand— and, for that purpose, I informed him, that I Iiad received his pardon ; that Mr. Knox had been down to see him, and had forgiven him all the injuries he had done him ; that his attorney had been his friend, and by petitioning the President and Court, stating that he was a young man, and this was the first instance of horse-stealing tliat had been before the Court, in this pro» vince, and praying that mercy might be extended to save his life, the President and Council had been graciously pleased to extend their mercy to him, and had respited the sentence pro- nounced on him— and that 1 was now ready to release him, on his entering into recognizance to appear in the Supreme Court to plead his pardon, when called upon, reminding him, at the same time, that he was not pardoned for any other crimes he might have heretofore committed. The only notice he took of what T said, was, " I wish you would bring me some pota- toes, when you come again/' I proceeded to say, that as soon as he was ready, and would let me know where he wished to go, I would get him a pas- sage, and help him away— that I would get him some cloth- ing, and give him time to.put his " family" in good order, and I I A NARRATIVE, &c. ^ Id would 11 a pas- te clath- kleE, and give him a box to put them up in, as they might be the means of getting him a living any where, until he could find better employment, without being driven to the necessity of stealing. He said to me, '' Have not you got boys and girls, that want to see nciy family dance i Bring all your faritily to see them ; I will show them as much as they please for nothing, but others shall pay me, I am determined"—without the least notice of, or appearing to understand what I had said, keep- ing up the same imposing manner with which he had carrried on every thing else. I staid in gaol, alone with him, near an hour afterwards, without saying any more on the subject ; during which time he proceeded to talk much in the same way he did the evening before-*and said, we must watch and pray, lest we enter into temptation ; he prayed with his "family ;" they could not pray for themselves— that we must be spiritually minded— that to be spiritually minded was hfe, but to be carnally minded was death ; those who are spiritually, are in God— those who are carnal, are in the world ;— that God was spirit, but took hu- man nature upon him, and came down from heaven, and dv.elt amongst Us in the Aesh, that we might become the children of the spirit ;-*-and began to repeat large portions of the New Testameut, in diflferent parts, nearly whole chapters, when he observed, " You see I read the Bible without any book, as well as others can with. I can read to you almost all or any chapter in the Bible you will name, in tlie Old or New Testa- ment, it makes not much difference, in ihe dark as well as in the light. My wife is a good little woman ; she would read in the Bible on Sundays, and say to me, " Henry, come, sit down, and hear liie read in the Bible,"— but 1 ivould laugh at her, and tell her, I could read better without the book, than she could with, and would go out, and look to my horse, or do any thing, on Sundays'—I have been a bad fellow. When I was in England, I gave my attention to reading the Bible, and was a great Methodist ; went to all their meetings, mid could pray and exhort amongst them ; and finally took up preaching. I '■ ' . 1 2 - m A NARRATIVE. 8tc. 1, ^ r !*' have preached in Brighton, Northampton, Southampton, and London ; and great numbers canie to hear me. I was some* times astonished to see how manv followed, to hear me preach —but I did not follow that long ; only about tifteen months, when I gave it up. The reason was, I got amongst evil women, and suffered by it; and after that it would not do for me to preach among the good Methodists any longer, and I was obliged to come away— and that was the reason 1 left England. I was a bad young man— I am young ; now only twenty-three, not twenty-four years old yet. I did not know but I would preach again ; but I am now contented where I am, and do not wish to go into the world any more." He •never intended to leave this place ; he was better off here thaa any where else ; he would stay here until he died, and should like to die. When he was a preacher, he was spiritually minded, and all was peace, was heaven, to him ; but, ever since he had been in the world, all was trouble and misery ; ■atid he never wished to go into the world again. »-' li August loth.—-' At noon, went to the gaol ; gave him a good dinner, and read his pardon to him. When 1 took it out of my pocket, he cried out, " That looks like the paper I dreamed of about a month ago ! I saw that paper, with two angels and a ship on it, and something that looked like snakes. — [ wish you would give it me ; I knew it was a coming." When reading it, he paid no attention to the nature of it, but asked questions as foreign to the subject as possible. I told him, as soon as I could get him some clothes, I would give him the paper, in order to take it with him, and that I would help him away with his show, that he might not be driven to the necessity of stealing. »»« August 1 Qth J— At evening, went, with a tailor, to take measure of him for a coat. When he saw the tailor, with his measure, he said, " I wish you would give me that ribbon in your hand \** — " It is no ribbon," said the tailor, " but a measure, to A NARRATIVE. &c. 61 and ame* reach tilths, evil lo for and I Heft V only know here I ' He e than should ritually t, ever nisery ; a good out of taper I ith two snakes, jming." it, but I told lid give would Iriven to leasure leasure, hand!" sure, to «( ft measure you for a coat ; come, stand up"—" What 1" said he, do you think you are tailor enough to make me a coat ?"— Yes."—" But you don't look like it— let me look at your hands and fingers ;" which he did—" You are no tailor,'' said he, " you look more like a blacksmith; you shall never make a coat forme; I can make it better myself;"— and would not be measured. August 1 7M.— We found he had improved his Scotch sentry, by giving him a carved wooden head, very complete, with the national features of an old Highlander. This was the first of this carved work. At evening, he had also much improved bis fighters. Buonaparte, by some unlucky stroke, had killed the Irishman, taken off his head, and hung it up at his right hand ; a brawny old Scotsman had taken his place, and gave Boney a hard time, kuocking him down as fast as he could get ■up. I told him, he must get his ** family" ready to move, and left him. ' August I8fA.— Atnoon, went to see him. He was fiddling remarkably well, and singing merrily ; but, when I went in, he was busily at work, carving a head, which, he said, was to take Buonaparte's place, as the old Scotsman would over- power him soon. He said, carving was a trade in England ; that he did not think he could do so well at it till he tried, and remarked, that a man did not know M'hat he could do, until he set himself about it ; that he never undertook any thing but he accomplished it, except that he was stopped in this place ; and he had been so long here, he had rather stay here than any where, and never enjoyed himself better. He wished I would give him a candle to work by, and he would make himself a waistcoat ;•— said, I need not be afraid he should do any harm with it ; he would set it in the middle of the floor, and take care that his straw and chips did not get fire, and burn up his " family," which he could not do without, as he could not labour for a living. " Beside," said he, " if I was disposed, I could burn up the house without a candle, for lean make fire in one hour, at any time. When I was a boy," said he, ** every body 82 A NARRATr •, \e: took notice of me, and I had a licence for shooting, when I ¥/a» lit'tecn. One day, 1 was out shooting, and killed a rabbit upon a farmer's land where I had no right, llie old fellow came after me, and I told him, if he came near me, i would knock him down ; but he caught me, and tied nie fast to a large stack of faggots, and went off; whilst he was gone, I made a fire, and burnt up the whole, and went off; but the old farmer never knew how his faggots took tire.— You don't use faggots in this country," said he ; " they are little sticks, tied up and sold in bunches, to boil tea-kettles with." If i would give him a c idle, he would find tire to light it *. ^ * If we are to giro credit to what is here stAted, (and it is almost difficult tb My which pavt of our aathor*a narrative forma the severest trial of uur credulity,) we must suppose, thut friction is the mode resorted to, by the adept in question, in order to produce Are. If any skill or perseverance con accomplish what is here represented, is well worth the learning, as will strongly appear by the following lively relation, by an American colonist : — " About seventeen years ago,I was retummgfrom NewYorlc to Canada, where I then lived, by the way of I^e Ontario ; but on reaching the lake, I found that all the vesseb were laid up for the season. My only altema- tirc was, either to return, er title the route through what was then called the Tonewanta aWamp. This was a forest of one hundred miles, with only a single habitation, a hut, about twenty miles from the river Geneaee. There was then a sort of Indian road through the swamp, which, in sum- mer, a man might explore on horseback, but which, when covered with snow, none btit an Indian, or a backwoodsman, could find out. My com- panion (tbr 1 had a iUead with me) and myself, pursuing this route, arrived in the ev«ning at a small village on the bank of the Genesee, a little be- yond which the Tonewanta commenced. Here we made our arrangements. We hired a Horae to carry our saddle-bags, and which we were to take turns in ride. But the horse requiring to be shod, whith would require some time, I wu to go on, early in tli6 morning, on foot, above fifteen miles, to the hut «4uck 1 mentioned, and there wait for my friend, who was to bring the horse and our baggage. , • *' Accordingly, early in the morning, I set out, in company with a little I)utchman, son to the owner of the habitation in the forest. It was a bitter cold day, the fifteenth of December, and the snow lay on the ground about six inches deep ; yet we went on briskly for some time, guided by the marks ofithe trees, till we had walked about Mteed miles, when, some how or other, we deviated into an Indian track, which we followed for a contiderable distance. But every now and then a track diverged from the principal path, in'dlfi'erent ilireations, until at last only a single aolitwry ;tll bbit How ould to a le, I it the don't ticks, HI litHeult I of our by the verance kingt as tnerican Canada* ,ht lake, lalterna- •n calktf ithMilj ^eneiee. in sum- red with ily com- , arrived little be- rements. jtke turn* lire some ImileK, to to bring , a little lit was a U gronnd aided by |en« some led for a (from the A NARRATIVE, Ifcc. « I am aware that I shall incur the imputation of wrakness, for narrating many parts of these memoirs ; but, as every part footstep remained. It was then we discovered that wo had lost our way, and attempted to And it again, by striking across, in what we su])p<>Hed the direct line, instead of returning hy the path we came. Here we nwde another blunder, and took a southerly, when, as it ailerwards appeared, we ought to have token a northerly direction. In this i)erplexity we wan- dered about, in the depths of the forest, without corapuss, food, land-mark, and almost without hope, until near sun-set. Sometimes we flmcied we heard the barking of a friendly dog ; sometimes the long echoes of the fowler's gun ; and once we thought we hit upon a (lath that would lead us •ither to the village, or the hut in the forest ; but the barking was that of a wolf, and the path turned out to be a track of our own, t» which, in our wanderings, we had returned again. ** It was now almost sun-set, and high time to set about preparing to wea* ther out the night that was before us. On looking about fur this purpose, we came to a spot where a large fir-tree lay, blown up by the roots, te which a quantity of earth adhered. This we found would prove no bad protection in that quarter. The snow had drifted against the windward aide of the trunk of the fir-tree, and, as is usual, left a vacant space to the leeward. Here we formed a bed of the branches of the tree, piled one •n the other. By the time we had finished our work, it was growing dark, and so intensely cold, that I was certain if we went to sleep without first lighting a fire, we should never wake again. But how to procure fire was the next question, for neither of us possessed the usual implements. I had, however, a large jack-knife and a flint, but no tinder ; our box being left in the saddle-bags. We had almost made up our minds to lie down and die, when a thought struck me, and revived my hopes a Httle. The night belbre, I had accidentally wetted my handkerchief, which I bad hung up in the chimney-comer. As it became dry, it caught fire, and to extinguish it I rolled it up very tight, and put it into my pocket, when. It had remained untouched. To this I looked as a last resource, and careftiHy Opening it, found that the edge which had been burned retained a small quantity of tinder, but so small, as to make it very doubtful whether it would answer my purpose. In order to be prepared in the event of getting fire, we first cleared a place, and then gathered a large quantity of dry leaves from under the snow. On these we laid dry sticks and brush, till the pile was aa hi^ as my head. Then came on the trial fi)r lil'e and death. Carefitily rolling up the handkerchief, so that all the burnt edges were brought together, I essayed to communicate ilrc to the mass. Tliia was the most arduous, the most anxious moment I ever knew. Every spark that was struck out in vain, seemed to be the lost spark of li&, and as they died away, my heart died with them« The little Dutchman watched my fruitless attempts with breathless anxiety, for more than half an hour. Thres time., the tinder took, and as often irent out again. either from dampness, or from eagerness to blow it into » flamew Every i I I u A NARRATIVE, &(?. .>? i'. of his conduct appeared to me equally astonishing, I shall re late the simple facts, as they occurred, with the fullest con- \ sciousuess ihat I am neither obstinately bliod, nor wilfully deceived. ;, 1^^,^^ j„j{^ f, . -. ,iii He said, he had told his fortune in his tea-cup, and it caniie' always alike. He could tell a great deal by dreams; this Devil tfQie it e^cpired, the darkness < f d^^ath seemed to come over us, and I wati often tempted to resign myself to my fate .without further struggle. " But where there is only one chance for life, a man will not easily give tip that. I tried again and again, till at last the handkerchief was in a ^laee, and in the next moment our ])ile was lighted. Those who have telt tha most horrible of all anticipations, that of freezing to death, can enter into my feelings, when I saw the forest redden all around us, and looked forward to the pleasing certainty of yet living, to tell the story oi' our eiscape to my wife and children, at my own fire-side. With much labour, we gathered a quantity of wood sufficient to last through the night. I •was aware, however, that if we l)oth fell asleep, in pur fatigued and per., spiring state, our fire would go out, and wc should be frozen before raoni- ing ; and accordingly told my little Dutchman, that we would take turns, and sleep an hour at a time alternately ; that I would take the first nap, during which, as he valued his life, he was to watch the fire, and to see that it did not get too low. He gave me his promise, and, in tlu'ee minutes, I was fest asleep. How long I slept I know not, but when I revived to my sensation, I was entirely without the use of my limbs. The little Dutchman was stiff asleep at my side, the fire was just out, and I could not raise myself, or move hand or foot. A dreadful apprehension came across me, and the sudden impulse which it gave the pulsation of my heart, I believe, saved my life. By degrees I could move my hands, then my feet, and at last managed to crawl to the fire, which I raked together and replenished. I then set about reviving my companion. «• The poor little fellow was more than half way to the other world ; ai'd, had 1 slept half an hour longer, neither of us would have opened our eyes again. With a great deal of difficulty, I brought his blood to circulate briskly, and just then the sun rose. That benevolent friend to the lost traveller now oflered himself us our guide, and enabled us to shape our course to the Genesee, whose bank we reached within half a mile of the vil- lage we had left twenty-eight hours before. The peojjle had given us up for lost. JMy friend had gone on to the hut in the lorest, but finding we had not been there, he returned and alarmed the village. The villagers, as is the custom, went out in different directions, hallooing, blowing horns and firing guns, but no body believed we had survived tht- bitterness of the night, which was one of the coldest they had ever know a, and our return was hailed as little less than a resurrection from the dead."— CAV« Hit Quarterli/ Cvlvniai Journal. J ,, Kwroa, #- A NARRATIVE, &c. 65 helped fortune telling, but dreams were the inspiration of God. When the hogs came to see iiim, he could tell a great deal by them. He could tell me any thing that had happened within a year past, or that would happen in a year to come. My neighbour, he said, had a black sow, that had pigs, some all black, and 8c:je all white, and one with red spots before and behind, and by them he learnt a great deal. I knew that Mr. Perkins had a black sow, with young pigs ; and, when I went away, I had the curiosity to look at them, but they did not answer his description, and I thought no more about it. August 19//t.— At evening, many people came to see him, and his performance, and when they had gone out, he said to me, that he had carved a new figure of Buonaparte ; that the first he made was after his own image, for he was a man after his own heart, but he had fallen.— God made man out of the dust of the earth ; but he made men out of the wood of the earth. As I was going out, he said tome, (without a word having passed relative to my examining the pigs,) " The pigs I told you of are not those young pigs ; they are some months old." I made no reply ; knowing that Mr. Scovil had a sow and pigs that answered his description in every particular. Sunday f Jug. 20/A.— ^Tlie gaoler carried him his breakfast with tea. He told the gaoler, he could tell him any thing past or to come; and, being asked to tell any circumstance that had happened, he said, " Some time since, you rode a great way on my account, and carried letters and papers about me, and about others too. Again, you went after a man, and you had to go on the water before you found him, and I am not sure but you found him on the water. While you was after him, you saw a man at work in the mud, and enquired of him for the man you wanted ; he told you what you asked of him ; you was dry, and asked him if there was any water near, that you could drink ; he told you there was a place where he had drank, and you went to it, but found the water so bad you could not drink it. You then went after the man you was in pursuit of, found him, and brought him with you, aud kept him in gaol K 11^ (^ A NARRATIVE, fee. I..! ■. l:i 1 Pfk>-;to %>*ff^it* 01 ■«M ,Vi^lf . August t9th, early in the morning, I went to the gaol to prepare for his removal, but, to my great vexation and sur- prise, found it actually on fire. 1 opened the door imme- diately, and, with a bucket of water, extinguished it. Found him smoking his pipe, as unconcerned as ever. He bad broken up some wood-work, and with that, and the chips of his carved work, he had kindled a fire. He said fire was very comfortable, and he had not seen any before in a long time ; that he made it with his own hands, and would make it agaiu in ten minutes, as he could not do without some light. I shut K 2 t . 08 A NARRATIVE, &c. ,V !' him up in a suffocating smoke, which did not seem to give him the least inconvenience, and called in some of the neigh- bours to assist me, and ordered hiui to put his show into the box. He took no notice of it. I took down one and laid in the box, when he seemed pleased, said he would put them 'all io that box immediately, and began very actively to take ihem down ; " wanted no assistance from any one ; but leave him the light, and he would be all ready in half an hour." We left him the candle, and went out. When I returned, he was walking the gaol, with every thiiig put up in the neatest manner ; it was a curiosity to see with what skill he had packed them ; gave him a pair of shoes, and, with his box on his shoulder, he marched off, to the boat I had prepared for his departure, and with three men to assist me, we set off for St. John. . He prayed, and preached, ana sang Methodist hymns, with a most inimitable tone, all the way ; at the same time acting hit crazy capers, tearing his clothes, &c. We made no stop on the passage, and arrived at St. John at eight o'clock in the evening. He said, he must have a hot sup- per, with tea, and wished to be locked up in a strong room, for he must see all his ** family" to-night, for they would die in the box. When we arrived at the gaol, I found all the rooms of the prison occupied, or undergoing repairs, and had no place to confine him. I immediately called on the Sheriff, who had no means to assist me, as he could not receive him into custody, nor suffer him to be put with other prisoners in the gaol; and, to add to my trouble, I learnt that there was no ves- sel to sail for several days. I returned to the gaol, and found Smith at his supper. * * • When he had drank his tea, he looked in his cup, and im- mediately said, he must not disturb his '^ faiaily" to-night, for he saw the ship then at the wharf that was to take him to his wife, and would there be crying. The gaoler cleared out a small room in the house, with a grated window, where we se- ctired Jiim for the night. I determined to send hio^ to Nova A NARRATIVE, &c. 69 Scotia ; and, going out early next morning, I met a friend of mine, who informed me, that his schooner, then lying in the ^vharf, would sail for Nova-Scotia in half an hour, and I per- suaded hiui to take him on board. I had him brought down immediately, and at high water she hauled off, and got under weigh with him, to the great satisfaction of all bel^ind. Wb«n the vessel arrived on the opposite shore, be left her without tuking any thing with him; was seen in the street a short time; and, then, suddenly, disappeared. nd im« Iht, for to his out a I we se- Nova The first information I have of this extraordinary person, if as follows :— In September, 1812, he came to Windsor, in Nova Scotia, where he was met by Mr. Bond, a respectable farmer, of the town of Rawdon. He wanted to get employ- ment in the country, and said he would do any thing. After some conversation, Mr. Bond agreed with him, to assist him on his farm, for one month, upon trial ; and he proved to be extremely steady, careful and industrious, and gained the con- fidence of the old gentleman, while at the same time, he won the affection of his daughter. He called himself Heniy Frederic Moon. , ' Mr. Bond being a religious man, he conformed strictly to his principles ; was always punctual at eveningand morning prayer, and bcsmed very devou?t L(i bt unobserved. He asked her hand in marriage, but it diJ uoi avtt the old gentleman's views, and he would not give his oon.c'it.— -All the persuasions of her friends were uped in vain, to wear her from him, but her af- fections were so strongly fixed, that she left her father's house, and married him, on the i2th of March, 1813. Her name was Elizabeth P. Bond. . . i nft -^ He continued iu Rawdon, and professed to be a tailor, but pursued no reguiur business. A letter from a gentleman in SI 13'' I * II' t 70 A NARRATIVE, &c. that town, speaks of him as follows :— '' He could sew cotn^ pletely, and cut out clothes very well ; but, in fact, could do ttoy thing he turned his hand to. He would frequently set out for Halifax in the afternoon, aud be home in the morning, always bringing with him a quantity of goods, and once was known to bring 30/. in gold. He told Mr. Bond, he was born in Scotland, but had lived mostly in England. No person here knows more of him, except that he always appeared de- cently dressed, very affable, obliging and inoffensive. He was never known to be intoxicated, never used bad language, and appeared to be addicted to pc; bad habits of any kind. Being asked, how he procured the articles that he brought from Halifax, he said he had a friend there, by the name of Wilson, who furnished him with every thing he wanted. At length, some suspicions were entertnined against him, and a warrant was got out to apprehend him ; and, getting information of it> in July IP 14, he left Rawdon, and made his escape.** Wi9*9» *M»M^-'*» -•■■ A '9 J V* II l^ \-l- I ir:„! During his confinement, the following letter was received from his wife : — « My dear Husband, " Rawdon, May 26th, 1816. '* I received your letter, dated October 23d, on the 24th May. You say yeu have wrote several letters to me ; if you have, I never received them. You wish me to come and see you, which I would have done, had I got ihe letter in lime, but did rot know whether you was at Kingston or not. My d<^r, do not think hard that I do not come to see you ; if you w?»te back to me, I shall coir.e immediately, if my child is sc that I can leave home ; she is very sick, and I am not in a good state of health myself. My dear, as soon as you receive this letter, pray send me your answer, that I may know what to do. So, no more, at present; but I lemuin your loving and affec- tionate wife, until death. "Elizabeth P. M. S." **Mr.H.F.M.S.,Khigslon:'- -^ ¥ Si'Tir ■'. ! %im A NARRATIVE, 8cc. n 3' « P. S.—- 1 enclose this letter to Mr. Levi Lockhart, and fcave requested him to give it to yourself. You can give your an* swer to him, and I shall get it safe." , .■^ 4 Mr. Levi Lockhait faithfully delivered the above letter to Smith, but could not make him understand any thing, or look at the writing, but twisted it up, atid threw it away, without giving the least countenance to it. Not long after his discharge, I heard of him at Moose Island* ; and, after that, a gentleman, uho knew him while in prison, saw him in the street at Portland f. From thence he proceeded to Boston, and on the seventh of November he arrived at Newhaven, in the Boston stage, by the way of New London ;j:, with a large trunk, full of clothing, a small portable desk, with money in his pockets. He was dressed in a genteel frock coat, with breeches and fair-top boots, and re- mained several days. After his departure, the following para- graph appeared in the " Connecticut Journal," dated No vember 13th :— - i - '* "Another Phenomenon. *' On Thursday morning last, after the departure of the steam-boat, for New York, the servants of Mr. H. Butler's hotel discovered, that his whole stock of silver spoons, &c. which had been carefully deposited in a side-board the night previous, had suddenly decamped, and were not to be found in the premises ; and, on further search, by Mr. B., it was dis- covered, that several other articles had sympathetically moved off with the spoons. This phenomenon, though not so asto- « * In the Bay of Passamaquady, in New Brunswick, t In the District of Maine, in the United Stales. J Newhaven and New London arc in the state of Connecticut. ^ ;. I 7S A NARRATIVE, &c. Dishing as that of the moving stones*, excited suspicion that they had not departed without some physical agency, which was supposed to proceed from a person who lodged in the house, and w h6 seemed to possess some magical appearance, and had taken himself off in the steam-boat. Mr. B. immediately started express for New York— arrived before the boat— found the fellow on board— seized his trunk, and searched h— and though, unfortunately, he did not succeed in recovering his pro- perty, he nevertheless found sufficient evidence that the fellow was a villain, had him arraigned, and secured in Bridewell. He called his name Newman; and, from the stolen property found with him, it is supposed he can unravel the mystery of many phenomena of this nature." '{■.:;. n-t^: On the 17th of October, 1816, I left Kingston, with the intention of proceeding to Portland, where I intended to pub- lish these memoirs ; and I took passage on board the sloop Wellington, with the expectation of being landed there ; but, the wind, coming out from the westward, when at George river, obliged her to proceed to New York, where she arrived on the first of November. I called on Mr. Nehemiah Allen, the keeper of Bridewell, in that city, and inquired the conduct of Wiliiam Newman, while in his custody. He said, he ap- peared very decetit, and behaved well — that he offered him a book to read, but he said, he zcas ignorant, and could not read or write a Tconi— and began to complain of being sick. A doc- tor attended him, but could not tell what was the matter with him. He raised blood, and was so ill that he was helped up by the prisoner confined with hipn, who thought he woidd die. ■ ' .■■;■• ,-.;.. -^^ ^'^ i$-<:[ Vi v «i ! ■(■ I mi He was -emoved from Bridewell to Newhaven, there to • A story, of sf ones that had been " seen to move," had been cur- rent iaCorn')cticut just kcforo. — Editor. '^ A NARRATIVE, &c. 7S take his trial for burglary, at the Supreme Court to be hehi in January last ; (lut he kept up the farce of being sick, so that they lifted him out and in, and carried him to and from the Bteaiu-boat upon a cart. He remained in prison until the l£th of January; and, on the 13th, the following article ap- peared in the " Connecticut Journal :" lere to Bcn cur- ** Beware of a Villain. " Onei>f the most accomplished villains that disgraces our country broke fruni the gaol in this city, on Friday evening last, v between ihe hours of five and six, and succeeded in making his escape. This fellow calls himself fVm» Neteman, and was bound over fi>r triul ut the next sitting of the Superior Court, on the charge of burglary ; having robbed the house of Mr. H. Butler of plate, money, 8cc. He is supposed to be an Englishman, and is undoubtedly a most profound adept in the arts of knavery and deception. He speaks the English and several foreign languages fluently, and can play off the air of a genteel Fre'richman with the most imposing gravity. He is of niiddhng stature, slender and active, and appears to possess an astonishing versatility of genius. He is sick or well, grave or gay, silent or loquacious, and can fence, box, fight, run, sing, dance, play, whistle or talk, as occasion suits. He amused himself, while in prison, by making and managing a puppet-show, which he performed, apparently, with such scanty means, as to excite the wonder of the credulous, showing the piece of an old horse-shoe, whetted on the wall of his dun- geon, as the only instrument of his mechanism, and complain- ing only of the scarcity of timber to complete the group. He had the addiess, by an irresistible flow of good humour and cheti fulness, to make some believe he was quite an innocent and harntless man, and excited sympathy enough, in those who had the curiosity to see him, to obtain several gratifications which prisoners do not usually enjoy. Yet the dt't:pness of his cunning was evinced in accomplishing thu means ot his escape, which he effected by sawing a hole m the prison-door, which is several inches thick, so neatly, that the block could be taken 74 A NARRATIVE, 8cc. out, and replaced, without ahowing any mark of violence — Through this hole he could thrust his arm ; and, by shoving back the bolts, and wrenching off a ft(\,ng padlock, found^ at the hour of supper, when the person who waited on the pri- soners was giving them their food, a free passage to the hall of the County House, and thence to the street. The saw is supposed to be one used on board the steam-boat Fulton, for cutting iron, which he stole on his transportation from New York, (where he was apprehended,) to this place; a id so art- fully did he conceal it, that though repeatedly searched before Ms confmement, and afterwards, at the suggestion of Captain Bunker, to discover this very instrument, he was enabled to re- tain and use it for bis purposes." • ^ , .11'. r: i ' . IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 1.25 l^|28 |2.5 *- I. U IIIIII.6 VI ^..^i^ v: °>/ v^* y /^ Photographic Sciences Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, NY. MS80 (716) 872-4503 r^N 76 A NAARATIVE, kt. was subject to fits, and unable to labour; thai his fits were frightful: that in his distress, he would whirl round, on his head and shoulders, like a top ; that he had galled and bruised himself with his irons, and, in his convulsive agonies, had broken the shackles on his legs, so diat they now only put a shackle on one leg. This information was as convincing to me as sight. On seeiug him, I recognized him instantly. I asked him, if he had ever seen me before ?— *' He did not know but he had, at Newhaven.*' ** Where did yoa come from i" ** Canada," ** What countryman are you ?" " A French- fnan—ftom in France.** Was you ever in England ? He had been at London and Liverpooi-^hnt never at Brighton. Was you ever at Kingston, or St. John, New Biunswick?. He answered, ** No ; he did not know where that was ;" Nvith a countenance as firm and steady as if it had really been true ! ..i'.m: lira p'sm «Ut- #'.' f'iiiir^\ni-']vn iy-vn'^vo Wt;i\ l He appeared rather more fleshy than when at Kingston, but still the same subtle and mysterious being. He is the first, I believe, that has succeeded to relieve himself from labour in that prison, by any pretence or deception. He keeps himself clean and decent, as usual ; and, amongst the wretched victims, fifty-seven in number, daily disgoiged fronoi the horrid pit in which they are immured, and put to their daily labour, in chains and fetters, William Newman appears like a distin- guished character. I have been impelled, both by duty and inclination, to pub- lish these memoirs, because the facts are both curious and astonishing; and because, with the knowledge of them, I thought it my duty to society to expose them to the world, that all might be better enabled to guard against the insidious approaches of an artful and designing villain. The following is a description of his person :•— • He is about five feet nine inches high ; his limbs straight and well-proportioned; appears rather slender, but is large- A NARRATIV1&, &c. iHr r pub- US and em, I world, lidious llowing [traight larg«« bonedi close and well jointed ; his wrists large, and hitr fin|(ert uncommonly long; complexion light, but his skin a little of a sallow cast; his hair dark brown, handsomely grown, and curls naturally in front; hi*; eyes light grey, quick, brilliant, and piercing ; his nose rather more prominent than ordinarjr, his visage thin ; has a scar on the left side of his chin, and a small scar on his right cheek, near his ear*; always neat ni his dress, and astonishingly quick and active in his motion ; (would catch mice with bis hand-cuffs onfO fond of smokicg; singa » * See the portrait prefixed to these pages. "it.-' ■ - J.- ■ ■ 1 1^® Earopean settlements in America appear to be plagued with extraordinary examples of the light fingered gtnlry. A recent United States* newspaper contains the following paragraphs: — ** Among a number of persons lately tried at Troy, [in the state of Now York,] tor various crimes, there was a man of the name of Haggerty, convicted on two indictments for grand larceny, and one for fi)rgery, and sentenced to the State Prison for J4 years. The Tiroy " Post" thns speaks of him:— .■■H '. ■■• * John Haggerty affords a remarkable instance of depravity. He was first committed to gaol for stealing a pocket-book from a gen- tleman's pocket, while riding in the waggon with him ; which wai bnt a few weeks before he was tried. While in prison, he committed a forgery, in counterfeiting a bank bill ; and, on the first day of the term in which he was tried, he stole about fifty dollars in money, and sent it to counsel, for a lee to defend him. He was tried on all the above offences, and convicted. When he was on trial in doart, ha stole, from the pockets of a gentleman who sat in the bar before him, two handkerchiefs, for which, however, it was tliought unnecessary to convict him." — New York Advertiser. From Halifax, under date August 24, 1810, we have the following paragraph, the hero of which has so many points of resemblance to Henry Frederick Moon, that, from the mere description, we might easily mistake him for the same identical person. It appears, how- ever, that he is only a second specimen of the kind : — "CAUTION. " A London Blaek-leg iirfeiling these Provineet. *'A very genteel-looking person, about five feet six or seven inches high, calling himself Alexander Atherton, lately from London, ma t C Si^b. A NARRATIVE, fee. well, and whistles remarkably; and can play on almost any instrument of music: be is a blacksmith, a shipwright, a tailor, and a farmer; in fact, any thing ; for he has the strength of a lion, and the subtlety of the DeviL h Mew York, and (to diffennt persons) aMuminfp the charatera of Clergyman of the Established Charoh, Merchant, Lawyerj^ School- master, &c. visited this city last week, and has swindled persons to a considerable amount : several articles are missing from his lodgings, particularly a black silk waistcoat, and a pair of silver tea spoons, not marked, which no doubt were taken by him. It is ascertained, that he left this on Wednesday morning last, in a schooner belong- ing to Mr. Appleby, for Moose Island ; has a companion with him, who he calls " C and his affability will enable him t6 |M8S unsuspected in any company. ** A reward of five pounds will be given to any person apprehending the above named Alexander Atherton, and lodging him in any of the gads witbiu this province, &c." ^I C I I POSTSCRIPT BY THE EDITOR, C4RABOO* The following extracts will be acceptable to the reader, m* memorandums concerning the recent female impostor, in this country, who called herself Caraboo, and to whom allusion has been made in the Title and Preface to these pages :— « THE UNKNOWN FOREIGNER. *« TO THE EDITOR OF THE COURIER, *' Sir,— The present inexplicable appearance of a young female foreigner, in the vicinity of Bristol, having excited considerable curiosity ; as I have had the opportunity of being in her company, and of obtaining what information is at pre- sent known, from her beneyolent protectress, Mrs. VVorrall, of Knowle, at whose house she resides ; I am desired to re- quest you will be so obliging as to insert these particulars, with the hope that they will be copied in many provincial papers ; so, that by such a general dissemination, they may be read by some who have observed such a female, and ultimately lead to the developement of those circumstances which have placed a most interesting female in a situation truly distress- ing. " I am,' Sir, your's, " Burlington-street f Bath, " C. H. Wilkinson. June 1." " About two months since, a female presented herself at the door of a cottage, at Almondsbury, near Bristol : the door being open, and a couch in view, she made signs of a wish to repose herself. She appeared in a very debilitated and dis- 80 POSTSCRIPT. 1 1 tressed condition, as if exhausted by much fatigue. The cot- tagers, not comprehending her language, reported the case to Mrs. Worrall, who resides about a mile from Almondsbury ; and that lady kindly visited, and gave orders for the most hu- mane attention to be paid 'to her. Her language was equally unkno\Cn to Mrs. W. ; but her appearance and graceful man- ners so interested that lady, that she took her under her own roof, where she has since experienced the most unremitting kindness. Her head is small'; her eyes and hair are black ; her eye-brows finely arched ; the forehead low ; nose rather short; complexion very trifling sallow, rather more corres- ponding to a brunette, with a pleasing colour on the cheeks ; a sweet smile ; her mouth rather large ; her teeth beautifully white and regular; hel* lips a little prominent and full, under lip rather projecting ; her chin small and round ; no ear-rings, but marks of having worn them ; her hands unaccustomed to labour ; in height, five feet two inches. Her dress consisted of a black stuff gown, with a muslin frill round the neck ; a black cotton shawl on the head, and one, red and black, round the shoulders; leather shoes, and black worsted stockings. She appears to be about twenty-five years of age ; her man- ners are exceedingly graceful ; her countenance surprisingly fascinating. Such is the general effect on ail who behold her, that, if before suspected as an impostor, the sight of her re- moves all doubt. Her mode of diet seems to be HimLpostanic, as she lives principally on vegetables, and is very partial Co«urry ; she will occasionally take fish, but no otlier animal food ; water is her beverage ; and she expresses great disgust at the appear- ance of wine, spirits, or of any intoxicating liquors ; whatever she eats, she prepares herself. She is extremely neat in her attire, is very cautious in her conduct with respect to gentle- men, never allows them, to take hold of her hand, and even if their clothes should casually come into contact with her's, she retires from them ; when she takes leave of a gentleman, it is by the application of the right hand to the right side of th« forehead, and, in like manner, on taking leave of a lady, it is with the left hand. She appears to be devout ; and, on a cer- tain day of the week, is anxious to go to the top of the house, POSTSCRIPT. •1 a cer-, [house, tad there to pay adoration to the sun, from the rising to the. setting. She casually saw a dagger ; and, as if aqxious to inform her kind patroness of all the customs of her country, which she calls Java$u, she placed the dagger to her right side. She fences with great dexterity, holding the sword in her right hand, and the dagger in her left. She is very fond of bathing, and swims and dives with considerable activity* She carries about with her a cord, on which some knots ara made, like the Chinese abacua, which afterwards gave rise to the sliding beads, the suon-puon. She writes with great facility, from left to right, as we are accustomed. She haa made Mrs. Worrall understand, that in her country, neither pens nor paper are used, but what is supposed to be a camel-hair pencil, and a species of papyrus. Soon after her residence at Mrs. Worrall's house, she was attacked with a typhus fever^ and was placed under the care of Mr. Mortimore, an eminent surgeon, of Bristol. Upon her recovery, pleased, as she must liave been, at his kind and constant attention to her, she wrot« him a letter of thanks, calling him, as a doctor, JuMtee, and herself, Caraboo, All the assistance to be derived from a Polyglott Bible, Fry's Pantographia, or Dr. Hager's Elemen- tary Characters of the Chinese, do not enable us to ascertain, either the nature of her language, or the country to which sh« belongs ; one or two characters bear some resemblance to the Chinese, particularly the Chinese cho, a reed; there are more characters which have some similitude to the Greek. Dif« ferent publications have been shown to her, in Greek, Malay, Chinese, Shanscrit, Arabic, and Persic ; but with all she ap- pears entirely unacquainted. Her letter has been shown to every person in Bath and Bristol, versed in oriental literature, but without success: a copy was sent to the India House, and submitted, by the chairman of that Company, to the examina- tion of Mr. Raffles, one of the best oriental scholars, yet he could not decypher it : the original letter was sent to Oxford, and the members of that university denied its being the cha- racter of any language ; it has been, by some, conjectured as being an imperfect Javanese; others have supposed it the jBtyle of the Malay of Sumatra. From my own observation M %i $2 *6STS€RIPT. although entirely unicquainted with any sinjgle cfiaracter of htr writing, I have deemed her more resembling a Circasnan ; her countenance, her complexion, and her manners favour mich a supposition ; and probably, her appearance here may Be connected with the Corsairs who have been hovering about <^ur coast. She has, by signs, intimated, that she was on board « ship, and so ill treated, that wheu she came within sight of land, she jumped over-board, and swam ashore. She also, in the same manner, expressed, that she was ill on board, her hair cut ofF, and ah operation on the back performed ; I exa* inined 'the part, it had been scarified, but not according to the .English mode of cupping, or to any European manner, with which I am acquainted ; the incisions are extremely regular, and, apparently, applied with caustic, a mode of cupping adopted in the East. The Supreme Being she styles, AIIq' Tallah, AH who have seen her are highly interested about her. A fac-simile of her letter is placed in the Kingston Pump-room for examination. I beg leave to observe, that I have seen her Write, and she writes with grace and facility. *' P.S. Since writing the above, I have been informed of the Iclb'wing ciicumstancus:— CaraAoo quitted Mrs. Worrall's house for one whole day, to procure a few clothes, which she signified to Mrs. W. that she had buried, to conceal them from fhe ilfacX:ra^oos (rogues) ; the distance must have been con- siderable, as her feet were blistered ; and the violent illness, which followed, was owmg to the fatigue. Mrs. Worrall, whose opportunities of observation have necessarily been supe- tior to those of any other person, is persuaded, that her father is a Chinese, and that her mother, who is dead, was Malay ; that her father's name is Jesse Mandue, and that he is a man of considerable consequence in his own country ; CaraboQ describes a gold cham he wears about his neck." !: " TO THE EDITOR OF THE COVRIEB. " Sir, — ^This morning, I have, to my great astonishment, re- ceived information of the imposition which has been prac- POSTSCRIPT. la tised by the female I introduced ta public atlention by the name of Caraboo. I believe all who have seen her^ (ami eveo many well aquaiuted with Oriental manners,) have, with my- self, been equally deceived; and I am. informed, that the idea of delineating the characters which have been exhibited, slia acquired, by casually seeing some Chinese works in the library at Knowle. Presuming that ahe was the character she represented herxelf to be, I was actuated by the best motives i|i my addresses to the public. These addresses have contri- buted to bring forward different persons who have been capa- ble of giving information about this surprising character : although undoubtedly an impostor, yet she evinced talents so extraordinary, as to have induced those, who have resided long in the East, to believe, that she was one of a superior caste. It is to be lamented, that a lady possessing such exalted bene- volence as Mrs. Worrall, should have been the subject of such an imposition. " I am, Sir, your*s respectfully, « C. Wilkinson." * Hackney, Middlesex^ Jane 16.'' « CARABOO. 'V' ** By a letter from Dr. Wilkinson, of Bath, respecting an interesting unknown female, designated as abo'- ., who was kindly and most humanely sheltered and treated, by a lady in tliis neighbourhood, we are sorry to learn, that the object has proved unworthy the kindness she received, being found to be an impostor: a number of particulars have been mentioned, which we forbear detailing, till they are laid before the public in an authentic shape. Her real name is said to be Mary Baker, of Witherage, Devon. She has been to India as ser- vant, and has led a singularly wandering life : some time since, she associated with gipsies, with whom she picked up their gibberish, which she details very fluently. — Dr. Wilkinson iy not the first of the cognoscenti who have been puzzled by a young womao with *' eyes and liair black, eye-brows finely it POSlBCRIFf.. trcbe^y a plcannf cokMi# dn her ebcab, ii •wcettaul*, in^' tvetbbetuiifidlywhkt and i^ltri !r-»Brii(olP4«f. ' ■i , . / / ,••» ;<) T» the Instoffy of « Ccraboo" majr propeily' b»^ iAj i|j n'^ ' tkufoHo^og extract from Baktr't ChioifHdcr^ dktf JM|^ King*Ste|>lien, frttrii whidi it wi>» ippthr; tfiat ^rf im|^ i M y^' Mikewhat uqnilar, wai practiied^ onice before, in EnpKdtSftii the ancient date referred to :— « ■ ' . 'I ' i " In this king's tTme also, there appeared two children, a. boy and a girl, dad in green, in a stuffe unknown, of a strangle* language, and of a strange diet ; whereof the boy being, bap' tized, dyed shortly after, but the girl Kved to be very old; wd bemg adced frdm whence they were, die answered, ^ They were of the land of Sir. Martin, where there are ChiyatiaB- churches ei^pted ; but thai no sun did evbr* shine unto thtim i* buf^HJIierei that land is; and how she came hither, she herself kneij^ not. Hiis 1 the- rather Vfite, that we nay know there are other parts of the world, than thooe which to us are known;; and ^ story I should not have believed, if it were not-te«ti- fied by so many, and so.fcredible, wiiileMses u,it u."— BoAer^s i^hronich of the Reign of King SttpheH, ,v,Jr>/ THS END* ■'■■i EHRATUM. V Page i7, line 13 from the bottom, for 1816, read 1819. J* Deanett, Tiinter, Lestheykaff, Holbw% i,mA: ■iv'fi* , Mren, a ig,bip- ery old; .'They e henelf •wtliettt known n lottefti- Bakei't { t" *^ '< ;