king's ship, and made a pretext of coming in a friendly manner, while two or three others, filled with warriors, hovered at a distance. They had fallen short of their usual policy; for they were painted red, and had about them some of those symbols of hostility which are perfectly understood among each other. Some friendly Indians, who happened to be ty accident on board the commodore's vessel, discerned these, and warned him of the approaching danger. On their drawing near the vessel they were ordered to keep off. Thinking they were discovered, and that things could be no worse, they attempted to spring on board, armed with their tomahawks and scalping-knives, but were very soon repulsed. The other canoes, seeing all was discovered, drew near to support their friends, but were soon repulsed by a discharge of the sixpounders. At this crisis, the canoe containing Sir Robert began to advance in another direction. The Indians who accompanied him had not been apprized of the proposed attack; but being Hurons, the commodore never doubted of their hostility. Sir Robert sat in the end of the canoe dressed in all the costume of a Huron, and wrapped up in his blanket. He ordered his companions to approach the ship immediately, not deterred by their calling to them to keep off, intending, directly, to make himself known; but in the confusion he was accidentally shot. To describe the universal sorrow diffused over the province in consequence of this fatal accident would be impossible. Nothing since the death of Lord Howe had excited such general regret. The Indians carried the body to Detroit, and delivered it up to the garrison for interment. He had kept a journal during his residence on the lakes, which was never recovered, and must certainly have contained (proceeding from such a mind so circumstanced) much curious matter. Sir Charles, his younger brother, then a captain in the 17th, succeeded him, but had no visitation of the depression of mind so fatal to his brothers. Rumors, enlarged by distance, soon reached Albany of this unlooked-for attack of the Indians. Indeed, before they had any authentic details, they heard of it in the most alarming manner from the terrified back-settlers, who fled from their incursions. Those who dwell in a land of security, where only the distant rumor of war can reach them, would know something of the value of safety could they be but one day transported, to a region where this plague is let loose; where the timorous and the helpless are made to "Die many times before their death" by restless rumor, cruel suspense, and anticipated misery. Many of the regiments employed in the conquest of Canada had returned home, or gone to the West Indies. Had the Canadians had spirit and coherence to rise in a body and join the Indians, 'tis hard to say what might have been the consequence. Madame, whose cautions were neglected in the day of prosperity, became now the public oracle, and was resorted to and consulted by all. Formerly she blamed their false security and neglect of that powerful chief, who, having been accustomed to flattery and gifts from all sides, was all at once made too sensible that it was from war he derived his importance. Now she equally blamed the universal trepidation, being confident in our resources, and well knowing what useful allies the Mohawks, ever hostile to the Canadian Indians, might prove. Never was our good aunt more consulted or more respected. Sir Jeffrey Amherst planned at Albany an expedition to be commanded by General Bradstreet, for which both New York and New England raised corps of provincials. CHAPTER LI. Death of Captain Dalziel.-Sudden decease of an Indian chief.-Madame. Her protégés. MEANTIME an express arrived with the afflicting news of the loss of a captain and twenty men of the 55th regiment. The name of this lamented officer was Dalziel, of the Carnwath family. Colonel Beckwith had sent for a reinforcement. This Major Duncan hesitated to send, till better informed as to the mode of conveyance. Captain Dalziel volunteered going. I cannot exactly say how far they proceeded; but, after having penetrated through the woods till they were in sight of Detroit, they were discovered and attacked by a party of Indians, and made their way with the utmost difficulty, after the loss of their commander and the third part of their number. Major Duncan's comprehensive mind took in every thing that had any tendency to advance the general good, and cement old alliances. He saw none of the Hurons, whose territories lay far above Ontario, but those tribes whose course of hunting or fishing led them to his boundaries, were always kindly treated. He often made them presents of ammunition or provision, and did every thing in his power to conciliate them. Upon hearing of the outrage of which the Hurons* had been guilty, the heads of the tribe, with whom the major had cultivated the greatest intimacy, came to assure him of their good wishes and hearty co-operation. He invited them to come with their tribe to celebrate the birthday of the new king, (his present Majesty,) which occurred a few days after, and there solemnly renew, with the usual ceremonies, the league offensive and defensive made between their fathers and the late king. They came accordingly in their best arms and dresses, and assisted at a review, and at a kind of feast given on the occasion, on the outside of the fort. The chief and his brother, who were two fine, noble-looking men, were invited in to dine with the major and officers. When they arrived, and were seated, the major called for a glass of wine to drink his sovereign's health; this was no sooner done, than the sachem's brother fell lifeless on the floor. They thought it was a fainting-fit, and made use of the usual applications to recover him, which, to their extreme surprise, proved ineffectual. His brother looked steadily on while all those means were using; but when convinced of their inefficacy, sat down, drew his mantle over his face, sobbed aloud, and burst into tears. This was an additional wonder. Through the traces of Indian recollection no person had been known to fall suddenly dead without any visible cause, nor any warrior to shed After a pause of deep silence, which no one felt inclined to break, the sachem rose with a collected and dignified air, and thus addressed the witnesses of this affecting inci tears. * The author, perhaps, uses the term Huron, where that of Algonquin would have been more correct. She does not recollect the distinctive terms exactly, but applies the epithet, in general, to the Indians who then occupied the banks of the Huron lake, and the adjacent country. dent: "Generous English, misjudge me not; though you have seen me for once a child, in the day of battle you will sce a man, who will make the Hurons weep blood. I was never thus before. But to me my brother was all. Had he died in battle, no look of mine would change. His nation would honor him, but his foes should lament him. I see sorrow in your countenances; and I know you were not the cause of my brother's death. Why, indeed, should you take away a life that was devoted to you ? Generous English, ye mourn for my brother, and I will fight your battles." This assurance of his confidence was very necessary to quiet the minds of his friends; and the concern of the officers was much aggravated by the suspicious circumstances attending his death so immediately after drinking of the wine they had given him. The major ordered this lamented warrior to be interred with great ceremony. A solemn procession, mournful music, the firing of cannon, and all other military honors, evinced his sympathy for the living, and his respect for the dead; and the result of this sad event, in the end, rather tended to strengthen the attachment of those Indians to the British cause. I have given this singular occurrence a place in these memoirs, as it serves to illustrate the calm good sense and steady confidence which made a part of the Indian character, and added value to their friendship when once it was fairly attained. The 55th, which had been under orders to return home, felt a severe disappointment in being, for two years more, confined to their sylvan fortresses. These, however, they embellished, and rendered so comfortable, with gardens and farm-grounds, that to reside in them could no longer be accounted a penance. Yet, during the Indian war, they were, from motives of necessary caution, confined to very narrow limits; which, to those accustomed to pursue their sports with all that wild liberty and wide excursion peculiar to savage hunters, was a hardship of which we can have no idea. Restrained from this unbounded license, fishing became their next favorite pursuit; to this the lakes and rivers on which these forts were built, afforded great facility. Tempted by the abundance and excellence of the productions of these copious waters, they were led to endanger their health by their assiduity in the amusement. Agues, the disease of all new establishments, became frequent among them, and were aggravated by the home-sickness. To this they were more peculiarly liable; as the regiment, just newly raised before they embarked for America, had quitted the bosom of their families without passing through the gradation of boardingschools and academies, as is usual in other countries. What an unspeakable blessing to the inhabitants were the parish-schools of the north, and how much humble worth and laborious diligence has been found among their teachers! In those lowly seminaries, boys attained not only the rudiments of learning, but the principles of loyalty and genuine religion, with the abatement of a small tincture of idolatry; of which their household gods were the only objects. Never surely was a mode of education so calculated to cherish attachment to those tutelar deities. Even the Laird's son had often a mile or two to walk to his day-school; a neighboring tenant's son carried the basket which contained his simple dinner ; and still as they went along they were joined by other fellow-travellers in the paths of learning. How cordial were those intimacies, formed in the early period of life and of the day, while nature smiled around in dewy freshness! How gladdening to the kind and artless heart were these early walks through the wild varieties of a romantic country, and among the peaceful cottages of simple peasants,* from whence the incense of praise, "in sounds by distance made more sweet," rose on the morning breeze! How cheering was the mid-day sport, amid their native burns and braes, without the confinement of a formal playground! How delightful the evening walk homeward, animated by the consciousness of being about to meet all that was dearest to the artless and affectionate mind! Thus the constitution was improved with the understanding; and they carried abroad into active life, the rigid fibre of the robust and hardy frame, and the warm and fond affections of the heart, uncorrupted and true to its first attachments. Never sure were youth's * The Scottish peasants, when they return to breakfast from their early labors, always read a portion of Scripture, sing some part of a psalm, and pray. This practice is too general either to diminish cheerfulness, or convey the idea of superior sanctity; while the effect of vocal music, rising at once from so many separate dwellings, is very impressive. |