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THE RIVALS OF ACADIA,
AN
OLD STORY
OF
THE NEW WORLD.
When two authorities are up,
Neither supreme, how soon confusion
May enter 'twixt the gap of both, and take
The _one by the other_.
SHAKSPEARE.
Boston:
WELLS AND LILLY, COURT-STREET.
1827.
THE RIVALS OF ACADIA
DISTRICT OF MASSACHUSETTS, TO WIT
_District Clerk's Office._
BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the twenty sixth day of January, A.D. 1827, in
the fifty-first year of the Independence of the United States of
America, Wells and Lilly of the said district, have deposited in this
Office the Title of a Book, the Right whereof they claim as Proprietors
in the Words following, _to wit_:
"The Rivals of Acadia, an Old Story of the New World.
When two authorities are up,
Neither supreme, how soon confusion
May enter 'twixt the gap of both, and take
The one by the other _Shakspeare._"
In conformity to the Act of the Congress of the United States, entitled
"An Act for the encouragement of Learning, by securing the Copies of
Maps, Charts, and Books, to the Authors and Proprietors of such Copies,
during the Times therein mentioned," and also to an Act, entitled "An
act supplementary to an Act, entitled, 'An Act for the encouragement of
Learning, by securing the Copies of Maps, Charts, and Books, to the
Authors and Proprietors of such Copies during the times therein
mentioned,' and extending the Benefits thereof to the Arts of Designing,
Engraving, and Etching Historical, and other Prints."
JNO. W. DAVIS.
_Clerk of the District of Masachusetts._
THE
RIVALS OF ACADIA
CHAPTER I.
Far on th' horizon's verge appears a speck--
A spot--a mast--a sail--an armed deck!
Their little bark her men of watch descry,
And ampler canvas woos the wind from high.
LORD BYRON.
On a bright day in the summer of 1643, a light pleasure-boat shot gaily
across the harbor of Boston, laden with a merry party, whose cheerful
voices were long heard, mingling with the ripple of the waves, and the
music of the breeze, which swelled the canvas, and bore them swiftly
onward. A group of friends, who had collected on the shore to witness
their departure, gradually dispersed, till, at length, a single
individual only remained, whose eyes still followed the track of the
vessel, though his countenance wore that abstracted air, which shewed
his thoughts were detached from the passing scene. He seemed quite
unconscious of the silence that succeeded this transient bustle, and a
low murmur, which soon begun to spread along the shore, was equally
disregarded. Suddenly a confused sound of many voices burst upon his
ear, and hurried steps, as of persons in alarm and agitation, at once
aroused him from his reverie. At the same moment, a hand was laid
heavily on his shoulder, and a voice exclaimed, with earnestness,
"Are you insensible, Arthur Stanhope, at a moment, when every man's life
is in jeopardy?"
"My father!" replied the young man, "what is the meaning of all this
excitement and confusion?"
"Do you not know?" demanded the other; "a strange sail is approaching
our peaceful coast; and, see! they have unfurled the standard of popish
France."
"It is true, by heaven!" exclaimed young Stanhope; "and, look, father,
yonder boat is flying before them; this is no time to gaze idly on; we
must hasten to their rescue."
The vessel, which produced so much alarm, was, in fact, a French ship of
considerable force, apparently well manned, and armed for offensive or
defensive operations. The national flag streamed gaily on the wind, and,
as it anchored just against Castle Island, the roll of the drum, and the
shrill notes of the fife, were distinctly heard, and men were seen
busied on deck, as if preparing for some important action. The little
bark, already mentioned, was filled, chiefly, with females and
children, bound, on an excursion of pleasure, to an island in the bay;
and their terror was extreme, on thus encountering an armed vessel of
the French, who had, on many occasions, shewn hostility to the
colonists. The boat instantly tacked, and crowding sail, as much as
prudence would permit, steered across the harbor towards Governor's
Island. But it had evidently become an object of interest or curiosity
to the French; their attention seemed wholly engrossed by it, and
presently a boat was lowered to the water, and an officer, with several
of the crew sprang into it, and rowed swiftly from the ship's side. They
immediately gave chase to the pleasure-boat, which was however
considerably ahead, and so ably managed, that she kept clear her
distance; and with all the muscular strength, and nautical skill of the
enemy, he found it impossible to gain upon her.
In the mean time, the alarm had spread, and spectators of every age, and
either sex, thronged the shore, to witness this singular pursuit. The
civil and military authorities prepared for defence, should it prove
necessary; a battery, which protected the harbor, was hastily manned,
and the militia drawn up, in rank and file, with a promptitude, not
often displayed by the heroes of a train-band company. For several
years, no foreign or internal enemy had disturbed the public repose, and
the fortifications on Castle Island gradually fell into decay; and,
from motives of economy, at this time not a single piece of artillery
was mounted, or a soldier stationed there. The enemy, of course, had
nothing to oppose his progress, should he choose to anchor in the inmost
waters of the bay.
Governor's Island, however, at that moment, became the centre of
anxiety, and every eye was fixed upon the boat, which rapidly neared the
shore. The governor, as was often his custom, had on that day retired
there, with his family; and, attended only by a few servants, his person
was extremely insecure, should the French meditate any sinister design.
In this emergency, three shallops were filled with armed men, to sail
for the protection of the chief magistrate, and ascertain the intentions
of the French. Young Stanhope was invested with the command of this
little force; and perhaps there was no man in the colony, who would have
conducted the enterprize with more boldness and address. He had entered
the English navy in boyhood; and, after many years of faithful service,
was rapidly acquiring rank and distinction, when the unhappy dissensions
of the times threw their blighting influence on his prospects, and
disappointed his well-founded hopes of still higher advancement in his
profession. His father, an inflexible Puritan, fled to New-England from
the persecution of a church which he abhorred, and, with the malevolence
of narrow-minded bigotry, the heresy of the parent was punished, by
dismissing the son from that honorable station, which his valour had
attained. Deeply wounded in spirit, Arthur Stanhope retired from the
service of his country, but he carried with him, to a distant land, the
affection and esteem of his brother officers,--a solace, which
misfortune can never wrest from a noble and virtuous mind.
On the present occasion, Stanhope made his arrangements with coolness
and precision, and received from everyone, the most prompt and zealous
assistance. The alarm, which the appearance of the French at first
excited, had gradually subsided; but still there were so many volunteers
in the cause, that it was difficult to prevent the shallops from being
overloaded. Constables with their batons, and soldiers, with fixed
bayonets, guarded the place of embarkation, till, at a given signal, the
boats were loosed from their moorings, and glided gently over the waves.
A loud shout burst from the spectators, which was succeeded by a
stillness so profound, that, for several moments, the measured dash of
the oars was distinctly heard on shore. An equal silence prevailed on
board the shallops, which were rowed in exact unison, while the men, who
occupied them, sat erect and motionless as automatons, their fire-arms
glancing in the bright sun-shine, and their eyes occasionally turning
with defiance towards the supposed enemy.
Arthur Stanhope stood on the stern of the principal vessel, and beside
him Mr. Gibbons, a young man, who watched the progress of the
pleasure-boat with eager solicitude,--for it contained his mother and
sisters. It had then nearly reached the island; their pursuers, probably
in despair of overtaking them, had relaxed their efforts, and rested on
their oars, apparently undecided what course to follow.
"They are observing us," said Stanhope's companion, pointing to the
French, "and I doubt they will return to the protection of their ship,
and scarce leave us the liberty of disputing the way with them."
"They will consult their prudence, in doing so," replied Stanhope, "if
their intentions are indeed hostile, as we have supposed."
"If!" returned the other, "why else should they give chase to one of our
peaceable boats, in that rude manner? But, thank heaven!" he added,
joyfully, "it is now safe; see! my mother has this moment sprung on
shore, with her frightened band of damsels and children! ah! I think
they will not _now_ admire the gallant Frenchmen, as they did last
summer, when La Tour's gay lieutenant was here, with his compliments and
treaties!"
"I begin to think yonder vessel is from the same quarter," said Arthur,
thoughtfully; "Mons. de la Tour, perhaps, wishes to renew his alliance
with us, or seeks aid to carry on his quarrel with Mons. d'Aulney, his
rival in the government of Acadia."
"God forbid!" said a deep, rough voice, which proceeded from the
helmsman, "that we should have any fellowship with those priests of the
devil, those monks and friars of popish France."
"Spoke like an oracle, my honest fellow!" said Gibbons, laughing; "it is
a pity that your zeal and discernment should not be rewarded by some
office of public trust."
"Truly, master Gibbons, we have fallen upon evil days, and the righteous
no longer flourish, like green bay trees, in the high places of our
land; but though cast out of mine honorable office, there are many who
can testify to the zeal of my past services."
"I doubt not there are many who have cause to remember it," returned
Gibbons, with a smile; "but bear a little to the leeward, unless you
have a mind to convert yonder papists, by a few rounds of good powder
and shot."
This short dialogue was broken off, by an unexpected movement of the
French, who, after lingering, as in doubt, at some distance from the
island, suddenly recommenced rowing towards it, and at the same time
struck up a lively air on the bugle, which floated cheerily over the
waves. Soon after, their keel touched the strand, close by the
pleasure-boat, which was safely moored, and deserted by every
individual. The principal officer then leaped on shore, and walked
leisurely towards the house of governor Winthrop. Stanhope also landed
in a short time, and, with Mr. Gibbons, proceeded directly to the
governor's. The mansion exhibited no appearance of alarm; the windows
were thrown open to admit the cooling sea-breeze, children sported
around the door, and cheerful voices within announced, that the
stranger, who had just preceded them, was not an unwelcome guest. He was
conversing apart with Mr. Winthrop, when they entered, and they
instantly recognized in him, a lieutenant of M. de la Tour, who had, on
a former occasion, been sent to negociate a treaty with the magistrates
of Boston. He was believed to be a Hugonot, and, on that account, as
well as from the personal regard which his conduct and manners inspired,
he had been treated with much attention, during the time that he
remained there. Mons. de Valette,--so he was called,--had been
particularly intimate with the family of Major Gibbons, a gentleman of
consideration in the colony, and he quickly espied his lady in the
pleasure-boat, which he discovered in the bay. Gallantly inclined to
return her civilities, he endeavoured to overtake her, with the
intention of inviting her aboard the ship, quite unconscious that she
was flying from him in terror. But the formidable array of armed
shallops, with the assemblage of people on shore, at length excited a
suspicion of the truth, and he determined to follow the lady to her
retreat, to explain the motives of his conduct. His apology was
graciously accepted, and the late alarm became a subject of general
amusement.
De Valette also improved the opportunity, to prepare governor Winthrop
for the object of La Tour's voyage to Boston. M. Razilly,
governor-general of the French province of Acadia, had entrusted the
administration to D'Aulney de Charnisy, and St. Etienne, lord of La
Tour. The former he appointed lieutenant of the western part of the
colony, the latter of the eastern; they were separated by the river St.
Croix. La Tour also held possession in right of a purchase, confirmed by
the king's patent; and, on the death of Razilly, which happened at an
early period of the settlement, he claimed the supreme command. His
pretensions were violently disputed by D'Aulney; and, from that time,
each had constantly sought to dispossess the other; and the most bitter
enmity kept them continually at strife. Both had repeatedly endeavoured
to obtain assistance from the New-England colonists; but, as yet, they
had prudently declined to decide in favor of either, lest the other
should prove a dangerous, or at least an annoying enemy. La Tour was, or
pretended to be, a Hugonot,--which gave him a preference with the rulers
of the Massachusetts; they had shewn a friendly disposition towards him,
and permitted any persons, who chose, to engage in commerce with him. He
had just returned from France, in a ship well laden with supplies for
his fort at St. John's, and a stout crew, who were mostly protestants of
Rochelle. But he found the fort besieged, and the mouth of the river
shut up, by several vessels of D'Aulney's, whose force it would have
been temerity to oppose. He sailed directly to Boston, to implore
assistance in removing his enemy; bringing with him a commission from
the king, which established his authority, as lieutenant-general in
Acadia.
It was under these circumstances, that the French vessel appeared in the
harbor of Boston, the innocent cause of so much alarm to the
inhabitants. Governor Winthrop heard the details and arguments of De
Valette, with polite attention; but he declined advancing any opinion,
till he had consulted with the deputy, and other magistrates. He,
however, desired Mr. Stanhope to return with the young officer to his
ship, and request M. de la Tour to become a guest at the house of the
chief magistrate, until his question was decided.