FRESH ARRIVALS.
The Chief being a Magistrate, had, by the law of the land, the power of
celebrating marriages, after banns had been duly published. The mode of
publishing banns was by fixing written notices upon three of the most
conspicuous pine trees in three public places in the township. The first
marriage after this primitive fashion among the settlers was celebrated
by the Chief at his residence, between Mr. Matthew Barr, a lumberer, and
Miss Elizabeth McIntyre, daughter of John McIntyre, the oldest settler,
who came out in 1825. After Mr. Barr's marriage, frequent
inter-marriages occurred among the settlers, and since the trial of
Alex. McNab, matters had subsided into a state of tranquility. Alex.
McNab left the township, but his family still remained, cultivating and
improving the farm. He, himself, travelled westward, and obtained a
school which he taught for some years. About this time (1830), a fresh
accession of settlers increased the numerical strength of the
inhabitants. They consisted of the McNabs, the Camerons, the Campbells,
the McKays and the McNevins from Isla, and they took up land in the rear
of the township, where there was a good hardwood country, viz., on the
first, second, third and fourth concession, embracing the part of the
country lying around White Lake, and what is called Canaan. The
arrangements entered into with these settlers, whom McNab met in
Montreal and induced to settle in what he called "his township,"
differed from all the rest. It will be borne in mind that they paid
their own passage money and expenses to McNab Township. It did not cost
McNab or his friends in Scotland one single penny--yet, in direct
violation of the Order-in-Council, quoted in the second chapter of this
narrative he located them as follows:--
[COPY.]
I, Archibald McNab, of McNab, do hereby locate you, James McKay,
upon Lot No. 18, in the Second concession of McNab, upon the
following terms and conditions, that is to say:--I hereby bind
myself, my heirs or successors, to give you the said land free of
any _quit rent_ or free rate, for three years from this date, and
also procure you a patent for the same at your own expense, upon
you having done the settlement duties, and your granting me a
mortgage on the said lands, that you will yearly thereafter pay to
me, my heirs or successors in the Chieftainship of the Clan McNab
forever, three barrels of flour, or Indian corn, or oats of like
value, in name of Quit Rent, and fee duty for the same in the month
of January.
Your subscribing to these conditions being binding upon you to
fulfil the terms thereof.
Signed and sealed by us at Kennell Lodge, this Twelfth day of
August, 1830.
(Signed) ARCHIBALD McNAB, [L. S.]
(Signed) JAMES McKAY, [L. S.]
In Montreal he met these people, told them he had a township of his own
on which he would place them at a merely nominal rent--a trifle--that
the land was fertile. It was a Highland settlement, etc. His affable
manners, imposing appearance, kindness and condescension had its
desired end. The poor settlers in their inexperience and simplicity,
thought that three barrels of flour for 200 acres of land was a mere
song. These people had been accustomed in the old country to see two or
three hundred pounds annually paid as rent for similar quantity of land,
and they eagerly embraced his offer and settled in McNab. It was there
they found out by experience the difficulties and hardships and labor
they had to surmount in the arduous task of clearing the land for
agricultural purposes. They then discovered that a lien upon their lands
of three barrels of flour a year in perpetuity, was a heavy tax upon
their industry and the proceeds of their labor, crippling their
resources and cramping their energies, when they considered that it was
imposed on themselves and descendants for ever. Both the settlers and
the government were imposed upon, the settlers in being led to believe
the township was _bona fide_ the Chief's, the government that there were
new settlers brought out at McNab's expense. The first settlers had now
began to pay their rents. They found that the bushel per cleared acre
was a heavy burden, and they had to subsidize the amount by working on
the Chief's farm at Kennell. From some (the Flat Rapid settlers), he had
as yet received nothing. They had become involved in the Miller suit and
fell into arrears.
Becoming disheartened, the McFarlanes and the McDonalds left the
township entirely and went to Calabogie Lake, and James McLaren
abandoned his lot, and settled in Horton within a short distance of the
present village of Renfrew. Those who did pay the rent endeavored to
procure some reduction. At length, in 1831, a Government commissioner
was sent out to see how the settlement was progressing, and upon the
complaint of the settlers, with the concurrence of the Laird of McNab, a
reduction was promised to one-half, that is, one-half bushel per cleared
acre, but this promise was never fulfilled. The full bushel was exacted,
or a demand made for the passage money and interest. McNab received the
duty off every stick of timber cut upon their land by the lumberers;
nothing was allowed them for this, and it has calculated that the Chief
drew about L30,000 from this source during the time the Township of
McNab was under his control and superintendence. Whenever the Laird
received a large amount from timber dues it was his custom to make
periodical excursions to Montreal and Toronto. At Montreal he picked up
settlers, at Toronto he hoodwinked the government.
At both these cities he indulged in lavish expenditure, gave dinners,
and entertained his friends and flatterers with the profuse generosity
of a high-souled and magnanimous Highland Laird. When his funds had
dwindled away by this exhaustive line of conduct, he returned to
Kennell, and there his hospitality was proverbial. No weary and
travel-worn wayfarer ever reached his Highland home in McNab without
receiving a cordial welcome. Honorable poverty was treated with as much
kindness as titled wealth. Prodigal in his hospitality, as well as in
his promises, settlers from Perthshire and other places flocked to his
Township, and in 1832 his domain began to show signs of life and
prosperity. With all his good qualities his conduct was characterized
by many pernicious drawbacks. He never forgave. To oppose his wishes or
his schemes was to provoke unrelenting hostility. To offend in the least
or to offer the merest slight to his vanity or pride was to make a
powerful enemy forever. Vindictive oppression and unabating persecution
followed quickly and surely upon what he considered a wrong to his
plans, his dignity or his pride. He had erected his residence on the
bold and high terraced acclivity on the banks of the Ottawa in close
proximity to the mouth of the Madawaska, on the very spot where now
stands the princely mansion of Mr. H. F. McLachlin. It commanded a
panoramic view of the Ottawa and Chats Lake in all its solitude and wild
grandeur. No clearance broke in upon the loneliness of the forest vista.
On all sides of his abode were then trees and mountains, lakes and
rivers; sometimes broken in upon by the passing _voyageur_ or the
adventurous lumberer, as they passed on to their annual labors. Here he
dispensed the hospitalities of his race. Here he sat in state as lord of
the manor and the patriarch of his clan. Here he listened to the
complaints of his settlers, and gave ear to one or two tale-bearers, who
poisoned his mind against the "black sheep" and shut up his soul to
reconciliation or mercy. Here he devised plans for the future, either of
punishment on the refractory or of schemes for his own advancement.
Numbers of the settlers paid their rents regularly. Their sons had at
this time (1832) grown up to be men--stalwart and hardy workers, and got
employment and good wages from the lumberers, and thus contributed to
the support of their parents and their families. At this period, too,
the time had expired, as will be seen on reference to the
Order-in-Council of 1823, for the payment of their passage money unless
compromised by rent. Now he was at liberty to proceed by law against the
refractory. As I have before stated, the Flat Rapid settlers were the
only ones that came beneath the banns of his vengeance for the part they
had taken in the Miller case. They had as yet paid no rent. From them
the Chief would receive no labor in lieu of rent. Their land was sandy
and light and barely sufficed to support them. But the Chief cared not
for this. They had opposed his vengeance on Miller in 1829, and now
they must be made examples of as a warning to the other settlers for all
time to come. Writs were accordingly issued by Mr. MacMartin in February
of this year against John, Peter and Daniel MacIntyre, Donald
McNaughton, James McDonald, James McFarlane and James McLaren, to
recover the amount of their bond. These people got intelligence of this
movement and prepared themselves accordingly. A road had been cut from
their settlement to Kennell and the mouth of the Madawaska through dense
swamps. It was a good winter road, but almost impassable in summer. The
late Mr. Anthony Wiseman undertook the service of the writs. Having
safely arrived at Kennell in the beginning of March of that year,
accompanied by a guide he proceeded to the Flat Rapids. The appearance
of a stranger was the signal for the ox-horned tocsin of alarm. No
sooner had he stepped within the clearance than his ears were greeted
with the trumpet sounds of horns resounding and echoed back from
clearance to clearance, accompanied by a regular fusilade of small arms.
His astonishment was quickly dispelled when he reached the shanties.
Not a single male inhabitant was visible. The woman of the house "could
talk no English." Poor Wiseman was in a maze, he had to return as he
came, bewildered and discomfitted. Several unsuccessful attempts were
made to effect a service with similar results. It was two years before
any of them could be served, and those were the two McIntyres and Donald
McNaughton. McDonald, McFarlane (Kier), and McLaren had left the
Township and retreated further into the wilderness. All attempts to
bring the latter within the jurisdiction of the law proved abortive.
Messrs. Duncan and John McFarlane, afterwards successful lumberers on
the Madawaska, sons of James McFarlane of Kier, upon hearing of these
proceedings, went to the Chief and offered him L80 in lieu of passage
money and in full of rent, but it was scornfully refused. "I don't want
the money, my man," said the laird, "I wish to punish the d----d
scoundrels." "Well, Chief," replied Duncan, "you will never get a
copper, for this is the last offer we'll make," and to this day the
Chief never received a farthing, through his own obstinacy and
determination to punish. An anecdote is related of old "Bill Matheson,"
who was about that time Deputy Sheriff, which is worth mentioning. When
Wiseman and other bailiffs failed to get the "_blister_" clapped on the
defendants, Mr. William Matheson swore he would serve them. Accordingly
he set out from Perth with an assistant, and reached Kennell in safety.
Here he got a guide by the name of John Madigan, one of the Chief's
servants. Madigan very reluctantly accompanied him, for he had a
friendly feeling towards the people. Accordingly they set out. It was
about the beginning of June and the mosquitos were to be found in
swarms, especially in the swamps. Now, it was seven good miles to the
nearest settler, John McIntyre. Madigan came with them as far as Milk's
meadow, about three miles distant from the Laird's; he turned off upon a
shanty road and pretended to have lost his way. Telling them to remain
in the same place till he returned, Madigan, who was a bit of a wag,
quickly took himself to the clearance of Mr. James McNee, the Chief's
piper, and having made a smudge at its outskirts quietly rested there
till evening and then approached the house, told the story of having
lost his way, etc., and remained there all night.
In the meantime Matheson and his man stayed in the same place where they
had been left by their guide, vainly expecting his momentary return,
ever and anon cheering up their spirits by frequent applications to the
brandy flask, which was usually carried about the person in those
anti-temperance days. At length the shades of night warned them it was
time to look out. They proceeded backwards and forwards, and became
involved in the swamps, wet, footsore and splashed all over with mud.
Shouting was useless, for there was no one to hear them. At length they
made a fire and camped out all night. In the morning Madigan returned to
Kennell, told his story and feigned sickness owing to what he called his
exposure. A party was instantly formed to search for the lost officers
of the law. About noon they were discovered in a sad plight and brought
back to Kennell, and Matheson swore he would never return on such an
expedition, and he kept his word.