MARRIAGE OF LITTLE MAG.--SOCIETY AT HALIFAX.
Soon after Mrs. Godfrey's departure from Parr Town for England, Little
Mag Guidon went up the St. John and settled there with some of the
tribe, intending to remain until a chance of getting back to her people
occurred. She was not destined, however, to go back to her Chippewayan
friends. Jim Newall, who had so often paddled her to the settlement and
back, made advances toward her, which she reciprocated till it ended in
the two being married. It appears she had won Jim's heart during the
illness of her husband. She told one of the Lesters, shortly after
Margaret Godfrey's departure, that Newall had said to her one evening
while going up to the camp from the mouth of the river, "Supposem, may
be, husband Paul die, Jim Newall come wigwam." She replied, "When Paul
die, no wigwam be there, won't stay 'lone." Jim answered, "Me, you, two
keep wigwam supposem." Doubtless, the above conversation laid the
foundation of their union. It proved to be a happy one. In a letter from
a friend to Mrs. Godfrey, a few months after her arrival home, it is
stated that "Jim and Mag appear to be the happiest of mortals, their's
is true love." The lady who wrote the above, evidently did not consider
"marriage a failure," especially among the Indians. In matters of
citizenship, in matters of human life, in matters of society, it may be,
that it would be beneficial to take a lesson or two from the lives of
the Iroquois, Chippewayan, and Mic-Mac. We certainly never read or hear
that marriage has been a failure among the Indians.
When Mrs. Godfrey bade farewell to Mag Guidon, she handed her name
and address, written in large, bold hand, and remarked as she handed it,
"Whenever you want to send me any message, if you are about here, get
some of my friends to write a letter for you."
While Mrs. Godfrey was at Parr Town she sought an interview with the
newly appointed Governor, (Thomas Carleton), who had arrived a few days
before to her departure. She made known to the Governor the losses
sustained and hardships endured by her husband while in the colony. She
also stated to Colonel Carleton the noble deeds of Paul Guidon, and of
his loyalty to the king. She told of his death and of the destitute
condition of his young widow.
Some months after Mrs. Godfrey had sailed for home, Governor Carleton
was told that the widow of Paul Guidon was soon to be married. He sent
to a friend of Mrs. Godfrey for information, and found the report to be
true. In a few days the Governor called at the house of the friend and
handed to her three guineas, to be expended for Little Mag's comfort.
This friend Mag usually called in to see when she came to the
settlement. She was told of the Governor's thoughtful kindness. Mag told
the friend to use the money in purchasing her wedding outfit. Not many
weeks later Mag Guidon was married to Jim Newall.
One afternoon the Governor received a note asking him if he would care
to see Little Mag in her wedding costume. He at once replied, naming a
day and hour that it would be convenient for him to receive the bride.
At the appointed time Little Mag and her pale faced friend appeared in
presence of His Excellency, who received them in the most gentleman-like
manner.
The bride, before leaving the presence of Governor Carleton, handed to
him Mrs. Godfrey's address, and asked him if he would send a letter to
her English mother, (Mag), and tell her that little Mag was married to
Jim Newall, and is living on the old camping ground where Paul died.
That Little Mag is happy and loves Jim as she did Paul. The Governor
promised Mrs. Newall that he would send a letter to Mrs. Godfrey. He
took the address and not long after wrote to Mrs. Godfrey, giving that
lady a full account of Little Mag's appearance as she stood in his
presence decked in her wedding garments.
Governor Carleton states in his letter that he never thought of seeing
so handsome a woman among the Indian tribes of America. That he believes
there are ladies in his own country who would almost feel inclined to
forfeit a title or an estate to be possessed of a pair of hands and feet
of the form and size of those of Newall's bride. Nature seemed to have
perfected its work in moulding the form and features of the handsome
squaw. The Governor continues, "She was dressed in a suit of navy blue
cloth, her skirt reaching to within an inch of the tops of her
moccasins. A loose blue cloth jacket, buttoned up in front with brass
buttons, covered her well rounded shoulders and breast. The jacket was
edged with scarlet cloth and reached to her waist. Around her full neck
hung a double row of beads, to which was attached a gold cross,[10] and
on each wrist she wore a bracelet of beads similar to the neck-lace. A
wampum band circled her head. Inside the band were three beautiful
feathers from the wing of a wild pigeon. Her hair as black as the
raven's back, was so arranged as to make her forehead appear like an
equilatiral triangle, the brows being the base. Her eyes, coal black,
round, quick and deep set, are indescribable, and a more beautiful set
of teeth I never saw in a human head. On her feet she wore light brown
moccasins, on the front of each was worked, in beads of suitable
colours, the Union Jack. As she put out her neat foot that I might
better observe the work on her moccasins, she said the work was put on
them by her wish out of respect to the flag that covered the remains of
her first husband, (Paul Guidon). In her own words she said to me: "Tell
mother in England, she see Jim Newall and know Jim; saw him when my Paul
sick and die. He paddled English mother down settlement in canoe."
[Footnote 10: The gold cross attached to Mag's neck-lace, was sent to
Paul Guidon by Sir Guy Carleton as a present. Paul received the present
while he was sojourning at Quebec.]
"Your letter of 5th August, I received, and will make further inquiries
as you advise about the property." The letter is addressed as follows:
_Mrs. Charles Godfrey, * * *
Care of Charles Godfrey, * * * Esq,
(Late of His Majesty's Service),
Kinsale,
County Cork, Ireland._
The above is the substance of the Governor's letter to Mrs. Godfrey. The
date and first three or four lines of it were torn off and gone, and the
remainder was, with great difficulty, deciphered, the letter being in
several pieces and quite ragged. This letter must have been written in
the year 1785 or '86, as in a letter from a friend to Mrs. Godfrey,
dated September, 1785, Little Mag and her husband are said to have been
met in the street the day previous to writing. It is not at all likely
that little Mag was long married before she appeared in presence of
Governor Carleton.
Had Margaret Newall moved in a more elevated social sphere, and been
surrounded by wealthy parents and rich relatives, possibly Governor
Carleton would have been obliged to give Mrs. Godfrey a vivid
description of Mag's trousseau, and her beautiful presents of gold,
silver, diamonds, etc. But her parents and friends were poor. Her old
father possessed only a moving tent, occuping here and there, as he
found a spot to pitch it, a few square feet of King George the Third's
wilderness. Old Reonadi was not a commercial man. He had never made an
assignment. He was born one hundred years too soon to be surrounded by
commercial morality, perfect holiness and paternal affection. It took a
later generation of Chippewayans to display that care for their
posterity which only disguises an habitual avarice, or hides the
workings of a low and grovelling nature.
During neither of the stays that the Godfreys made at Halifax had
society reached that brilliant epoch it afterwards attained when that
Royal Duke, who set such an example of duty to all men, was making it
his temporary home. That for a colony was, from all accounts, indeed a
brilliant, gay, and polished society which was assembled at old Chebucto
when the Duke of Kent was at the head of the army in British North
America. Pleasure, however, was not the only occupation of that then
brilliant capital, at whose head was one so much devoted to duty, that
in its fulfilment he acquired the reputation of a martinet. This was the
day of the early morning parade, particularly irksome in a cold climate
to those who were obliged to turn out before daybreak in the bitter
weather of mid-winter. At this day, also, there were frequent troopings
of colours, marchings out, sham fights, and all the other martial
circumstances of a fully garrisoned town.
The maintenance of this strict discipline among the garrison whom he
commanded, was not more characteristic of the Duke than his affable
condescension and the considerate kindness that he displayed toward the
inhabitants of Nova Scotia, and of Quebec also, when he occupied its
castle. So that his name and memory are still held dear by the loyal
descendants of the men to whom Prince Edward was a familiar figure,
both at Halifax and Quebec, as he rode through the streets of either
town.
But Halifax, even at the time whereof we speak, so soon after its first
being rescued from the primeval forest, was not without its charms for
those who, like the Godfreys, had enjoyed the amenities of polished
circles. But the almost destitute circumstances in which they found
themselves when these visits were made, precluded them from entering
into many of the enjoyments that offered. However, there were a few
entertainments at which their position in society seemed to demand their
presence, and which they accordingly attended. Here, of course, they met
the heads of society, as well as many strangers from Boston, Quebec and
other places on the continent, nearly all of whom would be persons of
distinction in the several places where they hailed from. At this time
several tea gardens about Halifax furnished the means of quiet
recreation to the public. Adlam's garden, adjacent to the citadel, was
the most famous of these resorts, and here on one occasion when the
Godfreys were at Halifax, a garden party was given by one of the leaders
of _ton_, at which Captain Godfrey and his wife were privileged to meet,
among other distinguished personages, General Massie and Mr Arbuthnot,
the governor of the province. The ladies were richly attired. The
military wore their undress uniforms and the civilians were in full
dress, which consisted in that day of knee-breeches, silk stockings, and
shoes with buckles composed of silver or gold, set with brilliants or
other precious stones; the waistcoat was often of silk, satin or velvet,
richly brocaded or embroidered; the coat of blue cloth, with gilt
buttons; and a sword was not wanting to complete the costume.
It was difficult to decide at banquet or ball which presented the more
imposing appearance, the man of war or he whose avocation was of a
peaceful character, so nice were the dresses of both.
Margaret Godfrey did not forget her situation. Roaming about the lawns
and walks in a plain gown, and seeing the plainness of her own attire as
compared with those of the ladies about her, she retired to an obscure
corner of the grounds, feeling more happy under the circumstances in a
private nook than in the midst of gay and polished society. Although she
was clever, graceful and lively, she felt that the society in the
capital was, in some respects, ill-assorted. She thought the conduct of
some of the gentlemen and ladies was not wholly unimpeachable, while her
solid faith in the virtues of most of the ladies and gentlemen she met
from time to time during her stay never wavered.
A CONCLUDING CHAPTER.
THEN, NOW, AND TO BE.
How often do we hear of the deeds of the fathers of the country. How
often we read of them. And how little in comparison is said or written
of the hardships endured and the heroism displayed by the mothers. In
the early colonial days the women endured equal trials with the men. It
is possible that if the lives of the early settlers and the scenes of
those times were in full laid before us for review, we would find many
instances in which women displayed even greater courage than the men,
and in enduring the most severe privations and dangers, held out even
longer.
Had Captain Godfrey not been possessed with such a companion as his
wife, it seems almost certain he would have been made a prisoner and,
perhaps, been murdered. Her tact and perseverance in danger secured his
liberty and rescued him from death.
When her friends in London tried hard to persuade her from accompanying
her husband on his second venture in the colony, she calmly replied:
"Where my husband goes I can follow, if it be in the wilderness among
savages, or even through fire and blood. I love my husband, and wherever
he may be, to that spot I am attracted more strongly than to any
other." How much these brave words sound like those of Madame Cadillac,
spoken three quarters of a century earlier.
On the 24th of July, 1701, Cadillac landed at Detroit, and set himself
to found the place. Soon after this Madame Cadillac, who had been left
behind at Quebec, plunged into the wilderness to rejoin her husband.
It was a thousand miles in a birch bark canoe rowed by half-clad
Indians, and the route was through a dense forest and over great waters
swept by the September storms, but this brave woman undertook the
journey attended by only a single female companion.
When subsequently reminded of its hazards and hardships, she simply
replied: "A woman who loves her husband as she should, has no stronger
attraction than his company, where ever he may be."
The rich heritage we enjoy comes to us through the great efforts of
patriotism and dogged perseverance of our ancestors (the fathers and
mothers of the country). As we in gratitude remember the former, let us
not forget the latter.
Margaret Godfrey died in London about the year 1807, having survived her
husband fully twenty years. She was beloved by friends, and esteemed by
all who came in contact with her. She sank full of years undimmed by
failure and unclouded by reverses. Who can think of such persons as Mrs.
Godfrey without acknowledging that such are the true nobility of the
human race!
And now, when from the long distance of a hundred years or more, we
look back upon the hardships and misfortunes endured by one family of
the early colonists, we feel assured that pen and tongue can never make
fully known to us or our posterity the extent of the misery and
suffering of most of the early colonial settlers.[11]
[Footnote 11: For a vivid account of the sufferings and hardships of the
early Colonial settlers, I would refer the reader to Ryerson's excellent
work, The Loyalists of America and their times. Vol. II. Chap. XLI.]
We know enough, however, to admire the heroism of our ancestors and
their firm attachment to the mother land. Our hearts should warm with
gratitude for what they have done for our happiness. And as we consider
the unflinching determination of the founders of these British colonies
to make this land a British home, we feel that we should as
unflinchingly carry on their work and expand their views. Deeply rooted
in the hearts of our ancestors was a love of the old land, and their
desire in the new was to build upon the foundations of the old.
We, under Providence, are commissioned to carry forward the work they
left unfinished.
This land was the home of our fathers and shall be the heritage of our
children. The provincial spirit of our ancestors is being merged into a
great national one. A grand idea of nationality is being deeply rooted
in the hearts of the present generation. We are preparing for all the
responsibilities and all the works of a nation, and whether our
political union with the mother country becomes weaker or stronger as
the years pass by, our love for the old land will never cease. We are
proud of our parentage. Proud of the Celtic and Saxon blood that courses
through our veins.
As our country expands, and as we continue to build, may our love of
country widen, and the light of patriotism that brightened and cheered
the hearts of our ancestors as they toiled on, brighten and deeper burn
in all our hearts, and one grand illumination throw its rays upon the
surface of two oceans.
A neighbouring nation may envy our progress and seek our union, but this
will only stimulate our energy and strengthen the bonds that bind
British Americans together.
Our fathers left us a few disunited provinces, our children will inherit
a vast dominion, bounded east and west by the world's two great seas.
In even less time than it took our ancestors a century ago to travel
from Halifax to the mouth of the St John, we can plant our feet on the
shore of the Pacific.
The stars and stripes may wave along our Southern boundary, and there
shall their proud waves be stayed
The Eagle may be lord below,
But the young Lion lord above.
We rest firm in the belief that the decree has gone forth out of the
court of heaven, that the flag which was wrapped in its folds around the
"Young Lion of the Woods" in his last sleep, shall wave triumphantly
over Canada till peoples and nations cease to exist on earth.
The provinces in which the heroic events related in the foregoing
chapters occurred, now partake of the fortunes and sentiments and
character of a vast country. They live together with Canada, they
flourish with her, and if they are ever called upon to oppose a mightier
foe than Red men and Rebels, they will not be found unequal to the
occasion.
Never was nobler duty confided to human hands than that which was
confided to our ancestors more than a century ago. It was theirs under
providence to commence the foundations on which we are building, and in
the record of our social, industrial, educational, political and
religious progress we await with confidence the verdict of the world.
Although for the greater portion of the century the growth of the
British North American Colonies has been slow, yet it has been sound,
and it will be better for Canada in the future if the growth is not too
rapid. If the process of consolidation takes place regularly and
moderately, every institution in the land will be sounder. If the
majority of the immigrants which the country annually receives are
similar in character and principles to those of the early colonists, we
shall have nothing to fear in the future. We have nothing in our past
history to discourage us, and much in our present condition and
prospects to stimulate us. We who are privileged to live in the closing
years of the century behold a wonderful unity and an extraordinary
advancement of the whole Dominion in all its great interests. And the
man, if such there be, who was born on this soil and sprung from such an
ancestry as the early colonial settlers and United Empire Loyalists, or
from the loins of settlers of a later generation, who is not proud of
his country and of being called a British American, is unworthy of his
race and the land of his birth, and unworthy of having his name classed
with that of the noble Iroquois (Paul Guidon.) There are persons who
have acted a less noble part in life's drama, than the British officer
and his wife who settled at Grimross Neck, and even a less noble part
than Paul Guidon, who have won golden wreaths for their tombs, and since
Margaret Godfrey's name and deeds have been dug from oblivion, should
they be forgotten or the Iroquois tomb go unadorned?
Our past in its three great eras, that of settlement, Responsible
government and union, shows grand steps in the country's triumphant
march. If with decaying sectional spirit, the grand idea of British
American independence takes hold of the minds and hearts of the people,
this would be found the gradual power that would impel the country to
its national destiny. As we behold mighty provinces forming and splendid
cities rising, we begin more fully to realize the glorious career on
which the Dominion has entered, these events should compel, yea they
announce a safe, wise and splendid future.
The few millions who have sprung from those who founded the colonies,
trace back with lineal love their blood to them. So may it be in the
distant future millions more will look back with pride and trace their
blood through those who formed a nation in peace, to those who founded
the colonies, and to those who formed the union.
We may read of the past, write of the past, and think of the past. To do
so is often profitable; it is also a pleasure. But, as we admire the
spirit and works of those who have passed beyond the flood, we should
more earnestly prepare for the future. "The sleeping and the dead are
but pictures." "Yet, gazing on these long and intently, and often we may
pass into the likeness of the departed, may stimulate their labors, and
partake of their immortality."
"The growing nation, may it prove Dominion of the Good!
And ever stand, in coming years, where Britain always stood,--
The foremost in the cause of right! upholder of the truth!
The nation which in growth of years grows in the strength of youth!
Then we may cry, with hopeful voice, unto the heavenly powers,
For blessings on our native land--'This Canada of ours.'"
FINIS.
End of Project Gutenberg's Young Lion of the Woods, by Thomas Barlow Smith