Continuation of the Journey—Arrival at Oswego—Regulations, Studies,
and Amusements there.
NEVER, certainly, was a journey so replete with felicity. I luxuriated
in idleness and novelty; knowledge was my delight, and it was now
pouring in on my mind from all sides. What a change from sitting pinned
down to my sampler by my mother till the hour of play, and then running
wild with children, as young, and still simpler than myself. Much
attended to by all my fellow-travellers, I was absolutely intoxicated
with the charms of novelty, and the sense of my new-found importance.
The first day we came to Schenectady, a little town, situated in a rich
and beautiful spot, and partly supported by the Indian trade. The next
day we embarked, proceeded up the river with six bateaux, and came early
in the evening to one of the most charming scenes imaginable, where fort
Hendrick was built; so called, in compliment to the principal Sachem, or
king of the Mohawks. The castle of this primitive monarch stood at a
little distance, on a rising ground, surrounded by pallisades. He
resided, at the time, in a house which the public workmen, who had
lately built this fort, had been ordered to erect for him in the
vicinity. We did not fail to wait upon his majesty: who, not choosing to
depart too much from the customs of his ancestors, had not permitted
divisions of apartments, or modern furniture to profane his new
dwelling. It had the appearance of a good barn, and was divided across
by a mat hung in the middle. King Hendrick, who had indeed a very
princely figure, and a countenance that would have not dishonoured
royalty, was sitting on the floor beside a large heap of wheat,
surrounded with baskets of dried berries of different kinds; beside him,
his son, a very pretty boy, somewhat older than myself, was caressing a
foal, which was unceremoniously introduced into the royal residence. A
laced hat, a fine saddle and pistols, gifts of his good brother the
great king, were hung round on the cross beams. He was splendidly
arrayed in a coat of pale blue, trimmed with silver; all the rest of his
dress was of the fashion of his own nation, and highly embellished with
beads and other ornaments. All this suited my taste exceedingly, and was
level to my comprehension. I was prepared to admire King Hendrick by
hearing him described as a generous warrior, terrible to his enemies,
and kind to his friends; the character of all others calculated to make
the deepest impression on ignorant innocence, in a country where infants
learned the horrors of war from its vicinity. Add to all this, that the
monarch smiled, clapped my head, and ordered me a little basket, very
pretty, and filled by the officious kindness of his son, with dried
berries. Never did princely gifts, or the smiles of royalty, produce
more ardent admiration and profound gratitude. I went out of the royal
presence overawed and delighted, and am not sure but that I have liked
kings all my life the better for this happy specimen, to which I was so
early introduced. Had I seen royalty, properly such, invested with all
the pomp of European magnificence, I should possibly have been confused
and over-dazzled. But this was quite enough, and not too much for me;
and I went away, lost in a reverie, and thought of nothing but kings,
battles, and generals for days after.
This journey, charming my romantic imagination by its very delays and
difficulties, was such a source of interest and novelty to me, that
above all things I dreaded its conclusion, which I well knew would be
succeeded by long tasks and close confinement. Happily for me we soon
entered upon Wood-creek, the most desirable of all places for a
traveller who loves to linger, if such another traveller there be. This
is a small river, which winds irregularly through a deep and narrow
valley of the most lavish fertility. The depth and richness of the soil
here was evinced by the loftiness and the nature of the trees, which
were, hiccory, butter-nut, chestnut, and sycamores of vast circumference
as well as height. These became so top heavy, and their roots were so
often undermined by this insidious stream, that in every tempestuous
night, some giants of the grove fell prostrate, and very frequently
across the stream, where they lay in all their pomp of foliage, like a
leafy bridge, unwithered, and formed an obstacle almost invincible to
all navigation. The Indian lifted his slight canoe, and carried it past
the tree; but our deep loaded bateaux could not be so managed. Here my
orthodoxy was shocked, and my anti-military prejudices revived by the
swearing of the soldiers; but then again my veneration for my father was
if possible increased, by his lectures against swearing provoked by
their transgression. Nothing remained for our heroes but to attack these
sylvan giants axe in hand, and make way through their divided bodies.
The assault upon fallen greatness was unanimous and unmerciful, but the
resistance was tough, and the process tedious; so much so, that we were
three days proceeding fourteen miles, having, at every two hours at
least, a new tree to cut through.
It was here, as far as I recollect the history of my own heart, that the
first idea of artifice ever entered my mind. It was, like most female
artifices, the offspring of vanity. These delays were a new source of
pleasure to me. It was October; the trees we had to cut through were
often loaded with nuts, and while I ran lightly along the branches, to
fill my royal basket with their spoils, which I had great pleasure in
distributing, I met with multitudes of fellow plunderers in the
squirrels of various colours and sizes, which were numberless. This made
my excursions amusing; but when I found my disappearance excited alarm,
they assumed more interest. It was so fine to sit quietly among the
branches, and hear concern and solicitude expressed about the child.
I will spare the reader the fatigue of accompanying our little fleet
through
“Antres vast and deserts wild;”
only observing, that the munificent solitude through which we travelled
was much relieved by the sight of Johnson hall, beautifully situated in
a plain by the river; while Johnson castle, a few miles further up, made
a most respectable appearance on a commanding eminence at some distance.
We travelled from one fort to another; but in three or four instances,
to my great joy, they were so remote from each other, that we found it
necessary to encamp at night on the bank of the river. This, in a land
of profound solitude, where wolves, foxes, and bears abounded, and were
very much inclined to consider and treat us as intruders, might seem
dismal to wiser folks. But I was so gratified by the bustle and
agitation produced by our measures of defence, and actuated by the love
which all children have for mischief that is not fatal, that I enjoyed
our night encampments exceedingly. We stopped early wherever we saw the
largest and most combustible kind of trees. Cedars were great
favourites, and the first work was to fell and pile upon each other an
incredible number, stretched lengthwise, while every one who could was
busied in gathering withered branches of pine, &c. to fill up the
interstices of the pile, and make the green wood burn the faster. Then a
train of gunpowder was laid along to give fire to the whole fabric at
once, which blazed and crackled magnificently. Then the tents were
erected close in a row before this grand conflagration. This was not
merely meant to keep us warm, though the nights did begin to grow cold,
but to frighten wild beasts and wandering Indians. In case any such
Indians, belonging to hostile tribes, should see this prodigious blaze,
the size of it was meant to give them an idea of a greater force than we
possessed.
In one place, where we were surrounded by hills, with swamps lying
between them, there seemed to be a general congress of wolves, who
answered each other from opposite hills, in sounds the most terrific.
Probably the terror which all savage animals have at fire was exalted
into fury, by seeing so many enemies, whom they durst not attack. The
bull frogs, the harmless, the hideous inhabitants of the swamps, seemed
determined not to be outdone, and roared a tremendous bass to this
bravura accompaniment. This was almost too much for my love of the
terrible sublime; some women, who were our fellow travellers, shrieked
with terror; and finally, the horrors of that night were ever after held
in awful remembrance by all who shared them.
The last night of this eventful pilgrimage, of which I fear to tire my
readers by a farther recital, was spent at fort Bruerton, then commanded
by Captain Mungo Campbell,[19] whose warm and generous heart, whose
enlightened and comprehensive mind, whose social qualities and public
virtues I should delight tA commemorate did my limits permit; suffice
it, that he is endeared to my recollection by being the first person who
ever supposed me to have a mind capable of culture, and I was ever after
distinguished by his partial notice. Here we were detained two days by a
premature fall of snow. Very much disposed to be happy any where, I was
here particularly so. Our last day’s journey, which brought us to lake
Ontario and fort Oswego, our destined abode, was a very hard one; we had
people going before, breaking the ice with paddles all the way.
Footnote 19:
Colonel Mungo Campbell was killed leading on the attack of fort St.
Anne, at the battle of White Plains, anno 1777.
All that I had foreboded of long tasks, confinement, &c. fell short of
the reality. The very deep snow confined us all; and at any rate the
rampart or the parade would have been no favourable scene of improvement
for me. One great source of entertainment I discovered here, was no
other than the Old Testament, which during my confinement I learned to
read; till then having done so very imperfectly. It was an unspeakable
treasure as a story book, before I learnt to make any better use of it,
and became, by frequent perusal, indelibly imprinted on my memory.
Wallace Wight, and Welwood’s memoirs of the history of England, were my
next acquisitions. Enough of egotism, yet all these circumstances
contributed to form that taste for solid reading, which first attracted
the attention of my invaluable friend.
I cannot quit Ontario without giving a slight sketch of the manner in
which it was occupied and governed while I was there and afterwards,
were it but to give young soldiers a hint how they may best use their
time and resources, so as to shun the indolence and ennui they are often
liable to in such situations. The 55th had by this time acquired several
English officers; but with regard to the men, it might be considered as
a Scotch regiment, and was indeed originally such, being raised but a
very few years before in the neighbourhood of Stirling. There were small
detachments in other forts; but the greatest part were in this,
commanded by Major (afterwards Colonel) Duncan, of Lundie, elder brother
of the late Lord Duncan of Camperdown. He was an experienced officer,
possessed of considerable military science, learned, humane, and
judicious, yet obstinate, and somewhat of an humourist withal. Wherever
he went, a respectable library went with him. Though not old, he was
gouty and war-worn, and therefore allowably carried about many comforts
and conveniences that others could not warrantably do. The fort was a
large place, built entirely of earth and great logs: I mean the walls
and ramparts, for the barracks were of wood, and cold and comfortless.
The cutting down the vast quantity of wood used in this building had,
however, cleared much of the fertile ground by which the fort was
surrounded. The lake abounded with excellent fish and varieties of
waterfowl, while deer and every kind of game were numerous in the
surrounding woods. All these advantages, however, were now shut up by
the rigours of winter. The officers were all very young men, brought
from school or college to the army, and after the dreadful specimen of
war which they had met with on their first outset, at the lines of
Ticonderoga, they had gone through all possible hardships. After a march
up the St. Lawrence, and then through Canada here, a march indeed,
considering the season and the new road, worthy the hero of Pultowa,
they were stationed in this new built garrison, far from every trace of
civilization. These young soldiers were, however, excellent subjects for
the forming hand of Major Duncan. As I have said on a former occasion of
others, if they were not improved, they were not spoiled, and what
little they knew was good.
The major, by the manner in which he treated them, seemed to consider
them as his sons or pupils; only one might call him an austere parent,
or a rigid instructor. But this semblance of severity was necessary to
form his pupils to habitual veneration. Partaking every day of their
convivial enjoyments, and showing every hour some proof of paternal care
and kindness; all this was necessary to keep them within due limits. Out
of regard to their own welfare he wanted no more of their love than was
consistent with salutary fear; and yet made himself so necessary to
them, that nothing could be so terrible to them as, by any neglect or
imprudence, to alienate him. He messed with them, but lived in a house
of his own. This was a very singular building divided into two
apartments; one of which was a bed-room, in which many stores found
place, the other, a breakfasting parlour, and, at the same time, a
library. Here were globes, quadrants, mathematical instruments, flutes,
dumb-bells, and chess-boards; here, in short, was a magazine of
instruction and amusement for the colonel’s pupils, that is, for all the
garrison. (Cornelius Cuyler, who had now joined the regiment, as
youngest ensign, was included in this number.) This Scythian dwelling,
for such it seemed, was made entirely of wood, and fixed upon wheels of
the same material, so that it could be removed from one part of the
parade to another, as it frequently was. So slight a tenement, where the
winters were intensely cold, was ill calculated for a gouty patient; for
this, however, he found a remedy; the boards, which formed the walls of
his apartment, being covered with deer-skins, and a most ample bear-skin
spread on the floor by way of a carpet. When once the winter set fully
in, Oswego became a perfect Siberia; cut off even from all intelligence
of what was passing in the world. But the major did not allow this
interval to waste in sloth or vacancy: he seemed rather to take
advantage of the exclusion of all exterior objects. His library was
select and soldier like. It consisted of numerous treatises on the
military art, ancient and modern history, biography, &c. besides the
best authors in various sciences, of which I only recollect geography
and the mathematics. All the young men were set to read such books as
suited their different inclinations and capacities. The subalterns
breakfasted with their commander in rotation every day, three or four at
a time; after breakfast he kept them, perhaps two hours, examining them
on the subject of their different studies. Once a week he had a supper
party for such of the captains as were then in the fort; and once a week
they entertained him in the same manner. To these parties such of the
subalterns, as distinguished themselves by diligence and proficiency,
were invited. Whoever was negligent, he made the subject of sarcasms so
pointed at one time, and at another so ludicrous, that there was no
enduring it. The dread of severe punishment could not operate more
forcibly. Yet he was so just, so impartial, so free from fickleness and
favouritism, and so attentive to their health, their amusements, and
their economy, that every individual felt him necessary to his comfort,
and looked up to him as his “guide, philosopher, and friend.”
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