Captain Sinclair having stated that they would have a longer journey on
the following day, and that it would be advisable to start as soon as
possible, they rose at daylight, and in half an hour had breakfasted and
were again in the boats. Soon after they had pushed into the stream and
hoisted the sails, for the wind was fair, Mr. Campbell inquired how far
they had to go on that day?
"About fifty miles if we possibly can," replied Captain Sinclair. "We
have made seventy-two miles in the first two days; but from here to
Montreal, it is about ninety, and we are anxious to get the best part
over to-day, so that we may land on a cleared spot which we know of, and
that I feel quite sure in; for, I regret to say you must trust to your
tents and your own bedding for the night, as there is no habitation
large enough to receive us on the river's side, any where near where we
wish to arrive."
"Never mind, Captain Sinclair, we shall sleep very well, I dare say,"
replied Mrs. Campbell; "but where do all the rest of the party
sleep?--there is only one tent."
"Oh! never mind the rest of the party; we are used to it, and your
gentlemen won't mind it; some will sleep in the _bateaux_, some at the
fire, some will watch and not sleep at all."
After some further conversation, Mary Percival observed to Captain
Sinclair: "You had not, I believe, Captain Sinclair, quite finished your
account of Pontiac where you left off yesterday, at the time when he was
blocking the fort at Detroit. Will you oblige us by stating what
afterward took place?"
"With great pleasure, Miss Percival. There was great difficulty in
relieving the fort, as all communication had been cut off; at last the
Governor sent his aide-de-camp, Captain Dalyell, who contrived to throw
himself in the fort with about two hundred and fifty men. He shortly
afterward sallied out to attack the intrenchments of the Indians, but
Pontiac having received intelligence of his intention, laid an ambuscade
for him, beat back the troops with great loss, and poor Dalyell fell in
the combat, that took place near a bridge which still goes by the name
of Bloody Bridge. Pontiac cut off the head of Captain Dalyell, and set
it upon a post."
"So much for Major Gladwin's extreme sense of honor," exclaimed Alfred;
"had he detained Pontiac as a prisoner, nothing of this would have
happened."
"I agree with you, Mr. Alfred," replied Captain Sinclair, "it was
letting loose a wolf; but Major Gladwin thought he was doing what was
right, and therefore can not be well blamed. After this defeat, the
investment was more strict than ever, and the garrison suffered
dreadfully. Several vessels which were sent out to supply the garrison
fell into the hands of Pontiac, who treated the men very cruelly. What
with the loss of men and constant watching, as well as the want of
provisions, the garrison was reduced to the greatest privations. At last
a schooner came off with supplies, which Pontiac, as usual, attacked
with his warriors in their canoes. The schooner was obliged to stand out
again, but the Indians followed, and by their incessant fire killed or
wounded almost every man on board her, and at length boarded and took
possession. As they were climbing up the shrouds and over the gunnel of
the vessel, the captain of the vessel, who was a most determined man,
and resolved not to fall into the hands of the Indians, called out to
the gunner to set fire to the magazine, and blow them all up together.
This order was heard by one of Pontiac's chiefs acquainted with English;
he cried out to one of the other Indians, and sprang away from the
vessel; the other Indians followed him, and hurried away in their
canoes, or by swimming as fast as they could from the vessel. The
captain took advantage of the wind and arrived safe at the fort; and
thus was the garrison relieved and those in the fort saved from
destruction by the courage of this one man."
"You say that Pontiac is now dead, at least Martin Super told us so. How
did he die, Captain Sinclair?" inquired Mrs. Campbell.
"He was killed by an Indian, but it is difficult to say why. For many
years he had made friends with us and he had received a liberal pension
from the Government; but it appears that his hatred against the English
had again broken out, and in a council held by the Indians, he proposed
assailing us anew. After he had spoken, an Indian buried his knife in
his heart, but whether to gratify a private animosity or to avoid a
further warfare with those who had always thinned their tribes, it is
difficult to ascertain. One thing is certain, that most of the Indian
animosity against the English is buried with him."
"Thank you, Captain Sinclair," said Mary Percival, "for taking so much
trouble. I think Pontiac's history is a very interesting one."
"There was much to admire and much to deplore in his character, and we
must not judge the Indian too harshly. He was formed for command, and
possessed great courage and skill in all his arrangements, independent
of his having the tact to keep all the Lake tribes of Indians
combined,--no very easy task. That he should have endeavored to drive us
away from those lands of which he considered himself (and very correctly
too) as the sovereign, is not to be wondered at, especially as our
encroachments daily increased. The great fault of his character, in our
eyes, was his treachery; but we must remember that the whole art of
Indian warfare is based upon stratagem."
"But his attacking the fort after he had been so generously dismissed
when his intentions were known, was surely very base," remarked Mrs.
Campbell.
"What we consider a generous dismissal, he probably mistook for folly
and weakness. The Indians have no idea of generosity in warfare. Had
Pontiac been shot, he would have died bravely, and he had no idea that,
because Major Gladwin did not think proper to take his life, he was
therefore bound to let us remain in possession of his lands. But
whatever treachery the Indians consider allowable and proper in warfare,
it is not a portion of the Indian character; for at any other time his
hospitality and good faith are not to be doubted, if he pledges himself
for your safety. It is a pity that they are not Christians. Surely it
would make a great improvement in a character which, even in its
unenlightened state, has in it much to be admired.
"When the form of worship and creed is simple, it is difficult to make
converts, and the Indian is a clear reasoner. I once had a conversation
with one of the chiefs on the subject. After we had conversed for some
time, he said, 'You believe in one God--so do we; you call him by one
name--we call him another; we don't speak the same language, that is the
reason. You say, suppose you do good, you go to the land of Good
Spirits--we say so too. Then Indians and Yangees (that is English) both
try to gain the same object, only try in not the same way. Now I think
it much better that, as we all go along together, that every man paddle
his own canoe. That is my thought.'"
"It is, as you say, Captain Sinclair, difficult to argue with men who
look so straight forward and are so practical in their ideas.
Nevertheless," said Mrs. Campbell, "a false creed must often lead to
false conduct; and whatever is estimable in the Indian character would
be strengthened and improved by the infusion of Christian principles and
Christian hopes,--so that I must still consider it very desirable that
the Indians should become Christians,--and I trust that by judicious and
discreet measures such a result may gradually be brought about."
It was two hours before sunset when they arrived at the spot at which
they intended passing the night; they landed, and some of the soldiers
were employed in setting up the tent on a dry hillock, while others
collected logs of wood for the fire. Martin Super brought on shore the
bedding, and, assisted by Alfred and Henry, placed it in the tent.
Captain Sinclair's canteen provided sufficient articles to enable them
to make tea, and in less than half an hour the kettle was on the fire.
As soon as they had partaken of these refreshments and the contents of a
basket of provisions procured at Trois Rivières, the ladies retired for
the night. Captain Sinclair stationed sentinels at different posts as a
security from any intruders, and then the remainder of the troops with
the other males composing the party lay down with their feet toward a
large fire, composed of two or three trunks of trees, which blazed for
many yards in height. In a short time all was quiet, and all were in
repose except the sentinels, the sergeant and corporal, and Captain
Sinclair, who relieved each other.
The night passed without any disturbance, and the next morning they
re-embarked and pursued their course. Before sunset they arrived at the
town of Montreal, where it was arranged that they should wait a day. Mr.
Campbell had a few purchases to make here, which he completed. It had
been his intention also, to procure two of the small Canadian horses,
but by the advice of Captain Sinclair he abandoned the idea. Captain
Sinclair pointed out to him, that having no forage or means of
subsistence for the animals, they would be a great expense to him during
the first year without being of much use; and further, that in all
probability, when the garrison was relieved at Fort Frontignac on the
following year, the officers would be too glad to part with their horses
at a lower price than what they could be purchased for at Montreal.
Having a letter of introduction to the Governor, they received every
attention. The society was almost wholly French; and many of the
inhabitants called out of politeness, or to gratify their curiosity. The
French ladies shrugged up their shoulders, and exclaimed, "Est-il
possible?" when they heard that the Campbells were about to proceed to
such a distant spot and settle upon it. The French gentlemen told the
Miss Campbells that it was a great sacrifice to bury so much beauty in
the wilderness; but what they said had little effect upon any of the
party. Captain Sinclair offered to remain another day if Mr. Campbell
wished it; but, on the contrary, he was anxious to arrive as soon as
possible at his destination; and the following morning they again
embarked, having now about three hundred and sixty miles to ascend
against the current and the occasional rapids. It would take too much
space if I were to narrate all that took place during their difficult
ascent; how they were sometimes obliged to land and carry the cargoes of
the boats; how one or two _bateaux_ were upset and some of their stores
lost; and how their privations increased on each following day of their
journey. I have too much to relate to enter into this portion of the
narrative, although there might be much interest in the detail; it will
be sufficient to say that, after sixteen days of some peril and much
fatigue, and of considerable suffering from the clouds of musquitoes
which assailed them during the night, they were landed safely at Fort
Frontignac, and treated with every attention by the commandant, who had
received letters from the Governor of Quebec, desiring him to do all
that he possibly could to serve them. The commandant, Colonel Forster,
had shown Mr. Campbell and his party the rooms which had been provided
for them, and now, for the first time after many days, they found
themselves all together and alone.
After a short conversation, in which they canvassed and commented upon
the kindness which they had received, and the difficulties which they
had, in consequence, surmounted, during their long and tedious journey
to Quebec, Mr. Campbell observed: "My dear wife and children, we have
thus far proceeded without serious casualty: it has pleased the Almighty
to conduct us safely over a boisterous sea, to keep our spirits up by
providing us with unexpected friends and support, and we now have
arrived within a few miles of our destination. But let us not suppose
that our perils and difficulties are terminated; on the contrary,
without wishing to dishearten you, I feel that they are about to
commence. We have much privation, much fatigue, and, perhaps, much
danger to encounter, before we can expect to be in comfort or in
security; but we must put our trust in that gracious Providence which
has hitherto so mercifully preserved us, and at the same time not relax
in our own energy and industry, which must ever accompany our faith in
the Divine aid. It is long since we have had an opportunity of being
gathered together and alone. Let us seize this opportunity of pouring
out our thanks to God for his mercies already vouchsafed, and praying
for a continuance of his protection. Even in the wilderness, let us walk
with Him, trust in Him, and ever keep Him in our thoughts. We must bear
in mind that this entire life is but a pilgrimage; that if, during its
course, we should meet with affliction or distress, it is His
appointment, and designed undoubtedly for our good. It is our wisdom, as
well as duty to submit patiently to whatever may befall us, never losing
our courage or becoming disheartened by suffering, but trusting to the
mercy and power of Him who can and will, at His own good time, deliver
us from evil." Mr. Campbell kneeled down, surrounded by his family, and,
in a fervent and feeling address poured forth his thanksgiving for past
mercies and humble solicitation for further assistance. So powerful and
so eloquent were his words, that the tears coursed down the cheeks of
his wife and nieces; and when he had finished, all their hearts were so
full, that they retired to their beds without further exchange of words
than receiving his blessing, and wishing each other good-night.