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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/15307-h.zip b/15307-h.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..c23bc2e --- /dev/null +++ b/15307-h.zip diff --git a/15307-h/15307-h.htm b/15307-h/15307-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..c89aa9a --- /dev/null +++ b/15307-h/15307-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,4675 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> +<html> + <head> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content= + "text/html; charset=iso-8859-1"/> + <title> + The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Narrative of Gordon Sellar. + </title> + <style type="text/css"> +/*<![CDATA[ XML blockout */ +<!-- + p { margin-top: .75em; + text-align: justify; + margin-bottom: .75em; + } + h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6 { + text-align: center; /* all headings centered */ + clear: both; + } + hr { width: 33%; + margin-top: 2em; + margin-bottom: 2em; + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; + clear: both; + } + + table {margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;} + + body{margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; + } + + .center {text-align: center;} + .right {text-align: right;} + .left {text-align: left;} + + .poem {margin-left:10%; margin-right:10%; text-align: left;} + .poem br {display: none;} + .poem .stanza {margin: 1em 0em 1em 0em;} + .poem div {display: block; margin: 0; padding-left: 3em; text-indent: -3em;} + .poem div.i2 {display: block; margin-left: 2em;} + + ul li { padding-top: .5em ; } + ul ul ul, ul li ul li { padding: 0; } + ul { list-style: none; } + ul, ul ul ul li { display: inline; } + .subitem { display: block; padding-left: 2em; } + + + // --> + /* XML end ]]>*/ + </style> + </head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Narrative of Gordon Sellar Who +Emigrated to Canada in 1825, by Gordon Sellar + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Narrative of Gordon Sellar Who Emigrated to Canada in 1825 + +Author: Gordon Sellar + +Release Date: March 9, 2005 [EBook #15307] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE NARRATIVE OF GORDON *** + + + + +Produced by Wallace McLean, Martin Pettit and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team. + + + + + + +</pre> + + +<p class="center"><a name="image001.jpg" id="image001.jpg" /><img src="images/image001.jpg" width='700' height='492' alt="Frontispiece" /></p> + + +<h2>The Narrative</h2> + +<h3>of</h3> + +<h1>Gordon Sellar</h1> + +<h3>who</h3> + +<h2>Emigrated to Canada in 1825</h2> + + + +<hr /> +<h3>HUNTINGDON, QUE.</h3> + +<h3>THE GLEANER BOOK ROOM</h3> + +<h3>1915</h3> + +<h3><i>Copyright, Canada, by Robert Sellar, 1915.</i></h3> + +<hr /> + +<h2>CONTENTS</h2> + +<ul> + <li><a href="#CHAPTER_I">CHAPTER I.</a></li> + <li><a href="#CHAPTER_II">CHAPTER II.</a></li> + <li><a href="#CHAPTER_III">CHAPTER III.</a></li> + <li><a href="#CHAPTER_IV">CHAPTER IV.</a></li> + <li><a href="#HOW_WE_GOT_ON_IN_THE_BACKWOODS">HOW WE GOT ON IN THE BACKWOODS</a></li> + <li><a href="#CHAPTER_V">CHAPTER V. SEEKING FOR LAND</a></li> + <li><a href="#CHAPTER_VI">CHAPTER VI. FIRST DAYS IN THE BACKWOODS</a></li> + <li><a href="#CHAPTER_VII">CHAPTER VII. ANDREW ANDERSON'S DIARY</a></li> + <li><a href="#CHAPTER_VIII">CHAPTER VIII. THE EPISODE OF TILLY</a></li> + <li><a href="#CHAPTER_IX">CHAPTER IX. THE AFTER YEARS</a></li> + <li><a href="#CHAPTER_X">CHAPTER X. PARTING WITH OLD FRIENDS</a></li> + <li><a href="#CHAPTER_XI">CHAPTER XI. MIRREN AND ARCHIE</a></li> + <li><a href="#Lines_on_the_Gordon_Sellar_who_was_drowned_in_his_boyhood">Lines on the Gordon Sellar who was drowned in his boyhood</a></li> + +</ul> + +<hr /> +<h1><a name="GORDON_SELLAR" id="GORDON_SELLAR" />GORDON SELLAR</h1> + +<hr /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_I" id="CHAPTER_I" />CHAPTER I.</h2> + + +<p>While my mother was a servant in Glasgow she married a soldier. I have +only a faint remembrance of my father, of a tall man in a red coat +coming to see us in the afternoons and tossing me up and down to the +ceiling. I was in my fourth year when his regiment was hurried to +Belgium to fight Bonaparte. One day there rose a shouting in the +streets, it was news of a great victory, the battle of Waterloo. At +night mother took me to Argyle street to see the illuminations, and I +never forgot the blaze of lights and the great crowd, cheering. At the +Cross there were men with bottles, drinking the health of Wellington. +When my mother caught me up to get past the drunken men she was +shivering. Long afterwards, when I was able to put two and two together +I understood it was her fear of what had happened father. She went often +to the barracks to ask if any word had come, but except that the +regiment was in the thick of the fight they could tell nothing. It might +be three weeks after the battle that a sergeant came to our room. Mother +was out working He left a paper on the table and went away. When mother +came home late, she snatched the paper up, gave a cry that I hear yet, +and taking me in her arms fell on the bed and sobbed as if her heart +would break. I must have asked her what had happened, for I recall her +squeezing me tighter to her bosom and saying My fatherless boy. Long +after, I met a comrade of my father, who told me he acted bravely all +day and was cut down by a dragoon when the French charged on the +infantry squares at the close of the battle. My mother got nothing from +the government, except the pay that was coming to him, which she told me +was 17s 6d.</p> + +<p>Mother kept on working, mostly out of door jobs, washing or +house-cleaning, a neighbor being asked to look after me. When I got old +enough, she would tell me, while I was in bed, where she was going, and +in the evening I would go and meet her. Sometimes, not often, she got +sewing to do at home and these were bright days. We talked all the time +and she taught me much; not simply to read and write and cast little +sums, but about everything she knew. My reading book was the gospel of +John, which she said was fullest of comfort, and it was then my faith in +Christ took root. There could not be a more contented or cheerful +mother, and her common expression was that when we did our duty +everything was for the best. She had a sweet voice, and when she sang +one of Burns' songs neighbors opened their doors to hear her. I was +nearly ten when a bad time came. Mills closed, the streets were full of +idle workmen, and provisions got dear. Mother got little to do, and I +know she often went hungry that I might be fed. She might have got her +share of the relief fund, but would not think of it. She told me time +and again, to be independent. That hard winter made all the families in +our close draw nearer to one another, and every hour there was some deed +of helpfulness. The best friends of the poor are the poor. We were +struggling on, hopeful and unmurmuring, when the word passed from +landing to landing one morning that the boy who was sick in the first +flat had been visited by a doctor, who said he had typhus. Mother took +her turn in sitting up with him at night until he got the change and it +was for the better. It might be a week after, I went to meet her on her +way home from the place where she had been at work, and saw how slow she +walked and the trouble she had in getting up the stair to our room. She +gave me my supper and lay down on the bed to rest, for she said she was +tired. Next morning she complained of headache and did not rise. +Neighbors came in to see her now and then. I stayed by her, she had +never been thus before. When it became dark she seemed to forget herself +and talked strange. The woman next door gave her a few drops of laudanum +in sugar and she fell asleep. When she woke next day she did not know me +and was raving. Word was taken to the hospital and a doctor came. He +said it was a bad case, and she must be taken to the hospital at once, +and he would send the van. It came, the two men with it lifted her from +her bed and placed her on a stretcher. A crowd had gathered on the +street to see her brought out and placed in the van. I thought I was to +go with her, and tried to get on the seat. The helper pushed me away, +but the driver bent over and gave me a penny. The horse started and I +never saw my mother again. I ran after the van, but it got to the +hospital long before I was in sight of it. I went to the door and said I +wanted my mother; the porter roughly told me to go away. I waited in +front of the building until it got dark, and I wondered behind which of +the rows of lighted windows mother lay. When cold to the bone I went +back to our room. A neighbor heard me cry and would have me come to her +kitchen-fire and she gave me some gruel. Sitting I fell asleep.</p> + +<p>I was told I must not go into our room, it was dangerous, so I went to +the hospital and waited and watched the people go in and out. One +gentleman with a kind face came out and I made bold to speak to him. +When I said mother had fever he told me nobody could see her, and that +she would be taken good care of. I thought my heart would burst. I could +not bear to stay on the Gallowgate, and so weary days passed in my +keeping watch on the hospital. On Sunday coming, the neighbor who was so +kind to me, said she would go with me, for they allowed visitors to see +patients on Sunday afternoon. We started, I trotting cheery in the +thought I was about to see my mother. The clerk at the counter asked the +name and disease. He said no visitors were admitted to the fever-ward. +Could he find out how she was? He spoke into a tin tube and coming back +opened a big book. 'She died yesterday,' he said quite unconcerned. I +could not help it, I gave a cry and fainted. As we trudged home in the +rain, the woman told me they had buried her.</p> + +<p>I had now no home. The landlord fumigated our room with sulphur, took +the little furniture for the rent, and got another tenant. Everybody was +kind but I knew they had not enough for themselves, and the resolve took +shape, that I would go to the parish where my mother was born. Often, +when we took a walk on the Green, Sunday evenings, she would point to +the hills beyond which her father's home once was, and I came to think +of that country-place as one where there was plenty to eat and coals to +keep warm. How to get there I tried to plan. I must walk, of course, but +how was I to live on the road? I was running messages for the grocer +with whom mother had dealt, and he gave me a halfpenny when he had an +errand. These I gave to the woman where I slept and who was so kind to +me despite her poverty. I was on London street after dark when a +gentleman came along. He was half-tipsy. Catching hold of my collar he +said if I would lead him to his house he would give me sixpence. He gave +a number in Montieth row. I took his hand, which steadied him a little, +and we got along slowly, and were lucky in not meeting a policeman. When +we got to the number he gave me, I rang the bell. A man came to the +door, who exclaimed, At it again. The gentleman stumbled in and I was +going away when he recollected me. Fumbling in his pocket, he picked +out a coin and put it into my hand, and the door closed. At the first +lamp I looked at it; sure enough, he had given me a sixpence. I was +overjoyed, and I said to myself, I can leave for Ayrshire now. I wakened +early next morning and began my preparations. I got speldrins and +scones, tying them in the silk handkerchief mother wore round her neck +on Sundays. That and her bible was all I had of her belongings. Where +the rest had gone, a number of pawn tickets told. I was in a hurry to be +off and telling the woman I was going to try the country I bade her +goodbye. She said, God help you, poor boy, and kissed my cheek. The +bells at the Cross were chiming out, The blue bells of Scotland, when I +turned the corner at the Saltmarket.</p> + +<p>It was a beautiful spring-day and when I had cleared the city and got +right into the country everything was so fresh and pleasant that I could +have shouted with joy. The hedges were bursting into bloom, the grass +was dotted with daisies, and from the fields of braird rose larks and +other birds, which sang as if they rejoiced with me. I wondered why +people should stay in the city when the country was so much better. It +had one draw-back, the country-road was not as smooth as the pavement. +There was a cut in my left foot from stepping on a bit of glass, and the +dust and grit of the road got into it and gave me some pain. I must have +walked for three hours when I came to a burn that crossed the road. I +sat on a stone and bathed my foot, and with it dangling in the water I +ate a speldrin and a scone. On starting to walk, I found my foot worse, +and had to go slow and take many a rest. When the gloaming came I was on +the look out for a place to pass the night. On finding a cosey spot +behind a clump of bushes, I took my supper, lay down, and fell asleep, +for I was dead weary. The whistling of a blackbird near my head woke me +and I saw the sun was getting high. My foot was much worse, but I had to +go on. Taking from my bundle of provisions as sparingly as my hunger +would let me, I started. It was another fine day and had my hurt foot +been well I thought I would reach my mother's parish before long. I +could not walk, I just limped. Carts passed me, but would not give me a +lift. My bare feet and head and ragged clothes made them suspicious, and +as for the gentlemen in gigs they did not look at me. When I came to +spring or burn I put my foot in it, for it was hot and swollen now. At +noon I finished the food in my bundle and went on. I had not gone far +when I had to stop, and was holding my sore foot in a spring when a +tinker came along. He asked what was wrong. Drawing a long pin out of +his coat collar he felt along the cut, and then squeezed it hard. I see +it now, he remarked, and fetching from his pouch a pair of pincers he +pulled from the cut a sliver of glass. Wrapping the cloth round it he +tied it with a bit of black tape, and told me if I kept dirt out it +would heal in a day or two. Asking me where I was going, we had some +talk. He told me the parish of Dundonald was a long way off and he did +not know anybody in it by the name of Askew. I was on the right road and +could find out when I got there. He lit his pipe and left me. I walked +with more ease, and the farther I went the hungrier I grew. Coming to a +house by the side of the road I went to the open door and asked for a +cake. I have nothing for beggars, cried a woman by the fire. I am no +beggar, I answered, I will pay you, and held out a halfpenny. She stared +at me. Take these stoups and fill them at the well. The hill was steep +and the stoups heavy, but I managed to carry them back one at a time and +placed them on the bench. She handed me a farl of oatcake and I went +away. It was the sweetest bite I ever got. It was not nearly dark when I +climbed a dyke to get into a sheltered nook and fell asleep. Something +soft and warm licking my face woke me. It was a dog and it was broad +day. What are you doing here, laddie? said the dog's master who was a +young fellow, perhaps six or seven years older than myself. His staff +and the collie showed me he was a shepherd. I told him who I was and +where I was trying to go. Collie again smelt at me and wagged his tail +as if telling his master I was all right. I went with the lad who said +his name was Archie. He led to where his sheep were and we sat down in +the sunshine, for it was another warm day. We talked and we were not ten +minutes together when we liked each other. He unwrapped from a cloth +some bannocks and something like dried meat, which he said was braxie.</p> + +<p>It was his noon-bite, but he told me to eat it for he said, we go back +to the shelter to-day, and by we he meant collie. He had been lonesome +and was glad of company and we chattered on by the hour. At noon, +leaving collie in charge of the sheep, we went to the hut where he +stayed and had something to eat. He said his father was shepherd to a +big farmer, who had sent him with two score of shearling ewes to get +highland pasture. We talked about everything we knew and tried to make +each other laugh. He told me about Wallace, and we gripped hands on +saying we would fight for Scotland like him, and I told him about +Glasgow, where he had not been. A boy came with a little basket and a +message. The message was from his father, that he was to bring the sheep +back early on Monday, and the basket was from his mother with food and a +clean shirt for the Sabbath. We slept on a sheepskin and wakened to hear +the patter of rain. After seeing his sheep and counting them, Archie +said we must keep the Sabbath, and when we had settled in a dry corner +of the hillside he heard me my questions. I could not go further than +Who is the Redeemer of God's elect? but he could go to the end. Then I +repeated the three paraphrases my mother had taught me, but Archie had +nearly all of them and several psalms. A shepherd would be tired if he +did not learn by heart, he said; some knit but I like reading best. Then +he took my mother's bible and read about David and Goliath. That over he +started to sing. Oh we had a fine time, and when a shower came Archie +spread his plaid like a tent over the bushes and we sat under it. He +told me what he meant to do when he was a man. He was going to Canada +and get a farm, and send for the whole family. As we snuggled in for the +night, he told me he would not forget me and he was glad collie had +nosed me out in the bushes. If I found in the morning he was gone, I was +to take what he left me to eat. Sure enough I slept in; he was gone with +the sheep. I said a prayer for him and took the road.</p> + +<p>It was shower and shine all day. I footed on my way as fast as I could, +for the cut was still tender. Towards night I neared a little village +and saw an old man sitting on the doorstep reading. I asked him if I was +on the right road to Dundonald. He replied I was, but it was too far +away to reach before dark, and he put a few questions to me. Asking me +to sit beside him we had a talk. Did you ever see that book? holding out +the one he was reading. 'It is A Cloud of Witnesses, and gives the story +of the days of persecution. I wish every man in Scotland knew what it +contains, for there would be more of the right stuff among us. I was +just reading, for the hundredth time, I suppose, the trial of Marion +Harvie, and how he who was afterwards James King of England consented to +send her, a poor frail woman, to the gallows'. From the Covenanters he +passed to politics. He was a weaver and did not like the government, +telling me, seeing where I came from, I must grow up to be a Glasgow +radical. Seeing I was homeless, he said he would fend me for the night, +and, going into the house, he brought out a coggie of milk and a barley +scone. When I had finished, he took me to the byre and left me in a +stall of straw, telling me to leave early for his wife hated gangrel +bodies and would not, when she came in, rest content, if she knew there +was anybody in the stable. When daylight came it was raining. I started +without anybody seeing me from the house. I was soon wet to the skin, +but I trudged on, saying to myself every now and then You're a +Scotchman, never say die. There were few on the road, and when I met a +postman and asked how far I was from Dundonald, his curt reply was, You +are in it. I was dripping wet and oh so perished with cold and hunger +that I made up my mind to stop at the first house I came to. As it +happened, it was a farm-house a little bit from the road. I went to the +kitchen-door where there was a hen trying to keep her chicks out of the +rain. There were voices of children at play and of a woman as if +crooning a babe to sleep. I stood a while before I ventured to knock. +There was no answer and after waiting a few minutes I knocked again. A +boy of my own age opened the door. An old woman came towards me and +asked what I wanted. I am cold, I said, and, please, might I warm +myself? She was deaf and did not catch what I said. 'Whose bairn are +you?' she asked me. Mary Askew's, I replied, I noticed the younger woman +who had the child in her lap fixed her gaze on me. Where are you from? +grannie asked. From Glasgow and I am so cold. Laying down the child in +the cradle, the younger woman came to me and sitting on a stool took my +hands. 'Where did your mother belong?' she asked in a kind voice. She +came from the parish of Dundonald. 'And where is your father?' He is +dead. 'And is your mother in Glasgow?' She died in the hospital, and the +thought of that sad time set the tears running down my cheeks. 'You poor +motherless bairn!' she exclaimed, 'can it be you are the child of my old +school companion? Have you any brothers or sisters?' No, I have nobody +in the world. 'Did your mother leave you nothing?' In my simplicity, not +understanding she meant worldly gear, I untied my bundle, uncovered the +cloth I had wrapped round it to keep it dry, and handed her the bible. +She looked at the writing. 'I remember when she got it, as a prize for +repeating the 119th psalm without missing a word.' Putting her arms +round my neck she kissed me and holding me to the light she said 'You +have your mother's eyes and mouth.'</p> + +<p>The boy and girl took me to the fire, and, when grannie was got to +understand who I was, she bustled round to heat over some of the broth +left from dinner and while it was warming the little girl forced her +piece into my mouth. The other boy came to me full of curiosity. Feeling +my legs he whispered, You're starvit. By-and-by a cart drove into the +yard. It was the master with his hired man. When he was told who I was, +he called me to him and patted me on the head. That night I slept with +Allan, the name of the older boy. His brother's name was Bob, and the +girl's Alice. The baby had not been christened. The name of the master +of the house was Andrew Anderson.</p> + + + +<hr /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_II" id="CHAPTER_II" />CHAPTER II.</h2> + + +<p>Hating to be a burden on the family I was eager to work. Too weak for +farm duties, I helped about the house and came, in course of time, to +earn a good word from grannie. Tho of the same age, there was a great +difference between Allan and myself. He could lift weights I could not +move, did not get tired as I did, and as the stronger took care of me We +were all happy and getting-on well when trouble came from an unlooked +for quarter. The master got notice from the factor that, on his lease +running out the following year, the rent would be raised. He did not +look for this. During his lease he had made many improvements at his own +cost and thought they would more than count against any rise in the +value of farm lands. He remonstrated with the factor, who said he could +do nothing, his lordship wanted more revenue from his estate and there +was a man ready to take the farm at the advanced rent. He was sorry, but +the master had to pay the rent asked or leave the place. If I go, what +will be allowed me for the improvements I have made? Not a shilling; he +had gone on making them without the landlord's consent. You saw me +making them and encouraged me, said the master, and I made them in the +belief I would be given another tack to get some of the profit out of +them. The factor replied, Tut, tut, that's not the law of Scotland. The +master felt very sore at the injustice done him. On his lordship's +arrival from London, accompanied by a party of his English friends, for +the shooting, the master resolved to see him. On the morning he left to +interview him we wished him good luck, confident the landlord would not +uphold the factor, and we wearied for his return. The look on his face +as he came into the kitchen showed he had failed. He told us all that +passed. On getting to the grand house and telling the flunkey he had +come to see his master, the flunkey regarded him with disdain, and +replied his lordship was engaged and would not see him. Persisting in +refusing to leave the door and telling that he was a tenant, the flunkey +left and returned with a young gentleman, who asked what was his +business, saying he was his lordship's secretary. On being told, the +young man shook his head, saying his lordship left all such matters to +his factor, and it would do no good to see him. Just then a finely +dressed lady swept into the hall. Pausing, she cried, 'Tompkins, what +does that common-looking man want here? Tell him to go to the servants' +entry.' 'He wants to see his lordship,' was the reply. 'The idea!' +exclaimed the lady as she crossed the floor and disappeared by the +opposite door. The master could hear the sounds of laughter and jingle +of glasses. 'My, good man,' said the secretary, 'you had better go: his +lordship will not see you today.' 'When will he be at liberty to see +me?' asked the master, 'I will come when it suits his pleasure. I must +have his word of mouth that what the factor says is his decision.' The +secretary looked perplexed, and after putting a few questions, among +them that he had paid his rent and wanted no favor beyond renewal of his +lease on the old terms, he told my father to wait a minute and left. It +might be half an hour or more when a flunkey beckoned the master to +follow him. Throwing open a door he entered what he took to be the +library, for it had shelves of books. His lordship was alone, seated by +the fireplace with a newspaper on his lap. 'Now, say what you have to +say in fewest words,' said the nobleman. Standing before him the master +told how he had taken the farm 19 years ago, had observed every +condition of the lease, and had gone beyond them in keeping the farm in +good heart, for he had improved it in many ways, especially during the +past few years when he had ditched and limed and levelled a boggy piece +of land, and changed it from growing rushes into the best pasture-field +on the farm. 'Gin the farm is worth more, it is me who has made it and I +crave your lordship to either give me another tack at the same rent or +pay me what my betterments are worth.' His Lordship turned and touched a +bell. On the flunkey appearing, he said to him, 'Show this fellow to +the door,' and took up his newspaper. As the master finished, he said to +us, 'Dear as every acre of the farm is to me, I will leave it and go +where the man who works the land may own it and where there are no lords +and dukes, nor baronets. I am a man and never again will I ask as a +favor what is my due of any fellow-mortal with a title.' We went to bed +that night sorrowful and fearing what was before us.</p> + +<p>When he took anything in hand the master went through with it. Before +the week was out he had given up the farm, arranged for an auction sale, +and for going to Canada. My heart was filled with misgivings as to what +would become of me. I knew crops had been short for two years, and, +though he was even with the world, the master had not a pound to spare, +and depended on the auction-sale for the money to pay for outfit and +passage to Canada. I had no right to expect he would pay for me, and all +the more that he would have no use for a lad such as I was in his new +home. It was not so much of what might happen to myself after they were +gone that I thought about, as of parting with the family, for I loved +every one of them. I knew they were considering what to do with me, and +one day, on the master getting me alone, he seemed relieved on telling +me the new tenant of the farm was going to keep me on for my meat. I +thanked him, for it was better than I looked for. These were busy days +getting ready. Alice noticed that, in all the making of clothes, there +were none for me, and I overheard her ask her mother, who answered in a +whisper, that they had not money enough to take me along with them. +Alice was more considerate than ever with me. To their going grannie +proved an obstacle. She would not leave Scotland, she declared, she +would be buried in it, she would go to no strange country, let alone a +cold one like Canada, nor cross the sea. Her favorite of the family was +Robbie, on whom she doted. 'You will not leave him?' asked the mistress. +'Ou, he'll gang with me to Mirren's,' the name of her daughter in +Glasgow. 'Oh, no; Robbie goes with us to Canada.' It was a struggle with +the dear old soul, and in the end she decided she would brave the +Atlantic rather than part with her boy.</p> + +<p>The last day came. The chests, and plenishing for the home they looked +forward to in Canada, had gone the day before and been stowed in the +ship at Troon, and the carts stood at the door to receive the family and +their hand-bags. The children and all were seated and the master turned +to me before taking his place. He shook my hand, and tried to say +something, but could not, for his voice failed. Pressing half a crown in +my little fist he moved to get beside the driver, when Robbie cheeped +out astonished, 'Is Gordie no to go wi' us?' 'Whist, my boy; we will +send for him by-and-by.' At this Robbie set up a howl, and his brothers +and sisters joined in his weeping. The master was sorely moved and +whispered with his wife. 'His passage-money will make me break my last +big note,' I heard him say to her. 'Trust in the Lord,' she answered, +'I canna thole the thought of leaving the mitherless bairn to that hard +man, John Stoddart; he'll work the poor weak fellow to death.' Without +another word, the master hoisted me on top of the baggage, the carts +moved on, and Robbie looked up into my face with a smile. We were driven +alongside the ship as she lay at the quay. She was a roomy brig, and was +busy taking on cargo. Our part of the hold was shown to us, and the +mistress at once began to unpack the bedding, and to make the best of +everything. 'Is it not an awful black hole to put Christians into?' +asked a woman who was taking her first survey. 'Well, no, I do not think +so; it is far better than I expected.' She had a gracious way, the +mistress, of looking at everything in the best light.</p> + +<p>In the afternoon a man came on board to see the captain about taking +passage, and they agreed. He had no baggage, and as the ship only +supplied part of the provisions he had to go to buy what he needed for +the voyage. He asked the master to let me go with him to help to carry +back his bedding and parcels. We went from shop to shop until he had got +everything on his list; last of all he visited a draper and bought +cloth. On getting back to the ship he was tapped on the shoulder by a +seedy looking fellow who was waiting for him, and who said, 'You are my +prisoner.' The man started and his face grew white. I thought it strange +he did not ask what he was a prisoner for. 'Will you go quietly or will +I put these on?' asked the man, showing a pair of handcuffs in his coat +pocket. 'I will give you no trouble,' was the answer, 'only allow the +boy to stow these parcels and bags in my berth.'</p> + +<p>'I think the boy had better come with you; I will wait till he is +ready.' I wondered what he could want with me. He led us up the street +to a large building where he placed us in charge of a man even more +greasy and with a worse look than himself. It was quite a while before +he returned and led us into a large room. There was a long table, at its +head sat two well-dressed gentlemen, and at each side men with papers +before them. 'May it please your lordship and Bailie McSweem, the +prisoner being present we will now proceed.' He went on to explain that +the prisoner was a member of one of those political associations that +were plotting to subvert the government of the country, even thinking +they could organize a revolution and drive his majesty from the throne. +He need not dwell on the danger State and Church were in from the +plottings of those desperate men, and the need of all upholders of the +Crown and Constitution suppressing them with a firm hand.</p> + +<p>The gentleman who was addressed as his lordship nodded in approval, and +said, 'There is no need, Mr Sheriff, of referring to those unhappy +matters as we are fully cognizant of them. What about the prisoner?'</p> + +<p>'He is a member of the Greenock union, proceedings were about to be +taken for his arrest on a charge of sedition, when somehow he got wind +of what was about to take place and, knowing he was guilty, attempted +to flee the country. I can produce, if you say so, witnesses to prove +that he skulked into Troon by back streets and secured passage to Canada +on the Heatherbell, which sails in a few hours. I have one witness now +present.'</p> + +<p>His lordship remarked the Sheriff deserved credit for his vigilance and +the promptitude with which he acted. 'I suppose,' he added, 'we have +nothing more to do than order his being sent to Greenock for examination +and trial?'</p> + +<p>'That is all we need do.' answered the Sheriff. Just then a loud voice +was heard in the hall demanding admission, a sound as if the door-keeper +was pulled aside, and a sharp-featured man came in. 'What business have +you to enter here?' demanded the Sheriff.</p> + +<p>'I will soon show you. What are you doing with that man?' pointing to +the prisoner.</p> + +<p>'Leave at once, or I will order you to be ejected.'</p> + +<p>The man, who was quite composed, said to the prisoner, 'Mr Kerr, do you +authorize me to act as your attorney?'</p> + +<p>'Yes,' he answered. 'Very well, then, I am here by right. Now, Mr +Sheriff, hand me over the papers in the case.'</p> + +<p>The Sheriff, who was red in the face, 'I shall not, you have no right +here; you're not a lawyer.'</p> + +<p>Addressing the magistrates the man said he was a merchant, a burgess of +the city of Glasgow, had been chosen by the accused as his attorney and +was acting within his rights in demanding to see the papers. The +magistrates consulted in a whisper and his lordship remarked there could +be no objection. The Sheriff, however, continued to clutch them. 'You +ask him,' was the order of the stranger to Kerr, 'he dare not refuse +you.' Reluctantly the Sheriff handed them to the stranger, who quickly +glanced over them. 'Is this all?' he demanded. 'Yes, that is all,' +snapped the Sheriff.</p> + +<p>'Where is the warrant for Kerr's arrest?'</p> + +<p>'None of your business where it is.'</p> + +<p>Speaking to the bench, the stranger said there was neither information +nor warrant among the papers he held in his hand. The only authority +they had for holding Kerr was a letter from a clerk at Greenock, stating +one Robert Kerr, accused of sedition, had fled before the papers could +be made out for his arrest, and that, if he was found trying to take +ship at Troon, to hold him. 'I warn you,' said the stranger, shaking his +fist, 'that you have made yourselves liable to heavy penalties in +arresting Robert Kerr on the strength of a mere letter. There is no +deposition whatever, no warrant, and yet a peaceable man, going about in +his lawful business, has been seized by your thief-takers and made +prisoner. If you do not release him at once I go forthwith to Edinburgh +and you will know what will happen you by Monday.' He went on with much +more I do not recall, but it was all threats and warnings of what would +befall all concerned if Kerr was not released. The Sheriff at last got +in a word. 'The charge is sedition and ordinary processes of procedure +do not apply.'</p> + +<p>'You might have said that 30 years ago when you infernal Tories sent +Thomas Muir of Huntershill to his death, and William Skirving and others +to banishment for seeking reform in representation and upholding the +right of petition, but you are not able now to make the law to suit your +ends. You are holding this man without shadow of law or justice, and I +demand his being set at liberty.'</p> + +<p>'Quite an authority in law!' sneered the Sheriff.</p> + +<p>'Yes, I have been three times before the court of session and won each +time. I knew your father, who was a decent shoemaker in Cupar, and when +he sent you to learn to be a lawyer he little thought he was making a +tool for those he despised. Pick a man from the plow, clap on his back a +black coat, send him to college, and in five years he is a Conservative, +and puckers his mouth at anything so vulgar as a Reformer, booing and +clawing to the gentry and nobility. Dod, set a beggar on horseback and +he will ride over his own father, and your father was no lick-the-ladle +like you, but a Liberal who stood up for his rights.' The bitterness and +force with which the stranger spoke cowed his hearers.</p> + +<p>'These insults are too much,' stammered the Bailie.</p> + +<p>The stranger at once turned upon him. 'O, this is you McSweem, to whom I +have sold many a box of soap and tea when you wore an apron and kept a +grocer's shop. Set you up and push you forward, indeed. You have got a +bit of an estate with your wife's money and call yourself a laird! The +grand folk having taken you under their wing, you forget that you once +sat, cheek-by-jowl, with Joseph Gerrald, and now you sit in judgment on +a better man than a dozen like you.'</p> + +<p>'Mr Sheriff,' shouted his lordship. 'Remove this man to the cells.'</p> + +<p>'I dare you to put a finger on me,' and he grasped a chair ready to +knock down the officer who advanced to obey the order. 'I am within my +lawful rights. Dod, wee Henderson would ask nothing better than to +prosecute you before the lords of session were you to keep me in jail +even for an hour. Release this innocent man Kerr, and let us go.'</p> + +<p>'You are a vulgar bully,' exclaimed his lordship haughtily.</p> + +<p>The stranger dropped his bitter tone, and asked smoothly, 'May I ask +your lordship a question? Will you condescend to say how many of your +lordship's relatives are in government offices, and is it true your +wife's mother draws a pension, all of them living out of taxes paid by +the commonalty whom you despise?'</p> + +<p>His lordship affected not to hear him, and beckoning the Sheriff to draw +near, he conferred with the magistrates in whispers. I overheard Bailie +McSweem say, 'I know him, he's a perfect devil to fight; better have +nothing to do with him,' and the Sheriff's remark, 'He has got a legal +catch to work on.' When the Sheriff went back to his seat, h is lordship +said curtly, 'The accused is discharged,' and he and McSweem hurriedly +left. The stranger gripped Kerr by the shoulder and pushed him before +him until we reached the street. 'Now, I must leave you, for I must see +what my customers are out of.'</p> + +<p>'Tell me your name?' asked Kerr, 'that I may know who has done me such +service.'</p> + +<p>'Never mind; you are under no obligation to me. A wee bird told me you +were in trouble and I am glad to have been in time to serve you.'</p> + +<p>'You do not know all the service you have done; you have saved more than +myself from jail, and an innocent wife and children from poverty. Do let +me know your name that I may remember it as long as I live.'</p> + +<p>'Daniel M'farlane, and my advice is to quit Scotland right off, for +these devils are mad angry at your giving them the slip. They will get +the papers they need from Greenock and have you in jail if you are here +tomorrow.' A grip of the hand, and the stranger was gone. The whole +scene was such a surprise, so novel to me, that every part of it +fastened on my memory.</p> + +<p>On reaching the brig we found the sailors stowing away casks of water. +Kerr and myself had been given the same berth, and Allan and Robbie had +the next one. Saying he was dead-tired, for he had been on his feet +since leaving Greenock, Kerr turned in though the sun had not set. An +hour or so after, a number of men came to the wharf to see him. I found +him asleep. They asked if I was the lad the officer took along with him +to be a witness. Gathering in a quiet corner they had me repeat all +that took place. They said they were Liberals and glad to hear the black +nebs had won.</p> + +<p>The noise overhead of washing the deck awoke me, and I knew by the +motion of the ship we were sailing. On getting up I saw Troon several +miles behind and Ailsa Craig drawing near. Allan and myself, with Robbie +between us, were snuggled on the lee side of the longboat when Kerr +appeared. He was interested on hearing of the men who came to visit him +and said it was hard to be hounded out of Scotland, which he did not +wish to leave, for saying constitutional reforms were called for. 'I am +no worse used,' he added, 'than the man whom that county we are looking +at starved when he was among them and built monuments to him when he was +dead.' The town of Ayr was in sight and he named several of the points +Burns had named in his songs. 'Think, my laddies, of a man like Burns +being told by the officials over him to keep his Liberal views to +himself, that it was not for him to think but to be silent and obedient. +And he had to swallow their order to prevent his losing the petty office +which stood between his children and starvation.'</p> + +<p>The breeze that had taken the brig so far down the firth soon died away, +and we rocked gently south of Ailsa Craig. In the hold folk were busy +getting things in some sort of order, while on deck the sailors were +putting everything in shipshape. This breathing spell was fortunate, for +at dark the wind came in squalls, and on rounding the Mull of Cantyre +the ocean swells sent most of the passengers to their berths seasick. I +escaped and was able to help the family and Mr Kerr, who almost +collapsed, and was not himself for a week. His first sign of recovery +was his craving for a red herring. The mistress was early up and +bustling round to find she had to face an entire change in the methods +of housekeeping to which she had been used. There was a little house +between the two masts named the galley, and here the cooking was done. +The cook was an old man, gruff and crusty, who had spent most of his +life in a Dundee whaler. In the Arctic region his good nature had got +frozen and was not yet thawed out. He would allow nobody near and got +angry when suggestions were tendered. He made good porridge and tasty +soup, anything else he spoiled. As these alone were cooked in bulk and +measured out, the passengers took to the galley the food they wished to +be cooked. That each family get back what they gave in, the food was +placed in bags of netted twine and then slipped into the coppers of +boiling water. The mistress was a famous hand at roley-poley, and for +the first Sunday after sea-sickness had gone, she prepared a big one as +a treat. It looked right and smelled good, but the first spoonful showed +it had a wonderful flavor. In the boiler the net beside it held a nuckle +of smoked ham. The laughter and jokes made us forget the taste of the +ham and not a scrap of the roley-poley was left. Our greatest lack was +milk for the children, and we all resented being scrimped in +drinking-water, though before the voyage ended we became reconciled to +that, for the water grew bad.</p> + + + +<hr /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_III" id="CHAPTER_III" />CHAPTER III.</h2> + + +<p>There were 43 passengers. There were two families besides our own, and +outside of them were a number of young men, plowmen and shepherds, +intent on getting land and sending for their people to join them the +next spring. There was an exception in a middle-aged man, brisk and +spruce, who held himself to be above his fellow-passengers, and said +nothing about where he came from or who he was. The only information he +gave was, that he had been in the mercantile line, and that he was to be +addressed as Mr Snellgrove. He waved his right hand in conversation and +spoke in a lofty way, which to Allan and myself was funny. When he had +got his sealegs and his appetite, he began lecturing the passengers as +to what they ought to do, enlarging on organizing a committee, of which +he was to be head. I think I see him, strutting up and down the deck by +the side of the captain with whom it gratified him to walk. The only +other passenger besides him who was not connected with farming was Mr +Kerr, to whom I became much attached. He was well-informed on subjects +I had heard of but knew nothing, and we talked by the hour. His +companionship was to me an intellectual awakening. Among his purchases +in Troon was material for a suit of clothes, which he made during the +voyage, for he was a tailor. He had left Greenock in such haste that he +had not time to go to his lodging for any of his belongings. Mr +Snellgrove affected to despise him both for his trade and his political +principles, and never missed an opportunity to sneer at him; Mr Kerr +never replied.</p> + +<p>Day followed day without relieving the monotony. At times we would get a +glimpse of the topsails of a ship gliding along the horizon, but usually +the ocean seemed to have no other tenant than our own stout brig. One +afternoon the cook rushed out of his den with the shout 'There she +spouts!' and looking where he pointed we saw a whale cleaving the waves. +We were in our third week out when we ran into a fog. The wind fell and +the brig rolled in the swell, causing her tackle to rattle and sails to +flap as if they would split. The second day the fog was thicker, and the +ocean smooth as glass. For fear of collision with another ship, the +lookout man kept blowing a horn which had a most dismal sound. The +captain and mate tried to get the sun at noon but could not find the +faintest trace. After dinner a gull flew past, which made the cook say +he smelt danger. A few were below but the most of us were on deck when a +slight bump was felt and then another. The rattling in the rigging +stopped and the ocean swell broke on our stern. The mate started to the +companion scuttle and shouted to the captain, that the ship was +grounded. In a minute he appeared, his face white and twisted with +anguish. His anxiety was not alone for the passengers and crew but for +himself. He was owner of the brig and if she was wrecked he was ruined. +The mate was casting the lead and when he shouted 'We are on a sandbank' +there was a sigh of relief deepened by the carpenter's report that the +ship was not making water. Grannie, who had managed to creep up the +ladder from the deserted hold, remarked 'We are sooner in Canada than I +expectit.' Her exclamation brought the reaction from our dread and we +burst into laughter. 'It is not Quebec,' shouted Allan in her ear, 'we +are aground.' 'A weel,' she replied, 'I will cling to the rock o' my +salvation.'</p> + +<p>The order was given to get ready the boats. There were two, the yawl +that had been hauled on top of the house on deck, and lay keel up. Oars +were mislaid and on hanging her to the davits it was noticed in time +there was no plug in the hole for drainage. The other boat, which was +our reliance, was the long boat abaft the foremast. Its cover was torn +off and we saw it was filled with all sorts of odds and ends that had +been stowed there to be out of the way. These were pitched aside by +willing hands and the tackle had been fastened to hoist her overboard, +when there was a shout from the fog of Ahoy. We saw a man in yellow oil +skins rowing towards us. Jumping on board, he asked 'What is keeping +you here?' 'You tell us,' replied the captain, who was overjoyed to see +him. The fisherman said we had been drifted by the current towards +Newfoundland, and had the ship not grounded she would in a few hours, +have been dashed against the cliffs that line the shore and every soul +been lost. It was the most wonderful escape he had ever known.</p> + +<p>'How are we to get off?' asked the captain. 'You will float off when the +tide makes.' 'And then what will we do if there is no wind?' 'You will +go on the cliffs, but there will be a capful of wind at ebb tide.' The +captain had sent for his chart, and the fisherman pointed out where the +brig stood. He said if a breeze did not come in time for her to make a +slant southwards we were to take to the boats and row to the cove which +he covered with his thumb. 'If you can get your anchor over the side, it +may help you,' he added.</p> + +<p>He and his comrades were out catching bait. He heard our horn and then +saw our lump of a brig loom through the fog. We were sorry to see him +leave and row off to his schooner, of which he had the bearings. To +hoist the anchor from where it had been stowed when we lost sight of +Tory island and bitt it to the chain was tedious work but it was begun. +We waited hopefully for the tide and, sure enough, it lifted us gently. +On feeling we were afloat once more we gave a cheer. Soon after a faint +breath of air was felt, the ship got steerage way, and we slowly hauled +off the dreaded coast. The breeze cleared the fog and in the rays of +the setting sun we saw the cliffs against which we might have been +shivered and the fishing-boats to which our friend belonged.</p> + +<p>On gathering in the hold our talk was of our escape. The master said it +was proof to him God was with us; we thought we were lost when we +grounded, yet that sandbank was what had saved us. Just then Mr +Snellgrove came down the ladder. 'I have just bade the captain good +night,' he said, 'and I am authorized by him to inform you all danger is +past. Had an executive committee been appointed the moment the vessel +struck matters would have gone on with less confusion. We are safe, +however, notwithstanding we have a Jonah on board.'</p> + +<p>Mr Kerr who was, like all of us, excited by the accident, asked, 'You +mean me?'</p> + +<p>Yes, you are a fugitive from the justice which would have punished you +as you deserve for sedition. The world has come to a strange pass when +tailors would dictate to the Powers ordained by God how the realm is to +be governed. For one I am loyal to my King and his advisers in all they +ordain. England's glorious bulwark is her throne and the nobility who +surround it.'</p> + +<p>The little man stood on the lower rungs of the ladder, in front of the +lantern that swung from a beam, so I saw him clearly. To our surprise Mr +Kerr came forward and spoke slowly and quietly. 'I do not wish you, my +fellow passengers, to look upon me any longer as a fugitive from +justice, and will explain how it comes that circumstances give color to +the charge. I have a brother, older than myself and father of a large +family. One day in April, a clerk in the sheriff's office, who is a +cousin, came to me at night to tell me that a spy who had attended a +meeting of the Liberal club, had laid an information that my brother had +spoken disrespectfully of the King, George the Fourth, and his advisers. +On the strength of this, a warrant was prepared for his arrest on the +charge of sedition. The spy had made a mistake in the first name and had +given mine instead of my brother's. My cousin said, if I would disappear +the prosecution would be baffled. To save my brother, for a prosecution +would ruin him, I fled at once, going to Troon, where I knew a ship was +ready to sail for Canada. On the officers going to my lodging to arrest +me, they found I had gone. How they came to know I had gone to Troon I +cannot say. Probably they sent word to all ports where ships were ready +to sail. As you know, I was arrested on board this boat and discharged, +because the magistrate had no authority to hold me. It was to save my +brother that I am here. What he said at the club I do not know, for I +was not there.'</p> + +<p>'A plausible story,' said Mr Snellgrove, 'but you told a lie when you +answered to a false name before the Troon magistrate.'</p> + +<p>'I told no lie,' answered Mr Kerr in a calm voice, 'for I was not asked +to plead, but I knew I could have saved myself and have sent my brother +to jail by correcting the mistake of the spy.'</p> + +<p>Mr Snellgrove was about to say more when a murmur of disapproval caused +him to slink to his berth. My master came forward and taking Mr Kerr by +the hand said, 'I respected you before; I honor you now,' and all, men +and women, pressed to shake his hand.</p> + +<p>After breakfast next morning there was much talk over our escape from +death, and the more light thrown on it in discussion the stronger grew +the feeling that we had been saved by the interposition of Providence. +Had the brig not struck the sandbank and done so at low tide, not a soul +would have reached land, and relatives would never have known what +became of the Heatherbell unless part of her wreckage was picked up. +There ought to be public acknowledgment of our rescue and expression of +our united thanks. The captain agreed it would be right, so, that +afternoon, all hands assembled, except Mr Snellgrove, who sat at the bow +pretending to read a book. The impression made on me, by the sight of +the sailors joining in the psalms and the children gathering round their +mothers' skirts in wonder, has survived these fifty-five years. The +master at the request of the captain, took charge. He read the story of +Paul's shipwreck and then prayed with a fervor that made me cry. To the +surprise of all, he asked Mr Kerr to improve the occasion. He began by +saying it was not for mortals to judge the ways of God, to complain of +visitations or to condemn acts that are inscrutable, but it was the +bounden duty of man, when good did befall him, to ascribe the praise to +God. They had a marvellous escape from a cruel death, and without +inquiring into the how or wherefore it was our part to acknowledge the +hand that saved us. After a good deal more in that strain of thought he +changed to the purpose of our voyage. We were crossing the ocean to +escape conditions in the Old Land that had become a burden to us, +hoping, in the New Land before us, there would be brighter surroundings. +To preserve that New Land from the mistakes and evils that blast the Old +was a duty. To try and reproduce another Scotland such as they had left +would be to reproduce what we were leaving it for. What we ought to try +is to create a new Great Britain in Canada, retaining all that is good +and dropping all that is undesirable. I want, he said, to see a land +where every man is free to secure a portion of God's footstool and to +enjoy the fruits he reaps from it, without an aristocracy taking toll of +what they did not earn, and a government levying taxes on labor to +support soldiers or to subsidize privileged classes of any kind whatever +their pretences.</p> + +<p>How much more the speaker would have said I do not know, for Mr +Snellgrove, who had come forward on his beginning to speak, here shouted +'Treason!' The master to prevent a scene, for a young shepherd moved to +catch hold of the offender, gave out the 100th psalm, and we closed in +peace.</p> + +<p>The hold was so dark that Mr Kerr could not see to sew, so on fine days +he worked on deck. Sitting beside him he taught me how to hold a needle, +for he said every man should be able to make small repairs. He advised +me to seize every opportunity to learn. When a boy he could have learned +to speak Gaelic and regretted he had let the chance go by. Should he get +work in Montreal, he would study French. A man's intellect grows by +learning whatever accident throws in his way, and the man who, from +foolish conceit, refuses to take advantage of his opportunities remains +a dolt. Read and observe, he said, and you will be able to say and do +when your fellows are helpless. He got cuttings of canvas from the +bosun, shaped them into a blouse, and got me to sew them together. The +other boys laughed at me, and called me the wee tailor, but the blouse +did me good service for many a day. While so much with him, I asked Mr +Kerr about his political trouble. Though a Liberal he belonged to no +club and was against using other than constitutional means to bring +about reforms, and these reforms must come. It could not continue that +Great Britain was to be ruled by a parliament composed of aristocrats +and their creatures, for the great mass of the people had no voice in +it. No Methodist, Baptist, or other dissenter was allowed a seat in +parliament, and there were noblemen who controlled the election of more +members than the city of Glasgow. Manchester and Birmingham have no +members. Half of Scotland is owned by a dozen aristocrats. Whenever you +hear men shout disloyalty and claim to be the only true-blue supporters +of their country, you may be sure they are selfishly trying to hold some +privilege to which they have no right. He told of many of his +acquaintances who had been prosecuted for petitioning for the mending +of political grievances, of a few who had been ruined by imprisonment +and law costs, of the men who had been banished to Australia, and the +three men who had been hanged. Hundreds had fled, like himself, to +escape prosecution.</p> + +<p>After our misadventure off Newfoundland our voyage was prosperous. +Coming on deck one sunny morning we saw land, which was Cape Ray, and +before the sun set we were in the Gulf of St Lawrence. We were not alone +now, for every few hours we sighted ships. They were part of the Spring +fleet to Quebec, now on their voyage home with cargoes of timber. One +passed us so close that the captains spoke, and when the homeward +captain shouted he was for the Clyde there were passengers who wished +they were on board her, and the tear came to their eyes when they +thought of Scotland and of those who were there. The Bird Rocks were +quite a sight to us, but the Ayrshire folk held they were not to be +compared with Ailsa Craig. On the Gulf narrowing until we could see land +on both sides, a white yacht bore down to us and sent aboard a pilot. He +was a short man, with grizzled hair. Being the first Frenchman we had +seen, we gathered round him with curiosity and listened to his broken +English with pleasure, for the tone was kindly and he was so polite, +even to us boys. He brought no very late news, for he had left Quebec +ten days before, when the weather was so hot that laborers loading ships +dropped in the coves from sunstroke. Each tack that brought the brig +higher up the river changed the scenery, a range of forest-clad trees on +the north bank, and on the south bank a row of whitewashed cottages, so +closely set that they looked as if they lined a street, broken at +intervals by the tin-covered roof and steeple of a church. There were +discussions among our farmers as to the narrowness of the fields and +what kind of crops were on them, for they looked patchy and were of +different colors, which the pilot was generally called on to decide, and +it was funny to watch his difficulty in understanding their broad +Scottish speech. Reaching where the ebb tide was stronger than the +breeze, anchor was dropped for the first time. Before the tide turned, +the pilot cried to dip up water, and there was a shout of delight when +we tasted it and found the buckets were filled with fresh water. Wasn't +there a big washing that day! As much splashing as the porpoises made +who gambolled at a distance. Cool, northerly breezes helped us on our +way, and exactly five weeks from the day we left Troon we came to anchor +off Cape Diamond, which disappointed us, for we looked for a higher rock +and a bigger fort. On the ship mooring, the pilot sat down, and in a +frenzy of delight at his success in bringing her up safely, flourished +his arms and chuckled in his own language. Darting from a wharf came a +fine rowboat with four oarsmen, and an official in blue with gilt +buttons holding the helm. We were so engrossed in watching it, that we +did not notice Mr Snellgrove had joined us, decked out grandly in +finest clothes. Before the captain could say a word to the +customs-officer, Mr Snellgrove asked him whether the governor-general +was at his residence, and on being told he was, said he would accompany +his majesty's official on shore, and, so saying stepped on the boat and +seated himself in silent dignity in the stern, turning his back to us +who were looking on. The officer's visit was brief; the boat pushed off +and we had our last look of Mr Snellgrove, transformed from a +steerage-passenger into a dandy expecting to mix with the grandees of +Quebec. Next day, in talking with the captain, he told the master +Snellgrove had kept a draper's shop at Maybole, failed for a big sum, +and had come to Canada expecting to get, with the letters of +introduction he had from a number of noblemen, a government situation.</p> + +<p>The intention being to weigh anchor on the tide flowing, leave to go on +shore was refused to the passengers. The captain, having to report at +the customs, he, however, took Mr Kerr with him, to get materials for +repairs he was making to the captain's clothes. Mr Kerr caught hold of +me, and I had a hurried look at what appeared to me to be a foreign +town, leaving out the street that ran along the harbor, which seemed to +be lined with taverns frequented by soldiers and sailors. Mr Kerr bought +a fancy basket from a squaw, as a present to the mistress, who had been +kind to him. While we were gone, the ship was visited by boats offering +bread for sale, and willing to take in exchange split peas or oatmeal. +Black lumps were held up as maple sugar. They were so dirty that +curiosity was soon satisfied. The boat that brought us a pilot, went +back with Snellgrove's trunk. On the tide beginning to flow the anchor +was lifted and we were borne upwards, passing the crowd ashore, among +whom were many soldiers. A gun was fired from the citadel and the flag +fluttered down, for it was sunset when we got into the stream. +Everything being new and strange nothing escaped us, and every passenger +was on deck watching. The number of ships surprised all. There were rows +of them for two or three miles, in the midst of fields of the logs which +were to form their cargoes. As I sat beside Mr Kerr in the twilight, he +spoke of the sights I could not help seeing in the street along the +waterfront of Quebec, or hearing the language used. There was evil in +the world of which a man should try to keep ignorant. It was not +knowledge of the world to look into, much less to dabble in its filth. A +lad who kept his thoughts clean was repaid by health and happiness, +while entertaining evil imaginings led to a weak intellect and +discontent with oneself. I had noticed before, when anybody began a +dirty story that Mr Kerr rose and left. Another time he told me, his +constant effort was to think of only pleasant things, to try and relieve +what was disagreeable by looking from a sunny standpoint and to meet +disappointments by searching if there was not some good in them.</p> + +<p>On the tide beginning to turn, the anchor was dropped. The tide is felt +as high as Three Rivers and it is possible for a ship to go that far by +floating up with it. The second night after leaving Quebec we were +startled by a loud knocking on the companion of the forecastle and an +imperative shout to tumble up. An east wind had come and every minute +was valuable. The anchor was lifted and sails set, and before the sun +appeared we were sweeping past Three Rivers. Interest was kept up by the +villages and fields we passed, and it was the decision of the farmers +that it was poor land badly worked. More novel to us, was the succession +of rafts we met, each covering acres, with masts and houses on them, and +men along their sides keeping them in midstream by means of long oars. +As we passed up lake St Peter the wind freshened, the clouds came lower +and the rain poured. The captain and pilot were in great glee, for they +told us if the wind held we would pass up the St Mary's current and +anchor off Montreal before dark. Strong as the wind was and with every +sail set that would draw, it was found we could not stem the current +without help, so the ship was brought close to the bank, a rope passed +ashore, and a string of oxen appeared, who helped to draw her into +calmer water. The night was dark and rainy but we kept on deck and +watched the lights of Montreal.</p> + +<p>They had not been at sea a week when the three farmers had agreed they +would keep together on reaching Canada and take up land side by side. +They were also of one mind in making Toronto (it was not so named then) +their starting-point in search of new homes. The captain's advice was, +that one of them should take the stage at Montreal; by so doing he would +get to Toronto at least a week ahead of the rest of the party, in which +time he could hunt up land. This would save delay and the expense of +staying in lodging while looking for a place to settle. It was arranged +the master should go. At daylight he got ashore and was in time for the +stage that left for Prescott. We were all up early that morning, eager +to see Montreal. The clouds had gone and the mountain looked fresh and +green. The town consisted of a few rows of buildings along the river. +There being no wharf or dock the ship was hauled as close to the shore +as her draft allowed, and a gangway of long planks on trestles set up. +Nearly every passenger walked over it to say they had set foot on +Canada. A number of the men went into the town to see it. In two hours +one of them was brought back drunk and without a copper in his pockets. +Mr Kerr told me he would stay in Montreal if he got a place. He returned +in the afternoon to tell us he had got work and to take away his few +belongings. He bade all good-bye. On coming to me, I went with him, for +he had asked the mistress that I go with him to see the town. The +narrowness of the streets and the foreign look of the houses with their +high-pitched roofs impressed me less than the muddy roadways, for I had +never thought there could be a town with unpaved streets and no +sidewalks. Mr Kerr, on his way to his boarding-house, showed me the shop +where he was to begin work next morning. While we were in his bedroom a +gong sounded for supper. It was all new to me, the people, their talk, +and the food. I wondered to see meat and potatoes for supper, hot buns, +and apple-pies. After supper we had a walk, and in going along one of +the streets there was a man before us carrying a baby. Raising her head +above his shoulder the child looked at us and said something to him. +Without reflecting, I wondered how a child could have learned French so +early in life. On turning back to the ship Mr Kerr took me into a shop +and bought me a cap, and I had need of one. On coming in front of the +ship, he shook my hands as if he did not want to let me go, and made me +promise I would write him and tell where we had settled. For himself, he +would stay in Montreal at least long enough to get his belongings by +ship from Greenock.</p> + +<p>The captain having given notice that everybody must leave the ship next +day, there was early bustling in finishing packing and arranging for the +next stage in our journey, which was to be by a Durham boat to Prescott. +Carts were on hand to haul our luggage to the canal, where lay the boat +that had been hired for our party. A carter hoisted a chest on his +little vehicle and hurriedly drove off. Instead of taking the direction +of the other carts, he went straight up the dump that led into the town. +I shouted to him to stop. He laid his whip on the horse and drove +faster. It flashed on me he was a thief, and I ran after him. I could +never have caught up to him had it not been market day and the street +was crowded with people and carts. I jumped up beside him and pulled at +his collar to make him stop. He tried to push me on to the road, but I +clung to him, when he lashed me with the whip. I shouted for help, but +all being French they did not know what I said, but they saw something +was wrong and with many exclamations the crowd stood staring at us. Just +then a little, stout man, in a black gown, elbowed his way through the +crowd, and asked me in English what was the matter. I told him the +carter had stolen the chest. He spoke to the carter in French. 'The man +denies it,' said the priest, for such I now guessed he was. I hurriedly +narrated what had happened, and for proof pointed to the name painted on +the chest. Speaking with severity to the carter, the fellow turned his +horse towards the river and the priest told me he would take the chest +back to where he got it. 'But he may not do so,' I exclaimed. The priest +gave me a sharp look, as if surprised that I should be ignorant of his +power. 'He dare not disobey me.' I thanked the priest from the bottom of +my heart, and in a few minutes the carter had dumped the chest on the +spot where he had taken it and drove away. On telling the mate what had +happened, he said it was common for emigrants, both at Quebec and +Montreal, to be robbed by fellows who regarded them as fair game.</p> + +<p>We followed the cart that took the last of our luggage, forming quite a +procession, and each one of us who was able carried something. I had a +bag in one hand and an iron pot in the other. Grannie held a firm grip +of Robbie, who she feared might be lost in Montreal, for the puir laddie +hadna a word of French. On coming to the canal we were disappointed with +both it and the boat. The canal was a narrow ditch and as to the boat, +it was short and narrow and had no deck, except a few feet at either +end. 'We cannot live in that cockle-shell!' exclaimed Mrs Auld. Her +owner replied 'She was one fine boat, new, built by Yankee.' He was the +only one of the crew who understood English, and was quick in his +motions. He soon had all we brought with us stowed, and when a corner +was found for the last chest, it was a surmise where the crew and +passengers could find standing-room. The decked portions were allotted +the women and children, the men and boys roosted on top of boxes and +bales as they could. When all was ready, the conductor took the helm, +the crew lined up on the bank with a tow-line over their shoulders, and +off we started. The weather was fine and the country we passed +beautiful. At the first locks we came to, the mistress stepped to a +farmhouse beside the canal, and came back with the pail she had taken +with her full of milk. It was the first the children had since we left +Scotland. It was late in the day when the boat got to the end of the +canal; the conductor, who told us to call him Treffle, said we would +wait and have supper before going on the lake. Driftwood was gathered +and fires made, pots and pans being set on stones. The crew fried fat +pork, which, with bread, was their supper. We made porridge, for we had +still a good supply of oatmeal, and of ship-biscuit. The sails were +hoisted and we got away before it was quite dark. The wind was westerly, +so we had to tack. Had it not been that the boat had a centreboard we +would have made small progress. The centreboard was a novelty to us, and +we could see how close it helped the little vessel to sail in the eye of +the wind. The size of the lake surprised everybody and all the more when +Treffle told us it was the St Lawrence. 'My, it is a big river and it is +in a big country!' exclaimed Mrs Auld. Everybody had to sleep as they +best could; some slept sitting, more by leaning against one another, +nobody had room to stretch himself. We were tired and glad to rest in +any way. Mrs Auld said we were like herring in a barrel, packed heads +and thraws. In waking at daylight we heard the sound of water dashing +and roaring, and looking upwards saw the river tumbling downwards in +great waves, which were, for all the world, like those of the Atlantic +in a gale, except that they stayed in the same place. Treffle said these +waves were due to the rushing water striking big rocks in the bed of the +river, over which they kept pouring, and gave the name Cascades to the +rapid. The boat was tied up, as the crew were to have breakfast before +their hard work in making a passage past the rapids. I went with the +mistress to a house that was not far away for milk. A smiling woman met +us at the door and asked us inside; the house was clean and neat. We +tried to make her understand what we wanted but failed until I put the +pail between my knees and imitated milking a cow. She laughed heartily +and by signs made us know she did not have a cow. Stepping to the +fireplace she dipped a tin into a big pot that simmered in a corner and +handed it to the mistress. It was soup. Holding out some money, she made +signs to fill the pail. Having done so she picked out five coppers from +the money offered, and bade good-by with many a smile and nod. The soup +proved to be fine, just one drawback, its flavor of garlic. 'They use no +split peas to make their pea-soup here,' remarked Mrs Auld, 'and it is +an improvement.' 'No, no,' interjected Treffle, 'soup be good because +all time kept boiling; pot by the fire Sunday to Sunday.' The chill in +the morning air made the hot soup grateful.</p> + + + +<hr /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_IV" id="CHAPTER_IV" />CHAPTER IV.</h2> + + +<p>Our curiosity as to how our boat was to get up the rapid was soon +satisfied. Along both sides of the boat ran a stout plank, to which were +securely fastened a row of cleats, about two feet apart. The crew +gathered at the bow, each man holding a long pole with an iron point. On +the order being given by the conductor, who held the helm, two men +stepped out and took their place on the planks, one on each side, and +dropped the iron points of their poles into the river, until they struck +bottom. Then, pressing the end they held against their shoulders, pushed +with all their might. As the boat yielded to their thrust, they stepped +backward down their planks, making room for another man in front, until +there were four on each side of the boat, pushing with their utmost +strength. As the men who first got on the planks reached the end, they +jumped aside and made their way to the bow to begin anew the same +operation, of dropping their poles into the water, tucking the head of +them into the hollow of their shoulders, and, leaning forward, push as +they did before, receding step by step, the cleats giving the needed +purchase to their feet. The current was swifter than any millstream, yet +the boat was pushed slowly up until we reached the entrance to a canal, +smaller than that at Lachine, for it was only 2-1/2 feet deep and so +narrow that the crew jumped it when they wished to cross. It served the +purpose, however, of enabling the boat to pass the worst part of the +rapid, where it foamed in great billows. Quitting the canal the swift +current was again met and the setting poles again put into use. Our lads +were eager to try their hands, but a few minutes was enough, their +shoulders being too soft for the work. Those of the crew were calloused +almost like bone, but even to them it was hard work, for the sweat +rolled down their faces, as they struggled along the planks bent double. +On reaching the next rapid, Treffle asked all who could to get out and +walk along the bank, as the boat was drawing too much water. Robbie +wanted to go with us, but grannie clung to him. 'Should the boatie cowp, +who would save him gin I was na at hand?' she asked. To help the crew, +we pulled at a towline until she got to another small canal. As we went +on, we had the excitement of watching boats pass us on their way to +Montreal, shooting the rapids. They were heavily loaded, mostly with +bags of flour, yet ran down the foaming waters safely. To us boys, was +more exciting the passage of rafts, for they splashed the water into +spray. Having overcome that rapid, we all got on board, and the crew had +an easier time in pushing along until we got in sight of a church +perched above a cluster of cottages. The mistress asked Treffle how they +made the passage before the small canals were cut where the rapids were +most dangerous. He explained, that at the first rapid all the freight +was unloaded and conveyed in carts to the landing-place on lake St +Francis, while the empty boats were poled and towed close alongside the +edge of the bank, avoiding the boiling water. In those days the boats +were lighter and sailed in companies, and their crews united to take +them up one by one. The village, the Cedars, was to be the resting-place +of the boatmen until next day, and scattering among the houses, where a +few of them had their families, they left the boat to the passengers. +Treffle led the way to houses where provisions could be bought and at +prices so low that the women wondered. Saying nothing so good to make +men strong, he bought for the mistress a big piece of boiled pork, +which, sliced thin, we enjoyed either with bread or our ship-biscuit. We +watched the baking of bread. It was fired in queer little white +plastered ovens set in front of each house, looking somewhat like +beehives placed on top of strong tables. The ovens are filled with wood, +which is set on fire, and when the oven is hot enough the wood is raked +out, the loaves shoved in, and the door shut. We youngsters gathered +round one on seeing the woman was about to open it. When she drew out +the first loaf, with a fine crust and an appetizing smell, we could not +help giving a cheer, it was so wonderful to us. We went back to the +boat with a lot of food, to which was added fish, bought from a man as +he landed from his canoe, which we fried. That evening we had the best +meal since we left home, and at night had plenty of room to sleep, for +the air being hot a number of us slept beneath the trees. We safely got +past the fourth and last of the rapids, floating out of a little canal +into a large lake. The wind was still in the west, so we had to keep +tacking, and it was afternoon when we passed Cornwall and steered for +the south side of the St Lawrence. Allan was pointing out to Grannie +what was British and what was American; she remarked, on comparing the +houses on the two banks, 'That gin Canadians wad build houses of wood, +they ocht to hae the decency to paint them.' On nearing the +landing-place at the foot of the rapids, Allan pointed to a group of +people and told her they were Yankees. She shook her head, she did not +believe him, they were too like our ain folk to be Yankees. The Soo is +the longest rapid of the St Lawrence measuring nine miles, but is not +nearly so wild as those we had passed, having fewer waves and intervals +of smooth water. There was no canal to help in getting to the head of +it, and it was beyond the strength of our crew to push the boat up with +setting-poles. There was a towpath along the U.S. bank on which stood +three yoke of oxen. A stout cable was hooked to their whiffle-tree and +they started. On getting fairly into the strength of the current the +crew dropped their poles into the water, and it was all men and oxen, +strained to the utmost, could do at times to stem the sweep of the +mighty tide. It was slow work but we won to smoother water and the boat +tied up for the night. It was hot when we entered lake St Francis, it +was sultry now. Alongside us was a Durham boat like ours, but longer. It +was packed worse than our own, men, women, and children huddled as close +as captives on a slaveship, and like ourselves worn out with fatigue and +facing the thunderstorm that we heard coming without covering of any +kind. The quiet determination to endure much in the belief that we were +coming to a country where we would better our condition sustained all in +doing our best to make light of our trials. To a young woman, who was +trying to get a fretful baby to sleep, the mistress sent me with a tin +of milk and we had some talk. I asked if she was not sorry she had left +the Old Land. 'No, no,' she replied, 'we had no prospect there; here, +with hard work we have the prospect of comfort and of depending on +nobody for work or help.' She kissed her babe and speaking to him said, +'Yes, Willie, you will never know in this country what your mother came +through.' It was this hope that sustained us all. There was only a small +house in sight and the near bush was scrub, so we did not ask to go on +shore and had to wait, patiently, for the heat and mosquitoes kept us +awake. The storm did not last long, but wetted all to the skin who could +not creep under the decked parts of the boat. It brought great relief in +freshening the air. The boatmen were astir before daylight, hoisting the +sails, for the wind had turned to the north, as it often does after a +thunderstorm. There were places, where the current ran so fast that +setting-poles had to be used, but we got on well, and, by-and-by, +sighted two towns—Ogdensburg and Prescott, the one bright and tidy, the +other with a weather-beaten uninviting look. We rejoiced to see a small +steamboat at the Prescott wharf. It was waiting for the stage from +Montreal. A bargain was made to take our party to Kingston. On the boat +we had met at the Soo coming in, she had too many emigrants for the +steamer to take on board, but her captain agreed to tow her. The offer +was made to let any of the women change boats, but none accepted. Like +ourselves, they were travelling in families and feared to be parted. We +were real sorry in bidding good-by to the crew of the Durham boat, for +they had been kind and made companions of the children. As one wee tot +came up to her special favorite, she pursed her lips to be kissed; the +Canadian took the pipe out of his mouth and gave the queerest cry of +delight I ever heard. We could not speak to each other, but in the +language of grimace and expression of countenance the French Canadian +excels. The Montreal stage at last appeared, drawn by four horses, and +on its passengers getting settled in the cabin, the steamer began her +voyage. She was not like the steamboats of later days, which are houses +built on hulls. She was just a good-sized barge with an engine and two +paddle-wheels, which sent her along at a slow rate, all the more slowly +on account of her towing the Durham boat. Our party crowded her fore +deck and our baggage, piled on the freight she had when we got on, was +higher than her paddle-boxes. We stopped three times to take on wood +during the passage, reaching Kingston next morning, where we were to get +a steamer for Toronto, but had to wait for her arrival. She was a larger +boat but of the same pattern as the one we left, having her cabins below +deck. There were over a hundred emigrants, and we so crowded the +steerage that we were packed as close as in the Durham boats. The +prospect of being so near our journey's end made us endure discomfort +cheerfully. I remember how the great size of lake Ontario impressed us +all, having an horizon like that of the Atlantic. We had wondered at the +width of the St Lawrence and at where all the water came from to dash +down its rapids, but this great lake surprised us more, with its +sea-gulls and big white painted ships bowling along. Mr Auld remarked +the county of Ayr would be but an island in it, and Mr Brodie that you +might stick Glasgow in a corner and never know it was there were it not +for the reek. Many were the surmises as to how the master had got on, if +he had got land, if he would meet us, and what our next move would be. +The mistress shared in none of their anxiety. She was calm in her +confidence of her husband's ability and energy. She was convinced he had +secured land and that he would be waiting on the wharf when the steamer +sailed into Toronto. They were what every married couple ought to be—of +one mind and one heart. Our first sight of Toronto pleased us all, and +we had a long view of it, sailing round the island before reaching the +entrance to the harbor. Our eyes were strained as we came near the wharf +in the hope of picking out master among the people who crowded it. All +of a sudden Robbie shouted Father, and a man waved his hand, whom, as +the boat drew closer in we all recognized. The sailors were still +hauling the steamer into her berth, when Mr Brodie shouted 'Have you got +land?' Yes, was the reply. 'Thank God!' ejaculated Mr Brodie, and we all +said the same in our hearts; the relief we felt only emigrants, after a +weary journey, to a strange country can know. Pressing round the master, +with Ruth in his arms and Robbie pulling at his coat tails, he said he +had got land, not far from Toronto, and had secured carts to move us +that day to take possession. First of all, he said, we will have dinner.</p> + + + +<hr /> +<p>Here I stopped. It was my youngest daughter who insisted on my telling +How I Came to Canada, and I had consented on condition she would write +down what I said, for I am a poor penman and no speller. Recalling what +had happened in my early life, and I did so generally as I lay in bed in +my wakeful hours, I dictated to Mary as she found leisure. On reading +over what she had written I had only one fault to find with her +work—she had not taken down the Scotch as I had spoken it. She had put +my words, so she said, into proper English. She protested against my +halting in my narrative with the arrival at Toronto, and insisted I go +on and tell of our life in the backwoods. I cannot resist her pretty way +of pleading with me when she wants anything, for she is so like my +sainted mother that I often start at the resemblance. To me, in her +young face and figure my mother lives again. The agreement was to tell +How I Came to Canada. To that I now add, How we Got On in its Backwoods.</p> + +<hr /> +<h2><a name="HOW_WE_GOT_ON_IN_THE_BACKWOODS" id="HOW_WE_GOT_ON_IN_THE_BACKWOODS" />HOW WE GOT ON IN THE BACKWOODS</h2> + +<hr /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_V" id="CHAPTER_V" />CHAPTER V.</h2> + +<h2>SEEKING FOR LAND</h2> + +<p>Leaving Mr Auld and Mr Brodie to see to the unloading of the baggage, we +followed the master up the brae to the street that faces the lake, and +entered a tavern. While waiting for dinner he told us of his experience +in Toronto, not all, for he added to it for a week afterwards, but the +substance of his complete story I will tell at once. The morning after +his arrival be went to the office of the surveyor-general, and found +several in the waiting-room; three he recognized as having come with him +in the steamboat from Kingston. Like himself they all wanted land. +Talking among themselves, an Englishman, who said he had been in Toronto +four days, declared he had got sick coming to the office; he had thought +there would be no difficulty in getting a lot and going to it at once, +but found it was not so. The money he had to carry them to their new +home was going in paying for board of his family. Unless he was assigned +a lot that day, he would cross to the States. All were eager to get +their lots at once; Canada invited emigrants yet, when they came to her +door, there was no hurry in serving them. The master asked the reason, +and got a number of answers. One was that there was too much formality +and redtape, another that the officials were above their business and +treated emigrants as if they were inferior animals, but the reason that +struck the master most was that given by the emigrant who said this was +his fourth day, which was, that if an emigrant had any money they wanted +him to buy land, instead of giving him a government grant. While they +were talking the headman of the office walked past them, accompanied by +a gentleman in military uniform, and went into the inner room. Both +gentlemen were speaking loudly. 'Yes,' said the surveyor-general, 'we +are building a future empire here, and would like more recognition from +the Home government of our services. We are doing a great work with +imperfect means.' 'Ah!' exclaimed the officer, 'what do you need?' 'We +need more money and more officials to direct the stream of immigration.' +So they went on gabbling, while by this time there were over fifty of us +in the waiting-room and round the door outside. Getting tired, the +master asked a clerk who was passing in to see the surveyor, to tell him +there were a number of emigrants wanting lots and if he would be pleased +to help them. We heard the message given and the reply 'I am engaged +with Colonel Rivers, and cannot possibly see them today; go and take +their names and the places where they are staying.' So we gave our +names, said the master, and came away sick at heart. While waiting in +the tavern at a loss what to do a man came into the barroom and asked if +he was Mr Anderson. He had heard he wanted land and could introduce him +to a party who would supply him at a reasonable price. 'I have not come +all the way from Scotland to pay for land; I expect to get a lot on the +government's conditions.' You can get such a lot, replied the stranger, +but when you see it you would not take it. All the government lots are +in the back country, and often wet or stony. What you want is good land +and near a market. He talked on, trying to persuade the master to go +with him and make a purchase, but he said he would take time to think +over what he had told him. The stranger pressed him to come to the bar +and have a treat; the master said No. After he was gone the master asked +the tavern-keeper if he knew the man. 'Oh, yes, he is a runner for the +big bugs who have land for sale.' 'How came he to know I wanted land?' +'Were you not at the surveyor-general's office this morning and left +your name? There is a regular machine to get all the money out of you +emigrants that can be squeezed.' The landlord said nearly all the +desirable land was held by private persons, who had got large grants +under one pretence or another and who were selling it for cash, when the +emigrant had any, or on mortgage if he had none, for if he failed in his +payments they got the lot back with all the improvements the emigrant +and his family had made. After dinner the master took a walk, and +passing along the street the thought struck him that he should call at +the post-office, for there might be a letter from Scotland. Asking a +gentleman to direct him to the office, the reply was he was going that +way and would show him. 'You're a Scotchman,' remarked the gentleman, +'What part are you from?' From Ayrshire. 'That is my native county.' So +they talked until the office was reached. Standing at the door, the +master told him of his perplexity about getting land. 'Ask if there is a +letter for you,' directed the stranger. There was none. 'Now come with +me and I will try to find out some way to help you.' They entered a +large store, opposite the market-place, of which the gentleman was +owner. The place was crowded with customers waiting their turn to be +served. Taking him into a cubby-hole of an office he asked the master to +speak frankly, to tell him how much land he wanted, what money he had, +and the number of his family. When he had learned all, Mr Dunlop, for +that was his name, said, 'You may give up your notion of getting land +for the fees. All the good land, so far surveyed, is in the hands of our +gentry, who live by selling it, or of speculators. The lots the +surveyor-general would give you would be dear for nothing, they are so +far away. You want to be as near the lake, or a town or village as you +can manage, so that you can buy and sell to advantage. Many who go on +remote lots have to leave them after undergoing sufferings no Christian +man or woman should endure. I am busy now; come back at four o'clock and +I will find out what can be done.'</p> + +<p>On returning to the store at that hour he found Mr Dunlop had been +called away, but had left a letter, which he was to deliver. With some +difficulty the master found the house. There was a man and woman sitting +in the shade on the stoop. Reading the letter he was asked to sit down. +The master described the man as short and thin and well up in years, but +wiry and active. His wife was comely for her years, with a placid +expression. In reply to his first question, the master addressed him as +Sir. 'Use not that word again; all men are equal before God; use not the +vain distinctions by which so many try to magnify themselves and set +themselves apart from their fellows.' The master was taken aback. The +wife explained that they were Friends, whom the world named Quakers, and +that their yea and nay meant what they expressed; they desired +directness and sincerity in speech. Both took much interest in what the +master told them, for they kept questioning him until they learned how +he came to leave Scotland and of the voyage. They were struck by his +account of the ship grounding off Newfoundland and the wife remarked +'Thee did well to give thanks to Him who saved you.' The address of Mr +Kerr they asked for, and the master promised to get it. 'He has suffered +as we Friends have and still do, for we have no voice in the government +of the country and can hold no office.' A girl came to the door who +said supper was ready. The master rose to leave. 'Nay, thee must break +bread with us; thee art a stranger in a strange land,' said the wife, as +she took hold of his arm. The evening passed too quickly, for the master +enjoyed his company. On rising to go, the Quaker told him he had a block +of land he had taken for a bad debt. 'And what is the price you put on +it?' asked the master. 'I do not sell in that way. Thou must see the +land and if it suits thee, come back, and I will tell thee its price. +Thee take breakfast as early as they can give it, and you will find a +man whom we call Jabez waiting to lead thee where the land is.'</p> + +<p>Next morning as the sun was rising over the lake, the master overheard a +man in the barroom asking for him, and hurried from the table. He was +tall and gaunt, with a set mouth that spoke of decision of character. At +the door were two saddled horses and in a few minutes they were trotting +up Yonge street. When they had to slow down, on account of the road +becoming full of yawning holes, Jabez had much to say about backwoods +farming. He had not the personal experience of a settler, but had seen +much of backwoods life and had known scores who had tried it. 'Not one +in five succeeds,' he said, 'some fail from not having money to feed +their families until enough land is under crop to maintain them, others +from going on stony or sandy lots that yield only poor crops, and not a +few from going where it is marshy and fever-and-ague prevail. Many go +into the backwoods who have not the muscle for its hard work or who +will not be content to live on pork and potatoes, until they can get +better, yet even they might do had they perseverance and self-denial. +The Scotch and the North of Ireland people, accustomed to hard work and +spare living, seldom fail.' They were riding past much land in bush, +generally without a strip of clearing. Jabez remarked the curse of +Canada was giving land to people who would not go to live upon it, who +had no intention of clearing it, but held it to sell. A deal of that +land you see was given as grants to old soldiers. A colonel could claim +1200 acres, a major 800, a captain 600 acres, and a private 100 acres. +Not one in twenty who drew their lots meant to live on them, and of the +few who tried most of them failed and left. Speculators had their agents +round taverns and stores ready to buy soldiers' tickets, and got +transfers for a few dollars, sometimes for a keg of whiskey or a +hundredweight of pork. If you want to kill a country, deal out its land +as grants to old soldiers. It does the soldiers no good and keeps back +settlement, for the grants they got are left by speculators unimproved, +to the hurt of the genuine settlers, who want roads opened, fences put +up, and ditches dug. You will find out this yourself when you begin to +clear a lot. This giving away land to soldiers is well meant, but +soldiers wont go on it and it is just a way to make speculators rich. No +man should get an acre from the government unless he binds himself to +live on the land and clear it. On the master saying he was told much +land was got by politicians, Jabez grew warm in denouncing them. +Whatever party was in office, used the land as a means of bribery. They +bought the support of members by grants of land and, when an election +came round, got the settlers to vote as they wished under threats of +making them act up to the letter of their settlement duties or offering +back-dues and clear titles in return for their support. No candidate +opposed to the government can be elected for a backwoods county. With +such talk Jabez relieved their journey until they came to a side-road, +which was a mere bridle-path. Up this they turned, passing through solid +bush. It was a bright, hot day in the clearings, but under the trees it +was gloomy and chill, with a moist odor of vegetation which was grateful +to the master, and this was his first experience of the bush. Fallen +trees, which lay across the track, their horses jumped, as they also did +on meeting wet gullies. Jabez said the path had been brushed by an +Englishman, rumored the son of a lord, who had bought the block of land +intending to stay on it. That was the only improvement he made. He came +late in the Fall and society in Toronto was more agreeable than felling +trees. He bet on horse-races that took place on the ice and spent the +evenings at cards. In the spring his money was gone; had to sell his +land to pay his debts, and returned to England. On reaching the end of +the bridle-path the horses were hitched. Jabez searched among the brush +until he found a surveyor's stake. Placing a compass on top of it, he +cut with his jackknife three rods which he pointed. He pushed two into +the soil on either side of the stake, and went ahead with the third. +Posting the master behind the first, he told him to keep the three in +range and to shout to him if he stepped on either side. Producing from +the bag behind his saddle a hatchet, he went forward, cutting down the +brush where it blocked his straight course. When some hundred yards +away, he cried to the master to come on, it was all right. On joining +him Jabez pointed to a scar made in the bark of a maple. 'That is the +surveyor's blaze, made five years ago. I was in doubts where to find it, +for the weather has blackened it. We are all right now, and will find +another farther on.' So they did, several more, though they were so +faint only the trained eye of Jabez could detect them. As he came to +each tree, he used the hatchet to make a fresh blaze, while any branch +that obstructed the view between the blazed trees was lopped off. +Suddenly it grew lighter: they were again in the sunshine and before +them was a sheet of water. It was too small to be called a lake; it was +just a pond, set in the heart of the woods. The master was greatly taken +with it and leaning over a log drank heartily, for the water was clear +and sweet, though warm. 'We may as well rest and take our bite here,' +remarked Jabez, producing from the pouch slung at his back some +soldiers' hard tack, with thin sliced pork between instead of butter. He +explained it was hard to tell the quality of the soil in the woods, and +many were deceived, especially as regards stones. The forest litter +covers them, and it is only when the plow is started that the settler +finds he has a lot that will give him many a tired back in trying to get +rid of the worst of them. When you find big trees, maple or any other +kind of hard wood, it is a sure sign the soil is rich, but if the trees +are scrub or of soft wood it is certain to be poor. Pine is not to be +relied on as indicating good land for the settler. The tallest and +finest pines are often on the top of stony ridges. Starting anew, they +came to the streamlet that fed the pond and a short tramp beyond it +Jabez spied another surveyor's stake. 'This is the western limit of +Bambray's lot; between the two stakes he has 400 acres.' He asked the +master if he wanted to cross the lot lengthways and see the two ends, +but he saw no need, for so far as he could judge the land was all of the +same quality. 'Supposing I buy the lot, how am I to get into it?' 'You +will have to continue the bridle-path to where you place your house, and +that is enough for an ox-sledge.' 'That means some work?' 'Yes,' replied +Jabez smiling 'there is nothing to be had in the bush without hard work; +it is hard work and poor grub.'</p> + +<p>Coming back to the horses, they found they had finished the oats Jabez +had brought, and were nibbling at the leaves within reach. On regaining +Yonge street, the horses were watered at a tavern, Jabez dropping five +coppers on the counter, the price of two drinks. 'You are expected to +drink when you stop to water a horse, but I want no whiskey, I prefer +to pay for what the horse drinks.' Arrived in Toronto the master said he +would go and see Mr Bambray after supper. Jabez asked him to remember +that Quakers do not dicker, so if the price was too high for him to pay +to come away at once.</p> + +<p>The master found Mr Bambray reading a newspaper, told him he was +satisfied with the land and would buy it were the price within his +ability. The Quaker took from a desk a sheet of paper; pointing to the +figures written on it he said, 'I do not deal in land, believing it not +to be agreeable with the teaching of the Gospel to make merchandize of +what God intended for all his children. I do not consider it right to +buy land you are not able or do not mean to make use of, but secure with +a view to sell at an advanced price to the man who will cultivate it. +These 400 acres were transferred to me for a just debt which the man +could not otherwise pay. On this line is the amount of that debt, here +are the legal charges paid by me in the transaction, and here is +interest. The whole totals $472, which is the price.' The master was +surprised, for from what he had heard of the prices asked for land so +close to Toronto at least double would have been sought. 'My friends and +I are able to pay that sum to you and we take the land.' The Quaker +moved not a muscle. Taking up a quill he wrote out a promise of sale, +and was given a bank of Scotland note for ten pounds as surety. +Inquiring what steps he would next take, the master was advised to +secure the services of Jabez for a month at least. 'Thee are ignorant +of bush-farming and need an instructor, otherwise loss will befall thee +and much trouble.' Arranging for the final transfer of the land, the +master sought out Jabez. He and two brothers carried on a cartage +business. Jabez said there would not be more calls than his brothers +could attend to until August, and he would go if he was willing to pay +two dollars a day for himself and an ox-team. 'That is settled,' replied +the master. 'Now what is to be done first?' 'To cut out a sledge-road +across your lot, so that you may get your freight in.' To help he was to +hire a man, and it was arranged to start at daylight.</p> + +<p>Next morning Jabez appeared at the door of the tavern with an ox-team, +and seated beside him in the wagon was a youth. 'This is Jim Sloot, who +can handle an axe with any man. You have that to learn. It is the axe +that has made Canada.' Arrived at the bridle-path that led to their lot, +they had a day's work on it brushing and prying off fallen trees. On +reaching the lot master had bought, trees had to be felled to continue +the path. These Jabez and Jim assailed, while master trimmed their +branches off with a hatchet. On the evening of the third day they were +in sight of the pond, when the master left, for the Kingston boat might +arrive next morning, and he must be on hand to meet his family. How he +met us I have already told.</p> + + + +<hr /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_VI" id="CHAPTER_VI" />CHAPTER VI.</h2> + +<h2>FIRST DAYS IN THE BACKWOODS</h2> + + +<p>Our freight, as Jabez termed it, filled three wagons and started up +Yonge-street. A fourth wagon came to the door of the tavern for the +women and children, I being left to help them. We were told to stop at +Mr Dunlop's store for supplies that had been bought. He came out to see +us and in a minute was thick in talk with the women about Ayrshire. On +the team starting he declared meeting them was like a visit to Scotland. +The driver pointed out to us how straight Yonge-street was; runs forty +miles to Lake Simcoe straight as the handle of my whip. It was a jolty, +hot drive but we enjoyed it hugely; everything was new to us and we were +all in high spirits at the prospect of our long journey being about to +end and in coming into possession of our estates, about which there was +no end of jokes. Mrs Auld was in doubts as to what name they would give +their hundred acres, while Mrs Brodie settled on Bonnybraes for hers. +'But we have not seen a hill since we left Montreal,' remarked the +mistress. 'I dinna care,' rejoined Mrs Brodie, Bonnybraes was the name +of the farm we left and it will make the woods hamelike.' When we spied +at a distance several men standing by the roadside we gave a shout of +joy and were soon reunited. The laughing and talking might have been +heard half a mile away. Jabez now took the lead. As the wagons arrived +he had caused them to be unloaded under a clump of hemlocks, the chests +and packages being arranged to make a three-sided enclosure. In front he +had started a fire, over which, slung from a pole resting on crotched +sticks, was a pot, and soon the mistress was preparing supper. It was +dark before we had settled for the night, which was so warm that +sleeping under the trees was no hardship. Jabez covered the dying fire +with damp litter, the smoke of which kept off the mosquitos, which +pestered us dreadfully.</p> + +<p>In the morning Jabez was the first to be stirring. Giving me two pails +he directed me to go to a house I would find a bit down Yonge-street to +get water, and, if they had it, some milk. The house I found and also +the well, but how to draw water out of it I knew not. There was nobody +stirring until my awkward attempts to work the bucket brought a man out. +I told him who I was. 'You are an emigrant and this is the first +sweep-well you have tried to work. Well, now, you have got to learn,' +and he showed me how simple it was. He was much interested when he heard +of our party and of their camping out. 'Stay a minute till I tell +mother.' Coming back to the door he cried to me to go on with the water +and he would fetch milk after a while. The porridge was ready when he +and his wife appeared with the milk. He called his wife mother, which we +thought strange. She was a smart, tidy woman and was soon deep in advice +to our housekeepers about bush ways of doing things and bush cookery. +After they had gone their children, three in number, came shyly round +and watched us with open-eyed curiosity.</p> + +<p>Jabez was in haste to get us moved to our own location, and to do so had +provided two oxsleds. Taking charge of one and Sloot of the other they +dragged the first loads over the bush track, all the men, except the +master, following. On returning for a second load, Jabez reported Brodie +and Auld were pleased with the land and that Allan and the children were +having a wash in the pond. How to get grannie through the woods +concerned the master. Jabez solved the difficulty by making a +comfortable couch on his sled, on which she rested, with the master on +one side, Robbie running alongside of the ox, and myself following. So +slowly and carefully did the ox step that grannie was little +discomposed. On stepping from her rude conveyance, she gazed in wonder +on the pond and the forest that encompassed it. 'This is our new farm,' +shouted Allan in her ear, 'A' this ground and the lakie?' 'Yes,' +answered Allan. 'An thae trees?' 'Yes,' replied her grandson, 'father is +laird of it all.' She stood for a minute or two as if dazed; and then a +light came to her face as if she had suddenly comprehended it all. She +stepped to the master, and laying her hands on his shoulders said, 'You +have been a good and true son and weel you deserve to be a laird.' +Seeing a black squirrel jump from tree to tree Robbie darted off with a +shout of glee.</p> + +<p>Jabez cut a number of poles, and with them and blankets made two roomy +tents, which were to give shelter until shanties were built. Before +sites for them could be picked out it was necessary to divide the 400 +acre lot. Brodie and Auld were to get each a hundred acres and they were +agreed in choosing the portion of land that lay south of the road and +included the pond. The master, as I found later, would have liked that +part for himself, but willingly agreed to their choice. The next point +was to divide the 200 acres between Auld and Brodie. Covered equally +with heavy bush there was no apparent difference, yet a division had to +be made. Jabez, seeing that one waited on the other to decide, cut two +twigs and held them out between his fingers. 'The man who draws the long +one, gets the east half, and the short one the west.' Brodie drew the +long bit of stick and Auld the short. It was agreed to raise Brodie's +shanty first, as he had young children, and the Aulds could stay with +them until their own shanty was ready. Brodie selected the spot for his +home, and we began at once to cut the trees that stood upon it. Saturday +evening Jabez and Jim returned to Toronto to stay over Sunday. The +weather had been warm with two showers and camping was no discomfort +beyond the inconvenience to the women. There was no complaining, for we +were all in good spirits, buoyed up with the prospect of future +prosperity, and determined, if hard work would ensure it, we would not +spare ourselves. Our tasks for the week were ended and we gathered on +the site of Brodie's house, sitting on the felled trees. It was a calm +night with soft air, the moonbeams making a pathway of light across the +pond. None seemed inclined to speak, just wanting to rest and enjoy the +peaceful hour. It was Alice who broke the silence by starting to sing, +and song followed song, all joining when there was a chorus. It was a +strange thought that came into my mind, that for all the ages these +woods and lakelet had existed this was the first time they had echoed +back our Scottish melodies. When Alice started Ye banks and braes o' +bonny Doon, we helped in the first verse, but as the scenes we had left +rose before our minds voices quavered, until all became silent, tears +flowed, and Mrs Auld was sobbing. 'This wont do,' cried the master, 'we +have come here as to a land of promise and there must be no looking +backward. We go forward. Alice, start the second paraphrase and then to +bed.'</p> + +<p>I have seen many a fine Sabbath morning but none to me like that one +which was our first in the bush. The serenity of air and sky, the +solemnity of the woods, the stillness sweetened by the song of birds, +struck even the children, who were quieter than usual. After breakfast +and things were tidied up we had worship. The master read selections +from the closing chapters of Hebrews, and his prayer was one of +thankfulness to the Hand that had preserved us on our journey and +brought us to a quiet resting-place. Mrs Auld heard the children their +questions and had a lively time in scolding and coaxing them by turns to +never mind the squirrels but attend to what she was saying.</p> + +<p>The dinner things had been cleared away when a visitor came out of the +woods. He had a red, flabby face, framed in a thick whisker turning +grey. The chief feature of his dress was a long surtout, that had been +part of a gentleman's dress-suit in its day and a shabby tile hat. +Addressing the master with deliberate ceremony, he told how he had heard +of new-comers and felt it his duty to welcome them and tender his +services. He had been four years in Canada and his experience would be +of high value in directing them what to do. Growing voluble he pointed +out what he considered were the mistakes we had already made, ending +with a plump proposal that, for his board and a certain money +consideration, he would take the direction of the settlement and +guarantee its immediate prosperity. He paused and asked for a drink. Mrs +Auld handed him a dipper. Smelling it, he said experience had taught him +the prudence of never drinking lake water without its being qualified by +a few spoonfuls of whisky. 'If you will be so kind,' he said to Mrs +Auld, 'as to bring your greybeard, I shall have pleasure in giving a +toast to your new settlement.' 'Whisky! cried Mrs Auld, 'there's no a +drop to be found here.' Turning to the master he said, 'This will never +do; you will need bees to raise the shanties, to chop, and to fallow, +and not a man will come unless there is whisky and plenty to eat. A keg +of Toronto's best will be to you a paying investment.' The master, who +had remained silent, carefully measuring the stranger, now spoke. 'I +thank you for your advice, as to your help we do not need it, for, as +you see, we are strong in ourselves.' The Englishman, for such he was, +grew angry. 'You unmannerly Scot, you will have cause to regret scorning +my services. I never had such a reception, for in the poorest shanty +they greet you with a cup of welcome.' So saying he disappeared. In +telling Jabez of him next day, he said the master had done well to come +out squarely. Bees had grown to be a nuisance and a loss. When they +heard of one, drinkers would travel ten miles to attend and others came +just for the sport of the day. The settler would run in debt to lay in a +stock of food and whisky. Out of the crowd that would come several would +not do a hand's turn, but drink and eat; part would work during the +forenoon and then, after dinner, join in the talk and drinking; while +the remainder would put in a faithful day's labor. It often happened +that bees ended in quarrels, sometimes in fights. A settler, Jabez said, +would do better to use the cost of drink and food in hiring labor.</p> + +<p>In the afternoon the women began writing letters to Scotland, using the +tops of chests to rest the paper on. The sheets were crossed and +recrossed, for postage was high, fifty cents the half ounce. Allan and I +walked into the bush to see what it was like. The trees were all large +and well set apart with little underbrush. Fallen trees and decaying +logs abounded. Whether it was jumping or going round these that caused +us to lose our way I cannot say, but after a long walk we failed to +sight the pond. We made a fresh start and tried another direction +without success. 'We are lost, for sure,' exclaimed Allan. Putting his +hands to his mouth he let out a yell that startled the crows from a +tree-top. We listened, there was no answering sound. Then he whistled +long and sharp. Again no answer. Jabez had pointed out to me that the +north could always be known by more moss growing on that side of trees, +and I decided we had been travelling in that direction. If we could have +got a glimpse of the sun we would have known for sure the points of the +compass, but the foliage of the tree-tops prevented a ray getting +through. We walked smartly, as we thought southwards, when Allan again +yelled with all his might. Strange to say, an hillo came from the woods +on our left and quite close to us. We hurried in the direction of the +sound and came out on a small clearance with a shanty in the middle. A +well-made young fellow stood at the door. 'Lost your bearings, eh?' he +asked. 'Yes,' answered Allan, 'and glad you heard my yell.' He led us +into the shanty; the table was spread for supper and a man and woman +were seated ready to begin 'These two fellows are Scotties, new-come +out, and got wandered,' was our introduction. Responding to a hearty +invitation, seats were found and we helped to dispose of the dried +venison and bread that was on the board. 'Did you ever taste coffee like +that?' asked the woman as Allan passed in his tin for a second supply. +'That is bush-coffee and better than the storestuff. It is made from +dandelion roots and I will tell your folk how to make it.' They were +Americans and had led a wandering life, for the father was a trapper. +Game becoming scarce from growing settlement on the American side he had +crossed into Canada and had spent the last two winters round lake +Simcoe. 'There is no hunting after February' he said, 'for every critter +then begins nursing and the fur is not worth paying for, so we came +south and took this shanty, setting to work to make axhelves and +shingles, there being ready sale in Toronto. We move back to the lakes +in the Fall.' I asked him about the shanty. He replied that it was not +his nor did he know whose it was. 'Like enough some poor emigrant drew +the lot and after breaking his back with hard work in making a +clearance, found he could not pay the price and just lit out. You will +find deserted shanties everywhere in the bush left by families who lost +heart.' He showed much interest in our coming and we had difficulty in +getting him to recognize our location. It was not until I mentioned the +pond that he recognized the spot. 'Why, you aint much over a mile to +go.' When we were about to start the whole family got ready to go with +us. 'The sun won't set for an hour yet, and there is good moonlight,' +said Simmins, for that he told us was his name. 'Did you never get +lost?' I asked. 'That is a foolish question to ask of anybody born in +the woods for they never lose their sense of direction.' He advised me +to carry a compass and take its bearings in going and follow them in +returning. Suddenly Mrs Simmins burst into song. It was a hymn, sung in +a style I never heard before, but have since at many a campmeeting. Her +voice was strong, rising to a shriek at high notes. The husband and son +joined in, enjoying it as much as she did. In telling me of the alarm +felt at our not returning to supper, Alice said they sat fearing +something had befallen us, and that, if the night set in, we might be +lost and never be found alive, when suddenly they heard from the depths +of the woods the words</p> + +<div class="poem"> +<div class='stanza'><div>Then let our songs resound</div> +<div class='i2'>And every heart be love;</div> +<div>We're marching through Emmanuel's ground</div> +<div class='i2'>To fairer worlds above.</div></div> +</div> + +<p>Distance mellowed the harshness of the voices and the words sounded like +a message from heaven. Their distress was that neither Allan's voice nor +my own was distinguishable. Glad they were when we emerged from the +trees and joined them round the fire that had been made to blaze as a +guide to us. Our visitors made themselves at home at once. 'Why do you +call your son Sal?' asked the mistress, 'that is a girl's name.' The +reply was, 'His Sunday came is Salvation Simmins; we call him Sal for +short.' 'And your husband addresses you as Jedu; what name is that?' 'I +was a girl of sixteen before I was baptised, and the preacher gave me +the name Jeduthan, because I was the chief musician.' 'Jeduthan was a +man, the friend of David.' 'Bible don't say he was a man, and for years +and years I was the chief musician at the campmeetings. Guess it was the +same in David's time as in ours—the women did the heft of the singing?' +Then she began singing, husband and son helping. 'Why don't you all +sing?' she asked, 'aint you got religion yet? My, if you heard Elder +Colver you would be on your knees and get converted right away.' The +mistress said they did not know the words of the hymns she sang, when +she became curious to hear us. Alice struck up Come, let us to the Lord +our God, and we all joined. 'Whew!' exclaimed Mrs Simmins, very pretty, +but that aint the stuff to bring sinners to the penitent-bench—you have +to be loud and strong. Ever hear a negro hymn? No, well we will give you +one, Whip the ole devil round the stump.' As they sang they acted the +words. We parted with mutual good wishes, the mistress remarking, after +they left, that God spoke in divers ways and their presentation of His +truths, though rude and wild to us, doubtless suited the frontier +population among whom they had lived and did good. 'The ax before the +plow, the ox-drag before the smoothing harrow,' added the master.</p> + +<p>On Jabez appearing next morning he had six bags of potatoes on the +ox-sled, which were for seed as well as eating, and said he had left a +load of pine-boards to be hauled through the bush to floor the shanties. +They now had to decide what kind of shanty they wanted. The cheapest, he +told us, for all, men, women, and children, had gathered to hear about +the building,—was a house twelve feet by twelve, with basswood staves +for flooring or the bare soil, an opening that served both as door and +window, with a blanket to keep out the cold, basswood scoops or elm bark +for the roof, in which a hole was left to let out the smoke. There were +many such shanties, but living in them was misery. From that sort they +varied in size and finish, all depending on the settler's means. With +$25 a good deal could be done. Size and finish were agreed on, it being +understood the master, who had most money, would have a larger house. +This being decided, Mr Brodie set to work to dig his cellar and I was +sent to Simmins to see if he could supply shingles for the three +shanties and to ask Sal if he would hire until they were finished. I +took the compass and found their clearance without trouble. In returning +Sal, who carried his axe, blazed the trees, so that it would be easy to +know the way. The following morning his mother accompanied Sal. She came +to show how they made bread in the bush, and had brought a dishful of +bran-risings. Explaining what yeast was and how to treat it, she set a +panful of dough. When the mass had risen, she kneaded it, and moulded it +into loaves. The bake kettle having been warmed, the loaves were placed +in it, and when they had risen enough, she put the cover on, and planted +the kettle in a bed of glowing embers. The bread was sweet and a welcome +change to the cakes made on the griddle or frying-pan. We had more than +bread that day. Mrs Simmins pointed out plants, like lambs quarter and +dandelion, whose leaves made greens that added relish to our unvarying +diet of pork. How much more she taught I do not know, but her visit was +a revelation to our women-folk. Grannie was delighted with her singing +because she could hear it.</p> + + + +<hr /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_VII" id="CHAPTER_VII" />CHAPTER VII.</h2> + +<h2>ANDREW ANDERSON'S DIARY</h2> + + +<p>In Scotland it had been the master's custom to keep a record of work +done, and of money paid or received. On parting with a neighbor, a +farmer who had a notion of emigrating, he was asked, as a favor, to keep +notes of his own daily experience. He had his doubts as to accounts of +Canada he had read being correct, and knew whatever the master set down +as to climate and other conditions he could depend upon. The book in +which these notes were made was never sent, the master having learnt his +friend had taken a new tack of his farm. From this journal I will now +quote.</p> + +<p>June 21.—Rushing work in getting up the shanties. Four men felling +trees and sawing their trunks into the desired length. Awkward in +chopping, I took the job of squaring the logs with the adze-ax. Gordon +notched the ends as I finished them. Digging his cellar Brodie struck +clay, which Jabez tells me is worth money to us. Under Ailie's +direction, the children planted potatoes round the stumps of the trees +as they were cut down, and made a garden on a bare strip of land on the +pond bank. Have got all the boards drawn from Yonge-street. Slow-work +with an ox-sled, having to dodge to avoid striking trees.</p> + +<p>June 22.—Jabez helped Brodie to finish his cellar, lining it with +red-cedar poles. Great heat. Oxen drawing logs for the shanty.</p> + +<p>June 23.—Began raising today. Jabez, never at a loss in finding the +easiest way, had left standing two trees at the site of the house. +Placing a stout pole in their crotches, long enough to reach across from +one to the other, he attached a pulley. An ox, hitched to the end of the +pulley-rope, hauled the logs to the spot and pulled them up as needed. +This saved much lifting and the walls went up quickly. Gordon had +notched the ends of the logs so exactly that they went together without +trouble.</p> + +<p>June 24—Have got Brodie's house up to the square and began putting up +the rafters. Cloudy; heat more bearable.</p> + +<p>June 25—Saturday; eager to get the shanty finished all hands turned to +the work, got the shingling finished and the ground floor laid. Mrs +Brodie moved in at dark. Though there was neither door nor windows in +place, she said she was prouder of her shanty than the Duchess of +Hamilton could be of her palace.</p> + +<p>June 26—The heat of this country surpasses anything we ever knew in +Scotland. All very tired and glad to rest in the shade, with a smudge to +keep off the mosquitoes. Strange to say, the children do not seem to +care much about the heat.</p> + +<p>June 27—Jabez arrived with a wagon loaded with lumber. Drew on sled +first the doors and sashes, which he had got a carpenter to make for +Brodie's house, which Gordon fitted in. Afternoon being wet, we helped +to lay the loft floor and to chink the house from the inside. Gordon put +up two wide shelves in the corners for beds, and is making a table with +benches on each side to sit on. The table has crossed legs; the benches +have no backs.</p> + +<p>June 28—Everything being ready, began on my house.</p> + +<p>June 29—Made good progress, for we have been gaining experience.</p> + +<p>July 1—The roof being on, moved into our shanty; well we did, for it +poured at night.</p> + +<p>July 2—Had a long talk about chimneys for our houses. The right way is +to have a mason build them. There may be stones on our land, but there +are none in sight. Jabez says we will have to put up with stick +chimneys. In the hot weather we are having, cooking out of doors is all +right unless when it rains.</p> + +<p>July 3—The Sabbath rest beneath our own roof was sweet. Mary pleased +and happy and mother proud of the house.</p> + +<p>July 4—Leaving to Gordon the finishing of our shanty, the rest of us +tackled with might and main Auld's. How quickly Jabez and Sal can hew +down a tree is a wonder to me.</p> + +<p>July 5—Auld moved his belongings into his shanty this evening, though +it is not half done. Gave Jabez money to bring out with him on Monday +morning the iron-fixtures for our fire-places and the lime for the +chimneys.</p> + +<p>July 6—On going out this morning saw a deer with her hind drinking at +the far end of the pond; beautiful creatures. Thank God for the Sabbath. +Without it we would have broken down with our hard toil.</p> + +<p>July 7—Jabez brought word from Mr Bambray that he wanted us on the 9th +to give us our deeds. Told me he could not finish out a month, as he had +expected. Business had become brisk in Toronto, and his brothers needed +his help. He started at once to build the chimney in Brodie's house, so +that we could see how to do the other two. In laying the floor a 6-foot +square had been left uncovered for the fire-place. In a frame of heavy +elm logs that fitted the spot, puddled clay mixed with sand was rammed +hard. Two jambs were built with brick which Jabez had brought and across +them a thick plate of cast iron, which was to support the front of the +chimney. The back of the chimney and sides had the few stones found in +digging the cellars, and on top of them was laid more brick until the +ceiling was reached. Care had been taken to build in a crane to hang +pots. From the floor of the loft squarely cut pieces of cedar, 2 inches +thick, were laid in clay mortar, and as the work went on were plastered +with the same mortar inside and out, until the top was two feet above +the ridge-board. Jabez said there was no danger of the cedar sticks +taking fire. They were so well-beded in the clay that when it hardened +the chimney was all one piece. If it fell, it would not break.</p> + +<p>July 11—Brodie, Auld, and myself accompanied Jabez on his going to +Toronto. Mr Bambray had arranged everything and in an hour we had paid +him and each of us had his deed. We asked him about securing a road to +our lots. He said two blocks of bush lay between them and Yonge-street. +Both were owned by a man who was holding to sell, and he was afraid any +influence we could exert would not compel him to make the road, though +that was the condition on which the government had given the land. Met +in the tavern several emigrants eager to get lots, all discontented with +their treatment at the government office. One said he would go to +Illinois. Asked how he would get there. Told me by Buffalo and lake +Erie; land sold there at $1.25 an acre and no bush to clear.</p> + +<p>July 12—Tired and rainy. Auld and Brodie came over to square our +accounts. From the time we left the ship till we got into our shanties, +we lived in common. Found Brodie had least money and more mouths to +fill. His wife said she did not fear—they would strachle through until +they got a crop. We had a long talk about getting a yoke of oxen, which +we must have. Offered, if I got them, they would pay me in days' work. I +decided to put up a stable to be ready when I bought a yoke.</p> + +<p>July 13—Took a tramp to see rear of my lot, Gordon guiding with a +compass. All of a sudden the bush ceased, and on finding I stood on the +edge of a swamp, I got angry at my being fooled into paying for a +cattail marsh. There is quite a stretch not very wide, angling across +the width of my lot. On thinking it over, am satisfied Bambray knew no +more about its existence than I did. Returning home I followed the +creek, which starts from it. There was a little water flowing. Noticed, +where the creek leaves the marsh, a stretch of tall wild grass.</p> + +<p>July 14—Could not sleep thinking about the swamp. Got Gordon to make a +dozen cross-staffs and started for it to take levels. Found the marsh +sloped towards the creek, and between where it entered and a hundred +yards down the creek there is a fall of three feet, so the marsh can be +drained. Dug down in several places and found the marsh to be a deposit +of black soil on top of clay.</p> + +<p>July 17—The Simmins family spent the afternoon with us. He knew about +the swamp, and called it a, beaver-meadow. The grass that grew at the +head of the creek would make hay good enough for cattle. Said I would +find the dam the beavers had made if I searched a while, and if I got +out the logs that formed it, the water would have a free course into the +creek.</p> + +<p>July 18—Spent all Saturday cutting grass at the head of the creek. It +is fine but long. Turned it today and, if rain keeps off, will be ready +to cock tomorrow afternoon, the sun is so hot and the grass so ripe.</p> + +<p>July 19—Had Sal, Gordon, and Archie come and help to find the dam the +beavers had built. On a crowbar showing us where the logs were buried, +shovelled off the dirt and pried them out. It was wet, dirty work but we +managed it. Cleared the bed of the creek of the rubbish that choked it +at its head. Sal found a turtle, which he carried home.</p> + +<p>July 20—Brodie and Auld came early and we set to work to get logs ready +for the ox-stable. Very dry and hot.</p> + +<p>July 21—Piled the hay in two stacks and thatched them as well as we +could. We had just finished when a thunderstorm burst.</p> + +<p>July 23—Gordon, who has made furniture for all the houses, set up a +cupboard for Ailie, of which she is quite proud. The lad has a wonderful +knack, and can copy anything he has a chance to examine. A deluge of +rain; never saw such a downfall in Scotland. Lasted six hours and then +came out sultry.</p> + +<p>July 24—Sal stepped in while we were at breakfast with the hind quarter +of a deer, his father had come on during the heavy rain and shot. First +fresh meat we have had. Found it dry eating. Sunday though it was, +walked with Sal to head of creek and found water was running freely into +it from the marsh. Coming back Sal spied bees round a tree and said he +would get the honey next month. Told me the names of the different +squirrels and birds we saw and he had fun with a ground hog.</p> + +<p>July 30—Although the weather has been warm have worked steadily +chopping down trees; the sound of the axe coming from the three lots. On +each of them there is now quite a clearance. Jabez had shown us how to +make plan-heaps, and we so fell the trees, which will save hard work +when we come to burn. Except myself, all are getting to be expert with +the axe, though Sal, with less exertion, can chop down two to Allan's +one.</p> + +<p>August 1—Growth far outstrips that of Scotland, and no wonder, there is +no such heat there. In thinning turnips and the like Ailie kept what is +pulled for boiling; they make good greens. We had a long talk about +buying a yoke of oxen at once, and Brodie and Auld agreed to help me +with the stable for them.</p> + +<p>August 3—Fixed on spot for stable and began preparing logs for it, +choosing cedar and pine as being easier to handle.</p> + +<p>August 8—Began raising stable. Gordon made very neat corners.</p> + +<p>August 9—Had stable up to the square when we dropped work.</p> + +<p>August 11—Got the rafters on. Having no sawed lumber or shingles, will +have to cut basswood staves and scoops.</p> + +<p>August 13—Stable finished and all proud of it. There is a roomy loft +which will be useful for more than fodder, for I am told when there is +no bed in the shanty for a visitor they 'loft him.'</p> + +<p>August 14—Had arranged to walk to Toronto, for none of us have been +inside a church since we left Scotland, but the sun came out with such a +blistering heat that we had to give up our intention. It is awfully +lonesome in the bush, and were it not for the work you are forced to do, +we would get vacant-minded. It has been a great blessing in every way +that the three families settled together. I can believe the report that +a family planted in the depths of the bush, without a neighbor nearer +than three miles, abandoned all they had accomplished to get company.</p> + +<p>August 15—While chinking the stable, Gordon helping, I heard a crash +and a cry from where Allan was chopping. We ran to the spot, and my +heart jumped into my mouth, when I saw him lying as if he were dead +under a big branch. I was for dragging him out, when Gordon showed me +the movement would bring down the butt of the branch on his body. He ran +for help. Ailie came first and then Brodie, and while the three of us +held up the limb of the tree, Ailie pulled him out. She was calmer than +any of us. Carrying him to the house, we had the satisfaction of finding +there was no bone broken. A blue mark above the right eye showed where +he had been struck. As he was breathing easily we had hopes he would +come to, but it was long before he did, and it was the most anxious hour +Ailie and I had ever known. When he opened his eyes, and looking +wonderingly round asked, 'What is a' the steer aboot?' we never before +thanked God with such fervor. Gordon had run for Mrs Simmins, and while +we were keeping wet cloths on Allan's head, she hurried in. Looking at +the mark, which was now swollen, and feeling all round it, Mrs Simmins +declared there was no fracture of the skull and that the blow had only +stunned him. 'Well for him that he is a thick-headed Scotchman or he +would have been killed,' she remarked. Taking a fleam from her pocket, +she lanced the lump and let it bleed freely. 'If bruised blood is left +to get into the system, there will be a fever, in which many a man has +died.' Allan fell asleep and when he woke it was to ask for a drink.</p> + +<p>Aug. 16—Allan woke this morning all right, except feeling giddy. He +will never again have as narrow an escape with his life. The tree he was +felling, a big maple, in falling toppled over a dead tree beside it, +which was so rotten that it fell in a shower of pieces.</p> + +<p>Aug. 18.—Went to see the swamp and glad to find it was drier. The water +has got vent and is seeping into the creek. Could walk on parts that +would not carry before. Looked it over to plan how to drain it. Gordon, +who was with me, said, Cut a ditch up the centre. I showed him that +would not do when the swamp came to be plowed. The right way was to cut +a ditch across the head and have it empty into another along the south +side to the creek. Looked at me in wonder as he asked if I ever expected +to plow it. Said I would grow grain on it before other three years. On +returning he and I did a bit of underbrushing, piling as much of the +brush as we could round the felled timber to help to burn it.</p> + +<p>Aug. 19—Kept underbrushing all day.</p> + +<p>Aug. 20—So hot gave the ax a rest. In the afternoon a thunderstorm. The +downpour tested the roof of the stable, which leaked in only one place, +where a scoop had split.</p> + +<p>Aug. 21—Quite cool with a brisk northerly breeze. Wife and myself +started for Toronto, and never enjoyed a walk more. Did us good to watch +the clearances as we passed along. Fall wheat all cut and stacked. +Barley being cradled and oats looking extra heavy though short in the +straw. The sight of gardens and patches of potatoes pleased Ailie, and +we both were surprised by the Indian corn, which we never saw before. It +was tasseling. The bell was ringing when we reached Toronto and had to +ask our way to the Presbyterian church. The crowd was going to the +Episcopal and Methodist churches. The service was dry and cold, but it +did us both good to worship with our fellows once more and join in the +psalms. As we were walking away I heard somebody behind us call, Andrew +Anderson, and looking back saw Mrs Bambray. Told her we were going to +the tavern for dinner. 'Thee shall go to no tavern on the seventh day,' +and slipping her arm into my wife's, led us to her house. Pointing to a +door she told me to go in and I would see what I never saw in Scotland, +and led my wife upstairs. Opening the door I found myself in a backshed, +with Bambray rubbing ointment on a negro's arm. The man was a runaway +slave and had arrived that morning on a schooner from Oswego. Bambray +had washed him and dressed him in clean overalls. He bade the negro pull +off his shirt so that I might see the marks of the welts made by a +whipping he had got with a blacksnake whip and his master's brand, made +with a hot iron, on his right arm. The left arm had got injured in his +flight and had an unhealed wound. The poor fellow said he came from +Maryland and had known no trouble until his wife had been taken from him +and sold. His master ordered him to pick on another woman, but he loved +his wife and ran away to find her; had been caught and whipped to within +an inch of his life. Hearing slaves were free in Canada, he took the +first chance to slip away. He hid during the day, and at night, guided +by the plow in the sky, kept northwards. He got some food by visiting +negro huts, and at one of these he was told how a band of white people +helped negroes seeking their liberty. Finding a house he was directed to +call at, he found it was true. The man fed him and ferried him across a +river and gave him the landmarks of the next house he was to call at for +help, and from one to another he was passed along until he got to +Oswego, where he was hid in the hold of a schooner whose captain was an +Englishman. It had taken him a long time to make the journey, he could +not tell me how long, for he did not know the days of the week much less +the months. On getting to Toronto he was guided by a sailor boy to +Bambray's house, which was one of several where runaways were sure of +help. Asked Bambray what he would do with the man. When fit for work he +would be given an ax, saw, and sawhorse and was sure of earning a +living. 'Me strong,' said the man, standing up, 'and me free.' Left +Bambray's late in the afternoon and got home before sunset.</p> + +<p>Aug. 27—A week of steady work chopping. We must get clearances big +enough to raise crops for next year's living no matter how hot the days +are.</p> + +<p>Aug. 28—The Simmins family spent the day with us. They leave for the +lake Simcoe country. All three like the free life of fishing, trapping, +and hunting, and spoke as if they were going on a holiday. If they did +well and got a big pack of furs, they intend in the spring to try +Illinois, so we may not meet again. They sang and talked all day and we +parted with sorrow. The days are still hot but the nights are cool with +heavy dews.</p> + +<p>Aug. 30—Each day hard at work felling trees. When I first saw our lot +and how thick the trees stood on it I could hardly believe it possible +we could clear the land of them, yet we have been here scarce three +months and there is a great slash. Taking the trees one by one and +perseverance has done it. Burning the felled trees that cumber the +ground is the next undertaking. This cutting out a home from the bush is +work that exhausts body and mind, but the reward is what makes life +sweet to right-minded people—independence.</p> + +<p>September 1—Had new potatoes to-day. They are dry and mealy and +abundant in yield. I may say this is the first food the land has given +us.</p> + +<p>Sept. 2—Had a chance to send a note to Jabez to look out a suitable +yoke of oxen. On going to Yonge-street found a long building going up. +It is a tavern. The street is lined with them all the way to Toronto +and how far north they go cannot say. Being the leading outlet there is +much traffic on it. Saw several parties of emigrants pass. Imprudent to +come so late in the season. They will have their sufferings when winter +sets in for they have not time to prepare for it. Experience has shown +me emigrants should come early in spring. I spoke with one lot. They +sailed from Liverpool to New York and thence by the Erie canal to +Oswego, avoiding the ordeal of the St Lawrence rapids. It seems strange +but it is so, the United States is Upper Canada's market. In comparison, +little freight either goes or comes by Montreal. This ought not to be. +The reason given is, that Lower Canada will not help to improve the St +Lawrence route as it would not be to her benefit.</p> + +<p>Sept. 5—There is a plague of squirrels—black, red and grey. Bobby +keeps killing them and we have them on the table every day. Pushing the +chopping, for our next year's living depends on the size of our +clearances. Weather being cooler, work not so exhausting. Had a scare +yesterday from a bear trotting to the pond. It had its drink and fled on +seeing us.</p> + +<p>Sept. 9—Had word from Jabez to come to town as he had a yoke of oxen +bought for me.</p> + +<p>Sept. 10—Walked to Toronto, taking Gordon to help. Am no judge of oxen. +They cost $60. Besides them had to pay for logging-chain and an ox-sled. +Gordon spent the time in the wheelwright's shop where I bought the +sled. On Jabez telling me we would need somebody to teach us how to +handle oxen and to burn a fallow, I went to see Sloot, and bargained +with him for a week's work. On getting all that was needed for my +neighbors and myself the sled was heaped up; we walked, Sloot driving. +It was near midnight when we reached home, but Ailie and the family got +up to see the oxen by candle-light.</p> + +<p>Sept. 11—Sunday though it was, Sloot, taking the boys to clear the way, +had to go to the stacks near the swamp for hay to feed the oxen. It was +a work of necessity. They came back in the afternoon with a small load, +for the track was rough.</p> + +<p>Sept. 12—Sloot and all hands were up at sunrise to set fire to the +brushpiles. The day was cool with a breeze that helped the fires. +Burning the logs was next taken in hand, and being green and thick they +were slow to burn.</p> + +<p>Sept. 13—The weather was again favorable for our work of burning the +logs but, despite a strong wind, they burned slowly and we had to keep +poking and turning them to get a hot blaze. The smoke and heat were like +to overcome me, but Sloot went ahead. He was born in the bush and all +its work is second nature to him. Washed in the pond and got to bed +late.</p> + +<p>Sept. 14—Auld and Sloot, Allan helping, worked all night with the +logheaps, which I found this morning much reduced in size. The +logging-chains and the oxen today came into play, the partly consumed +logs being hauled to form fresh piles. By dark there was quite a +clearance.</p> + +<p>Sept. 15—Light white frost this morning. Helping neighbors. Sun came +out on our starting to burn at Auld's but the wind blew a gale, and we +had a splendid burn.</p> + +<p>Sept. 16—Pouring rain and glad of it, for all of us except Sloot are +dead-tired. He says the rain will wash the charred logs and make them +easier to handle.</p> + +<p>Sept. 17—Spent the day hauling the biggest of the partly burned logs to +make a fence across the clearing. The smaller stuff we heaped up and set +on fire. Allan handles the oxen very well considering. Wanted Sloot to +stay another week, but he could not. He is a civil fellow and not +greedy. Ailie sent a queer present to his wife. Before Mrs Simmins left +she explained and showed how to secure and dry dandelion roots to make +coffee. In lifting potatoes, when a dandelion root is seen, it is pulled +carefully, or, if scarce among potatoes, dug up carefully in the fall so +as to get the entire root. The roots are washed, dried in the sun and +stored away. As wanted for use, a root or so is chopped small, roasted +in a pan until crisp, then ground, and made like ordinary coffee.</p> + +<p>Sept. 24—All week we worked at getting crop into the fallow. After +clearing it of sticks, we used spade, grape, and rake to get it +something near level. Gordon studded a log with wooden spikes which we +dragged over the worst of it. On getting the best seedbed possible, +sowed wheat. The soil had a topdressing of charcoal cinders and ashes +that I thought would help. If the seed gives an average yield, will not +have to buy flour next year.</p> + +<p>Sept. 26—Rained all day yesterday; at night cleared with quite a touch +of frost. Busy chopping to enlarge clearance. The young fellow who came +out with us from Scotland and got drunk at Montreal, appeared at our +door this morning. He had lived chiefly in Toronto and his appearance +showed had done no good. Wanted a job. Agreed with him to dig ditch in +the swamp, the understanding being if he got drunk he need not come +back. Leaves are turning color.</p> + +<p>Oct. 2—Sat most of the day on front step taking in the beauty of the +trees that overhang the pond on three of its sides. I can compare them +to nothing but gigantic flowers. Steeped in the haze of a mellow sun the +sight was soothing. Nothing like this in Scotland. The birds have gone; +the swallows left in August.</p> + +<p>Oct. 9—Been a sorrowful week. On unpacking our baggage on arrival in +the bush, found my mother's spinning-wheel was broken. Gordon managed to +mend it and I bought ten pounds of wool. This she washed, teased, and +carded, and proud she was when she sat down and began to spin the rolls +into yarn. Tuesday afternoon Ailie and Ruth went to pick wild grapes, +and the rest of us were at our work in the bush. Grannie was left alone. +She had moved her wheel to the door to sit in the sunshine, where she +could see the brightness of the trees and enjoy the calm that prevailed. +How long she span we do not know. On Ailie's return she was startled at +the sight of her bending over the wheel. She was dead. While stooping to +join a broken thread God took her. Next day buried her on a rising bit +of ground overlooking the pond. What a mother she was I alone can know. +I shall never forget her. Last evening there was to us a marvellous +display of northern lights. When daylight faded pink clouds appeared in +the sky mixed with long shooting rays of white light. The clouds changed +shape continually, but the color was always a shade of red. At times the +clouds filled the entire northeastern sky.</p> + +<p>Oct. 10—Crying need for rain; everything dry as tinder; air full of +smoke.</p> + +<p>Oct. 15—My worker at the ditch insisted he had to go to Toronto. Gave +him his pay and knew he would not come back, despite his promise. There +are more slaves than black men. The man of whom whiskey has got a grip +is the greater slave.</p> + +<p>Oct. 17—Closed the house on Sunday morning and all walked to Toronto to +attend worship. Today yoked the sled to an ox, for our path to +Yonge-street is too narrow for two, in order to find settlers who had +produce to sell. Bought corn in cob, apples, pumpkins, and vegetables, +but only one bag of oats, few having threshed. Was kindly received and +learnt much. In one shanty found a shoemaker at work. He travels from +house to house and is paid by the day, his employers providing the +material. Agreed with him to pay us a visit and he gave me a list of +what to get in Toronto.</p> + +<p>Oct. 18—Spent day in trying to make everything snug for winter.</p> + +<p>Oct 19—Went to Toronto determined to find out whether there is no way +of compelling the man who owns the land that blocks us from Yonge-street +to open a road. First of all I called upon him, and he received me +civilly. I told him how our three families were shut in. Asked if we +would not buy his lot, he would sell the 1200 acres cheap and give us +time. Answered we could not, we had all we could manage. He thought we +were unreasonable in asking him to make a road which he did not need. It +would be of use to us but not to him. Asked him if the conditions on +which the lot was granted did not require him to open a road? Replied, +that was like many other laws the legislature made, and which were +disregarded everywhere in the province. When I said, since it is law it +could be enforced, he smiled and said there was no danger of that. Was +pleased to hear of our settlement behind his land and hoped it would +help to bring him customers. Turning from his door, I made straight for +a lawyer's office, to make sure whether the owner of vacant land could +not be forced to open a road. The lawyer, an oldish man, listened to my +story and told me to give up the idea of compelling the making of the +road we needed. You are a stranger and ignorant of how matters stand. +The law is straight enough, that whenever the government grants a lot, +the receiver must do his part to open a road, but the law has become a +dead letter. Two-thirds of the granted land is held by men who have +favor with the government and who are holding to sell. Did you ever hear +of Peter Russel? When a surveying party came in, he found out from their +reports where the lots of best land were, and made out deeds to himself. +'I, Peter Russel, lieutenant-governor, etc., do grant to you, Peter +Russel,' such and such lots. If you sued the gentleman you visited this +forenoon you would lose. The court officials all have lots they expect +to turn into money and would throw every obstacle in the way. Should +your case come to trial, it would be before a judge who is a relative, +and who holds patents for thousands of acres of wild land. The condition +in their titles about cutting out roads, is like those that require a +house to be built and so many acres of land in crop before a patent is +issued. There are thousands of settlers worse off than you are, for you +say you have a sled-path to your house. The lawyer spoke candidly and +showed his sincerity and goodwill by refusing to take the fee I offered.</p> + +<p>Oct. 20—A real cold day; fine for chopping and the sound of trees +falling was heard every hour. Wheat is growing finely. Had a talk with +Auld and Brodie at night and agreed we would improve the sled-track to +Yonge-street, seeing there was no prospect of the owner doing anything.</p> + +<p>Oct. 22—Surprised by a message that there was a bull-plow waiting for +me at the corner-house on Yonge-street. Jabez had told Mr Bambray about +the swamp, and he sent the plow to help to bring it into cultivation.</p> + +<p>Oct. 24—Took the plow out to the swamp, which I found pretty dry at one +side. Yoked the oxen to it and I plowed all afternoon. Felt good to grip +the stilts once more.</p> + +<p>Oct. 29—Spent three days on the sledroad and the three families joined +in the work. Cut a great many roots, filled hollows, and felled trees +whose branches obstructed. It is now fairly smooth but far too narrow +for a wagon.</p> + +<p>Oct. 30—Surprised by a visit from Jabez, who came on horseback. Said he +had a chance to give Gordon a few weeks' training with a carpenter. He +was not now busy himself, as the shipping season was over. Brought Ailie +a basket of fresh water herring. Left after dinner.</p> + +<p>Oct. 31—Gordon started early for Toronto, with his bundle over his +shoulder. We shall miss him sadly. In the evening our neighbors came and +we held Halloween as heartily as if we had been in Ayrshire.</p> + +<p>Nov. 1—Bright and frosty. Took the oxen back to the swamp; found there +was not frost enough to interfere and turned over a few ridges, and cast +waterfurs leading to the ditch.</p> + +<p>Nov. 2—White frosts fetch rain in this country and a cold rain fell all +day. Sawing and splitting the logs we had set aside for firewood.</p> + +<p>Nov. 3—The rain turned to snow during the night and there are fully +four inches. The youngsters hitched an ox to the sled and started off, +shouting and laughing, for Yonge-street to have their first sleigh +drive. Came home in great glee in time for supper. Robbie says he wants +a sleigh bell.</p> + +<p>Nov. 5—Snow gone; clear and fine. Chopping down trees.</p> + +<p>Nov. 6—A peaceful autumn day. Heard a robin and wondered how it came to +be left behind by its comrades. Had a walk in the bush in the afternoon +thinking of mother and the land I shall never forget.</p> + +<p>Nov. 7—Shoemaker arrived. A great talker. Tells of families where the +children had to stay in all winter for lack of boots.</p> + +<p>Nov. 12—A week of steady clearing of the land; we shall have a great +burning in the spring. Have had hard frosts every night. Going to +Yonge-street to see if I could get oats for the oxen, for the swamp hay +is not nourishing and they are young and growing, found provisions +remarkably plenty and cheap, especially pork. Bargained for a two-year +old steer which the farmer promised not to kill until steady frost set +in. Thankful we did not go farther into the bush. It is a blessing to be +near older settlers who have a surplus to sell. There was a smoky haze +over the bush today, and the sun shone with a subdued brightness; very +still with a mellow warmth. Was told it was the Indian summer.</p> + +<p>Nov. 20—Had four days of Indian summer and then a drenching rain from +the east, which stopped chopping. A black frost today, dark and bleak. +Had a letter from Gordon yesterday, who is happy in learning so much +that is new to him. He was at Bambray's for dinner last Sabbath and +spent an evening at Dunlop's. He will make friends wherever he goes.</p> + +<p>December 3—There has been nothing worth setting down. Have had a long +spell of grey, cloudy days, which just suited felling trees and +underbrushing. Have got our patch of wheat well fenced in, not to keep +cattle out, there are none near us, but to help to keep a covering of +snow on the wheat. Bobbie trapped a coon that haunted the barn and it +made fine eating. He says the pelt will make a neck-wrap for his mother.</p> + +<p>Dec. 7—Went to get the steer I had bargained for. The farmer suggested +instead of butchering the beast and hauling the carcase it would be +easier to drive it on foot and kill it at home, which I did.</p> + +<p>Dec. 8—Killed the steer, which dressed well. Auld and Brodie took away +their portions to salt down, but Ailie followed Mrs Bambray's advice. +After the pieces are hard frozen she will pack them in snow.</p> + +<p>Dec. 10—Began to snow gently yesterday and continues. There are now +about six inches.</p> + +<p>Dec. 11—Bitterly cold; never felt the like. What Burns calls cranreuch +cauld gets into the bones, but this frost seems to squeeze body and +bones, pinching and biting the exposed skin.</p> + +<p>Dec. 13—Ailie is never at a loss. On Mrs Brodie telling the children +woke at night crying from cold, she had no blankets to give her. Having +sheets we brought from Scotland she took two and placed as an inside +lining the skins of the squirrels Robbie had killed. Simmins had taught +him how to tan and give them a soft finish. Brodie and Auld's houses are +cold because they only half chinked them. Mrs Auld said the blankets +were frozen where the breath struck them and the loaf of bread could be +sawn as if it were a block of wood. Both now believe Canada's cold is +not to be trifled with and are scraping moss off the trees to caulk +between the outside logs the first warm spell.</p> + +<p>Dec. 14—The frost holds. Worked all day with Allan. Does not feel cold +in the bush. The trees break the wind that is so piercing in the +clearings.</p> + +<p>Dec. 15—Milder; in the sun at noon almost warm. Got out ox-sled and +went with Brodie along Yonge-street to buy pork. Bought three carcases. +People are kindly. Have never called at a house where we were not +invited to return and pay a family visit.</p> + +<p>Dec. 19—Have had a three day snap of frost, Either getting used to the +cold or are adapting ourselves to meet it, for do not feel the +discomfort we did. Ruth going to the ox-stable without putting a wrap +over her head got her cheeks and ears frozen. Robbie trapped a hare. +Pleads for a gun. Ailie will give him a surprise New Year's morning.</p> + +<p>Dec. 24—The snow helps greatly in hauling fallen trees and logs. Give +them their own time, and oxen beat horses in handling difficult loads. +Gordon came walking in this afternoon, quite unexpectedly, for we did +not look for him until this day week. He says Christmas is the big day +in Toronto, and not New Year's day. His master had shut his shop for a +week. He gave him a deerskin jerkin as a Christmas present.</p> + +<p>Dec. 27—Gordon has been busy making snowshoes. His first pair was for +Ruth, who can now walk in them. Snowed all day; not cold. He has taught +her to ride one of the oxen.</p> + +<p>Dec. 28—A thaw, much needed to settle the snow, which was getting too +deep. Youngsters shovelled a strip on the pond and made a fine slide.</p> + +<p>Dec. 31—Made preparation to keep Hogmanay, inviting our two neighbors. +Had built a big fire, with a beech back-log, so heavy that an ox had to +haul it to the door, and put a smaller one on top, while in front split +wood blazed, and made the shanty so light that no candle was needed. The +young folk had a great night of it, and braved the frost to go to the +stable door and sing their old Hogmanay rhymes. The feast was plain as +plain could be, but contented and merry hearts care not for dainties.</p> + +<p>January 1, 1826—All gathered again in our shanty after dinner, when we +had a fellowship meeting to thank God for all his mercies, and surely, +when I review all the dangers he has led us through, and the mercies he +has bestowed on us during the year that has gone, we have good cause to +adore him. Gave Star and Bright an extra feed of oats.</p> + +<p>Jany. 2—Ailie had just sat down after clearing the dinner dishes away, +when Ruth came running in crying she heard sleighbells coming up our +road. I went out and was astonished when a sleigh came in sight, the +horse dashing the snow into powder breast high. It was Mr Dunlop and his +wife, who had come to pay us a New Year's call. They stayed an hour and +it was a happy one, for Mr Dunlop is a heartsome man. Was greatly taken +with the improvements we had made. His wife brought a package of tea for +Ailie. She made them a cup of dandelion coffee which, after their drive, +they relished with her oatmeal cakes. In parting took me aside and told +me if I ran short of cash to come to him. He is a friend. After they +were gone, Robbie and Allan came home. They had to have a tramp in the +bush to try the gun their mother had got for Robbie. They brought in +three partridge and two hares, and were in great spirits. Gordon had +bought the gun from an English lad who had come to Canada with the +notion that it was full of wild beasts and Indians. He found he had no +need of it.</p> + +<p>Jany. 4—Have had a heavy snowstorm with a gale of wind. The snow here +is not flaky, but fine and powdery, fills the air so you cannot see +ahead, and sifts through every crevice. Thankful when the blast died +down. Mrs Auld declares if the summer heat and the winter cauld were +carded through ane anither Canada would have a grand climate. The two +extremes are indeed most trying.</p> + +<p>Jany 5—Work in the bush stopped by the snow, is so deep that when a +tree is felled half is buried.</p> + + + +<hr /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_VIII" id="CHAPTER_VIII" />CHAPTER VIII.</h2> + +<h2>THE EPISODE OF TILLY</h2> + + +<p>Jany 7—All were in bed last night when I was aroused by a knock at the +door. Thought one of my neighbors needed help, but on opening was +surprised to see it was Jabez. Excused himself for alarming us by saying +his errand was a matter of life or death. A negro girl, who had fallen +into evil hands at Buffalo, had escaped to Canada and was followed by +desperate men trying to retake her. An attempt had been made to kidnap +her from the family that sheltered her in Toronto. She had to be hid +until the search was given up, and he could think of no place so safe as +with ourselves. Mr Bambray asked us, in God's name, to take care of her +for a while. 'Where is she?' I asked. 'In the sleigh at the door.' I +told him to fetch her in, or she might freeze. He lifted her in, for she +was numb. It was a bitter night. Laying aside her wraps, we saw, for +Ailie and the whole family were now looking on, a mulatto of perhaps +sixteen years of age. Alice and Ruth chafed her hands and feet to +restore her circulation, while Ailie was getting a hot drink ready. +Looking at the poor child I guessed her miserable story and told Jabez +we would keep her. After getting warmed he drove off.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>Here I have to break into the master's diary in order to give what +happened afterwards, which he did not write down. The girl, who said her +name was Tilly, got quite reconciled to us next day. She was from +Kentucky, had been sold to a saloonkeeper at Black Rock, and rescued. +She shuddered whenever she spoke of him. Passed from one friendly hand +to another she reached Toronto, and was living quietly there as a +servant. One evening there was a rap at the door and she went to answer. +On opening it she beheld the fellow who claimed to own her. She +screamed. Putting his hand over her mouth he lifted her to a sleigh, +which drove off. Two passersby, who saw what happened, ran after the +sleigh and on its halting at a tavern, one hurried off for a constable +while the other kept watch. Entering the tavern they demanded the girl, +and under threat of arrest the fellow had to let her go. If he had not, +the crowd in the barroom would have piled on to him, for in Toronto +Yankee slavehunters are detested. Mr Bambray, on being told of what had +occurred, made her case his own. He consulted Jabez who suggested +burying her in the bush with the master's family until the search was +given up. Tilly was modest and eager to help, and at worship showed she +had a beautiful voice. The day passed quietly and so did Sunday. The +master had meant to go to Toronto to church, being the first Sunday +after New Year's day, but the frost was too intense for an ox-drive. +Tilly had a great collection of hymns, and in the afternoon we sat and +listened. It was a peaceful Sabbath and we went to bed happy and feeling +secure. I was lying awake, thinking of the poor slave-girl so +unexpectedly thrown among us, when I thought I heard the crunching of +the frozen snow under horse's feet and sleighrunners. I jumped out of +bed and looking through the window that faced our road, saw a sleigh +with two men. I hurried down stairs and wakened the master. He had just +got on his feet when the door was forced in with a crash. A tall fellow +entered, whom we could see distinctly, for the fire was glowing bright. +'I have come for my nigger, and it will be worse for you if you make a +fuss.' Without a word, the master rushed at the fellow and was thrusting +him out of the door, when he used a trick, doubtless learned in a +hundred barroom fights, of thrusting his foot forward and tripping the +master, who fell on his back. In a flash the fellow had him by the +throat, forcing back his head with his left hand while his right fumbled +under his coat. I guessed he was after his bowie-knife. I gripped his +arm and gave it a twist that made him let out a yell. Jumping straight +up, he made to grab me, when Allan, who had just appeared, swung out his +right arm and dealt him a terrific blow on the face. He fell like a +tree that had got its last cut. The other man now looked in, and seeing +his comrade insensible and bleeding, cried out to us, 'You will hang for +this!' 'Take the brute away and begone,' shouted the master, 'or you +will answer for this if there be law in Canada.' Taking hold of the +fallen man he dragged him to the sleigh. Lifting his head in first, he +got into the sleigh and pulled the rest of the body into the box. +Hurriedly pitching a robe over him he drove off, afraid we would arrest +him. Just as the sleigh got on to the road, there was a shot above our +heads, it was Robbie who had loaded his gun and fired out of the window. +As it was only shot, it probably did no harm, but showed the driver we +had firearms. The excitement over, the master staggered to a bench and +fell down. Examining his throat we saw how the fellow had squeezed it so +tight that his fingernails had torn the flesh, and the thrust backwards +had strained the muscles of the neck. We got him into bed and the +mistress and Alice sat up all night, applying cloths wrung out of hot +water to ease the piercing pain. None of us slept much, and Tilly was +greatly excited. I should have mentioned, when the affray was over, and +I am sure it did not last five minutes, she went to Allan and kissed the +hand that had knocked down her persecutor. We talked at breakfast over +what we should do next, when it was agreed I should go to Toronto with +word of what had happened. On reaching Yonge-street I got a ride on the +first sleigh that came along. Jabez was astounded at my news and took +me to see Mr Bambray and others interested in Tilly. Jabez at once +started to find out what had become of the fellow, and all agreed that +nothing should be decided until he reported. He was not long in getting +trace of him and when he came in after dinner it was to tell the bird +had flown. Fearing arrest, his face bandaged, he had been lifted into a +long sleigh, and lying in it as a bed, had been driven westward. 'He +will get to Hamilton this afternoon,' said Jabez, 'and is likely by +sunset to be safe on Yankee soil.' It was suggested Jabez should go next +morning and arrange with the master to keep Tilly for a few weeks. 'Will +the fellow, who knows now where she is, not plan a second attempt?' 'No +danger,' said Jabez, 'the doctor who dressed his face told me he would +not be able to go out for weeks, and was disfigured for life. He damned +the Scotties who had done it.' When Jabez told how he had received his +injuries, the doctor, an Englishman, got hotly indignant. 'Had I known, +the fellow would have been now in prison.' He would see his friend, the +Chief Justice, to have him outlawed. I stayed with Jabez overnight and +our drive in the morning was most enjoyable. There was no wind and just +frost enough to make the air crisp, the sun shone on the snow until it +sparkled, while the sleighing was splendid. Jabez had taken one of his +best horses and the swiftness of the drive was exhilarating. The road +was crowded with farmers' teams heading for Toronto, Jabez knew them all +and they all knew him. One question troubled him, and that was, How the +Buffalo scoundrel had come to know where Tilly was hid? To satisfy a +surmise, he drew up at the tavern that had been opened opposite our road +to question its owner, who frankly gave the desired information. The two +men stopped at the tavern to get warmed and had several drinks. One of +them said he was looking for his daughter, who had run away from home. +He had traced her, he thought, by being told a man and a young girl had +been seen driving up Yonge-street Friday night. The tavern-keeper said +he saw such a couple turn into the byroad in front of his place, and +wondered at it, for it was rare to see anybody enter that road. Question +followed question and the men learned all they needed to find the house, +and to attack it. On taking a parting drink, the tall fellow exclaimed, +'I have got her.' Reaching home we found all well except the master, +whose neck was still swollen and painful. He was lying on the bench near +the fire. Jabez explained his errand and the message he brought. The +master pulled the head of Jabez close to his mouth, for he could only +whisper, and said, 'You tell Mr Bambray that what happened Sabbath night +made me an abolitionist, and the girl will stay here until she wants to +leave. Is not that your mind, Ailie?' 'You have spoken what was in my +own mind, Andrew.' Tilly, who was standing by, burst into tears, and +clasping the mistress by the neck kissed her saying, 'I will serve you +good.' She was the most grateful creature I ever met. Jabez stayed +until after dinner, and, on leaving, promised to give us a hand when it +was time to burn our brushpiles. Tilly made herself useful not only in +our home but those of Brodie and Auld and proved to be a real help.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>Jany 16—Thankful I can again bend my head without pain. The woods are a +glorious sight. It snowed yesterday morning. Before dark the snow turned +to rain, which froze as it fell, encrusting everything. On the sun +coming out bright this morning the trees sparkled as if made of crystal +and the branches of the evergreens hung in masses of radiant white. So +Alice described them, and we all agreed a sight so beautiful we never +saw.</p> + +<p>Jany 17—Robbie and Allan set off on snowshoes for a day's hunting and +came back in the afternoon carrying a deer, which they had run down, +being enabled to do so by the crust on the snow breaking under the poor +animal's hoofs. There are more than men hunting deer. Last night we +heard the wolves in full cry as they were chasing them.</p> + +<p>Jany. 21—Astonished by a visit from Mr and Mrs Bambray. They visited +all the houses and seemed pleased by what they saw. Had a long talk with +him about how the province is being governed. Mrs Bambray brought +clothes for Tilly. The thaw we have had has lowered the snow, and +chopping down trees has been going on.</p> + +<p>Jany 22—The day being moderate and the sleighing splendid drove to +Toronto, the oxen going faster than a man could walk. Sought to see the +minister, who accepted certificates of Ailie and myself. Sacrament is +March 26.</p> + +<p>Jany. 25—Visited the farmer from whom I bought the steer. We had a +hearty welcome. Ailie much taken with their stove and its oven, and +curious about Canadian ways of housekeeping. Ruth was given a kitten.</p> + +<p>Jany 27—Great snowstorm.</p> + +<p>Jany 28—Quite mild this morning, a warm wind from the south. Snow +melting. At noon there was a sudden change of the wind to the northwest, +which rose to a tempest, overturning trees and making most doleful +sounds as it swept through the woods, where it broke off branches by the +thousand. Became piercingly cold. Such quick changes cannot be healthy.</p> + +<p>Jany 30—More snow with strong east wind.</p> + +<p>Feby. 9—After ten days of stormy weather, today is fine and bright. The +snow is over three feet on the level. Impossible to work in the bush. +Gordon is preparing for sugaring, making spouts and buckets. I have to +get a kettle to make potash and will buy one now, for it will serve for +boiling sap.</p> + +<p>Feby 14—Rain, snow sinking fast.</p> + +<p>Feby 18—Went with the three boys to Toronto and bought potash kettles. +They cost $12.</p> + +<p>Feby 24—Sun is gaining strength and days are lengthening. Can see the +snow wasting in the sun. In the shade, freezing hard. Are doing good +work in the bush.</p> + +<p>Feby 26—Snowing thick and fast, but not cold.</p> + +<p>Feby 28—Sky without a cloud and mild. Gordon tapped a tree or two, but +there was no sap.</p> + +<p>March 6—Roused by a hallo so hearty that nobody except Jabez could +utter it. The fine weather had made him tired of the town and recalled +the sugar-time of his youth. He picked out the maples to be tapped, +those most sheltered and facing the sun, and quickly their bark was +bored and spouts inserted. In the afternoon there was a fair run. By +that time the large kettle had been slung and the fire started. It was a +big play for the youngsters, and their shouting, when Jabez poured sap +on the snow and it turned to candy, might have been heard a mile away.</p> + +<p>March 11—Jabez left, taking as part of his spoil a jar of syrup and a +lot of cakes of sugar. Under his teaching Ailie quickly learned to sugar +off, and did it over the kitchen fire in the biggest pot. Sent cakes as +presents to Mrs Bambray and Mrs Dunlop.</p> + +<p>March 12—All tired after the week's sugar-making. Surprising what a +quantity was made, due to the Aulds and Brodies helping, who got their +share.</p> + +<p>March 18—Have had no sugar-weather this week; frosty with strong winds, +and some snow. Allan, with help of Mr Auld, began hauling boards from +sawmill, which we will need for barns.</p> + +<p>March 20—Gordon awakened us by shouting 'A sugar snow.' There had been +a light shower of it during the night, and the air was soft. Holes were +rebored and there was a fine run of sap. Likely the last, for there is +now hard frost.</p> + +<p>March 25—Have made preparations for the sacrament. Weather has been +fickle, sometimes snow, then rain, but always blowy with cold nights.</p> + +<p>March 26—Fair overhead but sleighing heavy. Got to Toronto in time and +had a solemn and, I hope, a profitable season. Recalling past occasions, +Ailie was much affected on taking the cup in her hand. She was anxious +about there being no word from Scotland. Before leaving Toronto I went +to the postmaster and got a letter. It was from her sister, whose +husband had a rented farm at Lochwinnoch. They have decided to follow us +to Canada, and ask that I look out a farm for them. They hope to have +over a thousand dollars after paying their passage. When we got home +Robbie's news was that he had seen a robin.</p> + +<p>March 27—Gladdened, when I woke to hear the sound of birds. The robin +here is not the Scottish redbreast, being much larger and with a +different note. People I spoke to at church yesterday said we are having +an unusually late season. I am weary of the sight of the snow, which is +now wasting in the sun. Heard frogs at a distance last night. The long +winter is a serious offset to farming in Canada.</p> + +<p>April 3—Jabez with Sloot came this morning to start burning our fallow, +and before dark we had made great progress. There is enough snow and ice +left to make it easy for the oxen to haul logs.</p> + +<p>April 8—By ourselves once more; the burning and the making of potash +finished yesterday. There is now clearance enough on all three lots to +make sure of raising sufficient crop to keep us, so it will not be so +much a work of life and death to keep at the felling of trees. Chopping +them is most laborious, but burning them is worse—as much as flesh and +blood can bear. The burning we had in the fall was to get a patch of +land cleared for sowing. This time we were prepared to save the ashes. +Gordon set up three leaches on the edge of the pond, and as the logs +were burned the ashes were gathered and hauled by ox-sled to fill them. +Ramming the ashes into the leaches as solid as possible and then pouring +water upon them fell to me and the women, the men attending to the +burning, the raking of the ashes together, and hauling them. After +soaking all night, or longer, the leaches are tapped, when the lye runs +into a trough, made by hollowing as big a pine as we could find. From +the trough the lye is dipped into the kettle, under which a fierce fire +had to be kept. As the lye boiled, the water in it passed off in clouds +of steam, more lye being poured in to keep it full. By-and-by a sticky +mass could be felt at the bottom of the kettle, which was ladled into +cast iron coolers, and became solid. This is called black salts, is +barreled, and shipped to Britain, where it is in great demand. The +quantity of lye needed to make a hundred-weight of black-salts +astonished me. I got ten cents a pound for what we made and that will +keep us in provisions until we have our own wheat to take to mill.</p> + +<p>April 9—All glad of the Sabbath rest. Warm, the soft maples red with +buds.</p> + +<p>April 15—Been busy all week, mostly in clearing and levelling the +burned land for sowing. Sowed two bushels of oats this afternoon. Drying +winds and a hot sun.</p> + +<p>April 20—The rain needed to start grain came last night. Moist and warm +today with rapid growth.</p> + +<p>April 22—Planted potatoes. Ailie and Alice getting the garden stuff in.</p> + +<p>April 26—Wonderful growth; nothing like it in Scotland. There is no +spring here; the jump is from winter to summer. Our bridle-path to +Yonge-street is so soft that oxen cannot be put on it. Gordon goes back +to Toronto on Monday to join the tradesman he was with in the fall, and +who has sent for him. He will have to walk, for Yonge-street, I am told, +is a chain of bog-holes.</p> + +<p>May 13—Have had changeable weather; rather too dry and a few cold +nights. The standing bush keeps frost off the braird, which could not +look better. Busy preparing logs for building barns; we are all working +together. Three will be needed. Except for the ground logs we are using +cedar, which is light to handle and easy to hew. Mrs Bambray sent a +bundle of apple-trees and another of berry bushes. All planted and look +as if they have rooted.</p> + +<p>June 3—Gordon along with Sloot came this evening to help in raising the +barns. Planted corn today; an entirely new crop to us. The heads will be +food for our table and the stalks the oxen are fond of. The winter-wheat +is in the shot-blade. Went back to the swamp and found what had been +plowed in fine shape. Seeded down with oats. I hope for a good return.</p> + +<p>June 14—Barns are finished. Much easier to build than were our +shanties. Using block and tackle in hoisting was a great help. Wheat is +beginning to color. Robbie saw a deer browsing in the oats, got his gun, +and shot it. Deer flesh is dry any time but at this season is poor +eating. Potatoes and corn have got their first hoeing.</p> + +<p>June 27—A dry hot spell. Scotland gets too much rain; Canada too +little. Wheat is ripening too fast. It will be fit to cut on Monday.</p> + +<p>July 8—Wheat is safe; drying winds and a hot sun made it quickly fit to +lead. In Scotland it might have been out three weeks before fit to +stack. Fine quality and abundant yield. Will not need to buy more flour.</p> + +<p>July 12—Have had a plentiful rain that has saved the crops, for oats +are filling. I answered my sister's letter at once, with directions how +to come. Have spent any time I could spare in trying to find a lot for +them. Gordon walked in this morning with a letter mailed from Greenock, +stating they were to take ship that week. As they may be here next week +must decide quickly on a home for them.</p> + +<p>July 15—Allan and myself have been on the trudge for three days, +looking for a lot. Finally decided on one with a clearance of nearly ten +acres and a shanty with an outbuilding. It is far north on Yonge-street, +but all nearer Toronto were held at prices they could not afford. The +owner leaves on account of sickness and sold the lot with its +betterments and growing crop for $600.</p> + +<p>July 22—Left home on Monday to wait in Toronto for arrival of my +brother-in-law and family. They came on the 19th, sound and hearty. As I +had directed them, they took a ship for New York and thence by the +Hudson and Erie canal to Oswego, where they got the steamer for Toronto. +Thus they avoided the hardships of the St Lawrence route and saved a +fortnight in time. Looking at the map, I can see New York is Toronto's +nearest ocean port. The teams got started early in the afternoon, but +the road was rough and the horses had to walk all the way. It was +growing dark when we reached the shanty, from whose one window gleamed a +light, and at the door were Ailie, Alice, and Robbie, who had spent two +days cleaning and making the place as decent as possible. A table of +boards, with benches at its side, was spread with supper. A joyous hour +was cut short by the teamsters crying out horses were fed and they were +ready to return. They dropped us at the end of our lane.</p> + +<p>July 26—Finished cutting the oats on the swamp while green and stacked +them. There is a fair catch of grass.</p> + +<p>Aug. 4—All the grain is ripe; cutting is slow on account of the stumps. +Today there were four of us busy with the hook. Oats are not as plump as +in Scotland; they fill too quickly.</p> + + + +<hr /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_IX" id="CHAPTER_IX" />CHAPTER IX.</h2> + +<h2>THE AFTER YEARS</h2> + + +<p>Further extracts from the master's diary would not help the story I am +telling you, for it becomes such a record as many farmers keep,—when +they sowed and reaped, what they sold and bought. Having completed the +account of his first year's experience in the bush for his friend in +Scotland, he ceased noting down his daily happenings, which for him no +longer had the interest of novelty. The forest had been sufficiently +subdued to enable him to gain a living from the land, and his life +partook more and more of the routine of Canadian farmers. He was, +however, much more successful than the majority of them, due to his +energy and skill. His first decided start was due to the existence of +that swamp whose discovery filled him with dismay. The forage he got off +it enabled him to start keeping stock long before he otherwise could +have done. In the fall of 1826 he bought a cow and a couple of two-year +old heifers, and the following spring there was enough milk to enable +the mistress to make a few cheese. These gave the farm a reputation +which established a steady demand at a paying price. More cows were +got, no grain was sold, everything was fed, and the master, with the +help of the mistress, led in dairying. In Ayrshire she had the name of +making the best cheese in the parish and her skill stood the family in +good stead in Canada. That second summer the entire swamp was brought +into cultivation, and it proved to be the best land on the farm for +grass. When other pastures were dried up, cattle had a bite on the +swamp, for so it continued to be called long after it had lost all the +features of a swamp. The clearing of the forest went on steadily, so +that each fall saw a larger yield of grain and roots. In the fifth year +the master was rejoiced to find many of the stumps could be dragged out +by oxen, and a field secured on which he could use the long-handled plow +as in Scotland. An unlooked for result of the draining of the swamp and +the sweeping away of the forest in every direction was the gradual +drying up of the pond. A more striking instance was told me by a settler +who was led to choose a lot near lake Simcoe on account of a brook +prattling across it and which reminded him of Scotland. In twenty years +the brook was gone, the plow turning furrows on its bed. The one great +drawback to the progress of the three families was the lack of a road to +Yonge-street. In winter there was little difficulty for then snow made a +highway, but the rest of the year no wheeled vehicle could go over it. +At one of the sessions of the legislature, when the estimates for roads +and bridges was up, the owner of the 1200 acre block of land that was +the cause of our trouble, made a pathetic appeal for a grant to give an +outlet to three of the thriftiest and most deserving families he had any +acquaintance with, and his appeal resulted in a hundred dollars being +voted. Two years later, on being questioned by the master about the +grant, the honorable gentleman (for he had Hon. before his name) told +him he had drawn the money but there was no condition as to the time he +should start the work. In 1830 there set in an unprecedented influx of +immigrants, who wanted land. The honorable gentleman saw his opportunity +and sold every acre of the 1200. Those who bought had to cut out the +road, and making it passable for travel was hard work for years, on +account of the size of the stumps and of many parts having to be +corduroyed.</p> + +<p>With the coming of these new neighbors, a school became necessary and in +it services were held on Sunday. The master sought the help of a +Presbyterian minister in Toronto. He came once; on finding how rude +everything was, he declined to return. A North of Ireland family was no +more successful with an Anglican minister. He had newly come out from a +cathedral city in the south of England and was shocked to find the log +school had not a robing-room. The end was that a Methodist circuit-rider +took in our settlement in his rounds, which resulted in a majority of +those who attended his services uniting with the Methodist church. The +ministers who came from the Old Country in those early days were +singularly unfit for new settlements. The Anglican on landing assumed he +was the only duly accredited clergyman, and was offended at his claim +being slighted, while his feelings were jarred by the lack of conditions +he considered essential to the proper conducting of worship. The +Presbyterian ministers were more amenable to the changes, yet their +ideals were of the parishes they had known in Scotland—a church, a +manse, a glebe, tiends, and a titled patron. The effects of State +established churches in the Old Land were thus felt in the backwoods, +which was shown more markedly in the strife to reproduce State churches +in Canada. I look back with distress to the bitter controversy which +went on from year to year over the possession of the revenue from the +clergy reserves. The cause of strife was not altogether the money, but +the proof of superiority the possession of the fund would give. With +many it was as much pride as covetousness. When we recall the energy +that characterized the agitation over the clergy reserves, I think of +what the same effort would have accomplished had it been directed to +evangelize the province.</p> + +<p>Another agitation, less prolonged but fiercer while it lasted, was that +which reached its head in the rebellion year. As was unavoidable, the +rule of the province on its being organized, fell into the hands of the +people who first came. They divided its public offices among themselves +and managed its affairs. In time these first-comers were outnumbered by +immigrants, but there was no change—the first-comers held to the reins. +Had they used their power in the public interest, that would have been +submitted to, but they did not—they abused their power for their own +interests. They multiplied offices, increased salaries, grabbed the +public lands, and laid the foundation of a national debt by borrowing +money. There were instances of stealing of public funds, with no +punishment following. Farmers became restless under an iniquitous +administration of public lands. The discontent, which was as wide as the +province, was taken advantage of by men who designed Canada should +become a republic, and began an agitation to bring that about. Men, like +the master, who ardently wished reforms, were repelled when they found +the main object of the leaders of the agitation was the separation of +Canada from Britain and would have nothing to do with them. The first +time the master met Mackenzie he took a dislike to him, perceiving his +overweening vanity, his habit of contradiction, and his lack of +judgment. He said he was a specimen of the unpleasant type of Scot who +meddled and denounced to attract attention and make himself of +consequence. When he saw him shaping a rebellion he declared it would be +a ridiculous failure, that no such whitrick of a creature could lead in +the people's cause. There were grievous wrongs to be righted, but he +held the advocacy of the changes called for by such men as Mackenzie was +a hindrance instead of a help to their being secured. Brodie's oldest +son was somewhat conceited, and had come to believe he was born to be +something else than a farmer. I think the isolation of farm life +conduces to develop that notion. The boy brought little in contact with +his fellows, does not have his pretensions rubbed down, and comes to +think he is superior to them. I have seen many such, who thinking they +were business men, or would shine in some public capacity, or were +fitted to adorn a profession, made shipwreck of their lives in leaving +the plow. Hugh was one of those. A good fellow and a good worker with +his father, he began by frequenting corner-stores at night and before +long considered himself an authority in politics and was ready to argue +in a long-winded and dreary fashion with any who disputed his crude +assertions. Taken notice of by leaders in the agitation going on, +appointed to committees and consulted as to plans on foot, he became +carried away and neglected his home duties. When the explosion took +place in December, 1837, he was one of those who met at Montgomery's +tavern. A decisive blow could have been struck had the men there +gathered marched to Toronto and seized the guns stored in the city hall. +There was no man to take the lead. Mackenzie vapored and complained of +others, formed plans one hour to change the next, and demonstrated the +weakness of his shallow nature. Seeing this, farmers sincerely desirous +of a change in the rule of the province, left for their homes, and the +handful left were routed without trouble. Hugh was among those made +prisoners and placed in Toronto jail. His father was in great distress +and implored me to help to get him released. My stay in Toronto had +given a knowledge of its officials and I told him if he was willing to +pay it might be done. We went to the home of the prosecutor for the +crown. The father told his tale and, in piteous terms, begged the return +of his son to his distracted mother. Perceiving what he said had no +effect, I took the gentleman aside and told him the father might give +cash bail. 'How much is he ready to deposit?' was asked. I thought he +had $25 in his pocket. 'Not enough,' he replied. 'The lad can be +indicted for treason which means hanging.' 'You cannot get evidence +against him on that charge. Say what you want?' Turning to Brodie he +said if he would deposit ten pounds, and enter into the proper +recognizances he would give him an order to the jailor for his son's +release. Without a word of demur the father counted out $40 of his +painfully gathered savings and the chancellor scribbled the order. On +reaching the prison the jailor raised objections. It was now dark and +after hours and the lad had been boarded four days and the fees of the +constables who had arrested him had to be paid. I cut him short by +asking 'How much?' The fellow eyed the father as if calculating the +extent of his ability to pay. 'Two pound ten,' he said. 'Nonsense,' I +replied, 'farmers have not that much money to give away; say one pound +ten and I will advance it for him.' He nodded and I passed the money. +Going upstairs he threw open a door, and we saw in the hall, or rather +corridor, a crowd of men. They were silent with the exception of one who +was denouncing his being held as an outrage, for he was as loyal as the +governor himself. The rest of them were enduring their condition in +sullen silence. Among them were industrious farmers who had warrants +issued against them because they had been known to threaten officials in +the land-office for not getting patents for the lots they had paid for, +farmers arrested on informations lodged by men who owed them, others by +officials who expected to share in their property when confiscated, and +barroom politicians who had expressed their opinions too freely about +those in power. A few, however, were thoughtless young fellows who had +been drawn to visit Montgomery's tavern from mere curiosity and love of +excitement. The room was lighted dimly by two lamps hung on the walls; +the heat was stifling, the odor sickening. We looked among the throng +for Hugh. His father pulled my sleeve and pointed to a far corner, where +he was squat on the floor with his face to the wall in the stupor of +despair. The jailer jostled his way to him, and grasped his collar. Hugh +turned his face in agonized apprehension of his fate, for he told us +afterwards he expected to be hanged, and that he was wanted. Dragging +him to where we stood the poor fellow collapsed at sight of his father +and fell on his neck. Hastening downstairs the jailer opened the wicket +and we were on the street. Hugh was dazed when he saw the jailer did not +follow 'Where are we going, father?' 'Going home.' 'Have I not to go +back to prison?' 'No, you are free.' Hugh broke down and cried. 'We will +have supper and then we will hitch up.' 'No, no,' sobbed Hugh, 'let us +go home now.' On shaking hands with them as the horse started, I saw +poor Hugh was thuroly humbled and penitent. It was not for a brief time, +for on going home he proved what his boyhood had promised, an obedient +son and steady worker. 'He never has now a word of complaint about what +is set on the table,' whispered his mother to me.</p> + +<p>This ridiculous attempt at a revolution had one good and one bad effect. +The good, was a change in the government that made conditions more +tolerable; the bad, was in giving color to fastening upon Liberals the +stigma of disloyalty. The leaders in the attempted rising had declared +for separation from Britain, and those of them who escaped across the +frontier became avowed annexationists. What they were the Tories +asserted all Liberals were and the maintenance of British connection +depended upon their being kept out of office. The many years that have +passed have made that pretension traditional, and whenever there is an +election, I hear the charge of disloyalty imputed to Liberals and the +claim to exclusive loyalty made by their opponents.</p> + +<p>The passing years have wrought a marvellous change in the face of the +country. Our drive up Yonge-street in 1825 was like a boat tracing a +narrow channel of the sea. On either hand was a continuous wall of +forest, and where an attempt had been made to push it back the uncarved +bush projected like rocky promontories. The houses passed at wide +intervals were shanties; the clearances in which they were set cluttered +with stumps. How different now. Handsome residences have replaced the +log-shanties, the bush has become a graceful fringe in the background of +smooth, well-tilled fields. Like the ocean which keeps no trace of the +keels that have furrowed its wastes, these beautiful fields are the +speechless bequest of the men and women who redeemed them from savagery +at the cost of painful privations, of exhausting, never ceasing toil, of +premature decay of strength. They fought and overcame and succeeding +generations enjoy the fruits of their labors—fruits they barely lived +to taste. These were the men and women who made Canada, the founders of +its prosperity, the true Makers of the nation to which it has grown. It +is common for politicians and their newspapers to steal for their +party-idols credit to which they have no claim, by styling them the +Makers of Canada, but no suppression of facts, no titles the crown is +misled to confer, no Windsor uniforms, no strutting in swords and cocked +hats, no declarations and resolutions of parliament, no blare of party +conventions, no lies graven on marble, nor statues of bronze, can change +the truth, that the True Makers of Canada were those who, in obscurity +and poverty, made it with ax and spade, with plow and scythe, with sweat +of face and strength of arm.</p> + +<p>I would not imply that being first is necessarily a merit in itself. +There must be a beginning to everything and to magnify the man who +felled the first tree or reared the first shanty is no honor if +unaccompanied by moral worth. I have seen many townships come into +existence and have known the men who first went into them, and my sorrow +is, that so few of them are worthy of remembrance. Recognizing this, I +pay no honor to a man who boasts he was the first to do this or that, +and who, though first, threw away his opportunity to benefit himself and +those who followed. I am tired of men who posture as pioneers and +founders and who have nothing else to claim. Unless they also had moral +worth, strove to give the right tone to the settlement of which, by +accident, they started, they are not deserving of more than passing +notice. Scores of times I have been struck by the differences in +settlements, how one is thrifty, and its neighbor shiftless; one sending +into the world young men and women of intelligence and high aspiration; +the other coarse people who gravitate downward. If a first settler is of +sterling character he moulds the community that gathers around him and +he deserves honor, but the first settler of gross habits it is well to +forget. The government that tries to make a selection among those who +seek its land acts wisely in the interest of coming generations. To give +land to all who ask it, regardless of what they are, will indeed till +the country, but will be of no benefit in the long run. I know of +townships where laziness, ignorance, prejudice, and gross habits +prevail to such a degree that it would have been better had the land +remained in bush. The bullet strikes as the rifle is pointed, and Canada +has never aimed to secure the best people as settlers. We need +population, has been the cry, get it and never mind of what quality it +is. What is more blamable, our legislature does not even try to secure +settlers who will assimilate. Business called me to a township one +summer where few of the settlers knew a word of English. Is that the way +to build up Canada as British?</p> + +<p>Nature has designed Canada as an agricultural country and such it must +remain. It will prosper as its farmers prosper, and languish when they +are not doing well. It follows their welfare should be the first +consideration, and a mistake will be made if the fact is not recognized +when they work under unfavorable conditions.</p> + +<p>The farmer in the Old Country can plow every month in the year and his +flocks and herds only need supplementary rations to keep them in +condition. How different it is here, where winter locks the soil in iron +bonds half the year and animals must be fed from October to May. What +our farmers raise in six months is consumed in the other six, so that +their labor half the year is to store up food for the other half. The +result is, that the earnings of our farmers are less than half of what +they would be had we England's climate. The public man who argues that +because the Old Country farmer can pay heavy rent to his landlord, bear +the burden of severe taxation, and yet make a living, the Canadian +farmer should be able to do likewise, shuts his eyes to the kind of +winter he has to fight against. That winter cuts his earnings more than +half, for, during the months the land is frozen he is unable to do any +kind of profitable farm work, indeed has spells of enforced idleness. +The Old Country farmer can keep hired help the year round, for he has +employment for them; the Canadian farmer needs extra hands only during +summer. The result is that his margin of profits is so narrow that he +can never pay such taxes as are collected from the agricultural class in +England. When public burdens draw on his income to the extent that he is +not left a living profit, the Anglo-Saxon will leave the land to be +occupied by an unenterprising class of people who are content to +vegetate, not to live. The pre-eminent essential in Canada's policy is +to make farming profitable and keep it so.</p> + +<p>While the statement, that agriculture is the foundation of Canada's +life, is so often repeated that it has become a commonplace remark, is +it not extraordinary that none of its public men since Simcoe's day have +acted upon it? With the words on their lips, Canada rests upon the +farmer, it would be expected the welfare of the farmer would be their +solicitous concern. In the first element of agricultural prosperity, the +settlement of the land, they have kept back the progress of the country +by bestowing it, not on the men ready and anxious to cultivate it, but +upon individuals and companies who expect to make a profit by reselling +to the actual settler. By making the land a commodity to buy political +support, the settlement of the country has been kept back. The rule, +that the land be given only to those who will live upon it and crop it, +would have saved heartbreak to thousands of willing men who came to our +shores asking liberty to till its soil, and would have placed an +occupant on every lot fit to yield a living. The individuals and +companies who have been given grants of blocks of land under the +pretence that they would settle them, have been blights on the progress +of the country.</p> + +<p>As to the danger of taxation increasing to a degree that will make the +working of the land unattractive to the intelligent and enterprising, +that menace comes from two classes—the projectors of public works who +agitate for them from self-interest, and from those who have raised a +clamor to encourage manufacturers by giving them bonuses in the form of +protective duties. Should a levy ever be made on the earnings of the +farmer to help a favored class, there will be a leaving of the land for +other countries and for better-paying occupations.</p> + +<p>My desire is, to see Canada a land where every man who wishes may own a +part of God's footstool and, by industry, secure a decent living. Surely +it is a patriotic duty to make Canada a nation where toil and thrift +fetch the reward of independence, a nation without beggars or of men +willing to work and cannot get it, a nation of happy homes where there +is neither wealth nor luxury but enough of the world's means to ensure +comfort and to develop in its men and women what is best in human +nature.</p> + + + +<hr /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_X" id="CHAPTER_X" />CHAPTER X.</h2> + +<h2>PARTING WITH OLD FRIENDS</h2> + + +<p>My story of how I came to Canada and how the family which made me one of +their number got on in its backwoods has taken a long time to tell, yet +I must lengthen it to make known what became of some of the people +mentioned in the course of it. Tilly remained with us a year, when she +went to live with the Bambrays, who needed her help. When they, later +on, decided to end their days in their native town, Huddersfield, she +went with them to England. Once a year a letter came from Mr Bambray, +with a long postscript by Tilly, overflowing with good wishes, and in +each letter was a draft to help escaped slaves get a fresh start in +life. The worthy couple died several years ago, making Tilly their chief +legatee. She married a man for whom she described herself as unworthy +and who makes her happy every day. When Ruth married she sent her a gift +of $250 to furnish her house. Ruth's husband is a capable farmer, who is +doing well. They are an evenly matched team, pulling together and happy +in each other. When Robbie came of age the master divided his farm +equally between his two sons, and bought for himself six acres fronting +Yonge-street. On this he built a commodious house and a large +greenhouse, for he designed carrying on market-gardening. In an +excavation deep enough to be below the frost line the greenhouse was +built, and there were other devices to do with as little stove-heat as +possible. Sloot, who had been left a widower, and having no family, +became the hired man and made his home for the remainder of his life +with the master and mistress, to whom he was deeply attached. Twice a +week he drove to market the produce that was for sale, and though +occupation not beyond their strength was their purpose, remarkable +profits were made off these six acres. The mistress was happy in tending +the greenhouse and flower-beds, and in entertaining visitors, for they +had many apart from their own children and grand-children. They were +honored far and wide and a drive to their house, which they named +Heatherbell cottage, to have a chat and get a bouquet was a common +recreation with many Torontonians. Of your mother I need not speak; you +know how happy we are in each other. We never had any courtship—our +lives from the first sight of her when I ventured to seek shelter in her +father's house on that rainy day has been one long dwelling in each +other's affections. As trees strengthen with years, our attachment has +grown deeper and purer. Just as soon as I made my footing good in +Toronto, our marriage took place. Lovers before the ceremony we are +lovers still. Ah, my dear lassie, do not think love is a brief fever of +youth—a transient emotion that fades before the realities of wedded +life like the glow from a cloud at morn. Where love is of the true +quality, it becomes purer and tenderer with the passing years. Death may +interrupt, but cannot end such affection as ours. Love is eternal.</p> + +<p>With Mr Kerr I kept up the exchange of letters he asked, and the +information and advice his contained have helped to shape my character +and opinions. The year after his arrival he started in business for +himself and prospered. His wife is the girl whom he was courting when he +fled from Greenock. Our visits to them are delightful memories and you +know how we enjoy their sojourns with us. Jabez also became a +Montrealer. The business of himself and brothers as carters naturally +merged into forwarders. As trade grew it was found needful one should be +in Montreal, and Jabez went. Levelheaded and full of resource he soon +came to the front in the shipping-trade.</p> + +<p>With Mr Snellgrove we had an unlooked for encounter. The master was on a +visit to us at Toronto. On reading notices of a meeting to be held in +favor of Protection and of the government issuing paper currency instead +of gold, we decided to attend. The first speaker was Isaac Buchanan, who +deluged us with figures about Bullionism and the balance of trade. We +were relieved when he ended. Then a college professor read a paper on +the Co-relation of Great Britain and her Colonies. It was difficult to +follow him. He was one of those theoretical men who think forms of +government and names can make a country great. We started with +astonishment on the chairman saying he had pleasure in introducing Mr +Snellgrove as the next speaker. It was he sure enough, older but still +spruce, and resplendent in full evening dress. He did not touch on +currency, but confined himself to advocating a protective tariff so high +that it would shut out foreign goods. That would enable manufacturers to +establish themselves in Canada, and instead of a stream of gold going to +Britain and the United States the money would be spent for goods made in +Canada. See what a rich country we would become if we kept our money +here, he said; our great lack is capital to develop our immense +resources. We had the capital in our own hands but, blind to our own +interests, sent it away to Great Britain or, what was worse, to the +United States to build up a country that was hostile to us. Like the +Gulf Stream, which sweeping through the Atlantic enriches every country +it touches, he would have a golden circuit established in Canada—the +farmers would sell to the manufacturers and the money paid them would +continue to flow backward and forward to the enrichment of both. The +flowing of gold from our midst would be stopped, and the farmers, with a +home-market for all they could raise, would become rich and view with +delight factories rising on every hand. All this could be accomplished +by enacting a judiciously-framed tariff and delay in doing so was not +only keeping Canada poor but endangering her future as a British +dependency. Applause followed Mr Snellgrove's sitting down, and the +chairman praised him as a gentleman who had carefully thought out his +proposals, which commended themselves to every patriotic mind. We wanted +diversity of occupation and retention of the earnings of the farmers in +Canada; here was a method of effecting both these desirable ends.</p> + +<p>The master got on his feet and begged permission to be heard in reply. +He was invited to the platform and, with his usual directness and force, +at once assailed what Mr Snellgrove had advanced. He says, let us have a +law that will compel us to cease buying goods abroad, for thereby the +money now sent away will be kept in Canada. What right has any +government to pass such a law? With the money I get for my wheat may I +not buy what I need where I see fit? Such an arbitrary law as he pleads +for would undoubtedly help the manufacturer, but would it help me, who +am a farmer? The question I ask, is not will the money stay in Canada, +but will the money I have justly earned stay in my pocket? I will be +none the richer if the money goes into the pocket of the owner of a +factory. In the Old Country the farmers carry the aristocracy who own +the land on their backs, are the laws of Canada to be so shaped that the +farmers here are to carry the manufacturers? It may not be plain to you +city gentlemen, but it is to me, that under the system you have heard +advocated, factories would increase and their owners grow rich while +the farmers would become poor, for they would have to pay more than they +now do for the goods necessity makes them buy. My family needs about +$300 worth of store-goods in a year. That is what I pay now. Under +Protection these same goods would cost me $400, perhaps more. The +Canadian manufacturers would be the richer by the hundred extra dollars +I would pay, and I would be the poorer by a hundred dollars. The point +at issue, is not keeping money in the country, but of keeping it in the +pockets of the men who first earned it by cultivating the soil. Canada +is a farming country and always will be, and taxing each farmer's family +on an average of say a hundred dollars a year is going to discourage the +farmer. Let every tub stand on its own bottom. If any commodity can be +made in Canada at a profit under present conditions, I wish all success +to the man who undertakes to make that commodity, but to tax me to give +the man a bonus to do so is to rob me of my honest earnings. We have +been told we want more population. Yes, if it be of the right kind, of +people who will go, as I did, into the bush and carve out farms. These +will add to our strength, but hordes drawn from cities who cannot and +will not take to the plow, will prove in the long run a weakness. If you +knew the poverty and misery that exists among the factory operatives of +the Old World you would not entertain a project to bribe them to come +here and reproduce the same conditions. Today you have not a beggar on +Toronto's streets; adopt Protection and you will have thousands of +paupers. This is a new country and our aim should be to make it one +where honest industry can find a sure reward in its forests and not be +creating factories by artificial means. As an Old Countryman, I take +exception to the land I came from being treated as foreign and a ban +placed on the goods it has to export. When I go into a store I like to +think what I am buying is helping those I left behind, and when I pay +for the cloth and other goods they made, do they not in return buy the +grain, the butter and cheese, and the pork I have to sell? I protest +against our government abusing its power to tax the farmers to benefit +the manufacturers. That is tyranny, and when farmers understand that +Protection is one of the meanest forms of despotism, they will revolt. +This must be a free country, with no favor shown to any class.</p> + +<p>We saw gentlemen on the platform urging the chairman to stop the master; +he seemed reluctant to make a scene. Finally he did pull him down, +stating he was not speaking to the subject before the meeting. The best +reply to the disloyal outpouring to which they had listened he +considered was contemptuous silence. After votes of thanks the meeting +ended. The master advanced towards Mr Snellgrove to renew his +acquaintance. Mr Snellgrove turned his back upon him and left with a +group of gentlemen. I learned he held a government office.</p> + +<p>I have a more unexpected meeting to relate. The sixth year after my +marriage, it had been arranged Christmas should be celebrated at Allan's +and New Year's at the master's. We had been looking for what people in +Scotland dread, a Green Yule, for the ground was bare. When we rose the +morning before Christmas we were pleased to see it white, and a gentle +sifting of snow falling. Allan came for us early in the afternoon and we +filled his big sleigh with children and parcels. We had just got into +the house when the clouds lowered and it became suddenly dark. You have +seen in summer a gentle rain prevail, until, all at once, a plump came +that covered the ground with streams of water. Once in a number of years +the like happens with snow, and a gentle fall turns into a smothering +stream of snowflakes. In an hour the ground was so cumbered that it +reached to the knees of those who ventured out. Supper was over and the +romping of the children was in full swing when Robbie cried he thought +he heard somebody shouting outside. There was a pause in the merriment +as he flung open the door. The snow had ceased to fall and the air was +calm and soft. A black object was seen on the road to the left, from +which came cries for help. Allan and Robbie dashed into the snow and +struggled through it. We watched them but it was too dark to see what +they did on reaching the road. Our suspense was ended on seeing them +returning with a stranger, and leading a horse. Robbie took the horse to +the stable; Allan and the stranger, covered with snow entered. After +brushing him and taking off his wraps the stranger stood before us, a +good-looking man past middle life. He explained he had left home that +morning for Toronto, his chief errand to get the supplies and presents +the lack of sleighing had hindered his going for sooner. Overtaken by +the unlooked for downfall, he had halted at a tavern undecided what to +do. The barroom was crowded. A man told him, on hearing where he was +going, if he took the first turn to his left, he would find a road that +would be passable, for it was sheltered by bush. Anxious to get home, +and the tavern accommodation not inviting, he had, after watering his +horse, started anew. Half an hour or so later, while pushing slowly +along, a runner of his cutter had struck some obstacle, the horse +plunged forward, tipping the rig. On getting on his feet, on lifting the +cutter, he found a runner had been wrenched off, and there he was +helpless. Seeing the lights of our house, he shouted, and, for a long +time, he thought in vain. While he was speaking, my memory was groping +to place a voice that seemed an echo of one I had heard in the past. I +looked at the face, but in the firm-set features that told of wrestling +with the world, I found no aid. It was not until the house-colley went +up to sniff at him and he stooped to pat its head that it flashed on me +the stranger was the shepherd-lad who had befriended me in my weary +tramp across Ayrshire. Facing him, I said, 'Is not your name Archie?' +'It is,' he replied, looking surprised. 'And do you not remember the +ragged boy your dog found under a bush, how you shared your bite with +him; how we sat under your plaid and read the bible and heard each other +the questions?' As I spoke I could tell by his face his memory too was +at work. 'Yes, yes,' he exclaimed, 'it all comes back to me, and you are +curly-headed Gordon Sellar.' Had we been of any other race the right +thing to do would have been to have fallen into each other arms, but +seeing we were undemonstrative Scots we gripped hands though I could not +hold back the tears of gratitude on seeing the man who had been so kind +to me. His coming was no damper to the evening's joy. He made himself at +home at once, and before he was ten minutes among us the children were +clambering over him, for he had joined them in their play. He was the +same free-hearted, easily-pleased lad I had known. When, late in the +evening, I took him to his room, we had a long talk, and the fire of +friendship kindled on the Ayrshire braeside burned again. We had +breakfast together long before daylight, for he was anxious to get home. +It had been settled Allan would lend his team and long sleigh, and that +I drive. The sound of sleighbells brought us to our feet, and at the +door was the sleigh with the broken cutter piled into it with all the +parcels that had been picked out of the snow, and tied to the seat was +Archie's mare. I hesitated leaving Alice on such a day, but she insisted +I must go with my friend. It was not a long drive but it was a slow one. +I turned back into Yonge street, where there would be a track broken, +and kept on it until we reached the corner to turn westward. We halted +an hour at the corner-tavern to feed and rest the horses, which could +not have made the headway they were making had they not been a noble +team, Allan's pride. The way, however, was not long to us, for we had +much to talk about. Archie narrated his past life, and, curious about +mine, I had to tell him my simple story. Reserve there was none. Once +again we were boys, rejoicing in each other, and warming to one another +as true friends do in exchanging their inmost confidences. I will not +relate what he told, for I will weave into his narrative what I got +afterwards from his sister and his father and mother, and present it in +connected form. We were passing down a concession, which had every +indication of being a prosperous settlement, when Archie pointed to a +brick house in the far-distance as his. On drawing near we found its +inmates had been on the watch, for tumbling through the snow came four +children, who clambered in beside us, rejoiced to see their father and +anxious to know what he had brought for them. On reaching, at last, the +house there was gathered at the door the two oldest of the family, a +fine-looking girl and a tall lad, with the mother, and behind them an +aged couple. A hired man took the team, but the mare, looking to the lad +at the door, whinnied. He jumped forward and led her to her stall. 'That +is his pony,' remarked Archie. What a scene of rejoicing on that day of +joy the world over! Mrs Craig, to give her name, told how they had +waited the night before for the coming of Archie until the younger +members fell asleep in their chairs, how they had kept supper warm, and +how, not until two in the morning, they had gone to bed, convinced he +had stayed overnight somewhere on the road, for the possibility of +misadventure they would not admit The forenoon had been of more anxious +waiting, for as time slipped they began to dread an accident had +befallen him. To have him back safe, and the parcels safe, was perfect +joy, and the two youngest darted from the house to try the sleds Santa +Claus had sent them by their father. Mrs Craig, a tidy purpose-like +woman, was profuse in thanks to me for helping her husband. Archie's +father and mother struck me, at the first glance, as the finest old +couple my eyes had ever rested upon. He was tall and rugged in frame, as +became an old shepherd, but his face was a benediction—so calm, so +composed, such a look of perfect content. His companion recalled +grannie, only more alert. Burns might have taken them as models for his +song, John Anderson, my jo. As the sun was setting there was a shout of +'Auntie,' and the youngsters bounded down the long lane to meet a sleigh +that was dragging its way through snow as high as the box. Auntie was +Archie's sister—like him yet unlike, the same features of softer mould, +lighted up with merry smiles that told of a happy heart. And there were +children with her, and her husband, a stout hearty man with a loud +voice. Sleigh after sleigh drove up the lane, each hailed with shouting +and laughter, for each one brought not only the elders of the household +but their children. What a shaking of hands and interchange of good +wishes there was, and then came supper. There were over fifty guests, +but there was ample preparation in the big back kitchen, where supper +was served. When all had enough, including the dogs and Maisie's +pussies, the older folk moved to the front room. In a jiffy dishes and +temporary tables disappeared in that big back kitchen, and the +youngsters began their games. By-and-by a fiddle was heard, and I am +afraid there was dancing. We had a happy evening. Two-handed cracks, +stories, jokes, songs, made the time pass too quickly. It was a novelty +to me that all the guests were either Irish or English; fine people, +intelligent, wide-awake as to the necessity of advancing and making +improvements. Plates of apples and fruit cake appearing notified the +time for parting had come, and in more than one mother's arms rested a +little one who had crept in from the big kitchen too sleepy to remain +longer. In shaking hands with my new-found acquaintances, they all pled +with me to pay them a visit. Before I fell asleep, I thought of what a +fine yeomanry dwelt in the settlement, and the misfortune it would be +if, by any legislative mis-step, they were constrained to leave the +farm.</p> + +<p>Next morning I had, of course, to visit the stables and see the +live-stock, and to judge as far as was possible, with two feet of snow +resting upon it, of the farm and its surroundings. Every detail told of +a capable and energetic farmer, who knew a good horse and the best use +that could be made of pig and cow. There were no loose ends, everything +was in its place and in the best of order. The hour I was left alone +with Archie's father and mother was as refreshing as a breeze from +Scotia's heath-clad hills. On asking grannie whether Mirren and Archie +were her only children she answered, 'There are two biding with the +Lord.' After listening to what they told me of how they came to Canada, +of what Mirren and Archie had done for them, my heart swelled in +thanking God that filial piety still cast luster on humanity. After an +early dinner I left and reached Allan's in time to share in the +after-feast of the fragments of Christmas good things. Many a visit I +have since that day paid to Archie, and many he has to me. It may be +that neither of us having a brother we crept so close together that we +are supremely happy in each others company even if we utter not a word.</p> + + + +<hr /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XI" id="CHAPTER_XI" />CHAPTER XI.</h2> + +<h2>MIRREN AND ARCHIE</h2> + + +<p>A shepherd's wage is small, and grows smaller as age creeps on. The +young and active get the preference and the old have to take a lower fee +at each hiring fair to secure employment. That was the experience of +Archie's father. At the best, it had been only with thrift ends could be +got to meet, but as he aged it was a struggle. The children had to help. +Archie hired with a farmer and in time rose to be ploughman; Mirren +after learning to be a dressmaker, found to be in service was +preferable. What they could spare of their earnings it was their pride +to give in order to keep a home for their parents. While still a boy +Archie had shaped in his little head a plan of going to Canada, where +there was a possibility of becoming independent, and had begun early to +try and save enough to take him across the Atlantic. He had fixed on $50 +as the sum he must have, but found, with all the self-denial he could +exercise, difficult to scrape together. Emergencies arose that required +his breaking in on his little hoard of savings, and spring after spring +he was disappointed in being unable to sail. His sister encouraged him. +Like him, she was determined to break with the conditions that bound +them in the chain of poverty. On Sunday afternoons, when they met, their +talk was of the future that awaited them across the sea. It was not for +themselves they planned and saved. Their ambition was to give a +comfortable home to their parents, for they foresaw that, unless Archie +carved a farm out of the Canadian bush, they would end in becoming a +charge to the parish, which was revolting to them and which they knew +would break their parents' hearts. Of all misfortunes that can overtake +them, to the independent-minded Scot the acceptance of poor relief is +the lowest degradation conceivable. It was in the month of March, the +time when ships were getting ready for the St Lawrence, that brother and +sister had an anxious consultation. Archie had $40. Would he venture to +go on that amount? The risk of longer delay, the doubt if another +twelvemonth would increase the sum, were considered. Archie was for +risking all—he wanted to end their suspense. 'Go,' replied the sister, +'father might not be able to stand the voyage if we waited two years +more,' and so it was settled.</p> + +<p>While Archie had been scraping together the money needed for his +passage, his mother and sister had been doing what they could to provide +his outfit. The mother span and knitted stockings, a chest was got, and +shirts and other clothing cut and sewed. To eke out the ship-rations +provisions must be had, and in this neighbors helped—the wife of the +farmer he worked for presented him with a cheese, she called it a +kebbuck, and his father's master insisted on his accepting two stone of +meal, part of which was baked into oatcakes. The step Archie was to take +was not only serious but dangerous, for many ships in those days were +wrecked, a few never heard of, and the fear that he might not reach +Canada oppressed those who bade him good-by. The morning he left was +trying. He kept a cheery countenance and was profuse in his expressions +of confidence of success and that before long they would be re-united. +The father, sternly repressing his emotions in parting with his only +son, wrung his hand. 'When I am on the hillside alone with the yowes I +will be praying God may be with you—when you are in the bush, will you +not be praying for us?' 'That I will, father.' 'Then,' said the old man, +'though the ocean roll between us we will be united in spirit.' Taking +his watch out of his pocket, the father held it out. 'No, no,' said +Archie, 'I cannot take your watch.' 'You must take it; my companion for +many a year it will cheer you in the woods, and keep you in mind of the +promise you have just made.' The sister went with him to the turn of the +road. She treasured his last words and they were her comfort. 'Mirren, I +have covenanted with God, that I will never forget our father and mother +and will do all that in me lies to help and comfort them.' He strode on +his way to Greenock, whither his chest had gone by the carrier.</p> + +<p>The ship made a good voyage and in time he got to Toronto, where, with +some trouble, he was given a location-ticket for a lot. Bargaining with +a teamster who was taking a load to a settlement in the neighborhood of +his lot, to leave his chest on his way, he started on foot. It was well +he did, for from what he saw on the road he learnt much of what settlers +have to do. He watched the chopping of trees, the making of potash, the +hoeing in of the first crop, and the building of shanties, for in +succession he came upon settlers engaged in all these operations, and he +was not backward in asking questions, or slow in observing. The +afternoon of the second day he reached where the local land-agent lived. +There was a small gristmill, a sawmill, a blacksmith shop, an ashery and +half a dozen houses, all rudely built, planted in a surrounding of +stumps, with the bush encircling all. Asking at the largest shanty for +Mr Magarth, the woman he spoke to pointed to a man, bareheaded and in +his shirtsleeves, piling boards. On hearing his business Magarth said, +'You're the man whose chest was left here yesterday. Well, it is too +late in the day to show you what lot you have been given. Can you +count?' On being told he could, Magarth got a shingle and a piece of +chalk and told him to mark down as he called out the measurements of the +boards. On finishing the pile, Archie reported the number of feet. 'Just +what I guessed,' said Magarth, 'now come with me.' He led to the door of +an extension at the end of his house, which Archie saw was a primitive +shop, there being, in a confused heap, everything settlers could call +for. Explaining his daughter who kept his books was on a visit to +Toronto, he handed Archie an account-book and asked him to write down +the entries he would call off. Seated on an empty box and smoking, +Magarth recalled all the transactions since the last entry on the book, +which Archie set down, astonished at the accuracy of the memory of the +man, who gave dates, names, and quantities with as much ease as if +reading them from a list before him. This done, he got him to fill out +his report to the crown lands department, to write several letters to +the firms he dealt with in Toronto, and one to his daughter, which was +original in matter and expression. Archie recognized the shrewdness and +ability of this unlettered man, who carried on with ease several lines +of business in addition to his farm. After supper he made Archie sit +beside him and asked if he would not give up his notion of taking up +land and hire with him. Finding he was determined to have a home of his +own, Magarth gave him much advice as to how he should begin, not +concealing, on learning he had only a few dollars, that he was sure he +would fail. After breakfast Magarth told him what he could not do +without, and laid in a bundle an ax, a saw, a spokeshave, an auger, a +hammer, nails, and would have added a grindstone had there been any way +of carrying it. 'You'll have to come out to us when your ax needs +grinding.' In a pail he put some flour, peas, and a lump of pork, tying +a frying-pan to the handle. 'But I have not money enough to pay for all +this,' said Archie. 'I know you haven't,' was the reply, 'you are to pay +me in ashes.' Sending a man with him to point out the lot, and to stay +long enough to help to raise a shelter, Archie started. Their way lay +across the country, through a dense forest, for the concession his lot +was on lay to the north and no side road had been opened to it. His +guide, whose name was Dennis, had his ax over his shoulder and blazed +the trees as they tramped on their way. Archie wondered why he should +have been given a lot so far back when they were going over so much land +that was unoccupied. Finally Dennis halted, and, after a little +searching for surveyor's posts, which were not hard to find, for the +concession had been laid out within a year, he showed Archie his limits. +'The road allowance is here,' said Dennis, 'and if I were you I would +put my shanty close to it, cut the logs for it off the allowance, and +kill two birds with one stone, make a beginning on your road and have a +shanty.' Archie was willing but made a poor fist in felling trees, and +before an hour his hands were blistered. Dennis left to him the rolling +of the logs to the chosen site and notching their corners. At noon they +rested, Dennis lighting a fire and showing Archie how to cook flour +cakes and fry pork at the same time. Towards nightfall a like meal was +cooked, and creeping into a thicket of cedars they were soon fast +asleep. Next morning Dennis picked out ash-trees and hickories small +enough to make handspikes and skids and the rearing of the shanty +began. It was small, 10 by 12 feet, in front 7 feet high sloping +backward. Showing how to lay poles to make a roof, and cover them with +sheets of elm and basswood bark, Dennis left while there was daylight +enough to show him the way. Archie was alone, buried in the bush, yet +was in high spirits. The land he stood on he owned. Everything had gone +well with him so far and he looked with steady confidence into the +future. When the shanty was finished he had to admit it was only a +hovel, which he would replace by one fit to be the home of the father +and mother whose figures were often before his mind's eye. With hands +still tender, he went on felling trees, selecting the smaller, and when +he had got a heap together he set fire, for he needed a clearance in +which he wanted to plant potatoes. On Saturday coming he left for +Magarth's, for he had promised to post up his accounts of the week. On +finishing all Magarth had to do, Archie wrote his mother. When he landed +at Montreal he had sent a letter to his father telling of the voyage and +his safe arrival. Now he had to send them word of his having got a lot +and that he had made a start in clearing it. Sunday the little hamlet +was deserted. The hired men had gone to visit friends and had taken +Magarth's boys with them. 'Tis the only outing they get,' explained +Magarth, who was surprised on Archie's preparing to return to his +shanty, for he expected he would stay till evening. Not wishing to be +beholden too much to his kind friend, he shouldered what supplies he had +bought the night before and started. Among the supplies was a hoe and a +bag of potatoes to plant amid the stumps.</p> + +<p>The routine of his daily life was monotonous—up with the sun to attack +the trees which stood between him and a livelihood. It was lonely but he +never grew despondent. Singing, whistling, shouting, he kept at his +work. Two of the songs of Burns were his favorites—a Man's a Man for a' +that and Scots wha hae. On coming to the line, Liberty with every blow, +he drove his ax into the tree with vim, and, indeed, the trees at that +time were the enemies he had to fight. Saturdays he went to Magarth's to +do what writing he might have, for his daughter was in no hurry to leave +Toronto. Each Monday found Archie more handy with the ax, and neither +heat nor mosquitoes caused him to slacken in extending his clearance. +Wet days alone made him take rest in his shanty, in a corner of which +was his bed of hemlock boughs and fern leaves. When summer waned and the +nights grew cold the lack of a chimney in his shanty made living in it +intolerable, for the smoke circulated round until it found the hole in +the roof intended for its escape. He thought over plans to get a +chimney, but could hit on none that he could carry out without some one +to help him. From time to time he had burnings of brush-heaps, storing +the ashes in a hole he had dug in the side of a hillock and covering +them with big sheets of bark to keep them dry. The end of September, on +making his customary visit to Magarth's, he found a letter waiting for +him. It was from his sister, who expressed the delight they felt on +hearing of his having got a farm and built a house, and how his letter, +like the one he had mailed from Montreal, had passed from house to house +until everybody in the parish had read them, and they had raised quite a +'furore' about Canada and of emigration to its woods, for the +acquisition of farms of their own dazzled all. Father and mother were +well and were kept in good spirits by anticipating the day when they +would be able to join him in his fine house. He read the letter a +hundred times and vowed anew he would not turn aside until those it came +from were beside him.</p> + +<p>On speaking to Magarth of the store of ashes he had saved and of the +slash of trees that were ready for burning, it was arranged he would +send two men if Archie would clear a way through the woods by which a +one ox-sled could pass. His frequent comings and goings across the lot +had made a foot-path, but there were decayed logs to push aside, brush +to cut here and there, and a few branches that hung low. It took three +days' work before he was satisfied a sled would have free passage. On a +Monday morning the men with the sled and oxen appeared and the burning +began. There had been a month's drouth, so the burning went well, and +when the men went back at nights the big box on the sled was filled with +ashes. At Magarth's the ashes were measured in a bushel box and emptied +into the leaches that stood beside the creek. On coming to square +accounts the ashes paid what Archie was due and left a few dollars to +his credit. Taking advantage of the return trips of the sled, he had got +his chest taken to his shanty, a quantity of short boards to make a door +and a bed, a bag of seed wheat, and a grindstone. Elated by his progress +he went to the scraping and hoeing of his clearance with a will, lifted +his potatoes, pitted them, and sowed all his seed-wheat. Then he tackled +enlarging his clearance and his daily task was again felling trees. The +weather was now often cold. He chinked the shanty but with a gaping hole +in the roof to let out the smoke it made little difference, and often he +could not get to sleep for shivering. To light a fire made it worse, +for, not being used to it, he could not stand the smoke, which choked +him and made his eyes smart. The second week in November there came a +frosty snap. Before shouldering his ax he had put the potatoes and bit +of pork he intended for dinner in a tin pail and buried it in hot ashes +to slowly cook. When he came back late in the afternoon, cold and tired +and hungry, he opened the pail and found it full of cinders. The heat +had been too great. For the first time he lost heart, and starting up, +with what daylight remained, made his way to Magarth's, where supper and +a welcome awaited him. The daughter having been back for some time, he +had given up his Saturday visits. She was big and plump, and like her +father voluble and fond of a joke. When all the others had retired for +the night, Magarth and Archie sat by the fire. Magarth guessed how it +was going with Archie and told him he could not stand out the winter. +Then, with kindly humor, he gave Archie to understand that if he and +Norah would make it up, he would take him as a partner in his business, +which was growing too large for him to manage alone. Archie was +astounded, making no reply beyond thanking him for the hint. When he +turned into a bunk in the corner of the store he was so tired that he +fell asleep and dreamt not of Norah but of the daily misery he was +enduring.</p> + +<p>In the morning Archie rose and, without waking anybody, slipped out and +made his way to his comfortless shanty. Those who love the forest know +in how many tones it speaks, varying with the season and the force of +the wind. When in full leaf and swayed by a summer breeze the sound is +of falling water, of a phantom Niagara; in the winter, when the trees +are bare, the Northwest blast shrieks through their tops and there are +groanings diversified by sharp cries as some decayed branch is snapped +or tree falls. It was amid these doleful sounds Archie swung his ax. He +was not conscious of the bitter cold for his work kept him warm, but his +brain was full of racking thoughts. He had toiled like a slave for nigh +six months and had accomplished little, with every imaginable +deprivation he had saved nothing, and for the next six months he foresaw +cold and hunger, which he doubted he could survive. Here was an offer +that meant comfort, and relief from a penniless condition. Should he not +accept it? Was it not selfishness that whispered his doing so? Did he +not come to these woods to hew out from the heart of them a home for +those he loved? Was he going to throw up his purpose to benefit himself? +Would that be right? There was a whisper, You will be able to help them +by sending money. Is money-help all they can claim from me? Is sending +them so many dollars a month all the command to honor father and mother +means? Do they not desire to be beside me and is it not my duty to +sustain and comfort them while life lasts? Shall I place other cares +between them and me, leaving them second instead of first? So he went on +arguing mentally, until the larger consideration came uppermost, Was it +justifiable to marry a woman for whom he had no special regard, because +by so doing it would be to his worldly advantage? Then he, for the first +time in his life, tried to define what marriage was. Was marriage for +comfort and ease such a union as his conscience could approve? It was a +searching question, and while he swung the ax he argued it aloud. What +was marriage without love? No marriage, he shouted, as his ax delved +into the side of a tree. Love alone can blend two lives, and without +love marriage is sacrilege. No, he would not think of Magarth's offer, +he would cast it behind him, and go on as he was doing. Then peace came +to him, and he dwelt on the communings with his sister, and the pledge +he had given her on parting. For the first time that day he began to +sing, and when he sat on a log to eat the bread he had brought for his +dinner, he threw crumbs to a squirrel that left her hole to survey him.</p> + +<p>Two days later he found he would have to go to Magarth's to get the +steel of his ax renewed, for it had chipped. He found only Mrs Magarth +at home, her husband and Norah had left on a visit. In the store were +two men, and he listened to their talk with interest, for one was +telling how a thriving nearby settlement had built a school and were +unable to find a teacher. Asking the name of the man who had the +engaging of one, and where he lived, Archie's resolution was made, he +would go and offer himself. A tramp of over a mile brought him to the +house. In five minutes he was engaged at a salary of six dollars a month +and to board round. The engagement was for four months. He spent the +night with the settler and left in the morning to get what clothes he +needed and to set his shanty in order. Word had gone round that a +teacher had been secured, and on his return in the afternoon there were +several callers curious to see him. His host was a North of Ireland man, +with a large family, who he was determined should learn to read and +write. He had been the leader in the building of the school-house, to +which he walked with Archie the following forenoon. It was a log +building, about twenty feet square. There were no desks and the seats +were plank set on blocks of wood. Every child able to walk was there +full of curiosity as to what school was like. Archie's difficulties +began at once. Not one of the would-be scholars had a book of any kind; +those who said they wanted to learn to write had no paper and no slates. +Had they anything they could recite from memory? A little girl forthwith +began, Now I lay me down to sleep. With great patience, Archie taught +them the first verse of the 23rd psalm, and, trying if they could sing +it, found there were several good voices. He felt encouraged. Telling +them to bring books of any kind next day, he ended the lessons by one in +arithmetic, using the fingers. The second day was better. The children +came with all kinds of books except school-books, mostly bibles. One +girl had a copy of the crown lands rules and regulations. Only six could +read a sentence by spelling each word. They had to be started from the +beginning, and Archie had provided for that by producing a smoothly +planed board on which he had printed, with a carpenter's pencil, the +alphabet on one side and figures on the other. The children, with a few +exceptions, were eager to learn. Then he got them to memorize the second +verse of the 23rd psalm, and taught them a simple hymn, singing both. +They were strong on singing, and a boy volunteered to give them a song +he had heard, which had a chorus of Derry Down. So it went on. A supply +of smooth shaved shingles was got and with bits of chalk the scholars +learned to write simple words and cast up sums. At the close of each day +Archie told them a story and questioned to see how much of it they +remembered and understood. At the end of a fortnight three of the +settlers visited to see how matters were progressing and left satisfied.</p> + +<p>Shifting his boarding-place each Saturday Archie came to know the +settlers intimately, and perceived how little outside their daily toil +there was to engage their minds. He proposed a singing-class for the +young fellows and the girls, and set a date for the first meeting. The +evening came and there was so great a crowd that the school could not +hold them so a number clustered round the open door. Archie knew nothing +about musical notation, but he had a good voice and a great store of +songs. The difficulty was knowledge of the words, which he overcame by +singing whatever any number of them knew and by repeating in concert +verse by verse before he raised the tune. On the novelty wearing off a +number ceased to come, but no matter how cold or stormy was the night +the schoolhouse was filled by young people who heartily enjoyed those +two evenings in the week. On a preacher arranging to hold a fortnightly +service, they applied themselves to learning hymns. Without knowing it, +Archie had become popular. Taking pleasure in his work the winter passed +quickly. As his term drew towards its close there was a move to show him +some substantial token of regard. There being little money, it took the +form of a donation in kind, so, on leaving the third week of March, he +was driven to his shanty in a sled laden with parcels of flour, lumps of +pork, butter, cookies, doughnuts, and the like. His small wage had been +paid him and out of it he sent $15 to his mother.</p> + +<p>His shanty he found buried in snow, the drift against its west end +overtopping it. Everything was as he had left it, and when he had dug +away the snow and got at the potatoes he had pitted he was glad to find +them untouched by frost. He again assailed the trees but in a different +spirit from the day when he had left. He was again hopeful of conquering +and there was much to encourage him. The weather was milder and the +daylight longer. More than anything else that cheered him on to his +lonely task was the spring sunshine. It was awakening new life in the +forest, and why not in him? On the size of his clearing depended whether +he would be able to have his parents and sister join him when spring +returned next year, and so, early and late, he attacked the trees. The +only break in his toil was when he had to go to Magarth's for something +he could not do without and those few hours of social talk were sweet to +the solitary man. Not the least interesting topic he heard was that +Norah was engaged to a wealthy produce-dealer in Toronto.</p> + +<p>On leaving the settlement where he had taught school, the young fellows +told him to send them word when he was ready to burn, and they would +come and help him. The middle of May he walked to attend the preaching +there, and before leaving next morning had arranged they should come the +following Monday. The number who flocked into his clearance astonished +him, for almost every acquaintance he had saluted him. They came with +ox-sleds and chains and, what surprised him beyond measure, was three +women in one of the sleds who had come to make dinner and took +possession of his shanty. They worked with a will. The logs were hauled +and built into heaps and fire set, and every art the backwoodsman knows +was used to make them burn. As ashes were scraped they were shovelled +into the boxes on the sleds and started for Magarth's, returning with +small loads of boards. With so many hands the small clearance was, late +in the afternoon, put in such a shape that Archie and two men who +remained could do the rest. Before the week was out, he had oats and +peas sown, and a patch reserved for corn and potatoes. At Magarth's $10 +had been placed to his credit for ashes delivered.</p> + +<p>As he was cooking his breakfast Archie was surprised by a sound at a +distance which he recognized as the strokes of an ax. Listening with +rapt attention, there came, in a few minutes, the familiar crash of a +tree falling. 'That means I have got a neighbor: somebody has taken a +lot at the end of the concession,' said Archie, and he set about his +day's work in high spirits. It was as fine a day as a June day can be, +and there is no finer the world over. The brilliant blue of the sky was +brought out by a few snowy cloudlets drifting before a gentle breeze, +which tempered the warmth of the glorious sunshine. The heart of the +young man was glad and found expression in song and whistling as he +wielded the ax. What caused him to pause in blank astonishment? From the +woods behind him, came a voice singing 'O whistle and I will come to +you my lad.' It was a woman's voice, it was a familiar voice. Dropping +his ax he bounded towards the figure emerging from the bush where the +sled-road entered his clearance. 'It is my own sister!' he shouted in a +scream of joy, and clasped her in his brawny arms. 'O, Mirren, have you +dropped from the sky? I would have as soon expected to meet an angel.'</p> + +<p>'I am just a sonsy Ayrshire lass and have come on my feet and not on +wings. Eh, but you've changed—ye've worked over hard.'</p> + +<p>'It has been sweet work, for it was for father and mother. Nothing wrong +with them that sent you here?'</p> + +<p>'I left them well, and hoping to join us next spring.'</p> + +<p>'And how did you come—what started you—where did you get the passage +money—how did you find your way here?'</p> + +<p>'I'll tell you after I have seen this grand house of yours. An' this is +the shanty you wrote about with everything out and inside +higgle-de-piggeldy! Ye are a great housekeeper to be sure. Why, your +house has not got a lum! (chimney). Did you have breakfast yet? Poor +fellow, no wonder your cheeks are thin.'</p> + +<p>'Never mind, Mirren, I have planned a new house and with your help it +will soon be built.'</p> + +<p>'That it will, Archie; it is to help you I have come.'</p> + +<p>Sitting side by side on a pile of boards, Mirren told how she had come. +On Archie's letter reaching his mother with three pounds enclosed she +saw the possibility of Mirren going to Canada. 'The passage money is +four pounds, mother, and there is the buying of what cannot be done +without. We will have to wait for another remittance.'</p> + +<p>'Listen, and I will tell you what I never even let on to your father. +When he had that accident six years ago that laid him up and we feared +he would never go to the hills again, the thought came to me that if he +died the parish would have to bury him. I set it down that no such +disgrace would ever fall on our family if I could help it, and when he +got better I set to put-by every penny that could be spared, and many a +hank I have spun and stocking knitted to get the pennies. After thinking +over Archie's letter, I counted what I put by and I have one pound, +seven shillings, and tenpence. Your passage, you see, is paid.'</p> + +<p>'But I dare not leave you alone.'</p> + +<p>'Mirren, you will do as your mother asks you. Your brother needs help: +go, and we will follow you a year sooner.'</p> + +<p>'I thought it all over,' said Mirren, 'and it was settled I should go. +It was quite a venture for a young lass to go alone so far, but I was +not afraid, seeing there were the plain markings of what was my duty. So +we set to work to get ready, and here I am.'</p> + +<p>'Bless you, Mirren, you have a brave heart and God helping us, we will +have father and mother with us in another twelve month, and the black +dog. Want will never frighten them more.'</p> + +<p>Mirren was curious to see what Archie had been doing, but he took her +first to the rising ground, back in the bush, where he had decided to +build his house, and then showed her his crops. The rest of the day he +spent in cutting and setting up poles to make a shelter that would serve +as a cookhouse during the day and a sleeping-place for himself at night. +At supper she told of her journey, of the voyage, the slow ascent of the +St Lawrence, and the steamboat that landed her at Toronto. The mate +undertook to forward her chest, and pointed out Yonge-street, at the +head of the wharf. Without a minute's delay she gained it and began her +long walk. Late in the day she asked at a shanty that stood beside the +road how far she was from the corner where she had to turn. The woman, +on hearing where she was going, said she could not be there before dark +and asked her to stay overnight. Her husband with the two oldest of the +family had gone to visit his uncle and she was alone with the younger +children. Mirren gladly took her offer and tarried next morning to help +in cutting and fitting a dress for one of the girls. There were many +wagons on the road, but all were loaded with the baggage of immigrants, +who, men, women, and all except the very young, trudged their weary way +behind or alongside of them. It was late in the afternoon when Magarth's +was reached. On telling her name, she was cordially welcomed. In the +morning she was shown the sledroad that led to the lot of her brother. +The first sign that she was near him was hearing his whistling. Of the +money she had started with she had still $2.25.</p> + +<p>With daylight next day they started to work. Mirren insisted on taking +an ax with her and began brushing the trees Archie had felled. He +remonstrated that it was not woman's work. Her reply was, she had come +to help him and she was going to do so. 'Well, then,' he said, 'we will +go to the spot where the house is to be built and work there.' On the +evening arriving on which the preacher visited the schoolhouse, they +both set out to attend the service.' Mirren had a welcome that +astonished her, and when they heard her sing her welcome was redoubled. +Archie's friend insisted on their staying until next day. It was late +that night before Mirren got to bed, for the neighbors crowded to speak +with her and hear her sing. As they walked to their humble home next +forenoon, Mirren expressed her amazement at the heartiness with which +she had been received, remarking it was her first experience with the +Irish. In reply Archie said we ought to judge people as we find them +putting away all prejudices. His sojourn among them during the winter +had made him ashamed of his misconceptions—you have to come close to +people to estimate their worth, and he could say from his soul, 'God +bless the Irish: kinder hearts do not beat in human breasts,' and told +Mirren what they had done for him.</p> + +<p>The ox-sled that brought Mirren's chest also brought a crosscut saw, and +they tried it at once in cutting the logs for the new shanty. Archie's +saying he did not like to see her pulling the saw, brought out the +retort that she would not do it for other house than one for father and +mother. That summer was the happiest they had ever known. Their toil was +exhausting but the purpose of it and their mutual company bore them up. +To hear them singing and joking it would be thought felling trees and +sawing them into log lengths was a recreation. Such progress was made +that a bee for the raising was set for the end of August, for the season +had been early and grain was harvested. It was a bee that was the talk +of the neighborhood for months afterwards. Young and old came, more with +a desire to help the brave lassie who had won their hearts than for +Archie's sake, well-liked as he was. With her watching them, the young +men vied with one another and never did log walls mount faster nor +rafters span them than when they had reached their height. On a green +maple branch being stuck in a gable peak to indicate progress, a wild +huroo arose that woke the forest echoes. When the bee broke up all the +rough work was done; what was left Archie could do himself with the aid +of a carpenter and mason, for a regular fireplace and chimney needed the +latter.</p> + +<p>The brother and sister agreed that a less remittance than ten pounds +would not do to bring their parents to Canada, and how to raise the $50 +was a subject of concern to them. What produce they had to spare would +fetch little. Their perplexity was relieved at the close of October by +a visit from two men, who had come to find out if Archie would again, be +their schoolmaster. There were more families now and more scholars and +they would pay $7 a month and board round. He hesitated, he could not +leave his sister alone. 'Take the offer,' she eagerly cried, 'I will go +to the settlement with you.' 'What would you do there?' 'You forget, +Archie, I learned dressmaking. I will cut and fit and add a little to +our savings.' The second week in November the school was opened, this +time under better conditions, for a storekeeper had brought books and +slates, and Archie fetched with him a blackboard he had contrived to put +together. With the day-school the singing school was resumed, to which +Mirren added fresh interest. She got all the work she could do, for few +of the women knew how to cut clothes for their children, let alone for +themselves, and were glad to pay for cutting and fitting, doing the +sewing at home. The winter sped quickly and the middle of March saw +brother and sister back to their clearance and to the felling of trees. +On counting their earnings in February they found they were able to send +to their parents the desired ten pounds, with the urgent advice to take +the first ship. How they would do on arriving at Toronto perplexed them, +until Mr Magarth gave them the address of his son-in-law to enclose in +their letter, assuring them Norah would care for them and see to their +finishing their journey. When June came Mirren expected them each day +and made every preparation for their reception. The spot in the bush +where the sled-road ended and by which they must come, she watched with +unflagging eagerness, but day after day passed and July came without +their appearance. She was stooping in the garden cutting greens for +dinner when a voice behind her asked, 'Hoo is a' wi' ye, Mirren?' With a +scream of joy she clasped her father and mother. A loud shout brought +Archie from the end of the clearance where he was at work with the ax. +The reward of their toil and strivings had come at last, they were once +again a re-united family. In the evening they sat in front of their new +shanty, the clearance before them filled with crops that half-hid the +stumps and promised abundance. 'Praise God,' exclaimed the old shepherd +as he reverently raised his bonnet, 'we are at last independent and need +call no man master.' For his age he was strong and active and his +assistance made Archie independent of outside help. The four working +together, and working intelligently and with a purpose, speedily placed +them on the road to prosperity.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>One defect in the backwoods life troubled the conscience of the old +shepherd, and that was the practical disregard for religious +observances. He was not satisfied with occasional services and, when +harvesting was over, made a house-to-house visit to see if sufficient +money could be got to mend the situation. Nobody said him nay yet none +gave him the encouragement he had hoped. In the Old Land the only free +contributions they had made for religious purposes was the penny dropped +on the plate on Sunday, so the appeal to make a sacrifice to secure +stated ordinances, was to them a novelty. An Englishman asked, 'When had +the King become unable to pay the parson?' His visits also made him +aware that there were many children unbaptised and that not one of those +who told him they were church members had received the communion since +they had left the Old Country. His resolution was taken—he would go to +Toronto and seek out a minister, he did not care of what denomination, +to spend a week or more in this new but fast-growing cluster of +settlements. Though they did not say so to him, the settlers thought his +errand a crazy one. As chance would have it, he did happen on a man as +zealous for the cause as himself and with no pressing engagement for the +time being. On his arriving he started with the shepherd on a round of +visits, exhorting and baptizing, and announcing he would celebrate the +Lord's supper, the last Sunday before his return to Toronto. So many +promised to come that it was seen the school-house could not hold them. +The minister fell in with the suggestion that the meeting be held +out-of-doors and there were men found who agreed to make ready. It was +now October, and the trees, as if conscious of their departure for their +long sleep, arrayed themselves in glorious apparel to welcome the rest +that awaited them. The spot selected for the meeting was the wide ravine +hollowed out by the creek that flowed sluggishly at the bottom. On the +flat that edged the east side of the creek planks were laid on trestles +to form the table, while the people were expected to sit under the trees +on the sloping bank that rose from it. From an early hour the people +began coming. Word had spread far beyond the houses visited, and there +were a few who had walked ten miles and over. The solemnity of the +occasion was heightened by the weather. Not a breath stirred the air and +the yellow or scarlet leaves that flecked the glassy surface of the +creek had fluttered downward because their time for parting with the +branches had come. A bluish haze tempered the rays of the sun, which was +mounting a cloudless sky. When the minister rose to begin, he faced a +motley crowd, for while all had done their best to be clean and neat, +with rare exceptions, all were in their every day dress, worn and +patched, for to get clothes is one of the difficulties of the new-come +settlers. There were few aged, for the young and active lead the way +into the bush. There were women with babes in their arms, and there were +many children, gazing with open-eyed curiosity. The hundredth psalm was +given out and the silence of the woods was broken by a volume of melody. +The reading from St John where is told the institution of the last +supper, was followed by a prayer of thanksgiving, that even in the +forest-wilderness heaven's manna was to be found by those who seek for +it, with passionate entreaty for forgiveness and cleanness of heart. +Then singing and the sermon, a loving call to remember heavenly things +in the eager seeking for what is needed for the body; the old truth that +God is a spirit and can be approached only by each individual spirit, +that no man, whatever his pretensions, can come between the soul and its +Maker, and no ceremony or oblation effect reconcilement. The invitation +to come to the table was that all who loved the Lord should do so. +Slowly and reverently those who responded moved downward to take their +seats on a bench fronting the table of a single plank. Looking across +the creek there faced them a luxuriant vine, clinging high on the trees +that supported its mass of purple foliage. Amid these surroundings of +Nature the love of Him who condemned formalism and who was simplicity's +very essence, was recalled. When the parting song was sung, and the +people began to leave to attend the home-duties that could not wait, the +old shepherd expressed himself satisfied that seed had been sown that +would bear fruit, and so it did.</p> + +<h3>THE END</h3> + + + +<hr /> +<h2><a name="Lines_on_the_Gordon_Sellar_who_was_drowned_in_his_boyhood" id="Lines_on_the_Gordon_Sellar_who_was_drowned_in_his_boyhood" />Lines on the Gordon Sellar who was drowned in his boyhood</h2> +<hr /> + +<div class="poem"> +<div class='stanza'><div>O that day of desolation!</div> +<div class='i2'>O that hour of dumb despair!</div> +<div>Why, instead, was I not taken—</div> +<div class='i2'>The fading leaf the bud to spare?</div></div> + +<div class='stanza'><div>Why thy joyous life thus ended?</div> +<div class='i2'>Why wert born thus to die?</div> +<div>Whither hast thy spirit wended—</div> +<div class='i2'>Here a moment then to fly?</div></div> + +<div class='stanza'><div>Come, O Faith, in all thy gladness,</div> +<div class='i2'>Lift me high above my woe;</div> +<div>Leave with God this hour of darkness,</div> +<div class='i2'>Seeking not the cause to know.</div></div> + +<div class='stanza'><div>Nevermore, my son, I'll clasp thee,</div> +<div class='i2'>Nevermore thy voice I'll hear.</div> +<div>Till I scan the towers of Salem</div> +<div class='i2'>See thee and the Saviour dear.</div></div> +</div> + +<hr /> +<p>HISTORY OF THE SETTLEMENT of the Counties of Huntingdon, Chateauguay, +and Beauharnois, 584 pp. $2.</p> + +<p>THE QUEBEC MINORITY; collection of pamphlets relating thereto.</p> + +<p>MORVEN: How a Band of Highlanders reached Glengarry during the U.S. +Revolution. 50c.</p> + +<p>THE TRUE MAKERS OF CANADA. $1 or $1.25 as to binding</p> + +<p>Any of above sent by mail on receipt of price.</p> + +<p class='center'>Address—THE GLEANER</p> + +<p class='center'>Huntingdon, Que.</p> + +<p>THE TRAGEDY OF QUEBEC is out of print. Announcement will be made when +the fourth edition is ready.</p> + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Narrative of Gordon Sellar Who +Emigrated to Canada in 1825, by Gordon Sellar + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE NARRATIVE OF GORDON *** + +***** This file should be named 15307-h.htm or 15307-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/1/5/3/0/15307/ + +Produced by Wallace McLean, Martin Pettit and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team. + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Narrative of Gordon Sellar Who Emigrated to Canada in 1825 + +Author: Gordon Sellar + +Release Date: March 9, 2005 [EBook #15307] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE NARRATIVE OF GORDON *** + + + + +Produced by Wallace McLean, Martin Pettit and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team. + + + + + + + +[Illustration: Frontispiece.] + + + + +The Narrative + +of + ++Gordon Sellar+ + +who + +Emigrated to Canada in 1825 + + + + +HUNTINGDON, QUE. + +THE GLEANER BOOK ROOM + +1915 + + +_Copyright, Canada, by Robert Sellar, 1915._ + + + + ++GORDON SELLAR+ + + + + +CHAPTER I. + + +While my mother was a servant in Glasgow she married a soldier. I have +only a faint remembrance of my father, of a tall man in a red coat +coming to see us in the afternoons and tossing me up and down to the +ceiling. I was in my fourth year when his regiment was hurried to +Belgium to fight Bonaparte. One day there rose a shouting in the +streets, it was news of a great victory, the battle of Waterloo. At +night mother took me to Argyle street to see the illuminations, and I +never forgot the blaze of lights and the great crowd, cheering. At the +Cross there were men with bottles, drinking the health of Wellington. +When my mother caught me up to get past the drunken men she was +shivering. Long afterwards, when I was able to put two and two together +I understood it was her fear of what had happened father. She went often +to the barracks to ask if any word had come, but except that the +regiment was in the thick of the fight they could tell nothing. It might +be three weeks after the battle that a sergeant came to our room. Mother +was out working He left a paper on the table and went away. When mother +came home late, she snatched the paper up, gave a cry that I hear yet, +and taking me in her arms fell on the bed and sobbed as if her heart +would break. I must have asked her what had happened, for I recall her +squeezing me tighter to her bosom and saying My fatherless boy. Long +after, I met a comrade of my father, who told me he acted bravely all +day and was cut down by a dragoon when the French charged on the +infantry squares at the close of the battle. My mother got nothing from +the government, except the pay that was coming to him, which she told me +was 17s 6d. + +Mother kept on working, mostly out of door jobs, washing or +house-cleaning, a neighbor being asked to look after me. When I got old +enough, she would tell me, while I was in bed, where she was going, and +in the evening I would go and meet her. Sometimes, not often, she got +sewing to do at home and these were bright days. We talked all the time +and she taught me much; not simply to read and write and cast little +sums, but about everything she knew. My reading book was the gospel of +John, which she said was fullest of comfort, and it was then my faith in +Christ took root. There could not be a more contented or cheerful +mother, and her common expression was that when we did our duty +everything was for the best. She had a sweet voice, and when she sang +one of Burns' songs neighbors opened their doors to hear her. I was +nearly ten when a bad time came. Mills closed, the streets were full of +idle workmen, and provisions got dear. Mother got little to do, and I +know she often went hungry that I might be fed. She might have got her +share of the relief fund, but would not think of it. She told me time +and again, to be independent. That hard winter made all the families in +our close draw nearer to one another, and every hour there was some deed +of helpfulness. The best friends of the poor are the poor. We were +struggling on, hopeful and unmurmuring, when the word passed from +landing to landing one morning that the boy who was sick in the first +flat had been visited by a doctor, who said he had typhus. Mother took +her turn in sitting up with him at night until he got the change and it +was for the better. It might be a week after, I went to meet her on her +way home from the place where she had been at work, and saw how slow she +walked and the trouble she had in getting up the stair to our room. She +gave me my supper and lay down on the bed to rest, for she said she was +tired. Next morning she complained of headache and did not rise. +Neighbors came in to see her now and then. I stayed by her, she had +never been thus before. When it became dark she seemed to forget herself +and talked strange. The woman next door gave her a few drops of laudanum +in sugar and she fell asleep. When she woke next day she did not know me +and was raving. Word was taken to the hospital and a doctor came. He +said it was a bad case, and she must be taken to the hospital at once, +and he would send the van. It came, the two men with it lifted her from +her bed and placed her on a stretcher. A crowd had gathered on the +street to see her brought out and placed in the van. I thought I was to +go with her, and tried to get on the seat. The helper pushed me away, +but the driver bent over and gave me a penny. The horse started and I +never saw my mother again. I ran after the van, but it got to the +hospital long before I was in sight of it. I went to the door and said I +wanted my mother; the porter roughly told me to go away. I waited in +front of the building until it got dark, and I wondered behind which of +the rows of lighted windows mother lay. When cold to the bone I went +back to our room. A neighbor heard me cry and would have me come to her +kitchen-fire and she gave me some gruel. Sitting I fell asleep. + +I was told I must not go into our room, it was dangerous, so I went to +the hospital and waited and watched the people go in and out. One +gentleman with a kind face came out and I made bold to speak to him. +When I said mother had fever he told me nobody could see her, and that +she would be taken good care of. I thought my heart would burst. I could +not bear to stay on the Gallowgate, and so weary days passed in my +keeping watch on the hospital. On Sunday coming, the neighbor who was so +kind to me, said she would go with me, for they allowed visitors to see +patients on Sunday afternoon. We started, I trotting cheery in the +thought I was about to see my mother. The clerk at the counter asked the +name and disease. He said no visitors were admitted to the fever-ward. +Could he find out how she was? He spoke into a tin tube and coming back +opened a big book. 'She died yesterday,' he said quite unconcerned. I +could not help it, I gave a cry and fainted. As we trudged home in the +rain, the woman told me they had buried her. + +I had now no home. The landlord fumigated our room with sulphur, took +the little furniture for the rent, and got another tenant. Everybody was +kind but I knew they had not enough for themselves, and the resolve took +shape, that I would go to the parish where my mother was born. Often, +when we took a walk on the Green, Sunday evenings, she would point to +the hills beyond which her father's home once was, and I came to think +of that country-place as one where there was plenty to eat and coals to +keep warm. How to get there I tried to plan. I must walk, of course, but +how was I to live on the road? I was running messages for the grocer +with whom mother had dealt, and he gave me a halfpenny when he had an +errand. These I gave to the woman where I slept and who was so kind to +me despite her poverty. I was on London street after dark when a +gentleman came along. He was half-tipsy. Catching hold of my collar he +said if I would lead him to his house he would give me sixpence. He gave +a number in Montieth row. I took his hand, which steadied him a little, +and we got along slowly, and were lucky in not meeting a policeman. When +we got to the number he gave me, I rang the bell. A man came to the +door, who exclaimed, At it again. The gentleman stumbled in and I was +going away when he recollected me. Fumbling in his pocket, he picked +out a coin and put it into my hand, and the door closed. At the first +lamp I looked at it; sure enough, he had given me a sixpence. I was +overjoyed, and I said to myself, I can leave for Ayrshire now. I wakened +early next morning and began my preparations. I got speldrins and +scones, tying them in the silk handkerchief mother wore round her neck +on Sundays. That and her bible was all I had of her belongings. Where +the rest had gone, a number of pawn tickets told. I was in a hurry to be +off and telling the woman I was going to try the country I bade her +goodbye. She said, God help you, poor boy, and kissed my cheek. The +bells at the Cross were chiming out, The blue bells of Scotland, when I +turned the corner at the Saltmarket. + +It was a beautiful spring-day and when I had cleared the city and got +right into the country everything was so fresh and pleasant that I could +have shouted with joy. The hedges were bursting into bloom, the grass +was dotted with daisies, and from the fields of braird rose larks and +other birds, which sang as if they rejoiced with me. I wondered why +people should stay in the city when the country was so much better. It +had one draw-back, the country-road was not as smooth as the pavement. +There was a cut in my left foot from stepping on a bit of glass, and the +dust and grit of the road got into it and gave me some pain. I must have +walked for three hours when I came to a burn that crossed the road. I +sat on a stone and bathed my foot, and with it dangling in the water I +ate a speldrin and a scone. On starting to walk, I found my foot worse, +and had to go slow and take many a rest. When the gloaming came I was on +the look out for a place to pass the night. On finding a cosey spot +behind a clump of bushes, I took my supper, lay down, and fell asleep, +for I was dead weary. The whistling of a blackbird near my head woke me +and I saw the sun was getting high. My foot was much worse, but I had to +go on. Taking from my bundle of provisions as sparingly as my hunger +would let me, I started. It was another fine day and had my hurt foot +been well I thought I would reach my mother's parish before long. I +could not walk, I just limped. Carts passed me, but would not give me a +lift. My bare feet and head and ragged clothes made them suspicious, and +as for the gentlemen in gigs they did not look at me. When I came to +spring or burn I put my foot in it, for it was hot and swollen now. At +noon I finished the food in my bundle and went on. I had not gone far +when I had to stop, and was holding my sore foot in a spring when a +tinker came along. He asked what was wrong. Drawing a long pin out of +his coat collar he felt along the cut, and then squeezed it hard. I see +it now, he remarked, and fetching from his pouch a pair of pincers he +pulled from the cut a sliver of glass. Wrapping the cloth round it he +tied it with a bit of black tape, and told me if I kept dirt out it +would heal in a day or two. Asking me where I was going, we had some +talk. He told me the parish of Dundonald was a long way off and he did +not know anybody in it by the name of Askew. I was on the right road and +could find out when I got there. He lit his pipe and left me. I walked +with more ease, and the farther I went the hungrier I grew. Coming to a +house by the side of the road I went to the open door and asked for a +cake. I have nothing for beggars, cried a woman by the fire. I am no +beggar, I answered, I will pay you, and held out a halfpenny. She stared +at me. Take these stoups and fill them at the well. The hill was steep +and the stoups heavy, but I managed to carry them back one at a time and +placed them on the bench. She handed me a farl of oatcake and I went +away. It was the sweetest bite I ever got. It was not nearly dark when I +climbed a dyke to get into a sheltered nook and fell asleep. Something +soft and warm licking my face woke me. It was a dog and it was broad +day. What are you doing here, laddie? said the dog's master who was a +young fellow, perhaps six or seven years older than myself. His staff +and the collie showed me he was a shepherd. I told him who I was and +where I was trying to go. Collie again smelt at me and wagged his tail +as if telling his master I was all right. I went with the lad who said +his name was Archie. He led to where his sheep were and we sat down in +the sunshine, for it was another warm day. We talked and we were not ten +minutes together when we liked each other. He unwrapped from a cloth +some bannocks and something like dried meat, which he said was braxie. + +It was his noon-bite, but he told me to eat it for he said, we go back +to the shelter to-day, and by we he meant collie. He had been lonesome +and was glad of company and we chattered on by the hour. At noon, +leaving collie in charge of the sheep, we went to the hut where he +stayed and had something to eat. He said his father was shepherd to a +big farmer, who had sent him with two score of shearling ewes to get +highland pasture. We talked about everything we knew and tried to make +each other laugh. He told me about Wallace, and we gripped hands on +saying we would fight for Scotland like him, and I told him about +Glasgow, where he had not been. A boy came with a little basket and a +message. The message was from his father, that he was to bring the sheep +back early on Monday, and the basket was from his mother with food and a +clean shirt for the Sabbath. We slept on a sheepskin and wakened to hear +the patter of rain. After seeing his sheep and counting them, Archie +said we must keep the Sabbath, and when we had settled in a dry corner +of the hillside he heard me my questions. I could not go further than +Who is the Redeemer of God's elect? but he could go to the end. Then I +repeated the three paraphrases my mother had taught me, but Archie had +nearly all of them and several psalms. A shepherd would be tired if he +did not learn by heart, he said; some knit but I like reading best. Then +he took my mother's bible and read about David and Goliath. That over he +started to sing. Oh we had a fine time, and when a shower came Archie +spread his plaid like a tent over the bushes and we sat under it. He +told me what he meant to do when he was a man. He was going to Canada +and get a farm, and send for the whole family. As we snuggled in for the +night, he told me he would not forget me and he was glad collie had +nosed me out in the bushes. If I found in the morning he was gone, I was +to take what he left me to eat. Sure enough I slept in; he was gone with +the sheep. I said a prayer for him and took the road. + +It was shower and shine all day. I footed on my way as fast as I could, +for the cut was still tender. Towards night I neared a little village +and saw an old man sitting on the doorstep reading. I asked him if I was +on the right road to Dundonald. He replied I was, but it was too far +away to reach before dark, and he put a few questions to me. Asking me +to sit beside him we had a talk. Did you ever see that book? holding out +the one he was reading. 'It is A Cloud of Witnesses, and gives the story +of the days of persecution. I wish every man in Scotland knew what it +contains, for there would be more of the right stuff among us. I was +just reading, for the hundredth time, I suppose, the trial of Marion +Harvie, and how he who was afterwards James King of England consented to +send her, a poor frail woman, to the gallows'. From the Covenanters he +passed to politics. He was a weaver and did not like the government, +telling me, seeing where I came from, I must grow up to be a Glasgow +radical. Seeing I was homeless, he said he would fend me for the night, +and, going into the house, he brought out a coggie of milk and a barley +scone. When I had finished, he took me to the byre and left me in a +stall of straw, telling me to leave early for his wife hated gangrel +bodies and would not, when she came in, rest content, if she knew there +was anybody in the stable. When daylight came it was raining. I started +without anybody seeing me from the house. I was soon wet to the skin, +but I trudged on, saying to myself every now and then You're a +Scotchman, never say die. There were few on the road, and when I met a +postman and asked how far I was from Dundonald, his curt reply was, You +are in it. I was dripping wet and oh so perished with cold and hunger +that I made up my mind to stop at the first house I came to. As it +happened, it was a farm-house a little bit from the road. I went to the +kitchen-door where there was a hen trying to keep her chicks out of the +rain. There were voices of children at play and of a woman as if +crooning a babe to sleep. I stood a while before I ventured to knock. +There was no answer and after waiting a few minutes I knocked again. A +boy of my own age opened the door. An old woman came towards me and +asked what I wanted. I am cold, I said, and, please, might I warm +myself? She was deaf and did not catch what I said. 'Whose bairn are +you?' she asked me. Mary Askew's, I replied, I noticed the younger woman +who had the child in her lap fixed her gaze on me. Where are you from? +grannie asked. From Glasgow and I am so cold. Laying down the child in +the cradle, the younger woman came to me and sitting on a stool took my +hands. 'Where did your mother belong?' she asked in a kind voice. She +came from the parish of Dundonald. 'And where is your father?' He is +dead. 'And is your mother in Glasgow?' She died in the hospital, and the +thought of that sad time set the tears running down my cheeks. 'You poor +motherless bairn!' she exclaimed, 'can it be you are the child of my old +school companion? Have you any brothers or sisters?' No, I have nobody +in the world. 'Did your mother leave you nothing?' In my simplicity, not +understanding she meant worldly gear, I untied my bundle, uncovered the +cloth I had wrapped round it to keep it dry, and handed her the bible. +She looked at the writing. 'I remember when she got it, as a prize for +repeating the 119th psalm without missing a word.' Putting her arms +round my neck she kissed me and holding me to the light she said 'You +have your mother's eyes and mouth.' + +The boy and girl took me to the fire, and, when grannie was got to +understand who I was, she bustled round to heat over some of the broth +left from dinner and while it was warming the little girl forced her +piece into my mouth. The other boy came to me full of curiosity. Feeling +my legs he whispered, You're starvit. By-and-by a cart drove into the +yard. It was the master with his hired man. When he was told who I was, +he called me to him and patted me on the head. That night I slept with +Allan, the name of the older boy. His brother's name was Bob, and the +girl's Alice. The baby had not been christened. The name of the master +of the house was Andrew Anderson. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + + +Hating to be a burden on the family I was eager to work. Too weak for +farm duties, I helped about the house and came, in course of time, to +earn a good word from grannie. Tho of the same age, there was a great +difference between Allan and myself. He could lift weights I could not +move, did not get tired as I did, and as the stronger took care of me We +were all happy and getting-on well when trouble came from an unlooked +for quarter. The master got notice from the factor that, on his lease +running out the following year, the rent would be raised. He did not +look for this. During his lease he had made many improvements at his own +cost and thought they would more than count against any rise in the +value of farm lands. He remonstrated with the factor, who said he could +do nothing, his lordship wanted more revenue from his estate and there +was a man ready to take the farm at the advanced rent. He was sorry, but +the master had to pay the rent asked or leave the place. If I go, what +will be allowed me for the improvements I have made? Not a shilling; he +had gone on making them without the landlord's consent. You saw me +making them and encouraged me, said the master, and I made them in the +belief I would be given another tack to get some of the profit out of +them. The factor replied, Tut, tut, that's not the law of Scotland. The +master felt very sore at the injustice done him. On his lordship's +arrival from London, accompanied by a party of his English friends, for +the shooting, the master resolved to see him. On the morning he left to +interview him we wished him good luck, confident the landlord would not +uphold the factor, and we wearied for his return. The look on his face +as he came into the kitchen showed he had failed. He told us all that +passed. On getting to the grand house and telling the flunkey he had +come to see his master, the flunkey regarded him with disdain, and +replied his lordship was engaged and would not see him. Persisting in +refusing to leave the door and telling that he was a tenant, the flunkey +left and returned with a young gentleman, who asked what was his +business, saying he was his lordship's secretary. On being told, the +young man shook his head, saying his lordship left all such matters to +his factor, and it would do no good to see him. Just then a finely +dressed lady swept into the hall. Pausing, she cried, 'Tompkins, what +does that common-looking man want here? Tell him to go to the servants' +entry.' 'He wants to see his lordship,' was the reply. 'The idea!' +exclaimed the lady as she crossed the floor and disappeared by the +opposite door. The master could hear the sounds of laughter and jingle +of glasses. 'My, good man,' said the secretary, 'you had better go: his +lordship will not see you today.' 'When will he be at liberty to see +me?' asked the master, 'I will come when it suits his pleasure. I must +have his word of mouth that what the factor says is his decision.' The +secretary looked perplexed, and after putting a few questions, among +them that he had paid his rent and wanted no favor beyond renewal of his +lease on the old terms, he told my father to wait a minute and left. It +might be half an hour or more when a flunkey beckoned the master to +follow him. Throwing open a door he entered what he took to be the +library, for it had shelves of books. His lordship was alone, seated by +the fireplace with a newspaper on his lap. 'Now, say what you have to +say in fewest words,' said the nobleman. Standing before him the master +told how he had taken the farm 19 years ago, had observed every +condition of the lease, and had gone beyond them in keeping the farm in +good heart, for he had improved it in many ways, especially during the +past few years when he had ditched and limed and levelled a boggy piece +of land, and changed it from growing rushes into the best pasture-field +on the farm. 'Gin the farm is worth more, it is me who has made it and I +crave your lordship to either give me another tack at the same rent or +pay me what my betterments are worth.' His Lordship turned and touched a +bell. On the flunkey appearing, he said to him, 'Show this fellow to +the door,' and took up his newspaper. As the master finished, he said to +us, 'Dear as every acre of the farm is to me, I will leave it and go +where the man who works the land may own it and where there are no lords +and dukes, nor baronets. I am a man and never again will I ask as a +favor what is my due of any fellow-mortal with a title.' We went to bed +that night sorrowful and fearing what was before us. + +When he took anything in hand the master went through with it. Before +the week was out he had given up the farm, arranged for an auction sale, +and for going to Canada. My heart was filled with misgivings as to what +would become of me. I knew crops had been short for two years, and, +though he was even with the world, the master had not a pound to spare, +and depended on the auction-sale for the money to pay for outfit and +passage to Canada. I had no right to expect he would pay for me, and all +the more that he would have no use for a lad such as I was in his new +home. It was not so much of what might happen to myself after they were +gone that I thought about, as of parting with the family, for I loved +every one of them. I knew they were considering what to do with me, and +one day, on the master getting me alone, he seemed relieved on telling +me the new tenant of the farm was going to keep me on for my meat. I +thanked him, for it was better than I looked for. These were busy days +getting ready. Alice noticed that, in all the making of clothes, there +were none for me, and I overheard her ask her mother, who answered in a +whisper, that they had not money enough to take me along with them. +Alice was more considerate than ever with me. To their going grannie +proved an obstacle. She would not leave Scotland, she declared, she +would be buried in it, she would go to no strange country, let alone a +cold one like Canada, nor cross the sea. Her favorite of the family was +Robbie, on whom she doted. 'You will not leave him?' asked the mistress. +'Ou, he'll gang with me to Mirren's,' the name of her daughter in +Glasgow. 'Oh, no; Robbie goes with us to Canada.' It was a struggle with +the dear old soul, and in the end she decided she would brave the +Atlantic rather than part with her boy. + +The last day came. The chests, and plenishing for the home they looked +forward to in Canada, had gone the day before and been stowed in the +ship at Troon, and the carts stood at the door to receive the family and +their hand-bags. The children and all were seated and the master turned +to me before taking his place. He shook my hand, and tried to say +something, but could not, for his voice failed. Pressing half a crown in +my little fist he moved to get beside the driver, when Robbie cheeped +out astonished, 'Is Gordie no to go wi' us?' 'Whist, my boy; we will +send for him by-and-by.' At this Robbie set up a howl, and his brothers +and sisters joined in his weeping. The master was sorely moved and +whispered with his wife. 'His passage-money will make me break my last +big note,' I heard him say to her. 'Trust in the Lord,' she answered, +'I canna thole the thought of leaving the mitherless bairn to that hard +man, John Stoddart; he'll work the poor weak fellow to death.' Without +another word, the master hoisted me on top of the baggage, the carts +moved on, and Robbie looked up into my face with a smile. We were driven +alongside the ship as she lay at the quay. She was a roomy brig, and was +busy taking on cargo. Our part of the hold was shown to us, and the +mistress at once began to unpack the bedding, and to make the best of +everything. 'Is it not an awful black hole to put Christians into?' +asked a woman who was taking her first survey. 'Well, no, I do not think +so; it is far better than I expected.' She had a gracious way, the +mistress, of looking at everything in the best light. + +In the afternoon a man came on board to see the captain about taking +passage, and they agreed. He had no baggage, and as the ship only +supplied part of the provisions he had to go to buy what he needed for +the voyage. He asked the master to let me go with him to help to carry +back his bedding and parcels. We went from shop to shop until he had got +everything on his list; last of all he visited a draper and bought +cloth. On getting back to the ship he was tapped on the shoulder by a +seedy looking fellow who was waiting for him, and who said, 'You are my +prisoner.' The man started and his face grew white. I thought it strange +he did not ask what he was a prisoner for. 'Will you go quietly or will +I put these on?' asked the man, showing a pair of handcuffs in his coat +pocket. 'I will give you no trouble,' was the answer, 'only allow the +boy to stow these parcels and bags in my berth.' + +'I think the boy had better come with you; I will wait till he is +ready.' I wondered what he could want with me. He led us up the street +to a large building where he placed us in charge of a man even more +greasy and with a worse look than himself. It was quite a while before +he returned and led us into a large room. There was a long table, at its +head sat two well-dressed gentlemen, and at each side men with papers +before them. 'May it please your lordship and Bailie McSweem, the +prisoner being present we will now proceed.' He went on to explain that +the prisoner was a member of one of those political associations that +were plotting to subvert the government of the country, even thinking +they could organize a revolution and drive his majesty from the throne. +He need not dwell on the danger State and Church were in from the +plottings of those desperate men, and the need of all upholders of the +Crown and Constitution suppressing them with a firm hand. + +The gentleman who was addressed as his lordship nodded in approval, and +said, 'There is no need, Mr Sheriff, of referring to those unhappy +matters as we are fully cognizant of them. What about the prisoner?' + +'He is a member of the Greenock union, proceedings were about to be +taken for his arrest on a charge of sedition, when somehow he got wind +of what was about to take place and, knowing he was guilty, attempted +to flee the country. I can produce, if you say so, witnesses to prove +that he skulked into Troon by back streets and secured passage to Canada +on the Heatherbell, which sails in a few hours. I have one witness now +present.' + +His lordship remarked the Sheriff deserved credit for his vigilance and +the promptitude with which he acted. 'I suppose,' he added, 'we have +nothing more to do than order his being sent to Greenock for examination +and trial?' + +'That is all we need do.' answered the Sheriff. Just then a loud voice +was heard in the hall demanding admission, a sound as if the door-keeper +was pulled aside, and a sharp-featured man came in. 'What business have +you to enter here?' demanded the Sheriff. + +'I will soon show you. What are you doing with that man?' pointing to +the prisoner. + +'Leave at once, or I will order you to be ejected.' + +The man, who was quite composed, said to the prisoner, 'Mr Kerr, do you +authorize me to act as your attorney?' + +'Yes,' he answered. 'Very well, then, I am here by right. Now, Mr +Sheriff, hand me over the papers in the case.' + +The Sheriff, who was red in the face, 'I shall not, you have no right +here; you're not a lawyer.' + +Addressing the magistrates the man said he was a merchant, a burgess of +the city of Glasgow, had been chosen by the accused as his attorney and +was acting within his rights in demanding to see the papers. The +magistrates consulted in a whisper and his lordship remarked there could +be no objection. The Sheriff, however, continued to clutch them. 'You +ask him,' was the order of the stranger to Kerr, 'he dare not refuse +you.' Reluctantly the Sheriff handed them to the stranger, who quickly +glanced over them. 'Is this all?' he demanded. 'Yes, that is all,' +snapped the Sheriff. + +'Where is the warrant for Kerr's arrest?' + +'None of your business where it is.' + +Speaking to the bench, the stranger said there was neither information +nor warrant among the papers he held in his hand. The only authority +they had for holding Kerr was a letter from a clerk at Greenock, stating +one Robert Kerr, accused of sedition, had fled before the papers could +be made out for his arrest, and that, if he was found trying to take +ship at Troon, to hold him. 'I warn you,' said the stranger, shaking his +fist, 'that you have made yourselves liable to heavy penalties in +arresting Robert Kerr on the strength of a mere letter. There is no +deposition whatever, no warrant, and yet a peaceable man, going about in +his lawful business, has been seized by your thief-takers and made +prisoner. If you do not release him at once I go forthwith to Edinburgh +and you will know what will happen you by Monday.' He went on with much +more I do not recall, but it was all threats and warnings of what would +befall all concerned if Kerr was not released. The Sheriff at last got +in a word. 'The charge is sedition and ordinary processes of procedure +do not apply.' + +'You might have said that 30 years ago when you infernal Tories sent +Thomas Muir of Huntershill to his death, and William Skirving and others +to banishment for seeking reform in representation and upholding the +right of petition, but you are not able now to make the law to suit your +ends. You are holding this man without shadow of law or justice, and I +demand his being set at liberty.' + +'Quite an authority in law!' sneered the Sheriff. + +'Yes, I have been three times before the court of session and won each +time. I knew your father, who was a decent shoemaker in Cupar, and when +he sent you to learn to be a lawyer he little thought he was making a +tool for those he despised. Pick a man from the plow, clap on his back a +black coat, send him to college, and in five years he is a Conservative, +and puckers his mouth at anything so vulgar as a Reformer, booing and +clawing to the gentry and nobility. Dod, set a beggar on horseback and +he will ride over his own father, and your father was no lick-the-ladle +like you, but a Liberal who stood up for his rights.' The bitterness and +force with which the stranger spoke cowed his hearers. + +'These insults are too much,' stammered the Bailie. + +The stranger at once turned upon him. 'O, this is you McSweem, to whom I +have sold many a box of soap and tea when you wore an apron and kept a +grocer's shop. Set you up and push you forward, indeed. You have got a +bit of an estate with your wife's money and call yourself a laird! The +grand folk having taken you under their wing, you forget that you once +sat, cheek-by-jowl, with Joseph Gerrald, and now you sit in judgment on +a better man than a dozen like you.' + +'Mr Sheriff,' shouted his lordship. 'Remove this man to the cells.' + +'I dare you to put a finger on me,' and he grasped a chair ready to +knock down the officer who advanced to obey the order. 'I am within my +lawful rights. Dod, wee Henderson would ask nothing better than to +prosecute you before the lords of session were you to keep me in jail +even for an hour. Release this innocent man Kerr, and let us go.' + +'You are a vulgar bully,' exclaimed his lordship haughtily. + +The stranger dropped his bitter tone, and asked smoothly, 'May I ask +your lordship a question? Will you condescend to say how many of your +lordship's relatives are in government offices, and is it true your +wife's mother draws a pension, all of them living out of taxes paid by +the commonalty whom you despise?' + +His lordship affected not to hear him, and beckoning the Sheriff to draw +near, he conferred with the magistrates in whispers. I overheard Bailie +McSweem say, 'I know him, he's a perfect devil to fight; better have +nothing to do with him,' and the Sheriff's remark, 'He has got a legal +catch to work on.' When the Sheriff went back to his seat, h is lordship +said curtly, 'The accused is discharged,' and he and McSweem hurriedly +left. The stranger gripped Kerr by the shoulder and pushed him before +him until we reached the street. 'Now, I must leave you, for I must see +what my customers are out of.' + +'Tell me your name?' asked Kerr, 'that I may know who has done me such +service.' + +'Never mind; you are under no obligation to me. A wee bird told me you +were in trouble and I am glad to have been in time to serve you.' + +'You do not know all the service you have done; you have saved more than +myself from jail, and an innocent wife and children from poverty. Do let +me know your name that I may remember it as long as I live.' + +'Daniel M'farlane, and my advice is to quit Scotland right off, for +these devils are mad angry at your giving them the slip. They will get +the papers they need from Greenock and have you in jail if you are here +tomorrow.' A grip of the hand, and the stranger was gone. The whole +scene was such a surprise, so novel to me, that every part of it +fastened on my memory. + +On reaching the brig we found the sailors stowing away casks of water. +Kerr and myself had been given the same berth, and Allan and Robbie had +the next one. Saying he was dead-tired, for he had been on his feet +since leaving Greenock, Kerr turned in though the sun had not set. An +hour or so after, a number of men came to the wharf to see him. I found +him asleep. They asked if I was the lad the officer took along with him +to be a witness. Gathering in a quiet corner they had me repeat all +that took place. They said they were Liberals and glad to hear the black +nebs had won. + +The noise overhead of washing the deck awoke me, and I knew by the +motion of the ship we were sailing. On getting up I saw Troon several +miles behind and Ailsa Craig drawing near. Allan and myself, with Robbie +between us, were snuggled on the lee side of the longboat when Kerr +appeared. He was interested on hearing of the men who came to visit him +and said it was hard to be hounded out of Scotland, which he did not +wish to leave, for saying constitutional reforms were called for. 'I am +no worse used,' he added, 'than the man whom that county we are looking +at starved when he was among them and built monuments to him when he was +dead.' The town of Ayr was in sight and he named several of the points +Burns had named in his songs. 'Think, my laddies, of a man like Burns +being told by the officials over him to keep his Liberal views to +himself, that it was not for him to think but to be silent and obedient. +And he had to swallow their order to prevent his losing the petty office +which stood between his children and starvation.' + +The breeze that had taken the brig so far down the firth soon died away, +and we rocked gently south of Ailsa Craig. In the hold folk were busy +getting things in some sort of order, while on deck the sailors were +putting everything in shipshape. This breathing spell was fortunate, for +at dark the wind came in squalls, and on rounding the Mull of Cantyre +the ocean swells sent most of the passengers to their berths seasick. I +escaped and was able to help the family and Mr Kerr, who almost +collapsed, and was not himself for a week. His first sign of recovery +was his craving for a red herring. The mistress was early up and +bustling round to find she had to face an entire change in the methods +of housekeeping to which she had been used. There was a little house +between the two masts named the galley, and here the cooking was done. +The cook was an old man, gruff and crusty, who had spent most of his +life in a Dundee whaler. In the Arctic region his good nature had got +frozen and was not yet thawed out. He would allow nobody near and got +angry when suggestions were tendered. He made good porridge and tasty +soup, anything else he spoiled. As these alone were cooked in bulk and +measured out, the passengers took to the galley the food they wished to +be cooked. That each family get back what they gave in, the food was +placed in bags of netted twine and then slipped into the coppers of +boiling water. The mistress was a famous hand at roley-poley, and for +the first Sunday after sea-sickness had gone, she prepared a big one as +a treat. It looked right and smelled good, but the first spoonful showed +it had a wonderful flavor. In the boiler the net beside it held a nuckle +of smoked ham. The laughter and jokes made us forget the taste of the +ham and not a scrap of the roley-poley was left. Our greatest lack was +milk for the children, and we all resented being scrimped in +drinking-water, though before the voyage ended we became reconciled to +that, for the water grew bad. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + + +There were 43 passengers. There were two families besides our own, and +outside of them were a number of young men, plowmen and shepherds, +intent on getting land and sending for their people to join them the +next spring. There was an exception in a middle-aged man, brisk and +spruce, who held himself to be above his fellow-passengers, and said +nothing about where he came from or who he was. The only information he +gave was, that he had been in the mercantile line, and that he was to be +addressed as Mr Snellgrove. He waved his right hand in conversation and +spoke in a lofty way, which to Allan and myself was funny. When he had +got his sealegs and his appetite, he began lecturing the passengers as +to what they ought to do, enlarging on organizing a committee, of which +he was to be head. I think I see him, strutting up and down the deck by +the side of the captain with whom it gratified him to walk. The only +other passenger besides him who was not connected with farming was Mr +Kerr, to whom I became much attached. He was well-informed on subjects +I had heard of but knew nothing, and we talked by the hour. His +companionship was to me an intellectual awakening. Among his purchases +in Troon was material for a suit of clothes, which he made during the +voyage, for he was a tailor. He had left Greenock in such haste that he +had not time to go to his lodging for any of his belongings. Mr +Snellgrove affected to despise him both for his trade and his political +principles, and never missed an opportunity to sneer at him; Mr Kerr +never replied. + +Day followed day without relieving the monotony. At times we would get a +glimpse of the topsails of a ship gliding along the horizon, but usually +the ocean seemed to have no other tenant than our own stout brig. One +afternoon the cook rushed out of his den with the shout 'There she +spouts!' and looking where he pointed we saw a whale cleaving the waves. +We were in our third week out when we ran into a fog. The wind fell and +the brig rolled in the swell, causing her tackle to rattle and sails to +flap as if they would split. The second day the fog was thicker, and the +ocean smooth as glass. For fear of collision with another ship, the +lookout man kept blowing a horn which had a most dismal sound. The +captain and mate tried to get the sun at noon but could not find the +faintest trace. After dinner a gull flew past, which made the cook say +he smelt danger. A few were below but the most of us were on deck when a +slight bump was felt and then another. The rattling in the rigging +stopped and the ocean swell broke on our stern. The mate started to the +companion scuttle and shouted to the captain, that the ship was +grounded. In a minute he appeared, his face white and twisted with +anguish. His anxiety was not alone for the passengers and crew but for +himself. He was owner of the brig and if she was wrecked he was ruined. +The mate was casting the lead and when he shouted 'We are on a sandbank' +there was a sigh of relief deepened by the carpenter's report that the +ship was not making water. Grannie, who had managed to creep up the +ladder from the deserted hold, remarked 'We are sooner in Canada than I +expectit.' Her exclamation brought the reaction from our dread and we +burst into laughter. 'It is not Quebec,' shouted Allan in her ear, 'we +are aground.' 'A weel,' she replied, 'I will cling to the rock o' my +salvation.' + +The order was given to get ready the boats. There were two, the yawl +that had been hauled on top of the house on deck, and lay keel up. Oars +were mislaid and on hanging her to the davits it was noticed in time +there was no plug in the hole for drainage. The other boat, which was +our reliance, was the long boat abaft the foremast. Its cover was torn +off and we saw it was filled with all sorts of odds and ends that had +been stowed there to be out of the way. These were pitched aside by +willing hands and the tackle had been fastened to hoist her overboard, +when there was a shout from the fog of Ahoy. We saw a man in yellow oil +skins rowing towards us. Jumping on board, he asked 'What is keeping +you here?' 'You tell us,' replied the captain, who was overjoyed to see +him. The fisherman said we had been drifted by the current towards +Newfoundland, and had the ship not grounded she would in a few hours, +have been dashed against the cliffs that line the shore and every soul +been lost. It was the most wonderful escape he had ever known. + +'How are we to get off?' asked the captain. 'You will float off when the +tide makes.' 'And then what will we do if there is no wind?' 'You will +go on the cliffs, but there will be a capful of wind at ebb tide.' The +captain had sent for his chart, and the fisherman pointed out where the +brig stood. He said if a breeze did not come in time for her to make a +slant southwards we were to take to the boats and row to the cove which +he covered with his thumb. 'If you can get your anchor over the side, it +may help you,' he added. + +He and his comrades were out catching bait. He heard our horn and then +saw our lump of a brig loom through the fog. We were sorry to see him +leave and row off to his schooner, of which he had the bearings. To +hoist the anchor from where it had been stowed when we lost sight of +Tory island and bitt it to the chain was tedious work but it was begun. +We waited hopefully for the tide and, sure enough, it lifted us gently. +On feeling we were afloat once more we gave a cheer. Soon after a faint +breath of air was felt, the ship got steerage way, and we slowly hauled +off the dreaded coast. The breeze cleared the fog and in the rays of +the setting sun we saw the cliffs against which we might have been +shivered and the fishing-boats to which our friend belonged. + +On gathering in the hold our talk was of our escape. The master said it +was proof to him God was with us; we thought we were lost when we +grounded, yet that sandbank was what had saved us. Just then Mr +Snellgrove came down the ladder. 'I have just bade the captain good +night,' he said, 'and I am authorized by him to inform you all danger is +past. Had an executive committee been appointed the moment the vessel +struck matters would have gone on with less confusion. We are safe, +however, notwithstanding we have a Jonah on board.' + +Mr Kerr who was, like all of us, excited by the accident, asked, 'You +mean me?' + +Yes, you are a fugitive from the justice which would have punished you +as you deserve for sedition. The world has come to a strange pass when +tailors would dictate to the Powers ordained by God how the realm is to +be governed. For one I am loyal to my King and his advisers in all they +ordain. England's glorious bulwark is her throne and the nobility who +surround it.' + +The little man stood on the lower rungs of the ladder, in front of the +lantern that swung from a beam, so I saw him clearly. To our surprise Mr +Kerr came forward and spoke slowly and quietly. 'I do not wish you, my +fellow passengers, to look upon me any longer as a fugitive from +justice, and will explain how it comes that circumstances give color to +the charge. I have a brother, older than myself and father of a large +family. One day in April, a clerk in the sheriff's office, who is a +cousin, came to me at night to tell me that a spy who had attended a +meeting of the Liberal club, had laid an information that my brother had +spoken disrespectfully of the King, George the Fourth, and his advisers. +On the strength of this, a warrant was prepared for his arrest on the +charge of sedition. The spy had made a mistake in the first name and had +given mine instead of my brother's. My cousin said, if I would disappear +the prosecution would be baffled. To save my brother, for a prosecution +would ruin him, I fled at once, going to Troon, where I knew a ship was +ready to sail for Canada. On the officers going to my lodging to arrest +me, they found I had gone. How they came to know I had gone to Troon I +cannot say. Probably they sent word to all ports where ships were ready +to sail. As you know, I was arrested on board this boat and discharged, +because the magistrate had no authority to hold me. It was to save my +brother that I am here. What he said at the club I do not know, for I +was not there.' + +'A plausible story,' said Mr Snellgrove, 'but you told a lie when you +answered to a false name before the Troon magistrate.' + +'I told no lie,' answered Mr Kerr in a calm voice, 'for I was not asked +to plead, but I knew I could have saved myself and have sent my brother +to jail by correcting the mistake of the spy.' + +Mr Snellgrove was about to say more when a murmur of disapproval caused +him to slink to his berth. My master came forward and taking Mr Kerr by +the hand said, 'I respected you before; I honor you now,' and all, men +and women, pressed to shake his hand. + +After breakfast next morning there was much talk over our escape from +death, and the more light thrown on it in discussion the stronger grew +the feeling that we had been saved by the interposition of Providence. +Had the brig not struck the sandbank and done so at low tide, not a soul +would have reached land, and relatives would never have known what +became of the Heatherbell unless part of her wreckage was picked up. +There ought to be public acknowledgment of our rescue and expression of +our united thanks. The captain agreed it would be right, so, that +afternoon, all hands assembled, except Mr Snellgrove, who sat at the bow +pretending to read a book. The impression made on me, by the sight of +the sailors joining in the psalms and the children gathering round their +mothers' skirts in wonder, has survived these fifty-five years. The +master at the request of the captain, took charge. He read the story of +Paul's shipwreck and then prayed with a fervor that made me cry. To the +surprise of all, he asked Mr Kerr to improve the occasion. He began by +saying it was not for mortals to judge the ways of God, to complain of +visitations or to condemn acts that are inscrutable, but it was the +bounden duty of man, when good did befall him, to ascribe the praise to +God. They had a marvellous escape from a cruel death, and without +inquiring into the how or wherefore it was our part to acknowledge the +hand that saved us. After a good deal more in that strain of thought he +changed to the purpose of our voyage. We were crossing the ocean to +escape conditions in the Old Land that had become a burden to us, +hoping, in the New Land before us, there would be brighter surroundings. +To preserve that New Land from the mistakes and evils that blast the Old +was a duty. To try and reproduce another Scotland such as they had left +would be to reproduce what we were leaving it for. What we ought to try +is to create a new Great Britain in Canada, retaining all that is good +and dropping all that is undesirable. I want, he said, to see a land +where every man is free to secure a portion of God's footstool and to +enjoy the fruits he reaps from it, without an aristocracy taking toll of +what they did not earn, and a government levying taxes on labor to +support soldiers or to subsidize privileged classes of any kind whatever +their pretences. + +How much more the speaker would have said I do not know, for Mr +Snellgrove, who had come forward on his beginning to speak, here shouted +'Treason!' The master to prevent a scene, for a young shepherd moved to +catch hold of the offender, gave out the 100th psalm, and we closed in +peace. + +The hold was so dark that Mr Kerr could not see to sew, so on fine days +he worked on deck. Sitting beside him he taught me how to hold a needle, +for he said every man should be able to make small repairs. He advised +me to seize every opportunity to learn. When a boy he could have learned +to speak Gaelic and regretted he had let the chance go by. Should he get +work in Montreal, he would study French. A man's intellect grows by +learning whatever accident throws in his way, and the man who, from +foolish conceit, refuses to take advantage of his opportunities remains +a dolt. Read and observe, he said, and you will be able to say and do +when your fellows are helpless. He got cuttings of canvas from the +bosun, shaped them into a blouse, and got me to sew them together. The +other boys laughed at me, and called me the wee tailor, but the blouse +did me good service for many a day. While so much with him, I asked Mr +Kerr about his political trouble. Though a Liberal he belonged to no +club and was against using other than constitutional means to bring +about reforms, and these reforms must come. It could not continue that +Great Britain was to be ruled by a parliament composed of aristocrats +and their creatures, for the great mass of the people had no voice in +it. No Methodist, Baptist, or other dissenter was allowed a seat in +parliament, and there were noblemen who controlled the election of more +members than the city of Glasgow. Manchester and Birmingham have no +members. Half of Scotland is owned by a dozen aristocrats. Whenever you +hear men shout disloyalty and claim to be the only true-blue supporters +of their country, you may be sure they are selfishly trying to hold some +privilege to which they have no right. He told of many of his +acquaintances who had been prosecuted for petitioning for the mending +of political grievances, of a few who had been ruined by imprisonment +and law costs, of the men who had been banished to Australia, and the +three men who had been hanged. Hundreds had fled, like himself, to +escape prosecution. + +After our misadventure off Newfoundland our voyage was prosperous. +Coming on deck one sunny morning we saw land, which was Cape Ray, and +before the sun set we were in the Gulf of St Lawrence. We were not alone +now, for every few hours we sighted ships. They were part of the Spring +fleet to Quebec, now on their voyage home with cargoes of timber. One +passed us so close that the captains spoke, and when the homeward +captain shouted he was for the Clyde there were passengers who wished +they were on board her, and the tear came to their eyes when they +thought of Scotland and of those who were there. The Bird Rocks were +quite a sight to us, but the Ayrshire folk held they were not to be +compared with Ailsa Craig. On the Gulf narrowing until we could see land +on both sides, a white yacht bore down to us and sent aboard a pilot. He +was a short man, with grizzled hair. Being the first Frenchman we had +seen, we gathered round him with curiosity and listened to his broken +English with pleasure, for the tone was kindly and he was so polite, +even to us boys. He brought no very late news, for he had left Quebec +ten days before, when the weather was so hot that laborers loading ships +dropped in the coves from sunstroke. Each tack that brought the brig +higher up the river changed the scenery, a range of forest-clad trees on +the north bank, and on the south bank a row of whitewashed cottages, so +closely set that they looked as if they lined a street, broken at +intervals by the tin-covered roof and steeple of a church. There were +discussions among our farmers as to the narrowness of the fields and +what kind of crops were on them, for they looked patchy and were of +different colors, which the pilot was generally called on to decide, and +it was funny to watch his difficulty in understanding their broad +Scottish speech. Reaching where the ebb tide was stronger than the +breeze, anchor was dropped for the first time. Before the tide turned, +the pilot cried to dip up water, and there was a shout of delight when +we tasted it and found the buckets were filled with fresh water. Wasn't +there a big washing that day! As much splashing as the porpoises made +who gambolled at a distance. Cool, northerly breezes helped us on our +way, and exactly five weeks from the day we left Troon we came to anchor +off Cape Diamond, which disappointed us, for we looked for a higher rock +and a bigger fort. On the ship mooring, the pilot sat down, and in a +frenzy of delight at his success in bringing her up safely, flourished +his arms and chuckled in his own language. Darting from a wharf came a +fine rowboat with four oarsmen, and an official in blue with gilt +buttons holding the helm. We were so engrossed in watching it, that we +did not notice Mr Snellgrove had joined us, decked out grandly in +finest clothes. Before the captain could say a word to the +customs-officer, Mr Snellgrove asked him whether the governor-general +was at his residence, and on being told he was, said he would accompany +his majesty's official on shore, and, so saying stepped on the boat and +seated himself in silent dignity in the stern, turning his back to us +who were looking on. The officer's visit was brief; the boat pushed off +and we had our last look of Mr Snellgrove, transformed from a +steerage-passenger into a dandy expecting to mix with the grandees of +Quebec. Next day, in talking with the captain, he told the master +Snellgrove had kept a draper's shop at Maybole, failed for a big sum, +and had come to Canada expecting to get, with the letters of +introduction he had from a number of noblemen, a government situation. + +The intention being to weigh anchor on the tide flowing, leave to go on +shore was refused to the passengers. The captain, having to report at +the customs, he, however, took Mr Kerr with him, to get materials for +repairs he was making to the captain's clothes. Mr Kerr caught hold of +me, and I had a hurried look at what appeared to me to be a foreign +town, leaving out the street that ran along the harbor, which seemed to +be lined with taverns frequented by soldiers and sailors. Mr Kerr bought +a fancy basket from a squaw, as a present to the mistress, who had been +kind to him. While we were gone, the ship was visited by boats offering +bread for sale, and willing to take in exchange split peas or oatmeal. +Black lumps were held up as maple sugar. They were so dirty that +curiosity was soon satisfied. The boat that brought us a pilot, went +back with Snellgrove's trunk. On the tide beginning to flow the anchor +was lifted and we were borne upwards, passing the crowd ashore, among +whom were many soldiers. A gun was fired from the citadel and the flag +fluttered down, for it was sunset when we got into the stream. +Everything being new and strange nothing escaped us, and every passenger +was on deck watching. The number of ships surprised all. There were rows +of them for two or three miles, in the midst of fields of the logs which +were to form their cargoes. As I sat beside Mr Kerr in the twilight, he +spoke of the sights I could not help seeing in the street along the +waterfront of Quebec, or hearing the language used. There was evil in +the world of which a man should try to keep ignorant. It was not +knowledge of the world to look into, much less to dabble in its filth. A +lad who kept his thoughts clean was repaid by health and happiness, +while entertaining evil imaginings led to a weak intellect and +discontent with oneself. I had noticed before, when anybody began a +dirty story that Mr Kerr rose and left. Another time he told me, his +constant effort was to think of only pleasant things, to try and relieve +what was disagreeable by looking from a sunny standpoint and to meet +disappointments by searching if there was not some good in them. + +On the tide beginning to turn, the anchor was dropped. The tide is felt +as high as Three Rivers and it is possible for a ship to go that far by +floating up with it. The second night after leaving Quebec we were +startled by a loud knocking on the companion of the forecastle and an +imperative shout to tumble up. An east wind had come and every minute +was valuable. The anchor was lifted and sails set, and before the sun +appeared we were sweeping past Three Rivers. Interest was kept up by the +villages and fields we passed, and it was the decision of the farmers +that it was poor land badly worked. More novel to us, was the succession +of rafts we met, each covering acres, with masts and houses on them, and +men along their sides keeping them in midstream by means of long oars. +As we passed up lake St Peter the wind freshened, the clouds came lower +and the rain poured. The captain and pilot were in great glee, for they +told us if the wind held we would pass up the St Mary's current and +anchor off Montreal before dark. Strong as the wind was and with every +sail set that would draw, it was found we could not stem the current +without help, so the ship was brought close to the bank, a rope passed +ashore, and a string of oxen appeared, who helped to draw her into +calmer water. The night was dark and rainy but we kept on deck and +watched the lights of Montreal. + +They had not been at sea a week when the three farmers had agreed they +would keep together on reaching Canada and take up land side by side. +They were also of one mind in making Toronto (it was not so named then) +their starting-point in search of new homes. The captain's advice was, +that one of them should take the stage at Montreal; by so doing he would +get to Toronto at least a week ahead of the rest of the party, in which +time he could hunt up land. This would save delay and the expense of +staying in lodging while looking for a place to settle. It was arranged +the master should go. At daylight he got ashore and was in time for the +stage that left for Prescott. We were all up early that morning, eager +to see Montreal. The clouds had gone and the mountain looked fresh and +green. The town consisted of a few rows of buildings along the river. +There being no wharf or dock the ship was hauled as close to the shore +as her draft allowed, and a gangway of long planks on trestles set up. +Nearly every passenger walked over it to say they had set foot on +Canada. A number of the men went into the town to see it. In two hours +one of them was brought back drunk and without a copper in his pockets. +Mr Kerr told me he would stay in Montreal if he got a place. He returned +in the afternoon to tell us he had got work and to take away his few +belongings. He bade all good-bye. On coming to me, I went with him, for +he had asked the mistress that I go with him to see the town. The +narrowness of the streets and the foreign look of the houses with their +high-pitched roofs impressed me less than the muddy roadways, for I had +never thought there could be a town with unpaved streets and no +sidewalks. Mr Kerr, on his way to his boarding-house, showed me the shop +where he was to begin work next morning. While we were in his bedroom a +gong sounded for supper. It was all new to me, the people, their talk, +and the food. I wondered to see meat and potatoes for supper, hot buns, +and apple-pies. After supper we had a walk, and in going along one of +the streets there was a man before us carrying a baby. Raising her head +above his shoulder the child looked at us and said something to him. +Without reflecting, I wondered how a child could have learned French so +early in life. On turning back to the ship Mr Kerr took me into a shop +and bought me a cap, and I had need of one. On coming in front of the +ship, he shook my hands as if he did not want to let me go, and made me +promise I would write him and tell where we had settled. For himself, he +would stay in Montreal at least long enough to get his belongings by +ship from Greenock. + +The captain having given notice that everybody must leave the ship next +day, there was early bustling in finishing packing and arranging for the +next stage in our journey, which was to be by a Durham boat to Prescott. +Carts were on hand to haul our luggage to the canal, where lay the boat +that had been hired for our party. A carter hoisted a chest on his +little vehicle and hurriedly drove off. Instead of taking the direction +of the other carts, he went straight up the dump that led into the town. +I shouted to him to stop. He laid his whip on the horse and drove +faster. It flashed on me he was a thief, and I ran after him. I could +never have caught up to him had it not been market day and the street +was crowded with people and carts. I jumped up beside him and pulled at +his collar to make him stop. He tried to push me on to the road, but I +clung to him, when he lashed me with the whip. I shouted for help, but +all being French they did not know what I said, but they saw something +was wrong and with many exclamations the crowd stood staring at us. Just +then a little, stout man, in a black gown, elbowed his way through the +crowd, and asked me in English what was the matter. I told him the +carter had stolen the chest. He spoke to the carter in French. 'The man +denies it,' said the priest, for such I now guessed he was. I hurriedly +narrated what had happened, and for proof pointed to the name painted on +the chest. Speaking with severity to the carter, the fellow turned his +horse towards the river and the priest told me he would take the chest +back to where he got it. 'But he may not do so,' I exclaimed. The priest +gave me a sharp look, as if surprised that I should be ignorant of his +power. 'He dare not disobey me.' I thanked the priest from the bottom of +my heart, and in a few minutes the carter had dumped the chest on the +spot where he had taken it and drove away. On telling the mate what had +happened, he said it was common for emigrants, both at Quebec and +Montreal, to be robbed by fellows who regarded them as fair game. + +We followed the cart that took the last of our luggage, forming quite a +procession, and each one of us who was able carried something. I had a +bag in one hand and an iron pot in the other. Grannie held a firm grip +of Robbie, who she feared might be lost in Montreal, for the puir laddie +hadna a word of French. On coming to the canal we were disappointed with +both it and the boat. The canal was a narrow ditch and as to the boat, +it was short and narrow and had no deck, except a few feet at either +end. 'We cannot live in that cockle-shell!' exclaimed Mrs Auld. Her +owner replied 'She was one fine boat, new, built by Yankee.' He was the +only one of the crew who understood English, and was quick in his +motions. He soon had all we brought with us stowed, and when a corner +was found for the last chest, it was a surmise where the crew and +passengers could find standing-room. The decked portions were allotted +the women and children, the men and boys roosted on top of boxes and +bales as they could. When all was ready, the conductor took the helm, +the crew lined up on the bank with a tow-line over their shoulders, and +off we started. The weather was fine and the country we passed +beautiful. At the first locks we came to, the mistress stepped to a +farmhouse beside the canal, and came back with the pail she had taken +with her full of milk. It was the first the children had since we left +Scotland. It was late in the day when the boat got to the end of the +canal; the conductor, who told us to call him Treffle, said we would +wait and have supper before going on the lake. Driftwood was gathered +and fires made, pots and pans being set on stones. The crew fried fat +pork, which, with bread, was their supper. We made porridge, for we had +still a good supply of oatmeal, and of ship-biscuit. The sails were +hoisted and we got away before it was quite dark. The wind was westerly, +so we had to tack. Had it not been that the boat had a centreboard we +would have made small progress. The centreboard was a novelty to us, and +we could see how close it helped the little vessel to sail in the eye of +the wind. The size of the lake surprised everybody and all the more when +Treffle told us it was the St Lawrence. 'My, it is a big river and it is +in a big country!' exclaimed Mrs Auld. Everybody had to sleep as they +best could; some slept sitting, more by leaning against one another, +nobody had room to stretch himself. We were tired and glad to rest in +any way. Mrs Auld said we were like herring in a barrel, packed heads +and thraws. In waking at daylight we heard the sound of water dashing +and roaring, and looking upwards saw the river tumbling downwards in +great waves, which were, for all the world, like those of the Atlantic +in a gale, except that they stayed in the same place. Treffle said these +waves were due to the rushing water striking big rocks in the bed of the +river, over which they kept pouring, and gave the name Cascades to the +rapid. The boat was tied up, as the crew were to have breakfast before +their hard work in making a passage past the rapids. I went with the +mistress to a house that was not far away for milk. A smiling woman met +us at the door and asked us inside; the house was clean and neat. We +tried to make her understand what we wanted but failed until I put the +pail between my knees and imitated milking a cow. She laughed heartily +and by signs made us know she did not have a cow. Stepping to the +fireplace she dipped a tin into a big pot that simmered in a corner and +handed it to the mistress. It was soup. Holding out some money, she made +signs to fill the pail. Having done so she picked out five coppers from +the money offered, and bade good-by with many a smile and nod. The soup +proved to be fine, just one drawback, its flavor of garlic. 'They use no +split peas to make their pea-soup here,' remarked Mrs Auld, 'and it is +an improvement.' 'No, no,' interjected Treffle, 'soup be good because +all time kept boiling; pot by the fire Sunday to Sunday.' The chill in +the morning air made the hot soup grateful. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + + +Our curiosity as to how our boat was to get up the rapid was soon +satisfied. Along both sides of the boat ran a stout plank, to which were +securely fastened a row of cleats, about two feet apart. The crew +gathered at the bow, each man holding a long pole with an iron point. On +the order being given by the conductor, who held the helm, two men +stepped out and took their place on the planks, one on each side, and +dropped the iron points of their poles into the river, until they struck +bottom. Then, pressing the end they held against their shoulders, pushed +with all their might. As the boat yielded to their thrust, they stepped +backward down their planks, making room for another man in front, until +there were four on each side of the boat, pushing with their utmost +strength. As the men who first got on the planks reached the end, they +jumped aside and made their way to the bow to begin anew the same +operation, of dropping their poles into the water, tucking the head of +them into the hollow of their shoulders, and, leaning forward, push as +they did before, receding step by step, the cleats giving the needed +purchase to their feet. The current was swifter than any millstream, yet +the boat was pushed slowly up until we reached the entrance to a canal, +smaller than that at Lachine, for it was only 2-1/2 feet deep and so +narrow that the crew jumped it when they wished to cross. It served the +purpose, however, of enabling the boat to pass the worst part of the +rapid, where it foamed in great billows. Quitting the canal the swift +current was again met and the setting poles again put into use. Our lads +were eager to try their hands, but a few minutes was enough, their +shoulders being too soft for the work. Those of the crew were calloused +almost like bone, but even to them it was hard work, for the sweat +rolled down their faces, as they struggled along the planks bent double. +On reaching the next rapid, Treffle asked all who could to get out and +walk along the bank, as the boat was drawing too much water. Robbie +wanted to go with us, but grannie clung to him. 'Should the boatie cowp, +who would save him gin I was na at hand?' she asked. To help the crew, +we pulled at a towline until she got to another small canal. As we went +on, we had the excitement of watching boats pass us on their way to +Montreal, shooting the rapids. They were heavily loaded, mostly with +bags of flour, yet ran down the foaming waters safely. To us boys, was +more exciting the passage of rafts, for they splashed the water into +spray. Having overcome that rapid, we all got on board, and the crew had +an easier time in pushing along until we got in sight of a church +perched above a cluster of cottages. The mistress asked Treffle how they +made the passage before the small canals were cut where the rapids were +most dangerous. He explained, that at the first rapid all the freight +was unloaded and conveyed in carts to the landing-place on lake St +Francis, while the empty boats were poled and towed close alongside the +edge of the bank, avoiding the boiling water. In those days the boats +were lighter and sailed in companies, and their crews united to take +them up one by one. The village, the Cedars, was to be the resting-place +of the boatmen until next day, and scattering among the houses, where a +few of them had their families, they left the boat to the passengers. +Treffle led the way to houses where provisions could be bought and at +prices so low that the women wondered. Saying nothing so good to make +men strong, he bought for the mistress a big piece of boiled pork, +which, sliced thin, we enjoyed either with bread or our ship-biscuit. We +watched the baking of bread. It was fired in queer little white +plastered ovens set in front of each house, looking somewhat like +beehives placed on top of strong tables. The ovens are filled with wood, +which is set on fire, and when the oven is hot enough the wood is raked +out, the loaves shoved in, and the door shut. We youngsters gathered +round one on seeing the woman was about to open it. When she drew out +the first loaf, with a fine crust and an appetizing smell, we could not +help giving a cheer, it was so wonderful to us. We went back to the +boat with a lot of food, to which was added fish, bought from a man as +he landed from his canoe, which we fried. That evening we had the best +meal since we left home, and at night had plenty of room to sleep, for +the air being hot a number of us slept beneath the trees. We safely got +past the fourth and last of the rapids, floating out of a little canal +into a large lake. The wind was still in the west, so we had to keep +tacking, and it was afternoon when we passed Cornwall and steered for +the south side of the St Lawrence. Allan was pointing out to Grannie +what was British and what was American; she remarked, on comparing the +houses on the two banks, 'That gin Canadians wad build houses of wood, +they ocht to hae the decency to paint them.' On nearing the +landing-place at the foot of the rapids, Allan pointed to a group of +people and told her they were Yankees. She shook her head, she did not +believe him, they were too like our ain folk to be Yankees. The Soo is +the longest rapid of the St Lawrence measuring nine miles, but is not +nearly so wild as those we had passed, having fewer waves and intervals +of smooth water. There was no canal to help in getting to the head of +it, and it was beyond the strength of our crew to push the boat up with +setting-poles. There was a towpath along the U.S. bank on which stood +three yoke of oxen. A stout cable was hooked to their whiffle-tree and +they started. On getting fairly into the strength of the current the +crew dropped their poles into the water, and it was all men and oxen, +strained to the utmost, could do at times to stem the sweep of the +mighty tide. It was slow work but we won to smoother water and the boat +tied up for the night. It was hot when we entered lake St Francis, it +was sultry now. Alongside us was a Durham boat like ours, but longer. It +was packed worse than our own, men, women, and children huddled as close +as captives on a slaveship, and like ourselves worn out with fatigue and +facing the thunderstorm that we heard coming without covering of any +kind. The quiet determination to endure much in the belief that we were +coming to a country where we would better our condition sustained all in +doing our best to make light of our trials. To a young woman, who was +trying to get a fretful baby to sleep, the mistress sent me with a tin +of milk and we had some talk. I asked if she was not sorry she had left +the Old Land. 'No, no,' she replied, 'we had no prospect there; here, +with hard work we have the prospect of comfort and of depending on +nobody for work or help.' She kissed her babe and speaking to him said, +'Yes, Willie, you will never know in this country what your mother came +through.' It was this hope that sustained us all. There was only a small +house in sight and the near bush was scrub, so we did not ask to go on +shore and had to wait, patiently, for the heat and mosquitoes kept us +awake. The storm did not last long, but wetted all to the skin who could +not creep under the decked parts of the boat. It brought great relief in +freshening the air. The boatmen were astir before daylight, hoisting the +sails, for the wind had turned to the north, as it often does after a +thunderstorm. There were places, where the current ran so fast that +setting-poles had to be used, but we got on well, and, by-and-by, +sighted two towns--Ogdensburg and Prescott, the one bright and tidy, the +other with a weather-beaten uninviting look. We rejoiced to see a small +steamboat at the Prescott wharf. It was waiting for the stage from +Montreal. A bargain was made to take our party to Kingston. On the boat +we had met at the Soo coming in, she had too many emigrants for the +steamer to take on board, but her captain agreed to tow her. The offer +was made to let any of the women change boats, but none accepted. Like +ourselves, they were travelling in families and feared to be parted. We +were real sorry in bidding good-by to the crew of the Durham boat, for +they had been kind and made companions of the children. As one wee tot +came up to her special favorite, she pursed her lips to be kissed; the +Canadian took the pipe out of his mouth and gave the queerest cry of +delight I ever heard. We could not speak to each other, but in the +language of grimace and expression of countenance the French Canadian +excels. The Montreal stage at last appeared, drawn by four horses, and +on its passengers getting settled in the cabin, the steamer began her +voyage. She was not like the steamboats of later days, which are houses +built on hulls. She was just a good-sized barge with an engine and two +paddle-wheels, which sent her along at a slow rate, all the more slowly +on account of her towing the Durham boat. Our party crowded her fore +deck and our baggage, piled on the freight she had when we got on, was +higher than her paddle-boxes. We stopped three times to take on wood +during the passage, reaching Kingston next morning, where we were to get +a steamer for Toronto, but had to wait for her arrival. She was a larger +boat but of the same pattern as the one we left, having her cabins below +deck. There were over a hundred emigrants, and we so crowded the +steerage that we were packed as close as in the Durham boats. The +prospect of being so near our journey's end made us endure discomfort +cheerfully. I remember how the great size of lake Ontario impressed us +all, having an horizon like that of the Atlantic. We had wondered at the +width of the St Lawrence and at where all the water came from to dash +down its rapids, but this great lake surprised us more, with its +sea-gulls and big white painted ships bowling along. Mr Auld remarked +the county of Ayr would be but an island in it, and Mr Brodie that you +might stick Glasgow in a corner and never know it was there were it not +for the reek. Many were the surmises as to how the master had got on, if +he had got land, if he would meet us, and what our next move would be. +The mistress shared in none of their anxiety. She was calm in her +confidence of her husband's ability and energy. She was convinced he had +secured land and that he would be waiting on the wharf when the steamer +sailed into Toronto. They were what every married couple ought to be--of +one mind and one heart. Our first sight of Toronto pleased us all, and +we had a long view of it, sailing round the island before reaching the +entrance to the harbor. Our eyes were strained as we came near the wharf +in the hope of picking out master among the people who crowded it. All +of a sudden Robbie shouted Father, and a man waved his hand, whom, as +the boat drew closer in we all recognized. The sailors were still +hauling the steamer into her berth, when Mr Brodie shouted 'Have you got +land?' Yes, was the reply. 'Thank God!' ejaculated Mr Brodie, and we all +said the same in our hearts; the relief we felt only emigrants, after a +weary journey, to a strange country can know. Pressing round the master, +with Ruth in his arms and Robbie pulling at his coat tails, he said he +had got land, not far from Toronto, and had secured carts to move us +that day to take possession. First of all, he said, we will have dinner. + + + + +Here I stopped. It was my youngest daughter who insisted on my telling +How I Came to Canada, and I had consented on condition she would write +down what I said, for I am a poor penman and no speller. Recalling what +had happened in my early life, and I did so generally as I lay in bed in +my wakeful hours, I dictated to Mary as she found leisure. On reading +over what she had written I had only one fault to find with her +work--she had not taken down the Scotch as I had spoken it. She had put +my words, so she said, into proper English. She protested against my +halting in my narrative with the arrival at Toronto, and insisted I go +on and tell of our life in the backwoods. I cannot resist her pretty way +of pleading with me when she wants anything, for she is so like my +sainted mother that I often start at the resemblance. To me, in her +young face and figure my mother lives again. The agreement was to tell +How I Came to Canada. To that I now add, How we Got On in its Backwoods. + + + + +HOW WE GOT ON IN THE BACKWOODS + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +SEEKING FOR LAND + + +Leaving Mr Auld and Mr Brodie to see to the unloading of the baggage, we +followed the master up the brae to the street that faces the lake, and +entered a tavern. While waiting for dinner he told us of his experience +in Toronto, not all, for he added to it for a week afterwards, but the +substance of his complete story I will tell at once. The morning after +his arrival be went to the office of the surveyor-general, and found +several in the waiting-room; three he recognized as having come with him +in the steamboat from Kingston. Like himself they all wanted land. +Talking among themselves, an Englishman, who said he had been in Toronto +four days, declared he had got sick coming to the office; he had thought +there would be no difficulty in getting a lot and going to it at once, +but found it was not so. The money he had to carry them to their new +home was going in paying for board of his family. Unless he was assigned +a lot that day, he would cross to the States. All were eager to get +their lots at once; Canada invited emigrants yet, when they came to her +door, there was no hurry in serving them. The master asked the reason, +and got a number of answers. One was that there was too much formality +and redtape, another that the officials were above their business and +treated emigrants as if they were inferior animals, but the reason that +struck the master most was that given by the emigrant who said this was +his fourth day, which was, that if an emigrant had any money they wanted +him to buy land, instead of giving him a government grant. While they +were talking the headman of the office walked past them, accompanied by +a gentleman in military uniform, and went into the inner room. Both +gentlemen were speaking loudly. 'Yes,' said the surveyor-general, 'we +are building a future empire here, and would like more recognition from +the Home government of our services. We are doing a great work with +imperfect means.' 'Ah!' exclaimed the officer, 'what do you need?' 'We +need more money and more officials to direct the stream of immigration.' +So they went on gabbling, while by this time there were over fifty of us +in the waiting-room and round the door outside. Getting tired, the +master asked a clerk who was passing in to see the surveyor, to tell him +there were a number of emigrants wanting lots and if he would be pleased +to help them. We heard the message given and the reply 'I am engaged +with Colonel Rivers, and cannot possibly see them today; go and take +their names and the places where they are staying.' So we gave our +names, said the master, and came away sick at heart. While waiting in +the tavern at a loss what to do a man came into the barroom and asked if +he was Mr Anderson. He had heard he wanted land and could introduce him +to a party who would supply him at a reasonable price. 'I have not come +all the way from Scotland to pay for land; I expect to get a lot on the +government's conditions.' You can get such a lot, replied the stranger, +but when you see it you would not take it. All the government lots are +in the back country, and often wet or stony. What you want is good land +and near a market. He talked on, trying to persuade the master to go +with him and make a purchase, but he said he would take time to think +over what he had told him. The stranger pressed him to come to the bar +and have a treat; the master said No. After he was gone the master asked +the tavern-keeper if he knew the man. 'Oh, yes, he is a runner for the +big bugs who have land for sale.' 'How came he to know I wanted land?' +'Were you not at the surveyor-general's office this morning and left +your name? There is a regular machine to get all the money out of you +emigrants that can be squeezed.' The landlord said nearly all the +desirable land was held by private persons, who had got large grants +under one pretence or another and who were selling it for cash, when the +emigrant had any, or on mortgage if he had none, for if he failed in his +payments they got the lot back with all the improvements the emigrant +and his family had made. After dinner the master took a walk, and +passing along the street the thought struck him that he should call at +the post-office, for there might be a letter from Scotland. Asking a +gentleman to direct him to the office, the reply was he was going that +way and would show him. 'You're a Scotchman,' remarked the gentleman, +'What part are you from?' From Ayrshire. 'That is my native county.' So +they talked until the office was reached. Standing at the door, the +master told him of his perplexity about getting land. 'Ask if there is a +letter for you,' directed the stranger. There was none. 'Now come with +me and I will try to find out some way to help you.' They entered a +large store, opposite the market-place, of which the gentleman was +owner. The place was crowded with customers waiting their turn to be +served. Taking him into a cubby-hole of an office he asked the master to +speak frankly, to tell him how much land he wanted, what money he had, +and the number of his family. When he had learned all, Mr Dunlop, for +that was his name, said, 'You may give up your notion of getting land +for the fees. All the good land, so far surveyed, is in the hands of our +gentry, who live by selling it, or of speculators. The lots the +surveyor-general would give you would be dear for nothing, they are so +far away. You want to be as near the lake, or a town or village as you +can manage, so that you can buy and sell to advantage. Many who go on +remote lots have to leave them after undergoing sufferings no Christian +man or woman should endure. I am busy now; come back at four o'clock and +I will find out what can be done.' + +On returning to the store at that hour he found Mr Dunlop had been +called away, but had left a letter, which he was to deliver. With some +difficulty the master found the house. There was a man and woman sitting +in the shade on the stoop. Reading the letter he was asked to sit down. +The master described the man as short and thin and well up in years, but +wiry and active. His wife was comely for her years, with a placid +expression. In reply to his first question, the master addressed him as +Sir. 'Use not that word again; all men are equal before God; use not the +vain distinctions by which so many try to magnify themselves and set +themselves apart from their fellows.' The master was taken aback. The +wife explained that they were Friends, whom the world named Quakers, and +that their yea and nay meant what they expressed; they desired +directness and sincerity in speech. Both took much interest in what the +master told them, for they kept questioning him until they learned how +he came to leave Scotland and of the voyage. They were struck by his +account of the ship grounding off Newfoundland and the wife remarked +'Thee did well to give thanks to Him who saved you.' The address of Mr +Kerr they asked for, and the master promised to get it. 'He has suffered +as we Friends have and still do, for we have no voice in the government +of the country and can hold no office.' A girl came to the door who +said supper was ready. The master rose to leave. 'Nay, thee must break +bread with us; thee art a stranger in a strange land,' said the wife, as +she took hold of his arm. The evening passed too quickly, for the master +enjoyed his company. On rising to go, the Quaker told him he had a block +of land he had taken for a bad debt. 'And what is the price you put on +it?' asked the master. 'I do not sell in that way. Thou must see the +land and if it suits thee, come back, and I will tell thee its price. +Thee take breakfast as early as they can give it, and you will find a +man whom we call Jabez waiting to lead thee where the land is.' + +Next morning as the sun was rising over the lake, the master overheard a +man in the barroom asking for him, and hurried from the table. He was +tall and gaunt, with a set mouth that spoke of decision of character. At +the door were two saddled horses and in a few minutes they were trotting +up Yonge street. When they had to slow down, on account of the road +becoming full of yawning holes, Jabez had much to say about backwoods +farming. He had not the personal experience of a settler, but had seen +much of backwoods life and had known scores who had tried it. 'Not one +in five succeeds,' he said, 'some fail from not having money to feed +their families until enough land is under crop to maintain them, others +from going on stony or sandy lots that yield only poor crops, and not a +few from going where it is marshy and fever-and-ague prevail. Many go +into the backwoods who have not the muscle for its hard work or who +will not be content to live on pork and potatoes, until they can get +better, yet even they might do had they perseverance and self-denial. +The Scotch and the North of Ireland people, accustomed to hard work and +spare living, seldom fail.' They were riding past much land in bush, +generally without a strip of clearing. Jabez remarked the curse of +Canada was giving land to people who would not go to live upon it, who +had no intention of clearing it, but held it to sell. A deal of that +land you see was given as grants to old soldiers. A colonel could claim +1200 acres, a major 800, a captain 600 acres, and a private 100 acres. +Not one in twenty who drew their lots meant to live on them, and of the +few who tried most of them failed and left. Speculators had their agents +round taverns and stores ready to buy soldiers' tickets, and got +transfers for a few dollars, sometimes for a keg of whiskey or a +hundredweight of pork. If you want to kill a country, deal out its land +as grants to old soldiers. It does the soldiers no good and keeps back +settlement, for the grants they got are left by speculators unimproved, +to the hurt of the genuine settlers, who want roads opened, fences put +up, and ditches dug. You will find out this yourself when you begin to +clear a lot. This giving away land to soldiers is well meant, but +soldiers wont go on it and it is just a way to make speculators rich. No +man should get an acre from the government unless he binds himself to +live on the land and clear it. On the master saying he was told much +land was got by politicians, Jabez grew warm in denouncing them. +Whatever party was in office, used the land as a means of bribery. They +bought the support of members by grants of land and, when an election +came round, got the settlers to vote as they wished under threats of +making them act up to the letter of their settlement duties or offering +back-dues and clear titles in return for their support. No candidate +opposed to the government can be elected for a backwoods county. With +such talk Jabez relieved their journey until they came to a side-road, +which was a mere bridle-path. Up this they turned, passing through solid +bush. It was a bright, hot day in the clearings, but under the trees it +was gloomy and chill, with a moist odor of vegetation which was grateful +to the master, and this was his first experience of the bush. Fallen +trees, which lay across the track, their horses jumped, as they also did +on meeting wet gullies. Jabez said the path had been brushed by an +Englishman, rumored the son of a lord, who had bought the block of land +intending to stay on it. That was the only improvement he made. He came +late in the Fall and society in Toronto was more agreeable than felling +trees. He bet on horse-races that took place on the ice and spent the +evenings at cards. In the spring his money was gone; had to sell his +land to pay his debts, and returned to England. On reaching the end of +the bridle-path the horses were hitched. Jabez searched among the brush +until he found a surveyor's stake. Placing a compass on top of it, he +cut with his jackknife three rods which he pointed. He pushed two into +the soil on either side of the stake, and went ahead with the third. +Posting the master behind the first, he told him to keep the three in +range and to shout to him if he stepped on either side. Producing from +the bag behind his saddle a hatchet, he went forward, cutting down the +brush where it blocked his straight course. When some hundred yards +away, he cried to the master to come on, it was all right. On joining +him Jabez pointed to a scar made in the bark of a maple. 'That is the +surveyor's blaze, made five years ago. I was in doubts where to find it, +for the weather has blackened it. We are all right now, and will find +another farther on.' So they did, several more, though they were so +faint only the trained eye of Jabez could detect them. As he came to +each tree, he used the hatchet to make a fresh blaze, while any branch +that obstructed the view between the blazed trees was lopped off. +Suddenly it grew lighter: they were again in the sunshine and before +them was a sheet of water. It was too small to be called a lake; it was +just a pond, set in the heart of the woods. The master was greatly taken +with it and leaning over a log drank heartily, for the water was clear +and sweet, though warm. 'We may as well rest and take our bite here,' +remarked Jabez, producing from the pouch slung at his back some +soldiers' hard tack, with thin sliced pork between instead of butter. He +explained it was hard to tell the quality of the soil in the woods, and +many were deceived, especially as regards stones. The forest litter +covers them, and it is only when the plow is started that the settler +finds he has a lot that will give him many a tired back in trying to get +rid of the worst of them. When you find big trees, maple or any other +kind of hard wood, it is a sure sign the soil is rich, but if the trees +are scrub or of soft wood it is certain to be poor. Pine is not to be +relied on as indicating good land for the settler. The tallest and +finest pines are often on the top of stony ridges. Starting anew, they +came to the streamlet that fed the pond and a short tramp beyond it +Jabez spied another surveyor's stake. 'This is the western limit of +Bambray's lot; between the two stakes he has 400 acres.' He asked the +master if he wanted to cross the lot lengthways and see the two ends, +but he saw no need, for so far as he could judge the land was all of the +same quality. 'Supposing I buy the lot, how am I to get into it?' 'You +will have to continue the bridle-path to where you place your house, and +that is enough for an ox-sledge.' 'That means some work?' 'Yes,' replied +Jabez smiling 'there is nothing to be had in the bush without hard work; +it is hard work and poor grub.' + +Coming back to the horses, they found they had finished the oats Jabez +had brought, and were nibbling at the leaves within reach. On regaining +Yonge street, the horses were watered at a tavern, Jabez dropping five +coppers on the counter, the price of two drinks. 'You are expected to +drink when you stop to water a horse, but I want no whiskey, I prefer +to pay for what the horse drinks.' Arrived in Toronto the master said he +would go and see Mr Bambray after supper. Jabez asked him to remember +that Quakers do not dicker, so if the price was too high for him to pay +to come away at once. + +The master found Mr Bambray reading a newspaper, told him he was +satisfied with the land and would buy it were the price within his +ability. The Quaker took from a desk a sheet of paper; pointing to the +figures written on it he said, 'I do not deal in land, believing it not +to be agreeable with the teaching of the Gospel to make merchandize of +what God intended for all his children. I do not consider it right to +buy land you are not able or do not mean to make use of, but secure with +a view to sell at an advanced price to the man who will cultivate it. +These 400 acres were transferred to me for a just debt which the man +could not otherwise pay. On this line is the amount of that debt, here +are the legal charges paid by me in the transaction, and here is +interest. The whole totals $472, which is the price.' The master was +surprised, for from what he had heard of the prices asked for land so +close to Toronto at least double would have been sought. 'My friends and +I are able to pay that sum to you and we take the land.' The Quaker +moved not a muscle. Taking up a quill he wrote out a promise of sale, +and was given a bank of Scotland note for ten pounds as surety. +Inquiring what steps he would next take, the master was advised to +secure the services of Jabez for a month at least. 'Thee are ignorant +of bush-farming and need an instructor, otherwise loss will befall thee +and much trouble.' Arranging for the final transfer of the land, the +master sought out Jabez. He and two brothers carried on a cartage +business. Jabez said there would not be more calls than his brothers +could attend to until August, and he would go if he was willing to pay +two dollars a day for himself and an ox-team. 'That is settled,' replied +the master. 'Now what is to be done first?' 'To cut out a sledge-road +across your lot, so that you may get your freight in.' To help he was to +hire a man, and it was arranged to start at daylight. + +Next morning Jabez appeared at the door of the tavern with an ox-team, +and seated beside him in the wagon was a youth. 'This is Jim Sloot, who +can handle an axe with any man. You have that to learn. It is the axe +that has made Canada.' Arrived at the bridle-path that led to their lot, +they had a day's work on it brushing and prying off fallen trees. On +reaching the lot master had bought, trees had to be felled to continue +the path. These Jabez and Jim assailed, while master trimmed their +branches off with a hatchet. On the evening of the third day they were +in sight of the pond, when the master left, for the Kingston boat might +arrive next morning, and he must be on hand to meet his family. How he +met us I have already told. + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +FIRST DAYS IN THE BACKWOODS + + +Our freight, as Jabez termed it, filled three wagons and started up +Yonge-street. A fourth wagon came to the door of the tavern for the +women and children, I being left to help them. We were told to stop at +Mr Dunlop's store for supplies that had been bought. He came out to see +us and in a minute was thick in talk with the women about Ayrshire. On +the team starting he declared meeting them was like a visit to Scotland. +The driver pointed out to us how straight Yonge-street was; runs forty +miles to Lake Simcoe straight as the handle of my whip. It was a jolty, +hot drive but we enjoyed it hugely; everything was new to us and we were +all in high spirits at the prospect of our long journey being about to +end and in coming into possession of our estates, about which there was +no end of jokes. Mrs Auld was in doubts as to what name they would give +their hundred acres, while Mrs Brodie settled on Bonnybraes for hers. +'But we have not seen a hill since we left Montreal,' remarked the +mistress. 'I dinna care,' rejoined Mrs Brodie, Bonnybraes was the name +of the farm we left and it will make the woods hamelike.' When we spied +at a distance several men standing by the roadside we gave a shout of +joy and were soon reunited. The laughing and talking might have been +heard half a mile away. Jabez now took the lead. As the wagons arrived +he had caused them to be unloaded under a clump of hemlocks, the chests +and packages being arranged to make a three-sided enclosure. In front he +had started a fire, over which, slung from a pole resting on crotched +sticks, was a pot, and soon the mistress was preparing supper. It was +dark before we had settled for the night, which was so warm that +sleeping under the trees was no hardship. Jabez covered the dying fire +with damp litter, the smoke of which kept off the mosquitos, which +pestered us dreadfully. + +In the morning Jabez was the first to be stirring. Giving me two pails +he directed me to go to a house I would find a bit down Yonge-street to +get water, and, if they had it, some milk. The house I found and also +the well, but how to draw water out of it I knew not. There was nobody +stirring until my awkward attempts to work the bucket brought a man out. +I told him who I was. 'You are an emigrant and this is the first +sweep-well you have tried to work. Well, now, you have got to learn,' +and he showed me how simple it was. He was much interested when he heard +of our party and of their camping out. 'Stay a minute till I tell +mother.' Coming back to the door he cried to me to go on with the water +and he would fetch milk after a while. The porridge was ready when he +and his wife appeared with the milk. He called his wife mother, which we +thought strange. She was a smart, tidy woman and was soon deep in advice +to our housekeepers about bush ways of doing things and bush cookery. +After they had gone their children, three in number, came shyly round +and watched us with open-eyed curiosity. + +Jabez was in haste to get us moved to our own location, and to do so had +provided two oxsleds. Taking charge of one and Sloot of the other they +dragged the first loads over the bush track, all the men, except the +master, following. On returning for a second load, Jabez reported Brodie +and Auld were pleased with the land and that Allan and the children were +having a wash in the pond. How to get grannie through the woods +concerned the master. Jabez solved the difficulty by making a +comfortable couch on his sled, on which she rested, with the master on +one side, Robbie running alongside of the ox, and myself following. So +slowly and carefully did the ox step that grannie was little +discomposed. On stepping from her rude conveyance, she gazed in wonder +on the pond and the forest that encompassed it. 'This is our new farm,' +shouted Allan in her ear, 'A' this ground and the lakie?' 'Yes,' +answered Allan. 'An thae trees?' 'Yes,' replied her grandson, 'father is +laird of it all.' She stood for a minute or two as if dazed; and then a +light came to her face as if she had suddenly comprehended it all. She +stepped to the master, and laying her hands on his shoulders said, 'You +have been a good and true son and weel you deserve to be a laird.' +Seeing a black squirrel jump from tree to tree Robbie darted off with a +shout of glee. + +Jabez cut a number of poles, and with them and blankets made two roomy +tents, which were to give shelter until shanties were built. Before +sites for them could be picked out it was necessary to divide the 400 +acre lot. Brodie and Auld were to get each a hundred acres and they were +agreed in choosing the portion of land that lay south of the road and +included the pond. The master, as I found later, would have liked that +part for himself, but willingly agreed to their choice. The next point +was to divide the 200 acres between Auld and Brodie. Covered equally +with heavy bush there was no apparent difference, yet a division had to +be made. Jabez, seeing that one waited on the other to decide, cut two +twigs and held them out between his fingers. 'The man who draws the long +one, gets the east half, and the short one the west.' Brodie drew the +long bit of stick and Auld the short. It was agreed to raise Brodie's +shanty first, as he had young children, and the Aulds could stay with +them until their own shanty was ready. Brodie selected the spot for his +home, and we began at once to cut the trees that stood upon it. Saturday +evening Jabez and Jim returned to Toronto to stay over Sunday. The +weather had been warm with two showers and camping was no discomfort +beyond the inconvenience to the women. There was no complaining, for we +were all in good spirits, buoyed up with the prospect of future +prosperity, and determined, if hard work would ensure it, we would not +spare ourselves. Our tasks for the week were ended and we gathered on +the site of Brodie's house, sitting on the felled trees. It was a calm +night with soft air, the moonbeams making a pathway of light across the +pond. None seemed inclined to speak, just wanting to rest and enjoy the +peaceful hour. It was Alice who broke the silence by starting to sing, +and song followed song, all joining when there was a chorus. It was a +strange thought that came into my mind, that for all the ages these +woods and lakelet had existed this was the first time they had echoed +back our Scottish melodies. When Alice started Ye banks and braes o' +bonny Doon, we helped in the first verse, but as the scenes we had left +rose before our minds voices quavered, until all became silent, tears +flowed, and Mrs Auld was sobbing. 'This wont do,' cried the master, 'we +have come here as to a land of promise and there must be no looking +backward. We go forward. Alice, start the second paraphrase and then to +bed.' + +I have seen many a fine Sabbath morning but none to me like that one +which was our first in the bush. The serenity of air and sky, the +solemnity of the woods, the stillness sweetened by the song of birds, +struck even the children, who were quieter than usual. After breakfast +and things were tidied up we had worship. The master read selections +from the closing chapters of Hebrews, and his prayer was one of +thankfulness to the Hand that had preserved us on our journey and +brought us to a quiet resting-place. Mrs Auld heard the children their +questions and had a lively time in scolding and coaxing them by turns to +never mind the squirrels but attend to what she was saying. + +The dinner things had been cleared away when a visitor came out of the +woods. He had a red, flabby face, framed in a thick whisker turning +grey. The chief feature of his dress was a long surtout, that had been +part of a gentleman's dress-suit in its day and a shabby tile hat. +Addressing the master with deliberate ceremony, he told how he had heard +of new-comers and felt it his duty to welcome them and tender his +services. He had been four years in Canada and his experience would be +of high value in directing them what to do. Growing voluble he pointed +out what he considered were the mistakes we had already made, ending +with a plump proposal that, for his board and a certain money +consideration, he would take the direction of the settlement and +guarantee its immediate prosperity. He paused and asked for a drink. Mrs +Auld handed him a dipper. Smelling it, he said experience had taught him +the prudence of never drinking lake water without its being qualified by +a few spoonfuls of whisky. 'If you will be so kind,' he said to Mrs +Auld, 'as to bring your greybeard, I shall have pleasure in giving a +toast to your new settlement.' 'Whisky! cried Mrs Auld, 'there's no a +drop to be found here.' Turning to the master he said, 'This will never +do; you will need bees to raise the shanties, to chop, and to fallow, +and not a man will come unless there is whisky and plenty to eat. A keg +of Toronto's best will be to you a paying investment.' The master, who +had remained silent, carefully measuring the stranger, now spoke. 'I +thank you for your advice, as to your help we do not need it, for, as +you see, we are strong in ourselves.' The Englishman, for such he was, +grew angry. 'You unmannerly Scot, you will have cause to regret scorning +my services. I never had such a reception, for in the poorest shanty +they greet you with a cup of welcome.' So saying he disappeared. In +telling Jabez of him next day, he said the master had done well to come +out squarely. Bees had grown to be a nuisance and a loss. When they +heard of one, drinkers would travel ten miles to attend and others came +just for the sport of the day. The settler would run in debt to lay in a +stock of food and whisky. Out of the crowd that would come several would +not do a hand's turn, but drink and eat; part would work during the +forenoon and then, after dinner, join in the talk and drinking; while +the remainder would put in a faithful day's labor. It often happened +that bees ended in quarrels, sometimes in fights. A settler, Jabez said, +would do better to use the cost of drink and food in hiring labor. + +In the afternoon the women began writing letters to Scotland, using the +tops of chests to rest the paper on. The sheets were crossed and +recrossed, for postage was high, fifty cents the half ounce. Allan and I +walked into the bush to see what it was like. The trees were all large +and well set apart with little underbrush. Fallen trees and decaying +logs abounded. Whether it was jumping or going round these that caused +us to lose our way I cannot say, but after a long walk we failed to +sight the pond. We made a fresh start and tried another direction +without success. 'We are lost, for sure,' exclaimed Allan. Putting his +hands to his mouth he let out a yell that startled the crows from a +tree-top. We listened, there was no answering sound. Then he whistled +long and sharp. Again no answer. Jabez had pointed out to me that the +north could always be known by more moss growing on that side of trees, +and I decided we had been travelling in that direction. If we could have +got a glimpse of the sun we would have known for sure the points of the +compass, but the foliage of the tree-tops prevented a ray getting +through. We walked smartly, as we thought southwards, when Allan again +yelled with all his might. Strange to say, an hillo came from the woods +on our left and quite close to us. We hurried in the direction of the +sound and came out on a small clearance with a shanty in the middle. A +well-made young fellow stood at the door. 'Lost your bearings, eh?' he +asked. 'Yes,' answered Allan, 'and glad you heard my yell.' He led us +into the shanty; the table was spread for supper and a man and woman +were seated ready to begin 'These two fellows are Scotties, new-come +out, and got wandered,' was our introduction. Responding to a hearty +invitation, seats were found and we helped to dispose of the dried +venison and bread that was on the board. 'Did you ever taste coffee like +that?' asked the woman as Allan passed in his tin for a second supply. +'That is bush-coffee and better than the storestuff. It is made from +dandelion roots and I will tell your folk how to make it.' They were +Americans and had led a wandering life, for the father was a trapper. +Game becoming scarce from growing settlement on the American side he had +crossed into Canada and had spent the last two winters round lake +Simcoe. 'There is no hunting after February' he said, 'for every critter +then begins nursing and the fur is not worth paying for, so we came +south and took this shanty, setting to work to make axhelves and +shingles, there being ready sale in Toronto. We move back to the lakes +in the Fall.' I asked him about the shanty. He replied that it was not +his nor did he know whose it was. 'Like enough some poor emigrant drew +the lot and after breaking his back with hard work in making a +clearance, found he could not pay the price and just lit out. You will +find deserted shanties everywhere in the bush left by families who lost +heart.' He showed much interest in our coming and we had difficulty in +getting him to recognize our location. It was not until I mentioned the +pond that he recognized the spot. 'Why, you aint much over a mile to +go.' When we were about to start the whole family got ready to go with +us. 'The sun won't set for an hour yet, and there is good moonlight,' +said Simmins, for that he told us was his name. 'Did you never get +lost?' I asked. 'That is a foolish question to ask of anybody born in +the woods for they never lose their sense of direction.' He advised me +to carry a compass and take its bearings in going and follow them in +returning. Suddenly Mrs Simmins burst into song. It was a hymn, sung in +a style I never heard before, but have since at many a campmeeting. Her +voice was strong, rising to a shriek at high notes. The husband and son +joined in, enjoying it as much as she did. In telling me of the alarm +felt at our not returning to supper, Alice said they sat fearing +something had befallen us, and that, if the night set in, we might be +lost and never be found alive, when suddenly they heard from the depths +of the woods the words + + Then let our songs resound + And every heart be love; + We're marching through Emmanuel's ground + To fairer worlds above. + +Distance mellowed the harshness of the voices and the words sounded like +a message from heaven. Their distress was that neither Allan's voice nor +my own was distinguishable. Glad they were when we emerged from the +trees and joined them round the fire that had been made to blaze as a +guide to us. Our visitors made themselves at home at once. 'Why do you +call your son Sal?' asked the mistress, 'that is a girl's name.' The +reply was, 'His Sunday came is Salvation Simmins; we call him Sal for +short.' 'And your husband addresses you as Jedu; what name is that?' 'I +was a girl of sixteen before I was baptised, and the preacher gave me +the name Jeduthan, because I was the chief musician.' 'Jeduthan was a +man, the friend of David.' 'Bible don't say he was a man, and for years +and years I was the chief musician at the campmeetings. Guess it was the +same in David's time as in ours--the women did the heft of the singing?' +Then she began singing, husband and son helping. 'Why don't you all +sing?' she asked, 'aint you got religion yet? My, if you heard Elder +Colver you would be on your knees and get converted right away.' The +mistress said they did not know the words of the hymns she sang, when +she became curious to hear us. Alice struck up Come, let us to the Lord +our God, and we all joined. 'Whew!' exclaimed Mrs Simmins, very pretty, +but that aint the stuff to bring sinners to the penitent-bench--you have +to be loud and strong. Ever hear a negro hymn? No, well we will give you +one, Whip the ole devil round the stump.' As they sang they acted the +words. We parted with mutual good wishes, the mistress remarking, after +they left, that God spoke in divers ways and their presentation of His +truths, though rude and wild to us, doubtless suited the frontier +population among whom they had lived and did good. 'The ax before the +plow, the ox-drag before the smoothing harrow,' added the master. + +On Jabez appearing next morning he had six bags of potatoes on the +ox-sled, which were for seed as well as eating, and said he had left a +load of pine-boards to be hauled through the bush to floor the shanties. +They now had to decide what kind of shanty they wanted. The cheapest, he +told us, for all, men, women, and children, had gathered to hear about +the building,--was a house twelve feet by twelve, with basswood staves +for flooring or the bare soil, an opening that served both as door and +window, with a blanket to keep out the cold, basswood scoops or elm bark +for the roof, in which a hole was left to let out the smoke. There were +many such shanties, but living in them was misery. From that sort they +varied in size and finish, all depending on the settler's means. With +$25 a good deal could be done. Size and finish were agreed on, it being +understood the master, who had most money, would have a larger house. +This being decided, Mr Brodie set to work to dig his cellar and I was +sent to Simmins to see if he could supply shingles for the three +shanties and to ask Sal if he would hire until they were finished. I +took the compass and found their clearance without trouble. In returning +Sal, who carried his axe, blazed the trees, so that it would be easy to +know the way. The following morning his mother accompanied Sal. She came +to show how they made bread in the bush, and had brought a dishful of +bran-risings. Explaining what yeast was and how to treat it, she set a +panful of dough. When the mass had risen, she kneaded it, and moulded it +into loaves. The bake kettle having been warmed, the loaves were placed +in it, and when they had risen enough, she put the cover on, and planted +the kettle in a bed of glowing embers. The bread was sweet and a welcome +change to the cakes made on the griddle or frying-pan. We had more than +bread that day. Mrs Simmins pointed out plants, like lambs quarter and +dandelion, whose leaves made greens that added relish to our unvarying +diet of pork. How much more she taught I do not know, but her visit was +a revelation to our women-folk. Grannie was delighted with her singing +because she could hear it. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +ANDREW ANDERSON'S DIARY + + +In Scotland it had been the master's custom to keep a record of work +done, and of money paid or received. On parting with a neighbor, a +farmer who had a notion of emigrating, he was asked, as a favor, to keep +notes of his own daily experience. He had his doubts as to accounts of +Canada he had read being correct, and knew whatever the master set down +as to climate and other conditions he could depend upon. The book in +which these notes were made was never sent, the master having learnt his +friend had taken a new tack of his farm. From this journal I will now +quote. + +June 21.--Rushing work in getting up the shanties. Four men felling +trees and sawing their trunks into the desired length. Awkward in +chopping, I took the job of squaring the logs with the adze-ax. Gordon +notched the ends as I finished them. Digging his cellar Brodie struck +clay, which Jabez tells me is worth money to us. Under Ailie's +direction, the children planted potatoes round the stumps of the trees +as they were cut down, and made a garden on a bare strip of land on the +pond bank. Have got all the boards drawn from Yonge-street. Slow-work +with an ox-sled, having to dodge to avoid striking trees. + +June 22.--Jabez helped Brodie to finish his cellar, lining it with +red-cedar poles. Great heat. Oxen drawing logs for the shanty. + +June 23.--Began raising today. Jabez, never at a loss in finding the +easiest way, had left standing two trees at the site of the house. +Placing a stout pole in their crotches, long enough to reach across from +one to the other, he attached a pulley. An ox, hitched to the end of the +pulley-rope, hauled the logs to the spot and pulled them up as needed. +This saved much lifting and the walls went up quickly. Gordon had +notched the ends of the logs so exactly that they went together without +trouble. + +June 24--Have got Brodie's house up to the square and began putting up +the rafters. Cloudy; heat more bearable. + +June 25--Saturday; eager to get the shanty finished all hands turned to +the work, got the shingling finished and the ground floor laid. Mrs +Brodie moved in at dark. Though there was neither door nor windows in +place, she said she was prouder of her shanty than the Duchess of +Hamilton could be of her palace. + +June 26--The heat of this country surpasses anything we ever knew in +Scotland. All very tired and glad to rest in the shade, with a smudge to +keep off the mosquitoes. Strange to say, the children do not seem to +care much about the heat. + +June 27--Jabez arrived with a wagon loaded with lumber. Drew on sled +first the doors and sashes, which he had got a carpenter to make for +Brodie's house, which Gordon fitted in. Afternoon being wet, we helped +to lay the loft floor and to chink the house from the inside. Gordon put +up two wide shelves in the corners for beds, and is making a table with +benches on each side to sit on. The table has crossed legs; the benches +have no backs. + +June 28--Everything being ready, began on my house. + +June 29--Made good progress, for we have been gaining experience. + +July 1--The roof being on, moved into our shanty; well we did, for it +poured at night. + +July 2--Had a long talk about chimneys for our houses. The right way is +to have a mason build them. There may be stones on our land, but there +are none in sight. Jabez says we will have to put up with stick +chimneys. In the hot weather we are having, cooking out of doors is all +right unless when it rains. + +July 3--The Sabbath rest beneath our own roof was sweet. Mary pleased +and happy and mother proud of the house. + +July 4--Leaving to Gordon the finishing of our shanty, the rest of us +tackled with might and main Auld's. How quickly Jabez and Sal can hew +down a tree is a wonder to me. + +July 5--Auld moved his belongings into his shanty this evening, though +it is not half done. Gave Jabez money to bring out with him on Monday +morning the iron-fixtures for our fire-places and the lime for the +chimneys. + +July 6--On going out this morning saw a deer with her hind drinking at +the far end of the pond; beautiful creatures. Thank God for the Sabbath. +Without it we would have broken down with our hard toil. + +July 7--Jabez brought word from Mr Bambray that he wanted us on the 9th +to give us our deeds. Told me he could not finish out a month, as he had +expected. Business had become brisk in Toronto, and his brothers needed +his help. He started at once to build the chimney in Brodie's house, so +that we could see how to do the other two. In laying the floor a 6-foot +square had been left uncovered for the fire-place. In a frame of heavy +elm logs that fitted the spot, puddled clay mixed with sand was rammed +hard. Two jambs were built with brick which Jabez had brought and across +them a thick plate of cast iron, which was to support the front of the +chimney. The back of the chimney and sides had the few stones found in +digging the cellars, and on top of them was laid more brick until the +ceiling was reached. Care had been taken to build in a crane to hang +pots. From the floor of the loft squarely cut pieces of cedar, 2 inches +thick, were laid in clay mortar, and as the work went on were plastered +with the same mortar inside and out, until the top was two feet above +the ridge-board. Jabez said there was no danger of the cedar sticks +taking fire. They were so well-beded in the clay that when it hardened +the chimney was all one piece. If it fell, it would not break. + +July 11--Brodie, Auld, and myself accompanied Jabez on his going to +Toronto. Mr Bambray had arranged everything and in an hour we had paid +him and each of us had his deed. We asked him about securing a road to +our lots. He said two blocks of bush lay between them and Yonge-street. +Both were owned by a man who was holding to sell, and he was afraid any +influence we could exert would not compel him to make the road, though +that was the condition on which the government had given the land. Met +in the tavern several emigrants eager to get lots, all discontented with +their treatment at the government office. One said he would go to +Illinois. Asked how he would get there. Told me by Buffalo and lake +Erie; land sold there at $1.25 an acre and no bush to clear. + +July 12--Tired and rainy. Auld and Brodie came over to square our +accounts. From the time we left the ship till we got into our shanties, +we lived in common. Found Brodie had least money and more mouths to +fill. His wife said she did not fear--they would strachle through until +they got a crop. We had a long talk about getting a yoke of oxen, which +we must have. Offered, if I got them, they would pay me in days' work. I +decided to put up a stable to be ready when I bought a yoke. + +July 13--Took a tramp to see rear of my lot, Gordon guiding with a +compass. All of a sudden the bush ceased, and on finding I stood on the +edge of a swamp, I got angry at my being fooled into paying for a +cattail marsh. There is quite a stretch not very wide, angling across +the width of my lot. On thinking it over, am satisfied Bambray knew no +more about its existence than I did. Returning home I followed the +creek, which starts from it. There was a little water flowing. Noticed, +where the creek leaves the marsh, a stretch of tall wild grass. + +July 14--Could not sleep thinking about the swamp. Got Gordon to make a +dozen cross-staffs and started for it to take levels. Found the marsh +sloped towards the creek, and between where it entered and a hundred +yards down the creek there is a fall of three feet, so the marsh can be +drained. Dug down in several places and found the marsh to be a deposit +of black soil on top of clay. + +July 17--The Simmins family spent the afternoon with us. He knew about +the swamp, and called it a, beaver-meadow. The grass that grew at the +head of the creek would make hay good enough for cattle. Said I would +find the dam the beavers had made if I searched a while, and if I got +out the logs that formed it, the water would have a free course into the +creek. + +July 18--Spent all Saturday cutting grass at the head of the creek. It +is fine but long. Turned it today and, if rain keeps off, will be ready +to cock tomorrow afternoon, the sun is so hot and the grass so ripe. + +July 19--Had Sal, Gordon, and Archie come and help to find the dam the +beavers had built. On a crowbar showing us where the logs were buried, +shovelled off the dirt and pried them out. It was wet, dirty work but we +managed it. Cleared the bed of the creek of the rubbish that choked it +at its head. Sal found a turtle, which he carried home. + +July 20--Brodie and Auld came early and we set to work to get logs ready +for the ox-stable. Very dry and hot. + +July 21--Piled the hay in two stacks and thatched them as well as we +could. We had just finished when a thunderstorm burst. + +July 23--Gordon, who has made furniture for all the houses, set up a +cupboard for Ailie, of which she is quite proud. The lad has a wonderful +knack, and can copy anything he has a chance to examine. A deluge of +rain; never saw such a downfall in Scotland. Lasted six hours and then +came out sultry. + +July 24--Sal stepped in while we were at breakfast with the hind quarter +of a deer, his father had come on during the heavy rain and shot. First +fresh meat we have had. Found it dry eating. Sunday though it was, +walked with Sal to head of creek and found water was running freely into +it from the marsh. Coming back Sal spied bees round a tree and said he +would get the honey next month. Told me the names of the different +squirrels and birds we saw and he had fun with a ground hog. + +July 30--Although the weather has been warm have worked steadily +chopping down trees; the sound of the axe coming from the three lots. On +each of them there is now quite a clearance. Jabez had shown us how to +make plan-heaps, and we so fell the trees, which will save hard work +when we come to burn. Except myself, all are getting to be expert with +the axe, though Sal, with less exertion, can chop down two to Allan's +one. + +August 1--Growth far outstrips that of Scotland, and no wonder, there is +no such heat there. In thinning turnips and the like Ailie kept what is +pulled for boiling; they make good greens. We had a long talk about +buying a yoke of oxen at once, and Brodie and Auld agreed to help me +with the stable for them. + +August 3--Fixed on spot for stable and began preparing logs for it, +choosing cedar and pine as being easier to handle. + +August 8--Began raising stable. Gordon made very neat corners. + +August 9--Had stable up to the square when we dropped work. + +August 11--Got the rafters on. Having no sawed lumber or shingles, will +have to cut basswood staves and scoops. + +August 13--Stable finished and all proud of it. There is a roomy loft +which will be useful for more than fodder, for I am told when there is +no bed in the shanty for a visitor they 'loft him.' + +August 14--Had arranged to walk to Toronto, for none of us have been +inside a church since we left Scotland, but the sun came out with such a +blistering heat that we had to give up our intention. It is awfully +lonesome in the bush, and were it not for the work you are forced to do, +we would get vacant-minded. It has been a great blessing in every way +that the three families settled together. I can believe the report that +a family planted in the depths of the bush, without a neighbor nearer +than three miles, abandoned all they had accomplished to get company. + +August 15--While chinking the stable, Gordon helping, I heard a crash +and a cry from where Allan was chopping. We ran to the spot, and my +heart jumped into my mouth, when I saw him lying as if he were dead +under a big branch. I was for dragging him out, when Gordon showed me +the movement would bring down the butt of the branch on his body. He ran +for help. Ailie came first and then Brodie, and while the three of us +held up the limb of the tree, Ailie pulled him out. She was calmer than +any of us. Carrying him to the house, we had the satisfaction of finding +there was no bone broken. A blue mark above the right eye showed where +he had been struck. As he was breathing easily we had hopes he would +come to, but it was long before he did, and it was the most anxious hour +Ailie and I had ever known. When he opened his eyes, and looking +wonderingly round asked, 'What is a' the steer aboot?' we never before +thanked God with such fervor. Gordon had run for Mrs Simmins, and while +we were keeping wet cloths on Allan's head, she hurried in. Looking at +the mark, which was now swollen, and feeling all round it, Mrs Simmins +declared there was no fracture of the skull and that the blow had only +stunned him. 'Well for him that he is a thick-headed Scotchman or he +would have been killed,' she remarked. Taking a fleam from her pocket, +she lanced the lump and let it bleed freely. 'If bruised blood is left +to get into the system, there will be a fever, in which many a man has +died.' Allan fell asleep and when he woke it was to ask for a drink. + +Aug. 16--Allan woke this morning all right, except feeling giddy. He +will never again have as narrow an escape with his life. The tree he was +felling, a big maple, in falling toppled over a dead tree beside it, +which was so rotten that it fell in a shower of pieces. + +Aug. 18.--Went to see the swamp and glad to find it was drier. The water +has got vent and is seeping into the creek. Could walk on parts that +would not carry before. Looked it over to plan how to drain it. Gordon, +who was with me, said, Cut a ditch up the centre. I showed him that +would not do when the swamp came to be plowed. The right way was to cut +a ditch across the head and have it empty into another along the south +side to the creek. Looked at me in wonder as he asked if I ever expected +to plow it. Said I would grow grain on it before other three years. On +returning he and I did a bit of underbrushing, piling as much of the +brush as we could round the felled timber to help to burn it. + +Aug. 19--Kept underbrushing all day. + +Aug. 20--So hot gave the ax a rest. In the afternoon a thunderstorm. The +downpour tested the roof of the stable, which leaked in only one place, +where a scoop had split. + +Aug. 21--Quite cool with a brisk northerly breeze. Wife and myself +started for Toronto, and never enjoyed a walk more. Did us good to watch +the clearances as we passed along. Fall wheat all cut and stacked. +Barley being cradled and oats looking extra heavy though short in the +straw. The sight of gardens and patches of potatoes pleased Ailie, and +we both were surprised by the Indian corn, which we never saw before. It +was tasseling. The bell was ringing when we reached Toronto and had to +ask our way to the Presbyterian church. The crowd was going to the +Episcopal and Methodist churches. The service was dry and cold, but it +did us both good to worship with our fellows once more and join in the +psalms. As we were walking away I heard somebody behind us call, Andrew +Anderson, and looking back saw Mrs Bambray. Told her we were going to +the tavern for dinner. 'Thee shall go to no tavern on the seventh day,' +and slipping her arm into my wife's, led us to her house. Pointing to a +door she told me to go in and I would see what I never saw in Scotland, +and led my wife upstairs. Opening the door I found myself in a backshed, +with Bambray rubbing ointment on a negro's arm. The man was a runaway +slave and had arrived that morning on a schooner from Oswego. Bambray +had washed him and dressed him in clean overalls. He bade the negro pull +off his shirt so that I might see the marks of the welts made by a +whipping he had got with a blacksnake whip and his master's brand, made +with a hot iron, on his right arm. The left arm had got injured in his +flight and had an unhealed wound. The poor fellow said he came from +Maryland and had known no trouble until his wife had been taken from him +and sold. His master ordered him to pick on another woman, but he loved +his wife and ran away to find her; had been caught and whipped to within +an inch of his life. Hearing slaves were free in Canada, he took the +first chance to slip away. He hid during the day, and at night, guided +by the plow in the sky, kept northwards. He got some food by visiting +negro huts, and at one of these he was told how a band of white people +helped negroes seeking their liberty. Finding a house he was directed to +call at, he found it was true. The man fed him and ferried him across a +river and gave him the landmarks of the next house he was to call at for +help, and from one to another he was passed along until he got to +Oswego, where he was hid in the hold of a schooner whose captain was an +Englishman. It had taken him a long time to make the journey, he could +not tell me how long, for he did not know the days of the week much less +the months. On getting to Toronto he was guided by a sailor boy to +Bambray's house, which was one of several where runaways were sure of +help. Asked Bambray what he would do with the man. When fit for work he +would be given an ax, saw, and sawhorse and was sure of earning a +living. 'Me strong,' said the man, standing up, 'and me free.' Left +Bambray's late in the afternoon and got home before sunset. + +Aug. 27--A week of steady work chopping. We must get clearances big +enough to raise crops for next year's living no matter how hot the days +are. + +Aug. 28--The Simmins family spent the day with us. They leave for the +lake Simcoe country. All three like the free life of fishing, trapping, +and hunting, and spoke as if they were going on a holiday. If they did +well and got a big pack of furs, they intend in the spring to try +Illinois, so we may not meet again. They sang and talked all day and we +parted with sorrow. The days are still hot but the nights are cool with +heavy dews. + +Aug. 30--Each day hard at work felling trees. When I first saw our lot +and how thick the trees stood on it I could hardly believe it possible +we could clear the land of them, yet we have been here scarce three +months and there is a great slash. Taking the trees one by one and +perseverance has done it. Burning the felled trees that cumber the +ground is the next undertaking. This cutting out a home from the bush is +work that exhausts body and mind, but the reward is what makes life +sweet to right-minded people--independence. + +September 1--Had new potatoes to-day. They are dry and mealy and +abundant in yield. I may say this is the first food the land has given +us. + +Sept. 2--Had a chance to send a note to Jabez to look out a suitable +yoke of oxen. On going to Yonge-street found a long building going up. +It is a tavern. The street is lined with them all the way to Toronto +and how far north they go cannot say. Being the leading outlet there is +much traffic on it. Saw several parties of emigrants pass. Imprudent to +come so late in the season. They will have their sufferings when winter +sets in for they have not time to prepare for it. Experience has shown +me emigrants should come early in spring. I spoke with one lot. They +sailed from Liverpool to New York and thence by the Erie canal to +Oswego, avoiding the ordeal of the St Lawrence rapids. It seems strange +but it is so, the United States is Upper Canada's market. In comparison, +little freight either goes or comes by Montreal. This ought not to be. +The reason given is, that Lower Canada will not help to improve the St +Lawrence route as it would not be to her benefit. + +Sept. 5--There is a plague of squirrels--black, red and grey. Bobby +keeps killing them and we have them on the table every day. Pushing the +chopping, for our next year's living depends on the size of our +clearances. Weather being cooler, work not so exhausting. Had a scare +yesterday from a bear trotting to the pond. It had its drink and fled on +seeing us. + +Sept. 9--Had word from Jabez to come to town as he had a yoke of oxen +bought for me. + +Sept. 10--Walked to Toronto, taking Gordon to help. Am no judge of oxen. +They cost $60. Besides them had to pay for logging-chain and an ox-sled. +Gordon spent the time in the wheelwright's shop where I bought the +sled. On Jabez telling me we would need somebody to teach us how to +handle oxen and to burn a fallow, I went to see Sloot, and bargained +with him for a week's work. On getting all that was needed for my +neighbors and myself the sled was heaped up; we walked, Sloot driving. +It was near midnight when we reached home, but Ailie and the family got +up to see the oxen by candle-light. + +Sept. 11--Sunday though it was, Sloot, taking the boys to clear the way, +had to go to the stacks near the swamp for hay to feed the oxen. It was +a work of necessity. They came back in the afternoon with a small load, +for the track was rough. + +Sept. 12--Sloot and all hands were up at sunrise to set fire to the +brushpiles. The day was cool with a breeze that helped the fires. +Burning the logs was next taken in hand, and being green and thick they +were slow to burn. + +Sept. 13--The weather was again favorable for our work of burning the +logs but, despite a strong wind, they burned slowly and we had to keep +poking and turning them to get a hot blaze. The smoke and heat were like +to overcome me, but Sloot went ahead. He was born in the bush and all +its work is second nature to him. Washed in the pond and got to bed +late. + +Sept. 14--Auld and Sloot, Allan helping, worked all night with the +logheaps, which I found this morning much reduced in size. The +logging-chains and the oxen today came into play, the partly consumed +logs being hauled to form fresh piles. By dark there was quite a +clearance. + +Sept. 15--Light white frost this morning. Helping neighbors. Sun came +out on our starting to burn at Auld's but the wind blew a gale, and we +had a splendid burn. + +Sept. 16--Pouring rain and glad of it, for all of us except Sloot are +dead-tired. He says the rain will wash the charred logs and make them +easier to handle. + +Sept. 17--Spent the day hauling the biggest of the partly burned logs to +make a fence across the clearing. The smaller stuff we heaped up and set +on fire. Allan handles the oxen very well considering. Wanted Sloot to +stay another week, but he could not. He is a civil fellow and not +greedy. Ailie sent a queer present to his wife. Before Mrs Simmins left +she explained and showed how to secure and dry dandelion roots to make +coffee. In lifting potatoes, when a dandelion root is seen, it is pulled +carefully, or, if scarce among potatoes, dug up carefully in the fall so +as to get the entire root. The roots are washed, dried in the sun and +stored away. As wanted for use, a root or so is chopped small, roasted +in a pan until crisp, then ground, and made like ordinary coffee. + +Sept. 24--All week we worked at getting crop into the fallow. After +clearing it of sticks, we used spade, grape, and rake to get it +something near level. Gordon studded a log with wooden spikes which we +dragged over the worst of it. On getting the best seedbed possible, +sowed wheat. The soil had a topdressing of charcoal cinders and ashes +that I thought would help. If the seed gives an average yield, will not +have to buy flour next year. + +Sept. 26--Rained all day yesterday; at night cleared with quite a touch +of frost. Busy chopping to enlarge clearance. The young fellow who came +out with us from Scotland and got drunk at Montreal, appeared at our +door this morning. He had lived chiefly in Toronto and his appearance +showed had done no good. Wanted a job. Agreed with him to dig ditch in +the swamp, the understanding being if he got drunk he need not come +back. Leaves are turning color. + +Oct. 2--Sat most of the day on front step taking in the beauty of the +trees that overhang the pond on three of its sides. I can compare them +to nothing but gigantic flowers. Steeped in the haze of a mellow sun the +sight was soothing. Nothing like this in Scotland. The birds have gone; +the swallows left in August. + +Oct. 9--Been a sorrowful week. On unpacking our baggage on arrival in +the bush, found my mother's spinning-wheel was broken. Gordon managed to +mend it and I bought ten pounds of wool. This she washed, teased, and +carded, and proud she was when she sat down and began to spin the rolls +into yarn. Tuesday afternoon Ailie and Ruth went to pick wild grapes, +and the rest of us were at our work in the bush. Grannie was left alone. +She had moved her wheel to the door to sit in the sunshine, where she +could see the brightness of the trees and enjoy the calm that prevailed. +How long she span we do not know. On Ailie's return she was startled at +the sight of her bending over the wheel. She was dead. While stooping to +join a broken thread God took her. Next day buried her on a rising bit +of ground overlooking the pond. What a mother she was I alone can know. +I shall never forget her. Last evening there was to us a marvellous +display of northern lights. When daylight faded pink clouds appeared in +the sky mixed with long shooting rays of white light. The clouds changed +shape continually, but the color was always a shade of red. At times the +clouds filled the entire northeastern sky. + +Oct. 10--Crying need for rain; everything dry as tinder; air full of +smoke. + +Oct. 15--My worker at the ditch insisted he had to go to Toronto. Gave +him his pay and knew he would not come back, despite his promise. There +are more slaves than black men. The man of whom whiskey has got a grip +is the greater slave. + +Oct. 17--Closed the house on Sunday morning and all walked to Toronto to +attend worship. Today yoked the sled to an ox, for our path to +Yonge-street is too narrow for two, in order to find settlers who had +produce to sell. Bought corn in cob, apples, pumpkins, and vegetables, +but only one bag of oats, few having threshed. Was kindly received and +learnt much. In one shanty found a shoemaker at work. He travels from +house to house and is paid by the day, his employers providing the +material. Agreed with him to pay us a visit and he gave me a list of +what to get in Toronto. + +Oct. 18--Spent day in trying to make everything snug for winter. + +Oct 19--Went to Toronto determined to find out whether there is no way +of compelling the man who owns the land that blocks us from Yonge-street +to open a road. First of all I called upon him, and he received me +civilly. I told him how our three families were shut in. Asked if we +would not buy his lot, he would sell the 1200 acres cheap and give us +time. Answered we could not, we had all we could manage. He thought we +were unreasonable in asking him to make a road which he did not need. It +would be of use to us but not to him. Asked him if the conditions on +which the lot was granted did not require him to open a road? Replied, +that was like many other laws the legislature made, and which were +disregarded everywhere in the province. When I said, since it is law it +could be enforced, he smiled and said there was no danger of that. Was +pleased to hear of our settlement behind his land and hoped it would +help to bring him customers. Turning from his door, I made straight for +a lawyer's office, to make sure whether the owner of vacant land could +not be forced to open a road. The lawyer, an oldish man, listened to my +story and told me to give up the idea of compelling the making of the +road we needed. You are a stranger and ignorant of how matters stand. +The law is straight enough, that whenever the government grants a lot, +the receiver must do his part to open a road, but the law has become a +dead letter. Two-thirds of the granted land is held by men who have +favor with the government and who are holding to sell. Did you ever hear +of Peter Russel? When a surveying party came in, he found out from their +reports where the lots of best land were, and made out deeds to himself. +'I, Peter Russel, lieutenant-governor, etc., do grant to you, Peter +Russel,' such and such lots. If you sued the gentleman you visited this +forenoon you would lose. The court officials all have lots they expect +to turn into money and would throw every obstacle in the way. Should +your case come to trial, it would be before a judge who is a relative, +and who holds patents for thousands of acres of wild land. The condition +in their titles about cutting out roads, is like those that require a +house to be built and so many acres of land in crop before a patent is +issued. There are thousands of settlers worse off than you are, for you +say you have a sled-path to your house. The lawyer spoke candidly and +showed his sincerity and goodwill by refusing to take the fee I offered. + +Oct. 20--A real cold day; fine for chopping and the sound of trees +falling was heard every hour. Wheat is growing finely. Had a talk with +Auld and Brodie at night and agreed we would improve the sled-track to +Yonge-street, seeing there was no prospect of the owner doing anything. + +Oct. 22--Surprised by a message that there was a bull-plow waiting for +me at the corner-house on Yonge-street. Jabez had told Mr Bambray about +the swamp, and he sent the plow to help to bring it into cultivation. + +Oct. 24--Took the plow out to the swamp, which I found pretty dry at one +side. Yoked the oxen to it and I plowed all afternoon. Felt good to grip +the stilts once more. + +Oct. 29--Spent three days on the sledroad and the three families joined +in the work. Cut a great many roots, filled hollows, and felled trees +whose branches obstructed. It is now fairly smooth but far too narrow +for a wagon. + +Oct. 30--Surprised by a visit from Jabez, who came on horseback. Said he +had a chance to give Gordon a few weeks' training with a carpenter. He +was not now busy himself, as the shipping season was over. Brought Ailie +a basket of fresh water herring. Left after dinner. + +Oct. 31--Gordon started early for Toronto, with his bundle over his +shoulder. We shall miss him sadly. In the evening our neighbors came and +we held Halloween as heartily as if we had been in Ayrshire. + +Nov. 1--Bright and frosty. Took the oxen back to the swamp; found there +was not frost enough to interfere and turned over a few ridges, and cast +waterfurs leading to the ditch. + +Nov. 2--White frosts fetch rain in this country and a cold rain fell all +day. Sawing and splitting the logs we had set aside for firewood. + +Nov. 3--The rain turned to snow during the night and there are fully +four inches. The youngsters hitched an ox to the sled and started off, +shouting and laughing, for Yonge-street to have their first sleigh +drive. Came home in great glee in time for supper. Robbie says he wants +a sleigh bell. + +Nov. 5--Snow gone; clear and fine. Chopping down trees. + +Nov. 6--A peaceful autumn day. Heard a robin and wondered how it came to +be left behind by its comrades. Had a walk in the bush in the afternoon +thinking of mother and the land I shall never forget. + +Nov. 7--Shoemaker arrived. A great talker. Tells of families where the +children had to stay in all winter for lack of boots. + +Nov. 12--A week of steady clearing of the land; we shall have a great +burning in the spring. Have had hard frosts every night. Going to +Yonge-street to see if I could get oats for the oxen, for the swamp hay +is not nourishing and they are young and growing, found provisions +remarkably plenty and cheap, especially pork. Bargained for a two-year +old steer which the farmer promised not to kill until steady frost set +in. Thankful we did not go farther into the bush. It is a blessing to be +near older settlers who have a surplus to sell. There was a smoky haze +over the bush today, and the sun shone with a subdued brightness; very +still with a mellow warmth. Was told it was the Indian summer. + +Nov. 20--Had four days of Indian summer and then a drenching rain from +the east, which stopped chopping. A black frost today, dark and bleak. +Had a letter from Gordon yesterday, who is happy in learning so much +that is new to him. He was at Bambray's for dinner last Sabbath and +spent an evening at Dunlop's. He will make friends wherever he goes. + +December 3--There has been nothing worth setting down. Have had a long +spell of grey, cloudy days, which just suited felling trees and +underbrushing. Have got our patch of wheat well fenced in, not to keep +cattle out, there are none near us, but to help to keep a covering of +snow on the wheat. Bobbie trapped a coon that haunted the barn and it +made fine eating. He says the pelt will make a neck-wrap for his mother. + +Dec. 7--Went to get the steer I had bargained for. The farmer suggested +instead of butchering the beast and hauling the carcase it would be +easier to drive it on foot and kill it at home, which I did. + +Dec. 8--Killed the steer, which dressed well. Auld and Brodie took away +their portions to salt down, but Ailie followed Mrs Bambray's advice. +After the pieces are hard frozen she will pack them in snow. + +Dec. 10--Began to snow gently yesterday and continues. There are now +about six inches. + +Dec. 11--Bitterly cold; never felt the like. What Burns calls cranreuch +cauld gets into the bones, but this frost seems to squeeze body and +bones, pinching and biting the exposed skin. + +Dec. 13--Ailie is never at a loss. On Mrs Brodie telling the children +woke at night crying from cold, she had no blankets to give her. Having +sheets we brought from Scotland she took two and placed as an inside +lining the skins of the squirrels Robbie had killed. Simmins had taught +him how to tan and give them a soft finish. Brodie and Auld's houses are +cold because they only half chinked them. Mrs Auld said the blankets +were frozen where the breath struck them and the loaf of bread could be +sawn as if it were a block of wood. Both now believe Canada's cold is +not to be trifled with and are scraping moss off the trees to caulk +between the outside logs the first warm spell. + +Dec. 14--The frost holds. Worked all day with Allan. Does not feel cold +in the bush. The trees break the wind that is so piercing in the +clearings. + +Dec. 15--Milder; in the sun at noon almost warm. Got out ox-sled and +went with Brodie along Yonge-street to buy pork. Bought three carcases. +People are kindly. Have never called at a house where we were not +invited to return and pay a family visit. + +Dec. 19--Have had a three day snap of frost, Either getting used to the +cold or are adapting ourselves to meet it, for do not feel the +discomfort we did. Ruth going to the ox-stable without putting a wrap +over her head got her cheeks and ears frozen. Robbie trapped a hare. +Pleads for a gun. Ailie will give him a surprise New Year's morning. + +Dec. 24--The snow helps greatly in hauling fallen trees and logs. Give +them their own time, and oxen beat horses in handling difficult loads. +Gordon came walking in this afternoon, quite unexpectedly, for we did +not look for him until this day week. He says Christmas is the big day +in Toronto, and not New Year's day. His master had shut his shop for a +week. He gave him a deerskin jerkin as a Christmas present. + +Dec. 27--Gordon has been busy making snowshoes. His first pair was for +Ruth, who can now walk in them. Snowed all day; not cold. He has taught +her to ride one of the oxen. + +Dec. 28--A thaw, much needed to settle the snow, which was getting too +deep. Youngsters shovelled a strip on the pond and made a fine slide. + +Dec. 31--Made preparation to keep Hogmanay, inviting our two neighbors. +Had built a big fire, with a beech back-log, so heavy that an ox had to +haul it to the door, and put a smaller one on top, while in front split +wood blazed, and made the shanty so light that no candle was needed. The +young folk had a great night of it, and braved the frost to go to the +stable door and sing their old Hogmanay rhymes. The feast was plain as +plain could be, but contented and merry hearts care not for dainties. + +January 1, 1826--All gathered again in our shanty after dinner, when we +had a fellowship meeting to thank God for all his mercies, and surely, +when I review all the dangers he has led us through, and the mercies he +has bestowed on us during the year that has gone, we have good cause to +adore him. Gave Star and Bright an extra feed of oats. + +Jany. 2--Ailie had just sat down after clearing the dinner dishes away, +when Ruth came running in crying she heard sleighbells coming up our +road. I went out and was astonished when a sleigh came in sight, the +horse dashing the snow into powder breast high. It was Mr Dunlop and his +wife, who had come to pay us a New Year's call. They stayed an hour and +it was a happy one, for Mr Dunlop is a heartsome man. Was greatly taken +with the improvements we had made. His wife brought a package of tea for +Ailie. She made them a cup of dandelion coffee which, after their drive, +they relished with her oatmeal cakes. In parting took me aside and told +me if I ran short of cash to come to him. He is a friend. After they +were gone, Robbie and Allan came home. They had to have a tramp in the +bush to try the gun their mother had got for Robbie. They brought in +three partridge and two hares, and were in great spirits. Gordon had +bought the gun from an English lad who had come to Canada with the +notion that it was full of wild beasts and Indians. He found he had no +need of it. + +Jany. 4--Have had a heavy snowstorm with a gale of wind. The snow here +is not flaky, but fine and powdery, fills the air so you cannot see +ahead, and sifts through every crevice. Thankful when the blast died +down. Mrs Auld declares if the summer heat and the winter cauld were +carded through ane anither Canada would have a grand climate. The two +extremes are indeed most trying. + +Jany 5--Work in the bush stopped by the snow, is so deep that when a +tree is felled half is buried. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +THE EPISODE OF TILLY + + +Jany 7--All were in bed last night when I was aroused by a knock at the +door. Thought one of my neighbors needed help, but on opening was +surprised to see it was Jabez. Excused himself for alarming us by saying +his errand was a matter of life or death. A negro girl, who had fallen +into evil hands at Buffalo, had escaped to Canada and was followed by +desperate men trying to retake her. An attempt had been made to kidnap +her from the family that sheltered her in Toronto. She had to be hid +until the search was given up, and he could think of no place so safe as +with ourselves. Mr Bambray asked us, in God's name, to take care of her +for a while. 'Where is she?' I asked. 'In the sleigh at the door.' I +told him to fetch her in, or she might freeze. He lifted her in, for she +was numb. It was a bitter night. Laying aside her wraps, we saw, for +Ailie and the whole family were now looking on, a mulatto of perhaps +sixteen years of age. Alice and Ruth chafed her hands and feet to +restore her circulation, while Ailie was getting a hot drink ready. +Looking at the poor child I guessed her miserable story and told Jabez +we would keep her. After getting warmed he drove off. + + * * * * * + +Here I have to break into the master's diary in order to give what +happened afterwards, which he did not write down. The girl, who said her +name was Tilly, got quite reconciled to us next day. She was from +Kentucky, had been sold to a saloonkeeper at Black Rock, and rescued. +She shuddered whenever she spoke of him. Passed from one friendly hand +to another she reached Toronto, and was living quietly there as a +servant. One evening there was a rap at the door and she went to answer. +On opening it she beheld the fellow who claimed to own her. She +screamed. Putting his hand over her mouth he lifted her to a sleigh, +which drove off. Two passersby, who saw what happened, ran after the +sleigh and on its halting at a tavern, one hurried off for a constable +while the other kept watch. Entering the tavern they demanded the girl, +and under threat of arrest the fellow had to let her go. If he had not, +the crowd in the barroom would have piled on to him, for in Toronto +Yankee slavehunters are detested. Mr Bambray, on being told of what had +occurred, made her case his own. He consulted Jabez who suggested +burying her in the bush with the master's family until the search was +given up. Tilly was modest and eager to help, and at worship showed she +had a beautiful voice. The day passed quietly and so did Sunday. The +master had meant to go to Toronto to church, being the first Sunday +after New Year's day, but the frost was too intense for an ox-drive. +Tilly had a great collection of hymns, and in the afternoon we sat and +listened. It was a peaceful Sabbath and we went to bed happy and feeling +secure. I was lying awake, thinking of the poor slave-girl so +unexpectedly thrown among us, when I thought I heard the crunching of +the frozen snow under horse's feet and sleighrunners. I jumped out of +bed and looking through the window that faced our road, saw a sleigh +with two men. I hurried down stairs and wakened the master. He had just +got on his feet when the door was forced in with a crash. A tall fellow +entered, whom we could see distinctly, for the fire was glowing bright. +'I have come for my nigger, and it will be worse for you if you make a +fuss.' Without a word, the master rushed at the fellow and was thrusting +him out of the door, when he used a trick, doubtless learned in a +hundred barroom fights, of thrusting his foot forward and tripping the +master, who fell on his back. In a flash the fellow had him by the +throat, forcing back his head with his left hand while his right fumbled +under his coat. I guessed he was after his bowie-knife. I gripped his +arm and gave it a twist that made him let out a yell. Jumping straight +up, he made to grab me, when Allan, who had just appeared, swung out his +right arm and dealt him a terrific blow on the face. He fell like a +tree that had got its last cut. The other man now looked in, and seeing +his comrade insensible and bleeding, cried out to us, 'You will hang for +this!' 'Take the brute away and begone,' shouted the master, 'or you +will answer for this if there be law in Canada.' Taking hold of the +fallen man he dragged him to the sleigh. Lifting his head in first, he +got into the sleigh and pulled the rest of the body into the box. +Hurriedly pitching a robe over him he drove off, afraid we would arrest +him. Just as the sleigh got on to the road, there was a shot above our +heads, it was Robbie who had loaded his gun and fired out of the window. +As it was only shot, it probably did no harm, but showed the driver we +had firearms. The excitement over, the master staggered to a bench and +fell down. Examining his throat we saw how the fellow had squeezed it so +tight that his fingernails had torn the flesh, and the thrust backwards +had strained the muscles of the neck. We got him into bed and the +mistress and Alice sat up all night, applying cloths wrung out of hot +water to ease the piercing pain. None of us slept much, and Tilly was +greatly excited. I should have mentioned, when the affray was over, and +I am sure it did not last five minutes, she went to Allan and kissed the +hand that had knocked down her persecutor. We talked at breakfast over +what we should do next, when it was agreed I should go to Toronto with +word of what had happened. On reaching Yonge-street I got a ride on the +first sleigh that came along. Jabez was astounded at my news and took +me to see Mr Bambray and others interested in Tilly. Jabez at once +started to find out what had become of the fellow, and all agreed that +nothing should be decided until he reported. He was not long in getting +trace of him and when he came in after dinner it was to tell the bird +had flown. Fearing arrest, his face bandaged, he had been lifted into a +long sleigh, and lying in it as a bed, had been driven westward. 'He +will get to Hamilton this afternoon,' said Jabez, 'and is likely by +sunset to be safe on Yankee soil.' It was suggested Jabez should go next +morning and arrange with the master to keep Tilly for a few weeks. 'Will +the fellow, who knows now where she is, not plan a second attempt?' 'No +danger,' said Jabez, 'the doctor who dressed his face told me he would +not be able to go out for weeks, and was disfigured for life. He damned +the Scotties who had done it.' When Jabez told how he had received his +injuries, the doctor, an Englishman, got hotly indignant. 'Had I known, +the fellow would have been now in prison.' He would see his friend, the +Chief Justice, to have him outlawed. I stayed with Jabez overnight and +our drive in the morning was most enjoyable. There was no wind and just +frost enough to make the air crisp, the sun shone on the snow until it +sparkled, while the sleighing was splendid. Jabez had taken one of his +best horses and the swiftness of the drive was exhilarating. The road +was crowded with farmers' teams heading for Toronto, Jabez knew them all +and they all knew him. One question troubled him, and that was, How the +Buffalo scoundrel had come to know where Tilly was hid? To satisfy a +surmise, he drew up at the tavern that had been opened opposite our road +to question its owner, who frankly gave the desired information. The two +men stopped at the tavern to get warmed and had several drinks. One of +them said he was looking for his daughter, who had run away from home. +He had traced her, he thought, by being told a man and a young girl had +been seen driving up Yonge-street Friday night. The tavern-keeper said +he saw such a couple turn into the byroad in front of his place, and +wondered at it, for it was rare to see anybody enter that road. Question +followed question and the men learned all they needed to find the house, +and to attack it. On taking a parting drink, the tall fellow exclaimed, +'I have got her.' Reaching home we found all well except the master, +whose neck was still swollen and painful. He was lying on the bench near +the fire. Jabez explained his errand and the message he brought. The +master pulled the head of Jabez close to his mouth, for he could only +whisper, and said, 'You tell Mr Bambray that what happened Sabbath night +made me an abolitionist, and the girl will stay here until she wants to +leave. Is not that your mind, Ailie?' 'You have spoken what was in my +own mind, Andrew.' Tilly, who was standing by, burst into tears, and +clasping the mistress by the neck kissed her saying, 'I will serve you +good.' She was the most grateful creature I ever met. Jabez stayed +until after dinner, and, on leaving, promised to give us a hand when it +was time to burn our brushpiles. Tilly made herself useful not only in +our home but those of Brodie and Auld and proved to be a real help. + + * * * * * + +Jany 16--Thankful I can again bend my head without pain. The woods are a +glorious sight. It snowed yesterday morning. Before dark the snow turned +to rain, which froze as it fell, encrusting everything. On the sun +coming out bright this morning the trees sparkled as if made of crystal +and the branches of the evergreens hung in masses of radiant white. So +Alice described them, and we all agreed a sight so beautiful we never +saw. + +Jany 17--Robbie and Allan set off on snowshoes for a day's hunting and +came back in the afternoon carrying a deer, which they had run down, +being enabled to do so by the crust on the snow breaking under the poor +animal's hoofs. There are more than men hunting deer. Last night we +heard the wolves in full cry as they were chasing them. + +Jany. 21--Astonished by a visit from Mr and Mrs Bambray. They visited +all the houses and seemed pleased by what they saw. Had a long talk with +him about how the province is being governed. Mrs Bambray brought +clothes for Tilly. The thaw we have had has lowered the snow, and +chopping down trees has been going on. + +Jany 22--The day being moderate and the sleighing splendid drove to +Toronto, the oxen going faster than a man could walk. Sought to see the +minister, who accepted certificates of Ailie and myself. Sacrament is +March 26. + +Jany. 25--Visited the farmer from whom I bought the steer. We had a +hearty welcome. Ailie much taken with their stove and its oven, and +curious about Canadian ways of housekeeping. Ruth was given a kitten. + +Jany 27--Great snowstorm. + +Jany 28--Quite mild this morning, a warm wind from the south. Snow +melting. At noon there was a sudden change of the wind to the northwest, +which rose to a tempest, overturning trees and making most doleful +sounds as it swept through the woods, where it broke off branches by the +thousand. Became piercingly cold. Such quick changes cannot be healthy. + +Jany 30--More snow with strong east wind. + +Feby. 9--After ten days of stormy weather, today is fine and bright. The +snow is over three feet on the level. Impossible to work in the bush. +Gordon is preparing for sugaring, making spouts and buckets. I have to +get a kettle to make potash and will buy one now, for it will serve for +boiling sap. + +Feby 14--Rain, snow sinking fast. + +Feby 18--Went with the three boys to Toronto and bought potash kettles. +They cost $12. + +Feby 24--Sun is gaining strength and days are lengthening. Can see the +snow wasting in the sun. In the shade, freezing hard. Are doing good +work in the bush. + +Feby 26--Snowing thick and fast, but not cold. + +Feby 28--Sky without a cloud and mild. Gordon tapped a tree or two, but +there was no sap. + +March 6--Roused by a hallo so hearty that nobody except Jabez could +utter it. The fine weather had made him tired of the town and recalled +the sugar-time of his youth. He picked out the maples to be tapped, +those most sheltered and facing the sun, and quickly their bark was +bored and spouts inserted. In the afternoon there was a fair run. By +that time the large kettle had been slung and the fire started. It was a +big play for the youngsters, and their shouting, when Jabez poured sap +on the snow and it turned to candy, might have been heard a mile away. + +March 11--Jabez left, taking as part of his spoil a jar of syrup and a +lot of cakes of sugar. Under his teaching Ailie quickly learned to sugar +off, and did it over the kitchen fire in the biggest pot. Sent cakes as +presents to Mrs Bambray and Mrs Dunlop. + +March 12--All tired after the week's sugar-making. Surprising what a +quantity was made, due to the Aulds and Brodies helping, who got their +share. + +March 18--Have had no sugar-weather this week; frosty with strong winds, +and some snow. Allan, with help of Mr Auld, began hauling boards from +sawmill, which we will need for barns. + +March 20--Gordon awakened us by shouting 'A sugar snow.' There had been +a light shower of it during the night, and the air was soft. Holes were +rebored and there was a fine run of sap. Likely the last, for there is +now hard frost. + +March 25--Have made preparations for the sacrament. Weather has been +fickle, sometimes snow, then rain, but always blowy with cold nights. + +March 26--Fair overhead but sleighing heavy. Got to Toronto in time and +had a solemn and, I hope, a profitable season. Recalling past occasions, +Ailie was much affected on taking the cup in her hand. She was anxious +about there being no word from Scotland. Before leaving Toronto I went +to the postmaster and got a letter. It was from her sister, whose +husband had a rented farm at Lochwinnoch. They have decided to follow us +to Canada, and ask that I look out a farm for them. They hope to have +over a thousand dollars after paying their passage. When we got home +Robbie's news was that he had seen a robin. + +March 27--Gladdened, when I woke to hear the sound of birds. The robin +here is not the Scottish redbreast, being much larger and with a +different note. People I spoke to at church yesterday said we are having +an unusually late season. I am weary of the sight of the snow, which is +now wasting in the sun. Heard frogs at a distance last night. The long +winter is a serious offset to farming in Canada. + +April 3--Jabez with Sloot came this morning to start burning our fallow, +and before dark we had made great progress. There is enough snow and ice +left to make it easy for the oxen to haul logs. + +April 8--By ourselves once more; the burning and the making of potash +finished yesterday. There is now clearance enough on all three lots to +make sure of raising sufficient crop to keep us, so it will not be so +much a work of life and death to keep at the felling of trees. Chopping +them is most laborious, but burning them is worse--as much as flesh and +blood can bear. The burning we had in the fall was to get a patch of +land cleared for sowing. This time we were prepared to save the ashes. +Gordon set up three leaches on the edge of the pond, and as the logs +were burned the ashes were gathered and hauled by ox-sled to fill them. +Ramming the ashes into the leaches as solid as possible and then pouring +water upon them fell to me and the women, the men attending to the +burning, the raking of the ashes together, and hauling them. After +soaking all night, or longer, the leaches are tapped, when the lye runs +into a trough, made by hollowing as big a pine as we could find. From +the trough the lye is dipped into the kettle, under which a fierce fire +had to be kept. As the lye boiled, the water in it passed off in clouds +of steam, more lye being poured in to keep it full. By-and-by a sticky +mass could be felt at the bottom of the kettle, which was ladled into +cast iron coolers, and became solid. This is called black salts, is +barreled, and shipped to Britain, where it is in great demand. The +quantity of lye needed to make a hundred-weight of black-salts +astonished me. I got ten cents a pound for what we made and that will +keep us in provisions until we have our own wheat to take to mill. + +April 9--All glad of the Sabbath rest. Warm, the soft maples red with +buds. + +April 15--Been busy all week, mostly in clearing and levelling the +burned land for sowing. Sowed two bushels of oats this afternoon. Drying +winds and a hot sun. + +April 20--The rain needed to start grain came last night. Moist and warm +today with rapid growth. + +April 22--Planted potatoes. Ailie and Alice getting the garden stuff in. + +April 26--Wonderful growth; nothing like it in Scotland. There is no +spring here; the jump is from winter to summer. Our bridle-path to +Yonge-street is so soft that oxen cannot be put on it. Gordon goes back +to Toronto on Monday to join the tradesman he was with in the fall, and +who has sent for him. He will have to walk, for Yonge-street, I am told, +is a chain of bog-holes. + +May 13--Have had changeable weather; rather too dry and a few cold +nights. The standing bush keeps frost off the braird, which could not +look better. Busy preparing logs for building barns; we are all working +together. Three will be needed. Except for the ground logs we are using +cedar, which is light to handle and easy to hew. Mrs Bambray sent a +bundle of apple-trees and another of berry bushes. All planted and look +as if they have rooted. + +June 3--Gordon along with Sloot came this evening to help in raising the +barns. Planted corn today; an entirely new crop to us. The heads will be +food for our table and the stalks the oxen are fond of. The winter-wheat +is in the shot-blade. Went back to the swamp and found what had been +plowed in fine shape. Seeded down with oats. I hope for a good return. + +June 14--Barns are finished. Much easier to build than were our +shanties. Using block and tackle in hoisting was a great help. Wheat is +beginning to color. Robbie saw a deer browsing in the oats, got his gun, +and shot it. Deer flesh is dry any time but at this season is poor +eating. Potatoes and corn have got their first hoeing. + +June 27--A dry hot spell. Scotland gets too much rain; Canada too +little. Wheat is ripening too fast. It will be fit to cut on Monday. + +July 8--Wheat is safe; drying winds and a hot sun made it quickly fit to +lead. In Scotland it might have been out three weeks before fit to +stack. Fine quality and abundant yield. Will not need to buy more flour. + +July 12--Have had a plentiful rain that has saved the crops, for oats +are filling. I answered my sister's letter at once, with directions how +to come. Have spent any time I could spare in trying to find a lot for +them. Gordon walked in this morning with a letter mailed from Greenock, +stating they were to take ship that week. As they may be here next week +must decide quickly on a home for them. + +July 15--Allan and myself have been on the trudge for three days, +looking for a lot. Finally decided on one with a clearance of nearly ten +acres and a shanty with an outbuilding. It is far north on Yonge-street, +but all nearer Toronto were held at prices they could not afford. The +owner leaves on account of sickness and sold the lot with its +betterments and growing crop for $600. + +July 22--Left home on Monday to wait in Toronto for arrival of my +brother-in-law and family. They came on the 19th, sound and hearty. As I +had directed them, they took a ship for New York and thence by the +Hudson and Erie canal to Oswego, where they got the steamer for Toronto. +Thus they avoided the hardships of the St Lawrence route and saved a +fortnight in time. Looking at the map, I can see New York is Toronto's +nearest ocean port. The teams got started early in the afternoon, but +the road was rough and the horses had to walk all the way. It was +growing dark when we reached the shanty, from whose one window gleamed a +light, and at the door were Ailie, Alice, and Robbie, who had spent two +days cleaning and making the place as decent as possible. A table of +boards, with benches at its side, was spread with supper. A joyous hour +was cut short by the teamsters crying out horses were fed and they were +ready to return. They dropped us at the end of our lane. + +July 26--Finished cutting the oats on the swamp while green and stacked +them. There is a fair catch of grass. + +Aug. 4--All the grain is ripe; cutting is slow on account of the stumps. +Today there were four of us busy with the hook. Oats are not as plump as +in Scotland; they fill too quickly. + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + +THE AFTER YEARS + + +Further extracts from the master's diary would not help the story I am +telling you, for it becomes such a record as many farmers keep,--when +they sowed and reaped, what they sold and bought. Having completed the +account of his first year's experience in the bush for his friend in +Scotland, he ceased noting down his daily happenings, which for him no +longer had the interest of novelty. The forest had been sufficiently +subdued to enable him to gain a living from the land, and his life +partook more and more of the routine of Canadian farmers. He was, +however, much more successful than the majority of them, due to his +energy and skill. His first decided start was due to the existence of +that swamp whose discovery filled him with dismay. The forage he got off +it enabled him to start keeping stock long before he otherwise could +have done. In the fall of 1826 he bought a cow and a couple of two-year +old heifers, and the following spring there was enough milk to enable +the mistress to make a few cheese. These gave the farm a reputation +which established a steady demand at a paying price. More cows were +got, no grain was sold, everything was fed, and the master, with the +help of the mistress, led in dairying. In Ayrshire she had the name of +making the best cheese in the parish and her skill stood the family in +good stead in Canada. That second summer the entire swamp was brought +into cultivation, and it proved to be the best land on the farm for +grass. When other pastures were dried up, cattle had a bite on the +swamp, for so it continued to be called long after it had lost all the +features of a swamp. The clearing of the forest went on steadily, so +that each fall saw a larger yield of grain and roots. In the fifth year +the master was rejoiced to find many of the stumps could be dragged out +by oxen, and a field secured on which he could use the long-handled plow +as in Scotland. An unlooked for result of the draining of the swamp and +the sweeping away of the forest in every direction was the gradual +drying up of the pond. A more striking instance was told me by a settler +who was led to choose a lot near lake Simcoe on account of a brook +prattling across it and which reminded him of Scotland. In twenty years +the brook was gone, the plow turning furrows on its bed. The one great +drawback to the progress of the three families was the lack of a road to +Yonge-street. In winter there was little difficulty for then snow made a +highway, but the rest of the year no wheeled vehicle could go over it. +At one of the sessions of the legislature, when the estimates for roads +and bridges was up, the owner of the 1200 acre block of land that was +the cause of our trouble, made a pathetic appeal for a grant to give an +outlet to three of the thriftiest and most deserving families he had any +acquaintance with, and his appeal resulted in a hundred dollars being +voted. Two years later, on being questioned by the master about the +grant, the honorable gentleman (for he had Hon. before his name) told +him he had drawn the money but there was no condition as to the time he +should start the work. In 1830 there set in an unprecedented influx of +immigrants, who wanted land. The honorable gentleman saw his opportunity +and sold every acre of the 1200. Those who bought had to cut out the +road, and making it passable for travel was hard work for years, on +account of the size of the stumps and of many parts having to be +corduroyed. + +With the coming of these new neighbors, a school became necessary and in +it services were held on Sunday. The master sought the help of a +Presbyterian minister in Toronto. He came once; on finding how rude +everything was, he declined to return. A North of Ireland family was no +more successful with an Anglican minister. He had newly come out from a +cathedral city in the south of England and was shocked to find the log +school had not a robing-room. The end was that a Methodist circuit-rider +took in our settlement in his rounds, which resulted in a majority of +those who attended his services uniting with the Methodist church. The +ministers who came from the Old Country in those early days were +singularly unfit for new settlements. The Anglican on landing assumed he +was the only duly accredited clergyman, and was offended at his claim +being slighted, while his feelings were jarred by the lack of conditions +he considered essential to the proper conducting of worship. The +Presbyterian ministers were more amenable to the changes, yet their +ideals were of the parishes they had known in Scotland--a church, a +manse, a glebe, tiends, and a titled patron. The effects of State +established churches in the Old Land were thus felt in the backwoods, +which was shown more markedly in the strife to reproduce State churches +in Canada. I look back with distress to the bitter controversy which +went on from year to year over the possession of the revenue from the +clergy reserves. The cause of strife was not altogether the money, but +the proof of superiority the possession of the fund would give. With +many it was as much pride as covetousness. When we recall the energy +that characterized the agitation over the clergy reserves, I think of +what the same effort would have accomplished had it been directed to +evangelize the province. + +Another agitation, less prolonged but fiercer while it lasted, was that +which reached its head in the rebellion year. As was unavoidable, the +rule of the province on its being organized, fell into the hands of the +people who first came. They divided its public offices among themselves +and managed its affairs. In time these first-comers were outnumbered by +immigrants, but there was no change--the first-comers held to the reins. +Had they used their power in the public interest, that would have been +submitted to, but they did not--they abused their power for their own +interests. They multiplied offices, increased salaries, grabbed the +public lands, and laid the foundation of a national debt by borrowing +money. There were instances of stealing of public funds, with no +punishment following. Farmers became restless under an iniquitous +administration of public lands. The discontent, which was as wide as the +province, was taken advantage of by men who designed Canada should +become a republic, and began an agitation to bring that about. Men, like +the master, who ardently wished reforms, were repelled when they found +the main object of the leaders of the agitation was the separation of +Canada from Britain and would have nothing to do with them. The first +time the master met Mackenzie he took a dislike to him, perceiving his +overweening vanity, his habit of contradiction, and his lack of +judgment. He said he was a specimen of the unpleasant type of Scot who +meddled and denounced to attract attention and make himself of +consequence. When he saw him shaping a rebellion he declared it would be +a ridiculous failure, that no such whitrick of a creature could lead in +the people's cause. There were grievous wrongs to be righted, but he +held the advocacy of the changes called for by such men as Mackenzie was +a hindrance instead of a help to their being secured. Brodie's oldest +son was somewhat conceited, and had come to believe he was born to be +something else than a farmer. I think the isolation of farm life +conduces to develop that notion. The boy brought little in contact with +his fellows, does not have his pretensions rubbed down, and comes to +think he is superior to them. I have seen many such, who thinking they +were business men, or would shine in some public capacity, or were +fitted to adorn a profession, made shipwreck of their lives in leaving +the plow. Hugh was one of those. A good fellow and a good worker with +his father, he began by frequenting corner-stores at night and before +long considered himself an authority in politics and was ready to argue +in a long-winded and dreary fashion with any who disputed his crude +assertions. Taken notice of by leaders in the agitation going on, +appointed to committees and consulted as to plans on foot, he became +carried away and neglected his home duties. When the explosion took +place in December, 1837, he was one of those who met at Montgomery's +tavern. A decisive blow could have been struck had the men there +gathered marched to Toronto and seized the guns stored in the city hall. +There was no man to take the lead. Mackenzie vapored and complained of +others, formed plans one hour to change the next, and demonstrated the +weakness of his shallow nature. Seeing this, farmers sincerely desirous +of a change in the rule of the province, left for their homes, and the +handful left were routed without trouble. Hugh was among those made +prisoners and placed in Toronto jail. His father was in great distress +and implored me to help to get him released. My stay in Toronto had +given a knowledge of its officials and I told him if he was willing to +pay it might be done. We went to the home of the prosecutor for the +crown. The father told his tale and, in piteous terms, begged the return +of his son to his distracted mother. Perceiving what he said had no +effect, I took the gentleman aside and told him the father might give +cash bail. 'How much is he ready to deposit?' was asked. I thought he +had $25 in his pocket. 'Not enough,' he replied. 'The lad can be +indicted for treason which means hanging.' 'You cannot get evidence +against him on that charge. Say what you want?' Turning to Brodie he +said if he would deposit ten pounds, and enter into the proper +recognizances he would give him an order to the jailor for his son's +release. Without a word of demur the father counted out $40 of his +painfully gathered savings and the chancellor scribbled the order. On +reaching the prison the jailor raised objections. It was now dark and +after hours and the lad had been boarded four days and the fees of the +constables who had arrested him had to be paid. I cut him short by +asking 'How much?' The fellow eyed the father as if calculating the +extent of his ability to pay. 'Two pound ten,' he said. 'Nonsense,' I +replied, 'farmers have not that much money to give away; say one pound +ten and I will advance it for him.' He nodded and I passed the money. +Going upstairs he threw open a door, and we saw in the hall, or rather +corridor, a crowd of men. They were silent with the exception of one who +was denouncing his being held as an outrage, for he was as loyal as the +governor himself. The rest of them were enduring their condition in +sullen silence. Among them were industrious farmers who had warrants +issued against them because they had been known to threaten officials in +the land-office for not getting patents for the lots they had paid for, +farmers arrested on informations lodged by men who owed them, others by +officials who expected to share in their property when confiscated, and +barroom politicians who had expressed their opinions too freely about +those in power. A few, however, were thoughtless young fellows who had +been drawn to visit Montgomery's tavern from mere curiosity and love of +excitement. The room was lighted dimly by two lamps hung on the walls; +the heat was stifling, the odor sickening. We looked among the throng +for Hugh. His father pulled my sleeve and pointed to a far corner, where +he was squat on the floor with his face to the wall in the stupor of +despair. The jailer jostled his way to him, and grasped his collar. Hugh +turned his face in agonized apprehension of his fate, for he told us +afterwards he expected to be hanged, and that he was wanted. Dragging +him to where we stood the poor fellow collapsed at sight of his father +and fell on his neck. Hastening downstairs the jailer opened the wicket +and we were on the street. Hugh was dazed when he saw the jailer did not +follow 'Where are we going, father?' 'Going home.' 'Have I not to go +back to prison?' 'No, you are free.' Hugh broke down and cried. 'We will +have supper and then we will hitch up.' 'No, no,' sobbed Hugh, 'let us +go home now.' On shaking hands with them as the horse started, I saw +poor Hugh was thuroly humbled and penitent. It was not for a brief time, +for on going home he proved what his boyhood had promised, an obedient +son and steady worker. 'He never has now a word of complaint about what +is set on the table,' whispered his mother to me. + +This ridiculous attempt at a revolution had one good and one bad effect. +The good, was a change in the government that made conditions more +tolerable; the bad, was in giving color to fastening upon Liberals the +stigma of disloyalty. The leaders in the attempted rising had declared +for separation from Britain, and those of them who escaped across the +frontier became avowed annexationists. What they were the Tories +asserted all Liberals were and the maintenance of British connection +depended upon their being kept out of office. The many years that have +passed have made that pretension traditional, and whenever there is an +election, I hear the charge of disloyalty imputed to Liberals and the +claim to exclusive loyalty made by their opponents. + +The passing years have wrought a marvellous change in the face of the +country. Our drive up Yonge-street in 1825 was like a boat tracing a +narrow channel of the sea. On either hand was a continuous wall of +forest, and where an attempt had been made to push it back the uncarved +bush projected like rocky promontories. The houses passed at wide +intervals were shanties; the clearances in which they were set cluttered +with stumps. How different now. Handsome residences have replaced the +log-shanties, the bush has become a graceful fringe in the background of +smooth, well-tilled fields. Like the ocean which keeps no trace of the +keels that have furrowed its wastes, these beautiful fields are the +speechless bequest of the men and women who redeemed them from savagery +at the cost of painful privations, of exhausting, never ceasing toil, of +premature decay of strength. They fought and overcame and succeeding +generations enjoy the fruits of their labors--fruits they barely lived +to taste. These were the men and women who made Canada, the founders of +its prosperity, the true Makers of the nation to which it has grown. It +is common for politicians and their newspapers to steal for their +party-idols credit to which they have no claim, by styling them the +Makers of Canada, but no suppression of facts, no titles the crown is +misled to confer, no Windsor uniforms, no strutting in swords and cocked +hats, no declarations and resolutions of parliament, no blare of party +conventions, no lies graven on marble, nor statues of bronze, can change +the truth, that the True Makers of Canada were those who, in obscurity +and poverty, made it with ax and spade, with plow and scythe, with sweat +of face and strength of arm. + +I would not imply that being first is necessarily a merit in itself. +There must be a beginning to everything and to magnify the man who +felled the first tree or reared the first shanty is no honor if +unaccompanied by moral worth. I have seen many townships come into +existence and have known the men who first went into them, and my sorrow +is, that so few of them are worthy of remembrance. Recognizing this, I +pay no honor to a man who boasts he was the first to do this or that, +and who, though first, threw away his opportunity to benefit himself and +those who followed. I am tired of men who posture as pioneers and +founders and who have nothing else to claim. Unless they also had moral +worth, strove to give the right tone to the settlement of which, by +accident, they started, they are not deserving of more than passing +notice. Scores of times I have been struck by the differences in +settlements, how one is thrifty, and its neighbor shiftless; one sending +into the world young men and women of intelligence and high aspiration; +the other coarse people who gravitate downward. If a first settler is of +sterling character he moulds the community that gathers around him and +he deserves honor, but the first settler of gross habits it is well to +forget. The government that tries to make a selection among those who +seek its land acts wisely in the interest of coming generations. To give +land to all who ask it, regardless of what they are, will indeed till +the country, but will be of no benefit in the long run. I know of +townships where laziness, ignorance, prejudice, and gross habits +prevail to such a degree that it would have been better had the land +remained in bush. The bullet strikes as the rifle is pointed, and Canada +has never aimed to secure the best people as settlers. We need +population, has been the cry, get it and never mind of what quality it +is. What is more blamable, our legislature does not even try to secure +settlers who will assimilate. Business called me to a township one +summer where few of the settlers knew a word of English. Is that the way +to build up Canada as British? + +Nature has designed Canada as an agricultural country and such it must +remain. It will prosper as its farmers prosper, and languish when they +are not doing well. It follows their welfare should be the first +consideration, and a mistake will be made if the fact is not recognized +when they work under unfavorable conditions. + +The farmer in the Old Country can plow every month in the year and his +flocks and herds only need supplementary rations to keep them in +condition. How different it is here, where winter locks the soil in iron +bonds half the year and animals must be fed from October to May. What +our farmers raise in six months is consumed in the other six, so that +their labor half the year is to store up food for the other half. The +result is, that the earnings of our farmers are less than half of what +they would be had we England's climate. The public man who argues that +because the Old Country farmer can pay heavy rent to his landlord, bear +the burden of severe taxation, and yet make a living, the Canadian +farmer should be able to do likewise, shuts his eyes to the kind of +winter he has to fight against. That winter cuts his earnings more than +half, for, during the months the land is frozen he is unable to do any +kind of profitable farm work, indeed has spells of enforced idleness. +The Old Country farmer can keep hired help the year round, for he has +employment for them; the Canadian farmer needs extra hands only during +summer. The result is that his margin of profits is so narrow that he +can never pay such taxes as are collected from the agricultural class in +England. When public burdens draw on his income to the extent that he is +not left a living profit, the Anglo-Saxon will leave the land to be +occupied by an unenterprising class of people who are content to +vegetate, not to live. The pre-eminent essential in Canada's policy is +to make farming profitable and keep it so. + +While the statement, that agriculture is the foundation of Canada's +life, is so often repeated that it has become a commonplace remark, is +it not extraordinary that none of its public men since Simcoe's day have +acted upon it? With the words on their lips, Canada rests upon the +farmer, it would be expected the welfare of the farmer would be their +solicitous concern. In the first element of agricultural prosperity, the +settlement of the land, they have kept back the progress of the country +by bestowing it, not on the men ready and anxious to cultivate it, but +upon individuals and companies who expect to make a profit by reselling +to the actual settler. By making the land a commodity to buy political +support, the settlement of the country has been kept back. The rule, +that the land be given only to those who will live upon it and crop it, +would have saved heartbreak to thousands of willing men who came to our +shores asking liberty to till its soil, and would have placed an +occupant on every lot fit to yield a living. The individuals and +companies who have been given grants of blocks of land under the +pretence that they would settle them, have been blights on the progress +of the country. + +As to the danger of taxation increasing to a degree that will make the +working of the land unattractive to the intelligent and enterprising, +that menace comes from two classes--the projectors of public works who +agitate for them from self-interest, and from those who have raised a +clamor to encourage manufacturers by giving them bonuses in the form of +protective duties. Should a levy ever be made on the earnings of the +farmer to help a favored class, there will be a leaving of the land for +other countries and for better-paying occupations. + +My desire is, to see Canada a land where every man who wishes may own a +part of God's footstool and, by industry, secure a decent living. Surely +it is a patriotic duty to make Canada a nation where toil and thrift +fetch the reward of independence, a nation without beggars or of men +willing to work and cannot get it, a nation of happy homes where there +is neither wealth nor luxury but enough of the world's means to ensure +comfort and to develop in its men and women what is best in human +nature. + + + + +CHAPTER X. + +PARTING WITH OLD FRIENDS + + +My story of how I came to Canada and how the family which made me one of +their number got on in its backwoods has taken a long time to tell, yet +I must lengthen it to make known what became of some of the people +mentioned in the course of it. Tilly remained with us a year, when she +went to live with the Bambrays, who needed her help. When they, later +on, decided to end their days in their native town, Huddersfield, she +went with them to England. Once a year a letter came from Mr Bambray, +with a long postscript by Tilly, overflowing with good wishes, and in +each letter was a draft to help escaped slaves get a fresh start in +life. The worthy couple died several years ago, making Tilly their chief +legatee. She married a man for whom she described herself as unworthy +and who makes her happy every day. When Ruth married she sent her a gift +of $250 to furnish her house. Ruth's husband is a capable farmer, who is +doing well. They are an evenly matched team, pulling together and happy +in each other. When Robbie came of age the master divided his farm +equally between his two sons, and bought for himself six acres fronting +Yonge-street. On this he built a commodious house and a large +greenhouse, for he designed carrying on market-gardening. In an +excavation deep enough to be below the frost line the greenhouse was +built, and there were other devices to do with as little stove-heat as +possible. Sloot, who had been left a widower, and having no family, +became the hired man and made his home for the remainder of his life +with the master and mistress, to whom he was deeply attached. Twice a +week he drove to market the produce that was for sale, and though +occupation not beyond their strength was their purpose, remarkable +profits were made off these six acres. The mistress was happy in tending +the greenhouse and flower-beds, and in entertaining visitors, for they +had many apart from their own children and grand-children. They were +honored far and wide and a drive to their house, which they named +Heatherbell cottage, to have a chat and get a bouquet was a common +recreation with many Torontonians. Of your mother I need not speak; you +know how happy we are in each other. We never had any courtship--our +lives from the first sight of her when I ventured to seek shelter in her +father's house on that rainy day has been one long dwelling in each +other's affections. As trees strengthen with years, our attachment has +grown deeper and purer. Just as soon as I made my footing good in +Toronto, our marriage took place. Lovers before the ceremony we are +lovers still. Ah, my dear lassie, do not think love is a brief fever of +youth--a transient emotion that fades before the realities of wedded +life like the glow from a cloud at morn. Where love is of the true +quality, it becomes purer and tenderer with the passing years. Death may +interrupt, but cannot end such affection as ours. Love is eternal. + +With Mr Kerr I kept up the exchange of letters he asked, and the +information and advice his contained have helped to shape my character +and opinions. The year after his arrival he started in business for +himself and prospered. His wife is the girl whom he was courting when he +fled from Greenock. Our visits to them are delightful memories and you +know how we enjoy their sojourns with us. Jabez also became a +Montrealer. The business of himself and brothers as carters naturally +merged into forwarders. As trade grew it was found needful one should be +in Montreal, and Jabez went. Levelheaded and full of resource he soon +came to the front in the shipping-trade. + +With Mr Snellgrove we had an unlooked for encounter. The master was on a +visit to us at Toronto. On reading notices of a meeting to be held in +favor of Protection and of the government issuing paper currency instead +of gold, we decided to attend. The first speaker was Isaac Buchanan, who +deluged us with figures about Bullionism and the balance of trade. We +were relieved when he ended. Then a college professor read a paper on +the Co-relation of Great Britain and her Colonies. It was difficult to +follow him. He was one of those theoretical men who think forms of +government and names can make a country great. We started with +astonishment on the chairman saying he had pleasure in introducing Mr +Snellgrove as the next speaker. It was he sure enough, older but still +spruce, and resplendent in full evening dress. He did not touch on +currency, but confined himself to advocating a protective tariff so high +that it would shut out foreign goods. That would enable manufacturers to +establish themselves in Canada, and instead of a stream of gold going to +Britain and the United States the money would be spent for goods made in +Canada. See what a rich country we would become if we kept our money +here, he said; our great lack is capital to develop our immense +resources. We had the capital in our own hands but, blind to our own +interests, sent it away to Great Britain or, what was worse, to the +United States to build up a country that was hostile to us. Like the +Gulf Stream, which sweeping through the Atlantic enriches every country +it touches, he would have a golden circuit established in Canada--the +farmers would sell to the manufacturers and the money paid them would +continue to flow backward and forward to the enrichment of both. The +flowing of gold from our midst would be stopped, and the farmers, with a +home-market for all they could raise, would become rich and view with +delight factories rising on every hand. All this could be accomplished +by enacting a judiciously-framed tariff and delay in doing so was not +only keeping Canada poor but endangering her future as a British +dependency. Applause followed Mr Snellgrove's sitting down, and the +chairman praised him as a gentleman who had carefully thought out his +proposals, which commended themselves to every patriotic mind. We wanted +diversity of occupation and retention of the earnings of the farmers in +Canada; here was a method of effecting both these desirable ends. + +The master got on his feet and begged permission to be heard in reply. +He was invited to the platform and, with his usual directness and force, +at once assailed what Mr Snellgrove had advanced. He says, let us have a +law that will compel us to cease buying goods abroad, for thereby the +money now sent away will be kept in Canada. What right has any +government to pass such a law? With the money I get for my wheat may I +not buy what I need where I see fit? Such an arbitrary law as he pleads +for would undoubtedly help the manufacturer, but would it help me, who +am a farmer? The question I ask, is not will the money stay in Canada, +but will the money I have justly earned stay in my pocket? I will be +none the richer if the money goes into the pocket of the owner of a +factory. In the Old Country the farmers carry the aristocracy who own +the land on their backs, are the laws of Canada to be so shaped that the +farmers here are to carry the manufacturers? It may not be plain to you +city gentlemen, but it is to me, that under the system you have heard +advocated, factories would increase and their owners grow rich while +the farmers would become poor, for they would have to pay more than they +now do for the goods necessity makes them buy. My family needs about +$300 worth of store-goods in a year. That is what I pay now. Under +Protection these same goods would cost me $400, perhaps more. The +Canadian manufacturers would be the richer by the hundred extra dollars +I would pay, and I would be the poorer by a hundred dollars. The point +at issue, is not keeping money in the country, but of keeping it in the +pockets of the men who first earned it by cultivating the soil. Canada +is a farming country and always will be, and taxing each farmer's family +on an average of say a hundred dollars a year is going to discourage the +farmer. Let every tub stand on its own bottom. If any commodity can be +made in Canada at a profit under present conditions, I wish all success +to the man who undertakes to make that commodity, but to tax me to give +the man a bonus to do so is to rob me of my honest earnings. We have +been told we want more population. Yes, if it be of the right kind, of +people who will go, as I did, into the bush and carve out farms. These +will add to our strength, but hordes drawn from cities who cannot and +will not take to the plow, will prove in the long run a weakness. If you +knew the poverty and misery that exists among the factory operatives of +the Old World you would not entertain a project to bribe them to come +here and reproduce the same conditions. Today you have not a beggar on +Toronto's streets; adopt Protection and you will have thousands of +paupers. This is a new country and our aim should be to make it one +where honest industry can find a sure reward in its forests and not be +creating factories by artificial means. As an Old Countryman, I take +exception to the land I came from being treated as foreign and a ban +placed on the goods it has to export. When I go into a store I like to +think what I am buying is helping those I left behind, and when I pay +for the cloth and other goods they made, do they not in return buy the +grain, the butter and cheese, and the pork I have to sell? I protest +against our government abusing its power to tax the farmers to benefit +the manufacturers. That is tyranny, and when farmers understand that +Protection is one of the meanest forms of despotism, they will revolt. +This must be a free country, with no favor shown to any class. + +We saw gentlemen on the platform urging the chairman to stop the master; +he seemed reluctant to make a scene. Finally he did pull him down, +stating he was not speaking to the subject before the meeting. The best +reply to the disloyal outpouring to which they had listened he +considered was contemptuous silence. After votes of thanks the meeting +ended. The master advanced towards Mr Snellgrove to renew his +acquaintance. Mr Snellgrove turned his back upon him and left with a +group of gentlemen. I learned he held a government office. + +I have a more unexpected meeting to relate. The sixth year after my +marriage, it had been arranged Christmas should be celebrated at Allan's +and New Year's at the master's. We had been looking for what people in +Scotland dread, a Green Yule, for the ground was bare. When we rose the +morning before Christmas we were pleased to see it white, and a gentle +sifting of snow falling. Allan came for us early in the afternoon and we +filled his big sleigh with children and parcels. We had just got into +the house when the clouds lowered and it became suddenly dark. You have +seen in summer a gentle rain prevail, until, all at once, a plump came +that covered the ground with streams of water. Once in a number of years +the like happens with snow, and a gentle fall turns into a smothering +stream of snowflakes. In an hour the ground was so cumbered that it +reached to the knees of those who ventured out. Supper was over and the +romping of the children was in full swing when Robbie cried he thought +he heard somebody shouting outside. There was a pause in the merriment +as he flung open the door. The snow had ceased to fall and the air was +calm and soft. A black object was seen on the road to the left, from +which came cries for help. Allan and Robbie dashed into the snow and +struggled through it. We watched them but it was too dark to see what +they did on reaching the road. Our suspense was ended on seeing them +returning with a stranger, and leading a horse. Robbie took the horse to +the stable; Allan and the stranger, covered with snow entered. After +brushing him and taking off his wraps the stranger stood before us, a +good-looking man past middle life. He explained he had left home that +morning for Toronto, his chief errand to get the supplies and presents +the lack of sleighing had hindered his going for sooner. Overtaken by +the unlooked for downfall, he had halted at a tavern undecided what to +do. The barroom was crowded. A man told him, on hearing where he was +going, if he took the first turn to his left, he would find a road that +would be passable, for it was sheltered by bush. Anxious to get home, +and the tavern accommodation not inviting, he had, after watering his +horse, started anew. Half an hour or so later, while pushing slowly +along, a runner of his cutter had struck some obstacle, the horse +plunged forward, tipping the rig. On getting on his feet, on lifting the +cutter, he found a runner had been wrenched off, and there he was +helpless. Seeing the lights of our house, he shouted, and, for a long +time, he thought in vain. While he was speaking, my memory was groping +to place a voice that seemed an echo of one I had heard in the past. I +looked at the face, but in the firm-set features that told of wrestling +with the world, I found no aid. It was not until the house-colley went +up to sniff at him and he stooped to pat its head that it flashed on me +the stranger was the shepherd-lad who had befriended me in my weary +tramp across Ayrshire. Facing him, I said, 'Is not your name Archie?' +'It is,' he replied, looking surprised. 'And do you not remember the +ragged boy your dog found under a bush, how you shared your bite with +him; how we sat under your plaid and read the bible and heard each other +the questions?' As I spoke I could tell by his face his memory too was +at work. 'Yes, yes,' he exclaimed, 'it all comes back to me, and you are +curly-headed Gordon Sellar.' Had we been of any other race the right +thing to do would have been to have fallen into each other arms, but +seeing we were undemonstrative Scots we gripped hands though I could not +hold back the tears of gratitude on seeing the man who had been so kind +to me. His coming was no damper to the evening's joy. He made himself at +home at once, and before he was ten minutes among us the children were +clambering over him, for he had joined them in their play. He was the +same free-hearted, easily-pleased lad I had known. When, late in the +evening, I took him to his room, we had a long talk, and the fire of +friendship kindled on the Ayrshire braeside burned again. We had +breakfast together long before daylight, for he was anxious to get home. +It had been settled Allan would lend his team and long sleigh, and that +I drive. The sound of sleighbells brought us to our feet, and at the +door was the sleigh with the broken cutter piled into it with all the +parcels that had been picked out of the snow, and tied to the seat was +Archie's mare. I hesitated leaving Alice on such a day, but she insisted +I must go with my friend. It was not a long drive but it was a slow one. +I turned back into Yonge street, where there would be a track broken, +and kept on it until we reached the corner to turn westward. We halted +an hour at the corner-tavern to feed and rest the horses, which could +not have made the headway they were making had they not been a noble +team, Allan's pride. The way, however, was not long to us, for we had +much to talk about. Archie narrated his past life, and, curious about +mine, I had to tell him my simple story. Reserve there was none. Once +again we were boys, rejoicing in each other, and warming to one another +as true friends do in exchanging their inmost confidences. I will not +relate what he told, for I will weave into his narrative what I got +afterwards from his sister and his father and mother, and present it in +connected form. We were passing down a concession, which had every +indication of being a prosperous settlement, when Archie pointed to a +brick house in the far-distance as his. On drawing near we found its +inmates had been on the watch, for tumbling through the snow came four +children, who clambered in beside us, rejoiced to see their father and +anxious to know what he had brought for them. On reaching, at last, the +house there was gathered at the door the two oldest of the family, a +fine-looking girl and a tall lad, with the mother, and behind them an +aged couple. A hired man took the team, but the mare, looking to the lad +at the door, whinnied. He jumped forward and led her to her stall. 'That +is his pony,' remarked Archie. What a scene of rejoicing on that day of +joy the world over! Mrs Craig, to give her name, told how they had +waited the night before for the coming of Archie until the younger +members fell asleep in their chairs, how they had kept supper warm, and +how, not until two in the morning, they had gone to bed, convinced he +had stayed overnight somewhere on the road, for the possibility of +misadventure they would not admit The forenoon had been of more anxious +waiting, for as time slipped they began to dread an accident had +befallen him. To have him back safe, and the parcels safe, was perfect +joy, and the two youngest darted from the house to try the sleds Santa +Claus had sent them by their father. Mrs Craig, a tidy purpose-like +woman, was profuse in thanks to me for helping her husband. Archie's +father and mother struck me, at the first glance, as the finest old +couple my eyes had ever rested upon. He was tall and rugged in frame, as +became an old shepherd, but his face was a benediction--so calm, so +composed, such a look of perfect content. His companion recalled +grannie, only more alert. Burns might have taken them as models for his +song, John Anderson, my jo. As the sun was setting there was a shout of +'Auntie,' and the youngsters bounded down the long lane to meet a sleigh +that was dragging its way through snow as high as the box. Auntie was +Archie's sister--like him yet unlike, the same features of softer mould, +lighted up with merry smiles that told of a happy heart. And there were +children with her, and her husband, a stout hearty man with a loud +voice. Sleigh after sleigh drove up the lane, each hailed with shouting +and laughter, for each one brought not only the elders of the household +but their children. What a shaking of hands and interchange of good +wishes there was, and then came supper. There were over fifty guests, +but there was ample preparation in the big back kitchen, where supper +was served. When all had enough, including the dogs and Maisie's +pussies, the older folk moved to the front room. In a jiffy dishes and +temporary tables disappeared in that big back kitchen, and the +youngsters began their games. By-and-by a fiddle was heard, and I am +afraid there was dancing. We had a happy evening. Two-handed cracks, +stories, jokes, songs, made the time pass too quickly. It was a novelty +to me that all the guests were either Irish or English; fine people, +intelligent, wide-awake as to the necessity of advancing and making +improvements. Plates of apples and fruit cake appearing notified the +time for parting had come, and in more than one mother's arms rested a +little one who had crept in from the big kitchen too sleepy to remain +longer. In shaking hands with my new-found acquaintances, they all pled +with me to pay them a visit. Before I fell asleep, I thought of what a +fine yeomanry dwelt in the settlement, and the misfortune it would be +if, by any legislative mis-step, they were constrained to leave the +farm. + +Next morning I had, of course, to visit the stables and see the +live-stock, and to judge as far as was possible, with two feet of snow +resting upon it, of the farm and its surroundings. Every detail told of +a capable and energetic farmer, who knew a good horse and the best use +that could be made of pig and cow. There were no loose ends, everything +was in its place and in the best of order. The hour I was left alone +with Archie's father and mother was as refreshing as a breeze from +Scotia's heath-clad hills. On asking grannie whether Mirren and Archie +were her only children she answered, 'There are two biding with the +Lord.' After listening to what they told me of how they came to Canada, +of what Mirren and Archie had done for them, my heart swelled in +thanking God that filial piety still cast luster on humanity. After an +early dinner I left and reached Allan's in time to share in the +after-feast of the fragments of Christmas good things. Many a visit I +have since that day paid to Archie, and many he has to me. It may be +that neither of us having a brother we crept so close together that we +are supremely happy in each others company even if we utter not a word. + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + +MIRREN AND ARCHIE + + +A shepherd's wage is small, and grows smaller as age creeps on. The +young and active get the preference and the old have to take a lower fee +at each hiring fair to secure employment. That was the experience of +Archie's father. At the best, it had been only with thrift ends could be +got to meet, but as he aged it was a struggle. The children had to help. +Archie hired with a farmer and in time rose to be ploughman; Mirren +after learning to be a dressmaker, found to be in service was +preferable. What they could spare of their earnings it was their pride +to give in order to keep a home for their parents. While still a boy +Archie had shaped in his little head a plan of going to Canada, where +there was a possibility of becoming independent, and had begun early to +try and save enough to take him across the Atlantic. He had fixed on $50 +as the sum he must have, but found, with all the self-denial he could +exercise, difficult to scrape together. Emergencies arose that required +his breaking in on his little hoard of savings, and spring after spring +he was disappointed in being unable to sail. His sister encouraged him. +Like him, she was determined to break with the conditions that bound +them in the chain of poverty. On Sunday afternoons, when they met, their +talk was of the future that awaited them across the sea. It was not for +themselves they planned and saved. Their ambition was to give a +comfortable home to their parents, for they foresaw that, unless Archie +carved a farm out of the Canadian bush, they would end in becoming a +charge to the parish, which was revolting to them and which they knew +would break their parents' hearts. Of all misfortunes that can overtake +them, to the independent-minded Scot the acceptance of poor relief is +the lowest degradation conceivable. It was in the month of March, the +time when ships were getting ready for the St Lawrence, that brother and +sister had an anxious consultation. Archie had $40. Would he venture to +go on that amount? The risk of longer delay, the doubt if another +twelvemonth would increase the sum, were considered. Archie was for +risking all--he wanted to end their suspense. 'Go,' replied the sister, +'father might not be able to stand the voyage if we waited two years +more,' and so it was settled. + +While Archie had been scraping together the money needed for his +passage, his mother and sister had been doing what they could to provide +his outfit. The mother span and knitted stockings, a chest was got, and +shirts and other clothing cut and sewed. To eke out the ship-rations +provisions must be had, and in this neighbors helped--the wife of the +farmer he worked for presented him with a cheese, she called it a +kebbuck, and his father's master insisted on his accepting two stone of +meal, part of which was baked into oatcakes. The step Archie was to take +was not only serious but dangerous, for many ships in those days were +wrecked, a few never heard of, and the fear that he might not reach +Canada oppressed those who bade him good-by. The morning he left was +trying. He kept a cheery countenance and was profuse in his expressions +of confidence of success and that before long they would be re-united. +The father, sternly repressing his emotions in parting with his only +son, wrung his hand. 'When I am on the hillside alone with the yowes I +will be praying God may be with you--when you are in the bush, will you +not be praying for us?' 'That I will, father.' 'Then,' said the old man, +'though the ocean roll between us we will be united in spirit.' Taking +his watch out of his pocket, the father held it out. 'No, no,' said +Archie, 'I cannot take your watch.' 'You must take it; my companion for +many a year it will cheer you in the woods, and keep you in mind of the +promise you have just made.' The sister went with him to the turn of the +road. She treasured his last words and they were her comfort. 'Mirren, I +have covenanted with God, that I will never forget our father and mother +and will do all that in me lies to help and comfort them.' He strode on +his way to Greenock, whither his chest had gone by the carrier. + +The ship made a good voyage and in time he got to Toronto, where, with +some trouble, he was given a location-ticket for a lot. Bargaining with +a teamster who was taking a load to a settlement in the neighborhood of +his lot, to leave his chest on his way, he started on foot. It was well +he did, for from what he saw on the road he learnt much of what settlers +have to do. He watched the chopping of trees, the making of potash, the +hoeing in of the first crop, and the building of shanties, for in +succession he came upon settlers engaged in all these operations, and he +was not backward in asking questions, or slow in observing. The +afternoon of the second day he reached where the local land-agent lived. +There was a small gristmill, a sawmill, a blacksmith shop, an ashery and +half a dozen houses, all rudely built, planted in a surrounding of +stumps, with the bush encircling all. Asking at the largest shanty for +Mr Magarth, the woman he spoke to pointed to a man, bareheaded and in +his shirtsleeves, piling boards. On hearing his business Magarth said, +'You're the man whose chest was left here yesterday. Well, it is too +late in the day to show you what lot you have been given. Can you +count?' On being told he could, Magarth got a shingle and a piece of +chalk and told him to mark down as he called out the measurements of the +boards. On finishing the pile, Archie reported the number of feet. 'Just +what I guessed,' said Magarth, 'now come with me.' He led to the door of +an extension at the end of his house, which Archie saw was a primitive +shop, there being, in a confused heap, everything settlers could call +for. Explaining his daughter who kept his books was on a visit to +Toronto, he handed Archie an account-book and asked him to write down +the entries he would call off. Seated on an empty box and smoking, +Magarth recalled all the transactions since the last entry on the book, +which Archie set down, astonished at the accuracy of the memory of the +man, who gave dates, names, and quantities with as much ease as if +reading them from a list before him. This done, he got him to fill out +his report to the crown lands department, to write several letters to +the firms he dealt with in Toronto, and one to his daughter, which was +original in matter and expression. Archie recognized the shrewdness and +ability of this unlettered man, who carried on with ease several lines +of business in addition to his farm. After supper he made Archie sit +beside him and asked if he would not give up his notion of taking up +land and hire with him. Finding he was determined to have a home of his +own, Magarth gave him much advice as to how he should begin, not +concealing, on learning he had only a few dollars, that he was sure he +would fail. After breakfast Magarth told him what he could not do +without, and laid in a bundle an ax, a saw, a spokeshave, an auger, a +hammer, nails, and would have added a grindstone had there been any way +of carrying it. 'You'll have to come out to us when your ax needs +grinding.' In a pail he put some flour, peas, and a lump of pork, tying +a frying-pan to the handle. 'But I have not money enough to pay for all +this,' said Archie. 'I know you haven't,' was the reply, 'you are to pay +me in ashes.' Sending a man with him to point out the lot, and to stay +long enough to help to raise a shelter, Archie started. Their way lay +across the country, through a dense forest, for the concession his lot +was on lay to the north and no side road had been opened to it. His +guide, whose name was Dennis, had his ax over his shoulder and blazed +the trees as they tramped on their way. Archie wondered why he should +have been given a lot so far back when they were going over so much land +that was unoccupied. Finally Dennis halted, and, after a little +searching for surveyor's posts, which were not hard to find, for the +concession had been laid out within a year, he showed Archie his limits. +'The road allowance is here,' said Dennis, 'and if I were you I would +put my shanty close to it, cut the logs for it off the allowance, and +kill two birds with one stone, make a beginning on your road and have a +shanty.' Archie was willing but made a poor fist in felling trees, and +before an hour his hands were blistered. Dennis left to him the rolling +of the logs to the chosen site and notching their corners. At noon they +rested, Dennis lighting a fire and showing Archie how to cook flour +cakes and fry pork at the same time. Towards nightfall a like meal was +cooked, and creeping into a thicket of cedars they were soon fast +asleep. Next morning Dennis picked out ash-trees and hickories small +enough to make handspikes and skids and the rearing of the shanty +began. It was small, 10 by 12 feet, in front 7 feet high sloping +backward. Showing how to lay poles to make a roof, and cover them with +sheets of elm and basswood bark, Dennis left while there was daylight +enough to show him the way. Archie was alone, buried in the bush, yet +was in high spirits. The land he stood on he owned. Everything had gone +well with him so far and he looked with steady confidence into the +future. When the shanty was finished he had to admit it was only a +hovel, which he would replace by one fit to be the home of the father +and mother whose figures were often before his mind's eye. With hands +still tender, he went on felling trees, selecting the smaller, and when +he had got a heap together he set fire, for he needed a clearance in +which he wanted to plant potatoes. On Saturday coming he left for +Magarth's, for he had promised to post up his accounts of the week. On +finishing all Magarth had to do, Archie wrote his mother. When he landed +at Montreal he had sent a letter to his father telling of the voyage and +his safe arrival. Now he had to send them word of his having got a lot +and that he had made a start in clearing it. Sunday the little hamlet +was deserted. The hired men had gone to visit friends and had taken +Magarth's boys with them. 'Tis the only outing they get,' explained +Magarth, who was surprised on Archie's preparing to return to his +shanty, for he expected he would stay till evening. Not wishing to be +beholden too much to his kind friend, he shouldered what supplies he had +bought the night before and started. Among the supplies was a hoe and a +bag of potatoes to plant amid the stumps. + +The routine of his daily life was monotonous--up with the sun to attack +the trees which stood between him and a livelihood. It was lonely but he +never grew despondent. Singing, whistling, shouting, he kept at his +work. Two of the songs of Burns were his favorites--a Man's a Man for a' +that and Scots wha hae. On coming to the line, Liberty with every blow, +he drove his ax into the tree with vim, and, indeed, the trees at that +time were the enemies he had to fight. Saturdays he went to Magarth's to +do what writing he might have, for his daughter was in no hurry to leave +Toronto. Each Monday found Archie more handy with the ax, and neither +heat nor mosquitoes caused him to slacken in extending his clearance. +Wet days alone made him take rest in his shanty, in a corner of which +was his bed of hemlock boughs and fern leaves. When summer waned and the +nights grew cold the lack of a chimney in his shanty made living in it +intolerable, for the smoke circulated round until it found the hole in +the roof intended for its escape. He thought over plans to get a +chimney, but could hit on none that he could carry out without some one +to help him. From time to time he had burnings of brush-heaps, storing +the ashes in a hole he had dug in the side of a hillock and covering +them with big sheets of bark to keep them dry. The end of September, on +making his customary visit to Magarth's, he found a letter waiting for +him. It was from his sister, who expressed the delight they felt on +hearing of his having got a farm and built a house, and how his letter, +like the one he had mailed from Montreal, had passed from house to house +until everybody in the parish had read them, and they had raised quite a +'furore' about Canada and of emigration to its woods, for the +acquisition of farms of their own dazzled all. Father and mother were +well and were kept in good spirits by anticipating the day when they +would be able to join him in his fine house. He read the letter a +hundred times and vowed anew he would not turn aside until those it came +from were beside him. + +On speaking to Magarth of the store of ashes he had saved and of the +slash of trees that were ready for burning, it was arranged he would +send two men if Archie would clear a way through the woods by which a +one ox-sled could pass. His frequent comings and goings across the lot +had made a foot-path, but there were decayed logs to push aside, brush +to cut here and there, and a few branches that hung low. It took three +days' work before he was satisfied a sled would have free passage. On a +Monday morning the men with the sled and oxen appeared and the burning +began. There had been a month's drouth, so the burning went well, and +when the men went back at nights the big box on the sled was filled with +ashes. At Magarth's the ashes were measured in a bushel box and emptied +into the leaches that stood beside the creek. On coming to square +accounts the ashes paid what Archie was due and left a few dollars to +his credit. Taking advantage of the return trips of the sled, he had got +his chest taken to his shanty, a quantity of short boards to make a door +and a bed, a bag of seed wheat, and a grindstone. Elated by his progress +he went to the scraping and hoeing of his clearance with a will, lifted +his potatoes, pitted them, and sowed all his seed-wheat. Then he tackled +enlarging his clearance and his daily task was again felling trees. The +weather was now often cold. He chinked the shanty but with a gaping hole +in the roof to let out the smoke it made little difference, and often he +could not get to sleep for shivering. To light a fire made it worse, +for, not being used to it, he could not stand the smoke, which choked +him and made his eyes smart. The second week in November there came a +frosty snap. Before shouldering his ax he had put the potatoes and bit +of pork he intended for dinner in a tin pail and buried it in hot ashes +to slowly cook. When he came back late in the afternoon, cold and tired +and hungry, he opened the pail and found it full of cinders. The heat +had been too great. For the first time he lost heart, and starting up, +with what daylight remained, made his way to Magarth's, where supper and +a welcome awaited him. The daughter having been back for some time, he +had given up his Saturday visits. She was big and plump, and like her +father voluble and fond of a joke. When all the others had retired for +the night, Magarth and Archie sat by the fire. Magarth guessed how it +was going with Archie and told him he could not stand out the winter. +Then, with kindly humor, he gave Archie to understand that if he and +Norah would make it up, he would take him as a partner in his business, +which was growing too large for him to manage alone. Archie was +astounded, making no reply beyond thanking him for the hint. When he +turned into a bunk in the corner of the store he was so tired that he +fell asleep and dreamt not of Norah but of the daily misery he was +enduring. + +In the morning Archie rose and, without waking anybody, slipped out and +made his way to his comfortless shanty. Those who love the forest know +in how many tones it speaks, varying with the season and the force of +the wind. When in full leaf and swayed by a summer breeze the sound is +of falling water, of a phantom Niagara; in the winter, when the trees +are bare, the Northwest blast shrieks through their tops and there are +groanings diversified by sharp cries as some decayed branch is snapped +or tree falls. It was amid these doleful sounds Archie swung his ax. He +was not conscious of the bitter cold for his work kept him warm, but his +brain was full of racking thoughts. He had toiled like a slave for nigh +six months and had accomplished little, with every imaginable +deprivation he had saved nothing, and for the next six months he foresaw +cold and hunger, which he doubted he could survive. Here was an offer +that meant comfort, and relief from a penniless condition. Should he not +accept it? Was it not selfishness that whispered his doing so? Did he +not come to these woods to hew out from the heart of them a home for +those he loved? Was he going to throw up his purpose to benefit himself? +Would that be right? There was a whisper, You will be able to help them +by sending money. Is money-help all they can claim from me? Is sending +them so many dollars a month all the command to honor father and mother +means? Do they not desire to be beside me and is it not my duty to +sustain and comfort them while life lasts? Shall I place other cares +between them and me, leaving them second instead of first? So he went on +arguing mentally, until the larger consideration came uppermost, Was it +justifiable to marry a woman for whom he had no special regard, because +by so doing it would be to his worldly advantage? Then he, for the first +time in his life, tried to define what marriage was. Was marriage for +comfort and ease such a union as his conscience could approve? It was a +searching question, and while he swung the ax he argued it aloud. What +was marriage without love? No marriage, he shouted, as his ax delved +into the side of a tree. Love alone can blend two lives, and without +love marriage is sacrilege. No, he would not think of Magarth's offer, +he would cast it behind him, and go on as he was doing. Then peace came +to him, and he dwelt on the communings with his sister, and the pledge +he had given her on parting. For the first time that day he began to +sing, and when he sat on a log to eat the bread he had brought for his +dinner, he threw crumbs to a squirrel that left her hole to survey him. + +Two days later he found he would have to go to Magarth's to get the +steel of his ax renewed, for it had chipped. He found only Mrs Magarth +at home, her husband and Norah had left on a visit. In the store were +two men, and he listened to their talk with interest, for one was +telling how a thriving nearby settlement had built a school and were +unable to find a teacher. Asking the name of the man who had the +engaging of one, and where he lived, Archie's resolution was made, he +would go and offer himself. A tramp of over a mile brought him to the +house. In five minutes he was engaged at a salary of six dollars a month +and to board round. The engagement was for four months. He spent the +night with the settler and left in the morning to get what clothes he +needed and to set his shanty in order. Word had gone round that a +teacher had been secured, and on his return in the afternoon there were +several callers curious to see him. His host was a North of Ireland man, +with a large family, who he was determined should learn to read and +write. He had been the leader in the building of the school-house, to +which he walked with Archie the following forenoon. It was a log +building, about twenty feet square. There were no desks and the seats +were plank set on blocks of wood. Every child able to walk was there +full of curiosity as to what school was like. Archie's difficulties +began at once. Not one of the would-be scholars had a book of any kind; +those who said they wanted to learn to write had no paper and no slates. +Had they anything they could recite from memory? A little girl forthwith +began, Now I lay me down to sleep. With great patience, Archie taught +them the first verse of the 23rd psalm, and, trying if they could sing +it, found there were several good voices. He felt encouraged. Telling +them to bring books of any kind next day, he ended the lessons by one in +arithmetic, using the fingers. The second day was better. The children +came with all kinds of books except school-books, mostly bibles. One +girl had a copy of the crown lands rules and regulations. Only six could +read a sentence by spelling each word. They had to be started from the +beginning, and Archie had provided for that by producing a smoothly +planed board on which he had printed, with a carpenter's pencil, the +alphabet on one side and figures on the other. The children, with a few +exceptions, were eager to learn. Then he got them to memorize the second +verse of the 23rd psalm, and taught them a simple hymn, singing both. +They were strong on singing, and a boy volunteered to give them a song +he had heard, which had a chorus of Derry Down. So it went on. A supply +of smooth shaved shingles was got and with bits of chalk the scholars +learned to write simple words and cast up sums. At the close of each day +Archie told them a story and questioned to see how much of it they +remembered and understood. At the end of a fortnight three of the +settlers visited to see how matters were progressing and left satisfied. + +Shifting his boarding-place each Saturday Archie came to know the +settlers intimately, and perceived how little outside their daily toil +there was to engage their minds. He proposed a singing-class for the +young fellows and the girls, and set a date for the first meeting. The +evening came and there was so great a crowd that the school could not +hold them so a number clustered round the open door. Archie knew nothing +about musical notation, but he had a good voice and a great store of +songs. The difficulty was knowledge of the words, which he overcame by +singing whatever any number of them knew and by repeating in concert +verse by verse before he raised the tune. On the novelty wearing off a +number ceased to come, but no matter how cold or stormy was the night +the schoolhouse was filled by young people who heartily enjoyed those +two evenings in the week. On a preacher arranging to hold a fortnightly +service, they applied themselves to learning hymns. Without knowing it, +Archie had become popular. Taking pleasure in his work the winter passed +quickly. As his term drew towards its close there was a move to show him +some substantial token of regard. There being little money, it took the +form of a donation in kind, so, on leaving the third week of March, he +was driven to his shanty in a sled laden with parcels of flour, lumps of +pork, butter, cookies, doughnuts, and the like. His small wage had been +paid him and out of it he sent $15 to his mother. + +His shanty he found buried in snow, the drift against its west end +overtopping it. Everything was as he had left it, and when he had dug +away the snow and got at the potatoes he had pitted he was glad to find +them untouched by frost. He again assailed the trees but in a different +spirit from the day when he had left. He was again hopeful of conquering +and there was much to encourage him. The weather was milder and the +daylight longer. More than anything else that cheered him on to his +lonely task was the spring sunshine. It was awakening new life in the +forest, and why not in him? On the size of his clearing depended whether +he would be able to have his parents and sister join him when spring +returned next year, and so, early and late, he attacked the trees. The +only break in his toil was when he had to go to Magarth's for something +he could not do without and those few hours of social talk were sweet to +the solitary man. Not the least interesting topic he heard was that +Norah was engaged to a wealthy produce-dealer in Toronto. + +On leaving the settlement where he had taught school, the young fellows +told him to send them word when he was ready to burn, and they would +come and help him. The middle of May he walked to attend the preaching +there, and before leaving next morning had arranged they should come the +following Monday. The number who flocked into his clearance astonished +him, for almost every acquaintance he had saluted him. They came with +ox-sleds and chains and, what surprised him beyond measure, was three +women in one of the sleds who had come to make dinner and took +possession of his shanty. They worked with a will. The logs were hauled +and built into heaps and fire set, and every art the backwoodsman knows +was used to make them burn. As ashes were scraped they were shovelled +into the boxes on the sleds and started for Magarth's, returning with +small loads of boards. With so many hands the small clearance was, late +in the afternoon, put in such a shape that Archie and two men who +remained could do the rest. Before the week was out, he had oats and +peas sown, and a patch reserved for corn and potatoes. At Magarth's $10 +had been placed to his credit for ashes delivered. + +As he was cooking his breakfast Archie was surprised by a sound at a +distance which he recognized as the strokes of an ax. Listening with +rapt attention, there came, in a few minutes, the familiar crash of a +tree falling. 'That means I have got a neighbor: somebody has taken a +lot at the end of the concession,' said Archie, and he set about his +day's work in high spirits. It was as fine a day as a June day can be, +and there is no finer the world over. The brilliant blue of the sky was +brought out by a few snowy cloudlets drifting before a gentle breeze, +which tempered the warmth of the glorious sunshine. The heart of the +young man was glad and found expression in song and whistling as he +wielded the ax. What caused him to pause in blank astonishment? From the +woods behind him, came a voice singing 'O whistle and I will come to +you my lad.' It was a woman's voice, it was a familiar voice. Dropping +his ax he bounded towards the figure emerging from the bush where the +sled-road entered his clearance. 'It is my own sister!' he shouted in a +scream of joy, and clasped her in his brawny arms. 'O, Mirren, have you +dropped from the sky? I would have as soon expected to meet an angel.' + +'I am just a sonsy Ayrshire lass and have come on my feet and not on +wings. Eh, but you've changed--ye've worked over hard.' + +'It has been sweet work, for it was for father and mother. Nothing wrong +with them that sent you here?' + +'I left them well, and hoping to join us next spring.' + +'And how did you come--what started you--where did you get the passage +money--how did you find your way here?' + +'I'll tell you after I have seen this grand house of yours. An' this is +the shanty you wrote about with everything out and inside +higgle-de-piggeldy! Ye are a great housekeeper to be sure. Why, your +house has not got a lum! (chimney). Did you have breakfast yet? Poor +fellow, no wonder your cheeks are thin.' + +'Never mind, Mirren, I have planned a new house and with your help it +will soon be built.' + +'That it will, Archie; it is to help you I have come.' + +Sitting side by side on a pile of boards, Mirren told how she had come. +On Archie's letter reaching his mother with three pounds enclosed she +saw the possibility of Mirren going to Canada. 'The passage money is +four pounds, mother, and there is the buying of what cannot be done +without. We will have to wait for another remittance.' + +'Listen, and I will tell you what I never even let on to your father. +When he had that accident six years ago that laid him up and we feared +he would never go to the hills again, the thought came to me that if he +died the parish would have to bury him. I set it down that no such +disgrace would ever fall on our family if I could help it, and when he +got better I set to put-by every penny that could be spared, and many a +hank I have spun and stocking knitted to get the pennies. After thinking +over Archie's letter, I counted what I put by and I have one pound, +seven shillings, and tenpence. Your passage, you see, is paid.' + +'But I dare not leave you alone.' + +'Mirren, you will do as your mother asks you. Your brother needs help: +go, and we will follow you a year sooner.' + +'I thought it all over,' said Mirren, 'and it was settled I should go. +It was quite a venture for a young lass to go alone so far, but I was +not afraid, seeing there were the plain markings of what was my duty. So +we set to work to get ready, and here I am.' + +'Bless you, Mirren, you have a brave heart and God helping us, we will +have father and mother with us in another twelve month, and the black +dog. Want will never frighten them more.' + +Mirren was curious to see what Archie had been doing, but he took her +first to the rising ground, back in the bush, where he had decided to +build his house, and then showed her his crops. The rest of the day he +spent in cutting and setting up poles to make a shelter that would serve +as a cookhouse during the day and a sleeping-place for himself at night. +At supper she told of her journey, of the voyage, the slow ascent of the +St Lawrence, and the steamboat that landed her at Toronto. The mate +undertook to forward her chest, and pointed out Yonge-street, at the +head of the wharf. Without a minute's delay she gained it and began her +long walk. Late in the day she asked at a shanty that stood beside the +road how far she was from the corner where she had to turn. The woman, +on hearing where she was going, said she could not be there before dark +and asked her to stay overnight. Her husband with the two oldest of the +family had gone to visit his uncle and she was alone with the younger +children. Mirren gladly took her offer and tarried next morning to help +in cutting and fitting a dress for one of the girls. There were many +wagons on the road, but all were loaded with the baggage of immigrants, +who, men, women, and all except the very young, trudged their weary way +behind or alongside of them. It was late in the afternoon when Magarth's +was reached. On telling her name, she was cordially welcomed. In the +morning she was shown the sledroad that led to the lot of her brother. +The first sign that she was near him was hearing his whistling. Of the +money she had started with she had still $2.25. + +With daylight next day they started to work. Mirren insisted on taking +an ax with her and began brushing the trees Archie had felled. He +remonstrated that it was not woman's work. Her reply was, she had come +to help him and she was going to do so. 'Well, then,' he said, 'we will +go to the spot where the house is to be built and work there.' On the +evening arriving on which the preacher visited the schoolhouse, they +both set out to attend the service.' Mirren had a welcome that +astonished her, and when they heard her sing her welcome was redoubled. +Archie's friend insisted on their staying until next day. It was late +that night before Mirren got to bed, for the neighbors crowded to speak +with her and hear her sing. As they walked to their humble home next +forenoon, Mirren expressed her amazement at the heartiness with which +she had been received, remarking it was her first experience with the +Irish. In reply Archie said we ought to judge people as we find them +putting away all prejudices. His sojourn among them during the winter +had made him ashamed of his misconceptions--you have to come close to +people to estimate their worth, and he could say from his soul, 'God +bless the Irish: kinder hearts do not beat in human breasts,' and told +Mirren what they had done for him. + +The ox-sled that brought Mirren's chest also brought a crosscut saw, and +they tried it at once in cutting the logs for the new shanty. Archie's +saying he did not like to see her pulling the saw, brought out the +retort that she would not do it for other house than one for father and +mother. That summer was the happiest they had ever known. Their toil was +exhausting but the purpose of it and their mutual company bore them up. +To hear them singing and joking it would be thought felling trees and +sawing them into log lengths was a recreation. Such progress was made +that a bee for the raising was set for the end of August, for the season +had been early and grain was harvested. It was a bee that was the talk +of the neighborhood for months afterwards. Young and old came, more with +a desire to help the brave lassie who had won their hearts than for +Archie's sake, well-liked as he was. With her watching them, the young +men vied with one another and never did log walls mount faster nor +rafters span them than when they had reached their height. On a green +maple branch being stuck in a gable peak to indicate progress, a wild +huroo arose that woke the forest echoes. When the bee broke up all the +rough work was done; what was left Archie could do himself with the aid +of a carpenter and mason, for a regular fireplace and chimney needed the +latter. + +The brother and sister agreed that a less remittance than ten pounds +would not do to bring their parents to Canada, and how to raise the $50 +was a subject of concern to them. What produce they had to spare would +fetch little. Their perplexity was relieved at the close of October by +a visit from two men, who had come to find out if Archie would again, be +their schoolmaster. There were more families now and more scholars and +they would pay $7 a month and board round. He hesitated, he could not +leave his sister alone. 'Take the offer,' she eagerly cried, 'I will go +to the settlement with you.' 'What would you do there?' 'You forget, +Archie, I learned dressmaking. I will cut and fit and add a little to +our savings.' The second week in November the school was opened, this +time under better conditions, for a storekeeper had brought books and +slates, and Archie fetched with him a blackboard he had contrived to put +together. With the day-school the singing school was resumed, to which +Mirren added fresh interest. She got all the work she could do, for few +of the women knew how to cut clothes for their children, let alone for +themselves, and were glad to pay for cutting and fitting, doing the +sewing at home. The winter sped quickly and the middle of March saw +brother and sister back to their clearance and to the felling of trees. +On counting their earnings in February they found they were able to send +to their parents the desired ten pounds, with the urgent advice to take +the first ship. How they would do on arriving at Toronto perplexed them, +until Mr Magarth gave them the address of his son-in-law to enclose in +their letter, assuring them Norah would care for them and see to their +finishing their journey. When June came Mirren expected them each day +and made every preparation for their reception. The spot in the bush +where the sled-road ended and by which they must come, she watched with +unflagging eagerness, but day after day passed and July came without +their appearance. She was stooping in the garden cutting greens for +dinner when a voice behind her asked, 'Hoo is a' wi' ye, Mirren?' With a +scream of joy she clasped her father and mother. A loud shout brought +Archie from the end of the clearance where he was at work with the ax. +The reward of their toil and strivings had come at last, they were once +again a re-united family. In the evening they sat in front of their new +shanty, the clearance before them filled with crops that half-hid the +stumps and promised abundance. 'Praise God,' exclaimed the old shepherd +as he reverently raised his bonnet, 'we are at last independent and need +call no man master.' For his age he was strong and active and his +assistance made Archie independent of outside help. The four working +together, and working intelligently and with a purpose, speedily placed +them on the road to prosperity. + + * * * * * + +One defect in the backwoods life troubled the conscience of the old +shepherd, and that was the practical disregard for religious +observances. He was not satisfied with occasional services and, when +harvesting was over, made a house-to-house visit to see if sufficient +money could be got to mend the situation. Nobody said him nay yet none +gave him the encouragement he had hoped. In the Old Land the only free +contributions they had made for religious purposes was the penny dropped +on the plate on Sunday, so the appeal to make a sacrifice to secure +stated ordinances, was to them a novelty. An Englishman asked, 'When had +the King become unable to pay the parson?' His visits also made him +aware that there were many children unbaptised and that not one of those +who told him they were church members had received the communion since +they had left the Old Country. His resolution was taken--he would go to +Toronto and seek out a minister, he did not care of what denomination, +to spend a week or more in this new but fast-growing cluster of +settlements. Though they did not say so to him, the settlers thought his +errand a crazy one. As chance would have it, he did happen on a man as +zealous for the cause as himself and with no pressing engagement for the +time being. On his arriving he started with the shepherd on a round of +visits, exhorting and baptizing, and announcing he would celebrate the +Lord's supper, the last Sunday before his return to Toronto. So many +promised to come that it was seen the school-house could not hold them. +The minister fell in with the suggestion that the meeting be held +out-of-doors and there were men found who agreed to make ready. It was +now October, and the trees, as if conscious of their departure for their +long sleep, arrayed themselves in glorious apparel to welcome the rest +that awaited them. The spot selected for the meeting was the wide ravine +hollowed out by the creek that flowed sluggishly at the bottom. On the +flat that edged the east side of the creek planks were laid on trestles +to form the table, while the people were expected to sit under the trees +on the sloping bank that rose from it. From an early hour the people +began coming. Word had spread far beyond the houses visited, and there +were a few who had walked ten miles and over. The solemnity of the +occasion was heightened by the weather. Not a breath stirred the air and +the yellow or scarlet leaves that flecked the glassy surface of the +creek had fluttered downward because their time for parting with the +branches had come. A bluish haze tempered the rays of the sun, which was +mounting a cloudless sky. When the minister rose to begin, he faced a +motley crowd, for while all had done their best to be clean and neat, +with rare exceptions, all were in their every day dress, worn and +patched, for to get clothes is one of the difficulties of the new-come +settlers. There were few aged, for the young and active lead the way +into the bush. There were women with babes in their arms, and there were +many children, gazing with open-eyed curiosity. The hundredth psalm was +given out and the silence of the woods was broken by a volume of melody. +The reading from St John where is told the institution of the last +supper, was followed by a prayer of thanksgiving, that even in the +forest-wilderness heaven's manna was to be found by those who seek for +it, with passionate entreaty for forgiveness and cleanness of heart. +Then singing and the sermon, a loving call to remember heavenly things +in the eager seeking for what is needed for the body; the old truth that +God is a spirit and can be approached only by each individual spirit, +that no man, whatever his pretensions, can come between the soul and its +Maker, and no ceremony or oblation effect reconcilement. The invitation +to come to the table was that all who loved the Lord should do so. +Slowly and reverently those who responded moved downward to take their +seats on a bench fronting the table of a single plank. Looking across +the creek there faced them a luxuriant vine, clinging high on the trees +that supported its mass of purple foliage. Amid these surroundings of +Nature the love of Him who condemned formalism and who was simplicity's +very essence, was recalled. When the parting song was sung, and the +people began to leave to attend the home-duties that could not wait, the +old shepherd expressed himself satisfied that seed had been sown that +would bear fruit, and so it did. + +THE END + + + + +Lines on the Gordon Sellar who was drowned in his boyhood + + O that day of desolation! + O that hour of dumb despair! + Why, instead, was I not taken-- + The fading leaf the bud to spare? + + Why thy joyous life thus ended? + Why wert born thus to die? + Whither hast thy spirit wended-- + Here a moment then to fly? + + Come, O Faith, in all thy gladness, + Lift me high above my woe; + Leave with God this hour of darkness, + Seeking not the cause to know. + + Nevermore, my son, I'll clasp thee, + Nevermore thy voice I'll hear. + Till I scan the towers of Salem + See thee and the Saviour dear. + + + * * * * * + + +HISTORY OF THE SETTLEMENT of the Counties of Huntingdon, Chateauguay, +and Beauharnois, 584 pp. $2. + +THE QUEBEC MINORITY; collection of pamphlets relating thereto. + +MORVEN: How a Band of Highlanders reached Glengarry during the U.S. +Revolution. 50c. + +THE TRUE MAKERS OF CANADA. $1 or $1.25 as to binding + +Any of above sent by mail on receipt of price. + +Address--THE GLEANER Huntingdon, Que. + +THE TRAGEDY OF QUEBEC is out of print. Announcement will be made when +the fourth edition is ready. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Narrative of Gordon Sellar Who +Emigrated to Canada in 1825, by Gordon Sellar + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE NARRATIVE OF GORDON *** + +***** This file should be named 15307.txt or 15307.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/1/5/3/0/15307/ + +Produced by Wallace McLean, Martin Pettit and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team. + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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