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diff --git a/27920-h/27920-h.htm b/27920-h/27920-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..556418d --- /dev/null +++ b/27920-h/27920-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,6409 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"> +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> +<head> +<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1" /> +<title>The Project Gutenberg eBook of Ben Comee, by M. J. (Michael Joseph) Canavan</title> + <style type="text/css"> +/*<![CDATA[ XML blockout */ +<!-- + p { margin-top: .5em; + text-align: justify; + margin-bottom: .5em; + text-indent: 1em; + } + h1 { + text-align: center; font-family: garamond, serif; /* all headings centered */ + } + h1.pg { + text-align: center; font-family: Times-Roman, serif; /* all headings centered */ + } + h5,h6 { + text-align: center; font-family: garamond, serif; /* all headings centered */ + } + h2 { + text-align: center; font-family: garamond, serif; /* centered and coloured */ + } + h3 { + text-align: center; font-family: garamond, serif; /* centered and coloured */ + } + h3.pg { + text-align: center; font-family: Times-Roman, serif; /* all headings centered */ + } + h4 { + text-align: center; font-family: garamond, serif; /* all headings centered */ + } + hr { width: 33%; + margin-top: 1em; + margin-bottom: 1em; + } + body{margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; + } + a {text-decoration: none} /* no lines under links */ + div.centered {text-align: center;} /* work around for IE centering with CSS problem part 1 */ + div.centered table {margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: left;} /* work around for IE centering with CSS problem part 2 */ + + .cen {text-align: center; text-indent: 0em;} /* centering paragraphs */ + .smcap {font-variant: small-caps; font-size: 95%;} /* small caps, smaller font size */ + .note {margin-left: 2em; margin-right: 2em; margin-bottom: 1em;} /* footnote */ + .img {text-align: center; padding: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;} /* centering images */ + .sidenote {width: 16%; margin-left: .5em; margin-bottom: .5em; margin-top: .5em; padding-left: .5em; font-size: smaller; float: right; clear: right; background-color: #f6f2f2; color: black; border: dotted black 1px; } + .tdr {text-align: right;} /* right align cell */ + .tdrb {text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;} /* right align cell */ + .tdc {text-align: center;} /* center align cell */ + .tdl {text-align: left;} /* left align cell */ + .tr {margin-left: 15%; margin-right: 15%; margin-top: 5%; margin-bottom: 5%; padding: 1em; background-color: #f6f2f2; color: black; border: dotted black 1px;} /* transcriber's notes */ + + .pagenum { /* uncomment the next line for invisible page numbers */ + /* visibility: hidden; */ + position: absolute; right: 2%; + font-size: 75%; + text-align: right; + text-indent: 0em; + font-style: normal; + font-weight: normal; + font-variant: normal;} /* page numbers */ + + hr.full { width: 100%; + margin-top: 0em; + margin-bottom: 0em; + border: solid black; + height: 5px; } + pre {font-size: 85%; } + // --> + /* XML end ]]>*/ + </style> +</head> +<body> +<h1 class="pg">The Project Gutenberg eBook of Ben Comee, by M. J. (Michael Joseph) Canavan</h1> +<pre> +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 <a href = "http://www.gutenberg.org">www.gutenberg.org</a></pre> +<p>Title: Ben Comee</p> +<p> A Tale of Rogers's Rangers, 1758-59</p> +<p>Author: M. J. (Michael Joseph) Canavan</p> +<p>Release Date: January 28, 2009 [eBook #27920]</p> +<p>Language: English</p> +<p>Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1</p> +<p>***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK BEN COMEE***</p> +<p> </p> +<h3 class="pg">E-text prepared by Mark C. Orton, Barbara Kosker, Linda McKeown,<br /> + and the Project Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading Team<br /> + (http://www.pgdp.net)</h3> +<p> </p> +<hr class="full" /> +<p> </p> + +<div class="img"> +<img border="0" src="images/cover.jpg" width="45%" alt="Cover" /><br /> +</div> + +<br /> +<hr /> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> + +<h1> BEN COMEE</h1> + +<h2><i>A TALE OF ROGERS'S RANGERS</i></h2> + +<h2>1758-59</h2> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> + +<div class="img"> +<a href="images/frontis.jpg"> +<img border="0" src="images/frontis.jpg" width="50%" alt="He fired, but missed me." /></a><br /> +<p class="cen smcap" style="margin-top: .2em;">"He fired, but missed me."—<a href="#Page_117">Page 117</a></p> +</div> + +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<h1>BEN COMEE</h1> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<h2><i>A TALE OF ROGERS'S RANGERS</i></h2> + +<h2>1758-59</h2> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> + +<h4>BY</h4> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> + +<h2>M. J. CANAVAN</h2> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> + +<h4>New York<br /> +THE MACMILLAN COMPANY<br /> +LONDON: MACMILLAN AND CO., <span class="smcap">Ltd.</span><br /> +1922</h4> + +<h5><i>All rights reserved</i></h5> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> + +<h4><span class="smcap">Copyright, 1899,</span><br /> +By THE MACMILLAN COMPANY.</h4> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> + +<h5>Set up and electrotyped October, 1899. Reprinted November, 1899;<br /> +February, 1908; October, 1910; September, 1913; November, 1916.</h5> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> + +<h4>Norwood Press<br /> +J. S. Cushing & Co.—Berwick & Smith<br /> +Norwood Mass. U.S.A.</h4> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> + +<hr /><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_v" id="Page_v">[Pg v]</a></span> +<br /> +<h2>CONTENTS</h2> + +<div class="centered"> +<table border="0" width="80%" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" summary="Table of Contents"> + <tr> + <td class="tdl"> </td> + <td class="tdr"><span style="font-size: 80%;">PAGE</span></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdc" colspan="2"><a href="#CHAPTER_I">CHAPTER I</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdl" width="90%">Ben is born in Lexington 1737—Schools and Schoolfellows</td> + <td class="tdr" width="10%">1</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdc" colspan="2"> </td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdc" colspan="2"><a href="#CHAPTER_II">CHAPTER II</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdl">They trap Muskrats—Bishop Hancock and his Grandson John</td> + <td class="tdr">14</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdc" colspan="2"> </td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdc" colspan="2"><a href="#CHAPTER_III">CHAPTER III</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdl">In which are Details of a Great Fox Hunt</td> + <td class="tdrb">30</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdc" colspan="2"> </td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdc" colspan="2"><a href="#CHAPTER_IV">CHAPTER IV</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdl">Trading in those Days—Ben is apprenticed—The Enlisting + Sergeant—Court Day at Concord</td> + <td class="tdrb">51</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdc" colspan="2"> </td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdc" colspan="2"><a href="#CHAPTER_V">CHAPTER V</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdl">Pigeon Tuesday and its Exploits</td> + <td class="tdrb">64</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdc" colspan="2"> </td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdc" colspan="2"><a href="#CHAPTER_VI">CHAPTER VI</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdl">A Pauper's Funeral—Ben's Friend the Minister, and Ben's + Victory in Wrestling</td> + <td class="tdrb">74</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdc" colspan="2"> </td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdc" colspan="2"><a href="#CHAPTER_VII">CHAPTER VII</a><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_vi" id="Page_vi">[Pg vi]</a></span></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdl">Tales from the Frontier—Mr. Tythingman and his Services</td> + <td class="tdrb">88</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdc" colspan="2"> </td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdc" colspan="2"><a href="#CHAPTER_VIII">CHAPTER VIII</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdl">Ben and Amos join Rogers's Rangers and march to the West</td> + <td class="tdrb">100</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdc" colspan="2"> </td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdc" colspan="2"><a href="#CHAPTER_IX">CHAPTER IX</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdl">In which the Rangers engage with the French and Indians</td> + <td class="tdrb">110</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdc" colspan="2"> </td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdc" colspan="2"><a href="#CHAPTER_X">CHAPTER X</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdl">Lord Howe and his Death—The Loyalty of John Stark</td> + <td class="tdrb">120</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdc" colspan="2"> </td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdc" colspan="2"><a href="#CHAPTER_XI">CHAPTER XI</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdl">Fort Ticonderoga and the Assault</td> + <td class="tdrb">131</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdc" colspan="2"> </td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdc" colspan="2"><a href="#CHAPTER_XII">CHAPTER XII</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdl">The Fight at Fort Anne, and the Escape of Amos</td> + <td class="tdrb">142</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdc" colspan="2"> </td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdc" colspan="2"><a href="#CHAPTER_XIII">CHAPTER XIII</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdl">Ben Comee Heap Big Paleface—Trapping Bob-cats in + Primeval Woods</td> + <td class="tdrb">163</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdc" colspan="2"> </td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdc" colspan="2"><a href="#CHAPTER_XIV">CHAPTER XIV</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdl">A Scouting Expedition in the Dead of Winter</td> + <td class="tdrb">187</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdc" colspan="2"> </td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdc" colspan="2"><a href="#CHAPTER_XV">CHAPTER XV</a><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_vii" id="Page_vii">[Pg vii]</a></span></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdl">Camp Discipline—Amherst's Angels—A Brush with the + French, and the Loss of Captain Jacob</td> + <td class="tdrb">197</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdc" colspan="2"> </td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdc" colspan="2"><a href="#CHAPTER_XVI">CHAPTER XVI</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdl">The Rangers to the Front—Captain Stark's Tale of Capture + —To attack the St. Francis Indians</td> + <td class="tdrb">208</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdc" colspan="2"> </td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdc" colspan="2"><a href="#CHAPTER_XVII">CHAPTER XVII</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdl">March to the Village—The Retreat</td> + <td class="tdrb">224</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdc" colspan="2"> </td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdc" colspan="2"><a href="#CHAPTER_XVIII">CHAPTER XVIII</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdl">Starvation—Drifting down the Ammonusuc—Fort No. 4, and + Good Fortune at Last</td> + <td class="tdrb">241</td> + </tr> +</table> +</div> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> + +<hr /><a name="CHAPTER_I" id="CHAPTER_I"></a> +<br /> +<h1>BEN COMEE</h1><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_1" id="Page_1">[Pg 1]</a></span> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<h2>CHAPTER I</h2> +<p class="cen">BEN IS BORN IN LEXINGTON 1737—SCHOOLS AND SCHOOLFELLOWS</p> +<br /> + +<p>If you have occasion to pass through or to visit Lexington, be sure to +put up at the tavern about a mile below Lexington Common on a little +knoll near the main road.</p> + +<p>In front of it stand two large elms, from one of which hangs the tavern +sign. It is the best tavern in the place. You will find there good beds, +good food, and a genial host. The landlord is my cousin, Colonel William +Munroe, a younger brother of my old friend Edmund.</p> + +<p>Sit with him under the trees. William will gladly tell you of the fight. +Lord Percy's reënforcements met the retreating British <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_2" id="Page_2">[Pg 2]</a></span>soldiers near +the tavern. Percy and Pitcairn had a consultation in the bar-room over +some grog, which John Raymond mixed for them, for John took care of the +tavern that day. After they departed, the soldiers entered and helped +themselves freely to liquor from the barrels in the shop. Some of their +officers knocked the spigots from the barrels and let the liquor run +away on the floor. The drunken soldiers became furious. They fired off +their guns in the house. You can still see a bullet hole in the ceiling.</p> + +<p>William will show you the doorway where poor John Raymond, the cripple, +was shot down by the soldiers, as he was trying to escape from the +bar-room, and will point out the places near by, where houses were +burned by the British. And as you sit with William under the trees you +will see great six or eight horse teams, laden with goods from New +Hampshire, lumber along heavily over the road. Stages from Keene, +Leominster, Lunenburg, and other towns will dash up to the door and +passengers will alight for their meals. On Saturdays and Sundays <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_3" id="Page_3">[Pg 3]</a></span>herds +of cattle are driven through on their way to the Brighton cattle market. +All is bustle and activity.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">LEXINGTON IN EARLY TIMES</div> + +<p>I was born in this old house in the year 1737. In my boyhood Lexington +was a dull little village unknown to fame. But the 19th of April, 1775, +made the world familiar with the name. And since the bridges, which were +built over the Charles River a few years later, placed the town on the +main highway between Boston and the Back Country, it is now, in this +year 1812, one of the most thriving places in the county.</p> + +<p>In my childhood we were remote from the main travelled roads. The Back +Country hardly existed. People were just beginning to settle the +southern part of New Hampshire, and were in constant fear of Indians. +Their time was fully occupied in cutting down the forests, fighting the +redskins, and raising a scanty crop for their own support. Occasionally +a fur trader, driving a pack-horse laden with furs, passed through the +town. The huts and log houses of the first settlers were still standing, +and some of the people kept up an <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_4" id="Page_4">[Pg 4]</a></span>acquaintance and correspondence with +their relatives in the old country.</p> + +<p>My grandfather used to take me on his knee and tell me of events which +happened far back in the seventeenth century. His father was a Highland +lad, and during the wars between King Charles and Cromwell fought for +the king in a regiment of Scotch Highlanders. At the battle of Dunbar +the king's army was defeated, and several thousand Scotch soldiers were +taken prisoners. Among them was my great-grandfather, David McComee.</p> + +<p>In a few days they were drawn up in a line, and each man was tied to his +neighbour by stout cords around their wrists. A guard of soldiers was +put over them, and they were marched to Plymouth.</p> + +<p>There they learned that they were to be sent to the colonies, as slaves +or servants, with the right to buy back their freedom.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">DAVID COMEE, THE REDEMPTIONER</div> + +<p>David McComee and some two hundred and seventy other prisoners were +packed on board the ship <i>John and Sara</i>; and after a long voyage +arrived at Charlestown, where they were sold at auction. <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_5" id="Page_5">[Pg 5]</a></span>David's master +lived in Woburn, near Lexington, or, as it was then called, Cambridge +Fields. He was treated in a kindly manner. A little piece of land was +given him, on which he built a hut. He worked for his master on +alternate days. The rest of the time was his own. In a few years David +McComee had earned enough to pay back the price of his purchase money, +and was no longer a redemptioner, but a free man and his own master. By +this time, he was known as David Comee. He moved to Concord, and as he +was a thrifty, hard-working man, before long he was the owner of a snug +little farm.</p> + +<p>In 1675 the terrible war with King Philip broke out. The Indians ravaged +the land, and boasted that no white man should dare to so much as poke +his nose out of his house. We had then but a little fringe of +settlements extending a few miles back from the coast. Concord was on +the frontier. Word came that the neighbouring town of Sudbury was +attacked, and David Comee and ten companions started out to help the +inhabitants.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_6" id="Page_6">[Pg 6]</a></span>My grandfather, who was then a small boy, said that after buckling on +his iron breast and back plates, his father knelt with the family and +prayed. Then he arose, kissed his wife and children, put on his steel +cap, and taking his long firelock, started off to join the other men.</p> + +<p>That afternoon they were lured into an ambuscade by the Indians, and +most of them were killed. Reënforcements were sent to Sudbury. The +Indians were driven off; and the next day David Comee was found lying in +the water of the river meadow, scalped, and stripped of his armour and +clothes.</p> + +<p>Another Scotch redemptioner, named William Munroe, who was shipped to +this country in the <i>John and Sara</i>, settled at Cambridge Fields or +Lexington. My grandfather married his daughter Martha, and bought the +place where my Cousin William now keeps the tavern.</p> + +<p>Our family had no love for Indians. We hated them bitterly. At the +present day, as we sit in our homes safe and without fear, we are apt to +forget the constant dread in <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_7" id="Page_7">[Pg 7]</a></span>which the colonists lived. From 1690 till +the end of the French war in 1763, few years passed in which the men on +the frontier were not fighting the redskins.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">BEN'S UNCLE JOHN KILLED</div> + +<p>In 1707 my Uncle John went "to the Eastward" in a company of soldiers to +help drive off a body of French and Indians from the settlements in +Maine. He was killed there in a fight near the town of York.</p> + +<p>He was my grandfather's eldest son, just arrived at manhood. I was a +small boy when grandfather died; but I can remember how he straightened +up, and a fierce fire came in his eyes, when the talk was of Indians. He +was a strict member of the church, and never swore, but on these +occasions he made use of some Old Testament phrases and expressions +which, I thought, answered the purpose very well.</p> + +<p>You may pride yourself on your Latin and your Greek. I never got so far +in my schooling. But turn this book upside down and read it. You cannot +and I can.</p> + +<p>I might have become quite a scholar, if I had been properly brought up, +for I learned <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_8" id="Page_8">[Pg 8]</a></span>to do this at Millicent Mason's dame's school before I +was six years old.</p> + +<p>She sat in a chair and held a book in her lap. We stood in front of her. +She would point out the letters with her knitting-needle and ask, "What +is that letter? And that? And that?" Then she would ask us what the word +was. In this way, we learned our A B C's. Then one-syllable, and +two-syllable words, and finally to read a book held upside down. I can +do it now; and occasionally, if I find a friend reading, I surprise him +by glancing over the top of the page and repeating a few lines of the +text.</p> + +<p>As I grew older, I went to the man's school and learned to read in the +ordinary way. It was kept in a little old schoolhouse about twenty feet +square, which stood on a knoll on the common. There was a great +fireplace at one end of it; and the teacher sat in a great chair on a +platform, with a table in front of him. We paid twopence a week for +being taught reading, and threepence a week for "righting and +siphering," as the town clerk entered it on his books.</p> + +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_9" id="Page_9">[Pg 9]</a></span> +<div class="sidenote">LEXINGTON COMMON</div> + +<p>Our teachers were young men just out of college, and the one who would +serve for the smallest pay was the one always chosen. We had a new +teacher every year.</p> + +<p>At the lower end of the common was the old ramshackle meeting-house, +facing down the road.</p> + +<p>In front of the meeting-house were a couple of horse-blocks, on which +the women dismounted as they rode to meeting on their pillions, behind +their husbands or brothers.</p> + +<p>On either side of the door were tacked up notices of vendues, lotteries, +public proclamations, and the appointment of administrators. Between the +school and the meeting-house were two pairs of stocks, in which we +occasionally found some offender seated with his feet sticking out +through the holes.</p> + +<p>On the opening day of school, there was a man in each of them. One was a +man who obstinately refused to go to meeting, and after being warned +several times was clapped into the bilboes by the tythingman. The other +was some poor vagrant who had tried to settle in the town, but because +he was needy <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_10" id="Page_10">[Pg 10]</a></span>and shiftless he had been warned out, and as he did not +go, was put in the stocks.</p> + +<p>The school children gathered about them, seated on the hard boards, with +their feet sticking out through the holes in the stocks, and discussed +their crimes and punishment, and made bets as to the number of nails in +the soles of their shoes. William Munroe, the blacksmith, came over from +his shop with his leather apron on.</p> + +<p>"Come, Sam, you want to get out of there, and sit in the seats with the +righteous. It's never too late for the sinner to repent."</p> + +<p>"Oh, go away, Bill. Let me alone. It's bad enough to sit here in these +cussed stocks, till every bone in my body aches, and have the children +stare at me, without you coming over to poke fun at me. I'm sick of it."</p> + +<p>"That's right! A change of heart will do you good. See you in meeting +next Sabbath."</p> + +<p>The next day, Robert Harrington, the constable, drove up to the stocks +with his cart.</p> + +<p>"See here, Bob. Let me out. I give in. I'll go to meeting twice a day +for the fifty-two Sabbaths in the year, and on lecture <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_11" id="Page_11">[Pg 11]</a></span>days and any +other days that they want me to go."</p> + +<div class="sidenote">VAGRANTS AND SINNERS</div> + +<p>"All right; I'll let you out, but they will expect an acknowledgment +from you of your wrong-doing, in meeting next Sabbath."</p> + +<p>"Just let me out of these stocks, and I'll do anything they ask."</p> + +<p>Mr. Harrington released him, and then turned to the vagrant and said, +"Come, old boy, you've got to move on. We can't have you on our hands."</p> + +<p>He took him in his cart, carried him miles away, and dumped him in the +road, just as you would an old cat that you wanted to get rid of; and +warned him never to come back.</p> + +<p>Next Sabbath the sinner made a "public relation" before the meeting, in +which he confessed his grievous sins and promised to amend.</p> + +<p>My greatest friend was my cousin, Edmund Munroe, a sturdy, trustworthy +boy with great common sense.</p> + +<p>Then there was Davy Fiske, a son of Dr. Fiske. Davy was a lean, wiry +fellow, <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_12" id="Page_12">[Pg 12]</a></span>not much of a boy for study, but full of knowledge of the +woods. He knew when every kind of bird came and departed. Could tell you +the best place to hunt foxes. He knew what they would do and where they +would go. If a wolf had been killed, Davy could give the whole story. If +a bear had carried off a pig or a sheep, Davy would go miles to be one +of the party to follow him up.</p> + +<p>It must be admitted that, like many other hunters, Davy had imagination, +and did not allow dull facts to hem him in when he told a hunting story.</p> + +<p>Edmund used to take his dinners with his cousin, William Munroe, the +blacksmith, whose house and shop were just below the common. I generally +brought my dinner to school in a basket, and ate it in the school at +noon time. After dinner, we would prowl about and explore. We used to +climb the stone wall of the pound, and look into it, to see what stray +cattle might be there; and wandered down Malt Lane to John Munroe's malt +house and watched him change the barley into malt, and looked at the +hams and <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13">[Pg 13]</a></span>sides of bacon that the people had brought to be smoked.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">THE BLACKSMITH'S SHOP</div> + +<p>The most interesting place to us was the blacksmith's shop. If an ox was +brought in to be shod, they drove him into a stall and fastened his head +in the stanchions at the end of it. A broad sheet of canvas hung down on +one side of the stall, and they pulled the free end of it under the +belly of the ox, and fastened it by hooks to a windlass on the other +side of the stall, about the height of one's head. William Munroe and +his son Will took a few turns at the windlass, and the ox would be +lifted off his feet. The sides of the stall were only eighteen inches +high, and were of thick plank, with a groove in the top edge. They bent +up the leg of the ox and rested his cloven hoof in the groove, and shod +each part with a piece of iron.</p> + +<p>But beside shoeing horses and oxen, the blacksmith made all kinds of +implements, andirons, latches and hinges for doors. They fastened an +iron edge to wooden shovels, and made chains and nails.</p> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /><a name="CHAPTER_II" id="CHAPTER_II"></a> + +<hr /><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14">[Pg 14]</a></span> +<br /> +<h2>CHAPTER II</h2> + +<p class="cen">THEY TRAP MUSKRATS—BISHOP HANCOCK AND HIS GRANDSON JOHN</p> +<br /> + +<p>One day while we were pulling over a lot of old truck in a corner of the +shop, we found some rusty muskrat traps. Edmund asked William if he used +them. "No; I did considerable trapping when I was a boy. You and Ben may +have them if you want them. Your father and I, Benny, trapped together +one winter; and we used to go hunting wild turkeys too. There were a +number of them over at Mt. Gilboa and Turkey Hill. They're pretty much +all gone now. We had lots of fun with these traps, and I hope you boys +will."</p> + +<p>There were fourteen traps. We greased them up and put them in good +condition. And one Saturday early in the fall we got Davy to go with us +to the great meadows <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15">[Pg 15]</a></span>and look the ground over. Davy said, "We must find +their paths." When we found one, we looked for the best place to set a +trap. "Now, see here. Here's a place where they come out of the water; +and they climb up on that old root. Take the axe, Ben, and cut a notch +in it a little under the water; and I'll smear the notch with mud so +that the rat won't notice it."</p> + +<div class="sidenote">TRAPPING MUSKRATS</div> + +<p>We opened the trap, and set it in the notch; and then fastened the +chain, which was attached to the trap, to a stick; and drove the stick +into the bank a little way up the stream. "Let's put the next trap in +the path. Drive the stick into the ground, so that they can't carry the +trap off. That's right. Now set the trap and sprinkle some leaves over +it to hide it."</p> + +<p>In some of the brooks we drove a couple of sticks into the bank, so that +the trap would rest on them, a couple of inches beneath the surface of +the water, and fastened the chain up stream. We drove a stick into the +bank about ten inches above the trap, and stuck a sweet apple on the end +of it. "There, that <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16">[Pg 16]</a></span>looks real tempting. A rat will come swimming +along, and when he sees that apple, he will jump for it; and if you are +lucky, he will fall into the trap."</p> + +<p>"Who's that over on the island in the meadow?"</p> + +<p>"Captain Wooton. He's girdling trees."</p> + +<p>"What's he doing that for?"</p> + +<p>"To kill them off. That's the way the Indians cleared their land. The +trees die, and when they are dead, he sets them on fire in the wet +season, and burns them up. He was a sea-captain, and married one of the +Winship girls, and old Mr. Winship gave them this land."</p> + +<p>"Well, let's hurry up and set the rest of the traps. I've got to get +home to my chores."</p> + +<p>Edmund lived on the further side of the meadows and close to them, and +in going to school passed several brooks that flowed into them. I lived +above the meadows, and had to go out of my way to reach them. So Edmund +looked after nine traps, and I took care of five. Every morning we +examined the <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17">[Pg 17]</a></span>traps, to see if we had caught anything, and to set them +again, and bait them. If a trap was not in sight, we pulled on the +chain, and generally found a muskrat in the trap, drowned, with his hair +all soaked down on his sides. Sometimes we would find one alive in a +trap in their paths, and sometimes only a foot.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">DAVID'S BLACK CAT</div> + +<p>Occasionally my little brother David went with me, and while I was +baiting a trap, would run on, to see if there was anything in the next +one. Once he came back to me, and said, "Benny, some mean fellow has +been down here, and stuck a nasty black cat in the trap." The cat turned +out to be a mink with a fine fur. After we had examined the traps, +Edmund and I used to meet at a spot on Deacon Brown's farm, which was so +pretty that folks called it "God's Creation"; and then we went over to +the highway together, on our way to school.</p> + +<p>We trapped muskrats till April, and got fifty-four muskrats and two +mink. Skins are like oysters, good every month in the year that has an +<i>R</i> in it.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18">[Pg 18]</a></span>How many were actually caught in our traps is another matter. A +half-breed Indian named Tony lived in a little hut by the edge of the +meadows. Frequently we found prints of his moccasins by our traps; and +they would be baited with a different kind of an apple from that we +used.</p> + +<p>Probably Tony needed muskrat skins more than we, or at least thought +that he did.</p> + +<p>We disliked Tony and avoided him. We had our little scalping-parties or +war-paths and ambuscades, in imitation of the Indians, but in spite of +that we hated them heartily, and thought it a great weakness on the part +of our minister, Bishop Hancock, when he spoke a good word for them.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">BISHOP HANCOCK</div> + +<p>He, Bishop Hancock, was of the salt of the earth. He was very old, but +bright and strong, and as full of fun as a kitten. Old age seemed to +improve him, as it does wine, and made him ripe and mellow.</p> + +<p>When we saw him walking down the road, with his full-bottomed white wig, +his black coat and small clothes, his black silk stockings, and his +white Geneva bands, we gathered on <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19">[Pg 19]</a></span>one side of the road, folded our +hands, ducked our heads, and made our manners.</p> + +<p>He always had some funny or quaint remark to make to us. There was, +perhaps, nothing wonderful in what he said, but his words always had a +pleasant savour; and the day seemed brighter after he had spoken to us. +He was himself like one of those serene peaceful days that come in the +Indian summer near the close of the year.</p> + +<p>He had so much common sense and so sure a judgment, that all the +ministers of the county ran to him for advice, if any important matter +came up. And he had such authority among them, that they called him +Bishop Hancock, for he was as a bishop to them; and they loved and +revered him as much as they would have hated a real bishop.</p> + +<p>His grandson, John Hancock, came to live with him, and went to school +with us. Young John was of our age, bright, quick-witted, with a kind +heart, an open hand, and a full allowance of self-conceit.</p> + +<p>He was always boasting about his Uncle Thomas, the richest man in +Boston, of his <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_20" id="Page_20">[Pg 20]</a></span>wharf and warehouses and ships, and of his new stone +house on the Beacon Hill.</p> + +<p>"And after I go to college, I'm going to live with Uncle Thomas, and be +a merchant like him," he used to proclaim.</p> + +<p>Edmund, Davy, and I went up to Bishop Hancock's one noon with John, and +made a careful and minute survey of the premises, after the manner of +boys. We inspected the pigs beneath the barn, and got a pail of water +and scrubbed them with a broom till we were satisfied with their +appearance. Then we learned the names and good points of the cows and +horses. When we got to the loft, Davy made a great discovery—a pigeon +net stowed away on the rafters. Before we left, John had obtained a +promise from his grandfather that he might use it to catch pigeons.</p> + +<p>The next day we took it to a hill on the other side of the road, and +looked for a place to spread it. John knew as much about pigeon catching +as a hen does about skating. But he ordered us about, right and left, +till Davy objected.</p> + +<p>"See here, John! That place you chose is <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21">[Pg 21]</a></span>full of humps and hollows, and +won't do. We want a level spot, where the net will lie flat; and we must +have a good place near by, where we can hide. What's the matter with +that open place over there, with the big clump of bushes behind it?"</p> + +<div class="sidenote">THEY SET A PIGEON NET</div> + +<p>"Well, I guess that's all right."</p> + +<p>"Now, boys," said Davy, "peg down one end of the net. That's it. Spread +it out. It lies like a tablecloth on a table. Fold it up, so that the +pole will be on top. Now fasten the springs into the ground. Set them +and rest the pole on them. Fasten the strings to each spring, so that +when we pull, the springs will fly up, and throw the pole forward over +the pigeons. That's right. Now let's try it."</p> + +<p>We went back toward the bushes and pulled the strings. The springs threw +the pole forward, and the net was spread out on the ground.</p> + +<p>"How soon can we begin, Davy?" asked John.</p> + +<p>"Not for three or four days. We'll fold the net up and set it; and you +must come <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_22" id="Page_22">[Pg 22]</a></span>up here every evening and bait the ground by throwing down +some grain. When the birds get used to the net, we can come up and catch +them."</p> + +<p>John reported to us daily that the birds were getting tamer, and were +not afraid of the net.</p> + +<p>On Saturday we went up and hid in the bushes. John held the strings of +course. We could see the pigeons picking up the grain, and when a number +were together, Davy said "Now, John!"</p> + +<p>John pulled the strings, and the pole was thrown forward so that the net +fell over the pigeons. We rushed up and stood on the edge of the net. As +the pigeons poked their heads up through the meshes, we wrung their +necks.</p> + +<p>We set the net three times and caught a couple of dozen of pigeons. Then +we went to the house, and John told of the pigeons he had caught.</p> + +<p>"Didn't the other boys have anything to do with it?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, yes, they helped, but I pulled the strings."</p> + +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_23" id="Page_23">[Pg 23]</a></span> +<div class="sidenote">BISHOP HANCOCK'S DRESSING-GOWN</div> + +<p>"I've noticed that it isn't always the man that pulls the strings who +does the real solid work," said Mr. Hancock.</p> + +<p>We did not have many quarrels or lawsuits in his time. If any dispute +arose, he interfered, heard both sides, and settled the case. His +decision ended the matter, for the defeated person knew that every one +in town would stand by Bishop Hancock's law.</p> + +<p>I was playing in the yard with John one afternoon, when Mr. Hancock came +to the window. He had on a gorgeous flowered silk dressing-gown, and +instead of his big white wig, wore on his head a cap or turban of the +same gorgeous silk. I hardly knew him, and stared at him.</p> + +<p>"What's the matter, Benny? Oh, it's the dressing-gown and cap. You +probably took me for some strange East India bird—a peacock, perhaps. +It's nothing but some finery my son Thomas sent me to put on in the +house. After wearing black all my life, it is very pleasant to move +through the rooms looking like a rainbow."</p> + +<p>"You did kind of startle me, sir. I <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_24" id="Page_24">[Pg 24]</a></span>suppose Joseph's coat must have +looked a good deal like that."</p> + +<p>"Ha, ha, Benny, I guess you're right. And it aroused envy. Mrs. Hancock +said yesterday that this would make a fine gown. I must be careful to +whom I show myself in this attire.</p> + +<p>"I hear that there is a quarrel between Sam Locke and Jesse Robinson +over the boundary line between their farms up on the old Salem road.</p> + +<p>"I want you to go up there, John, and tell them that I wish both of them +to meet me at the boundary line to-morrow afternoon at five o'clock. You +might go with him, Benny, if you have time."</p> + +<p>We did our errand, and the two men, in rather a surly manner, promised +to meet Mr. Hancock. The next afternoon Mr. Hancock gave us a couple of +stakes, which he told us to sharpen, and then we went up to the Salem +road together. We found Sam and Jesse sitting on a stone wall, waiting.</p> + +<p>Mr. Hancock said: "Well, neighbours, I hear that you have a dispute over +your <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_25" id="Page_25">[Pg 25]</a></span>boundaries, and that you're going to law about it. That won't do +at all. I'm not going to have you spending your money fighting this +matter in one court and then in another, till your money is gone. We can +clear up the trouble here to-day. State your cases to me, and I can give +as good a decision as any court. Go on, Sam, and tell your story. Wait +till he's through, Jesse, before you say a word." Sam told his side of +the case, and then Jesse, and then Sam had a second chance, and after +him Jesse again.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">BISHOP HANCOCK'S LAW</div> + +<p>Though Sam and Jesse were supposed to do all the talking, yet the bishop +had his say, too. And he was so sensible and genial that soon there was +a different feeling between the two men. He told stories of their +fathers when they were boys; what great friends they were, and how they +bought adjoining farms to be near each other. "And as for that onion bed +which marked the southern boundary of Jesse's farm, I have a very good +idea of where it was. And probably we can see now where it was by the +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_26" id="Page_26">[Pg 26]</a></span>difference in the grass." He walked along and said, "A big stone with a +flat top stuck up about twenty feet from the edge of the bed."</p> + +<p>"Why, that's just ahead of us," said Jesse.</p> + +<p>"I thought so. And now that I've heard your stories, and remember the +onion bed and the stone, I think that this is the boundary line. Drive a +stake down here, Benny. Now, neighbours, we've got it settled without +costing a penny, and I want you to shake hands and be as close friends +as your fathers were; for you're both good fellows."</p> + +<p>How we did enjoy that old man! One day Edmund and John and I were seated +in his yard, near the stable, mending the pigeon net, and Bishop Hancock +was oiling a harness hanging just inside the barn, when the gate opened, +and two old fools came into the yard.</p> + +<p>"Good morning, Mr. Hancock."</p> + +<p>"Good morning, neighbour Hall and neighbour Perry. You've caught me in a +nice mess. There's nothing very ministerial about this. Quite different +from preaching a long sermon <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_27" id="Page_27">[Pg 27]</a></span>at you; and to tell the truth, I half +believe we preach too much. My friend Cotton Mather had a story of an +old Indian who was in jail, about to be hanged for some crime.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">WOULD-BE ELDERS</div> + +<p>"A minister visited him in his cell and prayed with him and preached at +him till the Indian begged the jailer to hurry up the hanging. He +preferred it to any more talk.</p> + +<p>"This harness was getting about as rusty as my old bones and needed +oiling badly. And now, neighbours, is there anything I can do for you?"</p> + +<p>"Well, Mr. Hancock, your remark just now about your age is to the point. +Some years ago you had the help of your good son Ebenezer, whose loss we +all deplore. And some of us have been considering your great age, and +the numerous and hard duties you perform; and we have thought it might +be well if you had some assistance and aid. We know that it used to be +common to have a couple of elders to assist the pastor; and thought that +you might find it pleasant to revive the office, and have the help of +two elders."</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_28" id="Page_28">[Pg 28]</a></span>Mr. Hancock thought for a moment and said: "That's an excellent notion. +But where can we find men ready to fulfil the duties of the office?"</p> + +<p>"Well, Uriah and me have been talking it over, and we would be willing +to take the office, for the sake of helping you."</p> + +<p>"I suppose you know the duties of elders?"</p> + +<p>"No! But you know all about it, and could tell us."</p> + +<p>"Well, gentlemen, the duties of elders have never been very clearly +defined in the church. But latterly they have settled down to this. The +younger elder is to brush down and harness the pastor's horse when he +wishes to ride out, and the elder is to accompany him, when he goes out +of town, and pay his bills. I should be glad to have you appointed."</p> + +<p>Uriah gave a gasp, and said: "Hello! It looks as if there was a shower +coming up, and my hay's out. Good-by, Mr. Hancock; we'll see you another +day."</p> + +<p>The bishop looked after them, as they walked away, and turned round with +a twinkle <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_29" id="Page_29">[Pg 29]</a></span>in his eye. Seeing us laughing, he laughed too, and said:—</p> + +<div class="sidenote">NO ELDERS IN MR. HANCOCK'S DAY</div> + +<p>"I don't believe we shall have any elders in Lexington, boys. At least, +not in my day."</p> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /><a name="CHAPTER_III" id="CHAPTER_III"></a> + +<hr /><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_30" id="Page_30">[Pg 30]</a></span> +<br /> +<h2>CHAPTER III</h2> + +<p class="cen">IN WHICH ARE DETAILS OF A GREAT FOX HUNT</p> +<br /> + +<p>When the winter came there were a great many quail about our barn. +Smiling Bill Smith, who worked for us,—Old Bill Smiley some folks +called him, on account of the broad grin he always wore,—said to me:—</p> + +<p>"Them whales, Ben, pretty near bother the life out of me. They creep in +through the cracks and crannies and eat the grain. If I go over by the +grain chest, the first thing I know, there's a whir, and a cloud of them +darts up in front of my face. Sometimes it makes my heart come right up +in my mouth. I wish there wasn't a whale round the place."</p> + +<p>"Quails, Bill. What makes you call them whales?"</p> + +<p>"Whales I heard them called when I was a boy, and whales they are to +me."</p> + +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_31" id="Page_31">[Pg 31]</a></span> +<div class="sidenote">CATCHING QUAIL</div> + +<p>"Perhaps you think it was one of these whales that swallowed Jonah?"</p> + +<p>"I never did think so, Benny. But if he did, it was a miracle, sure +enough."</p> + +<p>Davy helped me make a figure-4 trap to catch them. One Saturday morning +I met Edmund down at John Buckman's store, trading some butter and eggs +for tea and sugar.</p> + +<p>"Come up to the house, Edmund. I've got a figure-4 trap; and we'll catch +some quail."</p> + +<p>We set the trap, and put some grain under the box. Several quail flew +down, hopped about, and soon discovered the grain. While they were +pecking away at it, they sprang the trap. The box fell over them, and we +caught three.</p> + +<p>"Now, Edmund, you find some grass-seed in the barn, and sprinkle it in a +line from the door. And I'll go and get the gun, and we'll take a raking +shot at them."</p> + +<p>I went after the gun, and gave it to him. We hid in the barn, and before +long some more quail flew down and began to eat the seed. When they were +well in line he fired, <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_32" id="Page_32">[Pg 32]</a></span>and killed four and wounded several. The wounded +ones hopped about, cried out, and took on piteously, and acted like so +many little children in distress.</p> + +<p>I did not like this at all, and Edmund seemed very much troubled.</p> + +<p>"Come on, Edmund. We've got to kill those that are sure to die. The rest +we will put in a box with some hay, and perhaps they will get well."</p> + +<p>We wrung the necks of three, and put the others in a box and covered it +over.</p> + +<p>Then we looked at each other, and Edmund opened his basket, and let +those we had caught fly away.</p> + +<p>"No more quail shooting for me, Ben. They're too human. By George, I +know just how a murderer feels."</p> + +<p>One snowy winter day, Davy came to our barn, where I was foddering the +cattle, and said:—</p> + +<p>"Ben, this storm will be over to-morrow, and will make fine snowshoeing. +Amos Locke is going with me fox-hunting, and we want you to come too."</p> + +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_33" id="Page_33">[Pg 33]</a></span> +<div class="sidenote">INVITATION TO A FOX HUNT</div> + +<p>"I don't know that I can go. Let's talk it over with my brother John."</p> + +<p>When John heard us he said: "I guess I can fix things so that you can +get off. Pitch in, work hard, and do some of the stints that father set +you for to-morrow, and I will look after your chores."</p> + +<p>By the time mother came to the door and blew the horn for supper, we had +done a great deal of work.</p> + +<p>After supper I lit a big pine knot and placed it in the side of the +fireplace, so that the smoke from it would go up the chimney. It threw a +pleasant light out into the room. Father was at work on an ox-bow. John +had a rake into which he was setting some new teeth, and I sat on a +stool with a wooden shovel between my legs, shelling corn; rasping the +ears on the iron edge of the shovel, so that the kernels fell into a big +basket in front of me.</p> + +<p>My little brother David was sitting on a bench in the side of the great +fireplace, reading that terrible poem by the Rev. Michael Wigglesworth, +called the "Day of Doom," <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_34" id="Page_34">[Pg 34]</a></span>which tells all about the day of +judgment,—how the sinners are doomed to burn eternally in brimstone; +and the saints are represented as seated comfortably in their armchairs +in heaven, looking down into the sulphurous pit.</p> + +<p>I used to wonder how Mr. Wigglesworth got so thorough a knowledge of +these two places and of judgment day, and doubts crept into my mind as +to the accuracy of his description. When I thought of Bishop Hancock +seated in one of those armchairs, I knew that his soul, at least, would +be full of pity and sorrow for the poor sufferers below, and I felt that +the saints ought to be a good deal like him.</p> + +<p>I did not envy David his book. It seemed to me that every now and then I +could see his hair rise up and his eyes bulge out with terror.</p> + +<p>Mother stood by the woollen wheel, spinning, and my little sister Ruhama +sat near her, knitting.</p> + +<p>The fire lit up the room and made the pewter dishes on the dresser +shine.</p> + +<p>Above us, hanging from the rafters, were <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_35" id="Page_35">[Pg 35]</a></span>bunches of herbs, crooked-neck +squashes, and poles on which were strung circular slices of pumpkin +which were drying, to be made into sauce in the future.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">THE "DAY OF DOOM"</div> + +<p>David shut up his book, went to mother, and said: "Oh, mother, mother! +I'm scared to death. Do you suppose I've got to go to hell?"</p> + +<p>"No, David. You're a good little boy. Just learn your catechism, go to +meeting, and be a good boy, and I guess you'll come out all right."</p> + +<p>I remembered well how I felt as I read that book, and the hours of +anguish that it caused me. David got some apples, placed them on the +hearth in front of the fire; and, in watching them roast and sputter, he +soon forgot his fears.</p> + +<p>John began to talk to father about old times, and soon got him started +telling stories about hunting.</p> + +<p>"Yes, I used to go after wild turkeys with Will Munroe, the blacksmith, +when I was a boy. One day we met Ben Wellington, and he said he had just +come down the Back Road, <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_36" id="Page_36">[Pg 36]</a></span>and had seen a bear in a huckleberry patch, +and if we'd go with him, we could kill him. He borrowed a gun of Tom +Fessenden, and we drew our charges, and loaded with a bullet and some +buckshot. When we got to the place, we crept along carefully, and saw +the bear stripping off the huckleberries and eating them. He was so busy +he didn't notice us, and we got quite close to him. Will and I fired, +and he rose and turned to us, and Ben fired. We ran off a little, loaded +again, and went back, and found the bear was dead.</p> + +<p>"In the winter we used to go fox-hunting. What fun we had! I vum, I'd +like to go now."</p> + +<p>This gave John a good opening, and he said: "Young David Fiske and Amos +Locke are going after foxes to-morrow, and they want Ben to go with +them. Benny worked hard to-day, and did most of the jobs that you laid +out for him to do to-morrow; and I told him that if you would let him +go, I would do his chores."</p> + +<p>"Well," said father, "one can't be young but once in one's life. I +certainly did have <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_37" id="Page_37">[Pg 37]</a></span>great fun hunting when I was a boy; and if you'll do +Benny's chores, I think we can manage to let him go. But it was a pretty +sly trick of yours, John, to lead the talk around to hunting, and get me +worked up over it, before you said anything about to-morrow."</p> + +<div class="sidenote">LUXURIOUS LIVING</div> + +<p>"I thought it would be a good idea to make you remember how much you +liked it yourself."</p> + +<p>The clock struck nine, and we got up and put our things away. Father +read a chapter from the Bible. Then I raked up a great mass of red +coals, and covered them carefully with ashes to keep them alive till the +morning.</p> + +<p>John and I went up to the attic, where we slept; and as I undressed and +lay down in my straw bed, I could hear the wind hum and whistle as it +caught on the roof, and cold draughts swept through the attic.</p> + +<p>I pulled the blankets and comforter closely about me, and was soon +asleep, dreaming of foxes.</p> + +<p>When I awoke, I jumped out of bed and <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_38" id="Page_38">[Pg 38]</a></span>stepped into some snow that had +sifted in through the cracks and formed a little drift over my leather +breeches, which were frozen hard as a board. I shook the snow off them, +and, grabbing up my clothes, ran downstairs, pulled the ashes off the +coals, and fanned them till they were bright, and built a good fire in +the fireplace. I warmed my leather breeches over the fire till they were +softened so that I could get into them.</p> + +<p>It was a little after five o'clock. The snowstorm was over, and the moon +was shining bright.</p> + +<p>Mother came in and said, "Well, Benny, you've built me a nice fire, and +I hope you'll have a good time."</p> + +<p>She hung a pot with some hasty pudding in it over the fire, warmed it +up, and fried some pork in the skillet. I brought up a jug of cider from +the cellar, and as I was eating breakfast, father came in and took down +the gun from over the fireplace. "I think I'll put a new flint in the +gun, Ben. You don't want to miss fire when you get a chance to shoot at +a fox. Be careful of <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_39" id="Page_39">[Pg 39]</a></span>the gun. You know it belonged to your Uncle John, +and he had it with him when he was killed in the Indian fight up to +York, the same time that Ben Muzzy was captivated and carried off. I +never take it down without thinking of John. He was dreadful fond of +hunting, just as you be, Benny. You put me in mind of him."</p> + +<div class="sidenote">BEN STARTS FOR THE FOX HUNT</div> + +<p>I pulled some long stockings that belonged to my brother John over my +own shoes and stockings, put on my woollen frock, and buckled my belt +round my waist. Father handed me the gun, and said, "Give my respects to +Dr. Fiske, Benny, and good luck to ye."</p> + +<p>When I got outdoors, I slipped my toes under the thongs of the rackets, +and shuffled along over the fields till I got to the road. The moon was +bright, and everything was distinct and clear.</p> + +<p>I skimmed along over the snow, and William Munroe, the blacksmith, came +out of his house near the foot of the common, just as I was passing.</p> + +<p>"Hello, Benny, you're up early to-day. Where are you bound for?"</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_40" id="Page_40">[Pg 40]</a></span>"Fox-hunting with Davy Fiske."</p> + +<p>"Well, he's a good one at it, and it will be a fine day."</p> + +<p>The meeting-house was covered with a casing of snow. As I passed by the +common I could see lights in Sam Jones's house and in old John Muzzy's. +I kept on up the road by Jonas Parker's, and when I came in sight of Dr. +Fiske's place, Davy was outside, waiting for me.</p> + +<p>"Hello, Ben! Where have you been? I've been waiting for you these two +hours."</p> + +<p>"Oh, pshaw, Davy. This is plenty early. You can't see the least bit of +daylight yet, and one can't do much with foxes till the sun is well up +and warms the scent."</p> + +<p>The doctor came to the door and said:—</p> + +<p>"Don't mind David, Benny. You're early enough. But he's crazy about +hunting, and wants to be at it all the time. It would be better for him +if he spent less time at it."</p> + +<p>"Father told me to give his respects to you, sir."</p> + +<p>"All right, Benny. Now, boys, take things easy, or you'll be tired out +before you see a fox."</p> + +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_41" id="Page_41">[Pg 41]</a></span> +<div class="sidenote">ZABDIEL</div> + +<p>As Davy and I skimmed along over the snow, the day began to break. We +had only one dog with us, but he was a real good one. His name was +Zabdiel.</p> + +<p>"That's a good dog, Davy, but he's got the funniest name for a dog I +ever heard. How did he get it?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, I dunno! Father gave it to him. There was a doctor in Boston +started this inoculation business for the smallpox. Folks were about +ready to tear his house down; but he kept on inoculating, his patients +didn't die, and finally people let up on him. Father thinks a heap of +this inoculation and sets a store by this Dr. Zabdiel Boylston, and +named his best horse and dog after him."</p> + +<p>"But I should think we ought to have more than one dog with us, Davy."</p> + +<p>"Well, ain't we going over to Dog Lane, to pick up little Amos Locke? +Every one over there hunts and has a dog. When we get there, you'll find +Amos walking up and down, and all the dogs of Dog Lane following him. +You won't be looking for <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_42" id="Page_42">[Pg 42]</a></span>dogs when you get there. The question will be, +how to get rid of them."</p> + +<p>Just then Davy held up his hand. "Hush, Ben," and pointed to a spot +where the snow had been shaken up. "Give me a racket." I did so. He held +it over the spot, and stuck his hand under it into the snow. Something +darted up against the racket, and at the same time I was covered with +snow from head to foot, and a partridge flew off. Davy laughed. "Why +didn't you catch him, Ben? I got one." He drew his hand out with a +partridge in it. He twisted its neck, and we started on again.</p> + +<p>"The partridges dive down into the snow, and sleep there, but I don't +see why those two went to bed so late after the storm was over. +Something must have disturbed them. If I hadn't the racket to clap over +the place, I should have lost him. I learned that trick from Amos +Locke's father.</p> + +<p>"But there is Amos, waiting for us, with all the dogs of Dog Lane about +him. What did I tell you about dogs?"</p> + +<p>"Isn't Amos rather young to go fox-hunting, Davy?"</p> + +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_43" id="Page_43">[Pg 43]</a></span> +<div class="sidenote">AMOS LOCKE</div> + +<p>"Sho! That's all you know about it. That little hatchet-faced fellow is +tougher than a boiled owl, and knows almost as much about foxes and +birds as I do, and that's saying a good deal. He's big, too, for his +age, and will be pretty strong, though I don't suppose he will be as +strong as you are. What do you do, Ben, to make you so strong? I could +walk the legs off of you; but you've got a terrible grip, and throw me +just as easy as nothing at all. If you keep on, you'll be as good a +wrestler as Jonas Parker; and he's the best the whole country round. How +do you get so strong?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, I dunno! Father's strong, and mother's strong. Comes natural, I +suppose."</p> + +<p>"Well, perhaps so. Father's a doctor, and my brothers are going to be +doctors; but I ain't. I'm going to be a hunter."</p> + +<p>Amos shouted: "Hello, Dave and Ben! Where have you been? I'd about +g-g-given you up." Amos stammered a little, except when he was stirred +up, and then he stammered a good deal.</p> + +<p>"Now, don't you get excited, sonny. We've <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_44" id="Page_44">[Pg 44]</a></span>got the whole day before us. +Do you own all these dogs?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, d-darn it, Davy, I can't help it. The whole pack of them keep +following me all the time, and if I've got a gun, they stick to me like +g-g-glue."</p> + +<p>"Well! They're beauties. Regular full-blooded foxhounds, every one of +them."</p> + +<p>"Oh, get out, Dave. They may not be p-p-pretty, but they hunt almost as +g-good as Zabdiel. Come here, Zab, old boy. I've been trying to get rid +of them for the last two hours. But they seem to g-g-get out about as +fast as I p-put them in."</p> + +<p>"Well, come on over to Bear's Hill. That's the best place. Call your +beauties in."</p> + +<p>We kept on past Corner Hedge and Pine Grove till we came to Listening +Hill. There the hounds struck a scent, lifted up their heads, bayed, and +started off on the trail.</p> + +<p>At first they went along the foot of Listening Hill, then up it, and +over the top. We had to take our rackets off, for it was so rocky and +uneven that we could not use <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_45" id="Page_45">[Pg 45]</a></span>them. The rocks stuck up through the snow. +Holding our rackets under our left arms and our guns in our right hands, +we followed over the crest of the hill, along the high land, and then +down the slope. Here we put on our rackets again. The dogs were far +ahead of us. We came to low land with a brook running through it, and in +the distance could see the dogs.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">BEAVER HOLES</div> + +<p>"Hold on, boys," said Davy; "this won't do. That fox is too many for +us." And putting his fingers to his mouth, he gave three shrill +whistles. "That will call Zab back. It won't do for us to go fooling +round on that swamp. It's full of holes, six to eight feet deep, that +they call beaver holes. I don't know why; perhaps the beaver made them +when they were here. If you get into one of them, it's all up with you, +and the snow covers everything up so smooth that we can't tell where +they are. That fox don't live here anyway, and is making straight for +home, and he may live ten miles off.</p> + +<p>"There's a nice spring of water in the side of Listening Hill. We'd +better go over <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_46" id="Page_46">[Pg 46]</a></span>to it and have something to eat, and then we can start +out again."</p> + +<p>We went to the spring and had a good drink. Then we took out the food +that our mothers had put up for us. We munched away, and before long Zab +came back.</p> + +<p>"I wonder where those other fool dogs are," said Davy.</p> + +<p>"Oh, they're all right. They'll come to Dog Lane to-night all b-beat +out, and they'll let me alone for a week."</p> + +<p>"I tell you what it is," said Davy. "We ought never to have gone on that +trail. We ought to have gone to Bear's Hill, just as we started to. +There's always some foxes at Bear's Hill that live there, and don't want +to leave home. Let's go after them."</p> + +<p>After we had eaten our fill we threw the rest of our food on the snow, +and Zab gulped it down in no time and had a contented look, probably +thinking of those other dogs with their empty bellies.</p> + +<p>We started off for Bear's Hill, and Davy said: "This is a different kind +of a place. Foxes that you find here belong here."</p> + +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_47" id="Page_47">[Pg 47]</a></span> +<div class="sidenote">THE FOX HUNT</div> + +<p>We came on a fox track, and Zab started off on it, and we after him. +First we went along one side of the hill, then over it, and we had to +take off our rackets again. Then along the foot of the hill, and Davy +said: "He lives here. We'll get him. Pull off your frock, Ben." And he +began to pull off his.</p> + +<p>"Now, Amos, you go up that lane till you come to a gap in the hill. A +stone wall crosses it, and almost always when you hunt round this hill, +the fox comes down that gully to the stone wall. Get behind a bush near +the wall; and you'll see the fox come down the hollow to it. And he will +put his fore paws up on the wall, and wait a moment to hark for the dog. +When he does that, you give it to him. Take our frocks, and if you feel +cold, put one of them on. Wait there, and keep your eyes and ears open."</p> + +<p>Amos went up the lane, and we followed Zab. At last he seemed to be +coming somewhat toward us.</p> + +<p>"Let's spread out a bit, Ben, and try to head the fox off."</p> + +<p>He ran to the right, and I followed him, at <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_48" id="Page_48">[Pg 48]</a></span>some distance behind. We +could hear that Zab was coming nearer, as we ran, and at last we heard a +bang.</p> + +<p>"The little cuss has got him, I'll bet you. Come on, Ben."</p> + +<p>We ran on and came to the gully; and at the lower end of it was Amos, +with my frock on, which reached down to the ground. He was holding up +the fox, and Zab was jumping up and down.</p> + +<p>"Good boy, Amos! Now tell us about it."</p> + +<p>"Well, I did just as you t-t-told me, Davy. I went up the lane till I +c-came to the gully and saw the stone wall. I found a good b-bush about +twenty-five yards from the wall, and got behind it and waited till I +began to feel c-cold. I pulled Ben's frock on, and left the neck of it +open so that I could get the stock of the gun in to my shoulder, and +spread out your f-frock and knelt on it. Then I heard Zab, and knew that +he was c-coming toward me. I got ready and saw the fox creeping down the +g-gully, and he did just as you said he would. When he got to the wall +he p-put his fore paws upon it, p-pricked up <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_49" id="Page_49">[Pg 49]</a></span>his ears, and moved them +forward and back as he listened for Zab, and I f-fired. I aimed at his +b-b-breast and p-put two b-buckshot in his breast and one in his neck."</p> + +<div class="sidenote">DR. FISKE HAS A PATIENT</div> + +<p>"Yer done well, Amos. I couldn't a done better myself. He has a good fur +and is a mighty fine fox."</p> + +<p>It was getting pretty well along in the afternoon, and we thought we had +had enough of hunting. I picked up the fox and carried it for Amos till +we reached Dog Lane, when he left us. We found the partridge where we +had tied it to a branch.</p> + +<p>When we reached Dr. Fiske's, his sleigh was in front of the door. The +doctor had put on a small riding wig with an eelskin cue, and was +getting into his greatcoat.</p> + +<p>"You're just in time, Benny; old Francis Whittemore, down at the East +Village, has had a fit; and I've got to go and see what I can do for +him. The old man has too much blood, and it's gone to his head. We must +bleed him. Take the lancets, Jonathan, and the basin too, and a bottle +of Daffy's Elixir. There's nothing like it to tone up the stomach. <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_50" id="Page_50">[Pg 50]</a></span>Now +we are all ready. Tie your rackets on behind and sit in the bottom of +the sleigh, Ben."</p> + +<p>The doctor and his son Jonathan got in, and I sat in the straw till the +doctor pulled up and let me out not far from our house.</p> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /><a name="CHAPTER_IV" id="CHAPTER_IV"></a> + +<hr /><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_51" id="Page_51">[Pg 51]</a></span> +<br /> +<h2>CHAPTER IV</h2> + +<p class="cen">TRADING IN THOSE DAYS—BEN IS APPRENTICED—THE ENLISTING<br /> SERGEANT—COURT +DAY AT CONCORD</p> +<br /> + +<p>About this time my life changed a good deal. Bishop Hancock had died +during the previous winter. Young John was adopted by his Uncle Thomas, +the Boston merchant, and went to Harvard College. Edmund's mother, who +had been a widow several years, married Squire Bowman, and went to live +at his house at the south end of the town. As for myself, I was growing +up, and had my stint of work with the others. In the spring, driving the +oxen, while father held the plough. Then came sowing the land and +planting corn. Then half-hilling and again hilling it. Then helping to +hay, and to gather in the crops. In the fall, picking apples and making +cider. And as the <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_52" id="Page_52">[Pg 52]</a></span>winter came on, I helped to kill and dress a steer +and a couple of hogs, and to put them in the powdering tubs and pickle +them. Then we hung the hams and sides of bacon up in the chimney to be +cured. Beside these things the daily care of the cattle and milking kept +me busy all the time.</p> + +<p>And it seemed to me that we got but small return for our labour. We had +a large barn full of cattle and horses, and the loft full of hay for +them. A snug home for ourselves and plenty to eat and drink. We raised +the flax and wool from which our clothes were made. When we killed an ox +or a calf, the hide was tanned to make into shoes.</p> + +<p>But we had very little ready money. Whatever dealings we had with our +neighbours was done by exchanging goods,—trading we called it. Trading +was going on all the time.</p> + +<p>One morning, as we boys were walking up the road, and had reached the +upper end of Captain Esterbrook's land, Edmund said, "Hello, Ben, look +over there. Captain <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_53" id="Page_53">[Pg 53]</a></span>Joe Esterbrook and Matthew Mead are trading. +Whenever you see one man sitting on a log and another walking up and +down with a straw in his mouth, then they're trading. And the man with +the straw in his mouth is the one anxious to have the trade go through. +See how nervous Matthew is, and Captain Joe, sitting on the log +whittling, looks just as calm and contented as a frog in a puddle. When +you trade, Ben, don't chew a straw, but sit down and whittle. Captain +Joe probably wants the trade to go through as much as Matthew does. But +the whittling keeps his hands and eyes busy, and steadies his nerves. It +gives him a chance to look as if he didn't care a snap about it."</p> + +<div class="sidenote">TRADING</div> + +<p>"I don't think there's any need of Captain Joe whittling," said I. "He's +as keen as a razor at a trade. I was going by his place a little while +ago, and he had his old horse Bjax out in front of the stable, showing +him to a fur trader from the Back Country, whose horse had gone lame.</p> + +<p>"'Yes,' says he, 'he's a fine horse, kind and sound, and I wouldn't part +with him <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_54" id="Page_54">[Pg 54]</a></span>for anything, if the other one hadn't died. I had a horse +called Ajax, that I got of one of the professors down to the college, +and the next one I bought I called Bjax. But now that Ajax is gone, +there don't seem to be no sense to the name. When I had Ajax, Bjax was +all right; but Bjax alone sounds sort of ridiculous, and I'll let you +have him cheap.'</p> + +<p>"His black boy, Prince, was hanging round, looking as if a funeral was +going on. He stepped up, and said, 'Oh, massa, massa. Don't sell that +horse. That's just the best horse we ever had.' Then the black rascal +went behind the man, winked at me and grinned."</p> + +<p>Late in the fall, after we had killed off some of the cattle, father +would load a couple of pack-horses with beef and pork, which he sold in +Salem. For in those days Salem was more easily reached than Boston. +Probably not more than one or two families in the town spent over twenty +Spanish dollars in the course of the year.</p> + +<p>Money came most readily to those who had a handicraft, and there was +hardly a <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_55" id="Page_55">[Pg 55]</a></span>house on the main road in which there was not an artificer of +some kind.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">BEN APPRENTICED TO A BLACKSMITH</div> + +<p>A prudent father took care that his son learned a trade. Edmund was sent +to Concord and became a cordwainer or shoemaker. Davy Fiske was a +weaver, and soon after the fox hunt I was apprenticed to Robert +Harrington, to learn the blacksmith's trade. He was a large, strong man, +of a kindly nature, and was an excellent bass singer. As we worked +together in his shop, with his son Thaddeus, we frequently sang psalm +tunes, and his younger son Dan piped in a treble.</p> + +<p>One day Major Ben Reed rode up, and brought his horse in to be shod.</p> + +<p>"Well, Robert, we're going to have war again with the French. Governor +Shirley's got word that they are making a settlement and building a fort +down on our eastern frontier, and has ordered Colonel John Winslow to +raise a regiment, and go down there to put a stop to it. Captain Frye of +Littleton is raising a company, and if any of the boys want to join the +expedition, they'd better enlist with him."</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_56" id="Page_56">[Pg 56]</a></span>Davy Fiske's two older brothers, Jonathan and John, did enlist. They +joined this company, and so did Joe Locke.</p> + +<p>The regiment went up the Kennebec, built a fort, and then half of them +went further up the river, to the Great Carrying Place, but found no +settlements, no French nor Indians, nothing but immense and terrible +swarms of black flies, midges, and bloodsucking mosquitoes; and after +considerable blood was shed on both sides, they retreated and returned +home.</p> + +<p>This was but the beginning of the great struggle that we had with the +French for seven long years. In the next year, 1755, early in the +spring, Colonel Winslow was again ordered to beat his drums through our +Province, and raise a regiment to proceed against Acadia; and Captain +Spikeman began to enlist a company in our county.</p> + +<p>The captain made his headquarters in Concord at Rowe's Tavern, which was +kept by Edmund's uncle, Captain Thomas Munroe.</p> + +<p>Several times, a sergeant, corporal, and a couple of drummers came down +to <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_57" id="Page_57">[Pg 57]</a></span>Lexington, and marched through the town, beating a rub-a-dub on +their drums. The sergeant would speak to the crowd, and try to get them +to enlist. He would promise them—well, what wouldn't he promise them? +Lands, booty, rich farms, the chance of becoming a general at least. He +was an oily-tongued fellow, and Uriah Hall's son Uriah, Phineas Parker, +and Tom Blanchard enlisted with him. He and his drummers stopped at our +shop one day, and he came in. He placed his halberd in a corner, brushed +the dust from the top of a box, and sat down.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">EXPEDITION TO ACADIA</div> + +<p>"Well, which of you young men is going to serve the King? There never +was such a chance for a soldier as this. Here we are, going down to the +richest country in the world, to turn these Acadians out of house and +home; and any soldier who wants a farm can have it for the asking. +Richest soil in the world. You can raise anything there. Level as a +table, all cleared, not a stone in it, farm tools, housen and outhousen, +and everything all ready for you. Hundreds of acres for the asking, and +lots of <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_58" id="Page_58">[Pg 58]</a></span>booty besides. What better chance do you want?"</p> + +<p>Mr. Harrington, who was leaning on his hammer by the forge, asked:—</p> + +<p>"But why do you turn them out? Why don't you let them alone?"</p> + +<p>"Why do we turn them out? Because we must. That country has belonged to +England for forty-two years. And not one of those people will take the +oath of allegiance. They have the easiest time in the world. Not a penny +of taxes was ever asked them, and they have been treated like pet lambs. +Their priests tell them not to take the oath of allegiance, and they +expect every year that the King of France will retake the country."</p> + +<p>"Well, what of it? They say they are neutrals, and if you leave them +alone, and they mind their own business, and till their farms, they'll +come round all right in the end."</p> + +<p>"Will they? They're the funniest neutrals you ever saw. They are dead +set against England, and claim to belong to France. If a garrison wants +to buy food, not a bit <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_59" id="Page_59">[Pg 59]</a></span>will they sell. But when the French and Indians +make an inroad into the country, they run to them, give them all they +have, join in with them, and fight us. When the French are driven back, +they scatter and go back to their farms, as innocent as can be. No, sir. +There's no getting on with them. It has been tried over forty years. The +only way to stop this constant trouble and fighting is to carry the +whole of them out of the country, and give their rich farms to good, +honest young men like these here.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">THE ACADIANS MUST BE DRIVEN OUT</div> + +<p>"Come now! Take the King's shilling. Serve his Majesty, good King +George, for a few months; and you can live like lords for the rest of +your days."</p> + +<p>Thaddeus and I were mightily tempted by the man's talk, but Mr. +Harrington said that he could not spare us, and that we were too young, +anyhow. "And very likely, boys, instead of hundreds of acres, with +housen and outhousen, and farm tools, and booty, all that you'd get +would be six feet of ground and a pine box."</p> + +<p>The days when the court sat at Concord <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_60" id="Page_60">[Pg 60]</a></span>were holidays with us, and the +people flocked up there to see the court come in, and to watch the +trials. And this spring, Spikeman's company was there too.</p> + +<p>On the second day of court I rode to Concord, found Edmund at the +tavern, and we went round the town together.</p> + +<p>The court had disposed of some cases already. We saw a couple seated on +the gallows, with ropes round their necks.</p> + +<p>"Are they going to hang them, Edmund?"</p> + +<p>"Not unless they tumble off and hang themselves. I suppose they put them +up there to show that hanging would be none too good for them. Look at +those fellows in the stocks. They don't belong here, and did not leave +when warned out of town by the constable."</p> + +<p>Near by the stocks was the pillory. There was a man standing in it, with +his head and hands sticking out through the holes. Of all humiliating +punishments, this always seemed to me to be the worst. A man in that +position looks thoroughly mean and contemptible. He appears to be put +there on purpose to <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_61" id="Page_61">[Pg 61]</a></span>have something thrown at him; and it offers a +temptation that boys cannot withstand.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">THE PILLORY</div> + +<p>"Bill Wheeler's been missing his hens right along. He suspected this +man, and caught him one night, and the judge sentenced him to stand in +the pillory. There's Bill over there; listen to him!"</p> + +<p>"Well, you miserable thief, how do you like it now? I had a good deal of +trouble to catch you; but it was worth while. You like hens? I wonder +how you will like hen-fruit."</p> + +<p>He turned aside, and I heard him say to a boy: "Here's a shilling, +Hiram. They tell me eggs are pretty cheap up at the store, specially +poor ones."</p> + +<p>The boys asked the man in the pillory all manner of impudent questions. +He resented it, and threatened them, when plump went a couple of eggs +against the boards near his head, and the yolks spattered over his face.</p> + +<p>"Don't! Don't you do that, boys! That's mighty mean. When I get out, +won't I give you a licking!"</p> + +<p>More eggs were thrown, and as he ducked his head, one struck him on the +top of his <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_62" id="Page_62">[Pg 62]</a></span>pate. When he raised it, the yellow yolk ran down over his +cheeks. Edmund and I told the boys to stop throwing eggs.</p> + +<p>"We ain't doing nothing, and 'tain't your business, anyhow."</p> + +<p>We stood guard over the boys till we saw the crowd turn toward the +whipping-post; and the boys went there to see a man tied to it, and +soundly thrashed on his bare back with the cat-o'-nine-tails.</p> + +<p>"I've had enough of this, Edmund. Come over to the tavern."</p> + +<p>The drummers were beating their drums in front of the inn, and the +sergeants were telling their story of the glory, honour, and booty to be +gained.</p> + +<p>Captain Spikeman stood near by, and if he saw a likely looking man, who +seemed to be tempted, he would begin talking to him, and ask him into +the tavern to have a mug of flip. Soon after, the sergeant would be +called in to pin a cockade on his hat and give him the King's shilling +to enlist him.</p> + +<p>Edmund knew all the officers, who lived at the tavern, and was full of +enthusiasm. <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_63" id="Page_63">[Pg 63]</a></span>"Ben, I'd like to go ever so much. I've set my heart on +being a soldier. But my time isn't up, and I must serve out my +apprenticeship."</p> + +<div class="sidenote">RECRUITING</div> + +<p>"That's just my fix. But if the war lasts, we may get a chance yet."</p> + +<p>In the afternoon I bade him good-by, and rode back home.</p> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /><a name="CHAPTER_V" id="CHAPTER_V"></a> + +<hr /><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_64" id="Page_64">[Pg 64]</a></span> +<br /> +<h2>CHAPTER V</h2> + +<p class="cen">PIGEON TUESDAY AND ITS EXPLOITS</p> +<br /> + +<p>Davy Fiske had become a weaver, as I said, and as there were several +David Fiskes in town, he was called Weaver David. We used to send yarn +up to him to weave, and I wore clothes made of cloth that came from his +loom. Early that same spring he came down to the blacksmith's shop with +one of his father's horses to be shod, and as I was getting ready, said: +"Ben, it's awful to see the boys going off to the war, having all this +fun fighting the French and Indians, and to be shut up in that +confounded loom, listening to its clatter, when there's so much going +on. Jonathan and John have just gone off again, and I must stay at home. +But the pigeons are flying now, and next Tuesday will be Pigeon Tuesday. +They always fly on that day. And there will be rafts of them <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_65" id="Page_65">[Pg 65]</a></span>flying +down to the shore. I suppose they go to get a taste of salt, and must +have it, just like the cattle. Amos Locke and I are going after them up +on Bull Meadow Hill, and we want you to come too."</p> + +<div class="sidenote">WILD PIGEONS</div> + +<p>"I'll go, Davy, if I can get off."</p> + +<p>After I had shod the horse, I spoke to Mr. Harrington about it. He said: +"You won't need but half a day, Ben. The shooting will be all over by +nine o'clock, and you can come back and work in the afternoon."</p> + +<p>In the spring flights of pigeons came north very early. They lived in +the woods and swamps, and as soon as it began to be light flew down to +the shore.</p> + +<p>As they came along, we used to toll them down with our decoys. The +flight was almost always over by nine o'clock.</p> + +<p>When they returned in the evening, they paid no attention to decoys, but +made straight for their roost.</p> + +<p>Tuesday morning, I was at Davy's house a couple of hours before sunrise +and, as usual, found him grumbling because I had not come an hour +earlier.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_66" id="Page_66">[Pg 66]</a></span>There was a bright moon, and we had plenty of light as we walked over +the fields, and Davy told me wonderful stories of his hunting. He was +full of superstitions, and had settled on this day as the one particular +day in the year when there would be a great flight of pigeons.</p> + +<p>"Pigeon Hill, off there to our right, is a pretty good place for +pigeons. It's on our land, and I've got a pigeon rig up there. But Bull +Meadow Hill is higher and a good deal better. It belongs to Amos's +folks. He has a pigeon rig and pole on it, and it will be all ready. +Amos says Bull Meadow got its name because a bull was drowned in a ditch +there nigh on to a hundred years ago."</p> + +<p>We reached Bull Meadow and went up the hill. Amos was there waiting for +us.</p> + +<p>"Where have you fellows b-been? I've been at work here for an hour and +have got things pretty near ready. I put some new boughs on the booth so +that it l-looks all r-right, and I've got a couple of flyers and a +flutterer in that basket."</p> + +<p>We entered the booth from the rear. The <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_67" id="Page_67">[Pg 67]</a></span>front was open from the +covering to within three feet of the ground, so that we could stand up +and shoot, and when we crouched down, would be hidden.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">THE PIGEON RIG</div> + +<p>In front of the booth was a post about four feet high, in one side of +which the end of a pole about five feet long was fastened so that it +worked as if on a hinge. A string was tied to the pole and ran over the +top of the post. By pulling the string, the further end of the pole +could be raised or lowered by a person in the booth. Further from the +booth the top and branches of a small tree had been cut off, leaving a +standard twelve feet high, and to this a pole about twenty feet long had +been fastened, so that it looked a good deal like a well sweep.</p> + +<p>The end of the pole pointed toward the hut, but not directly. It slanted +a little to one side in order that when the pigeons lighted on the pole +we could get a good raking shot at them. Our pigeons had soft pads of +leather called boots sewed round each leg to protect them from the +strings which we fastened to them. We tied the <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_68" id="Page_68">[Pg 68]</a></span>strings to the boots of +a pigeon, sewed a bandage over his eyes, and tied him to the further end +of the pigeon stool. This was the stool pigeon. We also called him the +flutterer or hoverer.</p> + +<p>"Now give us the flyers."</p> + +<p>Amos took out two more pigeons, and we tied long and strong strings to +their boots.</p> + +<p>"Now they're ready. But there's hardly enough string for the long flyer. +We ought to let him go up at least forty feet."</p> + +<p>"Cut a little off the string of the short flyer then, and tie it on to +the other. The strings were the same length."</p> + +<p>We looked round, to see if any pigeons were flying, but none were in +sight.</p> + +<p>"There don't seem to be any about. I'm afraid, Davy, Pigeon Tuesday +won't be a success this time."</p> + +<p>"You wait. They'll be here by and by."</p> + +<p>"They're f-flying well now. I was f-fishing in Swithin Reed's mill +p-pond, yesterday afternoon, and Venus Roe came over and said that +Swithin shot a lot of pigeons in the m-morning."</p> + +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_69" id="Page_69">[Pg 69]</a></span> +<div class="sidenote">A FLIGHT IN SIGHT</div> + +<p>"Venus Roe! Who's she?"</p> + +<p>"D-don't you know? She's a little n-nigger girl about twelve years old, +and belongs to Swithin. Some one in B-Boston gave her to him when she +was a baby."</p> + +<p>"Oh, yes! I remember now. I've heard father tell of meeting Swithin +riding out from Boston, with a keg of rum in one saddle bag, and out of +the other was sticking the head of a three-year-old nigger."</p> + +<p>"Here comes a flight. Send up your long flyer, Amos."</p> + +<p>Amos threw the flyer up. We watched the pigeons. They seemed to be +coming toward us.</p> + +<p>"Now send up the short flyers."</p> + +<p>"They're coming to us. Pull the flyers down and keep hidden. Pull away +at the string, Ben, and work the pole, so that the hoverer will keep his +wings fluttering. Keep on, Ben. They see him."</p> + +<p>The pigeons flew toward the flutterer, made a swirl in the air, and +began to light on the pigeon pole. We took up our guns, and as they were +hovering about the pole, trying <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_70" id="Page_70">[Pg 70]</a></span>to get a foothold, we fired, and ran +out and picked up twenty-nine pigeons.</p> + +<p>"That isn't bad," said Davy. "I tell you, Pigeon Tuesday is the day. +There will be more along soon."</p> + +<p>The sky was all crimson and gold in the east. We looked toward Mt. +Gilboa; the red face of the sun began to show itself. As it rose above +the hill, we heard the stroke of the bell.</p> + +<p>"Some one's d-dead.—Hark! Only one stroke. It's a child. One for a +c-child, two for a woman, and three strokes for a man."</p> + +<p>"I know who it is. Father was called up to Sam Hadley's last night. +Little Benoni Mead was very poorly, and they didn't think he'd last +through the night."</p> + +<p>Poor little Benoni! His father, Cornelius Mead, had died of camp fever +in the war; his mother and he had come on the town for support, and had +been boarded with her brother, Sam Hadley, not far from Bull Meadow +Hill. Benoni had always been ailing, and of late had failed rapidly.</p> + +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_71" id="Page_71">[Pg 71]</a></span> +<div class="sidenote">ANOTHER FLIGHT OF PIGEONS</div> + +<p>"Well, boys," said Davy, "let's get back to work. It won't do Benoni any +good to be mooning round."</p> + +<p>We watched for pigeons again, and another small flight came along. We +worked our decoys and got twenty.</p> + +<p>After that we waited a long time,—till nearly nine o'clock. Then Davy +and I gave it up, and decided to go home. Davy had some work to do. But +Amos said he would stay a little while longer. We made a division of our +pigeons, and Davy and I started for home.</p> + +<p>We had not gone more than half a mile when we saw a terrible big flight.</p> + +<p>"I wonder if Amos will get a shot at them, Ben. Let's get back as quick +as we can. We may be in time."</p> + +<p>We threw down our pigeons, and made through the woods as fast as we +could. As we were running up the hill, we heard a bang.</p> + +<p>"Confound the luck," said Davy, "we're just too late! Let's hurry up and +help Amos."</p> + +<p>When we got to the top of the hill Amos <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_72" id="Page_72">[Pg 72]</a></span>was running round, twisting the +necks of the wounded pigeons. As soon as he saw us, he stood up and +began:—</p> + +<p>"H-H-He—" But he was too excited, and couldn't get the words out. He +pointed to the pigeons, and kept on catching them and twisting their +necks. We did the same. When we got through, Davy asked, "What was it +that you were saying to us when we got here? I didn't quite catch it."</p> + +<p>"No! It sort er st-stuck on the way; 'h-help me' is pretty hard to say +sometimes. I t-t-tell you, b-boys, there was millions of 'em, an-and I +guess I shot a barrel full. When I saw that b-big flight coming, I +wished you were here, and then I was g-glad you were not. For I w-wanted +to see h-how many I should get. They came just like a b-big cloud, and +began to light on that p-pole, and the air was just f-full of them. You +c-couldn't see anything but pigeons. I blazed away, and the ground was +c-covered with them.</p> + +<p>"I was t-tickled enough to see you fellows jump in and help me. I +w-wonder how many there are. Let's count them."</p> + +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_73" id="Page_73">[Pg 73]</a></span> +<div class="sidenote">AMOS MAKES A GREAT SHOT</div> + +<p>We gathered them up, and there were fifty-two.</p> + +<p>"Hurrah! One f-for every week in the year!"</p> + +<p>Amos had a good many adventures in his life afterward, fighting with the +French and Indians. But that shot was the one particular thing that made +life a joy to him.</p> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /><a name="CHAPTER_VI" id="CHAPTER_VI"></a> + +<hr /><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_74" id="Page_74">[Pg 74]</a></span> +<br /> +<h2>CHAPTER VI</h2> + +<p class="cen">A PAUPER'S FUNERAL—BEN'S FRIEND THE MINISTER, AND BEN'S VICTORY IN +WRESTLING</p> +<br /> + +<p>When I returned to the shop, Mr. Harrington said: "I'm glad you're back, +Ben. The rest of the selectmen have left the care of Benoni Mead's +funeral to me, and I've got a lot of things to do. We must have some +gloves and scarves for the bearers, and you'll have to ride down to +Charlestown to buy them."</p> + +<p>I mounted a horse and rode through Menotomy and over the Plains. There +was a sharp breeze blowing; and as I neared the Neck, I heard a creaking +as if a rusty hinge was being turned.</p> + +<p>Looking to the left, I saw a negro hanging in gibbets at the foot of a +ledge. The wind made the body sway to and fro, and the grating of the +chains caused the noise. <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_75" id="Page_75">[Pg 75]</a></span>The sight made cold shivers go up my back, and +I hurried on till I reached Cheever's store near the Boston ferry and +bought the gloves and scarves.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">BENONI'S FUNERAL</div> + +<p>On the next day little Benoni was buried. Days on which there were +funerals were half-holidays, that every one might attend. When I arrived +at the Hadley house, there were a number of men near the door, and +others leaning on the fence. The town bier stood in front of the house, +and the pall was over it.</p> + +<p>I went into the house and looked at Benoni. His thin little face was +peaceful and happy as if he had found rest and an end of pain. Old Seth +Green slouched in after me. Winter pig we used to call him, he was so +sleek and fat. He looked at Benoni with a woe-begone expression, and, +turning away, helped himself to some liquor which stood on a table.</p> + +<p>I followed him out and heard him say to Amos Muzzy: "Have you been in to +see Benoni? Looks real sweet and pretty. Mighty good rum the town +provided. Some <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_76" id="Page_76">[Pg 76]</a></span>of Buckman's best. Poor little fellow! I think I'll go +in and take another look at him."</p> + +<p>The minister, Mr. Clark, now came. He made a short prayer, and then the +coffin was placed on the bier and covered with the pall. Some of the +most prominent men in the town were the pall-bearers. They placed the +bier on their shoulders, and the procession followed them. As we passed +the meeting-house, the bell tolled. When we reached the burying-yard, +the coffin was lowered into the grave. The minister made another short +prayer. Earth was thrown on the coffin, the grave was filled in, and we +departed.</p> + +<p>I say the minister, Mr. Clark. For some time after the death of Mr. +Hancock we had no settled pastor. Ministers came and preached awhile for +us and then departed. We had become so accustomed to the old bishop that +it seemed as if no one could satisfy us or fill his place. It was not +till late in the previous year that we found the man who suited.</p> + +<p>Mr. Jonas Clark, a young college <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_77" id="Page_77">[Pg 77]</a></span>graduate, preached to us, and we were +mutually pleased. The town voted to request him to become our pastor. He +accepted, and was ordained in November. The town voted one hundred +pounds for the celebration. The Governor's Council came out from Boston. +Deputations were sent from the surrounding towns, and we had a great +time, hours of preaching and hours of feasting. People loved Mr. Hancock +for his great common sense, his bluff, hearty, jovial manner, and the +wit and humour that abounded in him at a time when most ministers +thought it their duty to look as solemn as a gravestone.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">THE NEW MINISTER</div> + +<p>Mr. Clark became as much beloved and respected as Mr. Hancock, and yet +he did not resemble him. His manners were elegant. He was learned, able, +and very polite. Neat as wax, he made us feel ashamed of our slovenly +ways. He was not the bluff, hale fellow the old bishop was, who +compelled us to do what he knew was right.</p> + +<p>Mr. Clark had a kind heart, a keen, clear mind. Though he guided us with +a firm <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_78" id="Page_78">[Pg 78]</a></span>hand, it was done in such a gentle and polite manner, that we +rarely felt how completely we were under his control.</p> + +<p>And though he was a student and his tastes were delicate, still he did +not frown upon our rude sports, provided they were not low or brutal. +"They make the body erect and supple and give strength and elasticity to +the muscles. The body should be cultivated as well as the mind. What we +want is a sound mind in a sound body."</p> + +<p>Wrestling was the great sport in those days, and I was always fond of +it. I was very strong naturally, and my trade as blacksmith had +toughened my muscles wonderfully.</p> + +<p>Our strongest man and best wrestler was Jonas Parker. You would hardly +have suspected it; for though he had rather a grim, determined look, he +was a quiet, staid, religious man and a great lover of reading.</p> + +<p>A few years before, he had bought some land of Dr. Fiske and built a +house not far from Bishop Hancock's and constantly borrowed and read his +books.</p> + +<p>He was also a great lover of wrestling, knew <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_79" id="Page_79">[Pg 79]</a></span>all the tricks, and had +the reputation of being the best man in our county at it.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">BEN PRACTISES WRESTLING</div> + +<p>He watched me wrestling with the other boys, and one day said to me: +"Ben, you've got the making of a great wrestler in you. Come up to my +house when you can, and I'll teach you what I know about it."</p> + +<p>On holidays and whenever I got a chance, I went up to his place, and we +would walk down to a grove back of his barn and wrestle. We kept this up +all the spring and summer, and he taught me the different throws.</p> + +<p>He said: "You're coming on at a great rate, Ben. When you get your full +strength, I think you'll be as good or a better wrestler than I am, and +there's not such a great difference even now. I don't think we had ever +better wrestle in earnest, for it might make bad blood between us. We +can wrestle together for practice and leave it undecided which is the +better man."</p> + +<p>After wrestling we would go into the house, and he would take out a book +of plays by William Shakespeare and read from it to me. We were both +religious men and did not <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_80" id="Page_80">[Pg 80]</a></span>believe in play acting. But plays like these +could do no harm. Jonas loved this man's writings next to the Bible, and +I saved up money and bought a copy of the book myself. Mr. Clark had the +same love for Shakespeare, and often when we stopped wrestling, as it +began to grow dark, Jonas would say that Mr. Clark had asked him to come +down to his house with me, and he would read to us. The plays seemed +much finer as he read them in his clear voice and explained them to us, +for by ourselves we only saw a portion of their beauties.</p> + +<p>Jonas and I were at his house one August evening of this year, 1757, and +Mr. Clark had just begun to read, when Dr. Fiske rode up, and pulling up +his horse, called out: "Mr. Clark! Mr. Clark! There's bad news—very bad +news from the army. Colonel Brattle has received word from General Webb +that the French army were advancing to attack Fort William Henry, and he +was afraid it would be taken. Good-by!"</p> + +<p>Mr. Clark shut up the book and said: "This is no night for Shakespeare. +Let us pray for the safety of our army."</p> + +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_81" id="Page_81">[Pg 81]</a></span> +<div class="sidenote">BAD NEWS FROM THE ARMY</div> + +<p>Two days afterward, another messenger rode up to our shop.</p> + +<p>"There has been a great disaster. Fort William Henry is taken, and the +garrison has been massacred."</p> + +<p>"Go on! How did it happen?"</p> + +<p>"Colonel Munro was at the fort with a small force. Montcalm advanced +with his army to attack it. Munro sent to Webb for reënforcements. He +promised to send them and did send a few. Munro again asked for more +men, but Webb didn't let a man go. Montcalm attacked the fort, battered +it to pieces, and finally the garrison was compelled to surrender. They +were to deliver up their arms and then were to be allowed to march off +to the English army. They gave up their guns and started back to Webb, +but before they got far they were set upon by the Indians and most of +them massacred. Some few escaped to Webb's army."</p> + +<p>"And what was Webb doing all this time?"</p> + +<p>"Shaking in his shoes, I guess. He is now; for he has sent messengers +everywhere for reënforcements."</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_82" id="Page_82">[Pg 82]</a></span>"The miserable coward! We'll send him men, but he ought to be hanged."</p> + +<p>The next day a number of men set out under Captain Blodgett.</p> + +<p>I wished to go very much, but Mr. Harrington said: "It's too late in the +season for them to do anything. They will just sit down and watch each +other. Your time is up next spring, and if you want to go then, I'll let +you off early."</p> + +<p>So I stayed at home, and it was well I did, for the company only got as +far as Springfield, where they were met by messengers from Webb, who had +got over his fright, telling them to return. They came back to +Lexington, having been out only twelve days.</p> + +<p>When they returned, we had a great jollification. The company marched to +the training-field, and went through the exercises. Crowds gathered +round and ate gingerbread and drank beer.</p> + +<p>A lot of worthless fellows used to wander round the country, and pick up +a living by wrestling and betting on themselves. Such a man appeared on +the training-field that day.</p> + +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_83" id="Page_83">[Pg 83]</a></span> +<div class="sidenote">THE ESSEX COUNTY CHAMPION</div> + +<p>"Here I am, boys, at your service,—Sam Sloan, the champion wrestler of +Essex County. I've wrestled with the best men of every town in the +county,—Newburyport, Ipswich, Gloucester, Marblehead, Salem,—and +thrown them all. I've been from one end of the county to the other, and +not a man can stand up against me. I hear you've got the best man in +Middlesex in this town, and I've come to throw him. If you think I +can't, make your bets. I've got ten pounds with me, and I want to bet +every penny of it."</p> + +<p>He found plenty of men who were ready to bet with him, for all had +confidence in Jonas.</p> + +<p>Some one ran after Jonas and brought him to the place where this man was +boasting.</p> + +<p>"So, you're Jonas Parker, the best man in Middlesex? Well, you look as +if you could wrestle a bit, but you'll know more about it, after I get +through with you."</p> + +<p>Jonas said nothing, but took off his jacket and waistcoat, and looked at +him quietly, with a grim smile.</p> + +<p>Then they grappled each other, and I watched them anxiously. It did not +seem to <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_84" id="Page_84">[Pg 84]</a></span>me that Jonas was exerting himself fully or doing his very +best. But the man from Essex was laid on the ground in a short time.</p> + +<p>He jumped up furious. "That was an accident. Just a piece of bad luck. +My foot slipped on something in the grass. It wasn't a fair wrestle. +Come on and try it again. I can throw you as easy as tumbling off a +log."</p> + +<p>"Wait a minute," said Jonas; "pay your bets, and then we'll talk."</p> + +<p>The man pulled out his wallet, paid his bets, and said, "Now, come on, +and I'll show you what wrestling is."</p> + +<p>"Wait a bit," said Jonas; "don't hurry! You talk big. But you must first +prove that you are a wrestler. There's a likely lad here, and if you +wrestle him, and show that you can wrestle, you can take an hour's time +to get fresh, and I'll try you again."</p> + +<p>The man blustered; but Jonas turned away, and coming to me, said: "Now, +Ben, I want you to show these people what there is in you. You can throw +him if you only make up your mind to it. You are very <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_85" id="Page_85">[Pg 85]</a></span>strong in the +arms, and if I were you, I'd give him a grip at first just to show him +your strength, and to put a little fear into him."</p> + +<div class="sidenote">A LIKELY LAD</div> + +<p>Father stepped up, and said: "Jonas, what are you up to? Ben can never +wrestle that man."</p> + +<p>"Neighbour Comee! You don't know what Ben can do at wrestling, and I do. +And faith! I have a suspicion he's the best wrestler in the county."</p> + +<p>Then Jonas led me to the man. "This is the lad."</p> + +<p>"Lad! Why, he's as big as you be. How old are you?"</p> + +<p>"Twenty, sir."</p> + +<p>"Well, come on."</p> + +<p>We caught hold of each other, and I gave him a grip that made him gasp. +We broke away, and he looked at me, panting, and said:</p> + +<p>"What be ye, anyhow? You've got a hug like a black bear."</p> + +<p>"Oh, that's nothing. That's just a little love squeeze to show you how +much I like you."</p> + +<p>"Well, come on again; I'll show you what wrestling is."</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_86" id="Page_86">[Pg 86]</a></span>He was not so strong as I, and I hustled him round in a lively way; but +he knew a good deal about wrestling, and kept his feet well. We +struggled for a while, and I squeezed him and shook him up, and then +tried Jonas's pet throw. He went to the ground like a log, and lay there +stunned.</p> + +<p>I was scared at first, for I thought I had killed him, but Jonas said: +"He's all right, Ben. Just stand back, boys, and give him a little air."</p> + +<p>He came to in a short time, sat up, and after looking about him got up +and said: "A likely lad! I should say so. A kind of mixture of bear, +wildcat, and greased lightning. I must get out of this town quick, or +you'll be setting some child at me, and I don't know what would happen."</p> + +<p>He jammed his hat on his head, took his coat and waistcoat under his +arm, and hurried away.</p> + +<p>Of course, I got great credit and praise, for no one but Jonas knew that +I was a first-class wrestler; and the men all felt proud to have another +man in the town almost as good at it as Jonas.</p> + +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_87" id="Page_87">[Pg 87]</a></span> +<div class="sidenote">BEN WARNED AGAINST FALSE PRIDE</div> + +<p>Amos and Davy had been staring at me, open-mouthed. Both of them came up +and shook hands with me in a most respectful manner. Father took me by +the arm and walked home with me, giving me a lecture all the way on the +vanity of foolish games and warning me to beware of a false pride in my +strength.</p> + +<p>But when I had taken the basin, and was washing my face and hands by the +back door, I could hear him telling mother about it, as jubilant as one +of those old Hebrews over the fall of his enemies.</p> + +<p>Goodness! If I had displayed the vanity and false pride that he showed +over me, I don't know what punishment he would not have given me.</p> + +<p>When I came in, he bottled himself up, and looked at me in a sad, +reproving manner. But I knew he was as happy as a man could be. Mother +did not like it, and I had to assure her again and again that I was not +hurt. She began to talk about giving me some herb tea, and I got out of +the house as quickly as possible.</p> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /><a name="CHAPTER_VII" id="CHAPTER_VII"></a> + +<hr /><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_88" id="Page_88">[Pg 88]</a></span> +<br /> +<h2>CHAPTER VII</h2> + +<p class="cen">TALES FROM THE FRONTIER—MR. TYTHINGMAN AND HIS SERVICES</p> +<br /> + +<p>This long war was a terrible strain on our Province. Some man from +almost every family in town was with the army at Lake George. The value +of our currency had fallen, and nearly one-half of what we earned and +produced went to pay the heavy taxes.</p> + +<p>The Provinces did not work well together. There were rivalries and +dissensions among them. The French were united, and their army was led +by an able commander, the Marquis Montcalm.</p> + +<p>Our generals were mostly incompetent men who owed their positions to +influence at court.</p> + +<p>We kept up the bitter struggle, hoping that at last we should have a +general capable of coping with Montcalm.</p> + +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_89" id="Page_89">[Pg 89]</a></span> +<div class="sidenote">EDMUND ENLISTS</div> + +<p>It was a gloomy time, but we kept pegging away in a resolute manner, for +it was a question whether we or the French should be masters of this +country; whether we should keep our farms and have a roof over our heads +or should be overrun by murderous Indians. And arrangements were made to +have a larger army in the field than ever before.</p> + +<p>About the middle of January, Edmund sent me word from Concord that +Captain Robert Rogers was enlisting men for a new company in his corps +of Rangers. He said: "I have joined the company and have been made +sergeant. Rogers will return to Boston by the way of Lexington and will +stay over night at Jonathan Raymond's tavern. Come up there sure and see +me."</p> + +<p>As father and I were working in the barn, I said to him: "Father, I +think the time has come when I ought to go to the war. You promised that +I might enlist in the spring. But I'd a good deal rather go with this +man Rogers and do some fighting than sit round doing nothing and die of +camp disease as the rest of the army have been doing."</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_90" id="Page_90">[Pg 90]</a></span>He kept on for a while pitching the hay down in front of the cattle, and +then leaned on his pitchfork.</p> + +<p>"Well, Ben, I suppose you really ought to go. One man out of every four +in the Province is in the army, and we should do our share. I am too +old. John has just got married, and David is but a boy. You're the right +age and the one to go. I think as you do, that it's better to do some +fighting, and take one's chances of being killed by a bullet rather than +by camp fever.</p> + +<p>"Those French and Indians killed and scalped my brother John, and since +this war began I have often wanted to have a hand in it myself, to get +even with them, but I'm too old.</p> + +<p>"You can go, Ben. There's lots of miserable wretches and immorality and +profanity among the regulars. I want you to remain a good boy, as you +always have been. I need not tell you to be brave. You will be that.</p> + +<p>"Ben, I scolded you about that wrestling match, but I was awful proud of +you and happy over it."</p> + +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_91" id="Page_91">[Pg 91]</a></span> +<div class="sidenote">THE RAYMOND TAVERN</div> + +<p>"I knew that, father. Do you suppose I didn't notice you chuckling to +yourself when you thought no one saw you?"</p> + +<p>"Well, I suppose you did, you young rascal; I couldn't help it, I was +that surprised and delighted. To think of Jonas Parker telling me he +didn't know but that you were a better wrestler than he. And to see you +hustle that man about and throw him made me so proud that I felt ashamed +and humbled. And when you thought I was scolding you, I was really +reproving my own sinful vanity and pride."</p> + +<p>After supper we went up to the Raymond Tavern. Quite a crowd of men were +in the bar-room. They were seated in front of a great fire of logs and +peat. Captain Rogers was in their midst.</p> + +<p>Edmund came up, and made us acquainted with the captain. He shook hands +with me, and turning to father, said:—</p> + +<p>"This is a likely young fellow, Mr. Comee. I wish I could have him with +me in my corps."</p> + +<p>"It is possible," said father. "We have <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_92" id="Page_92">[Pg 92]</a></span>had some slight talk about it. +We will think it over."</p> + +<p>Rogers was a big man, over six feet high, well proportioned, and +apparently very strong. Later on I learned that his strength was +wonderful. His features were prominent, strong, but not agreeable. His +eyes were not good eyes. At times, a hard, cruel look came into his +face.</p> + +<p>He seemed to be a man of great hardihood, of great presence of mind, +keen and unscrupulous,—a man I should not wish for a neighbour.</p> + +<p>In answer to a remark that he must find his present life quite different +from his former life, as a farmer, he said:—</p> + +<p>"Not a bit! I never was a farmer. I was brought up in the woods on the +frontier among wild animals and Indians. My father was a hunter and +trapper. One day he went out hunting and toward night started to visit +another hunter at his hut in the woods. His friend mistook him in the +twilight and shot him. All my life has been spent in the woods, either +hunting or trading with <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_93" id="Page_93">[Pg 93]</a></span>the French and Indians, or else fighting them."</p> + +<div class="sidenote">A BOWL OF FLIP</div> + +<p>Hepzibah Raymond came in with a bowl of flip—the proper mixture of rum, +malt beer, and brown sugar.</p> + +<p>She set it down on the hearth, and her son John, a cripple, who was +seated in the fireplace, drew one of the iron loggerheads out of the +fire, where half a dozen of them were always being heated. He hit it +against the andiron to knock the ashes off, and plunged it into the +mixture. A pleasant smell arose from it; he waited till it foamed up, +and then drew the loggerhead out. Hepzibah passed the bowl to Captain +Rogers.</p> + +<p>"Here's to good King George and confusion to his enemies!"</p> + +<p>He took a long draught at it, and then the bowl was passed round.</p> + +<p>A man of middle age came into the room, with a whip in his hand, and his +hat jammed well on his head.</p> + +<p>"Good evening, Ephraim."</p> + +<p>"Sarvent, sirs!"</p> + +<p>"Captain, this is Ephraim Winship. He <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_94" id="Page_94">[Pg 94]</a></span>knows something about Indian +fighting. Show him your head, Ephraim."</p> + +<p>Ephraim took off his hat, and lifted his wig from his head. He had but +one eye. There were two bare red spots on top of his head, and between +them a fringe of hair ran back from his forehead. It gave him a weird +appearance.</p> + +<p>"Hello!" said Rogers. "You've been among the Indians, haven't you? How +did you lose your scalp or scalps? For I see you have lost two."</p> + +<p>The men made room for Ephraim. He put on his wig and sat down.</p> + +<p>"I have to keep those spots pretty well covered up these winter nights, +or I have all sorts of trouble with my head.</p> + +<p>"I had been living down on the Eastern Frontier for some years at a +place called New Marblehead. We had plenty of scares, but no real +trouble with the Indians, till this war broke out. It was in May, two +years ago. I went out with Ezra Brown, to do some work on his farm, +which was a mile from the garrison house where we lived. <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_95" id="Page_95">[Pg 95]</a></span>We had a guard +of four men and four lads. Ezra and I were ahead. As we were walking +through some woods, the Indians—there were fifteen to twenty of +them—fired at us. I felt a twinge in my shoulder and a terrible pain in +my eye. Then came a thump on my head. When I came to, I was in bed at +the garrison house, with my scalp, or rather scalps, gone, for I have +two bumps on top of my head, and they took a scalp from each bump. My +right eye was gone, and I had a bullet in the shoulder.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">EPHRAIM'S ADVENTURE</div> + +<p>"Poor Ezra was killed at the first volley and scalped. An Indian hit me +on the head with his tomahawk; but I have a good thick skull, and the +blow glanced, and only stunned me.</p> + +<p>"Some of our men ran to the fort, but my boy Gershom rallied the rest, +and they fought the Indians, who were double their number. Both parties +got behind trees, and tried to pick each other off.</p> + +<p>"Old Poland, their chief, fired, and in reloading exposed himself, and +was shot. Then the Indians gave an infernal screech and ran over to +him.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_96" id="Page_96">[Pg 96]</a></span>"As they did so, our men shot two more of them, and they picked up their +dead and carried them off."</p> + +<p>"You had a narrow squeak of it, that time," said Rogers. "I never was +scalped, but I've been near it times enough."</p> + +<p>Hepzibah brought in more bowls of flip, and we watched John plunge the +red-hot loggerheads in, till the foam arose, and the bitter-sweet smell +filled the room.</p> + +<p>We were passing the bowls round, and drinking the flip, when Matthew +Mead, the tythingman, came in. He sat down and watched us. Then he went +over to John Perry, and said: "Don't drink any more, John. You have had +enough."</p> + +<p>John let the bowl go by, for if he had disobeyed the warning of the +tythingman, he would have been punished by the magistrate, or would have +been reprimanded publicly in meeting.</p> + +<p>"Oh, come now, Mr. Tythingman," said Rogers. "Don't spoil the sport. A +little flip does no one any harm. Sit down and join us."</p> + +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_97" id="Page_97">[Pg 97]</a></span> +<div class="sidenote">THE TYTHINGMAN</div> + +<p>"There's no doubt," said Matthew, as they passed him the bowl, and he +took a long swig at it, "that flip is a good drink. I like it, and so +does neighbour John Perry. But it must be allowed that it's a most +insinuating drink, sweet and treacherous. And neighbour John has had +enough. But the rest of the company can drink a little longer. We have +heard great stories of your adventures, captain, and would like to have +you tell us some of them."</p> + +<p>Then Rogers told us tales of hair-breadth escapes, and of encounters +with the enemy, that made our hearts beat quick, as we listened to him. +Of scouts through the woods, in which they inspect the enemy's forts and +make plans of them. How they crept up close to the fort and captured a +vedette within two gun-shots of the gate. How they hauled whaleboats +over a mountain, embarked at the lower end of Lake Champlain, rowed down +the lake at night, and after hiding in the daytime, attacked the enemy's +boats, and sunk them.</p> + +<p>He told of an expedition he made the <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_98" id="Page_98">[Pg 98]</a></span>previous January, with Captain +Spikeman, Lieutenant John Stark and seventy-four men.</p> + +<p>"We went down Lake George on skates, and then through the woods back of +Fort Ticonderoga on snowshoes. When we got to Lake Champlain, we lay in +wait for the enemy's sleds, which were coming up the lake loaded with +provisions. We captured three sleds and seven prisoners, but some of the +French escaped. We learned that the fort had been reënforced, and knew +that they would have notice of our presence. Our guns were wet, for it +had been raining, and we went back to our fires and dried them. Then we +marched hastily toward Fort William Henry. About noon we were waylaid by +a large party of the enemy. We fought all the afternoon, till nightfall, +when we separated and escaped through the woods to Lake George. I +received two wounds in the fight. I sent messengers to the fort for +help, for many could go no further. Forty-eight of us out of +seventy-four got back with our prisoners. You may think, friends, that +this was a bad defeat, but we learned afterward <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_99" id="Page_99">[Pg 99]</a></span>that we fought against +two hundred and fifty men, and killed one hundred and sixteen of them. +Your old friend Captain Spikeman was killed in the fight."</p> + +<div class="sidenote">A SUCCESSFUL DEFEAT</div> + +<p>The bowls of flip had been going round while Rogers was talking, and +finally Matthew Mead said:—</p> + +<p>"Well, neighbours, I think we are getting toward the state where +neighbour John was when I came, and we'd better all go home."</p> + +<p>As we rose, Rogers said: "I want some of you fellows with me this coming +campaign, and we'll make things lively for the French up around Fort Ti +and have some fun. I count on you, Comee."</p> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /><a name="CHAPTER_VIII" id="CHAPTER_VIII"></a> + +<hr /><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_100" id="Page_100">[Pg 100]</a></span> +<br /> +<h2>CHAPTER VIII</h2> + +<p class="cen">BEN AND AMOS JOIN ROGERS'S RANGERS AND MARCH TO THE WEST</p> +<br /> + +<p>A few days after this Amos and I went up to Concord and enlisted in the +Rangers. We had no showy uniform. Our clothes were of strong homespun of +a dull colour that would not attract attention in the woods. We brought +our own guns, and they gave each of us a blanket, a greatcoat, a +hatchet, and a wooden bottle in which to carry our drink. We were also +given rackets and skates.</p> + +<p>We waited till the end of January, when Rogers marched into town with +five companies of men whom he had collected in New Hampshire. Most of +them were rough, stern frontiersmen from the Amoskeag Falls, skilled in +Indian fighting.</p> + +<p>The recruits from Middlesex were distributed among these companies, and +Edmund had us <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_101" id="Page_101">[Pg 101]</a></span>placed in his squad. On my right in the ranks was +McKinstry, a grizzled old trapper, and to the left was John Martin, a +hardy fellow a few years older than myself. Both of them had served +before with Rogers.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">ROGERS INSTRUCTS THE RANGERS</div> + +<p>Four of the companies set sail from Boston for Cape Breton, to take part +in the siege of that place, and our company, under Rogers, started on +the march for Fort Edward. The snow was deep, and we travelled on +snowshoes. Rogers made us march in single file, with a man some distance +ahead, and another behind. On either side were flankers to detect the +enemy. As we shuffled along over the snow he taught us how to act in a +hostile country.</p> + +<p>"Don't crowd up together. Keep several paces apart. Then if the enemy +fires at you, one shot will not hit two men. When you come to low, +marshy ground, change the order of your march and go abreast, for if you +went in single file, you would wear a path in the ground that the enemy +could follow. If you are to reconnoitre a place, make a stand in a safe +spot when you get near it, and send a couple of men ahead to look the +ground <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_102" id="Page_102">[Pg 102]</a></span>over. If you have to retreat and come to a river, cross it +anywhere but at the usual ford, for that is where the enemy would hide +on the farther side ready to pick you off. If your march is by a lake or +river, keep at some distance from it, that you may not be hemmed in on +one side and caught in a trap. When you go out, always return by a +different way, and avoid the usual travelled paths."</p> + +<p>Thus, as we marched along, Rogers kept talking to us, instructing us in +the methods of wood-fighting.</p> + +<p>We went through Worcester, Brookfield, and Northampton to Pontoosuc +Fort, where a party of Mohegan Indians from Stockbridge joined us, under +their chief Jacob. Then to a Dutch settlement called Kinderhook, and to +the Hudson River. The weather was very cold, and the river was frozen +over. Rogers told us to put on our skates, and we skated up the river to +Fort Edward.</p> + +<p>This was a very strong fort, with much artillery. The fort was on the +left shore, and a very strong blockhouse was on the right bank. The +Rangers' camp was on an island in the <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_103" id="Page_103">[Pg 103]</a></span>Hudson. Their barracks were made +of logs, with bark roofs, and their camp was not in bad condition.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">HATRED OF INDIANS</div> + +<p>The Rangers were mostly frontiersmen from New Hampshire, who had lived +in the woods all their lives, and had fought against wild beasts and +Indians. The life they were now leading was simply their old life on a +larger scale. Most of them were dressed in deerskin. They were rough, +stern men, who had been so much exposed to danger, and were so used to +it, that they seemed to have no fear. They looked upon the French and +Indians as a dire plague, to be wiped off the earth by any means. They +had heard the war-whoop at their own homes, and had seen their close +relatives scalped by Indians. No wonder they classed the redskins with +wolves and snakes, as a plague to be wiped off the earth. Living in the +woods so much, they seemed to have acquired the keen senses that wild +animals have. They were ever on the alert. Their eyes and ears noticed +all the signs and sounds of nature. They had fought savages for years, +and their own <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_104" id="Page_104">[Pg 104]</a></span>ways were savage. Many of them took scalps.</p> + +<p>I do not believe that a bolder or more adventurous set of men than these +Rangers ever existed.</p> + +<p>As I looked them over and saw what a lot of keen, fearless, and +self-reliant men I was among, I was very proud to think that I was one +of this chosen corps.</p> + +<p>McKinstry said: "They're a tough set, Ben. But when you get in your +first fight, you'll be glad you're with a tough set. Not much school +learning among them; but they know all about the woods and Injun +fighting, and that's what we want here."</p> + +<p>Every evening at roll-call we formed on parade, equipped with a +firelock, sixty rounds of powder and ball, and a hatchet, and were +inspected, that we might be ready at a minute's warning. The guards were +arranged and the scouts for the next day appointed.</p> + +<p>After we had been at the camp a couple of days Rogers came out of his +hut and said to me:—</p> + +<p>"Come, Comee, I'm going over to the fort <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_105" id="Page_105">[Pg 105]</a></span>and may want some one to bring +back a few things."</p> + +<div class="sidenote">THE BLACK WATCH</div> + +<p>We crossed the ice to the shore and went up to the fort. It was a great +sight for me to see the regulars in their bright scarlet coats, the +Scotch Highlanders with their kilts and tartans, and our own provincial +troops in blue, though there were not many of them, as they had mostly +gone home for the winter.</p> + +<p>Rogers walked up to the headquarters of Colonel Haviland, the commander.</p> + +<p>"I shall be busy here some time. Come back in an hour and wait for me."</p> + +<p>I went over to the Scotch regiment, the Black Watch it was called, and +listened to them talking their curious language.</p> + +<p>One of the men turned to me and asked if I was looking for any one.</p> + +<p>"Well, I'm of Scotch descent, and I thought I'd see if there were any +McComees or Munros among you."</p> + +<p>He looked over to another group and shouted: "Hector! Hector Munro! +Here's one of your kinsmen." A strong, active <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_106" id="Page_106">[Pg 106]</a></span>fellow of some +twenty-eight or thirty years came over.</p> + +<p>"How's that? I didn't know that any of our kin were over here."</p> + +<p>"My grandmother was a Munro, and her father was taken prisoner while +fighting for King Charles the First, and was sent to America."</p> + +<p>"Hear that now! My brother Donald and myself were out with Charlie in +forty-five, and we had a hard time of it afterward, hunted about till +they made up their minds to form some Highland regiments and give pardon +to those who enlisted, and here we are fighting for King George."</p> + +<p>He led me to his brother and made me acquainted with him. We went to +their quarters, and I learned more about the clan in a short time than I +ever heard before or since. It seemed as if most of the great generals +in almost every army were Munros, and they traced their ancestry back to +the time of Noah.</p> + +<p>At last I said that I must go to headquarters to meet Captain Rogers.</p> + +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_107" id="Page_107">[Pg 107]</a></span> +<div class="sidenote">ROGERS ASSUMES ENGLAND'S DEBT</div> + +<p>"So you belong to the Rangers? They're a braw set of men, and there's +many a gude Scotchman among them. We'll come over and see you."</p> + +<p>I returned and waited for Rogers, and when he came out, he said: "Come +over to the sutler's hut; I want to buy some things we haven't got on +the island."</p> + +<p>Rogers made some purchases and then listened to two English officers who +were seated at a table, drinking. They had reached a maudlin state, and +were bewailing the fate of England.</p> + +<p>"This is a sad day for old England, my boy."</p> + +<p>"Yes, the country will never be able to stand up under the great debt +that we have incurred for these miserable Provinces."</p> + +<p>Rogers went over to them and said:—</p> + +<p>"Don't let that trouble you, my friends. Make yourselves easy on that +score, for I will pay half the national debt, and my good friend here +says he will take the other half on his shoulders, and the nation will +be rid of her difficulties."</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_108" id="Page_108">[Pg 108]</a></span>"By Gad! I'm blessed if you're not fine fellows. Sit down and have a +drink with us."</p> + +<p>Rogers introduced me to them as the Earl of Middlesex. They took off +their hats to me and ordered some grog for us. I barely tasted mine, for +I had no heart to drink with the besotted fools. We bade them good-by, I +took up the things which Rogers had bought, and we walked away.</p> + +<p>"Well, Comee, we've settled the nation's debt. That's one good thing off +our hands. There's another thing I wish we could get rid of as easily. +The old country has sent us over some curious commanders. There was +Braddock, who threw away his army and his life; Webb, who was a coward; +Loudon, our present commander, is always running hither and thither, +giving orders, but effecting nothing. He is like the pictures of St. +George on the tavern signs,—always on horseback, but never getting +anywhere. But this Colonel Haviland, the commandant here, beats them all +hollow. A worse specimen of stupidity or rascality I never saw. Captain +Israel Putnam of the Connecticut troops was sent out <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_109" id="Page_109">[Pg 109]</a></span>on a scout a week +ago. Before he went Haviland said publicly that on his return he should +send me out against the French with four hundred men. One of Putnam's +men deserted to the enemy and one of the Rangers was captured, so that +the enemy knew all about it. Putnam says there are about six hundred +Indians near Ticonderoga; and now this Haviland sends me out, not with +four hundred men, but with one hundred and eighty, all told. You will +see all the fighting you want inside the next week and I hope we may +both get through it alive."</p> + +<div class="sidenote">A PLEASANT PROSPECT</div> + +<p>When I returned to the island, I told Edmund and Amos what Rogers had +said, and we felt pretty glum. "It looks to me," said Edmund, "as if the +rest of the campaign wouldn't interest us very much."</p> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /><a name="CHAPTER_IX" id="CHAPTER_IX"></a> + +<hr /><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_110" id="Page_110">[Pg 110]</a></span> +<br /> +<h2>CHAPTER IX</h2> + +<p class="cen">IN WHICH THE RANGERS ENGAGE WITH THE FRENCH AND INDIANS</p> +<br /> + +<p>On the 10th of March we set forth on snowshoes and travelled through the +thick forest. That night we encamped at a brook. The Rangers built +shelters of boughs in a short time. Big fires were made, and after we +had our suppers and a pull at the pipe, we rolled ourselves up in our +blankets and went to sleep.</p> + +<p>The next morning we reached Lake George, and saw the blackened ruins of +Fort William Henry, where the massacre had taken place some eight months +before.</p> + +<p>Of course I knew the story, but Martin had been there, and told me how +the fort was besieged by Montcalm; and after it was battered to pieces, +the garrison surrendered. They had given up their arms and were +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_111" id="Page_111">[Pg 111]</a></span>marching back to the English army, when the drunken Indians set upon +them and killed and scalped most of the force. Martin caught up a little +boy whose parents had been killed, and escaped through the dense woods.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">AN ALARM</div> + +<p>We marched down the lake in three files, threading our way among the +islands and skirting the steep cliffs. The lake stretched out before us, +covered with thick ice. On the further side were the woods and +mountains.</p> + +<p>We camped near the First Narrows that night. The next day we turned away +from the lake and went to a cape called Sebattis Point.</p> + +<p>"What's the matter, Martin? Why do we halt?"</p> + +<p>"Didn't you see a dog run across the lake, some distance down?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, I saw something go across."</p> + +<p>"Well, it was a dog, and if there was a dog, there were probably Indians +with him. What would a dog be doing out here alone?"</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_112" id="Page_112">[Pg 112]</a></span>We camped in the woods, and after it was dark skated down the lake.</p> + +<p>Our advanced guard sent back word that they thought they had seen a fire +on an island. We hid our hand-sleighs and packs and went there, but +could find no signs of a fire.</p> + +<p>Rogers said that very likely it was the light from some old rotten +stumps, but Martin was not of this opinion.</p> + +<p>"There was a fire there. First we see the dog, and then the fire. The +fire could be put out, and it would be difficult to find the burnt +sticks in the dark. If it were the light from old wood, some one of all +this party would have seen it. The French are no fools. They knew we +were coming, and some Indians are watching us. We'll have a hot time +before we get back."</p> + +<p>We now left the lake, lest we should be seen, and marched through the +woods back of the mountain which overlooked Fort Ticonderoga. At noon we +halted.</p> + +<p>Rogers said: "We are about two miles from the advanced guard of the +French. <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_113" id="Page_113">[Pg 113]</a></span>We will wait here a couple of hours, and then go on. When night +comes, we will make an ambush in the paths, and capture some of the +guards as they come out in the morning."</p> + +<div class="sidenote">AN AMBUSCADE</div> + +<p>We started on again, with a brook on our left and a steep mountain on +our right.</p> + +<p>We kept a sharp watch on the brook, for the enemy would probably travel +on it, as the snow was four feet deep.</p> + +<p>Our advanced guard came back and reported that the enemy were ahead. +That there were ninety of them, mostly Indians. They were coming down +the brook. The bank of the brook was higher than the ground where we +were, and Rogers gave the order:—</p> + +<p>"Come, boys! Stretch out in a line behind the bank. Lie down and keep +hidden. Wait till I give the signal by firing my gun, and then jump up +and give it to them."</p> + +<p>Rogers hid in a clump of bushes, from which he could look over the bank. +We lay without stirring, till Rogers fired and shouted, "Now, boys."</p> + +<p>We jumped up and fired at them. It was <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_114" id="Page_114">[Pg 114]</a></span>the first time I had seen +Indians, and very hideous they looked, as I stood up and saw them on the +brook, dressed in moccasins, leggings, and breech clout, with a mantle +or cloak of skins over their shoulders, a feather in the scalp-lock, and +their faces and breasts painted with stripes of red and black.</p> + +<p>When we fired, a great number of them fell, and the rest ran away. We +supposed that they were defeated, and pursued them. But we got into a +hornets' nest. For this was only the advanced guard, and as we ran after +them, several hundred more French and Indians came up, fired at us, and +killed nearly fifty of our men. I could hear the bullets whistle by me, +and men dropped at my side.</p> + +<p>We rallied and retreated; and having reloaded, poured a volley into them +that drove them back again.</p> + +<p>"What do you think about that fire on the island, Ben?" asked Martin.</p> + +<p>They came on a third time, in front and on both sides of us. We kept up +a continual fire and drove the flanking parties back, and they retreated +once more.</p> + +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_115" id="Page_115">[Pg 115]</a></span> +<div class="sidenote">WARM WORK</div> + +<p>When that great body of French and Indians appeared and their fierce +war-whoops sounded through the woods, when the firing began and the men +fell down close by me, I must confess I was nervous and frightened. But +I looked on either side, and there stood the grim, stern frontiersmen +picking off their men as cool as if they were at a turkey shoot. This +brought my confidence back at once, and as the fight became hot, I found +myself filled with an angry rage. I wanted to kill, to kill as many as I +could, and pay off the old score.</p> + +<p>We backed up against the steep mountain. The Indians now tried to go up +it on our right, but a party was sent out and repulsed them. Another +party attempted to ascend on our left. They, too, were driven back. +Edmund, Amos, and I were with the main body, fighting, loading, and +shooting as fast as we could. No time for talk. Sometimes the Indians +were twenty yards from us, and at times we were all mixed up with them, +fighting hand to hand.</p> + +<p>When I had fired, I pulled out my hatchet, <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_116" id="Page_116">[Pg 116]</a></span>and as these +devilish-looking savages in their red and black paint rushed at me, I +cut and hacked with my hatchet in my right hand, and holding my firelock +in my left, warded off the blows with it. A blow on my arm knocked the +hatchet from my hand. Then I used my gun as a club. It was a long, +heavy, old firelock, and anger and excitement added to my strength, so +that it was a terrible weapon. I smashed away with it till nothing was +left but the bent barrel.</p> + +<p>When we drove them back, I picked up a French gun and a hatchet. There +were plenty of them, for dead and dying men lay in heaps on the ground.</p> + +<p>We struggled with them an hour and a half, during which time we lost +over one hundred men.</p> + +<p>Rogers was in the thick of the fight most of the time. Yet he saw what +was going on round us, and directed our movements. Toward dark he cried +out: "It's no use, boys; we must get out of this place. Follow me."</p> + +<p>We ran up the mountain to a spot where <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_117" id="Page_117">[Pg 117]</a></span>Lieutenant Phillips and some men +were fighting a flanking party of Indians, and there we had another +lively scrimmage. We went along the side of the mountain. I had lost my +rackets. One couldn't think of them and fight, as we had been fighting, +too.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">AN ENCOUNTER</div> + +<p>Rogers shouted: "Scatter, boys! Every man for himself. Meet at the First +Narrows."</p> + +<p>I loaded my gun and floundered along in the deep snow, making all +possible haste.</p> + +<p>Looking behind, I saw that an Indian on snowshoes was following me. I +started up a side hill, where his rackets would not give him an +advantage.</p> + +<p>He fired, but missed me. I turned and shot him, as he raised his hand to +throw his tomahawk. He fell and was quite dead by the time I reached +him.</p> + +<p>It's no pleasant sight to look on the face of a man you have just +killed, even though you have right on your side, and he be only a +redskin.</p> + +<p>One glance at that face and the staring eyes was enough. I felt weak and +guilty as <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_118" id="Page_118">[Pg 118]</a></span>I knelt by him, and picked up his rackets, gun, and +ammunition. I took his fur mantle, too, for I had thrown away my +blanket, and knew that I should be cold before the night was over.</p> + +<p>I wandered through the woods till the moon rose, and gave me the +direction to take. Then I came to the lake and went out on it, and at +last got to the Narrows, where I found what was left of our party. +Edmund and Amos were with them. Rogers had sent a messenger for +assistance.</p> + +<p>Over two-thirds of our party were killed or missing. And of those who +remained, there were but few who did not have some cut or bullet wound.</p> + +<p>We were exhausted. The men had thrown away their blankets, and the night +was bitter cold.</p> + +<p>We could not have fires, as they would have been beacon lights to the +enemy, showing them where we were.</p> + +<p>We huddled together like sheep for warmth, and I gave my mantle to a +poor fellow who was badly wounded.</p> + +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_119" id="Page_119">[Pg 119]</a></span> +<div class="sidenote">THEY RETURN TO FORT EDWARD</div> + +<p>When the day began to break, we marched up the lake, and were met by +Captain Stark with reënforcements, and sleds for our wounded, and then +proceeded to Fort Edward.</p> + +<p>The next day, as Edmund, Amos, and I were talking the fight over, Rogers +came to us. He laughed, and said: "Well, boys! You haven't been here +long. But you've had lots of fun, haven't you?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, sir. Plenty! We are satisfied. We can stand a long spell of dull +times now."</p> + +<p>The Rangers lost so heavily in this fight that but little was required +of them for some time. A few scouting-parties were sent out, but they +were of little consequence.</p> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /><a name="CHAPTER_X" id="CHAPTER_X"></a> + +<hr /><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_120" id="Page_120">[Pg 120]</a></span> +<br /> +<h2>CHAPTER X</h2> + +<p class="cen">LORD HOWE AND HIS DEATH—THE LOYALTY OF JOHN STARK</p> +<br /> + +<p>Early in the spring, Lord Loudon was recalled, and General Abercrombie +was appointed in his stead, with young Lord Howe as second in command.</p> + +<p>Abercrombie was the kind of English general to which we were +accustomed,—a dull, heavy man, who owed his position to influence at +court. We put little faith in him. But Lord Howe gained our hearts and +confidence at once.</p> + +<p>It was well understood in the army that Lord Howe was sent over to +furnish the brains and ability in this campaign, and was to direct the +fighting, and that General Abercrombie was to reap the benefit.</p> + +<p>Lord Howe spent much of his time among the Rangers, and went out with us +on <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_121" id="Page_121">[Pg 121]</a></span>scouting-parties. He showed none of the arrogance and conceit so +common to British officers, and appeared to be an apt, quick scholar.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">LORD HOWE</div> + +<p>Rogers and Stark were delighted with his military instincts and the keen +intelligence with which he made himself master of what was to him a new +method of fighting.</p> + +<p>When he lived with us, he was as one of us. He washed his own linen at +the brook, and ate our coarse fare with his jack-knife. He cut off the +skirts of his coat, and had his men do the same, that they might not be +impeded by them in the woods. He made them wear leggings and brown the +barrels of their guns, that they should not glitter in the sun, and to +prevent them from rusting. He had his men cut their hair short, and each +of them carried thirty pounds of meal in his knapsack, so that they +could go on a long expedition without a wagon-train.</p> + +<p>He had great talents as a soldier. Any one who talked with him felt it +at once. And with it all he was simple in his habits <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_122" id="Page_122">[Pg 122]</a></span>and manners, +living like one of us, and making his officers lead the same plain life.</p> + +<p>The days he spent with the Rangers were days of pride and pleasure to +us, for we not only saw his greatness as a soldier, but the bearing of +the man was so modest, so genial and lovable, that every one was greatly +attached to him. He liked best of all to talk with John Stark, and to +get him to tell of Indians and their habits and ways of fighting. And +here he showed his keen insight. For Captain Stark was the best man in +the Rangers. Rogers got the credit for what the Rangers did. But much of +their success was due to Stark. He was a man whose judgment was sure, +who did not make mistakes.</p> + +<p>After our defeat in March, Rogers went to Albany to see about getting +recruits. While there he was given his commission as Major of the Corps +of Rangers.</p> + +<p>On the way from Concord to Fort Edward he became well acquainted with +Edmund, whose business-like ways and attention to details pleased Rogers +so much that when he was made major he appointed Edmund <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_123" id="Page_123">[Pg 123]</a></span>adjutant of the +Rangers—a very responsible position for so young a man. It was his duty +to record the paroles and countersigns, the various orders for the next +day, and to see that they were attended to.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">THE PROVINCIAL LEVIES</div> + +<p>In May the new provincial troops began to come in. We had been long +enough in the army to become disciplined, though not in the manner that +the regulars were, and had grown accustomed to seeing regiments dressed +in uniforms; so that when the new levies came in, we felt some of the +amusement of the regulars at their green and awkward ways. Gathered +together from country villages, they came in the clothes they wore at +home, and put me in mind of Falstaff's soldiers. Some wore long coats, +some short coats, and some no coats at all. All the colours of the +rainbow were there. Some wore their hair cropped close. Others had their +hair done up in cues, and every man in authority wore a wig. All kinds +of wigs could be seen,—little brown wigs and great, full-bottomed wigs +hanging down over their shoulders.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_124" id="Page_124">[Pg 124]</a></span>But they were a sturdy set. When you looked at each of them, you saw a +man used to hard work from boyhood, more or less accustomed to the +woods, and almost without exception a fair shot. Handsome is as handsome +does. As the war went on, the regulars found that the rabble were as +brave as themselves, more expert in wood-fighting, and far better shots.</p> + +<p>But the ridicule that was heaped upon them at first caused a bitter +feeling which lasted and prepared the way for the Revolution.</p> + +<p>Toward the end of May, it was evident that the army would soon make an +advance on the enemy; for every one was called in, and no furloughs were +granted.</p> + +<p>We had by this time a great army of nine thousand provincial troops, six +thousand regulars, and six hundred Rangers. Many of the regulars were +old veterans from European battlefields; and we had not the least doubt +but that, when we started, we should go straight through to Canada. +Montcalm's little army of thirty-five hundred men at Ticonderoga could +offer but slight resistance.</p> + +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_125" id="Page_125">[Pg 125]</a></span> +<div class="sidenote">SCOUTING-PARTIES</div> + +<p>Several scouting-parties from the Rangers were sent out to inspect +Ticonderoga, and capture prisoners in order to get information from +them.</p> + +<p>Stark went through the woods to the west of Ticonderoga and brought back +six prisoners. Captain Jacobs, with some of his Indians, went down the +east side of Lake Champlain. He had a fight with some of the French, and +returned with ten prisoners and seven scalps. Rogers, with our party, +went through the woods till we were opposite Crown Point, where we had a +little fight and killed one Frenchman, and captured three, whom we +brought back.</p> + +<p>At the end of May, Lord Howe sent fifty of us under Rogers to inspect +the landing-place at the lower end of Lake George, and to make a map of +it. We were also to report upon the paths to Ticonderoga, and to find +out the number of the French army.</p> + +<p>We went down the lake in boats, and while some of the officers were +making plans, the rest of us proceeded toward Ticonderoga. <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_126" id="Page_126">[Pg 126]</a></span>We marched, +as usual, in single file, along the path we had taken in our trip in +March.</p> + +<p>Amos said, "I have no p-pleasant recollection of this place, and feel as +if we should have some more b-bad luck."</p> + +<p>Rogers halted us and went forward with three men, to take a look at the +fort. As he was returning, a large party of the enemy set upon us, and +we had a lively fight.</p> + +<p>Captain Jacob ran off with his Indians, crying out to us: "Come on! +Follow me! No good stay here. Heap French! Heap Injun!"</p> + +<p>"That's Injun all over," said Martin. "If he gets the upper hand, he'll +fight like fury. But if the odds are against him, he'll run like a +deer."</p> + +<p>We got behind trees and logs, and kept the enemy back. Rogers came round +through the woods; and as the attention of the enemy was given entirely +to us, he and his party made a rush and joined us.</p> + +<p>The enemy had us pretty well surrounded, but we broke through them, +losing eight men. We rallied at our boats, and returned home.</p> + +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_127" id="Page_127">[Pg 127]</a></span> +<div class="sidenote">THE ARMY EMBARKS FOR TICONDEROGA</div> + +<p>By the 28th of June the whole army under General Abercrombie had arrived +at Lake George. A great deal of time seemed to be wasted. But on the 5th +of July the whole army of nearly sixteen thousand men embarked in boats +and batteaux for Ticonderoga. The advanced guard was up and out on the +lake before daylight,—the light infantry on the right, our Rangers on +the left, and Colonel Bradstreet's batteaux men in the centre.</p> + +<p>Then came the main body of the army,—the provincials, dressed in blue +with red facings, on the right and left wings. In the centre were the +regulars, in scarlet with white facings, and the 42d Regiment, the Black +Watch, in kilts and tartans. Behind them came the rear guard of +provincials.</p> + +<p>The whole army was on the lake as the sun rose, breaking up the mist on +the hillsides. The lake was calm and without a ripple.</p> + +<p>It was a sight I shall never forget,—the beautiful lake covered by over +a thousand boats, the various coloured uniforms, the gun-barrels +glittering in the sun, the flags of the different regiments, the +bagpipes and bands <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_128" id="Page_128">[Pg 128]</a></span>playing, the pretty islands, the green hills and +mountains, the mist rising and floating away.</p> + +<p>The army rowed till twilight, when we reached Sabbath Day Point, where +we rested and ate some food; at ten we started again, and at daybreak +the Rangers reached the lower part of the lake. We landed, and received +orders from Captain Abercrombie, one of the general's aides-de-camp, to +gain the top of a mountain a mile from the landing, and from there to +march east to the river that flows into the falls, and get possession of +some rising ground there. When we had done this, we were to wait for the +army to come up. In an hour's time we got to the rising ground, and +found quite a large body of French in front of us. We waited for further +orders.</p> + +<p>At noon some provincial troops under Colonels Fitch and Lyman came up. +And while Rogers was talking to them we heard a sharp firing in the rear +of these troops.</p> + +<p>Rogers led us round to the left, and we met a force of the enemy who +were fighting our men, and had thrown them into confusion. We engaged +with them, and killed many. <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_129" id="Page_129">[Pg 129]</a></span>Lord Howe, with Major Israel Putnam and his +men, came up on the other side of the French, who were thus surrounded, +and almost all of them were killed or captured.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">LORD HOWE'S DEATH</div> + +<p>It was a party of some four hundred Canadians, who had been sent out to +watch us, and though they were good woodsmen, they had lost their way in +the dense forest, and had wandered into the middle of our army.</p> + +<p>There seemed to be a great commotion among Lord Howe's men. I ran over +to them with Captain Stark; and there we saw Lord Howe stretched out on +the ground—dead.</p> + +<p>John Stark is not a man easily stirred. I remember at the battle of +Bunker's Hill, when a man rushed up to him, and told him that his son +was killed,—which was a mistake, for he is alive at this day,—John +turned to the man and said: "Back to your post. This is no time to think +of our private affairs."</p> + +<p>But when he saw that brilliant soldier, that man whose virtues, +accomplishments, and genial, lovable nature showed us what a man might +be, lying there, dead, he knelt down beside him, and the tears ran down +his cheeks. <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_130" id="Page_130">[Pg 130]</a></span>All of us were overcome with grief, we loved the man so +much.</p> + +<p>Stark took his hand, bent over, and kissed his forehead.</p> + +<p>"Good-by, my dear friend. God bless you and have mercy on us." He rose, +and I walked away with him.</p> + +<p>"Comee, the life is departed out of Israel. I have no further faith in +this expedition. Our sun is set."</p> + +<p>We mourned his loss a long time, and our Province raised the money for a +great monument, which was erected to him in Westminster Abbey, in memory +of "the affection her officers and soldiers bore to his command."</p> + +<p>After Lord Howe was killed, everything fell into disorder. The army +became all mixed up in the thick woods, and was sent back to the +landing-place.</p> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /><a name="CHAPTER_XI" id="CHAPTER_XI"></a> + +<hr /><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_131" id="Page_131">[Pg 131]</a></span> +<br /> +<h2>CHAPTER XI</h2> + +<p class="cen">FORT TICONDEROGA AND THE ASSAULT</p> +<br /> + +<p>The following morning the Rangers were sent to the front, to the place +we occupied the day before. Captain Stark with Captain Abercrombie and +Mr. Clark, the engineer, went with two hundred Rangers to Rattlesnake +Hill to reconnoitre the French works.</p> + +<p>Fort Ticonderoga was at the southern end of the narrow strip of land +which lies between Lake Champlain and the outlet of Lake George. A +half-mile to the north of the fort, a little ridge runs across the +peninsula. As we looked down from the hill, we saw the French hard at +work on a strong breastwork of logs which they had nearly completed. At +either end of it was low, marshy ground, difficult to pass. The +breastwork zigzagged along the ridge in such a manner that if troops +attacked it, the French could rake them with grapeshot, and it was too +high to climb over.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_132" id="Page_132">[Pg 132]</a></span>"How are we going to get over that breastwork, Edmund? There's no slope +to it, and we can't reach within two feet of the top."</p> + +<p>"Oh, we'll knock it to pieces with cannon, and then we can rush over it. +Our officers will know what to do."</p> + +<p>"There won't be any rushing through that mass of sharpened stakes that +they have driven into the ground in front of the works."</p> + +<p>"No. That's so. There's a regular thicket of them with the points +sticking out toward us. They'll have to be cut off or torn up, and the +French will be raking us all the time."</p> + +<p>"See those Canadians cutting down the forest just beyond the stakes. The +tops of the trees fall outward, and the branches are matted together. If +Abercrombie thinks his army can march up to the breastwork, he's greatly +mistaken."</p> + +<p>"Yes; it will be a piece of work to scramble through those branches; and +then comes the abattis of stakes; and then a wall eight feet high. +Montcalm knows his business, Ben. I wish he were on our side. We shall +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_133" id="Page_133">[Pg 133]</a></span>have no easy task. It looks tough to-day, and it will be worse +to-morrow."</p> + +<div class="sidenote">THEY INSPECT TICONDEROGA</div> + +<p>"We shall lose a good many men. Possibly we may go through the swamp, at +the ends of the breastwork."</p> + +<p>"Where's Amos?"</p> + +<p>We looked round and saw Amos, with his back turned toward us. He seemed +deeply interested.</p> + +<p>"What is it, Amos? What are you looking at?"</p> + +<p>"I tell you, boys, I think this hill's about the best place for +p-pigeons I ever saw. There's a good spot for a booth, and that little +tree would make a fine standard for a p-pigeon p-pole."</p> + +<p>"Hang your pigeons! You may be dead to-morrow. Look down the lake, +Edmund. See the reënforcements of French regulars with their white coats +rowing up Champlain. They'll be at Fort Ti in half an hour."</p> + +<p>We were told to get ready to go back. I overheard Mr. Clark say:—</p> + +<p>"Oh, we can take a place like that by an assault with small arms. We'll +give them <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_134" id="Page_134">[Pg 134]</a></span>a taste of the bayonet. We don't need cannon."</p> + +<p>Stark replied: "I don't think so. Bring some cannon up here, and you can +rake the breastwork and drive them out; or take cannon round in front, +and you can knock the breastwork to pieces in half an hour, and then you +can easily take the place by assault; but otherwise you cannot."</p> + +<p>"Oh, I assure you, my dear sir, we can carry a place like that by an +assault easily. You provincials have no idea what British officers and +British regulars can do."</p> + +<p>"I know what Braddock did," said Stark.</p> + +<p>We came down the mountain and joined the rest of the Rangers. Stark went +with Clark to report to General Abercrombie. He returned and said that +Abercrombie had agreed with Clark on an attack with small arms only.</p> + +<p>"To-morrow you'll see a sad sight. You'll see the finest army there ever +was in America killed off by the stupidity of its commanding officer. +Why couldn't poor Lord Howe have been spared two days longer, to win +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_135" id="Page_135">[Pg 135]</a></span>everlasting renown? We talked this over as we lay on our bearskins at +Sabbath Day Point; and if he were alive, there would be no such +tomfoolery and murder."</p> + +<div class="sidenote">THE ARMY ADVANCES</div> + +<p>We lay down in the woods by the river, and slept on our arms. The sun +rose the next morning clear and bright. We received orders to advance. +We crept through the forest till we came to the open place, where the +great trees lay on the ground with their tops toward us.</p> + +<p>About two hundred of the French were concealed in the mass of boughs, +and fired at us. We got behind trees and logs and returned their fire.</p> + +<p>Bradstreet's batteaux men now formed on our left, Gage's light infantry +on our right, and three regiments of provincials came up behind us. We +exchanged a scattering fire with the enemy. Then we pushed into the mass +of boughs and drove the French back into their breastwork.</p> + +<p>Colonel Haldiman and the grenadiers now came up in solid formation. We +separated and let them pass. They struggled through <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_136" id="Page_136">[Pg 136]</a></span>the trees. The +Highlanders of the Black Watch followed them; and I caught sight of +Hector, as he went by us, looking very grim and determined. I waved my +cap at him, but he was too intent on the work ahead to see me.</p> + +<p>What a jaunty, ugly, devil-may-care set of fellows they were! Their +uniforms set off their figures to advantage. Their faces showed they +were eager for the fight. Their bayonets were fixed, for they had been +ordered to take the works by a bayonet charge. When they got through the +trees, their formation was completely broken up; but they advanced to +the abattis of sharpened stakes, and were met by a terrible fire of +grape and musket shot that mowed them down. They stood at the abattis, +hacking away at the stakes, falling in heaps before the shower of +grapeshot. They took off their bayonets and fired at the enemy. Some got +through the abattis, and went up to the breastwork, eight feet high. +They tried to scale it, but could not. Unwilling to retreat, they stood +in front of it, exchanging shots with the <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_137" id="Page_137">[Pg 137]</a></span>French, shaking their guns at +them, and cursing them in Gaelic.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">THE REGULARS REPULSED</div> + +<p>"They're b-brave enough, Ben, and hang on like bulldogs; but they can't +get over that b-breastwork, unless they grow a couple of feet in a +m-mighty short time."</p> + +<p>We watched this attack with great interest, for we had wonderful +expectations as to what the regulars would do; and they had ridiculed +the provincials and lauded themselves so long, that their confidence +became unbounded. How they were to take the breastwork in this way, we +could not see. But we waited in the hope of seeing the impossible occur. +At last the few who were left were driven back.</p> + +<p>As they returned, we saw Hector supporting his brother Donald. We ran +out from the fallen trees, and helped him through the branches.</p> + +<p>"'Deed, man, that was the hottest place I ever was in, and I'm well out +of it with naught but a bit of lead in my leg. I dinna envy the poor +fellows who have to go in there again."</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_138" id="Page_138">[Pg 138]</a></span>After this attack there was a lull. Abercrombie, who was in a safe place +two miles away, ordered another attack. Some of the provincial regiments +were with them. They rushed into the space, like so many cattle into an +enclosure, where they were knocked over without a chance to get at their +enemy.</p> + +<p>We were eager for the Rangers to join in this assault, and asked: "Why +don't we advance?" "Why doesn't Rogers order us to attack?" "We ought to +help those men and be in the thick of the fight."</p> + +<p>Old McKinstry said: "Don't you see, boys, why we don't advance? Because +it's all nonsense and folly. We have no orders to go ahead, and Rogers +knows it's nothing but murder to put us up before that wall to be shot +down. We're doing the best work where we are. See me take off that +officer with the white coat." He fired, and the officer fell back. +"There, if you can knock over three or four of them, you've done your +share."</p> + +<p>"He's right, after all, Ben. We're killing more men by picking them off +than the regulars are."</p> + +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_139" id="Page_139">[Pg 139]</a></span> +<div class="sidenote">THEY RESCUE A BRAVE MAN</div> + +<p>I felt easier in my mind after this talk. We stood among the branches, +and fired at the heads that appeared above the breastwork.</p> + +<p>These assaults were kept up all the afternoon. At five the most +determined one took place, and some of the Highlanders succeeded in +getting over the breastwork, only to be immediately bayoneted. Colonel +Campbell was killed in the fort, and Major Campbell was badly wounded.</p> + +<p>While this attack on the right was going on, we saw a provincial who had +crept close to the breastwork, and was picking off the Frenchmen.</p> + +<p>He was seen by them, and a man fired and wounded him. But he jumped up +and brained the man with his hatchet. Then he fell down. It was a pity +to let such a brave man lie there to be killed and scalped by the +Indians.</p> + +<p>I turned to Edmund and said, "Can't we get that man out of there?"</p> + +<p>"I will do what you will."</p> + +<p>I shouted to our men to cover us as well as they could by their fire, +and we ran forward.</p> + +<p>The Rangers advanced a little, and opened <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_140" id="Page_140">[Pg 140]</a></span>fire at every head that +showed above the breastwork.</p> + +<p>Edmund and I got through the abattis and ran up to the wall. We joined +hands. The man sat on them, put his arms around our necks, and we ran +off with him.</p> + +<p>Some of the enemy fired at us, but the Highlanders were taking most of +their attention, and our men were good marksmen, so that but few showed +their heads above the breastwork. Still, the bullets whistled about us +in a most uncomfortable manner.</p> + +<p>We found that the man we had saved was a Rhode Island provincial, named +William Smith. He was boiling over with wrath against the French, swore +at them like a pirate, and though badly wounded would have crept back if +we had not prevented him.</p> + +<p>Amos listened to him with wonder, and said: "Your f-friend Smith, Ben, +couldn't have b-been raised when there were tythingmen, or he'd have +just lived in the stocks. He must have great natural g-gifts to be able +to swear like that."</p> + +<p>"Here come the regulars again."</p> + +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_141" id="Page_141">[Pg 141]</a></span> +<div class="sidenote">A PANIC</div> + +<p>They passed through the fallen trees, marched up to the breastwork, and +again made an attempt to scale it. The French raked them with grapeshot, +and soon they came running back nearly frantic with fear. We let them +pass and gazed at them with astonishment.</p> + +<p>"That's human nature, boys," said McKinstry. "Those men have fought here +for six hours, a foolish, hopeless battle. They hung to it like +bulldogs. No men could have been braver. All of a sudden the idea +strikes them that they are beaten, and they run away in a panic. It's +strange. It's mighty strange, but it's human nature."</p> + +<p>Rogers shouted: "Stay where you are, boys. Hold your ground and keep on +firing."</p> + +<p>The Rangers and provincials remained among the fallen trees, exchanging +shots with the enemy till dusk. Then we went up to the abattis and +picked out some of the wounded from among the heaps of dead men. This +was the hardest part of the day for me, stumbling over the dead, picking +up the poor wounded fellows and hearing them moan and cry as we carried +them off.</p> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /><a name="CHAPTER_XII" id="CHAPTER_XII"></a> + +<hr /><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_142" id="Page_142">[Pg 142]</a></span> +<br /> +<h2>CHAPTER XII</h2> + +<p class="cen">THE FIGHT AT FORT ANNE, AND THE ESCAPE OF AMOS</p> +<br /> + +<p>When night came on, we retreated with the wounded we had saved. The next +morning the whole army reëmbarked and rowed up Lake George to the ruins +of Fort William Henry and landed. This time we were not admiring the +beauty of the scene. We were filled with sorrow and dismay at the +failure of the expedition and our terrible disaster. We lost nearly two +thousand men. The French lost only about three hundred.</p> + +<p>The whole army, regulars and provincials, were indignant with our +cowardly and incompetent general, Abercrombie, or Mrs. Nabby Crombie, as +the soldiers nicknamed him. We knew that the battle had been badly +conducted. We wished to have the cannon brought to the front to batter +down the breastworks, and were <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_143" id="Page_143">[Pg 143]</a></span>willing and eager to fight again. But +Abercrombie began to entrench, and sent most of his artillery to Albany, +lest it should fall into the hands of the enemy.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">THE RANGERS SENT AGAINST THE ENEMY</div> + +<p>The Rangers heard little of this grumbling and dissatisfaction; for as +soon as we returned from Ticonderoga we were sent out scouting near the +south end of Lake Champlain, and very nearly fell into the hands of a +large force of French and Indians. Fortunately we saw them in time to +escape.</p> + +<p>A few days later, a wagon-train was attacked and one hundred and +seventy-six men were killed, of whom sixteen were Rangers. The news of +this disaster came in the night, and at two in the morning Rogers +started out with a large party of regulars, provincials, and Rangers to +head off the enemy. We rowed down Lake George at the top of our speed, +and then marched over the mountain to the narrow waters of Lake +Champlain. But though we made all possible haste, so did the enemy, and +we missed them by a couple of hours.</p> + +<p>We rested for a time; for we were much exhausted by our efforts, and +were about to <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_144" id="Page_144">[Pg 144]</a></span>march back, when a messenger arrived, who gave us orders +to go to Fort Anne at Wood Creek, and cut off a party of French and +Indians who were near Fort Edward.</p> + +<p>We had about five hundred men, eighty of whom were Rangers. The rest was +made up of some of Gage's light infantry and Connecticut troops, under +Major Israel Putnam.</p> + +<p>On the 7th of August we reached the spot where old Fort Anne had stood, +and camped there.</p> + +<p>The forest for a mile around the old fort had been cut down and burned +years before. But the fort had rotted away, and the clearings had become +overgrown with bushes, with here and there an open space.</p> + +<p>Early the next morning we began our march. Putnam and his men were in +front, the light infantry in the centre, and the Rangers in the rear.</p> + +<p>Rogers had been shooting at a mark that morning with Lieutenant Irwin of +the regulars. The enemy had overheard the firing and ambuscaded us.</p> + +<p>Putnam was leading his men. As he left <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_145" id="Page_145">[Pg 145]</a></span>the clearing, and entered the +forest, the yelling and firing began. Several Indians rushed at him. His +gun missed fire, and he with three or four men was captured by the +Indians.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">BEN WRESTLES WITH AN INDIAN</div> + +<p>The redskins forced the Connecticut men back, the light infantry held +their ground, and we of the Rangers struggled through the bushes as best +we could, to get to the front.</p> + +<p>Every one fought for himself. I had fired my gun just as I reached an +open space, and seeing a number of men on the other side, I started to +run across to them.</p> + +<p>Of course I should have reloaded before I attempted this; but one does +not always do the right thing, especially in a hot fight. I had gone but +a short distance when an Indian fired at me from the bushes, and then +ran at me with a tomahawk.</p> + +<p>I turned, parried the blow with my gun, and the tomahawk was struck from +his hand.</p> + +<p>We grappled each other. He was a fine, large man, decked out with +feathers and warpaint, and was the strongest and most active man I ever +got hold of. He seemed to be made of steel springs. As I struggled with +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_146" id="Page_146">[Pg 146]</a></span>him, I couldn't help thinking, "What a splendid wrestler you would make +if you only knew the tricks!" I gave him Jonas Parker's best throw, and +we came down together, and I on top.</p> + +<p>The fall knocked the wind out of him and partly stunned him. I got hold +of my hatchet and brained him. I had not noticed or thought of anything +but him. But now I heard a crack! crack! zip! zip!</p> + +<p>As I started to run I felt a pain in my left arm, and also in my left +leg. But I got off to our men among the bushes, and they bound my arm +up, and put a bandage round my leg.</p> + +<p>I saw an Indian leap in among the regulars, and kill two men with his +hatchet. Then he jumped on a log and taunted our men. A soldier struck +at him with his gun and made him bleed. The Indian was returning the +blow with his tomahawk, when Rogers shot him.</p> + +<p>I was still able to load and shoot. We fought some two hours before they +gave way. At last they broke up into little parties and ran off. We +remained and buried our dead.</p> + +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_147" id="Page_147">[Pg 147]</a></span> +<div class="sidenote">BEN WOUNDED</div> + +<p>We lost about fifty men. The French and Indians left over one hundred +dead on the field; and their loss was much heavier, for they carried off +most of their dead.</p> + +<p>My wounds now made me so lame and stiff that I could not walk, and was +carried on a litter of branches.</p> + +<p>Rogers came alongside, and said: "That was a mighty pretty wrestle, +Comee. Big stakes up too; glad you won. But I believe if that Indian had +been taught the tricks like a Christian, you would have met your match."</p> + +<p>"That's just what I was thinking myself, major, all the time I was +wrestling with him. It's an awful pity to have to kill a man like that."</p> + +<p>"Oh, pshaw, nothing but a cussed redskin. That makes one less of the +vermin. All of us on both sides round that clearing watched you and him, +and did not pay much attention to each other till it was over. When you +killed him, and got up, they fired at you, and we began to fire at them +again. But for a short time all of us watched you. He must have been a +big Injun among them."</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_148" id="Page_148">[Pg 148]</a></span>"Major, where is Amos Locke?"</p> + +<p>"I don't know. I don't think he was among the killed or wounded; and if +he isn't with our party here, he's probably a prisoner, perhaps roasted +and scalped by this time."</p> + +<p>Edmund came up later. "I'm afraid, Ben, we shan't see Amos again. He and +I were together for a while. But in running through the bushes we got +separated, and I can't find him among our men. If he were with our +party, he would have come to us by this time."</p> + +<p>"Poor fellow! I can't bear to think of him in the woods, dead; or worse +still, being tortured by the Indians. He may turn up again, after all."</p> + +<p>When we arrived at camp at Lake George, we found that it had been +strongly intrenched.</p> + +<p>The camp was dirty and filthy, particularly the portion occupied by the +provincials, for our officers were ignorant in such matters.</p> + +<p>On the way to and from Ticonderoga the men had drunk a good deal of lake +water, and this with the grief over our defeat and the filthy state of +our camp had caused much sickness.</p> + +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_149" id="Page_149">[Pg 149]</a></span> +<div class="sidenote">PROVINCIALS BEAT REGULARS SHOOTING</div> + +<p>Having been out in the woods on scouts, I was in good condition, and my +wounds began to heal quickly. Edmund took me over to see the man we had +rescued at Ticonderoga. We found him doing well, cursing the French, and +aching to get at them again. We looked up our kinsmen Hector and Donald +and struck up a great friendship with the men of the Black Watch. Hector +and Donald were both God-fearing men, and went with us several times to +hear Parson Cleveland of Bagley's regiment preach. He gave us sermons +full of meat, and we enjoyed them.</p> + +<p>The regulars and provincials did not get on well together. The +Englishmen looked down on the provincial officers and men, and this +caused much hard feeling. One day in August, the regulars and +provincials practised firing with great guns at a target in the lake, +and our men beat the regulars thoroughly. That pleased us and made the +old country men feel pretty glum. Although the regulars scorned the +provincials, yet they held the Rangers in high esteem.</p> + +<p>"Why is it, Donald," I asked, "that the <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_150" id="Page_150">[Pg 150]</a></span>regulars think so well of us, +and laugh at the rest of the provincials?"</p> + +<p>"Well, man, one reason is, because you're no province soldiers at all, +being in the direct pay and service of the King, like ourselves. And +then you're a braw set of men, and ken this fighting in the woods a deal +better than we do, and we know it. But the provincials are gawks from +country towns, without discipline, and with no more knowledge of the +woods than we have."</p> + +<p>"But Edmund and I are from a town like them."</p> + +<p>"You've keppit gude company, since you've been with the Rangers, and +have been long enough with them to look and act like the rest of them. +One would take you for hunters and woodsmen."</p> + +<p>"But the provincials were the last to leave the field at Ticonderoga."</p> + +<p>"I'm no denying it. They fought well."</p> + +<p>"And for country greenhorns, they did pretty well with the cannon the +other day."</p> + +<p>"Aye, man, I'm no saying they didn't. I'm a truthful man, and I maun say +I was sair <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_151" id="Page_151">[Pg 151]</a></span>disappointed when they beat us shooting." And he changed the +subject.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">LAKE GEORGE</div> + +<p>Though our camp was foul, yet the lake was the fairest spot I have ever +seen—dotted with islands and hemmed in by mountains. Even Hector and +Donald said it was "a bonny place, just for all the world like old +Scotland."</p> + +<p>We used to row on the lake, among the pretty islands, or lie in the boat +and gaze at the mountains and the clouds floating over them. It seemed +absurd that two great bodies of men should come to such a serene, +peaceful place, and occupy their time killing each other.</p> + +<p>About two weeks after the Fort Anne fight, Edmund and I had a chance to +get away from camp for several hours, and started off with 'Bijah +Thompson of Woburn, whom we found in Colonel Nichols's regiment.</p> + +<p>We pulled out on the lake, went in swimming, and then rowed slowly along +with our fish-lines trailing behind. But the fish didn't bite. We cut +across the upper part of the lake, and as we approached the further +side, Edmund said: "What's that over on the shore, <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_152" id="Page_152">[Pg 152]</a></span>Ben? There's some +one there who seems to be making motions to us."</p> + +<p>We rowed in that direction, and saw a man waving his arms, and heard a +"hello!"</p> + +<p>"That's no Frenchman. That's one of our men who has got lost in the +woods, or who has escaped from the French."</p> + +<p>As we came nearer, we saw that he was almost naked. We pulled toward the +shore, and beheld a pitiful, haggard fellow, with nothing on him but a +pair of ragged breeches and a tattered shirt. We were about to ask him +some questions, when he exclaimed:—</p> + +<p>"B-B-Ben and Edmund, and 'B-Bijah Thompson too, by gum! An-An-And ain't +I glad to see you?"</p> + +<p>"Amos Locke! And we're glad to see you, too. Where have you been?"</p> + +<p>"B-Been? I've been in h-hell. Say, have you got anything to eat? I'm +starved."</p> + +<p>We had a lot of rye and Injun bread, cheese, and boiled beef with us. We +brought it out, and Amos gulped away at it like a hungry dog. We also +had a wooden bottle into which we had poured our rations of <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_153" id="Page_153">[Pg 153]</a></span>rum, and +then filled it up with water. We passed it to Amos, and he took a long +swig at it. As he took it away from his mouth, a happy grin came over +his face.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">AMOS COMES BACK</div> + +<p>"B-Boys, that goes to the spot. I'm not a rum-drinker, but when a +fellow's been frozen, and starved, and water-logged, he does sort of +hanker after something that has a t-tang to it."</p> + +<p>He put down the bottle, and went to work at the food again. In a short +time our dinner had disappeared—and we had put up what we considered +was an ample supply for three hearty men.</p> + +<p>I picked up my jacket and handed it to him to put on; for though it was +a warm day, he looked cold and peaked. His feet were badly cut, and were +done up in bandages of cloth. Then I filled my pipe, and taking out my +flint and steel, lit it and gave it to him.</p> + +<p>"This isn't b-bad. Now row to the place where the victuals are."</p> + +<p>Edmund and 'Bijah rowed, while I questioned Amos.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_154" id="Page_154">[Pg 154]</a></span>"Well, I was running through the b-bushes, just a little behind you, +Edmund, when my foot caught in a root or vine, and over I went +ker-flummux. My gun flew out of my hands, and as I was g-getting up, two +Frenchmen grabbed me and p-pulled me off through the woods. When they +had gone quite a distance, they t-tied me to a tree, and went back to +fight. I heard the firing and tried to get loose, but couldn't.</p> + +<p>"A young Injun came along and had some f-fun throwing his tomahawk at +the tree, just over my head, seeing how near he could come to it without +hitting me.</p> + +<p>"After he had done this half a dozen times, he stood in front of me, and +said, 'Ugh! Me big Injun.' I said, 'Yes, you big Injun. Big Injun better +go fight.' He went away, and in about an hour my two Frenchmen came +running back with more men. They untied me, and fastening a line around +my neck, one led and the other drove me, hitting me with his loaded gun, +punching the muzzle into my b-back. When they got to the place where +they had left their packs, they p-pulled off my <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_155" id="Page_155">[Pg 155]</a></span>jacket and waistcoat, +t-tied a heavy pack on my back, and drove me along again.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">ISRAEL PUTNAM HAS A WARM TIME</div> + +<p>"Every now and then I sank down, and thought I c-couldn't go any +further; but the man behind put his gun to my head, r-r-ripped out a lot +of oaths at me, and told me he would blow my head off if I didn't get up +and hustle.</p> + +<p>"Oh, no, I don't know their lingo; but I could understand just what he +said, and what's m-more, I know he m-meant it. I didn't want to be a +c-cold corpse out there in the woods, so I got up and struggled on +again.</p> + +<p>"At last they camped for the night. They laid me on my back and t-tied +my hands and feet to stakes d-driven into the ground.</p> + +<p>"I saw Major P-Putnam, who had been captured by some Injuns. They took +his pack off, and he looked as if he would drop. They r-rushed at him, +stripped him, t-tied him to a tree, piled dry branches and brush about +him, and set them on fire. Then they formed a ring around him, and +taunted and insulted him. A shower came up and put the fire out. They +g-got more branches and <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_156" id="Page_156">[Pg 156]</a></span>lighted the fire again. The fire was burning +well, and P-Putnam was squirming away from the heat, when a French +officer ran up, k-kicked the branches aside, cut the cords, told the +Injuns to stand back, and led P-Putnam away. I heard afterward that this +man's name was Morin, and that he was the leader of the expedition.</p> + +<p>"The next morning at daybreak we got into the b-batteaux and canoes, and +rowed down Wood Creek. I was in a b-batteau. They gave me an oar, and +made me work for all I was worth. If I let up for a minute, they hit me +and threatened to k-kill me. That ugly fellow who swore at me the day +before was in the boat, and I c-could understand him. He made things +very clear, as he jabbed the m-muzzle of his gun into my ribs, and +h-held his finger on the trigger.</p> + +<p>"They were in a hurry to get out of the way of any f-force of our men +that might be sent to cut them off. We reached T-Ticonderoga that night. +They turned us prisoners out into a pasture with some scrubby trees in +it, and p-put a guard around us. <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_157" id="Page_157">[Pg 157]</a></span>And there they k-kept us, giving us +hardly anything to eat, t-till at last we grew so hungry that we +p-pulled the bark off the b-black birches, and ate it to stay our +stomachs. I thought considerable of home while I was b-browsing round in +that p-pasture, and of what I used to do. Not so m-much of +pigeon-shooting and fox-hunting as of things I disliked, p-ploughing in +the spring, hilling corn till my back ached, cutting logs into lengths +for firewood till my arms were t-tired out and my hands b-blistered.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">FOND RECOLLECTIONS</div> + +<p>"These were all unpleasant, but I remembered the comfortable home and +the supper that came after the work, and how I used to eat my fill in +safety. And here I was, likely to be scalped or burned to death, and my +innards just a griping and a yearning for a b-bit of solid food.</p> + +<p>"There were some four thousand Frenchmen in the fort, Canadians, +Indians, and the regulars in their white coats.</p> + +<p>"I was bound to get away if I could, and watched for a chance. We were +not f-far from the breastwork.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_158" id="Page_158">[Pg 158]</a></span>"Sentinels walked up and down on the inner side, and I knew that I could +not c-crawl over it, without being seen. They did not pay so much +attention to the swampy ground at either end. I made up my mind to g-get +to the low land, and pass by the end of the breastwork.</p> + +<p>"After we had been there six days, a storm began in the afternoon. The +rain came down in torrents, and the wind b-blew hard.</p> + +<p>"We were out in the wet, soaking. When the French had gone to sleep, I +walked to the f-fence which was round our pasture, and waited for the +sentinel to pass. Then I crept under the fence, and crawled along till I +got to the swamp, and went into the edge of it and walked toward the end +of the breastwork. The f-fall of rain had made the swamp worse than +usual.</p> + +<p>"As I walked along in the mire, I felt that I was sinking, and caught +hold of a t-tree and pulled myself out, but left my shoes behind. Then I +kept close to the edge of the swamp, and went along carefully, t-till I +got near the breastwork.</p> + +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_159" id="Page_159">[Pg 159]</a></span> +<div class="sidenote">A STROLL THROUGH THE WOODS</div> + +<p>"I heard the sentinel c-coming my way, and lay down till he t-turned and +walked away from me.</p> + +<p>"I passed by the end of the breastwork, and kept along the edge of the +forest, t-till I felt there was an opening, which I knew must be the +path we travelled over on our way from Lake George. It was blind going, +p-pitch dark. Every now and then I found myself wandering from the path, +b-but luckily the passage of our large army had t-trodden it down into a +road, so that I k-kept my way, though it was with great d-difficulty.</p> + +<p>"As it began to grow light, I reached a point where a ledge came down to +the road; and I thought this would be a good place to leave the path, +because if the Indians searched for me, they would lose my trail on the +r-rocks.</p> + +<p>"I walked on the rocks for over an hour, t-till the sun rose, and the +rain ceased. I came across a blueberry patch, and ate my fill. It was +good to be free and to have something to eat.</p> + +<p>"I found a hollow where I would not be <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_160" id="Page_160">[Pg 160]</a></span>seen, and where the sun would +shine on me, and I lay down and slept. When I w-woke up, and was +thinking what to do, a rabbit came hopping along, feeding. I kept quiet +until he had passed me, and rose up and c-cried out, Hooh! He sat up on +his hind legs, pricked up his ears, and I knocked him over with a stone +and ate him. Then I came to the brook where we had our f-first fight, +but it was so full from the rain that I had to wait a day before I could +cross it. It ran like a m-mill-race. My feet were all cut up, and I tore +off the arms of my shirt and bound the cloth round my feet. I didn't +d-dare to follow the paths, but kept through the woods t-till I struck +the lake. I only travelled in the morning and afternoon, for when the +sun was overhead I c-couldn't tell where I was going; so I ate berries +and slept at midday. I reached the lake above the Narrows and went back +to the path. I didn't care m-much if I were caught or not. I don't want +to eat another b-berry in my life. Several times I saw boats on the lake +and tried to get their attention, but <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_161" id="Page_161">[Pg 161]</a></span>c-couldn't. D-Didn't I feel happy +when I saw you coming toward me! And when I knew who it was, I felt as +if I were at home again m-milking the cows or up on old B-Bull Meadow +shooting fifty-two pigeons at a clip. Have you heard anything from Davy +Fiske?"</p> + +<div class="sidenote">NEWS FROM WEAVER DAVID</div> + +<p>"Well, yes; 'Bijah here came out late, and he says Davy has been telling +him some story about killing a bear in Grimes's cornfield up on the +Billerica road."</p> + +<p>"That must have b-been before we left and we didn't hear anything about +it. How was it, 'Bijah?"</p> + +<p>"I met Davy early this spring over in the woods by Listening Hill, and +he told me about hunting a bear in Bill Grimes's young corn, which was +about three feet high. He and Bill chased the bear; the bear ran off, +climbed over a stone wall, and got stuck in a snowdrift, and they came +up and killed him."</p> + +<p>"That's D-Davy all over. He's m-mighty careless about those hunting +yarns of his. Pretty soon the bears will be wearing rackets in the +summer to k-keep out of his way. And now, boys, if you don't mind, I'll +stretch out <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_162" id="Page_162">[Pg 162]</a></span>in the bottom of the boat and get a little nap. I haven't +had a good sleep I don't know when, and the f-food and the warm sun make +me terrible sleepy."</p> + +<p>Amos lay down, and we rowed till we reached the shore.</p> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /><a name="CHAPTER_XIII" id="CHAPTER_XIII"></a> + +<hr /><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_163" id="Page_163">[Pg 163]</a></span> +<br /> +<h2>CHAPTER XIII</h2> + +<p class="cen">BEN COMEE HEAP BIG PALEFACE—TRAPPING BOB-CATS IN PRIMEVAL WOODS</p> +<br /> + +<p>When we arrived at camp we had something to eat. Rogers came to us and +questioned Amos, first as to the number of troops at Fort Ticonderoga, +and how they were arranged, and afterward he inquired about his +adventures. When Amos told how Morin rushed in and freed Major Putnam, +Rogers said:—</p> + +<p>"Morin? I know him well. I scalped him and carved my name on his breast +with my knife."</p> + +<p>"Well, I wished you h-hadn't. Then he m-might have given us something to +eat."</p> + +<p>Rogers turned and went off.</p> + +<p>"Ugh! I don't like that man. You remember the time Lord Howe was +k-killed. Well, that day I saw Rogers hit a poor <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_164" id="Page_164">[Pg 164]</a></span>wounded Frenchman on +the head with his hatchet. It was the meanest thing I ever saw done by a +white man, and I can't abide him."</p> + +<p>"No, he's cruel and hard as nails. I wish John Stark was the commander +of the Rangers. He has all Rogers's good points as a fighter, is a +better man, and has better judgment. He never makes mistakes."</p> + +<p>"Hello!" said Amos. "There's old Captain Jacob. I thought I'd n-never +want to see an Injun again. But it's kind of good to see the old fellow. +I wonder what makes him seem different from the Injuns on the other +side."</p> + +<p>"Probably because he's a Christian Indian."</p> + +<p>"I guess not. I d-don't think his religion struck in very deep, and it +don't worry him much. And when you come to that, they say those French +Indians are Christian Indians too. I n-never noticed m-much religion +about them. I guess we like him because he's on our side and shows his +good points to us, and those other Injuns are agin us and show their +ugly natures. It makes all the difference in the world whether the +Injun's with you or agin you."</p> + +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_165" id="Page_165">[Pg 165]</a></span> +<div class="sidenote">BEN SENDS PRESENTS</div> + +<p>I had been feeling bad about the Indian that I wrestled with. He was +such a fine fellow. How Jonas Parker would have delighted in him. Just a +bundle of steel springs. There must have been a great deal that was good +in a man like that.</p> + +<p>I walked over to Captain Jacob, and said: "I had a wrestle with an +Indian in that Fort Anne fight, Captain Jacob, and I killed him. I'm +sorry, for he was a fine fellow."</p> + +<p>"Yes, I heard! Big fight. Big Injun."</p> + +<p>"Well, I should like to show those Indians that I thought well of him, +and want also to do something for his wife and children, if he has any. +Now, I have ten Spanish dollars. I should like to buy some present, and +send it to them, and tell them how much I thought of him and that I'm +sorry I killed him."</p> + +<p>"Oh, yes! Me send Injun. Me send what you call 'em—Injun flag of truce. +Me send presents. Tell 'em you heap sorry. Me tell 'em you think him +heap big Injun."</p> + +<p>"That's it. That's the talk, Captain Jacob. Here's the ten dollars. Buy +what you think <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_166" id="Page_166">[Pg 166]</a></span>are the right presents for his wife and children, and I +shall be much obliged to you."</p> + +<p>"All right! Me do it!"</p> + +<p>Some days later, Captain Jacob came to me and said:—</p> + +<p>"All right, Ben Comee. Me send Injun. He see them Injuns. He give 'em +your words. Injuns feel heap proud. They say that Injun, him big chief +of Canawaugha Injuns. His name Gray Wolf. Best man they have. They feel +glad you think heap of him. My Injun give 'em presents for his squaw and +children. Give 'em rum, tobacco, and chocolate."</p> + +<p>"Rum, tobacco, and chocolate?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, heap rum, heap tobacco, heap chocolate!"</p> + +<p>"Well, that was a mighty good idea, Jacob. There's lots of comfort in +all three of those things. But I should never have thought of giving +them to the widow and the orphans."</p> + +<p>"Injuns ask, 'What that man's name?' 'Ben Comee in Captain Rogers's +company. They give my Injun, pipe, wampum, and powder horn with carving +on it for you.' They <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_167" id="Page_167">[Pg 167]</a></span>say: 'Ben Comee heap big paleface to kill Gray +Wolf. We think as much of his scalp as of Captain Rogers's or John +Stark's.'"</p> + +<div class="sidenote">LOUISBURG FALLS</div> + +<p>Edmund and Amos, who were standing near by, grinned, and Edmund said:—</p> + +<p>"You seem to be pretty popular with those Indians, Ben. Don't get +stuck-up over it."</p> + +<p>"I don't see anything very funny about it, and hope that all three of us +shall pass through the fiery furnace, like Shadrach, Meshach, and +Abednego, without a hair of our heads being touched."</p> + +<p>While we were being whipped by the French at Ticonderoga, another army +under General Amherst and General Wolfe was besieging the fortress of +Louisburg, on the island of Cape Breton. That army had good generals; +and on the 28th of August we heard that the fortress had surrendered. +Edmund came out of Rogers's hut. We were waiting for him.</p> + +<p>"Come along with me. Louisburg has fallen, and I've got to take some +orders to the officers, about to-night. The four companies of Rangers +with that army did well. <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_168" id="Page_168">[Pg 168]</a></span>Rogers is mightily pleased over it, and is +going to celebrate their good behaviour. Rangers to be at the +breastworks at six, and fire a salute. There's going to be high jinks +to-night. I've got to go in here and see Stark."</p> + +<p>The regiments were all under arms at the breastworks at six o'clock. It +was the King's birthday, and the Royal Artillery began with a royal +salute of twenty-one guns. Then the regiments fired in turn, till all +had fired three times. After that the ranks were broken, and the fun +began.</p> + +<p>More good news came soon after, and this time our own army had a +success. For Colonel Bradstreet with two thousand men had set out on an +expedition against Fort Frontenac, and early in September he sent back +word that he had taken and destroyed the fort.</p> + +<p>These victories put new life into our men, and they became cheerful, and +did not continually harp on our defeat.</p> + +<p>Through Hector and Donald we came to know the men of the Black Watch +well, and <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_169" id="Page_169">[Pg 169]</a></span>spent much of our leisure time with them, listening to their +tales of cattle-lifting and of fighting in the Border.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">BORDER TALES</div> + +<p>Most of their talk was about the Rebellion of 1745, for the regiment was +largely made up of Highlanders that had been "out" with Charlie. And +when they drank the King's health, it was to King James they drank, and +not to King George.</p> + +<p>Their conversation was very interesting to Edmund and to me, for our +family had lived together like a clan in Lexington, and the older people +still kept certain Scotch customs and used queer expressions. As the +Highlanders talked, a strange feeling would occasionally come over us, +as if we had led that life and seen those sights at some dim, remote +period.</p> + +<p>In our own camp with the Rangers we heard stories of adventures in the +woods with Indians, bears, and lucivees.</p> + +<p>Old Bill McKinstry said, "I wish we had some good strong traps, and we +could go off and trap bob-cat."</p> + +<p>"And why shouldn't we have traps? What <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_170" id="Page_170">[Pg 170]</a></span>am I a blacksmith for? Just find +me some old iron, and I will get the use of the armourers' forge."</p> + +<p>They procured the iron, and I made eight big traps with strong jaws and +a chain for each trap.</p> + +<p>McKinstry, John Martin, Amos, and I got a furlough for a week, and so +did Hector Munro, whom we asked to go with us. We packed up our traps +and provisions on an Indian sled.</p> + +<p>The winter had set in. The river was frozen over, and the snow was deep. +We fastened on our rackets and started to the southwest, where there was +little likelihood that we should be disturbed by Indians. We went down +the river, and turned off into a path that led to the west, and followed +it till well into the afternoon, when we came to a good-sized pond. On +the way, we shot several rabbits with which to bait the traps. McKinstry +killed a hedgehog, which he said was just what he wanted. We chose a +place where there were a couple of good-sized saplings, some twelve feet +apart in a level and sheltered spot, not far from the pond.</p> + +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_171" id="Page_171">[Pg 171]</a></span> +<div class="sidenote">BUILDING A CAMP</div> + +<p>We cleared away the brush behind them, and fastened a pole from one tree +to the other, some eight feet from the ground. Then we cut a number of +long poles, and laying one end of them on the cross pole, and the other +on the ground, made the skeleton of a lean-to hut. McKinstry had built a +fire. He threw the hedgehog into it, and let him stay till the quills +were well singed. Then he pulled him out and tied a string to him.</p> + +<p>"What are you doing that for?"</p> + +<p>"For a scent. I'll show you."</p> + +<p>McKinstry and I set out with the traps and bait, leaving our companions +to cut fir boughs, with which to thatch the roof and sides of the hut, +and make a bed. He held the hedgehog up by the string, and we walked +down to the pond, and along the edge of it.</p> + +<p>"There's tracks enough, Ben. Must be game here. I'll scoop out a little +snow, and you open the trap, and lay it in the hollow. Now, we'll cover +it with twigs and leaves, to hide it. Cut up a rabbit, and lay the +pieces <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_172" id="Page_172">[Pg 172]</a></span>on the twigs for bait. Bring me that log over there, and I'll +fasten it to the chain for a clog. He'd gnaw, or pull his foot off, if +we tied the trap to a tree. He'll haul the clog along, but he won't get +many miles with it. Now we'll drag the hedgehog round, and the burnt +quills will make a strong scent on the snow. That will do. We'll go on +and pull the hedgehog through the snow behind us. When the animals +strike that trail, they'll be apt to follow it to a trap."</p> + +<p>We set all our traps along the edge of the pond, at quite a distance +from each other; and at the last trap, cut up the hog, and baited the +trap with it.</p> + +<p>When we got back to camp, we found the roof and sides of the hut well +thatched with boughs, and a good thick layer of them on the ground for a +bed. The boys had collected a lot of wood, and piled it up near by. In +front of the hut was a fire, at which Martin was baking some rye and +Injun bread, and frying a large mess of pork.</p> + +<p>When we had eaten our supper, it was <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_173" id="Page_173">[Pg 173]</a></span>solid comfort to sit in our hut, +after our long day's work, to look at the fire blazing in front, to feel +the heat, and watch the smoke curl up through the tree. On the further +side of the fire they had built up a wall of green logs, so that the +heat was thrown into the hut. We were snug and warm.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">JOHN McNEIL</div> + +<p>"Boys," said McKinstry, "when we get through with this war, you must +come to the Amoskeag Falls, and visit your old friends. We've got some +fine men there,—one's a great wrestler. I don't think your Jonas Parker +could have stood up very long against him. His name is John McNeil. He +is six feet six inches high, and used to be strong as a bull. He is a +North of Ireland man, and had a quarrel with some big Injun over there, +who came along on horseback, and struck at him with his whip. John +pulled him off his horse, gave him a pounding, and had to leave the +country. He settled at the Falls, and no man, white or red, could stand +up against him for a minute. His wife, Christie, is a good mate <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_174" id="Page_174">[Pg 174]</a></span>to him, +a big, brawny woman. One day a stranger came to the house and asked: 'Is +Mr. McNeil at home?'</p> + +<p>"'No,' says Christie; 'the gude man is away.'</p> + +<p>"'That's a pity; for I hear that McNeil is a very strong man, and a +great wrestler; and I've come a very long distance to throw him.'</p> + +<p>"'Troth, man,' says she, 'Johnny is gone. But I'm not the woman to see +ye disappointed, and I think if ye'll try me, I'll thraw ye myself.'</p> + +<p>"The man didn't like to be stumped by a woman and accepted the +challenge. Christie threw him, and he cleared out without leaving his +name."</p> + +<p>"That's a braw couple," says Hector. "I hope there were no quarrels in +that household."</p> + +<p>"No, indeed; as nice, peaceable, and respectable a couple as you could +find in the whole Province. It's a fine sight to see the old man and his +wife seated in front of the fire, smoking their pipes, and their big +sons around them."</p> + +<p>"I'd like to see them. But what I do want to see is a panther or +catamount. There's very little game left in Lexington. Now and then <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_175" id="Page_175">[Pg 175]</a></span>a +bear, but the catamounts went long before my day. I suppose you have +killed them."</p> + +<div class="sidenote">A HAZARDOUS ADVENTURE</div> + +<p>"Yes, I've killed some; but Martin's brothers did about the best thing +in that way that I know of. Tell them about it, Martin."</p> + +<p>"All right. We lived on the Merrimac, at a ferry that they called after +us, Martin's Ferry. Father died when we were little chaps. Mother was +strong, and we got along farming, hunting, and running the ferry. One +day in winter, when I was about thirteen years old, my brothers, Nat and +Ebenezer, went up to Nott's Brook, to see if they could find some deer +yarded in the swamp. They came on a big track, followed it, and saw a +catamount eating a deer it had killed. Nat had an axe, and Eben a club. +Nat said, 'Let's kill him, Eben.'</p> + +<p>"'All right. It's a pretty slim show, but I'm in for it. How'll we do +it?'</p> + +<p>"'You go up in front of him and shake your club to take his attention, +and I'll creep up behind and hit him with the axe.'</p> + +<p>"'I don't think there's much fun shaking a club in a panther's face; but +if you're sure you'll kill him, I'll try it.'</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_176" id="Page_176">[Pg 176]</a></span>"Eben walked up in front with his club, and Nat crept up behind. When +the cat saw Eben, it growled and switched its tail round, and raised up +the snow in little clouds. It lay there with its paws on the deer and +its head raised, growling at Eben, who felt pretty shaky. Nat crept up +behind the cat and gave it a blow with his axe that cut its backbone in +two."</p> + +<p>"That was an awful p-plucky thing to do."</p> + +<p>"It was a most unfortunate thing for my mother."</p> + +<p>"How's that?"</p> + +<p>"Why, it made me just wild to go bear-hunting with them. I kept plaguing +mother to let me go. She used to say, 'Pshaw, boy, you'd run if you saw +a bear.' One night I had been pestering her worse than usual. She left +the room, and soon after I heard something bumping round outside. The +door flew open, and in walked a bear, which came at me, growling. I +grabbed a pine knot that was handy and hit the beast on the head, and +over it rolled. The bearskin fell off, and there lay my mother stretched +out on the floor. I was <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_177" id="Page_177">[Pg 177]</a></span>afraid I had killed her, and ran and got a pail +of water and threw it on her. She came to, and sat up in a kind of a +daze.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">MARTIN'S MOTHER PLAYED BEAR</div> + +<p>"'What's the matter? Have I been in the river?'</p> + +<p>"'No, mother, you played you was a bear, and I hit you over the head; +I'm awful sorry.'</p> + +<p>"'Don't say a word more, Johnny. Don't say a word more. I was an old +fool. Serves me right.'</p> + +<p>"She got up, threw the bearskin in the corner, and went about her work. +In the morning I asked her again if I could go bear-hunting with the +boys.</p> + +<p>"She put her hands on her hips, looked at me, and laughed to herself, +and then she said:—</p> + +<p>"'Yes, Johnny, you can go. But be sure and take a club with you. I think +you'll be a great help.'"</p> + +<p>Just as Martin had finished his story we heard a series of the most +terrific screeches and caterwauls.</p> + +<p>"Heavens and earth, man," said Hector, "what's that? That must be the +father of all cats."</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_178" id="Page_178">[Pg 178]</a></span>"That's just what he is, and you'll think so to-morrow when you see him. +That is, if he don't get away. That's what we call a bob-cat. The French +call them lucivees; and he's the biggest cat in the country, except the +catamount. It's just as well to leave him alone over-night. We don't +want to go fooling round him in the dark."</p> + +<p>"Weel, mon, generally speaking I have nae fear of a cat; but if this one +has claws and teeth like his screech, I think we'd better defer our +veesit till the morrow. And it's surprising to me how comfortable we all +are out here in the forest in the dead of winter. 'Deed, if Donald and I +were out here alone, we'd be freezing; and here we are as happy as +kings."</p> + +<p>"Yes, and a bagpiper at hand with his music."</p> + +<p>"Now, Benny, don't run the bagpipes down. They're a grand instrument. +Our friend down there does very well in his way; but he hasna the +science. And I was thinking that all we'll be wanting is a little gude +peat in the fire. The peat makes a bonny fire. We're no so wasteful of +wood as you are."</p> + +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_179" id="Page_179">[Pg 179]</a></span> +<div class="sidenote">THE LAIRD OF INVERAWE</div> + +<p>"Well, Hector, we burn peat in our fires at Lexington, too."</p> + +<p>"Then you're more civilized than I thought."</p> + +<p>"Oh, all we really lack are the bagpipes and some of those second-sight +men and Scotch ghosts, who foretell what is going to happen. It's +strange some of them didn't tell Nabby Crombie he ought to take his +cannon with him when he attacked Ticonderoga."</p> + +<p>"We kenned more about Ticonderoga than you think, Comee. Didn't every +mother's son in the Black Watch know that our major, Duncan Campbell, +would meet his death there? He had his warning years ago."</p> + +<p>"A wise man don't do anything great if he tells a soldier that he's +likely to be killed some time. But as you seem to think there is +something remarkable in your story, you'd better give us a few solid +facts. We might not look at it just as you do."</p> + +<p>"Duncan Campbell was the laird of Inverawe Castle in the Highlands, and +with us was called, from his estate, Inverawe. One evening he heard a +knocking at his door, and, opening it, saw a stranger with torn clothes +and his <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_180" id="Page_180">[Pg 180]</a></span>hands and kilt smeared with blood. He said that he had killed a +man in a quarrel and that men were after him in order to slay him. He +asked for shelter. Inverawe promised to conceal him. The man said, +'Swear it on your dirk,' and Inverawe did so. He hid the man in a secret +room in his castle. Soon after there was a knocking at his gate, and two +men entered.</p> + +<p>"'Your cousin Donald has just been murdered, and we are looking for the +murderer.' Inverawe couldna go back on his oath, and said he kenned +naught of the fugitive; and the men kept on in pursuit. He lay down in a +dark room, and went to sleep. Waking up, he saw the ghost of his cousin +Donald by his bedside, and heard him say:—</p> + +<p>"'Inverawe! Inverawe! Blood has been shed. Shield not the murderer.' +When the morning came, he went to the man and told him he could conceal +him no longer.</p> + +<p>"'You have sworn on your dirk,' the man replied. The laird didna know +what to do. He led the man to a mountain, and hid him in a cave, and +told him he wouldna betray him.</p> + +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_181" id="Page_181">[Pg 181]</a></span> +<div class="sidenote">INVERAWE'S FATE FORETOLD</div> + +<p>"The next night his cousin Donald appeared to him again, and said, +'Inverawe! Inverawe! Blood has been shed. Shield not the murderer.'</p> + +<p>"When the sun came up, Inverawe went to the cave, but the man was gone. +That night the ghost appeared again, a grewsome sight, but not so stern. +'Farewell! Farewell! Inverawe!' it said. 'Farewell till we meet at +Ticonderoga.'</p> + +<p>"Inverawe joined the Black Watch. They were hunting us down in the +Highlands, after we had been out with Charlie. When this war came on, +the King granted us a pardon if we would enlist; and right glad we were +to get out of the country. We reached here and learned that we were to +attack Ticonderoga. All of us knew the story. When we reached there, the +officers said: 'This is not Ticonderoga. This is Fort George.' On the +morning of the battle, Inverawe came from his tent, a broken man, and +went to the officers, ghastly pale. 'I have seen him. You have deceived +me. He came to my tent last night. This is Ticonderoga; I shall die +to-day.'"</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_182" id="Page_182">[Pg 182]</a></span>"But he didn't die that day," said Martin. "He was hit in the arm, and +didn't die till ten days after."</p> + +<p>"If you're going to split straws about it," said McKinstry, "the ghost +didn't tell him he would be killed there. He got his death wound, at any +rate; that was near enough. A good deal better guess than you could +make. Between the yelling of that bob-cat and Hector's grisly story, +we're likely to have a good night's sleep. I think we'd better frighten +the ghosts off, and then turn in."</p> + +<p>In the morning, Hector, Amos, and I wanted to go to the traps at once to +examine them; but Martin said, "It may be hours before we get back, and +if you were to start without your breakfast, you might be calling +yourselves pretty hard names later in the day."</p> + +<p>We cooked breakfast, and after we had eaten it, took our guns, and went +to the pond. Our first trap was gone; but there was a big trail where +the clog had been dragged through the snow and bushes.</p> + +<p>We followed it for nearly half a mile, till Martin stopped us and said, +"There he is."</p> + +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_183" id="Page_183">[Pg 183]</a></span> +<div class="sidenote">THEY KILL A BOB-CAT</div> + +<p>We looked into a clump of bushes, and saw a pair of fierce blue eyes, +which looked like polished steel. As we gazed, they seemed to grow +larger and flash fire.</p> + +<p>"'Deed, mon," said Hector, "a more wicked pair of eyes I never saw."</p> + +<p>Martin raised his gun and fired at the bob-cat; but though he wounded +it, the cat jumped at us, pulling the clog after it. McKinstry gave it +another shot, which knocked it over. It died hard.</p> + +<p>When the animal was dead, we examined it. It was over three feet long +and about two feet high. Its tail was about six inches long. Its head +was about as big as a half-peck measure. Its ears were pointed, with +little black tassels at the ends. It had whiskers on its cheeks and +smellers like a cat. The fur was gray, except that on the belly, which +was white.</p> + +<p>Hector was looking at its claws, which were nearly two inches long.</p> + +<p>"McKinstry, what do these animals eat?"</p> + +<p>"Well, if you were alone here in the woods, I think likely they'd eat a +Scotchman."</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_184" id="Page_184">[Pg 184]</a></span>"I was a thinking that same thing myself."</p> + +<p>We skinned the bob-cat, and cut off some of his flesh with which to bait +the trap, and then we carried the trap back, and set and baited it +again.</p> + +<p>We found nothing in our other traps till we came to the spot where the +seventh one had been, and that had disappeared.</p> + +<p>We followed the trail, and finally saw the cat on a stump among some +bushes. McKinstry shot it. It jumped at us, but fell dead.</p> + +<p>It was like the other, and weighed something over thirty pounds, though +it looked much heavier on account of its long fur.</p> + +<p>We skinned it, and set and baited the trap again. The last trap had not +been touched.</p> + +<p>As we were going back, Amos said: "What a p-pity Davy Fiske c-couldn't +have been with us. He'd have talked of this all his life."</p> + +<p>"Well, the only difference is, that Amos Locke will, instead."</p> + +<p>Just before we left the pond, we saw that <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_185" id="Page_185">[Pg 185]</a></span>an animal had turned in on +our tracks, and had followed them up toward the camp.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">A FISHER</div> + +<p>"That's a black cat or fisher," said Martin. "His tracks look like a +little child's. I'd like to get him, for a black cat's fur is worth +something."</p> + +<p>The tracks kept along with ours, and when we got to the camp, we found +that he had eaten up one of three partridges we had left there.</p> + +<p>"I'll fix him," said McKinstry, and the next day he brought up a trap +and set it near the hut, and baited it with partridge. The following +day, while we were away, the black cat came again, passed by our trap +and bait, and though there was a fire burning, went to the hut and ate +some baked beans which were there. He made two more calls on us, but +scorned the trap.</p> + +<p>On the second day out, Martin shot a deer, so that we had plenty of +fresh meat; and we cut holes in the ice on the pond and caught pickerel.</p> + +<p>When the week was up, we had eight bob-cats and an otter. We packed our +traps and <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_186" id="Page_186">[Pg 186]</a></span>skins on the sled, started back, and reached Fort Edward in +the evening.</p> + +<p>Edmund had been unable to go with us on this trip, as Major Rogers was +at Albany, and Edmund's duties as adjutant kept him in camp.</p> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /><a name="CHAPTER_XIV" id="CHAPTER_XIV"></a> + +<hr /><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_187" id="Page_187">[Pg 187]</a></span> +<br /> +<h2>CHAPTER XIV</h2> + +<p class="cen">A SCOUTING EXPEDITION IN THE DEAD OF WINTER</p> +<br /> + +<p>One day about the end of February, Edmund came out of Rogers's hut, and +said:—</p> + +<p>"Rogers is going on a scout, boys, down to Ticonderoga, and will take +your company. Johnson is going to send over fifty Mohawk Indians under +Captain Lotridge, and there'll be a number of regulars, too. There will +be about three hundred and fifty men in the party, so that there won't +be much chance of your being treated as we were in our first expedition. +An engineer lieutenant named Bhreems is going with you, and will make +sketches of the fort. You are to try and take some prisoners to bring +back information."</p> + +<p>We set out on the third of March, 1759.</p> + +<p>The snow was deep, and the Rangers and Indians were on snowshoes. The +regulars <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_188" id="Page_188">[Pg 188]</a></span>followed us, plodding along heavily through the snow. We +reached Halfway Brook that night, and the next day got over to Lake +George. We waited till it was dark and then marched down the lake to the +First Narrows, which we reached about two in the morning.</p> + +<p>It was bitter cold, and already some of the men were so badly +frost-bitten that twenty of them had been sent back to Fort Edward.</p> + +<p>"Now, boys," said Rogers, "we must keep under cover all day and hide +till night comes on. You can't have any fires. Get into sheltered spots +and huddle together to keep warm, and shift round now and then to give +every one a fair chance."</p> + +<p>We huddled together like sheep and covered ourselves with our blankets. +Occasionally we rose, stamped our feet and beat our hands, and then +crouched down again.</p> + +<p>When it was dark we put on our rackets and set out again. By daybreak we +reached the landing-place. Rogers sent scouts to see if any of the enemy +were out. They reported that there were two parties of them <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_189" id="Page_189">[Pg 189]</a></span>cutting +wood on the east side of Lake Champlain.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">FRENCH WOODCUTTERS</div> + +<p>Rogers now marched with fifty Rangers and as many Indians down to the +isthmus, and we went up the same hill from which John Stark and Engineer +Clark made their observations the year before. Everything looked +different in the winter. We were acting as a guard to Mr. Bhreems, who +went up to the crest of the hill and made sketches of the fort. Amos and +I crept along the sidehill to where a few Indians and Rangers were +watching some Frenchmen at work on the other side of the lake. They were +cutting down trees and chopping them up into firewood.</p> + +<p>"I suppose we've got to go over and capture some of those men, Amos."</p> + +<p>"Yes; seems a p-pity, too, to attack men cutting wood. It puts me in +mind of home. That's what I'd be doing now if I were there."</p> + +<p>Rogers left a few scouts to watch these men, and the rest of us returned +with the engineer.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_190" id="Page_190">[Pg 190]</a></span>The weather grew colder and colder. All this time we could have no +fires. We watched each other to see if an ear or a nose were getting +frost-bitten. I told Amos that his right ear looked pretty white, and +that he had better see if there were any feeling in it.</p> + +<p>He took off his mittens and pinched it.</p> + +<p>"It don't hurt a bit. There isn't a mite of feeling."</p> + +<p>I gave it a good rubbing, and he soon had feeling enough in it. "That +comes from wearing such long ears, my boy."</p> + +<p>His toes felt numb, and he went to a place that was bare of snow, took +off his rackets, and stamped to get some life into his feet.</p> + +<p>The regulars suffered much more than we did, for they had no rackets, +and had been wallowing along in the deep snow. So many were frost-bitten +that Rogers sent all the regulars back to Sabbath Day Point, and thirty +Rangers with them.</p> + +<p>Amos went with this party. They were told to build fires to keep +themselves warm, and to wait for us.</p> + +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_191" id="Page_191">[Pg 191]</a></span> +<div class="sidenote">THEY CAPTURE SOME PRISONERS</div> + +<p>At three in the morning the rest of us started out, Rogers, three +lieutenants, one regular, and forty Rangers, and Captain Lotridge with +forty-six Mohawk Indians.</p> + +<p>We went southward to avoid being seen, and crossed South Bay about eight +miles south of the fort. Here we came upon the trail of a large party of +Indians who had gone toward Fort Edward; and Rogers sent off a couple of +scouts to notify the men at the fort.</p> + +<p>Then we turned and marched north in a couple of files, till we got +within half a mile of the place where the French were cutting wood.</p> + +<p>Two Rangers and two Indians were sent forward to scout. They returned +and reported that about forty Frenchmen were at work opposite the fort.</p> + +<p>"Now, boys," said Rogers, "get ready."</p> + +<p>We threw down our blankets, and crept up silently till we were near +them. Then we rushed on them and took several prisoners. Many others +were killed by our Indians.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_192" id="Page_192">[Pg 192]</a></span>The French over at Fort Ticonderoga saw what was going on, and some +eighty Canadians and Indians ran out of the fort followed by about one +hundred and fifty regulars.</p> + +<p>They pursued us.</p> + +<p>"Spread out, boys, into a line abreast. Don't let them get a raking shot +at you. Make for that rising ground over there."</p> + +<p>"I thought the old man wouldn't clear out without giving them a little +fun," said McKinstry. "'Twouldn't be neighbourly after all the trouble +they are taking to entertain us."</p> + +<p>We retreated till we reached the rising ground, and then made a stand. +The Canadians and Indians had snowshoes, and were a good deal ahead of +the regulars. As they approached us, McKinstry said: "I wonder what kind +of a shot you can make, Ben, with that French gun you've got. I'll take +that big Frenchman over there with the blue shirt on."</p> + +<p>"Well, then, I'll take the fellow next to him on the left."</p> + +<p>They ran up toward us, and began to fire. We waited till they got close, +and returned <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_193" id="Page_193">[Pg 193]</a></span>their fire. As the smoke blew away, McKinstry said:—</p> + +<div class="sidenote">A WARM RECEPTION</div> + +<p>"Both of our men are down. You did well, Ben. It's a good deal easier to +shoot a partridge than it is to shoot a man who is running at you with a +gun in his hand."</p> + +<p>The French fell back and waited for the regulars, and we started on +again.</p> + +<p>We reached a long ridge, and crossing to the further side of it, halted.</p> + +<p>They came close to us, and McKinstry and I again chose our men. The +Rangers poured a hot fire into them. We could not see till the smoke +lifted.</p> + +<p>"Your man is down, Ben; and I can see my man running away, but he +limps."</p> + +<p>"His toes may be frost-bitten, Mac."</p> + +<p>"They weren't five minutes ago."</p> + +<p>Our last fire completely routed the French, and they gave up the +pursuit.</p> + +<p>Two Rangers were killed; one of them was next to me as he fell. The +regular who went with us was shot, and an Indian was wounded.</p> + +<p>Of the enemy, some thirty were killed. We <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_194" id="Page_194">[Pg 194]</a></span>had the advantage in +position, being sheltered by the ridge.</p> + +<p>We kept on the go till twelve o'clock that night, having marched over +fifty miles since we started in the morning. This, together with our +three small scrimmages, might be considered an ample day's work. The +snow was about four feet deep, and many of the party had their feet +frozen, for it was bitter cold.</p> + +<p>When we got to Sabbath Day Point, we found the rest of our men there, +and a number of good fires. We warmed ourselves at them, and our +companions brought us some warm food and drink.</p> + +<p>Amos's ear was puffed up, and his toes were so sore he could hardly +walk.</p> + +<p>We were very tired, and rolled ourselves up in our blankets near the +fires, and had a sound sleep.</p> + +<p>The next day we marched as far as Long Island, and camped there that +night.</p> + +<p>At sunrise one of our Indians brought word that a large herd of deer was +on the lake near the west side.</p> + +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_195" id="Page_195">[Pg 195]</a></span> +<div class="sidenote">A HERD OF DEER</div> + +<p>McKinstry, Martin, Amos, and I got leave to go after them with some +other Rangers and Indians. Amos started with us too.</p> + +<p>"This is f-fun, Ben. A whole herd of d-deer waiting to be knocked over. +Oh, my feet!"</p> + +<p>He limped along, and the sweat stood out on his face. "It's no use, Ben. +I can't do it. I call that t-tough luck—to be cheated out of the best +chance for hunting I ever had. Good-by."</p> + +<p>He felt as bad over it as a boy of twelve would to lose Thanksgiving +dinner.</p> + +<p>We divided into two parties. A half a dozen Indians walked up the lake +beyond the deer, so as to drive them toward us; and the rest of us went +to the west side of the lake and up into the woods, till we were hidden +from the lake.</p> + +<p>We walked along on a path that was near the shore of the lake, till we +were opposite the deer, and the Indians were already in a line on the +further side of them.</p> + +<p>"Now, boys," said McKinstry, "spread out, so that they can't run to the +shore, and in this going we ought to get them all."</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_196" id="Page_196">[Pg 196]</a></span>We went down on the ice and drove them toward the Indians and then +formed a circle around them.</p> + +<p>As we had rackets on, and the snow was deep, we could outrun the deer, +and we killed the whole herd—twelve in all. Most of us shot our deer, +but the Indians ran alongside of them and killed their deer with their +hunting-knives.</p> + +<p>"No more salt beef for us for a week or so," said McKinstry. "I've been +longing for a bit of venison."</p> + +<p>We cut up our deer, and making some rude sleds out of bark, placed our +venison on them, and soon overtook the rest of our party, for they moved +slowly.</p> + +<p>Rogers had sent word to Fort Edward that many of the men were +frost-bitten and unable to walk; and one hundred men with a number of +Indian sleds were sent to us and met us on the lake. Amos got on one of +these sleds, and we marched back to Fort Edward.</p> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /><a name="CHAPTER_XV" id="CHAPTER_XV"></a> + +<hr /><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_197" id="Page_197">[Pg 197]</a></span> +<br /> +<h2>CHAPTER XV</h2> + +<p class="cen">CAMP DISCIPLINE—AMHERST'S ANGELS—A BRUSH WITH THE FRENCH,<br /> AND THE LOSS +OF CAPTAIN JACOB</p> +<br /> + +<p>In the spring the provincial troops began to meet at Albany. Some of our +officers had been recruiting during the winter, and they returned with +their men.</p> + +<p>John Stark had gone home in the fall to get married, and he brought back +one hundred men whom he had enlisted at Amoskeag Falls. Two companies of +Stockbridge Indians also joined us. There were fifty men in each of +these companies.</p> + +<p>By the first of June Amherst arrived at Fort Edward with part of the +army, and Gage came up the river with the rest in boats. He brought the +artillery and provisions with him.</p> + +<p>The river was so high that the men could <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_198" id="Page_198">[Pg 198]</a></span>not use setting poles, and it +took them two weeks to row up against the swift current.</p> + +<p>Most of the provincial troops were without uniforms, and, as I have +said, were ignorant of military life and discipline. Their officers wore +a uniform of blue faced with scarlet, with metal buttons, and had laced +waistcoats and hats. They were sober, sensible men.</p> + +<p>When the provincials reached Fort Edward, they were drilled daily and +taught to fire by platoon and to shoot at a mark. They were sent into +the woods to learn how to fight.</p> + +<p>One company from each regiment of the regulars was fitted out as light +infantry and clothed lightly. Plenty of powder and ball was given to +these men, and we used to go into the woods with them and give them an +idea of wood-fighting. We had a good deal of fun out of all this. It was +solid comfort to go out with a batch of conceited fellows and show them +how very green they were.</p> + +<p>The soldiers were sent in bathing daily. The sick, if they had +sufficient strength, had to go to the doctor for their medicines and to +the river to wash and bathe. Amherst thought <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_199" id="Page_199">[Pg 199]</a></span>that spruce beer was a +remedy against scurvy and made great quantities of it. We could have all +we wanted at the rate of half a penny for a quart.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">MILITARY PUNISHMENTS</div> + +<p>Discipline was very rigid. Men were constantly being flogged. And one +sometimes saw the drummers give a man two or three hundred stripes with +the cat-o'-nine-tails, at the head of his regiment. Every now and then +the drummers would rest, and a surgeon would examine the man to see if +he could endure the remainder of the punishment. Some were punished by +riding the wooden horse, and a couple were hanged for stealing cattle.</p> + +<p>The woods along the path from Fort Edward were cut down for quite a +distance on either side of the path, that the enemy might not ambuscade +our parties. And little forts were built every three or four miles along +the road. No one died of idleness that spring.</p> + +<p>Our old uniforms were pretty well used up. When a jacket or a pair of +breeches gave out, we replaced them with a deerskin shirt or breeches, +which we made ourselves.</p> + +<p>In the spring General Amherst gave the <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_200" id="Page_200">[Pg 200]</a></span>Rangers a new uniform. It was a +blue cap or bonnet, such as the Highlanders wore, and a waistcoat and +short jacket of black frieze lapelled with blue. There were no arms to +the waistcoat or jacket, only armholes, and on the shoulders were little +wings, such as the drummers and grenadiers wore. Hector called us +Amherst's angels. The buttons were of white metal. We had drawers of +linen or light canvas, and over them leggings of black frieze reaching +to the thighs. From the calf down, they were buttoned with white metal +buttons, and came over the feet like splatterdashes. At our waist was +fastened a short kilt of blue stuff, which reached nearly to the knees. +Our dress was much like that of the Highlanders.</p> + +<p>Most of the regulars who had joined us since the last campaign came from +Louisburg, and had been sufficiently long in the land to lose a portion +of that feeling of immense superiority which Englishmen have when fresh +from the old country. Still they laughed heartily at the awkward +appearance of the green provincial troops. And no one could help it who +had experience in military life.</p> + +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_201" id="Page_201">[Pg 201]</a></span> +<div class="sidenote">"YANKEE DOODLE"</div> + +<p>"Ben," said Donald, "just listen to the green gawks singing and +whistling that 'Yankee Doodle.' They think it is the finest tune on +earth, and the latest martial music from England. I remember the bit of +a surgeon who wrote that in fun two years ago, just to make sport of +them."</p> + +<p>"Well, Donald, I like it myself; and as our boys have taken it up, +they're apt to fight well under it."</p> + +<p>"'Deed, man, they'll no do anything with it. It's just a poor foolish +tune."</p> + +<p>How little we foresaw the popularity of that air. For years the bands of +the British regiments played it in derision of the provincials. Percy's +troops marched to Lexington to this music. They did not play it on their +return. During the Revolution our men played it whenever the British +were defeated, and the tune gradually became unpopular in the British +army.</p> + +<p>"Donald, our men may be green and awkward, but they are God-fearing men, +most of them, members of the church; and they don't drink like fish, nor +swear like pirates, as these <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_202" id="Page_202">[Pg 202]</a></span>newcomers do, whose conceit and +overbearing ways are hard to endure."</p> + +<p>"You're right there, Ben. It's no bad thing to have a gude opinion of +oneself, provided it's not altogether too gude. And I maun say that +these men put themselves too high. And a man should have a bridle on his +tongue, and not be drinking too much of this nasty rum."</p> + +<p>"They laugh at our ways of speaking, and say we speak through our noses. +You of the Black Watch talk differently from them. I heard a captain, +the other day, telling of pumpkins, which he called pompions. 'Yes,' he +said, 'the pompion is a good vegetable, and an excellent succedaneum to +the cabbage, in the latter part of the winter.' What do you think of +succedaneum, Donald?"</p> + +<p>"'Deed, I think it's a fine word. I don't know what it means, but it has +a grand sound. I'll manage to bring it in, in the future, when I hear +people using big words. Benjamin, I'm obliged to you."</p> + +<p>"A few days later, I heard this captain talking about the fogs in Nova +Scotia, which he <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_203" id="Page_203">[Pg 203]</a></span>said, 'are owing to the steamy breath of fish and sea +animals.' I put that down at once. If I could only hear him talk right +along, I think I'd learn a good deal about nature. How do you like it?"</p> + +<div class="sidenote">THE ARMY MARCHES TO LAKE GEORGE</div> + +<p>"He's a grand talker, Ben, and has an uncommon gude grip on the +language. But I think his philosophy's gone to his head. He never lived +among our Scotch mists, or he wouldn't be so befogged in his ideas."</p> + +<p>When General Gage reached Fort Edward, he was sent over to Lake George +with part of the army. Three companies of Rangers, under Captain Stark, +went with him. The other three companies, under Rogers, remained behind.</p> + +<p>On the 20th of June the rest of the army, under Amherst, marched to the +lake.</p> + +<p>Our three companies of Rangers, under Rogers, formed the advanced guard, +and threw out flanking parties to scour the woods near by. The artillery +and baggage brought up the rear.</p> + +<p>Then nearly a month was consumed in building boats and rafts to carry +the artillery, <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_204" id="Page_204">[Pg 204]</a></span>in raising boats which had been sunk the previous fall, +and in digging up cannon and stores that had been buried.</p> + +<p>Amherst wished for information about the French, and Captain Jacob was +sent on a scout to Lake Champlain. At the same time Rogers, McKinstry, +Martin, and I set out to see what force the enemy had at Crown Point.</p> + +<p>We put our birches into the water after dark. As I stepped into our +birch, Jacob said: "Good-by, Ben Comee! Never see you again. Heap +Canawaugha Indians at Crown Point. Gray Wolf's friends. All want Ben +Comee's scalp. Me heap sorry."</p> + +<p>"Good-by, Jacob. Take care you don't lose your own hair."</p> + +<p>The Indians went along the south shore, and we struck across for the +other side. The enemy had several batteaux on the lake, and we paddled +quietly in the dark till we reached the other shore. As it became light, +we lifted our canoe from the water, and hid it in the bushes.</p> + +<p>Rogers started off through the woods, and <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_205" id="Page_205">[Pg 205]</a></span>we followed him in a file. We +climbed a mountain near Ticonderoga and had a good view of the fort. We +stayed there for a couple of hours, counting the different bodies of +soldiers. There seemed to be about three thousand men in the +garrison,—regulars, Canadians, and Indians. Then we came down and went +north to Crown Point. We ascended a hill, and looked down on the fort. +It was deserted. The French had concentrated all their men at +Ticonderoga.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">CAPTAIN JACOB IN HOT WATER</div> + +<p>McKinstry called out: "Look up the lake. Captain Jacob is in hot water. +Those two birches that are being chased are his, certain."</p> + +<p>"Yes; he and his men are in those two, and there are seven birches after +them. About thirty men. It's a pretty slim chance he's got. Now they're +firing."</p> + +<p>Both parties were shooting at each other. As they neared the shore, we +lost sight of them behind a point, but could still hear them popping +away.</p> + +<p>Rogers said: "Captain Jacob is in a fix. Presence of mind is a good +thing, but <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_206" id="Page_206">[Pg 206]</a></span>absence of body is a great deal better in a case like this, +and we'd better light out of here at once, and get out of the way before +they run across our trail. There's too few of us to help him. We must +look out for our own scalps. Hurry up."</p> + +<p>We went back into the woods a long distance before we turned south to go +to Lake George. We reached camp the next evening, and on the following +day a wounded Indian came in and said that Captain Jacob and the other +four Indians were captured.</p> + +<p>There was a report that he was sent to Montreal, but it is more likely +that he was tortured and sang his death-song at the stake.</p> + +<p>At last the rafts were ready for the artillery, and on the 21st day of +July the army embarked and moved down the lake in four columns. The +Rangers headed the column on the right. To the left of us was a column +of two brigades of regulars. The third column was mainly made up of +boats and rafts carrying the artillery and provisions, and the +provincials formed the fourth column.</p> + +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_207" id="Page_207">[Pg 207]</a></span> +<div class="sidenote">THE ARMY EMBARKS</div> + +<p>A raft called the <i>Invincible Radeau</i>, which carried nine +twelve-pounders, led the army, and the <i>Halifax</i> sloop brought up the +rear.</p> + +<p>From these, signals were displayed which informed us what to do. The +weather was hazy. There was a strong wind which made quite a sea, and +put the artillery in considerable danger. Whenever the wind was +favourable, we spread our blankets for sails, which helped us very much. +There were in all about eleven thousand men,—regulars and provincials.</p> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /><a name="CHAPTER_XVI" id="CHAPTER_XVI"></a> + +<hr /><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_208" id="Page_208">[Pg 208]</a></span> +<br /> +<h2>CHAPTER XVI</h2> + +<p class="cen">THE RANGERS TO THE FRONT—CAPTAIN STARK'S TALE OF<br /> CAPTURE—TO ATTACK THE +ST. FRANCIS INDIANS</p> +<br /> + +<p>We reached the outlet at night, and remained in the boats, tossed about +on the water, which was quite rough. The Rangers were the first to land. +We marched by the portage path to the sawmills, and crossed the bridge +to the rising ground on the further side.</p> + +<p>A party of the enemy met us there, but we killed some of them, drove +them off, and took several prisoners. Soon after, the grenadiers and +light infantry came up, and were followed by the rest of the army, which +remained over-night at the sawmills. The Canadians and Indians crept up +again, and fired on us from the bushes.</p> + +<p>"S-Some of your Canawaugha friends, B-Ben, come to pay you a call."</p> + +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_209" id="Page_209">[Pg 209]</a></span> +<div class="sidenote">RANGERS ADVANCE TO LAKE CHAMPLAIN</div> + +<p>We got behind trees and bushes, and we and the French picked each other +off till night came.</p> + +<p>Several of our men were wounded. How much the enemy suffered I do not +know, as the Indians drag off their dead. This would seem to be a matter +of no consequence, but I can assure you, that after you have been four +or five hours behind a tree, and heard the bullets plug into it, or zip +through the grass and bushes, close by, it's a great downfall when the +enemy have been driven off, to search the ground in front of you, and +find no dead or wounded, when you could take your oath that you had hit +three or four.</p> + +<p>On the 23d, the Rangers were sent across the plain, to take a position +on the cleared land, next to Lake Champlain, near the breastwork.</p> + +<p>When we got there, we found ourselves close to a small intrenchment, and +the men in it opened fire on us.</p> + +<p>"There's no sense, Ben, in standing here, to be shot at," said Martin.</p> + +<p>"No; let's drive them out of that <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_210" id="Page_210">[Pg 210]</a></span>intrenchment, and get behind it +ourselves. Come on, boys."</p> + +<p>We ran toward this earthwork, firing as we advanced, and the French +cleared out as we were climbing over the bank.</p> + +<p>The army now came over to the lake, and the artillery was brought up by +the provincials. Although the breastworks had been greatly strengthened, +the enemy abandoned them, and withdrew to the fort. The breastworks +afforded a good shelter for our men.</p> + +<p>Our army began to throw up earthworks, and at night the Rangers were +sent into the trenches to pick off the enemy, and distract their +attention from the workmen.</p> + +<p>All of our cannon had now been brought over; and on the night of the +twenty-fourth Bourlemaque, the French commander, abandoned the fort with +most of his army, and rowed down the lake, leaving four hundred men to +defend the place.</p> + +<p>As soon as our guns were in place, a sharp cannonade began from both +sides.</p> + +<p>Amherst wished to know what the soldiers under Bourlemaque were doing, +and a <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_211" id="Page_211">[Pg 211]</a></span>number of Rangers had been sent down the lake to watch them, and +some of them were constantly returning with news of the movements of the +enemy.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">THE FRENCH ABANDON TICONDEROGA</div> + +<p>A batteau and two whaleboats had been brought over from Lake George; and +on the night of the twenty-fifth Rogers ordered sixty of the Rangers to +embark in these boats, to cut a boom which the French had placed across +the lake, just above the fort.</p> + +<p>When we were halfway to the boom, we saw lights moving at the fort, and +the enemy ran down to the shore, and began to get into their boats.</p> + +<p>Rogers cried out: "They're getting ready to leave. Go for them, boys!"</p> + +<p>Our boats attacked some of the enemy's batteaux which were separated +from the main body. We rowed among them and fired right and left. One of +the crews showed fight, but we killed three or four of them, and the +rest jumped overboard and swam ashore. Rogers sent our boat after +another boat. I was in the bow, and kept firing at them, till at last +they turned to the shore, and escaped into the <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_212" id="Page_212">[Pg 212]</a></span>woods. At about ten +o'clock, while we were still fighting, the fort blew up with a +tremendous noise.</p> + +<p>We remained at this place, and in the morning took possession of the +boats that we had driven ashore. They contained a large quantity of +baggage,—fifty kegs of powder, and a number of cannon ball. Later in +the day I examined the fort. It was completely destroyed by the +explosion of its powder magazine.</p> + +<p>Two hundred Rangers, under Captain Brewer, were sent to watch the enemy +at Crown Point. The rest of us were sent to the sawmills, to look out +for flying parties of the enemy. We remained there two weeks.</p> + +<p>On the 12th of August we were ordered to the front of the army, and the +whole army marched to the fort at Crown Point, which had been blown up +and destroyed by the enemy.</p> + +<p>I had not had a chance to talk to Captain Stark for a long time, and +when we camped at Crown Point, I went over to his quarters. He took me +into his hut and gave me a pipe.</p> + +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_213" id="Page_213">[Pg 213]</a></span> +<div class="sidenote">A FOOLISH ERRAND</div> + +<p>"I'm glad to see you, Comee. It's been some time since we met, and I +shall not see you again this campaign. I received orders to-day to take +two hundred men and cut a path through the woods to Fort No. 4. I am +very glad of it, for it will take me out of a fix I should have been in, +if I had remained here."</p> + +<p>"How's that, Captain John?"</p> + +<p>"General Amherst has sent Captain Kennedy and some other officers to try +and gain over the St. Francis Indians. I think it is a foolish errand, +which will breed trouble. I don't want to fight them. That is, I don't +mind fighting them, if they come down here, spoiling for a row. But I +don't want to go and attack them in their own region, for I am a member +of that tribe: I was adopted by them. You never suspected that I was a +full-fledged Indian warrior, did you, Ben?"</p> + +<p>"No, indeed. How in the world can that be?"</p> + +<p>"When I grew up, I went trapping and hunting at Baker's River, in the +spring of 1752, with David Stinson, Amos Eastman, and my brother +William. We made a camp <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_214" id="Page_214">[Pg 214]</a></span>with bark and boughs. There was plenty of game, +and we trapped over £500 worth of furs before the first of April. On the +twenty-seventh day of that month we saw the tracks of Indians, and +decided to get out of that region at once. I was twenty-three years old, +the youngest of our party, and was sent to take up the traps."</p> + +<p>"Seems to me, Captain John, if I had £500 of furs, and saw tracks of +Indians, I'd have lit out with my furs, and not waited to pick up +traps."</p> + +<p>"That would have been the right thing to do. That's what a sensible man +would have done. But if you had been there, you'd probably have been +just as big a fool as we were. You see if we had come back without our +traps, some one in the settlements would have been sure to laugh at the +scare we had over nothing. And we were young idiots, and took the risk.</p> + +<p>"Just about sunset, I was stooping over the water, taking up a trap, +when I heard a sound like 'O whish!' I looked up, and saw several +redskins pointing their guns at me.</p> + +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_215" id="Page_215">[Pg 215]</a></span> +<div class="sidenote">THE CAPTIVES</div> + +<p>"They asked me where our camp was, and I led them two miles away from it +up the river.</p> + +<p>"As I did not return to camp, the boys began to fire their guns to call +me back. The Indians ran through the woods, and got below them on the +river in order to head off the canoe as it came down.</p> + +<p>"Eastman was on shore, and Stinson and my brother William were in the +canoe. Just after daybreak they caught Eastman as he was walking along +the bank. The Indians told me to hail the others, and call them to the +shore. I shouted to them: 'The Indians have got Eastman and me. Go down +the further shore.' They paddled away, and the Indians rose and fired. I +knocked up the muzzles of the guns of those near me, and as the rest +fired, I hit all the guns I could. One shot killed Stinson, and a bullet +went through the paddle which my brother held.</p> + +<p>"I cried out, 'They've all fired, Bill. Get away as quick as you can.' +He paddled off, and the Indians gave me a good pounding, for which I +could not blame them."</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_216" id="Page_216">[Pg 216]</a></span>"They must have been pretty angry with you."</p> + +<p>"They were just boiling over, and at the same time they kind of liked me +for it, too.</p> + +<p>"They were St. Francis Indians. There were ten of them under their +chief, Francis Titigaw. They took us up to the Connecticut River, where +we were joined by two Indians who had been left there. Then we went to +the upper Coos Intervale. Three of the Indians were sent with Eastman to +the village of St. Francis. The rest of us hunted on a small creek. They +let me do a little trapping, and gave me the skins of a couple of +beavers that I killed.</p> + +<p>"Early in June we arrived at St. Francis, and they made Eastman and me +run the gauntlet. The young Indians formed two lines, and we were to run +down between them. Each Indian had a club or stick, and they gave +Eastman and me two poles about eight feet long, with the skin of an +animal or bird tied to the end.</p> + +<p>"They taught us some words to sing as we passed down the line, and +pretty sassy words they were. Eastman sang, 'I'll beat all your <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_217" id="Page_217">[Pg 217]</a></span>young +men.' This made the young braves angry and every one struck at him, so +that he was pretty well used up when he got through the lines.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">RUNNING THE GAUNTLET</div> + +<p>"When my turn came, I sang, 'I'll kiss all your young women.' I had a +good, strong pole, and made up my mind that I would not be the only one +who got the blows. As I ran through the lines, I whacked away, right and +left, and this surprised them so much that I got through with but little +harm. Perhaps you think, as others do, that there is no fun in an +Indian. But the old men who sat near by were immensely tickled as their +young men went down, and they showed their pleasure.</p> + +<p>"The first man who struck me was a young fellow eighteen or nineteen +years old. I knocked him down, and he felt so small about it that I did +not see him again while I was with them.</p> + +<p>"An Indian doesn't work. He makes his squaws and prisoners do that. They +set me at work with the squaws, hoeing corn. I hoed up the corn instead +of the weeds. They tried to make me hoe the right way. But I made <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_218" id="Page_218">[Pg 218]</a></span>up my +mind that if they wouldn't hoe corn, I wouldn't. I threw my hoe into the +river, and told them that I was a warrior and not a squaw to hoe corn.</p> + +<p>"Instead of being angry with me, they liked me for this, and the old +chief adopted me.</p> + +<p>"They called me the young chief and treated me well. I learned something +of their language and ways of fighting that has been of advantage to me. +I never saw any prisoner of war treated with so much kindness as I was +by those St. Francis Indians. After I had been at the village five +weeks, Mr. Wheelwright, of Boston, and Captain Stevens, of No. 4, came +to Montreal, to redeem some Massachusetts prisoners. But not finding +them, they bought Eastman and me, and we returned with them by the way +of Albany. I worked hard afterward, and paid off my debt to the +Massachusetts Province. If there is to be any fight with these Indians, +I shall be glad if I am at work cutting out a road to Fort No. 4."</p> + +<p>Early in September we heard that Captain Kennedy, who had been sent to +these St. <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_219" id="Page_219">[Pg 219]</a></span>Francis Indians, to persuade them to abandon the French and +make peace with us, had been made a prisoner by them with the men who +accompanied him, and had been sent to Montreal.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">CAPTAIN KENNEDY MADE PRISONER</div> + +<p>General Amherst was very angry at their treachery. On the afternoon of +September 13 we received orders to be in readiness to explore the +country west of us. We were told that we should go a short distance in +boats and then strike out to the west.</p> + +<p>"This seems a silly trip, Ben," said Martin. "Fooling about in the woods +where there is no enemy. Our army ought to be following the French, +driving them down to the St. Lawrence. Then we could join our forces +with Wolfe's, and finish up the war."</p> + +<p>"Sergeant Munro tells me that Amherst thinks he should restore the fort +and build some boats and ships first."</p> + +<p>"Maybe, maybe; I'm not a general, but I believe that when you've got the +enemy on the run, you ought to keep them on the run till they give in, +and not sit down and give them a chance to get strong again."</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_220" id="Page_220">[Pg 220]</a></span>That night we embarked in whaleboats. There were about two hundred men +in our party. It was made up of a few of Gage's light infantry, under +Captain Dunbar, and the rest were Rangers, among whom were fifty Mohegan +Indians from Stockbridge. We rowed over to the east shore and went down +the lake. Several canoes were sent ahead to warn us if any of the enemy +were out. Cloth was wound round our oars where they rested in the +rowlocks. We had orders not to utter a word, to make no noise.</p> + +<p>The boats moved in single file close to the shore where it was darkest. +Before daybreak we landed and lifted the boats from the water and +carried them into the woods. We lay hidden there during the day. We did +not believe that we were going to the west, but could not guess the +purpose of the expedition.</p> + +<p>The next night we embarked again, and rowed slowly in perfect silence +with an advanced guard of canoes.</p> + +<p>Night after night we did this, always keeping in the shadow of the +shore; and as we got toward the lower part of the lake, we did not +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_221" id="Page_221">[Pg 221]</a></span>start till late at night, and pulled our boats up into the bushes long +before the day began to break. Several times our scouts came back and +whispered that the enemy's boats were out. Then we went in close to the +shore and waited till they were out of hearing distance.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">A MYSTERIOUS EXPEDITION</div> + +<p>We were not allowed to make fires, and as we approached the lower end of +the lake and lay hidden in the woods, we could see sloops and boats of +the enemy out on the lake in the daytime. We had to proceed slowly and +with the utmost caution.</p> + +<p>If we had not been on a perilous expedition into the enemy's country to +some unknown point and for some mysterious purpose, about which we were +worrying, this trip down the lake would have been delightful. The leaves +were just changing colour. The days were perfect. The lake was +beautiful, and we should have gazed with pleasure at the boats that we +saw, had we not known that they were full of enemies who would have been +well pleased to take our scalps and roast us at the stake.</p> + +<p>On the fifth day out, by some accident <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_222" id="Page_222">[Pg 222]</a></span>there was an explosion of +gunpowder, and several of the men were burned and had to be sent back. +Some were sick, and returned with them, so that by the time we reached +Missisquoi Bay at the lower end of the lake our force was reduced to one +hundred and forty-five men.</p> + +<p>It was apparent that this was no expedition to the west, and we were +astonished as we advanced night after night into the enemy's country and +close to their camp.</p> + +<p>Edmund knew where we were going, but he was as close-mouthed as an +oyster.</p> + +<p>"What in the w-world are we up to? Are we going to attack the French +army with one hundred and fifty men? I don't like these expeditions of +Major Rogers. I wish we had a good safe commander like that c-colonel +who was sent out on the lake to stop a party of French and Indians, and +landed on an island and formed his men in a circle round him, and +p-p-prayed that the Lord would send us a long war and a b-b-bloodless +war, and kept on praying till the enemy went by. A fellow has some +chance to keep his hair on <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_223" id="Page_223">[Pg 223]</a></span>his head with a g-good c-careful commander +like that; but this Rogers don't care where he g-goes or how many get +k-killed, so long as he can do something startling. What in time are we +up to?"</p> + +<div class="sidenote">AMOS PREFERS A CAREFUL COMMANDER</div> + +<p>I had been thinking over my talk with Captain Stark, and said:—</p> + +<p>"I know what Rogers is about to do. We are going right up into Canada to +the St. Lawrence River, to attack the St. Francis Indians who made +Captain Kennedy and his men prisoners."</p> + +<p>As I said this, Edmund laughed, and I knew that I had hit it.</p> + +<p>"By the g-great Horn Spoon! That b-beats anything that Weaver David ever +dreamed of. Is that it, Edmund?"</p> + +<p>"I can't tell you where we are going, but don't say a word of what you +suspect; for if any of our party were caught and knew where we were +going, it would be sure death for the rest of us; so just hold your +mouth and don't talk."</p> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /><a name="CHAPTER_XVII" id="CHAPTER_XVII"></a> + +<hr /><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_224" id="Page_224">[Pg 224]</a></span> +<br /> +<h2>CHAPTER XVII</h2> + +<p class="cen">MARCH TO THE VILLAGE—THE RETREAT</p> +<br /> + +<p>We landed at Missisquoi Bay and pulled our boats up into the woods. Near +them we hid the provisions for our return. We distributed the rest of +the food among us, put it on our backs in sacks, and started off to the +northeast.</p> + +<p>We left behind us a couple of Stockbridge Indians to watch the boats and +give us notice if they were discovered. We had only marched two days +when these two Indians caught up with us.</p> + +<p>"Frenchmen and Indians find boats. Heap big party follow us. Three +hundred men."</p> + +<p>Rogers said: "Boys, we are out to punish some Indians, and the only +course for us is to outmarch the enemy, do our work, and get out of the +way."</p> + +<p>We plodded along day after day, from daybreak to dark, most of the time +through spruce <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_225" id="Page_225">[Pg 225]</a></span>bogs where the water was sometimes ankle-deep, and at +times up to our thighs. We were wet all the time, and our shoes began to +rot and go to pieces.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">DAMP WALKING</div> + +<p>At night we cut down trees, laid boughs from one tree to another, and +slept on them to keep out of the water. Nine days we marched and slept +in this manner. It was a terrible strain even to hardy men such as we +were, accustomed to forest life.</p> + +<p>Amos said: "We're just like a procession of cold, miserable frogs, +h-hopping along through the water. This is the biggest fool trip I ever +heard of."</p> + +<p>"Think of the glory, Amos, of going into the heart of the enemy's +country and punishing these Indians."</p> + +<p>"Glory be h-hanged! I wish I was with Davy, hunting foxes and listening +to his big stories of what he did do, or would have done if something +hadn't happened."</p> + +<p>"But when you get back, Amos, you can crush him by telling of this +trip."</p> + +<p>"Yes, when I g-get back. When I get back! I should rather be b-back +without the story. <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_226" id="Page_226">[Pg 226]</a></span>L-Looks to me as if Davy's chance of hearing it is +rather slim."</p> + +<p>On the tenth day after we left Missisquoi Bay we reached a river.</p> + +<p>Rogers said: "Boys, this is the St. Francis River. You have of course +guessed by this time that we are going to punish the St. Francis Indians +for making Captain Kennedy and his companions prisoners when they went +to them with a flag of truce. I did not tell you before, because it was +not safe to do so. If any of you had been waylaid, it was better he +should not know where the party was going, for the Indians would torture +him to make him tell all he knew, and then the French and Indians would +be warned. Now they can only guess where we are to strike. The village +of St. Francis is on the St. Lawrence River, at the mouth of this river, +and on the further side. It is some fifteen miles from here. We shall +attack them in the night. You need have no feelings of pity for them or +mercy. They are the tribe who have been harassing our frontier for the +past ninety years. I know that they have killed four or five hundred +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_227" id="Page_227">[Pg 227]</a></span>good New England men, beside the women and children they have slain and +carried off. This river has a swift current, and we must put our packs +on our shoulders and join arms, with the tallest and strongest up the +river, so as to help each other. Come, Martin, and you, Comee, let's see +how you can keep your legs to-day."</p> + +<div class="sidenote">CROSSING THE RIVER</div> + +<p>Rogers put me near the head of the line, as I was considered a strong +man. We went into the water with arms locked, and struggled against the +current. Though the river was over four feet deep, we got across with +few accidents.</p> + +<p>Several men were swept off their feet, and some guns were lost, but we +arrived safely at the further shore.</p> + +<p>We made a small raft, put our powder-horns on it, and pulled it to and +fro across the stream till all were carried over.</p> + +<p>Scouts were sent ahead, and flanking parties were thrown out. We +advanced cautiously in three files. I did not like this kind of an +expedition, and said so to Martin, who was next to me.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_228" id="Page_228">[Pg 228]</a></span>"I can't bear this sneaking up on the Indians, and jumping on them in +the dead of night when they are sound asleep. I like a good square fight +of give and take."</p> + +<p>"Don't be a fool, Ben. Those Indians have killed and scalped two of your +family. If you had lived on the frontier all your life as I have, you +would be glad to pay them back in their own coin, eye for eye, tooth for +tooth, scalp for scalp. I have had so many friends killed by them, good +quiet people, who never harmed any one. Almost every year, and sometimes +several times a year, I have gone with others to help drive these devils +away from some fort or town. And the sights that I have seen make me +hate the redskins worse than poison. And, Ben, you know enough of them +yourself. How many Rangers have been tormented by them and scalped? +Remember John McKeen! How he was stripped and tied to a tree; then the +red devils danced around him, howled at him, taunted him, and threw +their knives at him till he was full of holes from head to foot. Have +you forgotten what they did then? Put a pine splinter in every wound he +had, set <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_229" id="Page_229">[Pg 229]</a></span>them on fire and made a living torch of him."</p> + +<div class="sidenote">McKINSTRY'S SCORE</div> + +<p>"Yes, Martin, one does not forget such things, nor how they tortured +others, and then made them run the gauntlet, hacked at them with knives +and tomahawks till they fell, and then scalped them. They deserve to be +killed like snakes, but I don't like to do it. No matter how mean or +treacherous my enemy, I want a good stand-up fair fight. I am a soldier. +I am under orders, and I shall do the work; but I hate it."</p> + +<p>"You needn't be squeamish, Ben. They are double our number, and if we +don't kill them by a surprise, they will kill us."</p> + +<p>McKinstry had been listening, and said: "It's plain, Ben, that you have +never lived where there were Injuns. Your injuries are too far off. They +don't touch you. I have a score to pay that I have been wiping off for +the past thirty years. Here's my tally-stick. Look at the notches."</p> + +<p>He pulled at a string that was round his neck, and showed me a little +stick with seventeen notches in it.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_230" id="Page_230">[Pg 230]</a></span>"I have killed that number of Indians. Every notch I have added made my +heart feel lighter. Every chance I have to kill a St. Francis Indian, +awake or asleep, makes me happy. I want to see the whole tribe wiped off +the earth."</p> + +<p>The land on this side of the river was higher than the region through +which we had been travelling, and we were not so much troubled by +mosquitoes, which had nearly driven us crazy in the swamps.</p> + +<p>The clear, crisp air dried our clothes before nightfall, and we slept +sound, breathing in the clean smell of the fir balsams.</p> + +<p>On the next day, the twenty-second, after we left Crown Point, we made a +cautious advance. Rogers halted us and climbed a tree. He said that he +could see the village about three miles off.</p> + +<p>Rogers went ahead with Lieutenant Turner and Ensign Avery to inspect the +village, and we lay down and waited. The moon was about three-quarters +full. He returned at two in the morning, and said:—</p> + +<p>"We crawled up close to their village. <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_231" id="Page_231">[Pg 231]</a></span>The Indians are having a great +frolic. They have a keg of rum and are drinking it, and are dancing +round the fires. I think there must be a wedding going on. They will +sleep sound."</p> + +<div class="sidenote">THEY ATTACK THE VILLAGE</div> + +<p>At three o'clock we crept up to within five hundred yards of the +village, and laid aside our packs and prepared for the fight. We had one +hundred and forty-two men, all told.</p> + +<p>We lay concealed in the forest till the Indians were asleep. Rogers +divided us into three parties, and about an hour before daylight ordered +us to attack the village on three sides. The St. Lawrence River was on +the fourth side. We rushed into the village, through its lanes, kicking +the yelping dogs aside, and stationed ourselves before the huts. Above +the doors were poles, from which dangled rows of scalps, as if they were +garlands of flowers.</p> + +<p>I stood by the door of a hut, and as an Indian came out I shot him; and +when the next appeared, with a dazed, frightened look on his face, I +brained him with the butt of my gun, and then pulled out my hatchet <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_232" id="Page_232">[Pg 232]</a></span>and +chopped away at them as they ran by. Martin, Edmund, and Amos were near +me. Sometimes several Indians made a rush, and we closed up and fought +them.</p> + +<p>It was cruel, bloody butchery. But the sight of the poles with the +scalps of English men, women, and children hanging from them made us mad +with rage, and we killed the Indians like rats as they dashed out of +their huts. Some reached the canoes, but were followed and cut down. Few +escaped. Some squaws were killed too. We were all mixed up. It was +impossible to spare them. They fought like wildcats with knives and +hatchets, and we had to kill them or be killed ourselves.</p> + +<p>By sunrise the bloody work was over. Almost all the Indians had been +slain. As we looked round and saw nearly six hundred English scalps +dangling in front of the huts, we felt no sorrow for what we had done.</p> + +<p>Still, it was a grim, dreadful piece of work. The dead Indians lay +around in the lanes between the huts, in some places in heaps, +stiffening in death, smeared with blood, and <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_233" id="Page_233">[Pg 233]</a></span>the Stockbridge Indians +were already at work scalping them.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">A GRIM PIECE OF WORK</div> + +<p>We ourselves were covered with blood, and looked like butchers from the +shambles. It was not all Indian blood. They were not lambs, and gave us +many a wound before we got the better of them. Edmund and Amos came to +me.</p> + +<p>"How did you get through it, Ben?"</p> + +<p>"All right, but a few cuts. I hope I don't look as villanous as you or +Amos."</p> + +<p>"I d-don't know how I look. B-But if I saw you or Edmund round my place +looking as you d-do now, I'd shoot you at sight."</p> + +<p>Rogers ordered us to set fire to all the houses except those which were +storehouses for corn. One house was a mass-house with pictures hanging +up inside. We found some silver cups and plates in it, and a silver +image some ten inches high. In the other houses we found many things +which they had carried off from the settlements.</p> + +<p>Most of the Rangers had lost relatives and friends in these Indian +fights, and were examining the scalps carefully. McKinstry was <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_234" id="Page_234">[Pg 234]</a></span>looking +them over with an intense, eager air. Seeing me, he said: "It's a +foolish search. Thirty years have passed since they killed my sweetheart +and ruined my life. I was looking for a lock of hair like this."</p> + +<p>He pulled a little pouch from his breast, opened it, and unfolding some +fine cloth, showed me a lock of golden hair.</p> + +<p>"The Indians surprised the garrison house where she lived and killed all +but her. We got word of it soon. We started out with a large party and +pursued them. We followed them day and night, and as they were being +overtaken they killed and scalped her. I found her dead body on the +ground, and from that day to this I have sought revenge. Last night was +the happiest I have had for years. The tribe that killed her is wiped +out, and I killed six of them myself."</p> + +<p>Rogers had been questioning some of the prisoners. He turned to us and +said:—</p> + +<p>"Hurry up, boys; we must get out of this place quick. There's no time to +go back after our packs. There's a party of three hundred French and +Indians four miles below, <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_235" id="Page_235">[Pg 235]</a></span>on the St. Lawrence, looking for us, and two +hundred Frenchmen and sixteen Indians went to Wigwam Martinac a few days +ago, expecting we would attack that place. They will all be after us +soon. Load yourselves up with corn from the corn houses. Take all you +can, for we shall have little else to live upon, as the game is scanty +in the country through which we shall pass."</p> + +<div class="sidenote">THE VILLAGE IN FLAMES</div> + +<p>We put the corn in our pockets and in any sacks that we could find, +placed them on our backs, and left the village a mass of flames.</p> + +<p>"We must strike through the woods to the head waters of the Connecticut +River, and follow it down to Fort No. 4. We can't go back by the way we +came, for the French and Indians could easily collect a force that would +overpower us. I sent word to Amherst to have plenty of provisions for us +at the mouth of the Ammonusuc River, and we can get there all right."</p> + +<p>We released all our prisoners but a couple of boys, and started off, +taking with us six Englishmen whom we found in captivity. Edmund +said:—</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_236" id="Page_236">[Pg 236]</a></span>"I'm glad to leave this place. It's too much like a slaughter-house. +Orders are orders, and we have to execute them. But faith! I can't see +but that we have been doing just what these Indians have done for the +last ninety years."</p> + +<p>"The work had to be done, and we did it. I can't say I feel proud of it +either. I wonder how we are going to get out of this scrape."</p> + +<p>"At the l-little end of the h-horn. It seems that we shall starve in the +region th-through which we shall travel; and we should all be killed if +we w-went in any other direction; and I guess these Indians will follow +us p-pretty sharp, whichever way we go."</p> + +<p>We marched in a body to the southeast at the top of our speed. At night +we stopped, parched our corn and ate it. In the morning at daybreak we +started on again.</p> + +<p>In eight days we reached Lake Memphremagog. The corn was giving out, and +Rogers separated us into small parties, each with a guide who had been +up the Connecticut River. He told the different parties to <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_237" id="Page_237">[Pg 237]</a></span>keep away +from one another, that they might the more readily find sufficient game +to support them, and to meet at the Coos Intervale land at the mouth of +the Ammonusuc River. That was the place to which he had requested +Amherst to send the supplies.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">THE AMBUSCADE</div> + +<p>Our Mohegan Indians left us, and went south toward their home, for they +thought the hunting would be better in that direction and the risk no +greater. They reached home without losing a man.</p> + +<p>Edmund, McKinstry, Amos, and I were with Rogers's party. The Indians +pursued us closely. We came to a narrow valley, and Rogers said:—</p> + +<p>"We'll try an ambuscade on them, and see how they like it. After you +enter the valley, get up into the woods on either side. Don't fire till +they are well in the valley."</p> + +<p>The rear portion of our party were exchanging shots with the Indians, +dodging from tree to tree. They came down the valley followed by the +redskins. When they were well in the trap, we opened fire on the Indians +and killed a number. They began <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_238" id="Page_238">[Pg 238]</a></span>to run back. We reloaded hastily, and, +after pouring a second volley into them, rushed on them. McKinstry +knocked an Indian down, but was shot by another, whom I killed with my +hatchet. I turned to McKinstry. He lay on the ground gasping for breath, +shot through the body.</p> + +<p>"It's all up with me, Ben."</p> + +<p>I tried to staunch the blood.</p> + +<p>"It's no use; I feel I'm dying. I always liked you, Ben. May your life +be happy. Good-by."</p> + +<p>He closed his eyes, and his breast heaved hard as he drew short, quick +breaths. Presently he opened his eyes again. He did not notice me, but +seemed to see something above him. A smile came over his face, and he +said:—</p> + +<p>"Yes, Mary, I'm coming, dear."</p> + +<p>Then his breathing ceased. We buried him in the valley, levelled the +grave, threw wood on it, and burnt the brush around that the ashes might +conceal the spot where he was laid. Then we hurried on again.</p> + +<p>Three days later two of Ensign Avery's <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_239" id="Page_239">[Pg 239]</a></span>men joined us, and reported that +some of them had been captured by the Indians, and that several had been +tortured and burnt at the stake. These two had escaped in the night, +while the Indians were dancing round their companions. The next day the +few who were left of Avery's party met us.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">A CHOICE MORSEL</div> + +<p>We marched along, keeping a sharp lookout for squirrels, chipmunks, or +any kind of animal that might serve as food. Thus we travelled over +rocky mountains and through wet swamps, pursued by Indians, faint from +hunger, worn out with fatigue and exposure, hardly able to walk. We had +no blankets or shelter. The nights were cold and frosty, and when it +rained we were soaked and chilled to the bone.</p> + +<p>We found almost no game. Edmund had the luck to shoot a big white owl. +We plucked it, cut it up, and drew lots for the different portions. I +got a leg. It was tough—almost as tough as our fate. But after one has +been chewing leather straps for sustenance, an old owl's leg tastes +good. I would not have sold it for its weight in the most precious +stones.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_240" id="Page_240">[Pg 240]</a></span>I shall not tell all the horrors of that march,—the pangs of hunger +that we suffered, the greed for food, the sights that I saw, nor what +men did in their despair. Some things had better remain unwritten.</p> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /><a name="CHAPTER_XVIII" id="CHAPTER_XVIII"></a> + +<hr /><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_241" id="Page_241">[Pg 241]</a></span> +<br /> +<h2>CHAPTER XVIII</h2> + +<p class="cen">STARVATION—DRIFTING DOWN THE AMMONUSUC—FORT NO. 4,<br /> AND GOOD FORTUNE AT +LAST</p> +<br /> + +<p>At last we arrived at the Ammonusuc River, where our provisions were to +meet us, and found <i>nothing</i>.</p> + +<p>Fires were still burning which showed us that the relief party had been +there, and had left just before we arrived. We shouted and fired our +guns, but got no response. We learned afterward that the lieutenant who +had brought the supplies had waited two days for us, and then quitted +the place two hours before we arrived, taking the provisions with him. +He heard our guns, but thought that they were fired by Indians, and kept +on his way down the river.</p> + +<p>Our condition was terrible. We had been stumbling along, feeble, gaunt, +half crazed by hunger and fatigue. But the expectation of <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_242" id="Page_242">[Pg 242]</a></span>food, the +certainty that we should find plenty at the Ammonusuc, had nerved us up +to the effort to reach it, and now it was gone. It had been there and +was gone. We broke down completely and cried and raved. Some became +insane.</p> + +<p>I have already said that I did not like Rogers for several good reasons. +But he was a man of tremendous nerve, energy, and resource. Though his +great strength had been wasted by starvation, so that he could hardly +walk, he still remained the leader, and said:—</p> + +<p>"Don't lose your courage, men. I'll save all of you. It is sixty miles +from here to Fort No. 4. Bring some dry logs. Hurry up. I am going to +make a raft, and float down to No. 4 and fetch back food and help."</p> + +<p>We brought logs and made a raft.</p> + +<p>"You can find enough lily-roots and ground-nuts to keep you alive till I +return. If any of you do not know how to clean and cook them, Captain +Grant will show you. I promise you I will have all the food you want at +this place in ten days."</p> + +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_243" id="Page_243">[Pg 243]</a></span> +<div class="sidenote">STARVATION</div> + +<p>He got on the raft with Captain Ogden, an Indian boy and Martin, who had +been over the river before. They poled and paddled it to the middle of +the river, and drifted down the stream out of sight.</p> + +<p>The next day two more men crept into camp and reported that the Indians +had attacked their party several days before, and had killed Lieutenant +Turner of the Rangers, Lieutenant Dunbar of Gage's light infantry, and +that of all their party they alone had escaped.</p> + +<p>It was horrible to see the wild, haggard men stagger in, and to witness +their despair when they received nothing to eat but such lily-roots and +ground-nuts as we could find and boil. There was but little nourishment +in them.</p> + +<p>Ben Bradley left camp with three companions. They put on their packs. +Ben looked at his compass, and said:—</p> + +<p>"Good-by, boys. In three days we shall be at home."</p> + +<p>They were never afterward seen alive. Several years later some hunters +from the <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_244" id="Page_244">[Pg 244]</a></span>Merrimac found a skeleton in the White Mountains. They knew it +was Bradley's from the hair, and the peculiar leather strap with which +his cue was tied.</p> + +<p>After Rogers had been gone three days, I said to Edmund:—</p> + +<p>"I can't stand this any longer. This place is like a mad-house. We shall +go crazy if we stay here. Let us get some logs, make a raft, and drift +down the river."</p> + +<p>We talked it over that afternoon, and the next morning began building a +raft. It was a rickety little affair. We finished it in one day, but +were so feeble that we found it hard work. We cut a couple of saplings +for poles, and took some wood, from which we whittled a couple of +paddles.</p> + +<p>One of the men, who had been over the river before, said:—</p> + +<p>"Look out for a waterfall and rapids, some twenty miles down, boys. +Don't get carried over them, or you'll be lost. And there's another bad +fall and rapids below that."</p> + +<p>We poled the raft into the current, and <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_245" id="Page_245">[Pg 245]</a></span>let it drift. Toward night we +paddled to the shore and camped there.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">THE RAFT IS LOST</div> + +<p>In the morning we shot a squirrel, and during the day got another. +Toward evening we heard the sound of the falls, and poled to the shore. +The night was cold. We had no shelter. It rained heavily. We were +drenched and almost frozen. In the morning our little strength was gone. +We got on our raft, and poled it along till we were close to the falls; +and then put in to the shore. Amos held the raft, while Edmund and I +went below, in the hope that it might not be badly broken, as it came +over, and that we could save it. We waded into the cold water, and Amos +let the raft go. It was dashed on the rocks, as it passed over the +falls, and was completely broken up. The logs drifted out of our reach. +Thoroughly chilled, exhausted, and discouraged, we climbed the bank. We +saw that fires had been made and trees burnt down, and then burnt into +lengths.</p> + +<p>"This is some of Rogers's work," said Edmund.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_246" id="Page_246">[Pg 246]</a></span>"He must have lost his raft as we did, and burned the trees to get logs +of the right lengths to make a new raft."</p> + +<p>"I hope he didn't spend much time over it. For I can't go any further, +and B-Ben is all of a shake, and looks mighty poor."</p> + +<p>"I guess last night did for me, Amos. I've got some kind of fever coming +on. Start a fire if you can, and let us try to warm ourselves."</p> + +<p>The ground was wet, but Amos and Edmund collected an armful of dry wood +from sheltered spots. We rubbed some gunpowder into a rag, and sprinkled +more over it. We held it near the lock of the gun, and flashed some +powder in the pan. This lighted the rag, and we covered it with fine +shavings which we had whittled, and made a fire.</p> + +<p>"A canoe from below ought to reach here by to-morrow. I can keep up till +then."</p> + +<p>"Hush! I heard a p-partridge, and I've g-got strength enough to go after +him." The tough, wiry fellow took his gun, and went into the woods.</p> + +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_247" id="Page_247">[Pg 247]</a></span> +<div class="sidenote">WELCOME VISITORS</div> + +<p>We heard a bang, and he came out with a partridge, which we roasted and +divided among us. It only served to sharpen our hunger.</p> + +<p>"There must be more of these p-partridges in there. I'm g-going to try +again. I feel b-better."</p> + +<p>"I will go too," said Edmund.</p> + +<p>They walked into the woods, and in half an hour I heard a couple of +shots, and they came out with two birds. We roasted them, ate them, and +felt that we were saved. We kept a good fire going, built a rough +shelter of boughs, and slept quite comfortably that night, though the +fever troubled me somewhat. The next morning we made an attempt to find +more birds, but were unsuccessful. A little after noon we saw a birch +coming up the stream with three men in it. They waved their hands to us, +and landed where we were at the foot of the falls. They shook hands, and +one of them said:—</p> + +<p>"You look pretty peaked, boys. I guess a little food and drink won't +hurt you."</p> + +<p>We ate greedily, and the food put warmth and life into us. We asked +about Rogers.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_248" id="Page_248">[Pg 248]</a></span>"He's at No. 4. His raft was swept over these falls, and he and his men +had a narrow escape. Then he made a new raft and was nearly lost at the +falls below. We'd like to stop longer with you, boys, but can't. We're +carrying food to the fellows up the river."</p> + +<p>"You must get there as quick as you can. We left about seventy men up +there, starving and going mad for want of food."</p> + +<p>"Some more birches are to follow us in a couple of days, and you'll meet +them on your way down."</p> + +<p>They gave us some food and then made the carry, up by the falls, and +left us. We ate and drank some more, and then slept for an hour. When we +woke up, we felt much stronger, and went to work making another raft. +The next day we completed the raft early in the morning; and drifted +down to the waterfall of which they had spoken. We kept our ears and +eyes open, and went ashore in time to avoid it. We had built a fire and +were making a shelter, when three more canoes came up, and we camped +together <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_249" id="Page_249">[Pg 249]</a></span>with the men. We had all that we could eat and it was +delightful to us to meet these clean, healthy, robust men, full of life.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">FORT NO. 4</div> + +<p>In the morning they helped us lower our raft down the fifty feet of +rapids. They gave us some nails, and we added to our raft and made it +stronger, and then poled it out into the river, and drifted down with +the current. We arrived at Fort No. 4 at sunset. It was the 9th of +November. We had spent two months in that dreadful, barren wilderness. +When we came in sight of the fort, and poled our raft to the shore, men +and women in good Christian dress came running down to meet us. Our +hearts rose up in our throats. We could not speak from our happiness. +The tears rolled down our cheeks and we sobbed from joy.</p> + +<p>How fine they looked, those men with their clean-shaven faces, and their +hair neatly done up in cues! And how beautiful and kind the women!</p> + +<p>Such few clothes as we still had were in rags. Our hair and beards were +long and matted together; our faces and hands <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_250" id="Page_250">[Pg 250]</a></span>black from exposure and +dirt and grime. We felt ashamed of our appearance and would gladly have +sneaked in unseen. But they made of us as if we had been three prodigal +sons. And the flesh-pots, the fatted calf, and the honey were all +offered to us.</p> + +<p>Rogers claimed us for a short time, to get news from the camp, and told +us he was going up the next morning.</p> + +<p>We had a supper of the best there was in the fort, and you can guess how +it looked and tasted to men who had lived for weeks on corn and leather +straps and nothing; and who had watched with greedy eyes the cutting up +of an old white owl.</p> + +<p>They gave us a room, with soap and tubs of warm water, and we got rid of +some of the grime, cut off our beards, shaved our faces, and put on the +clothes they left for us. Amos said:—</p> + +<p>"B-Ben, I feel as if No. 4 must be p-pretty near h-heaven."</p> + +<p>"Yes! But it isn't up the river."</p> + +<p>When we came out, the men crowded round to hear our adventures. Amos +started to tell <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_251" id="Page_251">[Pg 251]</a></span>the story, and when he got hung up on a word, Edmund +would go on with the tale.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">BEN HAS A FEVER</div> + +<p>I felt hot and feeble and sick. My head ached. I became dizzy, and +finally asked some one to take me to a room where I could lie down, and +I went to bed. I haven't any clear idea of what happened afterward. I +have a faint recollection of Edmund and Amos bending over me, saying +good-by. But I do remember that Indian who tried again and again to +scalp me. John Stark drove him off several times, but he kept coming +back, and at last caught me by the hair, ran his knife round my head, +braced his foot on my shoulder, pulled, and I felt my scalp go. Then I +knew nothing more till I opened my eyes, and saw the rafters above, and +the bedclothes about me.</p> + +<p>I smelt smoke, and heard the wood snap and crackle. Beside the fireplace +a girl was seated, knitting. Such a pretty girl, the loveliest I had +ever seen. I watched her knit, and then stop and count the stitches. How +beautiful she was, with her light brown hair, the pretty side face, with +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_252" id="Page_252">[Pg 252]</a></span>the fresh colour in it! Her figure was lithe, supple, full of grace. I +thought at once of Shakespeare's Rosalind. My heart went out to her. As +I gazed, she looked up, and turned a pair of big brown eyes at me. I had +never been in love before. But, as she rose and came over to the bed, I +said to myself:—</p> + +<p>"This is she. This is the one for whom I have waited."</p> + +<p>She smiled, and a little dimple came in her cheek.</p> + +<p>"Ah! I'm glad you've come to your senses again. How do you feel?"</p> + +<p>"Perfectly content and happy. I seem to be in a pleasant dream."</p> + +<p>"That's good. You've had dreams enough, in the last month, that didn't +seem pleasant. You must keep quiet. I'll be back in a minute."</p> + +<p>She returned with her mother, who gave me some medicine, and a drink of +broth, and I fell asleep. When I awoke, the pretty girl was knitting by +the fire. She got me some broth, and after I had drunk it brought a +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_253" id="Page_253">[Pg 253]</a></span>flax-wheel and sat down by it. I was sick and weak, but the joy of +Michael Wigglesworth's saints in heaven was nothing compared to mine. +That is, until the dreadful thought occurred that she might have been +already sought and won by some one else. But I said: "Keep your courage +up, Ben. She isn't over seventeen. I'm sick, and she's here, and I won't +get well in a hurry."</p> + +<div class="sidenote">RUTH</div> + +<p>How well I remember her, sitting by the flax-wheel, spinning,—even the +pepper and salt homespun dress, the blue and white checked apron, the +little shoes with the silver buckles, and the glimpse of gray stocking.</p> + +<p>"Will you please tell me your name?"</p> + +<p>"Ruth. Ruth Elliot."</p> + +<p>"Ruth? That's the sweetest name of all. It suits you too. But where am +I, and what good fortune brought me here?"</p> + +<p>"You are at Fort No. 4, or Charlestown as they call it now. You were +with Rogers in the woods, and floated down the river with Sergeant Munro +and Amos Locke. You have been out of your head with a fever for nearly a +month."</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_254" id="Page_254">[Pg 254]</a></span>"Yes, yes. I remember now. How many of the Rangers got back?"</p> + +<p>"About one hundred. They came in at different places. Twelve days after +you arrived, Rogers came down with those who were at the Ammonusuc. Some +were insane, and some had died before he reached them. It was good to +see them back again. But they were terribly wasted and worn. After they +had been here a few days, they started for Crown Point, over the road +which Captain Stark has just cut through the woods."</p> + +<p>"One hundred out of one hundred and forty-five? Well, it might have been +worse. And what news is there of General Wolfe and his army? When I last +heard of them, they were on their way up the St. Lawrence to Quebec."</p> + +<p>"Quebec is taken."</p> + +<p>"That's good. General Wolfe will get great praise and reward for that."</p> + +<p>"If he were alive, he might, but there was a desperate fight, and Wolfe +was killed in it, and Montcalm too."</p> + +<p>"Both dead? They were brave men and <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_255" id="Page_255">[Pg 255]</a></span>skilful soldiers. Cut off in their +prime like Lord Howe. And what is Amherst doing?"</p> + +<div class="sidenote">BEN TELLS HIS ADVENTURES</div> + +<p>"Amherst is rebuilding the fort at Crown Point. He will do nothing more +this year. It is too late. In the spring he will go down and take +Montreal, and end the war."</p> + +<p>"And the Rangers—what about them?"</p> + +<p>"Most of them have gone home. Sergeant Munro and Mr. Locke passed +through here a few days ago. They would have stopped, but the fort is +full of sick soldiers, and as they could be of no help, they went on +their way."</p> + +<p>When she had given me the news, it was her turn to question, and mine to +answer. I had to tell her all of our adventures during the war, and she +laughed and cried over them. I grew more and more deeply in love. I was +in no haste to get well, but nature was against me. Every bit of food +she gave me seemed to have some wonderful life-giving power in it and my +health came back in bounds. After it returned, I nearly fell sick again +from the dreadful fear that I might lose her. As the time for my +departure approached, our <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_256" id="Page_256">[Pg 256]</a></span>conversation would halt and stop, and we sat +in silence. I felt down-hearted and hadn't the courage to test my fate, +till one day I saw the tears gather in her eyes and trickle down her +cheeks. Then we soon had an understanding, and our light-heartedness +came back.</p> + +<p>"Oh, Ben, I couldn't bear to have you leave, and now I'm so happy."</p> + +<p>But she was a wilful thing, and though her name was Ruth, she objected +to following the example of her namesake in the Bible.</p> + +<p>"I may be Ruth, but you're not Boaz."</p> + +<p>I stoutly asserted that I was baptized Benjamin Boaz Comee, but I could +not bring her to see that she should leave all and follow me.</p> + +<p>"No, no, Benjamin Boaz. You're a pretender, and times have changed. I +might not like your people, and they might not like me. Father thinks a +deal of you, and mother loves you as if you were her own son. And you +repay their love by trying to steal me away from them. Is that fair to +them, Boaz? Don't you think they would miss their little girl? And that +their life would be gloomy <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_257" id="Page_257">[Pg 257]</a></span>without me? And besides, Ben, you told me +that they had all the blacksmiths in Lexington that were needed, and +that your chances would be poor. And here we're just pining for another +blacksmith. The new road through the woods puts us on the main highway +to Canada, and there's no better place for a blacksmith than this. Now +that the Indians are gone, you could take up some of that intervale land +up the river, that they talk about, and then I'm here, and if Benjamin +Boaz Comee wants Ruth, he must follow her. Ben, I like my own way."</p> + +<div class="sidenote">WANTED: A BLACKSMITH</div> + +<p>"I like your own way too, and will live wherever you please, provided it +be with you."</p> + +<p>I returned home, and found Amos telling Davy of our adventures. For a +time Davy had little to say about his hunting stories.</p> + +<p>I went back to No. 4, opened a blacksmith's shop, and in the fall +married Ruth. We have lived here ever since, and have prospered. Much of +my success is due to my wife's clear head and wonderful common sense. +Folks regard Colonel Comee as a very shrewd <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_258" id="Page_258">[Pg 258]</a></span>and able business man. But +my friends laugh, and say:—</p> + +<p>"Colonel Ben's just a figure-head. He never takes an important step +without talking it over with Aunt Ruth."</p> + +<p>John Stark and I have always remained close friends. When he was a +colonel at Bunker's Hill, I was a lieutenant in his regiment, and served +under him throughout the Revolution. He became a general, and showed the +ability that we recognized in the French War.</p> + +<p>By the end of the Revolution I had risen to the rank of colonel. Hardly +a year has passed since that time that one of us has not made the other +a visit of a few days. He has always retained a great admiration and +tender affection for Lord Howe.</p> + +<p>After the French War was over, Rogers was appointed to the command of +the post at Michilimackinac. His accounts did not come out right. He +always had that failing, and he went to England to explain matters. +While over there, he was riding one night in a stage-coach over Hounslow +Heath, <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_259" id="Page_259">[Pg 259]</a></span>when a masked highwayman stopped the coach, and thrusting his +pistols in at the window, told the passengers to hand over their money +and watches. They were doing so, when Rogers, who was wonderfully +strong, quickly reached out, grabbed the highwayman by the collar of his +coat, pulled him into the coach, sat on him, took away his pistols, tied +him up, and delivered him over to the authorities. He was an old +offender, for whose apprehension a reward of £50 had been offered, which +Rogers claimed and received.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">A SURPRISED HIGHWAYMAN</div> + +<p>Rogers remained in England till the Revolution, and then came over here, +and after a while offered his services to Washington. He came to Stark's +headquarters at Medford, and John and I had a long talk with him.</p> + +<p>Stark believed he would be true to us, and so did I. But he had been on +such close terms of intimacy with the British that Washington distrusted +him and would not give him a command.</p> + +<p>Soon after he received a commission from the British, and raised the +Queen's Rangers, <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_260" id="Page_260">[Pg 260]</a></span>who were badly defeated in a fight in Connecticut.</p> + +<p>Rogers then returned to England, and led a rather shady life; and I +believe was finally killed while fighting in Algiers. He was a curious +compound. If he had only been a man of honour, he would have become a +great man. But his tricky, unscrupulous nature was his ruin.</p> + +<p>Edmund Munro served again at Crown Point in 1762-63, as a lieutenant, +and as adjutant of the four provincial regiments stationed there.</p> + +<p>I met him often in the Revolution. He was captain of the Lexington +company. Poor fellow, he was killed by a cannon ball at Monmouth, at the +head of his company. He died poor, and his widow had a hard time till +the little ones grew up.</p> + +<p>Of our old playmate, John Hancock, you have all heard, how he inherited +the wealth of his Uncle Thomas, and in his turn was the richest man in +Boston, and lived in the stone house on Beacon Hill.</p> + +<p>You remember how he risked his great <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_261" id="Page_261">[Pg 261]</a></span>fortune and his head, and sided +with his countrymen. His bold signature heads the signers of the +Declaration of Independence. Riches and honours came to him. Year after +year he was chosen governor of Massachusetts.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">GOVERNOR HANCOCK</div> + +<p>I did not meet him from the time I went to the French War till some ten +years after the Revolution.</p> + +<p>I called on him in Boston, and he was glad to see me, and had me up to +his house to dinner and to spend the night.</p> + +<p>Everything was magnificent. John was kind, but condescending—something +like a great mogul receiving an inferior.</p> + +<p>I had no favour to ask of him. I saw no reason why I should look up to +and revere him. I had played my own part in life well and boldly and +stood firm on my feet. When John found I was not in awe of his rank and +magnificence, he gave up his grand airs and was again the bright, lively +fellow I knew as a boy.</p> + +<p>Hector and Donald Munro remained in this country. After the French War +was over, <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_262" id="Page_262">[Pg 262]</a></span>they visited their kinsmen in Lexington, and then went to +Rehoboth, where there is another branch of the family, and settled in +that town.</p> + +<p>My old wrestling-master, Jonas Parker, was killed on the common at +Lexington, on the 19th of April, 1775. He had said in his grim way, +"Some may run from the British, but I won't budge a foot."</p> + +<p>He was in the front rank of the minutemen. He laid his hat on the ground +before him, and in it placed his powder-horn and bullets.</p> + +<p>When the British fired, he was wounded, and fell to his knees. He +returned their fire, and was reloading, when the regulars ran forward +and killed him with their bayonets.</p> + +<p>Amos and Davy were in the Revolution, too. They never got over their +love for fox-hunting and pigeon-shooting.</p> + +<p>As I finish this record, sixty years have passed since we had the pigeon +shoot on Bull Meadow Hill. Those of us who survive are old, but some of +us are still hale and hearty.</p> + +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_263" id="Page_263">[Pg 263]</a></span> +<div class="sidenote">AMOS HAS A STORY, TOO</div> + +<p>I received a letter the other day from a friend in Lexington, in which +he says:—</p> + +<p>"About a week ago I saw your old friend, Amos Locke, ploughing in a +field which joins on to my farm. I walked over to the wall. When he saw +me, he left his plough, came to the wall, and said,—</p> + +<p>"'Morning! M-mighty good day to go after p-pigeons. P-Puts me in mind of +the d-day I was with Weaver David and B-Ben Comee, up on Bull Meadow +Hill, and shot fifty-two p-pigeons at one shot. One for every week in +the year. I'll t-tell you about it.'"</p> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> + +<h5>Printed in the United States of America.</h5> + + +<div class="tr"> +<p class="cen"><a name="TN" id="TN"></a>Transcriber's Note</p> +<br /> + +Typographical errors corrected in the text:<br /> +<br /> +Page 160 c-could'nt changed to c-couldn't +</div> + +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +<hr class="full" /> +<p>***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK BEN COMEE***</p> +<p>******* This file should be named 27920-h.txt or 27920-h.zip *******</p> +<p>This and all associated files of various formats will be found in:<br /> +<a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/2/7/9/2/27920">http://www.gutenberg.org/2/7/9/2/27920</a></p> +<p>Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed.</p> + +<p>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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