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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Seaforth News, 1940-09-12, Page 6PAGE SIX THE SEAFORTH NEWS On the eleventh night, after our -es- oape our first real trial came. We were keeping ,the mieldie of the 'great river, as safest from detection. and when the tide was with es we could thus move more rapidly. We had e constant ,favoring 'breeze, but now though ,we were running with the tide the 'wind turned eaeterly and :blew em the river against the ebb. Soon it %e- mote a gale, to which 'vas added .etmw and sleet. and a rough clvppv sea followed. I saw it :would ,be no easy task to fetch our craft do the land. The waves broke in upon us. and presently, -while half of us were paddling with laihour- ed and des wer"te stroke. the other half were flailing. Lifted on a crest, our canoe. heath laden. dropped at both ends; and again. :inking into rhe Mel- low: between the .;tort. 'hrutat waves. her cremates yielded outward, and her wast reared in a dismal 'ways 1\Ve koktc to see her with a'hroken 'hack ata any moment. To add to our ill ice -tune, a violent: current cat in from the shore. and it was vain to attempt a landing. Spirits and hriies -flagged arid !t needed ail my .heerfelneee to keep my fellows to their tasks. At leo. the ebb of tide theine almost spent the waves hetan to fall, the wind satiate. a little to the northward and a piercing role in.rantly froze our drenched clothe; un our hack,. But raith time current changed there was a !good mance o£ reachint chore, As daylight came we passed into a little cove. 'and sank with exhaustion on the shore. Our frozen '!ether -rat- tled like ':in and we could scarce lift a leg. We gathered a fine heap of wood, -flint and steel e.vere ready, and the tinder 'was sought. which, when 'found, was :¢akin% Not a dry stitch .,r Mick could he found anywhere, till at last within a leather 'beit, telr. Stevens found a handkerchief, which 'a"as, deed as as he told me afterwards. the gift and pledge of a lady to him; and his returning to her without it nearly lost hint another and et enter gift and Fledge, -for this 'went to light our 'fire. We :had had enough danger and work in one night to give us relish for some days of reet, and we piously took them. The evening of the second day we set off again and had a good night's mon, and in the dawn, spying a snug little bay. we stood in an -d event ashore. I sent my two Provincials foraging with their ,5•ane, and me who remained tet amara: to fix our camp for the day- and prepare break- fast. A -few -minute- cute, 'passed, and my -hunters came running ,hack with rueful faces to say they had seen two Indians near, armed with muskets and knives. :Mfy pians mere made at once. 'We needed their muskets, and the Indians must pay the price of their r're.ence here. for aur .safety should .he .had at any cost• I urged my men to utter no word at all, for none !brut -Clark could speak French and he but pa,oriy. For my- self, my accent would pass, after these six years of ,practice, \'ore same to a little river, tbeyond which -we could observe the Indians standing on 'gua'rd. IW'e could only cross by 'wading, which we did; hut one of my Provincials came down, 'wetting his musket and 'himself thoroughly. On reaching the eltore we marched. to- gether, 1 singing the refrain 'af an old French song as -we went, so attract ittlg the attention of 'the Indians. The better to deceive, we all swore now dressed in the costume of the French peasant—I .had taken 'pains do .have Mr. Stevens secure these for us be- fore starting; a pair of homespun trousers, a -coarse brown jacket with thrums like waving tassels, a silk handkerchief about the neck, and a strong thick worsted wig on she 'head; no smart ,toupet, nor bookie; nor combed nor 'powdered; and •all crown- ed Ib'y a dell 'black cap. I myself was, as !became my Purpose, most like a captaini01 militia, ,doing tweed :service in 'tone' braver -costume of the coureur de 'bole. I signalled to 'tlte Indians. and, coming near, addressed *ern in French. They were deceived, and pre- lsently, abreast of her, in the mads et apparent ceremony, 4heir fireta ks were seized, and Mr. Stevens and Clark had ¢'hent safe. I told 'then we Lutist be satisfied as to 'who they 'ere for English prisoners escaped fron Quebec were atbrowd, and no man could go nncltallenged. They must a once lead me to 'their camp. So they did, and at their 'bark wigwam they said they had seen no Englishmen. They' were ,guardians of the fire; that is, it was their duty to 'light a fire on the shore when a hostile fleet should appear; and -from another point 'far- ther up, other guardians seeing, would da the same, until 'beacons would she shining even to Quebec, three 'hundreds leakrues away. While I was questioning them, Clark rifled the wigwam, anti pr'- ently. the excitable 'fellow, finding some excellent store of 'kiln, tea. maple sugar, coffee and tether thinlas, broke out into English expletives. In- stantty 'the Indians saw they had been trapped, and he whom Mr. Ste- vens '}held made a great spring from him. caught up a gun, and gave a wild yell -which echoed far and near. Mr. Stevens, with 'great rapidity, lev- elled his pistol and shot !hien in the heart, 'while I, in a close struggle with my captive, was glad—'far I was not yet strong—that Clark finished my assailant; and so 'bath lay there dead, two foes less of our King. Not far from where we stood 'was a pool sof water and we sank the bodies there; but I did not know till Irate afterwards rhe¢ Clark, with a batiharous .and •disgusting spirit, car- ried away their scalps to sell them in New York, 'where they 'would bring, as he confided to ane of the Provin- cials, twelve pounds each. Before we left, we shat a poor howling dog that mourned 'far his matters, and sank hint also in the dark pool. '\Wr had ,bust got back to our camp, when, looking otrt, we saw• a well - manned four -oared boat making, for t'he shore. eely men were in dismay until I told them, having 'begun she game of war, I would carry it on to the ripe end. This 'boat and ail there- in should be mine. Safely hidden, we watched the rowers draw in -to shore with brisk strokes, singing a quaint farewell song of the .voyageurs, called La Pauere Mere, of which the refrain is: Anti his mother says, okay dear, For your absence I shall grieve; Conte you 'home :within the year, " They had evidently been upon a Ione journey and shy their ¢oiling we could see their Choat :was deep loaded; hut ;hey drove on, like a horse that, at the close of -day, sees ahead the inn where he is to thait and refresh, and routing to the spur comes cheerily home. The figare of a reverend- old man 'wa= in the stern, and he sena them ashore ,vitt 'brisk -words. Bump came the 'big shallop on the beach. and at that 'moment 1 ordered my men to fire. 'but to aim wide, for I had another end in view than killing. We we -re exactly matched as to num-hers, so that a fight would have been fair enautrlt, but I hoped for peaceful cony -lest. :'\s we fired I .te:pped cont of the thicket, and bee hind me ctntad he seen the Iharrels of Door threatening muskets. The old Gentleman stood up while his men cried for quarter. He waved them dawn with an impatient gesture, and stepped out en the 'beach. Then I recognized 'hi1'n. It was the Chevalier de la -D-etente. I stepped towards hint my sword drawn. "Monsieur the Chevalier de la Dar - ante, you ;are my prisoner," said le He started, then recognized me. "Now, by the blood of man! now lty the Ib:lood of man!" he said, and paus- ed, dumfounded. "You forget me, moneitur?" asked I. "F:csr•get you, monsieur?" .said be. "As soon Tonged the devil! But T thought you dead by •now, and—" "Isf you are disappointed," said •1, There is •a' way"; and I waved toward his - sten, then -to Me. Stevene and mty awn amtttleshed 'fellows, He smiled an a -cid smile, and took a'pinch of snuff. "it is not so fiery - edged as that," he answered; "I can endure it." "You shall have time, too, for •ret- erie," anewered 1. He leaked ,puzzled. "'What is't you wish " he asked. "Your surrender first," said I. "and then your company at'hreakfatt." °•Fite 'latter has meaning and com- pliment," he responded}, "the farmer is 'beyond ate. 'What would you in with me " "Detain you and your shallop for the services of try- master, the King of England, soon -to he the master of :emir master, if the 'imus are right," "All signe !fail with the 'blind, neon- elem." ".Mlnn:sieatr," he added, with great almost too great dignity, "I am of the family of mite Dec ale 5!irepoix. The 'whole Ratnarasika Isles are arsine, and the :hest 'gentdesten in this province do me vassalage. 'I make war on none, 1 have stepped aside from all affairs of state, I ant a simple gentle- man, T 'h ane bgen a great tvav down this river, at +large expense and toil to purchase al -seat, far ail the earn of these counties above goes iib Quelbec to .tore the King's magazine, the adored La Friponne. I know not your purposes, Out I trust you 'wail not push your adlvantatge"--;he waved to- wards -our -muskets—"against a 'priv- ate gentleman." "You forget, Chetnalier," said I, "that you gave verdict Inc,my death." " Lrpon the evidence," he replied, "And I have no dou;b't you deserted hanging a '•housand times." T almost. loved hint dor his bold- ness. I -remembered also that he had no wish to the one of any judges, and that -he spoke 'for are in the presence of the Governor. But be was not 'the man to make a ,point of that. "'Chevalier," said I, "I have 'been foully - -need in yonder town; by elle fortunes of war you shall he'l'p .me to compensation. '\\'e have come a long, hard jotenev; we are all much over- worked; we need rest, a 'better 'heat, and gond sailors. You and your men, shall row' us to Louishurti. When we are ant:acked, you shall he in the van; when we are at .peace, you shall itt- clustriously -serve under King George' flag Now m'i'll you give up your mien and join me at 'breakfast " For a moment the excellent gettele- mah was mute, and my heart almost fell 'before his venerable 'white hair and his proud bearing; 'hut something was a little overdone in his 'pride, a little •ludicrous in the .situation, set me smiling; there came back 10 the t'he remembrance of all I had suffered, and I let no sentiment stand !between me and my 'purpose:, "I ant the Chevalier de la—" the began. "If you were Ring ,Lmris himself, and every' man in your 'boat a peer of his realm, you should row a British subject now," said I; "or, if you choose, you shale have fighting in- stead:' I meant there s'hou'ld ibe no- thing uncertain in my 'words, "I surrender," said he; "and if you are them on shaming me, let 'us have it over soon," "1'.on sha11 have 'better treatment than I had in Quebec," answered I. A -moment afitenwardo bis men were duly surrendered, disarmed, and guarded, and the Chevalier :breakfast- ed with me, now and again asking me vows of 'Quebec. He was amazed to hear that Bigot had been shot, and distressed that I could not say whe- ther Satally or not. i fixed on a new -.plan. leVe 'would now 'proceed shy day as well as 'by night, for the shallop could not leave the river, and, 'besides, 1 did not care to -rust my prisoners .an shore. 1 threw from the shallop into the stream enough wheat to lighten her. and now, well stored and trimmed, ,we pushed away upon our course, the 'Chevalier and .his men rowing, 'while my men vended the sail, which 'was now set. I was 'much 'loath to cut our good canoe adrift hut she stopped 'the shallop's way and she was left Ibe bind. After a time our prisoners were in part relieved, and I made :the Cheva- lier rest also, for he had taken his task in good apart, and Mad ordered hit men 'to submit cheerfully. In t'he late afternoon anter an excellent jour- ney, we ewe. , a high and sagggy .point of land, far ahead, ,w+Kith ellen off our view. I was anxious to see 'beyond it for ships of war migitt %appear at any moment. A good 'breeze 'brought up this land, and when -we were abreast of it a lofty frigate was ,disclosed rto t•ie•w—a convoy !(so the 'Chevalier said) to a fleet of transports 'which that morning bad gone up the river. I resolved instantly, since fight was useless, to make a run for it, Seating thyself at the tiller, I ,declared sol- emnly -that I would shoot the first man 'who 'dared do stop the shallop's way, to make sign or speak a 'word. So, as;the 'frigate stood across the ri- ver, I 'had all said set, rouses! the men at the oars, ,and we came running Iby her stern. •Our,'prisoners were green enough to get spasm' in safety, 'Far they were lbetween two flees, and the ex - cellon Chevalier' was as alert a•nd la- borious as the rest. They signalled its from ;the 'frigate lby a shot Ito 'b'rin'g 40, lb -at we came ion gallantly. Anoth- er shat ,whizzed by at a distance, Ibiut we died not change our course, and ellen 'hells came flying over our Made, dropping round us, coaling their het protests in the river. B-ut none siruesk as and presently all deli short. We durst not slacken pace time night, and Ihy morning, mach ex- hansted, we-de'emml'd ourselves safe, asci reste=d !for a while, making a hearty 'hreakfast, though a sombre shadow had settled on the face of the 'good Chevalier. 'Once mare he ven- tured to ,pretest, thud I told 'him my resolution'as fixed, and that 1 'would est all costs, secure escape Brom nay six years' misery. He 'must abide the fortune of this war. For several days 'we dared on, with- out more 'mishap. At last, one nmorn- ing;; as we hugged shore, I saw a large host lying on the 'beach. On landing we found the boat sof excell- ent site arid mede for swift going, 6 'g and 'presently Clank disaavered the oars. Then I turned to the Chevalier, who was 'watching me curiously, yet -hiding anxiety, 'for he had upheld his diiignity with same accent since he had come into 'my service: "Chevalier," said I, "you shall find me more humane .than my perseceet- ors at Quebec. I will not hinder youe String, if you 'will engage on your hottonr—as -could, for instance, the Due de 'Mlire:p:oix!"—lie 'bowed to my veiled irony ---'that you will not •die- u!ilge What 'brought you hack eh•ns far, till you shall reaoh your Kamaraska Isles; and you mutt undertake 'the same for your 'te'Ilows -here." Hc' consented. and I admired the fine, vain old man, and lamented that T .had had to ncc hint so, "Then," said I, "ymt may depart with your shallop. Your mast and sail however, must he tours; and for 'these T will pay. I will also pay -Inc the 'wheat which was thrown into the ri- ver, and gent shall have a share of our provisions, got from the Indiana." "'Monsieur," said he, I elate re- member with pride that I have dealt 'with so,fair a foe. I can not regret -the 'pleasure of your acquaintance. even at ;he price. And see. monsieur, I do not think you -the criminal they have made you nut, and so I will tell a lady—" I raised my hand at hitt, for I saw that he knew something, and Mr. Stevens was near 115 at the time. "Chevalier," said I. drawing him aside, "if, as you say, I'have used you honourably, then, if trouble falls upon my .wife obefore I sec her again. 1'heg you tc stand her friend. In the sad 'fortunes of wear and haste of ate, I never sate a man so amazed. To his rapid questioning 1 :gave the one reply, that Alixe 'was ntv wife, -His lip trembled. "Pont child! poor child!" said be; „You did wrong, -monsieur," "Chevalier, said 1, "did you ever lave a woman?" He matte a motion of the hand, as if I had ...one -heti upon a 'tender point. and said, "So yonngi so young!" "Bat you will stand by her, I urged "by the memory of some 'good wom- an you have known!" He ,part out his hand again with a chafing sort of motion,. "There, there," said he. "the poor child shall never want a friend.' Presently we 'parted, and soon we lost our .grateful foes in the distance. THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 1940 All night ,we jugged along 'with easy sail,'but just at dawn, in -a ;satdden 'opening sof the land, ,we ;saw a sloop at anchor near a -wooded (p'ain't, her pennant -flying. 'We pushed along, .unheeding her fiery signal to 'brin'g to a -ltd declining, she fest 'fly a :awivef of grape aed again another, -riddling our sail; but were were travelling with 'wind and tide, and awe -soon left the imlignarit patrol behind. Towards ev- ening .came a fres'henin'g mind and a coblbling sea, and I 'thought 'it best to stake for shore, So, easing the •sail, we brought our shallop 'befo're the .wind. It was very dark,and there was a heavy sine sunning; Ibut we 'had to -take our Teatime as et casae, and we let -drive for the 'unknown shore, ffior it was all alike 'to us. Presently we ran in chose, our !boat 'tante hard up- on a rock, which 'budged her thaws open. Taking whet provisions ave could, -we left our pear craft upon the rocks, and fought OUP way ao safe- ty, - We had little joy that - night in thin'kideg of our shallop 'breaking on the reefs and weisc u a dt.cus,e'd the dhance of crossing of eriand to Lauislburg; 'bat me soon gave lip ,that wild dream, this river was oar .only may. When daylight carne, we found our 'boat, though (badly 'wrecked, still held to- gether. Now Clark rote to the great necessity, and said that he 'would patch her up to carry us on, air never lift a hammer more. With 'labor pest reckoning we dragged 'her to shore and got her an the stocks, and then set about to find materials to mend her. Tools we -re all -too few --a ham- •nmer, a saw, and an- adze were all we had. A 'piece of board or a nail was a treasure then, and schen trite timbers were covered, for oakum -we had to re- sort to tree -gum. For caulking, one spared a handkerchief, another a stocking, and another a .piece of shin„ 'till :he was stuffed in all her (ietures. In this labor we .passed eight days, and then we were ready to 'launch again. On t'he very afternoon fixed -far starling, 'we saw taw^a Fails standing dawn the river and edging towards our shore. -One of them let anchor go rig'h't off the ,place where our 'patched boat -lay. We had 'prudently carried on our work 'behind rocks and trees, o that we could not be seen, unless our foes came ashore Our case seem- ed desperate enough, het all at once I determined on a daring enterprise. The two vessels—convoys, I felt store—had ancisored some distance from each other, and from their mean appearance- T did not think they wattle have a large freight of men and arms; -for they seemed not ships from France, 'but vessels of t'he reen- try. if 1 could divide the force of either (vessels, and quie'tl'y, under cov- er of night, steal on her by surprise, then I could trust our .desperate cour- age and open the war 'which soon Ge- neral 'Melee and Admiral Saunders were to wage up and dawn this river. 1 had brave fellows with ate, and if we got our .will it would to a thing worth remembrance. So I disclosed my ,pian to Mr. Stevens and 'the others, and, as I looked for, they ,had a fine relish "for the enterprise. I agreed -neon a signal with them, made them to lie close along the ground. picked out the nearer ('which was the smaller) ship 'for my purpose, and at sunset, tying a white handkerchief to a stick, came marching out of the woods, upon the :shore, firing a gun at the ;same 'time. Presently a boat was put ata front the sloop, and two civilian Holds Important War Post Phillip A. Chester Given High Rank In Ordnance One of Canada's most important V war -time military jobs has just been given town out-and-out civilian, which, in days not long past, would be considered a highly unorthodox thing to do. But this little war we are in is a civilian's war — a war of the common peo- ple fighting for all the things they think worth while, and when there comes into view a civilian who can do a certain military job better than the available soldier, it is very good business on the part of the powers that be to turn the job over to him. That is why Phillip A. Chester, widely known as the North Amer- ican General Manager of the Hud- son's Bay Company, is now the assistant Master General of Ord- nance of this country's army. For some time Mr. Chester bas been responsible for 'the oper- ations and fortunes of the great Hudson's Bay wholesale and retail stares, and since the Ordnance Department is one that is largely concerned with store -keeping, he 'would seem to be the right man for the job, He will be respon- sible for all: equipment and cloth- ing of the fighting forces, Every- thing from tooth -brushes to trous- ers and tanks will come under his management, to say nothing of food for men, guns and machines and be must see that all these things are at hand when and where they are needed, and that every item comes up to the stan- dard required. Mr. Chester served in the Brit- ish Army during the last war. Be enlisted in the ranks of the 9th Battalion, Kings Royal Rifles in August 1914 and served continu- ously in France until 1919 with the exception of two short periods when he was wounded. He was de- mobilized with the ranit of Cap- tain, In this war be will carry no military rank and wear no uniform, but will be one of that army of civilians whose work is so vitally important in maintain- ing the efficiency of our right- ing forces, bit', Chester joined the staff of the Hudson's Bay Company in 1923' and was ap- pointed General Manager for all the Company's operations in North America in 1930 PROFESSIONAL CARDS MEDICAL SEAFORTH CLINIC Dr. E. A, McMaster, M.B., Graduate of University of Toronto. J. D. Colquhoun, M.D., C.M., Grad nate of Dalhousie Univeraity, Halifax. The Clinic is fully equipped with complete and modern x-ray and other up-to•date diagnostic and thereuptic equipment. Dr. Margaret K. Campbell, M.D., L.A.B.P., Specialist in Diseases in Infants and Children, will be at the Clinic last Thursday in every month from 3 to 6 p.m, Dr. F, J. It Forster, Specialist in Diseases of the Ear, Eye, Nose and Throat, will be at the Clinic the first Tuesday in every month from 4 to 6 p.m. Free well -baby clinic will be held on the second and last Thursdayin every month from. 1 to 2 p.m. JOHN A. GORWILL, B.A.,M.D. Physician and Surgeon In Dr. H. H. Ross' office. Phone 6 J DR. F. J. R. FORSTER Eye, Ear, Nose and Throat Graduate in Medicine, University of Toronto. Late Assistant New York Ophthalmic and Aural Institute, Moorefield's Eye, and Golden Square throat hospitals, London, Eng. At Commeroial Hotel, Seaforth, third Wednesday in each month from 2 to 4 p.m, Also at Seaforth Clinic first Tuesday in each month. -63 Waterloo St., Stratford. Telephone 267. MARGARET K. CAMPBELL, M.D. London, Ontario Graduate Toronto University Licentiate of American Board of Pedi- atrics, Diseases of Children At Seaforth Clinic, last Thursday af- ternoon, each month, AUCTIONEER GEORGE ELLIOTT, Licensed Auctioneer for the County of Huron• Arrangements can be made for Sale Date at The Seaforth News. Charges moderate and satisfaction guaranteed F. W. AHRENS, Licensed Auction• eer for Perth and Huron Counties, Sales Solicited. Terms on Application, Farm Stock, chattels and real estate property. R. R. No. 4, Mitchell. Phone 634 r 6. Apply at this office. HAROLD JACKSON Licensed in Huron and Perth Coun- ties. Prices reasonable; satisfaction guaranteed. For information, write or phone Harold Jackson, 668r12, Sea - forth central; Brucefleld R,R.1. Watson & Reid REAL ESTATE AND INSURANCE AGENCY (Successors to James Watson) MAIN ST., SEAFORTH, ONT. All kinds of Insurance risks effect- ed at lowest rates in First -Class Companies. The McKillop Mutual Fire Insurance Co. HEAD OFFICE—SEAFORTH, Ont. OFFICERS President, Wm. Knox, Londesboro; Vice President, W. R. Archibald, Seaforth; Secretary Treasurer, M. A. Reid, Seaforth. AGENTS F. McKerober, R.R.1, Dublin; John E. Pepper, R.R.1, Brucefleld; J.. F. Prueter, Brodhagen; James Watt, Blyth; Wm. Yeo, Holmesvillc. DIRECTORS Alex Broadfoot, Seaforth; Wllliam Knox, Londesboro; Chris Leonhardt, Dublin; James Connolly, Goderich; Thomas Moylan, Seaforth; W. R. Archibald, Seaforth; Alex McEwing, Blyth; Frank McGregor, Clinton; Hugh Alexander, Walton. Parties desirous to effect insurance or transact other business, -will be promptly attended to by applications to any of the above named officers addressed to their respective post - offices. mon and a boy tame rowing towards nue, Standing off a litble 'dis'tan'ce 'atom . blte shore, they asked 'w'ha't was 'want- ed. "The Kin'g's •emrand,"'was mvy'relpn'y in French, and I must ibe carried •'lawn the 'river by them, for whish I would 'pay 'generously. Theo, with idle ,gesture, I said that i'f -they 'wish- ed some drink, there ''was a !bottle of aims ,near -my 'fire, :above me, do (which they were 'welcome; also some-ganne, `which they might take as it.'glee to their captain and crew,