the university of Connecticut libraries BOOK 973.2.G767 ZM v.2 c. 1 GRANT # MEMOIRS OF AMERICAN LADY 3 1153 00051517 5 10 Digitized by tine Internet Arciiive in 2010 witii funding from Boston Library Consortium IVIember Libraries Iittp://www.arcliive.org/details/memoirsofamerica002gran E ■ \MEMGIRS ^\Q>^ AN AMERICxlN LADY/ „ Grant,/! r,n^Af,aY><^^r ^'" v.'iTu sketcht:? or MANNERS AND SCENERT IN AMERICA, A5 THEY EXISTED tKZWOVi TO T U E R EVQIUTIC V. BY TOE AUTHOR OF LETTERS from' THE MOUNTAINS." lif:, Isff JN TWO VOLUMES, VOL. II L O N I) O N NTED FOR LONGMAN, KUKST, RF.H:?,AND 0;iME, PATE] NOiTf.K-KOW ; AND .M S£. 1/. COO K , j £RM V N- STKEIT. 1808. '^r^ — ^— ^ Straban and Prcf^on, rrintcrs-Streci, London. CONTENTS- c^ OP THE SECOND VOLUME. CHAP. !• Followers of the army. '— Inconveniences rerultlpj^ £fom fuch, «. - Page J CHAP. n. Arrival of a new regiment. •=— Domine Freyling- CHAP, III. Plays a^fled — Dlfpkafure of the Dominc, 20 CHAP. IV. Return of Mndame.— Tiie Dorr.inc leaves his people. — Fultihncnt of his Predidions^ - 30 C H A P. V. Death of Color.cl Sdi u) ler, « 40 A 2 CHAP. C iv ) cn^v. VI. ,,Mrs. Schuyler's arrangements and conducl after tlitf Colonel's Death, - Page ^8 - CHAP. VII. Mohawk Indians. — The Supen'ntcndant, 55 CHAP. vm. General Abcrcrombie. — Lord Howe, 65 -CHAP. IX, Total defeat at TIconderoga. — General Lee. — Hunianity of Madame, - 77 CHAP. X. The family of Madame's riller.-~.The death of the latter, -■ - 84 CHAP. XL Further fuccefTes of the Britifh anns. — A Mlf- fionary. — Cortlandt Schuykr, - 91 CHAP. XIL Burning of the houfe at the Fiats. — Madame*:) re- moval. — Journey of the Author^ 99 CHAP. ( V ) CHAP. XIII. Continuation of the jauVney. — Arrival at Cfvve^O) — Regulations, Itudies, and ainuf^mcnts thcrti Page 1 1 o CHAP; XIV. Benefit of fele6l reading. — Hunting excurfion^ 116 CHAP. XV. jriculture — Rctu to Albany, ' - - 133 Gardening and agriculture — Return of the Autho CHAP. XVI. Madarae's family and fociety defer- bed j 142 CHAP. XVIL Sir Jeffrey Amherfl:. —Mutiny. —Indi?.n War, 156 C H A P. xviir. Pondiac — Sir Robert D. - 167 C H A P. XIX. Death of Captain Dalziel.' — Sudden dcceafe of an Indian chief. — Madame. — Hdr protegees, 179 CHAP. C vi ) • CHAP. XX. MAdanie*6 popularity. — Exchange of prifoncrs. Page 195 CHAP. XXI. Return of the 55,1}) regiment to Europe —Privates fcnt to PenO.coIa, - — 15c; CHAP. XXH. h new property.— Vifionary plans, - izf CHAP. XXIIL JR.et«rn to U.c Flutv -* -'^ asy CHAP. XXIV. Melancholy pref?ges. — Turbulence of the people, 231 CHAP. XXV. Scttler3 of a new dercription.—Madame's chapla-n,- CHAP. XXVI. Modeof conveying timber in rafts down tb.e rivtr, tjS CHAP. XXV 1 1. TIk fwamp. — A difcovery, - 264 CMAT, ( H ) CHAP. XXVIII. Mrs. Schuylcr^s view of the continental politics, 276 CHAP. XXIX, Defcriptlon of the breaking up of the ice on Hudfon's river^ — - 281 CHAP. XXX. Departure from Albany.-— Origin of the ftate of Vermont, - - 289 CHAP. XXXL General refieAIons, - 2 300 CHAP. xxxn. Refle(a;ions continued, - 313 CHAP, xxxni. Sketch of tlie fettlement of Penfylvania, 325 CHAP. XXXIV. I^rofpeds brightening In Britifh America. — Defirable country on the ijiterior lakes, - 33 8 ERRATA. VOL. I. Page 2,5, line i, afccr the word incongruous, a comma inflead ~ 27, 1. I, {or her rs'SiA his. 29, 1.17, ioV'Mr. read Colonel. for uiis purpole, a private theatre was fitted up, and preparations made for acting a play ; except the Schuykrs and their adopt- ed family, there was not perhaps one of the natives v^^ho underftood what was meant by a play. And by this time, the town, once fo clofely united by intermarriages and nuPxiberlefs other ties, which could not exifl in aoy other flate of fociety, were divided into tv/o fadions : one confiding ahnofl; entirely of fuch of the younger clafs C 2! ) , clafs, as, having a fmattering of New York education, and a little more of drefs and vivacity, or perhaps levity, than the red, were eager to mingle in the fociety, and adopt the manners of thofe Grangers. It is but juf]:, hovt^ever, to add, that only a few of the more eftimable wevQ included in this number ; thefe, however they might have been captivated with novehy and plau- fibility, were too much attached to' their older relations to give them pain, by an in- timacy with people to whom an impious negle^^ of duties the mod facred was gene- rally imputed, and whofe manner of treat- ing their inferiors, at that diflance from the controul of higher powers, was often fuch as to juflify the imputation of cruelty, which the feverity of military punifhments had given rife to. The play, hotvever, was acledin a barn, and pretty well attended, notwithftanding the good Domine's earned charges to the contrary. It was the Beaux Stratagem ; no favourable fpecimen of the delicacy or morality of the Bntilh theatre ; and as for the wit it contams, very iittle of that ( 22 ) that was level to the comprehenfion of the novices who were there firfl: hiitiated into a knov-'ledge of the magic of the fcene, yet they '^ laughed confumedly/^ as Scrub fays, and adually did fo, " becaufe they were talking of him/' They laughed at Scrub's geftures and appearance ; and they laughed very heartily at feeing the gay young enfignsj whom they had been ufed to dance with^ flirting fans^ difplaying -great hoops5 and, with painted cheeks and co» loured eye-brows^ failing about in female habiliments. This was a jefl palpable and level to every under (landing j and it was not only an excellent good one, but lafted a loD^ while ; for every time'they looked at them when reftored to their own hablcSj they laughed anev/ at the recolledion of their late mafquerade. '^ It h much/' fays FaU ilaff, ^^ that a lie with a grave face, and a jeftwith a fad brov/^ will do with a ftllow. who never had the ach^ in his fhoulders,'' (3ne need only look back to the firft rude efforts at comic humour which delighted our fathersj to know what grofs and feeble 13 jeRs ( 23 ) jefls amufe the mind, as yet a (Irahger to refinement. The loud and ar.tlefs mirth fo eafily excited in a good humoured childj ihe^ naivete of its odd queftions and iguo* rant wonder, which delight us while aifo- ciated with innocence and fimplicity, would provoke the utmoft difguft if we-niet with them where w-e look for intelligence and decorous obfervances. The fimplicity of primitive manners, ia what regards the petty amufements, and minute attentions, to which w^e have becoaie accuftoraed, is ex« adly tantamount to that of childhood i h is a thing which, in our (late of fociety^ we have no idea of, Thofe who are from their depreffed fituation ignorant of the forms of poiifiied life, knowg at lead, that fuch exiftj and either awkwardly imitate them 3 or care, fully avoid comrnitiing themfeives^ by be- traying their ignorance, Heres while this fimpiicityj (whichj by the bye, was no mora vulgar than that of Shakefpeare's Miraadaj) with its concomjtam purity^ continued un« broken by foreign modes^ it had ail the charm of undefigning childhood ^ but when half ( 24 ) half education and ill fupported pretenflons took place of this fweet attradion, it af- furned a very different afpe6l ♦, it was no longer fimplicity, but vulgarity. There are things that every one feels and no one can defcribe ; and this is one of them. But to return to our Mirandas and their theatrical heroes : • the fame of their exhi- bitions went abroad, and opinions were formed of them no Vv'ay favourable to the aclors or to the audience. In this regioa of reality, where rigid truth was always un- difguifed, they had not learned to diftin- guifli between fi6lion and falfeLood. It was faid that the officers, familiar with every vice and every difguife, had not only fpent -a v/hole night in telling lies in a counter- feited place, the reality of which^had never exifted, but that they were themfelves a lie, and had degraded manhood, and broke through all exprefs prohibition in Scrip- ture, by affuming female habits ; that they had not only told lies, but curfed and (wore the whole night ; and affumed the. charac- ters of knaves, fools, and robbers, which every II ( H ) every good and wife man held in detefla- don, and no one would put on unlefs they felt themfelves eafy in them. Painting their faces, of all other things, feemed mofl to violate the Albanian ideas of decorum, and vi^as looked upon as a mod flagrant abomination. Great and loud was the out- cry produced by it. Little Ikilled in fo- phiftry, and ftrangers to all the arts " that make the worfe appear the better reafon^" the young auditors could only fay " that indeed it was very amufing ; made (hem laugh heartily, and did harm to nobody.'* So harmlefs, indeed, and agreeable did this entertainment appear to the new converts to fafhion, that the Recruiting Officer was given out for another night, to the great annoyance of M. Freylinghaufen, who in- voked heaven and earth to witnefs and avenge this contempt, not only of his au- thority, but, as he exprefled it, of the fource from whence it v/as derived. Such had been the fandity of this good man's life^ and the laborious diligence and awful ear- neftnefs with which he inculcated the doc* VOL. II. c trine§ trine 5 he taughtj that they had produced a coriefpondent efFed^ for the mod part, oa the lives of his hearers, and led them to regard him as the next thhig to an evange- iift ; accuftomed to fuccefs in all his under- takings, and to " honour, love, obedience, troops of friends/' and all that gratitude and veneration can offer to its moll: diftin- gnifhed obje£t, this rebellion againfl: his au- thority, and contempt of his opinion, (once the ftandard by which every one's judgment was regulated,) wounded him very deeply* The abhorrence with which he infpired the parents of the tranfgreifors, among whom were many young men of fpirit and intelli- gence, was the occafion of fome family difagreements, a thing formerly fcarcely known* Thofe young people, accuftomed to regard their parents with implicit reve- rence, were unwilling to impute to them tinqualified harfhnef^-, and therefore re- moved the blame of a conduct fo unufual to their fpiritual guide 5 '' and while he thought, good eafy man, full furely his ^reatneffi was a ripening, nipt his root.'* EarJy ( 27 ) Early one Monday morning, after the Do- mine had, on the preceding day, been pe- culiarly eloquent on the fubjed of thea- trical amufements, and pernicious innova- tions, fome unknown perfon left within his door a club, a pair of old fhoes, a cruft of black bread, and a dollar. The worthy pallor was puzzled to think what this could mean ; but had it too foon explained to him. It was an emblematic meflage, to fignify the defire entertained of his depar- ture. The ftick was to pufli him away, the fhoes to wear on the road, and the bread and money a provifion for his journey. Thefe fymbols appear, in former days, to have been more commonly ufed, and better underftood than at prefent •, for inftance, we find that when Robert Bruce, afterwards King of Scotland, was in a kind of honour- able captivity in the court of EngUnd ; when his friend, the Earl of Glocefcer, dif- covered that it was the intention of the King to imprifon him in the tower, left he ihould efcape to Scotland and aflert his rights/ unwilling by word or writing to dif- c 2 cover ( 28 ) eo'ver what had paffed in council, and at the fame time defirous to fave his friend, he fent him a pair of gilt fpurs and twelve crowns, and ordered the fervant to carry them to him as returning what he had for- nierly borrowed from him. This myfte- rious gift and meffage was immediately un- derftood ; and proved the means of re- ftoring Bruce, and, with him, the laws and 1 berty of his native kingdom. Very dif- ferent, however, was the effect produced by this mal a-propos fymbol of diflike. Too confcious, and too fond, of popularity, the paftor languiflied under a kn^Q of imaginary degradation, grew jealous, and thought every one alienated from him, becaufe a few giddy young people were flimulated by momentary refentments to exprefs difappro- bation in this vague and dubious manner. Thus, infenfibly, do vanity and felf opinion mingle with our higheft duties. Had the Domine, fatisfied with the teftimony of a good confcience, gone on in the exercife of his duty, and been above allowing little perfonal refeiitments to mingle with his zeal for ( 29 ) for what he thought right, he might have felt himfelf far above an inlult of this kind; but he found to his cofl:, that " a habiiatioa giddy and unfure hath he, that buildeth on the fickle heart'* of the unfteady, wavering multitude. c s CHAP, (' 30 ) CHAP. IV, Return of Madame.— The Doraine leaves his People. —-Fulfilment of his Predlclions. "^r AD A ME now returned to town with the colonel; and finding, this general dif- order and dlviiion of fentiraents with regard to the pallor, as well as to the adoption of new modes, endeavoured, with her ufual good fenfe, to moderate and to heah She was always, of opinion that the increafe of v/ealrh ihould be accompanied with a pro- portionate progrefs in refinement and intel- ligence ; but fhe had a particular diflike to people's forfaking a refpedlable plainnefs of drefs and manners for mere imperfed imi- tation, and inelegant finery. She knew too well the progrefs of fociety to exped, that, as it grew wealthy and numerous, it would retain its prifline purity ; but then fhe pre- ferred a " gradual abolition" of old habits, that people, as they receded from their original «?rigi}iai rnodes of thinking and livingj might rather become liniply elegant; than awdriiy fine; and though ilie all along .vlfliedj in every poflible wav, to promote ihe comfort of the brave men to whom thi country owed fo mucb^ ihe by no means thought an indifcriniinate admifiion of thofe flrangers among the youth of the place, fo rapraclifed in the ways of the world, an aclvifeable meafur-e : flie was particularly difpleafed with the perfon in whofe houfe the colonel of the regiment lodged^ for fo entirely domelcicating a fliewy ftranger, of whofe real charader he knew fo little. Li- beral and judicious in her views, ihe did not altogether approve the aufterity of the Bomine's opinions, nor the vehemence of hivS language ; and, as a Chriftian, fhe flill kfs approved his dejedion and concern at the negled or rudenefs of a few thoughtlefs young perfons. In vain the colonel and Madame foothed and cheared him with counfel and with kindnefs ; night and day he mufed on the imagined infult ; nor could the joint efforts of the moft refpe^lable in- c 4 habitant^ ( 32 ) habitants prevent his heart from^being cor- roded with the fenfe of imagined unkind- nefs. At length he took the refolution of leaving thofe people fo dear to him, to vifit his friends in Holland, promifmg to return in a fhort time, whenever his health was redoredj and hiii fpirits more compofed, A Dutch fhip happened about this time to touch at New York, on board of which the Domine embarked 5 but as the veiTel be*- longing to Holland was not expe^^ed to return, and he did not, as he had promifed, either write or return in an Englifh Ihlp, his congregation remained for a great while unfupplied, while his filence gave room for the moll anxious and painful conjeOures 5 thefe were not foon removed, for the inter- courfe vv^ith Holland was not frequent or direct. At length, however, the fad reality was but too well afcertained. This victim of loft popularity had appeared filent and melancholy to his fhipmates, and walked ccnftantiy on deck. At length hefuddenly difappeared, leaving it doubtful whether he had fallen overboard by accident, or was 5 prompted ( 23 ) prompted by defpair to plunge into eter- nity. If this latter was the cafe, it mufl: have been the confeqjience of a temporary fit of infanity ; for no man had led a more fpotlefs life, and no man was more beloved by ail that were intimately known to him. He was, indeed, before the fatal affront, which made fuch an undue imprefiion on him, confidered as a bJeffing to the place ; and his memory was fo beloved, and his fate fo regretted, that thisj in addition to fome other occurrences failing out about the fame time, entirely turned the tide of opinion, and rendered the thinking as well as the violent party, more averfe to innova- tions than ever. Had the Albanians been catholics, they would probably have ca- nonized M. Freylinghaufen, whom they confidered as a martyr to levity and inno- vation. He prophefied a great deal ; fuch prophecy as ardent and comprehenfive minds have delivered, without any other infpiration -but that of the found, flrong intelled, which augurs the future from a comparifon with the pad, and a rational c 5 dedudion ( 34 ) deduflion of probable confequences. Tbe affedion that was entertained for his me- mory induced people to liden to the moft romantic flories of his being landed on an ifland, and become a hermit ; taken up into a fhip when floating on; the fea, into which he had accidentally fallen, and car- ried to fome remote country, from which he was expeded to return, fraught with experience and faith. I remember- fome of my earlieft reveries to have been occupied by the myderious difappearance of this hard-fated paftor. In the meanwhile new events were un- folding more fully to the Albanians the charaders of their lately acquired friends. Scandal of fifty years flanding, mufl:, by this time^ have become almoft pointlefs. The houfe where the young colonel, for- merly m.entioned, was billetted, and made his quarters good by every art of fedu6tive courtefy, was occupied by a perfon wealthy, and fomewhat vain and fhallow, who had an only daughter ; I am not certain, but I think ihe was his only child. She was 2 young, C 35 ) young, livel5S bold, conceited, and exceed- ingly well-looking. Artlefs and fearlefs of confequences, this thoughtlefs creature faw every day a perfon who was, no doubt, as much pieafed with her as one could be with mere youth, beauty, and kindnefs, anr-- mated by vivacity, and diftinguifhed from her companions by all the embellifliments which wealth could procure in that un- fafhioned quarter 5 his heart, however, was fafe, as will appear from the fequel. Ma« dame forefaw the confequences likely to refult from an mtiraacy daily growing, where there was little prudence on the one fide, and as little of that honour which fnould refpe£l unfufpe£ling innocence on the other. She v*?arned the family, but in vain ; they confidered marriage as the- word confequence that could enfue; andi this they could not ealily have been recon- ciled to, notwithflanding the family and fortune of the lover, had not his addrefs and attentions charmed them into a kind of tacit acquiefcencej for, as a Roman citizen in the proud days of the republic^ would Q 6 have- ( 36 ) have refufed his daughter to a king, an Albanian, at one -period, would rather have his daughter married to the meaneft of his fellow-citizens, than to a perfon of the highefl: rank in the army, becaufe they thought a young perfon^ by fuch a mar- riage, was not only for ever alienated from her family, but from thofe pure morals and plain manners, in which theyconfidered the greateft pofiible happinefs to exift. To return ; — "While thefe gaieties were going on, and the unhappy Domine embarking on the voyage which terminated his career, an order came for the colonel to march 5 this was the only commander who had ever been in town who had not fpent any time, or alked any counfel at the Flats. Mean- while his Califla (for fuch fhe was) tore her hair in frantic agonies at his departure ; not that (he in the lead doubted of his return- ing foon to give a public fanclion to their union, but left he fhould prove a vidim .to the war then exifting ; and becaufe, being irery impetuous, and unaccuftomed to con- troul, ( 37 ) troul, the objedl of her wifhes had been delayed to a future period. In a fliort time things began to affume a more ferious af- pe£l ; and her father came one day polling to the Flats, on his way to the lakes, feek- iog counfel too late, and requefting the aid of their influence to bring about a marriage, which fhould cover the difgrace of his fa- mily. They had little hopes of his fuc- cefs, yet he proceeded j and finding the colonel deaf to all his arguments, he had recourfe to entreaty, and finally offered to divefl: himfelf of all but a mere fubfiftence, and give him fuch a fortune as was neVer heard of in that country. This, with an angel, as the fond father thought her, ap- peared irrefiftible ; but no ! heir to a con- ftderable fortune in his own country, and perhaps inwardly defpifmg a romp, whom he had not confidered from the firfl: as eftimable, he was not to be foothed or bribed into compliance. The dejeded fa- ther returned difconfolate ; and the afto- nlihment and horror this altogether novel occurrence occafioned in the town, was not to C 3« ) ro be defcrlbed. Of fuch a circumftance there was no exifting precedent ; half the city were related to the fair culprit, for pe- nitent ffie could hardly be called. This unexpeded refufal threw the whole city into confter nation. One would have thought there had been an earthquake; and all the infulted Domine's predictions rofe to remembrance, armed with avenging terrors. ^ Many other things occurred to juilify the Domine's caution ; and the extreme reluc- tance which the elders of the land fliewed to all fuch aflbciations. All this Madame greatly lamented, yet could not acquit the parties concerned, whofe duty it was, either to keep their daughters from that fociety for which their undifguifed , fimplicity of heart unfitted them, or give them that cul- ture and ufage of life, which enables a young perfon to maintain a certain dignity, and to revolt at the firfl: trefpafs on de- corum. Her own protegees were inftances of this ; who, having their minds early ftored with fentiments^ fuch as would enable them ( 39 ) them truly to efdmate thefr own value, and judge of the characters and pretenfions of thofe who converfed with them ; all con* du6bed themfelves with the utmoft pro- priety, though daily mixing with ftrangers^ and were folicited in marriage by the firft people in the province, who thought them- felves happy to fele<5t companions from fuch a fchool of intelligence and politenefs, where they found beauty of the firft order inform.ed by mind, and graced by the moft pleanng manners. GHAP. ( 40 ) CHAP. V, Beath of Colonel Schuyler. npHis year (1757) was marked by an event that not only clouded the future life of Madame, but occafioned the deepeft concern to the whole province. Colonel Schuyler was fcarcely feniible of the de- cline of life, except fome attacks of the rheumatifni, to which the people of that country are peculiarly fubjed : he enjoyed found health and equal fpirits, and had upon the whole, from the temperance of his habits, and the fmgular equanimity of his mind, a more likely profpedl of pro- longing his happy and ufeful life, than falls to the lot of moil people* He had, however, in very cold weather, gone to town to vifit a relation, then ill of a pleu- rify ; and having fat a while by the inva- lid, and converted with him both on his worldly ( 41 ) worldly and fplritual affairs, he returned very thoughtful. On rifing the next morning, he began the day, as had for many years been his cuftom, with fmging fome verfes of a pfalm in his clofet, Ma- dame obferved that he was interrupted by a mod violent fit of fneezing; this returned again a little after, when he calmly told her, that he felt the fymptoms of a pleu- ritic attack, which had begun in the fame manner with that of his friend ; that the , event might poflibly prove fatal ; but that knowing as fhe did how long a period* of more than common felicity had been granted to their mutual affedlion, and with what tranquillity he was enabled to look forward to that event which is common to all, and which would be earneftly de- fired if withheld ; he expelled of her that, whatever might happen, fhe would look back with gratitude, and forward with hope ; and in the mean time honour his memory, and her own profeffion of faith, by continuing^ to live in the manner they * Forty years. had ( 42 ) had hitherto done, that he might have the comfort of thinking that his houfe might flill be an afylum to the helplefs and the ftranger, and a defirable place of meetaig to his moll: valued friends : this was fpoken ■with an unaltered countenance, and in a calm and even tone. Madame^ however. was alarmed ; friends from all quarters poured in, with the moil anxious concern for the event. By this time there was an hofpital built at Albany for the troops; with a regular medfcal eilablilhment. No human aid was wanting, and the compC" fure of Madame aftonifhed every one. This, however, was founded on hope; fo? fhe never could let herfelf imagine the danger ferious, being flattered both by the medical attendants, and the fmgular forti- tude of the patient. He, however, conti- nued to arrange all things for the change he expeded : he left his houfes in town and country, his plate, and ?n fhort all his cffe6ls, to his wife, at her fole difpofal ; his eftates were finally left to the orphan fon of his nephew, then a child in the family 5 ( 43 ) family; but Madame was to enjoy tbe rents during her life. His negroes, for whom he had a great affeflionj were admitted every day to viiit him; and with ail the ardour of attach- ment peculiar to that kind-hearted race, implored heaven day and night for his re- covery. The day before his death, he had them all called round his bed, and in their prefence befought of Madame that fhe would upon no account fell any of them : this requeft he would not have made could he have forefeen the confequences. Oa the fifth day of his illnefs, he quietly- breathed his laft; having exprelTed, while he was able to articulate^ the moft perfedt confidence in the mercy of the God whom he had diligently ferved and entirely truft- ed ; and the mod tender attachment to the friends he was about to leave. It would be a vain attempt to defciibe the forrow of a family like his, who had all been accuftomed from childhood to look up to him as the firfl of mankind, and the medium through which they re- ceived ( 44 ) ceived every earthly bleffing ; while the fe- renity of his wifdom, the fweet and gentle cail of his heartfelt piety, and the equal mildnefs of his temper, rendered him in- capable of embittering obligations : fo that his generous humanity and liberal hofpita- lity, were adorned by all the graces that courtefy could add to kindnefs. The pub- lic voice was loud in its plaudits and la- mentations. In the various charaders of a patriot, a hero, and a faint, he was dear to all the friends of valour, humanity, and public fpirit ; while his fervent loyalty, and unvaried attachment to the king, and the laws of that country by which his own was proteded, endeared him to all the fervants of government ; who knew they never fliould meet with another equally able, or equally difpofed to fmooth their way in the paths of duty affigned to them. To government this lofs would have been irreparable^ had not two fingular and highly meritorious charaders a httle before this time made their appearance, and by fuperiority of merit and abilities, joined with in- ( 45 ) integrity feldom to be met with any where, in fome degree fupplied the lofs to the public. One of thefe was Sir William Johnfon, the Indian fuperintendant, for- merly mentioned ; the other was Cadwal- iader Colden, for a very long period of, years lieutenant-governor (in ^eed virtually governor) of New York ; who in point of political fagacity, and thorough know- ledge of thofe he governed, was fully ca- pable to fupply that place. This fhrewd and able ruler, whofe origin I believe was not very eafily traced, was faid to be a Scotchman, and had raifed himfelf folely by his merit to the flation he held. In this he maintained himfelf by indefatiga- ble diligence, rigid juftice, and the moft perfed impartiality.. He neither fought. to be feared nor loved, but merely to be €fteemed and trufted, and thus fixed his power on. the broad foundation of public utility. Succeflive governors, little ac- quainted with the country, and equally ftrangers to bufmefs, found it convenient to leave the management with him y who con- ( 46 ) • confeffedly underftood it better than any one eife, and who had no friends but a few perfonal ones, and no enemies but a few public ones, who envied his ilation. It was very extraordinary to fee a man rule fo long and fo fteadily, where he was merely and coldly efteemed; with fo few of the advantages that generally procure fuccefs in the world, without birth or al- liance; he had not even the recommenda- tion of a pleafmg appearance, or infi- nuating addrefs. He was diminutive, and fomewhat more than high-fhouldered ; the contrail betwixt the wealth of his mind, and the poverty of his outward appear- ance, might remind one of JE^op, or rather of the faithful though ill-fhaped herald of 'uiyfTes: , *' Eurybutes, in whofe large mind alone, Ulj'^fres viewed the image of his own." Thus it was with Colden. Among the number of governors who fucceeded each other in his time, if by chance one hap- pened to be a man of ability, he eftimated his f 47 ) hh merk at Its juft rate; and whatever on- ginal meafure he might find it necefiary to take for the public good, left the common routine of bufmefs in the hands of that tried integrity and experience, in which he found them ; fatisfied with the (late and the popularity of governor, on which the other had notawifli to encroach. Golden, how- ever, enriched his own family, in a man- ner on the whole not objedionable : he procured from the fucceffive governors various grants of land, which, though va- luable in quality, were not, from the re- motenefs of their fituation, an objefl of defire to fettlers ; and purchafed grants from many, who had obtained the property of them, among which were different go- vernors and military commanders. He al- lowed this mine of future wealth to lie quietly ripening to its value, till the lands near it were, in procefs of time, fettled, and it became a defirable objed to purckafe or hold on leafe. CHAP. ( 48 ) CHAP. VI. Mrs. Schuyler's Arranj^ements andCondud after the Colonel's Death. . nr^UE mind of our good aunt, which Had never before yielded to calamity, feem- ed altbgether fubdued by the painful fepa- ration from her huiband. Never having left her confort's bed- fide, or known the refreftiment of a quiet fleep, during his ill- nefs, (he funk at fir ft into a kind of torpor, which her friends willingly miftook for the effeds of rei'ignation. This was foon fuc- ceeded by the mofl acute forrow, and a dangerous illnefs, the confequence of her mental fulFering. In fpring flie llowly re- covered, and endeavoured to find confola- tion in returning to the rep^ulation of her family, and the fociety of her friends, for both which (he had been for fome months difqualified. Her nieces, the Mils Cuylers, were a great comfort to her, from their af- fedionate ( 49 ) fe£lionate attention, and the pleafure {he took in feeing them growing up to be all that her maternal alTeQiion could wifh. la the focial grief of Pedrom *, who gave all Ills time to her during the early part of her widowhood, (lie alfo foiind confolation j and whenever fiie was able to receive them, her friends came from all quarters to exprefs their fympathy and their refpe lirely their ^drefs and ornaments, and con- tra6ted a kind of alliance with them r for becoming a widower in the prime of life, he connefted himfelf with an Indian mai- den, daughter to a fachem, who pofTeffed an uncommonly agreeable perfon, and good underflanding f and whether ever formally married to him according to our ufage, or not, contrived to live with him in great union and affedion all his life* So perfed was his dependance on thofe people, whom his fortitude and other manly virtues had attached to him, that when they returned from their fummer excur- fions, and exchanged the kft year's furs for fire arms, &c. they ufed to pafs ^a few days at the caftle ; when his family and moft of his domeflics were down at the hall. There they w^ere all liberally enter- tained by their friend ; and fiwe hundred of them have been known, for nights to- gether, after drinking pretty freely> to lie around him on the floor, while he was the only white perfon in a houfe containing great quantities of every thing that was to them ( 6i ) them valuable, or defirable. While Sir William thus united in his mode of lifej^, the calm urbanity of a liberal and ex- tenfive trader, with the fplendid hofpita- lity, the numerous attendance, and the plain though dignified manners of an an- cient baron, the female part of his family were educated in a manner fo entirely dif- fimilar from that of all other young people of their fex and flation, that as a matter of curiofity, it is worthy a recital. Thefe two young ladies inherited, in a great mea- fure, the perfonal advantages and ftrength of underflanding, for which their father was fo diftinguifiied. Their mother dyingr when they were young, bequeathed the care of 4;hem to a friend. This friend was the widow of an officer who had fallen in battle ;. I am not fure whether fhe was de- vout, and fhunned the world for fear of its pollutions, or romantic, and defpifed its feififli buftling fpirit :" but fo it was, that fhe feemed utterly to forget it, and devoted herfelf to her fair pupils. To thefe fhe taught needle-work of the mod elegant and in- ( 62 ) ingenious kinds, reading and writing : thus quietly pafTed their childhood ; their mo- nitrefs not taking the fmalleft concern in family management, nor indeed the lead inxerefl in any worldly thing but themfelves ; far lefs did flie enquire about the fafhions or diverfions which prevailedin a world fhe had renounced ; and from which Ihe feemed to wiih her pupils to remain for ever efl:ranged«- Never was any thing lO uniform as their drefs, their occupations, and the general tenor of their lives. In the morning they rofe early, read their prayer-book, I believe, but cer- tainly their bible, fed their birds, tended their flowers, and breakfafted ; then were employed for fome hours with unwearied perfeverance, at fme needle-work, for the ornamental parts of drefs, which were- the faihion of the day^ without knowing to what ufe they were to be put, as they never wore them ; and had not at thef age of fix- teen ever feen a lady, excepting each other and their governefs ; they then read, as long as they chofe, the voluminous romances of ths lad century ; of which their friend had an ( S3 ) an ample colledion, or Rollings ancient fiif- tory, the only books they had ever feen 5 after dinner they regularly in fummer took a long walkj or an excurfion in the iledge, in winter, with their friend 5. and then returned and refumed their wonted occupations, with the fole variation of a flroU in the garden in fummer^ and a game at chefs, or ihuttle-cock, in winter. Their drefs -was to the full as fimple and uniform as every thing elfe 5 they wore wrappers of the fined chintz, and green filk perticoats ; and this the whole year round without va- riationo Their hair, which was long and beautiful, was tied behind with. a fimple 'ribbon ; a large calaOi ihaded each from the fun, and rn winter they had long fcarlet mantles that covered them from head to foot. Their father did not liv€ vvith them^ but vifited them every day in their apart- ment. This innocent and uniform life they led, till the death of their monitrefs ; which happened when the elded was not quite feventeen. On fome future occaflon I fliall fatisfy the curiofity which this fliort but faith- ( 64 ) faithful account of thefe amiable reclufes has poflibly excited *. * Thefe ladles married officers, who in fucceffion lived as aid-dc-camps with their father. Their man- ners foon grew eafy ; they readily acquired the habits of fpciety, and made excellent wives. C^APe ( 6s ) CHAP. VIII. General Abercromble. — Lord Howe. I MUST now return to Albany, and to the projeded expedition. General Abercrombie, who commanded on the northern - lakes, was a brave and able man, though rather ioo much attached to the military fchools of thofe days. To accommodate himfelf to the defultory and vmcertain warfare of the woods, where fa- gacity, ready prefence of mind, joined with the utmoft caution, and a condefcenfion of opinion to our Indian allies, was of infi- nitely more confequence than rules and tac- tics, which were mere fhackles and incum- brances in this contention, with diiEculties and perplexities more harraffing than mere danger. Indeed when an ambufcade or fud- den onfet was followed by defeat, here (as io .Braddock's cafe) the refult reminded one of theroutof Abfalom's army } where, we are tolda ( 66 ) told, the wood devoured more than the fvvord. The general was a frequent gueft with Madame, when the nature of his com- mand would permit him to relax from the duties that occupied him. He had his men encamped belov/ Albany, in that great field which I have formerly defcribed, as the common pafture for the town. Many of the officers were quartered in the fort and town : but Lord Howe always lay in his tent, with the regiment which he com.- manded ; and which he modelled in fuch a manner/ that they were ever after con- (ider^d as an example to the whole Amerip can army : who gloried in adopting all thofe rigid, yet falutary regulations, to which this young hero readily fubmitted, to enforce his commands by his example. Above the pedantry of holding up ftand- ards of military rules, where it was impof- fible to pradife them, and the narrow fpi- rit of preferring the modes of his own coun- try, to thofe proved by experience, to fuit that in Vv'hich he was to a^l. Lord Howe laid afide all pride and prejudice, and grate- fully ( 6; ) fully accepted counfcl from thofe whom he knew to be heft qualified to dire£l him. Madame was delighted with the calm fteadi- iiefs with which he carried through the auf- tere rules which he found it neceflary to lay down. In the fir ft place he fi^-rbade all difplays of gold and fx:arlet, in the rugged march they were about to undertake, and let the example by wearing himfelf an am- munition coat, that is to fay, one of the furplus foldiers coats cut fhort. This was n neceifary precaution ; becaufe in the woods the hoflile Indians, who ftarted from behind the trees, ufually caught at the long and heavy fkirts then worn by the foldiers j and for the fame reafon he ordered the muf- kets to be fhortened, that they might not, as on former occafions, be fnatched from behind by thefe agile foes. To prevent the march of his regiment from being de« fcried at a diftance, by the glittering o-f their arms, the barrels of their guns were all blackened ; and to fave them from the tearing of buihes, the (lings of infedls, &c. he fet them the example of wearing leg- ( 68 ) gans, a kind of buikin made of ftrong woollen cloth, formerly defcribed as a part of the Indian drefs. The greatefl: priva- tion to the young and vain yet remained. Hair well drelTed, and in great quantity, was then confidered as the greatefl poffible ornament, which thofe who had it took the utmofl care to difplay to advantage, and to wear in a bag or a queue, which ever they fancied. Lord Howe's was fine, and very abundant ; he, however, cropped it> and ordered every one elfe to do the fame. Every morning he rofe very early, and, after giving his orders, rode out to the Flats, break- failed, and fpent fome time in converfation with his friends there ; and when in Al- bany, received all manner of ufefal infor- formation from the worthy magiflrate Cor- nelius Cuyler. Another point which this young Lycurgus of the camp wi(hed to eftabliih, was that of not carrying any thing that was not abfolutely neceflary. An ap- paratus of tables, chairs, and fuch other luggage he thought highly abfurd, where people had to force their way with unfpeak- able ( 69 ) able difficulty, to encounter an enemy free from all fuch incumbrances. The French had long learnt how little convenience could be ftudied on fuch occafions as the prefent. When his lordfhip got matters arranged to his fatisfadlion, he invited his officers to dine with him in his tent. They gladly affembled at the hour appointed, but were furprifed toTee no chairs or tsibles ; there were, however, bear-fkins, fpread like a carpet. His lordfhip welcomed them, and fat down on a fmall log of wood ; they followed his example ; and prefently the fervants fet down a large difh of pork and peafe. His lordfhip, taking a flieath from his pocket, out of which he produced a knife and fork, began to cut and divide the meat. They fat in a kind of awkward fuf- pence, which he interrupted, by alking if it were poffible that foldiers like them, who had been fo long del'iined for fuch a fer- vice, (hould not be provided with portable Implements of this kind; and finally re* Ifeved them from their embarraffmcnt, by diftributing ( 70 ) dldributing to each a cafe the fame as hh own, which he had provided for the pur- pofe. The aullere regulations, and con* flant felf- denial which he impofed upon the troops he commanded, were patiently- borne, becaufe he was not only gentle in his manners, but generous and humane in a very high degree, and exceedingly atten- ' live to the health and real neceffities of the foidiery. Among many inilances of thisj a quantity of powdered ginger was given to every man ; and the ferjeants were ordered to fee, that when, in the courfe of march- ing, the foldiers arrived hot and tired at the^ banks of any ftream.. they fhould not b^ permitted to (loop to drink, as they gene- rally inclined to do, but obliged to lift water in their canteens, and mix ginger with it. This became afterwards a general pradice ; and in thofe aguiili fwamps, through which the troops were forced to m.arch, was the means of faving many lives. Aunt Schuyler, as this amiable young officer familiarly ilyled his maternal- friend, had the utmoft efleem for him 5 and the greated ( 7 J ) greateft hope that he would at fome future period redrefs all thofe evils that had for- merly impeded the fervice ; and perhaps plant the Britifli flandard on the walls of <^ebec. But this honour another young hero was deflined to atchieve ; whofe vir- tues were to be illuflrated by the fplendour of vidory, the only light by which the multitude can fee the merits of a foldier. The Schuylers regarded this expedition with a mixture of doubt and difmay, knov/ing too well, from the fad retrofpe6l: of former failures, hew little valour and difciphne availed where regular troops had to encounter with unfeea fees, and with difficulties arifmg from the nature of the ground, for which military fcience afforded no remedy. Of General Abercrombie*s worth and valour they had the highefl: opinion ; but they had no opinion of at- tacking an ene^ny fo fubtle and experienced on their own ground, in entrenchments, and this, they feared he would have the te- •. merity to attempt. In the mean tiipe pre- parations were making for the attempt. The ( 72 ) The troops were marched in detachment:? pad the Flats, and each detachment quar- tered for a night on the common, or in the offices. One of the firfl of thefe was com- manded by Lee, of frantic celebrity, who afterwards, in the American war^ joined the opponents of government, and was then a captain in tlie Britifh fervice. Captain Lee had negleded to bring the cuftomary warrants for imprefiing horfes and oxen, and procuring a fupply of various necef- faiies, to be paid for by the agents of go- vernment on (hewing the ufual documents; he, however, feized every thing he wanted where he could mod readily find ir, as if he were in a conquered country ; and not content With this violence, poured forth a volley of execrations on tliofe who pre- fumed to queftion his right of appropriating for his troops every thing that could be ferviceable to them : even Madame, accuf- tomed to univerfal re(]3e-£l:, and to be con- fidered as the friend and benefadrefi: of the army, was not fpared ; and the aids which fhe never failed -to beftow on thofe whom (he ( n ) file faw about to expofe their lives for the general defence, * were rudely demanded, or violently feized. Never did the genuine chriflianity of this exalted charader fhine more brightly than in this exigency; her countenance never altered, and fhe ufed every argument to reftrain the rage of her domeflics, and the clamour of her neigh- bours, who were treated in the fame man- ner. Lee marched on after having done all the mifchief in his power, and was the next day fucceeded by Lord Howe, who was indignant on hearing what had hap- pened, and aflonifhed at the calmnefs with which Madame bore the treatment ihe had received. She foothed him by telling him, that (he knew too well the value of protec- tion from a danger fo Imminent, to grow captious with her deliverers on account of a fmgle inftance of irregularity, and only regretted that they (hould have deprived her of her wonted pleafure, in freely be- flowing whatever could advance the fervice, or refrefh the exhaufted troops. They had a long and very ferious converfation that VOL. II. i: night. C 74 ) Slight* In the morning his lordfliip pro- pofed fetting out very early ; but when he rofe was aftonifhed to find Madame wait- ing, and breakfaft ready: he fmiled, and faid he would not difappoint her, as it was hard to fay when he might again breakfaft xx^ith a lady. Iinprefled with an unaccount- able degree of concern about the fate of the cnterprize in which he was embarked, fhe ^gain repeated her counfels and her cau- tions ; and when he was about to depart^ embraced him with the affedion of a mother, and fhed many tears, a weaknefs which flie did not often give way to* Mean time, the beft prepared and dif- dplined body of forces that had ever been affembled in America, were proceeding on an enterprize^ that^ to the experience and fagacity of the Schuylers, appeared a hope- iefs, or, at leaft, a very defperate one. A general gloom overfpread the family j this, at all times large, was now augmented by feveral of the relations both of the Colonel and Madame, who had vifited them at that time, to be nearer the fcene of aftion, and get ( 75 ) ^t the r^adkn: and moft authentic intelli- gence ; for the apprehended confequence of a defeat was, the pouring in of the French troops into the interior of the pro- Tince; in which cafe Albany might be abandoned to the eriraged favages attend- ing the French army. In the afternoon a man was feen coming on horfeback from the north, galloping violently, without his hat. Pedrdm, as he was familiarly called, the colonel *s only furviving brother, was with her, and ran Inftantly to inquire, well knowing he rode ^xprefs. The man galloped on, crying out that Lord Howe was killed. The mind of our good aunt had been fo engrofTed by her anxiety and fears for the event impending, and fo imprefled by the merit and magna- nimity of her favourite hero, that her wonted firmnefs funk under this ftroke, and fhe broke out into bitter lamentations. This had fuch an effe£b on her friends and domeftics, that fhrieks and fobs of anguifh €choed through every part of the houfe. Even thofe who were too young or too old E S to ( 76 ) to enter into the public calamity, were af- fe£led by the violent grief of aunt, who, in general, had too much felf command to let others witnefs her forrows. Lord Howe was (hot from behind a tree, probably by fome Indian ; and the whole army were in- jconfolable for a lofs they too well knew to he irreparable. This ftroke, however, they foon found to be " portent and pain, a menace and a blow j" but this dark pro- fped was cheered for a moment by a de* ^ceitful gleam of hope, which only added to the bitternefs of difappointment* CHAP* C n ) CHAP. IX. Total Defeat at Ticonderoga. — General Lc€. -=- Humanity of Madame. ^"pHE next day ihey heard the particulars of the Ikirmifh, for it could fcarce be called a regular engagement, which had proved fatal to the young warrior, whofe lofs was fo deeply felt. The army had croffed lake George, in fafety, on the 5th of July, and landed without oppofition. They pro- ceeded in four columns to Ticonderoga, and difplayed a fpedacle unprecedented in the New World. An army of fixteen thoufand men, regulars and provincials, with a train of artillery, and all the neceflary provifions for an adtive campaign or regular fiege, foI« lowed by a little fleet of bateaux, pon- tons, &c. They fet out wrong however, by not having Indian guides, who are alone to be depended on in fuch a place. In a fliort time the columns fell in upon each E 3 other. ( 78 ) Other, and occafioned much confufion. While they marched on in this bewildered manner, the advanced guard of the French, which had retired before them, were equally bewildered, and falling in with them in this confufion, a Ikirmifh enfued, in which the French loft above three hundred men, and we, though fuccefsful, loft as much as it was poffible to lofe, in one 5 for here it v/as that Lord Howe fell. The fort is in a fituation of peculiarly 'jiatural ftrength ; it lies on a little penin-^ fula, with lake George on one fide, and a narrow opening, communicating with lake Champlain, on the other. It is furrounded by water on three fides ; and in front there is a fwamp, very eafily defended : and where it ceafed the French had made a breaft- work above eight feet high j not content with this, they had felled immenfe trees on the fpot, and laid them heaped on each other, with their branches outward, before their w#orks. In fine, there was no place on earth where aggreflion was fo difficult, and defence fo eafy, as in thefe woods j efpecially (79 ) efpecially when, ^s in this cafe, the patty to be attacked had great leifure to prepare their defence. On this impenetrable front they had alfo a line of cannon mounted 5 while the difficulty of bringing artillery through this fwampy ground, near enough to bear .upon the place, was unfpeakable. This garrifon, almofl impregnable from fituation, was defended by between four and five thoufand men. An engineer, fent to reconnoitre, was of opinion that it might be attacked without waiting for the artillery. The fatal refolution was taken without con* fulting thofe who were beft qualified to judge. An Indian or native American were here better fl^illed in the nature of the ground, and probabilities of fuccefs. They knev7 better, in fhort, what the fpade, hatchet, or mufket could or could not do^ in fuch fituations, than the mod Ikilful veteran from Europe, however replete with military fcience. Indeed, when fyftem ufurps the province of plain found fenfs in unknown exigencies, the refult is feldonx favourable 5 and this truth was never more £ 4 fatally C So ) fatally demonftrated than in the courfe of the Ameiican war, where an obflinate ad- herence to regular taclics, which do not bend to lime or place, occafioned^ from firft to lall, an incalculable wafte of blood, of treafure, and of perfonal courage. The refolution then was to attack the enemy without lofs of time, and even without waiting for artillery, Alas ! *^ what have not Britons dared ?'* I cannot enter into the dreadful detail of vvhat followed j certainly never was infatua- tion equal to this. The forty-fscond regi- ment was then in the height of deferved reputation ', in which there was not a pri«. vate man that did not confider himfelf as rather above the lower clafs of people, and peculiarly bound to fupport the honour of the very fmgular corps to which he be- longed. This bra\^ hard-fated regiment was then commanded by a veteran of great experience and military fkill. Colonel Gor- don Graham, who had the firft point of attack alTigned to him ; he was wounded at the firft onfet. How many this regi- ment. ( 8i ) mentj in particular, loft of men and ofEcerSji I cannot now exa6lly fay ; but thefe were very many. What I diftindly remember, having often heard of it fmce, is, that, of the furvivors, every one officer retired wounded off the field. Of the fifty-fifth regiment, to which my father had newly been attached, ten officers were killed, in- cluding all the field-officers. No humaa beings could fhew more determined cou- rage than this brave army did. Standing four hours under a conftant difcharge of cannon and mufketry from barricades, on which it was impoflible for them to make the leafl impreffion. General Abercrombie faw the fruitlefs wafle of blood that was every hour increafing, and ordered a re- treat, which was very precipitate, fo much" fo, that they croiTed the lake, and regained their camp on the other fide, the fame night. Two thoufand men were killed, wounded, or taken on this difaftrous day. On the next, thofe mofl dangeroully wounded were fent forward in boats, and reached the Flats before evening j they in E 5 a man-* ( 82 ) a manner brought (at leafl: confirmed) the ^ews of the defeat. Madame had her barn inftantly fitted up into a temporary hof- pital, and a room in her houfe allotted for the furgeon who attended the patients ; among thefe was Lee, the fame infolent and rapacious Lee, who had infulted this general benefadrefs, and deprived her of one of her greateft pleafures, that of giving a fhare of every thing fhe had to advance the fervice. She treated him with compaf- fion, whhout adverting, by the lead hint, to the paft. She tore up her fheets and table linen for bandages ; and fhe and her nieces were conftantly employed in attend- ing and cheering the wounded, while all her domeftics were bufied in preparing food and every thing necefTary for thofe unhappy fufferers. Even Lee felt and ac- knowledged the refiftlefs force of fuch ge- nerous humanity. He fwore, in his vehe- ment manner, that he was fure there would be a place referved for Madame in heaven, though no other woman fhould be there, and that he fliould wifh for nothing better than ( 83 ) than to fhare her final deftiny. The a£live induflrious beneficence (he exercifed at this time, not only towards the wounded, but the wretched widows and orphans who had remained here, and had loft their all in their huibands and parents, was beyond praife. Could I clearly recoiled and arrange the anecdotes of this period, as I have often heard them, they would of them- felves fill a volume ; fuffice it, that fuch was the veneration in which fhe was held in the army after this period> that I re. €olle£t, among the earlleft impreflions re- ceived in my mind, that of a profound reverence for Madame, as thefe people were wont to call her. Before I ever faw her I lifed to think of her as a moft auguft per- fonage, of a majeflic prefence ; fitting on. an elevated feat, and fcattering bounty to wounded foldiers, and poor women and children. E 6 CHAP, ( 84 ) CHAP. X. The Family of Madame*s Sifter.— The Death of the latter. A UNT found confolation for all her for- ^ rows in the family of her favourite fifter. The promife of uncommon merit, which appeared in the rifmg branches of that fmgularly fine family, was to her a peculiar gratification j for no mother could love her own children more tenderly than ihe did them. The two daughters, which were amongft the eldeft, palled, by turns, much of their time with her, and were, from their beauty and their manners, the ornaments of her fociety; while their good fenfe, ripened by being called early into adion, made thefe amiable and elegant young women more a comfort and afliflance than a care or charge to their aunt, at a very early period. They had four brothers 5 three of whom are ftill living, and have, through life, ( 85 ) life, done honour by their virtues, their manners, and their condud, in the moft trying exigencies, to the memory and ex- ample of their excellent parents, as well as to that collateral fchool of pure morality, and found and genuine policy, of which they fhared the benefit. The hiftory of this family, in the after viciflitudes in which the political changes in their country involved them, would furnifh a very interefting detail, were it allowable to offend the delicacy of modeft worth, or eligible to expofe the depravity and fury of enraged fadions. Of the brothers I Ihall only mention, that the third, in his child- hood, (hewed uncommon fire and vivacity; not feeming to retain the fmalleft portion of that hereditary phlegm which could ftill be eafily traced through many of the kt- tiers of this peculiar colony. He could fcarce be called an unlucky boy, for he never did harm defignedly ; yet he was fo volatile, eccentric, and original, in the fro« lickfome excurfions of his fancy, that many ludicrous and fome ferious confequences refulted ( 86 ) refulted from them. He (hewed, however, amidft all thefe gaieties, from a very early age, .a (teady and determined prediledlion towards a military life, which, in due time, was indulged, and has been fmce the means of leading him on to rank and diHindion in the Britifh fervice *• Of the eldeft: brother I (hall have occafion to fpeak hereafter; the fecond and youngeft were zealous parti- sans of government at the time of the revo. lution. Their loyalty occafioned the lofs of their fortunes and their homes ; but their worth and bravery procured them confidence and important commands in that painful fervice which was carried oa during the American war, at the end af which they were partially rewarded by grants of land in Upper Canada. Loyalty and courage feems hereditary in this family. Many fons of thofe expatriated brothers are now ferving their country in difFerenti * The capture of Tobago was atcliieved by Ge- neral C — r, who has for near forty years been engaged in the moft adive and hazardous departments of the fervice. parts ( 87 ) parts of the empire, undeterred by the iofles and fufferings of their parents in the royal caufe. It was a marked diftindion of charader to be obferved in the condu£l of aum*s protegees, that though flie was equally attached to the children of her hufband's relations and her own, thefe latter only adopted her political fentiments, with a fmgle exception, which fliall be mentioned in its place. The defeat at Ticonderoga bore very hard upon the mind of Madame ; public fpiric was always an a£liv€ principle in her flrong and refleding mind j and from tne particular circumilances in which fhe had always been involved, her patriotifm gained (Irength by exercife. The fame ardent con- cern for the public good, which could pro- diice no other efFed but fruitlefs anxiety, would be as unavailing as unneceflary, in our fecure and tranquil ftate ; but with her it was an exercifed and ufeful virtue. Her attachment to the Britifti nation, which was to the very laft a ' ruling principle both of her aftions ^nd opinions^ contributed to embitter ( ss ) embitter this blow to her and her family. The taking of Frontinac on the weftern lakes, and the re-eftablifhment of our power in that important quarter, were atchieved by General Bradftreet, whom Abercrombie difpatched at the head of three thoufand provincials. This was a cordial much wanted by all, and more particularly gra- tifying to the family at the Flats, as the coloners nephew, Philip Schuyler, though his was not exadly a warlike department, had evinced much fpirit, prudence, and re- folution during that expedition 5 in which, without publicly arrogating command, he, under Bradftreet, (who was indeed a very able man,) direded moll of the operations. In the] mind of this extraordinary perfon, kept her piind occupied. CHAP. ( ^^ ) CHAP. XI- Further Succeffes of the Brltlfh Arms.— A Mif- fioiiary.— Cortlandt Schuyler. '-pHE conquefl: of Ofwego, which was this year (^759) retaken from the French by General Bradftreet, contributed to re- vive the drooping fpirits of the army and the patriots ; and it was quickly fucceeded by the dear-bought conquefl of Quebec. Though Madame had tever feen General Wolfe, fhe fhared the general admiration of his heroifm, and the general forrow for his lofs, in a very high degree. She, too, was confcious that the fecurity and tran^ quillity purchafed by the conquefl of Quebec, would, in a manner, loofen the bonds which held the colonifts attached to p. government which they only endured while they required its prote£lion. This , led to confequences which fhe too clearly forefaw. The ( 92 ) The mind of Mrs* Schuyler, which had been greatly agitated by the fad events at Ticonderoga, now began, in confequence of the late fuccelTes, to become more compofed, and to turn itfelf to objeds of utility, as formerly. What fhe had done, and made others do for the orphans and widows that had become fuch in confequence of the attack on the lines, could fcarce be credited. No one would fuppofe a moderate fortune, like her's, could poflibly be equal to it. She had at this time too much fatisfadion in feeing the refpedive churches, (in all which fhe was^ deeply interefted,) filled with perfons who did honour to their profeifion. A young clergyman named Wefterloe, fuc- ceeded Domine Freylinghaufen, after an interval of three or four years, during which the charge was irregularly filled. This young man had learning, talent, and urbanity ; he had all the fandity of life and animated eloquence of his predeceflbr, without his love of power, his buftling turn, or his eagernefs for popularity; he was, indeed, a perfon of very fingular merit, but C 93 ) but (hidious and fecludedj and unwilling to mix with ftrangers. To Madame, however, he was open and companionable, and knew and valued the attradions of her converfa- tion. Dr. Ogilvie was the Englifh epif- copal minifter^ who, under the name of Indian miflionary, and with a falary allowed him as fuch, had the charge of performing duty in a church ereded for that purpofe in town, to ftrangers, and fuch of the military as chofe to attend. The Chriftian Indians, who were her particular charge, lived at too great a diftance to benefit by his labours. The province, however, allowed a falary to a zealous preacher, who laboured among them with apoftolic fervour, and with the fame difregard to the things of this world. Dr. Ogilvie was highly refpeded, and in- deed much beloved by all who were capable of appreciating his merit. His appearance was fingularly prepoffefling ; his addrefs and manners entirely thofe of a gentleman. His abilities were refpedable, his dodrine was pure and fcriptural, and his life exem- plary, both as a clergyman and in his domeilic ( 94 ) domeffic circle, where he was peculiarly amiable ; add to all this a talent for conver- fation, extenfive reading, and a thorough knowledge of life. The Dodor was indeed a man after Madame's own heart ; and (he never ceafed regretting his departure to New York, where he was fettled two years after. For Stuart* fhe had the utmoft veneration. Perfedly calculated for his auftere and uncourtly duties, he was wholly devoted to them, and fcarce caft a look back to that world which he had for- faken. Yet he was, on various accounts, highly valued by Madame; for fmce the appointment of the fuperintendant, and more particularly fmce the death of the colonel, he became more important to her, as the link which held her to the Mohawks, whom {he now faw fo much more feldom, but always continued to love. The com- prehenfion of her mind was fo great, and her defire for knowledge fo ftrong, that ihe found much entertainment in tracing ♦ A pious mifiionary in the Mohawk country. I the ( 95 ) the unfoldtngs of the human mind In it$ native ftate, and the gradual progrefs of in- telled when enlightened by the gentle in- fluence of pure religion ; and this good Father of the defarts gratified her more by the details he was enabled to give of the progrefs of devotion and of mind among^^ ^his beloved little flock, than he could have done by all that learning or knowledge of the world can beflow. Again the Flats began to be the refort of the beft fociety. She had alfo her nephews in fuccefllon ; one, a brother of that Philip fo often men- tioned, fmce better known to the world by the appellation of General Schuyler, had been long about the family. He was a youth diflinguiflied for the gracefulnefs of his perfon, and the fymmetry of his fea- tures. He was a perfed model of manly lieauty, though almofl as dark as an Indian, Indeed, both in looks and charader, he greatly refembled the aborigines of the- country. He feemed perfedly unconfcious' of the extraordinary perfonal advantages which he poffeflTed^ was bravCg honourabbj and ( 96 ) and poffeffed a very good under (landing, but colleded within himfelf ; filent, yet elo- quent when he chofe to intereft himfelf, or was warmed by the occafion ; and had fuch ftainlefs probity, that every one re- fpeded and trufted him. Yet he was fo very indifierent to the ordinary pleafures and purfuits of life, and fo entirely devoted to the fports of the field, that when his aunt afterwards procured him a commilTion in a marching regiment, hoping thus to tame and brighten him, he was known in Ireland by the name of the handfomefavage. This title did not belong to him in the fenfe we moft often ufe it in; for his manners were not rude and harfh in the leaft, though an air of cold auflerity, which fhaded his fine countenance, with his delight in folitary amufements, led the gay and focial inha- bitants of the country in which he refided, to confider him as unwillingly refcued from his native forefts. This youth was named Cortlandt, and will be more particularly mentioned hereafter. That eccentric and fi'olicfome boy, whofe humourous fallies and ( 97 ) . ■ . arid'playfal iiiglits were a continual fcurce af amufeaient, was alfo a frequent gueft, but did not (iay fo long as his eider bro- ther, who certainly waSj of al! aunt's adopt- ed,. the greateft favourite, and became more' endeared to her, from being iefs fuccersful in life than the Ted of his family.- In a council held between their relations and Madame, it was decided that both Gortlandt and Cornelius fhould try their fortune in arms. Gortlandt was made an enfign in an old regiment, and went over to Ireland. Corneiius, a year after, got a commiffion in the 55th, then commanded l)y that fmgularly worthy and benevolent charadler Sir Adolphus Oughton. The mayor was highly refpeded for his wif- dom ; yet his purchafing a commiilion for fo mere a boy^ and laying out for it a fuin of money which, appeared large in a country where people contrived to do very well with wonderfully little of that article, aftc- niihed all his countrymen. Confcious, how- ever, of his fon's military genius, and well knowing that the vivacity that filled his VOL. 11^ - F grave ( 98 ) grave kinfmen with apprehenfion, was merely a lambent flame of youthful gaiety, which would blaze without fcorching, he fearlefsly launched him into a profeffion in which he hoped to fee him attain merited dillindion. While the excellent patronefs of all thefe young people had the fatisfac- tion of feeing every one brought up under her aufpices, (and, by this time, they w^ere not a few,) do honour to her inftrudions^ and fill up their different flations in a man- ner the moil creditable and profperous ; and (he was often furrounded by the children of thofe who had engaged her earlieft cares. CHAP. 99 CHAP. XXL ■ Burning of the Houfe at the Flats. — Madame's re- moval. — Joiirne)'- of the Author. T was at this time, when ilie was in the very achme of her reputation^ and her name never mentioned without fome added epithet of refpect or aftedion, that her houfe, fo long the receptacle of all that was good or intelligent, and the afylum of all that was helplefs and uofortunatej was en- tirely confunied before her eyes. In the fummer of this year, as General BradPireet was riding by the Flats one day, ^and propofing to call on Madame, he faw her fitting in a great chair under the little avenue of cherry trees that led from her houfe to the road. All the way as he ap- proached he faw fmoke, and at ia(t flames, burfting out from the top of her houfe. He was afraid to alarm her fuddenly ; but F 2 when^ ( JOG ) Xvhen he told her, fhe heard it with the ut- moil compofure ^ pointed out the likeliefl means to check the fire ; and ordered the neighbours to be fummoned, and the mod valuable goods firfl: removed, without ever attempting to go over the houfe herfelf, when file knew (he could be of no fervice ; *but with the mod admirable prefence of mind, flie fat ftill with a placid countenance^ regulating and ordering every thing in the moft judicious manner, and with as much compofure as if (he had nothing to iofe. When evening came, of that once happy manfion not a Tingle beam was left, and the fcorched brick walls were all that re^ mained to mark where it had flood. Madame could not be faid to be left with- out a dwelling, having a houfe in Albany rather larger than the one thus deftroyed. But file was fondly attached to the fpot which had been the fcene of fo much fe- licity, and rendered rnore dear to her by retaining within its bounds the remains of her beloved partner. She removed to Pe- drom*s houfe for the night. The news of Wh difqualified from being a companion ; and fifter Sufan, infirm and cheerlefs, was now, for the moil part, con- fined to her chamber. Under thefe clr- cumftances ilie was at length prevailed on to remove to Albany. The Flats fhe gave in leafe to Pedrom's fon Stephen. The houfe and furrounding grounds were let to an Iri(h gentleman, who came over to America to begin a new courfe of life, after fpending his fortune in fafliionable diffipa- tion; On coming to America, he found that there was an intermediate ilate of hard- iliip and felf-denial to be encountered, be- fore he could enter on that fancied Arcadia which he thought was to be found in every wood. He fettled his family in this tem- porary dwelling, while he went to traverfe the provinces in fearch of fome unforfeited Eden, where ihQ rofe had no thorn, and F 4 the. ( 104 ) the courfe of ceafelefs labour had not begua to operate. Madame found reafon to be highly fatisiied with the change. She had mills vvbich fupplied her with br^ad, her ilaves cut and brought home fire wood, die had a good garden, and fruit and every other rural dainty came to her in the great- ed abundance. All her former protegees and friends in different quarters delighted to fend their tribute^ and this was, merely an interchange of kindnefs. Soon after this removal, her eldefl: niece, a remarkably fine young woman, was mar* ried to Mr. C. of C. manor, which was ac- counted one of the bed jnatches, or rather the very beil in the province. She was diftinguifhed by a figure of imcommon grace and dignity, a noble and expreilive countenance,, and a mind fuch as her ap- pearance led one to exped. This very re- fpedlable perfon is, I believe, flill .living,., after witneHing, among her deareft con- nexions, fcenes the mofl didreffing, and changes the mod painful. She has ever conducted herfelf, fo as to do honour to the: excellent examples of her mother and aunt^ and ( 105 ) and to be a pattern of ftedfad truth and generous friendfhip, in exigencies the mod trying. Her younger fifter, equally ad- mired, though poffeffing a different flyle of beauty, more foft and debonair, with the faireft complexion, and moft cheerful fimplicity of afpedl, was the peculiar fa- vourite, of her aunt, above all that ever fhe took charge of j fhe, too, was foon after married to that highly efteemed patriot the late Ifaac L., revered, through the whole continent, for his found good fenfe and genuine public fpirit. He was, indeed, " happily tempered, mild, and firm ;" and was finally the vidim of ftedfaft loyalty. It now remains to fay how the visiter of thefe pages became fo well acquainted with the fubjedl of thefe memoirs. My father was at this time a fubaltern in the 55th regiment. That body of men were then (lationed at Ofwego ; but during the bufy and warlike period I have been defcrib- ing, my mother and I were boarded, in the country below Albany, with the mod wor- thy people imaginable ; with whom we ever F 5 after ( io6 ) after kept up a cordial friendfhip. My fa- ther, wifhing to fee his family, was indul- ged with permillion, and at the fame time or- dered to take the command of an additional company, who were to come up, and to pur- chafefortheregiment all the ftores they diould require for the winter ; which proved a mofl extenfive commiilion. In the month of Oc- tober he fet out on this journey, or voyage rather, in which it was fettled that my mother and I fbould accompany him. We were, I believe, the firil females, above the very lowefl ranks, who had ever pene- trated fo far into this remote wildernefs. Certainly never was joy greater than that which lulled my childifh mind on fistting . out on this journey. I had before feen lit- tle of my father, and the mod I knew of him was from the folicitude 1 had heard ex- preiTed on his account, and the fear of his death after every battle. I was, indeed, a little a/hamed of having a military father, brought up as 1 had moftly been, in a Dutch family,and fpeaking that language as ijuently as my own 5 yet, on the other hand, I had fek ( ^oj ) felt fo awkward at feeing all my companions have fathers to talk and complain to, while 1 had none ; that I thought upon the whole it was a very good thing to have a father of any kind. The fcarlet coat, which I had been taught to confider as the fymbol of wickednefs, difgufted me in foine degree ; but then, to my great comfort, I found my father did not fwear ; and again, to my unfpeakable delight, that he prayed. A foldier pray ! was it poilible ? and fhould 1 really fee my father in heaven ! How tranfporting ! By a fudden revolution of opinion I now thought my father the mofl charming of all beings ^ and the overflow- ings of my good will reached to the \^hoIe company, becaufe they wore the fame colour, and feemed to refpedl and obey him. I dearly loved idleaefs too, and the more, becaufe my mother, who delighted in needle-work, confined me too much to it. What joyS w^ere mine ! to be idle for a fortnight, feeing n^w woods, rivers, and animals, every day j even then the love of nature was, ia my young bofomj a paflioa F 6 pro- C loS ) produdive of inceffant delight. I had, too, a primmer, two hymns, and a ballad ; and thefe I read over and over with great dili- gence. At intervals my attention was agreeably engaged by the details the foldlers gave my father of their manner of living and fighting In the woods^ &c. i and with thefe the praifes of Madame were often mingled. I thought of her continually ; every great thing I heard about her, even her fize, had its impreflion. She became the heroine of my childiih imagination 5 and I thought of her as fomething both awful and admirable. We had the furgeon of the regiment, and another officer with us j they talked too of Madame, of Indians, of battles, and of antient hiftory. Sitting from morning to night mufmg in the boat, contemplating my father, who ap- peared to me a hero and a faint, and think- Ing of Aunt Schuyler, who filled up my whole mind with the grandeur with which my fancy had inverted her; and then hav- • 5ng my imagination continually amufed ^ith the variety of noble wild fcenes which the ( 1^9 } the beautiful banks of the Mohawk afforded^ -I am convinced I thought more in that fortnight, that is to fay, acquired more ideas, and took more lafting iaiprefTionSj than ever I did, in the fame fpace of time, in my Hfe. This, however foreign it may appear to my fubjeO:, i mention, as fo far conneding with ky that it accounts, in fome meafure, for that developement of thought which led me to take fuch ready and ilrong impreflions from Aunt's conver* fation when afterwards I knew her^ CKAP. ( no ) CHAP. XIII. Continuation of the Journey. — Arrival at Ofwego. — Regulations, Studies, and Amufements there. TVTEVER, certainly, was a journey fo re- plete with felicity, I luxuriated in idlenefs and novelty ; knowledge was my delight, and it was now pouring in on my mind from all fides. What a change from fitting pinned down to my famplar by my mother till the hour of play, and then run- ning wild with children as young, and ilill fimpler than myfelf. Much attended to by all my fellow travellers, I was abfolutely in- toxicated with the charms of novelty, and the fenfe of my new found importance. The fir 11: day we came to Schenactady, a little town, fituated in a rich and beautiful fpot, and partly fupported by the Indian trade. The next day we embarked, pro- ceeded up the river with fix batteaux, and came early in the evening to one of the molt charming fcenes imaginable, where Fort ( III J Fort Hendrick was built ; fo called, in com- pliment to the principal Sachem, or King of the Mohawks. The caftle of this pri- mitive monarch flood at a little diflance, on a rifing ground, furrounded by pallifades* He refided, at the time, in a houfe which the public workmen, who had lately built this fort, had been ordered to ered for him in the vicinity. We did not fail to wait upon His Majefty ; who, not chufmg to depart too much from the cufloms of his anceflors, had not permitted divifions of apartments, or modern furniture to profane his new dwelling. It had the appearance of a good barn, and was divided acrofs by a mat hung in the middle. King Hendrick, who had indeed a very princely figure, and a countenance 'that would not have difho- noured royalty, was fitting on the floor be- fide a large heap of wheat, furrounded with bafkets of dried berries of different kinds ; befide him, his fon, a very pretty boy, fomewhat older than myfelf, was carefling a foal, which was unceremonioufly intro- duced into the royal refidence, A laced hat^ ( 112 ) hat, a fine faddie and plllols, gifts -of hFs good brother the great king, were hung round on the crofs beams. He was fplen- didly arrayed in a coat of pale blue, trim- med with filver ; all the reft of his drefs was of. the fafhion of his own nation, and highly -embellKhed with beads and other ornaments. All this fuited my tafle exceed- ingly, and was level to my comprehenfion. I w^as prepared to admire King Hendrick by hearing him defcribed as a generous warrior, terrible to his enemies, and kind to his friends : the charader of all others calculated to make the deeped imprefilon on ignorant innocence, in a country where infants learned the horrors of war from its vicinity. Add to all this, that the monarch fmiled, clapped my head, and ordered me a little bafket, veiy pretty, and filled by the officious kindnefs of his fon with dried berries. Never did princely gifts, or the fmile of royalty, produce more ardent admiration and profound gra- titude. I went out of the royal prefence overawed and delighted, and am not fure but -( 113 ) bat-\^'hat I have liked kings all my life the better for this happy fpecimen, to which I was mo early introduced. Had I feen royalty, properly fach, invefied with all the pomp of European magnificence, I fliould pofTibly have been confufed and" over-dazzled. Bat this was quite enough, and not too much for me; and I v/ent away, loft in a reverie, and thought of nothing but kings, battles, and generak for days after. This journey-j charming my romantic imagination by its very delays and difficult ties, was fuch a fource of intereft and no- velty to me, that above all things 1 dread- ed its conclufion, which I well knew would be fucceeded by long tafics and clofe confinement. Happily for me we foon entered upon V\rood-creekj the moft de* firable of all places for a traveller who loves to linger, if fuch another traveller there be. This is a fmall river, whrch winds irregularly through a deep and nar? row valley of the moft lavifn fertility. The depth and richnefs of the foil here was ( "4 ) was evinced by the loftinefs and the na- ture of the trees, which were> hiccory^ butter-nut, chefaut, and fycamores of vatl circumference as well as height. Thefe became fo top heavy, and their roots were 3(0 often undermined by this infidious ilream, that in every tempeftuous night, fome giants of the grove fell proftrate, and very frequently acrofs the (tream, where they lay in ail their pomp of foliage, like a leafy bridge, unwithered, and form- ed an obftacle almofl invincible to all na- vigation. The Indian lifted his flight ca* noe^, and carried it pad the tree; but our deep loaded batteaux could not be fo ma- naged. Here my orthodoxy was fbock- ed, and my anti-military prejudices revived by the fwearing of the foidiers : but then -again my veneration for my father was if poffible inereafed, by his lectures againft fwearing provoked by their tranfgreiTion. Nothing remained for our heroes but to attack thefe fylvan giants axe in hand, and make way through their divided bodies* The affault upon fallen greatnefs was una- nimous ( "5 ) nimous and unmerciful, but the refinance- was tough, and the procefs tedious ; fo much [Of that we were three days proceed- ing fourteen miles, having at every two hours' end at lead, a new tree to cut through. It was here, as far as I recoiled the hif- tory of my own heart, that the firfl: idea of artifice ever entered to my mind. Jt was, like moft female artifices, the offspring of vanity, Thefe delays were a new fource of pJeafure to me. It was Odober : the trees we had to cut through were often loaded with nuts, and while I ran lightly along the branches, to fill my royal baiket with their fpoils, which I had great plea- jTure in diftributing, I met; with multitudes of fellow plunderers in the fquirrels ofva* rious colours and fizes, who were here numberlefs. This made my excurfions amufing: but when I found my difap- pearance excited alarm, they aifumed more intereft. ItVas fo fine to fit quietly among the branches, and hear concern and fohci- tude exprefled about the child. I will ( «I6 ) I will fpare the reader the fatigue of accompanying our little fleet through " Antres vaft antl defarts wild :*' only obferving, that the munificent foli- tude through which we travelled was much relieved by the fight of Johnfun hallj beautifully fituated in.a plain by the river; while Johnfon caftle, a fev/ miles further up, made a mod refpedable appearance on a commanding eminence at fome dif- tance. We travelled from one fort to another; but in three or four inflances, to my great joy, they were fo remote from each other, that we found it necefiary to encamp at night on the bank of the river. ~ This, in a land of profound folitude, where wolves, foxes, and bears abounded, and were very much inclined to confider and treat us as intruders, might feem difmal to wifer folks* But I v;as fo gratified by the buftle and agitation produced by our meafures of de- fence, and aduated by the love which all children have for mifchief that is not fatal, that ( l^7 ) that I enjoyed our night's encampment exceedingly. "We (lopped early wherever we faw the largeH: and molt combuilible kind of trees. Cedars Vv'ere great favorites^ and the firft work was to fell and pile upon each other an incredible number, firetched lengthv/ays, while every one who could was bufied in gathering withered branches of pine, &c. to fill up the inter- ftices of the pile, and make the green wood burn the fafler* Then a train of gun-powder was laid along to give fire to the whole fabric at once, which blazed and ' crackled niagnificently. Then the tents were ere6led clofe in a row befoie this grand conflagration. This was not merely meant to keep us .Vv^arm, though the nights did begin to grow cold, but to frighten wild beafts and wandering Indians. In cafe any fuch Indians, belonging to hof- tile tribes, fhouid fee this prodigious blaze, the fize of it was meant to give them an idea of a greater force than we poflefied. In one place, where we were furround- ed by hills, with fwamps lying between them. ( ii8 ; them, theie feemed to be a general con- o^refs of .wolves, who anfwered each other from oppofite hills, in founds the niofl terrific. Probably the terror which all fa- vage animals have at fire was exalted into fury, by feeing fo many enemies, whom they durft not attack. The bull frogs, the harmlefs, the hideous inhabitants of the fwamps, feemed determined not to be out-done, and roared a tremendous bass to this bravura accompaniment. This was almofl too much for my love of the ter- rible fublime : fome women, who were our fellow-travellers, fhrieked with termor : and finally, the horrors of that night were ever after held in aweful remembrance by all who fliared them. The laft night of this eventful pilgrim- age, of which I fear to tire my readers by a farther recital, was fpent at fort Bruer- ton, then commanded by captain Mungo Campbell*, whofe warm and generous * Colonel Mungo Campbell was killed leading on the attack of fort St. Anne, at tiie battle of White Plains, Anno 1777. heart. ( 119 ) * heart, v^'hofe enlightened and comprehen- five mind, wbofe fecial qualities and public virtues" I fliould delight to commemorate did my limits permit; fuffice it, that he is endeared to my' recolleclion by being the firfl perfon who ever fuppofed me to have a mind capable of culture, and I v/as ever after diftinguiilied by his partial notice. Here we were detained tvi^o days by a premature fall of fnow. Very much difpofed to be happy any where, I was here particularly fo. Our lafl day's journey, which brought us to lake Ontario and fort Ofwego, our dd- tirjed abode, was a very hard one ; we had people going before, breaking the ice with paddles, all the way. All that I had foreboded of long tafks, conRnement, &c., fell fhort of the reality. The very deep fnow confined us all; and at any rate the rampart or the parade would have been no favourable fcene of improvement for me. One great fource of entertainment I difcovered here, w^as no other than the Old Teflament, which during my confinement I learned to read ; 4 till < >2o ) t'Ui then having done fo very irapei-fefil\% It was an unfpeakable treafure as a (lory- book; before I learnt to make any better ufe of it^ and became, by frequent pernfaij indelibly imprinted on my m.emory. Wal- lace wight, and Wei wood's memoirs of the hiftory of England, were my next ac- qnifuions. Enough of egotifm, yet all thefe circumxfrances contributed to form that tafte for folid reading which firfl: attra61:ed the attention of my invaluable friend. I cannot quit Ontario without giving a flight {ketch of the manner in which it was occupied and governed while I was there and afterwards, were it but to give young foidiers a hint how they may bed ufe their timo and refources, fo as to fhun the in- dolence and ennui they are often liable to in fuch Tituations. The 55th had by this time acquired feveral Engliili officers 5 but with regard to the men, it might be con^ fidered as a Scotch regiment, and was in- deed originally fuch, being raifed but a "very few years before, in the neighbourhood i of C 12' ) of Stirling. There were fmall detachments in other forts j but the greateft part were in this, commanded by Major (afterwards Colonel) Duncan of Lundie, elder brother of the Late k>rd Duncan of Caniperdown. He was an experienced officer, pofTelTed of eon fider able military fclence, learned, hu- mane, and judicious, yet obftinate, and fomewhat of an humourift withal. Where- ever he went, a refpedlable library went with him. Though not old he was gouty, and war-worn, and therefore allowably carried about many comforts and conve- niences that others could not warrantablydo. The fort was a large place, built entirely of earth and great logs ; I mean the walls and ramparts, for the barracks were of wood, and cold and comfortlefs. The cutting down the vafl quantity of wood ufed in this building had, however, cleared much of the fertile ground by which the fort was furrounded. The lake abounded whh excellent fi(h and varieties of water- fowl, while deer and every kind of game were numerous in the furrounding woods. VOL. 11. G AH { 122 ) , All thefe advantages, however, were now ihut up by the rigours of winter. The officers were all very young men, brought firom fchool or college to the army, and after the dreadful fpecimen of war which they had met with on their firfl: outfet, at the lines of Ticonderoga, they had gone through all poffible hardfhips. After a inarch up St. Lawrence, and then through Canada here, a march indeed, confidering the feafon, and the new road, worthy the hero of Pultowa, they were flationed in this new built garrifon, far from every trace of civilization, Thefe young foldiers were, however, excellent fubjeds for the forming hand of Major Duncan. As I have laid on a former occafion of others, if they were not improved, they were not fpolled, and what little they knew was gxDod. The major, by the manner in which he treated them, feemed to confider them as his fons or pupils ; only one might call him an auftere parent, or a rigid inftrudor. But this femblaiKe of feverity was necelfary to ( 123 ) to form his pupils to habitual veneration. Partaking every day of their convivial en- joyments, and (hewing every hour fome ■proof of paternal care and kindnefs ; all this was necefiary to keep them within due limits. Out of regard to their own welfare he wanted no more of their love than was confident with faltitary fear ; and yet made himfelf £b necelTary to them, that nothing could be fo terrible to them as, by any neglecl or imprudence*, to alienate him. He melTed with them, but lived in a houfe of his own. This was a very fmgular building divided into two apartments ; one of which was a bed-room, in which many ("lores found place, the other, a breakfafl- ing^parlour, and, at the fame time, a library. Here were globes, quadrants, mathematical inflruments, flutes, dumb-bells, and chefs- boards ; here, in fhort, waS a magazine of jnftrutlion and amufement for the coloners pupils, that is, for all the garrifon. (Corne- lius Cuyler, who had now joined the regi- ment, as youngeft enfign, was included in this number.) This Scythian dwelling, for .G 2 fuch ( 124 ) fuch it feemed, was made entirely of wood, and fixed upon wheels of the fame mate- rial, fo that it could be removed from one part of the parade to another, as it fre- quently was. So flight a tenement, where the winters were intenfely cold, was ill calculated for a gouty patient : for this, however, he found a remedy; the boards, which formed the walls of his apartment, being covered with deer-fkins, and a mod ample bear-lkin fpread on the floor by way of carpet. When once the winter fet fully in, Ofwcgo became a perfect Siberia ; cut off even from all intelligence of what was pafllng in the world. But the major did not allow this interval to wafle in floth or vacancy ; he feemed rather to take advan- tage of the exclufion of all exterior objects. His library was feled: and foldier-like. It confided of numerous treatlfes on the mili- tary art, ancient and modern hiftory, bio- graphy, kc. befides the bed authors in various fciences, of which I only recollect geography and the mathematics. All the young men were fet to read fuch books as fuited ( >25 ) fulted their different inclinations and capa- cities. The fubalterns breakfafted with their commander in rotation every day, three or four at a time ; after breakfaft he kept them, perhaps two hours, examining thsm on the fubjecl of their dlfierent ftudies. Once a week he had a fupper party for fuch of the captains as were then in the fort ; and once a week they entertained him in the fame manner. To thefe parties fuch of the fubalternSj as diflinguiflied themfelves by diligence and proficiency, were invited. Whoever v/as negh'gent, he made the fub- je6l of farcafms fo pointed at one time, and at another fo ludicrous, that there was no enduring it. The dread of fevere punith- ment could not operate more forcibly. Yet he was fo juft, fo impartial, fo free from ficklenefs and favouritifm, and fo attentive to their health, their amufements, and their (xconomy, that every individual felt him neceffary to his comfort, and looked up to him as his '"^ guide, philofopher, and friend/' 6 3 Cil:\i\ ( 126 ) CHAP. XIV, Benefit of feled Reading.— Hunting Excuifion, T TNSPEAKABLE benefi^t and improvement was derived from the courfe of reading I have defcribed, which, in the abfence of other fubje£ls, furniflied daily topics of dif- cuflion, thus impreffing it more forcibly on the mind. The advantages of this courfe of focial fiudy, directed by a mentor fo refpeQed, were fuch, that I have often heard it alTerted that thefe unformed youths derived more folid improvement from it than from all their former education. Reading is one thing; but they learned to think and to converfe. The refult of thefe acquirements ferved to imprefs on my mind what I for-, merly obferved with regard to Madame, that a promifcuous multitude of books always within reach retar4s the acquifitlon ■ of C ^n ) of ufeful knowledge. It is like having a great number of acquaintances and few friends ; one of the confequences of the latter is to know much of exterior appear.^ ances, of modes and manners, but little of nature and genuine charader. By running over numbers of books without feledion, in a defultory manner, people, in the fame way, get a general fuperficial idea of the varieties and nature of different flyleSj but do not comprehend or retain the matter with the fame accuracy as thofe who haver read a few books, by the beft authors^ over and over with diligent attention. I fpeak now of thofe one ufually meets with ; not of thofe commanding minds, whofe intui- tive refearch feizes on every thing worth retaining, and rejeds the reft as naturally as one throws away the rind when poffeffed of the kernel. Our young ftudents got through the winter pretty well ; and it is particularly to be obferved, that there was no fuch thing as a quarrel heard of among them. Their time was fpent ia a regular fucceffion of G 4 ufeful ( 128 ) ufeful purfuits, which prevented them from lifking the dangers that often occur in fuch places ; for, in general, idlenefs and confinement to the fame circle of fociety produce fuch a fermentation in the mind, and fuch negle(^ of ceremonial obfer- i?ances» which are the barriers of civility, that quarrels and duels more readily occur in fuch fituations than in any other. But v/hen fpring drew near, this paternal com- mander found it extremely difficult to rein Jn the impatience of the youths to plunge into the woods to himt. There were fiich rifks to encounter, of unknown moraflfes, wolves, and hoftile Indians, that it was dangerous to indulge them. At lafl, when the days began to lengthen, in the end of February, a chofen party, on whofe hardi- hooxi and endurance the major could de- pend, were permitted to go on a regular hunting excurfion in the Indian fafliion. This was become defirable on different ac- , counts, the garrifon having been for fome time before entirely fubfifted on fait provi* fion. Sheep and cows were out of the queftion. ( 1-29 ) queflion, there not being one of either within forty miles. A Captain Hamilton, who was a pra^lifed wood ranger, com- manded this party, who were clad almofl like Indians, and armed in the fame manner. They were accompanied by a detachment of ten men ; fome of whom having beea prifoners with the Indians, were more par- ticularly qualified to engage in this adven- ture. They were allowed four or five days to flay, and provided with a competent fupply of bear-ikins, blankets, &c. to make their projeded wigwams comfortable. The allotted time expired, and we all begun to quarrel with our fait provifions, and to long for the promifed' venifcn. Another, and yet another day palled, when our longing was entirely abforbed in the apprehen* fions we began to entertain. Volunteers now prefented themfelves to go in fearch of the lofl hunters ; but thofe offers were, for good reafons, rejeded, and every coun- tenance began to lengthen with fears we were unwilling to exprefs to each other. The major, conjedturing the hunters might G ^ have C J 30 ) hate been bewildered in thofe endlefsi woods, ordered the cannon to be fired at noon, and again at midnight, for their di- redion. On the eighth day, when fafpence was wound up to the higheft pitch, the party were feen approaching, and they en- tered in triumph, loaded with fylvanfpoils j among which were many ftrange birds and beads. I recoiled):, as the chief objedls of my admiration, a prodigious fwan, a v;iid turkey, and a young porcupine. Venifon abounded, and the fupply was both plentiful and feafonable. " Spring returned with its ihowers," and converted our Siberia, frozen and forlorn,, and fhut out from human intercourfe, into an uncultured Eden, rich in all the majeftic charms of fublime fcenery, and primEeva! bezluty and fertility. It is in her central retreat, amidd the mighty waters of the weft, that nature feems in folitary grandeur to have chofen her moft favoured habita- tion, remote from the ocean, whofe waves bear the reftlefs fons of Europe on their voyages of difcovery, invafion, and intru* fion. ( w > fion. The coafts of America are indeed comparatively poor, except merely on the banks of great rivers, though the univerfal veil of evergreens conceals much fterility from Grangers. But it is in the depth of thofe forefts, and around thofe fea-like lakes, that Nature has been profufely kind, and difcovers more charms the more her fhady veil is withdrawn from her noble features. If ever the fond illufions of poets and philofophers — that Atalantis, that new Arcadia, that fafe and ferene Utopia^, where ideal quiet and happinefs have fo often charmed in theory 5 if ever this dream of fecial blifs, in feme new planted region, is to be realized, this unrivalled fcene of grandeur and fertility bids faired to be the place of its abode. Here the climate is ferene and equal ; the rigorous winters that brace the frame, and call forth the powers of mind and body to prepare for its ap- proach, are fucceeded by a fpring fo rapid> the exuberance of vernal bloom burfls forth fo fuddenly, after the difappearance of thofe deep fnows, which cherifh and frudify the o 6 earthy ( 132 ) earth, that the change feems hke a magical delufion. — The major faw every one enraptured, like people fuddenly let out of piifon; and the whole garrifon feemed ripe for run- ning wild through the woods, in purfuit of innumerable birds of palTage, which had come on the wings of the genial fouth {o refume their wonted abodes by the great lakes, where they hatch among fwamps and iilands without number. CHAP. ( ^33 ) CHAP. XV. pardening and Agriculture. ™" Return of the Author to Albany. rTpHE major rejoiced in their joy without having the lead intention of indulging them either in the gay idlenefs, or the wild fports which the feafon infpired. He had been their Mentor all winter, and was now about to commence their Agricola. When giving an account of the garrifon I fnould have mentioned a company or two, I do not remember which, of engineers, the of- ficers of which, from their fuperior intelli- gence, were a great acquifition to the fociety. To thefe friendly coadjutors the major com- municated his plans, which they readily adopt- ed. Among his concealed (lores were Indian corn, peafe and beans in abundance, and all kinds of garden feeds. Before th^ fea* fon opened he had arranged with thefe engineers the plan of a large garden^ jbowl- 4 , ing^ ( 134 ) fng-green, and inclofed field, for the ufe cf thefe and all fu'cceeding troops. This was a bold attempt when one confiders that you might as well look for a horfe in Venice as in Ofwego. No fuch animal had ever pe- netrated fo far. A fmgle cow, belonging to the futtler, was the only tame creature, dogs and cats excepted, to be feen here. But there was a great flock of pallifadoes, which had been cut for the garrifon, lying ready } and their pioneers and workmen flill remaining there^ the new eredion being fcarce complete. The new project was re- ceived with " curfes not load but deep.** Were th^y to go all out to plod and drudge for others, who would neither pay nor thank them ; for, at moft, they argued they ihould flay only a year, and reap vehy little indeed of the fruit of their labours. The major's plans, however, were deep kid ; matters wore a peaceable afpeft ; and there was no knowing how long they might remain there. Except ihooting in the woods, or fifhing, they were without bufmefs, plea- fures, 'or varied fociety. He feared the men would ( «35 ) would degenerate into favage wlldnefs, and their officers into that fordid indifFer^ce, which is,' too often, the confequence of being, at the early feafon of life, without an aim or a purfuit. He wifhed to promote a common intereft, and habits focial and domeftic. He wiflied, too, that they might make fome advantage of this temporary baniOiment, to lay by a little ilore to eke out their pittance when they returned to more expenfive places ; in fhort, he wiOied to give them habits of regular osconomy, which (hould be ufeful to them ever after. He fhewed them his plans ; gave each of them a department in overfeeing the exe- cution of them ; and, for that purpofe, each had fo many men allotted to his command. He made it obvious to them, that, as the fummer was merely to be occupied in gar- dening and the chace, the parade of military drefs was both expenfive and unnecefTary, la the flore was a great furplus of foldiers coats, Thefe had been fent from Europe to fupply the regiment, which had been greatly diminiflied in number by the fatal ( 13^ ) lines, and fucceeding hard march. The major ordered the regimental taylbr to fit thefe as a kind of fhort undrefs frock to the officers, to whom correfpondent little round hats, very different from their regi- mental ones, were allotted. Thus equipped, and animated by the fpirit of him who ruled their minds with unconfcious yet un- limited fway, thefe young Cincinnati kt out, nothing loth, on their horticultural enter- prize. All difficulties foon vaniihed before them ; and, in a very few days, they be- came enthufiaftic in the purfuit of this new objed. That large and fertile portion of ground, which had been cleared of the timber with which the garrifon was built, was given in charg^e to a fagacious old fer- jeant, who knew fomething of huibandry, and who very foon had it inclofed in a pali* fade, dug up, and planted with beans, peafe, and Indian corn, the food of future pigs and poultry. To the officers more in- tereiling tafks were allotted. There was more than one gardener found in the regi* ment j and here the engineers and pioneers were ( ^Zl ) were particularly ufeful. The major, who had predeftined a favourite fpot for his ample garden, had it partially cleared, by cutting the winter firing of the garrifon from it. Where a mulberry, a wild plumb, or cherry tree was peculiarly well fhaped or large, he marked it to remain, as well as fome lofty planes and chefnuts 5 and when the (hrubs were grubbed up in fpring, he left many beautiful ones peculiar to the country. To fee the fudden creation of this garden, one would think the genius of the place obeyed the wand of an enchanter : but it is not every gardener who can employ fome hundred men. A fummer- houfe in a tree, a {ifh-pond, and a gravel- walk, were finiihed before the end of May, befides having committed to the earih great quantities of every vegetable produ£iion known in our bed gardens. Thefe vege- tables throve beyond belief or example. The fize of the cabbages, the cucumbers, and melons, produced here, was incredible. They ufed, in the following years, to fend them down to aftoniih us at Albany, On the ( ^38 ) the continent they were riot equalled, ex- cept in another military garden, which emu- lation had produced at Niagara. The major^s ceconomlcal views were fully an- fwered. Pigs and poultry in abundance were procured, and fupported by their In- dian corn crop j they even procured cows^ and made hay in the iflands to feed them. The provifions allowed them by the public afforded a fufficiency of ^our, butter, and fait meat, as alfo rice. The lake afforded quantities of excellent fiih, much of which the foldiers dried for winter confumption j and fruit and vegetables they had in profu- fion from their gardens. In fhort, they all lived in a kind of rough luxury, and were enabled to fave much of their pay. The example fpread to all the line of forts ; fuch is the power of one adive liberal mind purfuing its objed with undeviating flea- . dinefs. We are now about to leave Ontario 5 but perhaps the reader is not willing to take a final farewell of Colonel Duncan. The Indian war then, which broke out after the peace ( ^39 ) peace of 1762, occafioned the detention of the regiment in America till 17655 and during all that time this paternal com- mander continued with fix companies of the regiment ^t Ontario, improving both the foil and the inhabitants. He then re- turned with the regiment, of which he was become lieutenant-colonel, to Ireland. Soon after he retired from the army, and took up his refidence on the family eftate of Lundie, having previoufly married the woman of Jiis heart, who had engaged his early affec- tions, and correfponded with him during his long abfence. Here he was as happy as a (liattered invalid could be, highly re- fpe6ted by the neighbourhood, and fre- quently vifited by his old pupils, who ftill regarded him with warm attachment. He died childlefs, and was fucceeded by the admiral, on whofe merit it is needlefs ta expatiate; for who has forgotten the vidor of Camperdown ? A company of the 55th was this fum- mer ordered to occupy the fort at Albany. This was commanded by a fagacious veteran called ■ ■ ■ .4 ( 140 ) called Wineprefs. My father did not ex- actly belong to this company, but be wifhed to return to Albany, where he was known and liked ; and the colonel thought, from his fteadinefs and experiences^ he would be particularly ufeful m paying the detached parties, and purchafing for the regiment fuch llores as they might have occafion for. We fet out in our bateaux ; and I confoled myfelf for not only leaving Ofwego, but what was nearer my heart, a tame partridge and fix pigeons, by the hopes of wandering through Woodcreek, and fleeping in the woods. In both thefe particulars I was difappointed. Our boats being lighter, made better wayj and we were received in new fettlements a little didant from the river. The mod important occurrence to me happened the firft day. On that even- ing we returned to fort .Bruerton ; I found Captain Campbell delighted with my read- ing, my memoryj and my profound admi- ration of the friendfhip betwixt David and Jonathan. We (laid the mofl of the next day, I was much captivated with the cop- per. ( 141 ) per-plates in an edition of Paradife Loll, which, on that account^ he had given me to admire. When I was coming away he faid to me, " Keep that book, my dear child; I foretell that the time will come when you will take pleafure in it." Never did a prefent produce fuch joy and grati- tude. I thought I was dreaming, and looked at it a hundred times, before I could believe any thing fo fine was really my own* I tried to read it ; and almod cried with vexation when I found I could not under- ftand it. At length I quitted it in defpair ; yet always faid to myfelf, I (hall be wifer next year. CHAP. ( H'^ ) CHAP. XVI. Madame's Family and Society defcrlbed. ^pHE next year (1762) came^ and found me at Albany ; if not wifer, more knowing. Again I was fhut up in a fort> folemn and Solitary ; I had no companion, and was never allowed to go cut, except with my mother, and that was very feWom indeed. All the fine forenoons I fat, and fewed ; and v;hen others went to play in the evening, I was very often fent up to a large wade room, to get a long tails: by heart of fomething very grave and repui- five. In this wafte room, however, lay an old tattered dictionary, Bailey's I think, which proved a treafure to me ; the very few books we had, being all religious or military. I had returned to my Milton, which I conned fo induftrioufly, that I got it almoll by heart, as far as 1 went j yet took C ^43 ) took care to go no farther than I un- derftood. To make out this point, when any , one encouraged me by fpeaking kindly to me, I was fure to aik the mean- ing of. fome word or phrafe : and when I found people were not at all willing or able to gratify me, I at length had recourfe to my wade room and tattered didionary, which I found a perpetual fountain of know- ledge. Confequently the wafte room, for- merly a gloomy prifon, which I thought of with horror, became now the fcene of all my enjoyment j and the moment I was di[~ jmiiTed from my tafk, I flew to it with an- ticipated delight ; for there were my trea- fure, Milton and the ragged didionary, which was now become the light of my eyes. I ftudied the dictionary with indefatigable diligence ; which I began now to confider as very entertaining. I. was extremely for- ry for the fallen angels, deeply interefted in their fpeeches, and fo well acquainted with their names, that I could have called the roll of them with all the eafe imagina. ble. Time mn oii^ I was eight years old, 2 and ( 144 ) and quite uneducated, except reading and plain-work : when company came I was confidered as in the way, and fent up to my wade room ; but here lay my whole pleafure, for I had neither companions nor amufement. It was, however, talked of, that I fliould go to a convent, at Trois Re- vieres, in Canada, where feveral officers had fent their daughters to be educated. The fame of Aunt Schuyler every now and then reached my ears, and funk deep in my mind. To fee her I thought was a happinefs too great for me ; and I was con- tinually drawing pidlures of her to myfelf. Meanwhile the lyih regiment arrived ; and a party of them took poiTeflion of the fort. During this interim, peace -had been pro- claimed ; and the 55th regiment were under orders for Britain. My father, not being fatisfied with the fmgle apartment allotted to him by the new comers, removed to the town; where a friend of his, a Scotch merchant, gave him a lodging in his own houfe, next to that very Madame Schuyler who had been fo long my C U5 ) my dally thoughts and nightly dreams. We had not been long there when Aunt heard that my father was a good, plain, upright man, without pretenfions, but very well prin- cipled. She fent a married lady, the wife of her favorite nephew, who relided with her at the time, to aik us to fpend the evening with her. I think I have ncft been on any occafion more afloniihed, than when, with no. little aw€ and agitation, I came into the prefence of Madame. She was fitting ; and filled a great chair, from v/hich fhe fel- dom moved. Her arpe<^ was compofedj and her manner, fuch as was at firfi:, more calculated to infpire refped, than conciliate affection. Not having the fmalleft folicitude about what people thought of her, and hav- ing her mind generally occupied with mat- ters of weighty concern, the firll ex- prefiion of her kindnefs feemed rather a lofty CO urtefy, than atcradlive stability : but fhe flione out by degrees ; and fhe was fure eventually to pleale every one worth pleafing, her converfation was fo rich, fo various, fo informing ; every thing fhe faid VOL. II. H ' bore ( h6 ) hore fuch a (lamp cf reality ; her charac*' ter had fuch agrafp in it. Her exprefiions^ not from art and ftudy, but from the clear perceptions of her found and ftrong mind> Were powerful, diftin^Sl, and exadlly adapted to the Gccafion, You faw her thoughts as they occurred to her mind, without the ufual bias rifmg from either a fear to of- fend, or a wiQi to pleafe. This was one of the fecrets in which lay the fmgular power of her converfation. When ordinary people fpeak to you, your mind wanders in fearch of the motives that prompt their dif- courfe, or the views and prejudices which bias it; when thofe who excite (and per- haps folicit) admiration talk, you are fe- tretly aiking yourfelf whether they mean to Inform^ or dazzle you. All this interior canvafs vanifhed before the evident truth and unfludied eafe of Aunt's difcourfe* On a nearer knowledge, too, you found, (he was much more intent to ferve, than pleafe you, and too much engroffed by her endeavours to do foj to (top and look round for your gratitude, which Ihe heeded juft as ( U7 ) asliitle as yout admiration. In (hort^ flie informed, enlightened, and ferved you, V¥ithout levying on you any tribute what- ever, except the information yon could give in return. I defcribe her appearance as it then (truck me | and, once for all, h^ manners and converfation, as I thought of them when I was older and knew better how to diftingulfh and appretlate. Every thing about her was calculated to incf eafe the impreflion of refpe6l and admiration 4 which^ from the earlieit dawn of refle6lien, I had been taught to entertain for her. Her houfe was the mofl fpacious and beft fur- nifhed I had ever entered. The family pic- tures, and fcripture paintings, were to me particularly aw^ful and impreffive. I com- pared them to the models which had be- fore exifted in my imagination^ and was delighted or mortified, as I found they did or did not refemble them. The family with which fiie was then fur- rounded^ awakened a more than common intereft. Her favorite nephew, the eldefl fon of her much beloved filter, had, by his H 2 father's ( J48 ) father's defire, entered into partnerfeip in a great commercial houfe in New York. Smitten with the uncommon beauty of a young lady of feventeen, from Rhode ifland, he had married her without waiting for the confent of his relations. Had he lived in Albany, and conneded himfelf with one of his fellow citizens, bred up in frugal iimplicity, this ftep might have been eafily got over. But an expenfive and ele- gant ftyle of living begun already to take place in New York j which was, from the refidence of the governor and commander in chief, become the feat of a little court. The lady, whom Philip had married, was of a family originally Scotch ; and derived her defcent at no great diftance from one of the nobleft families in that country *• Gay, witty, and very engaging, beloved and indulged, beyond meafure, by a fond huf- baDd, who was generous and good-natured to excefs, this young beauty became " the glafs of faflbioa, and the mould of form."' * Earl of Crawford's* . And ( '49 ) And the houfe of this amiable couple was the refort of all that was gay and elegant,, and the centre of attra£lion to flrangers,. The mayor, who was a perfan fingularly judicious, and moil impartial in the. affec- tion which he diitributed anlongft his large family, faw clearly that the young people trufted too much to the wealth he was known to poffefs, and had got into a very cxpenlive ilyle of living j which, on exa- mining their affairs, he did nbt think Hkely to be long fupport^d by the proiits of the bufmefs in which his fon was engaged. The probable confequence of a failure, he £iw, would fo far involve him as to injure his own family : this he prevented. Peace was daily expedted : and the very exiffence of the bufinefs in which he was engaged, depended on the army ; which his houfe was wont to furnifh with every thing ne- ceffary. He clearly forefaw the withdraw- ing of this army ; and that the habits of open hofpitality and expenfive living would remain, when the fources of their prefent fupplies were dried up. He inhfted on his H 3 fon's fon^s cnnrely quitting this line, and retiring to Albany. He loaded a (hip on his owa account for the Weft Indies, and fent the young man, as fupercargo, to difpofe of the lading. As houfe-keeping was given up in New York, and not yet refuined in Albany, this young creature had only the option of returning to the large family (he bad left, or going to her father-in-law'So Aunt Schuyler, ever generous and cob,- fider^ite, had every allowance to make for the high fpirit and fine feelings of this un« experienced young creature ; and invited her, with her little daug-hter, to remain with her till her hulband's return. Nothing could be more pleafing than to witnefs the maternal tendernefs and delicate confidence, which appeared in the behaviour of Ma- dame to this new inmate ; whofe fine couh« tenance feemed animated with the liveliefl gratitude, and the utmoft folicitude to pleafe her revered benefaclrefs. The child was a creature not to be feen with indif- ference. The beauty and underftanding that appeared full blown in her mother, feemed ( 151 ) ftemed budding with the loveliefl promife m the young Gatalina ; a child, whom to this day, I cannot recolledl without an emo- tion of tendernefs. She was then about three years old. Beiides thefe interefting Grangers, there was a grand-niece whom ihe- had brought up. Such, was her fa- mily when I hv(i knew it. In the courfe ©f the evening, dreams began to be talked of; and every one in turn gave their opi- nion with regard to that wonderful mode, in which the mind a£Vs independent of the fenfes, averting its immaterial nature in a manner the mod conclufive. I mued and liftened, till at length the fpirit of quota- tion (which very early began to haunt me) moved me to repeat, from Faradife Lofi:, <« When nature refts, ** Oft In her ab fence mimic fancy wakes, to imitate her, ** But misjoining fhapes, wild work produces oft." I fat filent when my bolt was (hot ; but fo did not Madame. AftoniOied to hear her favourite author quoted readily, by fo mere a child, fhe attached much more import^ H 4 ance C J52 ) ance to the citcum fiance than it defcTvcc!, So much, indeed, that long after^ .fhe^ufed to repeat it to flrangers in my prefence, by way of accounting for the great fancy ihc had taken to me. Thefe partial repetitions of hers fixed this lucky quotation indelibly in my mind. Any perfon who has ever been in love, and has unexpededly heard that fweeteft of all mufic the praife of his beloved, may judge of my fenfations when Madame began to talk with enthufiafm of Milton. The bard of Paradife was indeed *' the dweller of my fecret foul j'' and it never was my fortune before to meet with any one who underftood or relifhed him, I knew very well that the divine fpirit was his Urania. But I took his invocation quite literally, and had not the fmallefl doubt of his being as much infpired as ever Ifaiah v/as. This was a very hopeful opening ; yet I was much too fimple and too humble to expedl that I fhould excite the attention of Madame. My ambition aimed at nothing higher than winning the heart of the fweet Cataiina; and I thought if ( 153 ) if heaven had given me fach another little fifler, ^and enabled me to teach her, in due time, to relifli Milton, I ihould have nothing left to afk. Time went on; we were neighbours,' and became intimate in the family. I was beloved by Catalina, carefTed by her' charming mother, and frequently noticed by Aunt, whom I very much inclined to. love, were it not that it feemed to me as if, in fo doing, I fliould afpire too high. Yet in my vifits to her, where I had now a particular low chair in a corner affigned me, I had great enjoyment of various kinds. Fird, I met there with all thofe Grangers or inhabitants who were particu- larly refpeclable for their charader or con^- verfation. Then I v^as v/itnefs to a thou- fand a6ls of beneficence that charmed me^. 1 could not well fay why, not having- learned to analyze my feelings* Then I: met v/ith the Spedatar and a few other fuitable books, which I read over and^ over with unwearied, diligence, not, having the kaft idea of treating a book as a play- US-- t^mg^ ( 154 ) thing, to be thrown away when the charm of novelty was pafl. I was by degrees getting into favour with Aunt Schuyler, when a new arrival for a w^hlle fufpended the growing intimacy. I allude to the colonel of my father's regiment, who had removed from Crown Point to Albany, The colonel was a married man, whofe wife, like himfelf, had paflfed her early days in a courfe of frivolous gaiety. They were now approaching the decline of life^. and nnding nothing pleafing in the retrofped ngr flattering in prolpedl, time hung on their hands. Where nothing round them was congenial to their habits, they took a fancy to have me frequently with them as matter of amufement. They had had children, and when they died their mu- tual aifedion died with them. They had had a fortune, and when it was fpent, all their pleafures were exhaufted. They were by this time drawing out the vapid dregs of a taflelefs exiftence, without ener- gy to make themfeives feared, or thoie gentle and amiable qualities which attrad ( ^55 ') love : yet they were not flamed with grofs vices, and were people of charader as the world goes. What a new world was I entered into ! From the quiet fimplicity of my home, where I heard nothing but truth, and faw. nothing but innocence; and from my, good friend's refpedlable manfion,. where knowledge reflefled light upon virtue, and where the hours were too few for their occupation. i to be a- daily witnefs of the manner in which thefe lidlefs ghofis of departed fafhion- and gaiety, drank up the bitter lees of mi fu fed time, fortune, and capaciry. Never was leflbn more impref- five ; and young as I was, I did not fail to mark, the contraft, and draw the obvious inference. From this hopeful fchool I was fet free the following fummer (when I had entered on my ninth year), by the colo« nel's return to England, They were, in* deed, kind to me; but the gratitude I could not but feel was a fentiment independent of attachment, and early taught me how dif- ficult it is, nay how pabful, to disjoin e& te^em from gratitude, H 6 ■ CHAP. ( iS^ ) CHAP. XVIf. SirJeffreyAmherft,— Mutiny.— Indian War. AT this time (^lyS^) peace had been for foaie time eftabiifhed in Europe 5 but the ferment and agitation which even the lees, and fediments of war kept up in the northern colonies, and the many regula- tions requiiite to eftabliih quiet and fecu- rity in the new acquired Canadian terri- tory, required all the care and prudence of the commander in chief, and no little time. At this crifis, for fuch it proved. Sir JeiFery, afterwards Lord Amherft, came up to Albany. A mutiny had broke out among the troops on account of with- holding the provifions they ufed to receive in time of a£lual war ; and this difcontent was much aggravated by their finding themfelves treated with a coldnefsj amount- ing to averlion, by the people of the coun- try j who now forgot paft fervices> and ihewed ( ^57 ) fhewed in all tranfa6lions a fplrlt of difllkc bordering on hoftility to their protectors, on whojn they no longer felt themfelves dependent. Sir JefFery, however, was received like a prince at Albany, refpedt for his private charader conquering the anti-military pre- judice. The commander in chief was in thofe days a great man on the continentj having, on account of the diftance from the feat of government, much difcretionary power entrufted to him. Never was it more fafely lodged than in the hands of this judicious veteran, whofe comprehen» fion of mind, impartialltyj fleadinefs, and clofe application to bufmefs, peculiarly fitted him for his important flation. At his table all flrangers were entertained with the utmofl liberality; while his own fin* gular temperance^ early hours, and flri£t morals, were peculiarly calculated to ren- der him popular among the old inhabi- tants. Here I witneflfed an impreffive fpec- tacle : the: guard houfe was in the middle of the ftreetj oppofite to Madame's 5 there was. . ( '58 ) was' a guard extraordinary mounted m honor of Sir JefFery ; at the hour of changing ft all the foldiery in the fort a f- fembled there, and laid down th^ir arms, refufing to take them up again. I (hall r.ever forget the pale and agitated counte- nances of the officers ;- they being too well aflured that it was a thing pre-concerted ; which was a6lually the cafe, for at Crown Point and Q;u€bec the fame thing was done on the fame day. Sir JefFery came down, and made a calm difpafiionate fpeech to them, promifing them a continuance of their pilviieges till further orders from: home, and offering pardon to the whole, , *with the exception of a few ringleaders-, 'whofe lives, however^' were fpared. This gentle dealing had its due effed ; but- at Quebec the mutiny affumed a mod alarm *- ing afpedl, and had more- ferious confe* - quences, though it was in the end quelled-. All this time Sir jefFery's vifits to Madame had been frequent, both out of refped to : her charader and converfation^ and to reap the btnefit of her local knowledge on an. C !59 ) an approaching emergency. This was- s fplrit of dlfaffedion, .then only fufpecled, among the Indians on the Upper Lakes, which foon after broke fuddenly out into open hoflility. In confeq^ence of her opi-* nion he fummon-sd Sir W. Johnfon to con- eert feme conciliatory meaftires. But the. Gomniencemeot of the war at this very crifis, detained him longer to -arrange with General Bradtlreet and Sij* Wilham • the operations of the enfulng campaign. This war broke out very cpporfuneVy in fome refpe6ls. It afforded a pretext for granting thofe iadalgencies to the troops, which it would otherwife have been ini- ' poUtic to give and unfafe to withhold. It furnifned occupation for an; army too large to lie idle fo far from the fource of autho-^ lity;. which could not yet be fafely with- drawn till matters were on a more (table footing ; and ic made the inhabitants once more fenfible af their protedion. Ma- dame - had predided this event^.-. knowing better than any one how the affeQions of thefe tribes might be loft or won. She well ( i6o ) well knew the probable confequences of the negligence with which they were treat- ed, fince the fubjeclioii of Canada made us confider them as no longer capable of giving us trouble. Pondiac, chief of thofe nations who inhabited the borders of the great lakes, poflelTed one of thofc minds which break through all difadvantages to affert their innate fuperiority. The rife and condud of this war, were I able to narrate them diftin6tly, the reader would perhaps fcarce have patience to at- tend to; indiflin6l as they muft appear, re- traced from my broken recolledions. Could I however do juftice to the bravery, the conduct, and magnanimity in fome in- ftances,, and the fingular addrefs and ftra- tagem in others, v/hich this extiaordinary perfon difplayed in the courfe of it, the power of untutored intelle. no lirrle time to build on its banks paioiher fleet, the only means by which an army could again approach the place. I will not attempt to lead my reader through all the intricacies of an Indian war (entire- ly fuch), and therefore of all wars the moft incomprehenfibk in its progrefs, and mofl difficult in its terms. Tht2 refult of two mafter-drokes of ftratagem, with v»'hich it opened, are fuch as are curious enough^ however, to fhid a place in this detail CHAP ( 1^7 ) CHAP. XVIIL Pondiac Sir Robert D. A LL the diflant tribes were to join on hearing Pondiac was in poffeffion of ^he fort. Many of thofe neareO:, in the mean while, were to lie in the neighbour- ing woods, armed and ready to rufh out on the difcharge of a cannon, on that day U'hich was meant to be fatal to the garri- fon. Out of the intended maffacre, how- ever, the artillery were to be fpared that they might work the guns. Near the fort lived a much admired Indian beauty, who was known m the garrifon by th^ name^ or title rather, of the CHjeen of Hearts. She not onfy fpoke French, but dreifed not inelegantly in the European manner, and being fprightly and captivating, was encouraged by Pondiac to go into the gar- rifon on various pretexts. The advantage I the ( 'SS ) the Indian chief meant to derive from this flratagem was, that (he might be a kind of fpy in the fort, and that by her influ- ence over rhe commander, the wonted caution with regard to Indians mJght be relaxed, and the foldiers permitted to go out unarmed and mingle in their diver- fions. This plan in fome degree fucceed- ed. There, w^as at length a day fixed, on which a great match at foot-ball was to be decided between two parties of Indians, and all the garrifon were invited to be fped^ators. It was to be played on the ef- planade oppofite to the fort. At a given fignal the ball was to be driven over the wall of the forty which, as there was no likelihood of its- ever being attacked by cannon, was merely a pallifade and earthen breaft-work. The Indians were to run haflily in, on pretence of recovering the ball, and fhut the gate againft the foldiers, whom Pondiac and his people were to to- mahawk immediately. Pondiac, jealous of the Queen of Hearts, gave orders, after fhe was let into the fe- cret ( 1^9 ) cret of this (Iratagera, that (he fhould go no more into the fort. Whether (he was offended by this want of <:on(ideiice ; whe- ther her humanity revolted at the intended malTacre, or whether flie really felt a par- ticular attachment prevailing over her fide- lity to her countrymen, fo it was ; her affedion got the better of her patriotifm, A foldier's wife, who carried out to her the day before fome article of drefs flie had made for her, was the medium flie made ufe of to convey a hint of the intended treachery. The colonel was unwilling^ from the dark hint conveyed, to have re- courfe to any violent meafures 5 and was, indeed, doubtful of the facl. To kindle the flames of war wantonly, furrounded, as he was, by hoftile nations, who would carry their vengeance into the defencelefs new fettlements, was a dreadful expedient. Without betraying his informer, he re- folved to convince himfelf. The men were ordered to go out to fee the ball played, but t© keep under fhelter of the fort j and if they faw the ball driven in, immediately ( '7? ) to return and (hut the gates. I tiannot diftindly remember the exad mode in which this manoeuvre was managed, but the confequence I know was, firil, the re- pulfing of the Indians from the gate, and then the commencing of open hoflilities on their fide, while the gariifon was for fome time in a flate of blockade. Meantime the Indians had concerted another flratagem, to feize a vefTel loaded with ftores, which was daily expelled from Niagara, Commodore Grant, a younger brother of the Glenmoriflon family in In- vernefsihire, was, and I believe ftill is, com- mander of the lakes ; an office which has now greatly rifen in importance. At that time his ov/n veflel and two or three fmaller were employed in that navigation. This little fquadron was very interefting on a double account. It carried ftores^ troops, Sec. which could not other wife be tranfport- ed, there being no way of proceeding by land; and again, the iize of the veffels and a few fvvivels or fmall cannon they carried enabled them to command even a ( i7i ) fleet oF canoes, (houIJ the Indians be dif* pofed to attack thern. Of this there v/as at the time not the lead appreheofion , and here I muil (iop to give feme account of the firft viclim to this unlooked-for attacks Sir Robert D. was the reprefentative of an ancient Engllfh family, of which he was originally the fixth brother. At a certain time of life, fomewhere betwixt twenty-iiye and thirty, each was, in turn, attacked with a hypochondriac diforder, which finally- proved fatal. Sir Robert, in turn, fucceeded to the edate and title^ and to the dreadful apprehenfion of being vifited by the faniQ calamity. This was the more to be re- gretted, as he was a perfon of very good abilities, and an excellent dirpofition. The time now approached when he was to arrive at that period of life at which the fata! malady attacked his brothers. He Mt^ ov imagined- he felt, fome fymptoms of the approaching gloom. What jfhould he do ? medicine had not availed. Should he travel ; alas 1 his brothers had travelled^ .but the blacked defpair was their compa- ( 172 ) nion. Should he try a fea voyage, one of them commr.Tided a fhip/and fate overtook Ltm in his own cabin. It occurred to him that, by living among a people who were utter Grangers to this mod dreadful of all vifitation?, and adopting their manner of life, he might efcape its influence. He .came over to America, -where his younger brother ferved in a regiment then in Ca* ^ada. He felt his melancholy daily in- ■creafing, and refolved immediately to put an execution -his plan of entirely renouncing the European modes of life, and incorpo- rating himfelf in fome Indian tribe, hoping the novelty of the fcene, and the hardfhips to which it would neceffarily fubjeCl him, might give an entire new turn to his fpiritsS, lie communicated his intention to Sir Wil- liam Johnfon, who entirely approved of it, and advifed him to go up to the great lake .among theH-urons, who were an intelligent and fenfible race, and inhabited a very fine country, and among w-hom he would not he liable to meet his countrymen, or be tempted back ;to the mode of life he wifhed for ( 173 )■ for a while entirely to fbrfalvG. This was no flight of caprice,, but a projed under- taken in the raoft deliberate ii-ianner, and with themoft rational views. It completely fucceeded. The Hiirons were not a little fiattered to think that an European of Sir Robert's rank was goin'g to live with thenij" and be their brother, lie did not fail to conciliate them witii prefents, and full more by his ready adoption of their drefs and manners. The (leadinefs he iliewed in ad- hering to a plan where he had not only fevere hardihips^ but nuaiberlefs difgofts to encounter, fhewed him polTeiTed of invin- cible patience and fortitude j while his let- ters to his friends, with whom he regularly correfponded, evinced much good fenfe and juil cbferyation. For two years he led this life, w^hicii habit made eafy, and the enjoy- ment of equal fpirits agreeable. Convinced that he had attained his defired end, and conquered the hereditary tendency fo much dreadedj he prepared to return to fociety> intending, if his defpondency fhould recur, 13 ./ to ( ^74 ) to return once more to his Indian habits and rejoin his Huron fiiends. When the intention "Was formed by Pondiac and his afTcciates of attacking the commodore's vef« fel, Sir Robertj v^'ho wiOied now to be con- veyed to fome of the forts^ difcerned the Eritiih ihip from the oppofite fhore of the great lake, and being willing to avail him- felf of that conveyance, qmbarked in a canoe with fome of his own Indian friendSj to go on board the commodore. Mean- while a very large canoe, containing ss many of Pondiac's followers as it could polTibly hold, drew near the king's fhip^ and made a pretext of coming in a friendly manner, while two or three others, filled with warriors, hovered at a diftance. They had fallen fhort of their ufual policy 5 for they were painted red, and had about them fome of thofe fymbols of hoflility, which are perfectly underflood amongft each other. Some friendly Indians, who happened to be by accident on board the commodore's veffel, difcerned thefe, and warned him of the C m y the approaching danger. On their drawrng near the veiTel they were ordered to keep off. Thinking they were difcovered, and that things could be no worfe, they at/- tempted to fpring on board, armed with their tomahawks and fcalping-knives> but were very foon repuifed. The other ca- noes, feeing ali was difcovered, drew near to fupport their friends, but were foon re* pulfed by a difcharge of the fix-pounders* At this crifis, the canoe, containing Sir Ro'bertj began to advance in another direc- tion. The Indians who accompanied him had not been apprifed of the propofed at* tack; but being Hurons, the commodore' never doubted of their hoflih'ty. Sir Ro- bert fat in the end of the canoe dreifed iih all the coRume of a Huron, and wrapt up in his blanket. He ordered his compa* nions to approach the (hip immediately, not deterred by their calling to them to keep off, intsnding, direclly, to make himfelf known ; but in the confufion he was acci- dentally fhot. To defcribe the univerfai forrow difFufed , I 4 over. ( 176 ) over the province in confequence of this fatal accident would be impoffible. No- thing fmce the death of Lord Howe had excited fuch general regret. The Indians carried the body to Detroit, and delivered it up to the garrifon for interment, ,He had kept a journal during his r^fidence on the lakes, which was never recovered, and muil certainly have contained (proceeding from fuch a mind fo circumitanced) much curious matter. Sir Charles, his younger brother, then a captain in the lythj fuc- ceeded him, but had no vifitation of the depreffion of mind fo fatal to his brothers. Rumours, enlarged by diflance, foon reached i\Ibany of this unlooked-for attack of the Indians. Indeed, before they had any authentic details, they heard of it in the mod alarming manner from the terrified back fettlers, who fied from their incur- fions. Thofe who dwell in a land of fecu- j'ity, Vv'here only the diftant rumour of v\^ar can reach them, would know fomething of the value of fafety could they be but one day tranfpoi'ted to a region where „ this plague - ( 177 ) plague is let loofe ; where the timorous and the helplefs are made to *' Die many times before their deatli'^ by refilefs rumour, cruel fufpencej and an^ ticipated mifery. Many of the regiments employed in the conqueO: of Canada ha,d returned home, or gone to the Wed Indies. Kad the Canadians had fpirit and cohefion to rife in a body and join the Indians, 'tis hard to fay what might have been the con- fequence. Madame, vvhofe cautions were negleded in the day of profperity, became now the public oracle, and was reforted to and confulted by all. Formerly (he blamed their falfe fecurity and neglect of that powerful chief, who, havirig been accuf- tomed to flattery and gifts from all fides, was all at once made too fenfible that it was from W'ar he derived his importance. Now (he equally blamed the unlverfal tre- pidation,- being confident in our refources^ and well kno^^'ing what ufeful allies the Mohawks, ever hoftile to the Canadian In* dians, might prove. I 5 Never '( 178 ) Never was our good aunt more confulted or more refpeQed. Sir Jeffery Amherd plani)ed ^t Albany an expedition to be com- manded by General BradHreet, for which both New York and New England raifed corps of provincials. CHAF, I If 9 > CHAP. XIX. Death of Captain Dalziel. — Sudden Deceafe of as; Indian Chief. — Madame.— Her Protegees. ^|EANTiME an exprefs arrived with the affli£ling news of the lofs of a captain, and twenty men of the 55th regiments The name of this lamented officer was Dalziel, of the Carnwath family. Colonel Eeckwith had fent for a reinforcements This Major Duncan hefitated to fend, til! better informed as to the mode of convey^ ance. Captain Dalziel volunteered going-^ I cannot exadly fay how they proceeded ^ but, after having penetrated through the woods till they were in fight of Detroitj, they were difcovered and attacked, by a party of Indians, and made their way witk the utmoft difficulty, after, the lofs of their commander and the third part of their TiUmben Major Duncan's compreheaixTe xnind 1 6 took ( i8o ) . took in every thing that had any tendency to advance the general good, and cement old alliances. He faw none of the Hurons, whofe territories lay far above Ontario, but thofe tribes whofe courfe of hunting or fiihing led them to his boundaries, were always kindly treated. He often made them prefents of ammunition or provlfion, and did every thing in his power to conci- liate them. Upon hearing of the outrage which the Hurons * had been guilty of, the heads of the tribe, with whom the. major had cultivated the greateft intimacy, cam.€ to aiTure him of their good w'iOies and hearty co-operation. He invited them to come with their tribe to celebrate the birth- day cf the new King, (His prefent Majefty,) which occurred a few days after, and there folemnly renew, with the ufual ceremonies, the league ofFenfive and defenfive m.ade be- tween I heir fathers and the late King. They * The author, perhaps, ufes the term Huron.^ where that of Algonquin would have been more correct. She does not recollect the diftlnftlve terras exacS^ly, but applies the epithet, in general, to the Ind'ans who then (jc<:upied the banks of the Huron Lake, and the ^adjacent country, 5 came ( i8i ) came accordingly in their bed arms and dreffes, and affifted at a review, and at a kind of feaft given on the occafion, on the outfide of the fort. The chief and his brother, who were two fine noble looking men, were invited in to dine with the major and officers. When they arrived, and were feated, the major called for a glafs of v/ine to drink his fovereign^s health ; this was no fooner done, than the fachem's brother fell llfelefs on the floor. They thought it was a fainting fit, and made ufe of the ufaal applications to recover him, which, to their extreme furprife, proved ineffedluah His brother looked fleadily on while all thofe means were ufing ; but when convinced of their inefficacy, fat down, drew his mantle over his face, fobbed aloud, and burfl into tears. This was an additional wonder. Through the traces of Indian' recolledion no perfon had been known to fall fuddenly dead without any vifible caufe, nor any war- rior to filed tears. After a paufe of deep filence, which no one felt inclined to break, the fachem rofe with a colleded and d'lgnU fisd air, and thus addrelTed the witneiies of " thi^ ( i82 ) this afFe£ling incident : " Generous Englifli, " misjudge me not ; though you have feen " me for once a child, in the day of battle " you will fee a man, who will make the " Hurons weep blood. I was never thus " before. But to me my brother was all. ** Had he died in battle, no look of mine " would change. His nation would, ho- " nour him^ but his foes fhould lament " him, I fee forrow in your counte- " nances ; and I know^you were not the *' caufe of my brothers death. Why, in- " deed, (hould you take away a life that '^ was devoted to you ? Generous Englilh, *^ ye mourn for my brother, and I v,^ill ** fight your battles." This affurance of bis confidence was very neceflary to quiet the minds of his friends ; and the concern ef the ofBcers was much aggravated by the fufpicious circumftances attending his death fo immediately after drinking of the wine they had given him. The major ordered this lamented warrior to be interred with gT^eat ceremony. A folemn procefTion, mournful mufic, the firing of cannon, and all other military hopourSj evinced his fym- pathy ( 183 ) pathy for the living, and his refpedl for the dead ; and the refult of this fad event, in the end, rather tended to ilrengthen the attachment of thofe Indians to the Britifli caufe. I h?.ve given this fingular occurrence a place in thefe memoirs, as it ferves to illuf- trate the calm good fenfe and fteady con- fidence, which made a part of the Indian charader, and added value to their friend^ Ihip when once it was fairly attained. The 55th, which had been under orders to return home, felt a fevere difappointment in being, for two years more, confined to their fylvan fortrefles. Thefe, however, they embellilhed, and rendered comfortable^ with gardens and farm-grounds, that, to refide in them, could no longer be ac- counted a penance. Yet, during the In- dian war, they were, from motives of ne- ceifary caution, confined to very narrow limits ; which, to thofe accuflomed to pur- fue their fports with all that wild liberty and wide excurfion peculiar to favage hunters^ was a hardfhip of which we can have no ideSf Reftrained from this unbounded li- cence* C 1B4 ) cence, fifhing became their next favourite purfuit, to which the lakes and rivers on which thefe forts, were built, afforded great facility. Tempted by the abundance and excellence of the produdions of thefe co- pious waters, they were led to endanger their health by their afTiduity in this amuiement. Agues, the difeafe of all new efl:abli(hments, became frequent among them, and were ag- gravated by the home ficknefs. To this they were more peculiarly liable; as the regiment, juft newly raifed before they embarked for. America, had quitted the. bofom of their families,, without pailing. through the gradation of boarding-fchoois and academies, as is ufual in other coun': tries, What an unfpeakable blelTmg to the in*- habitants were the pariih fchools of the north, and how much humble worth and laborious diligence has been found among their teachers. In thofe lowly feminaries boys not only attained the rudiments of learning, but the principles of loyalty and genuine religion, with the abatement of a fmall tinfture of idolatry j of which theix houfehold ( "Bi ) houfehold gods were the only objefts. Ne- ver furely was a mode of education io cal- culated to cherifli attachment to thofe tute- lar deitie?. Even the Laird's fon had often a mile or two to walk to his day fchool ; a neighbouring tenant's fon carried the baf- ket which contained his fmiple dinner ; and flili as they went along they were joined by other fellow travellers in the paths of learn- ing. How cordial were thofe intimacies, formed in the early period of life and of the day, while nature fmiled around in dewy frefhnefs ! How gladdening to the kind and artlefs heart were thefe early walks through the wild varieties of a romantic country, and among the peaceful cottages of fmiple peafants *, from whence the in* cenfe of praife, ** in founds by diftance * The Scottlih peafants, when they return to break- lail from their early labours, always read a portion of fcripture, fmg fome part of a pfalm, and pray^ This praftice is too general, either to diminilh cheerfulnefs, or convey the idea of fuperior fandity ; while the effect of vocal mufic, rifing at once from (o many fepLirate dwellings^ is very Impreflive. xnad-e C ^S6 ) made mpre fweet/* rofe on the morniilf?' breeze ! How chearin^: was the mid-dav fport, amid their native burns and braeSy Vv'ithout the confinement of a formal play- ground ! How delightful the evening walk homeward, animated by the confcioufnefs of being about to meet all that was dearetl to the artlefs and affedionate mind ! Thus the conflitution was improved with the un- derflanding ; and they carried abroad into ' active life, the rigid fibre of the rob u ft and Jjardy frame, and the warm and fond uf- feftions of the heart, uncorrupted and true to its firft attachments. Never fure were youth's firft glowing feelings more alive than in the minds of thofe young foldiers. From fchool they were hurried into the greateft fatigues and hardfhips, and the horrors of the moft fanguinary war j and from thence tranfported to the depth of thofe central foreds, where they formed to themfelves a little world, whofe greateft charm was the cherifhed recolledtion of the fimple and endeared fcenes of their child* hood, and of the belovedrelatious whom they had C j8; )' had Mi behind, and to whom thtj Ian- guifhed to return. They had not gone through the ordeal of the world, and could not cheer their exile by retracing its w^ays, its faihions^ or its amufements. It is this domeilic education, that unbroken feries of- home joys and tender remembrances, that render the natives of the north fo faithfiil to their filial and fraternal duties, and fo attached to a bleak and rugged region, ex- celled in genial warmth of climate, and fer- tility of foil, in eyery country to which the Ipirit of adventure leads them, i was now reftored to my niche at Aunt Schuyler's, and not a little delighted with the importance which, in this eventful cri- fis, feemed to attach to her opinions. The times were too agitated to admit of her pay- ing much attention to me : but I, who took the deeped intereft in what was going on, and heard of nothing, abroad or at home, but Indians, and fieges, and cam- paigns, was doubly awake to all the con- verfation I heard at home. The expedition proceeded under General Brad- ( .88 ; BradRreet, while my father, recommendecJ to his attention by Pvladame, held fome temporary employment about muftering^ the troops. My friend had now the fatif« faclion of feeing her plans fucceed in dif- ferent inflances. Philip, fince known by the title of Ge- neral Schuyler, whom 1 have repeatedly mentioned, had now, in purfuance of the mode (lie pointed out to him, attained to wealth and power ; both which were rapidly increafmg. His brother Cortlandt^. (the handfome favage) who had, by her ad- vice, gone into the army, was returned from Ireland, the commander of a company ; and married to a very pleating and edimable woman, whofe perpetual vivacity and. good humour threw aray of light over the habitual referveof her hufband ; who was amiable ia domeftic life, though cold and didant in his manner. They fettled near the general, and paid a degree of attention to Madame that (hewed the filial tie remained in full force. • The colonel, as he was then called, bad built ( 189 I built a houfe near Albany, in the Eng- lifli tafte, comparatively magnificent, where his family refided, and where he carried on the buHnefs- of his department. Thirty miles or more above Albany, in the direc- tion of the Fiats, and near the fan-famed Saratoga, which v/as to be the fcene of his future triumph, he had another ellablilh- ment. It was here that the colonePs poli- tical and economical genius had full fcope. He had always the command of a great num- ber of thofe workmen who were employed in public buildings, &c. Thofe were al- ways in conftant pay ; it being neceffary to engage them in that manner ; and were, from the change of feafons, the fhutting of the ice, and other circumftances, months imemployed. AH thefe feafons, when pub- lic bufinefs was interrupted, the workmen were employed in conftru6ling fquares of buildings in the nature of barracks, for the purpofe of lodging artifans and labourers of all kinds. Having previoufly obtained a large tract of very fertile lands from the crown, on which he built a fpacions and con- convenient houfe ; he conflruded thofe bar- Tacks at a diftanccj not only as a nurfery for the arts which he meant to encourage, but as the materials of a future colony, which he meant to plant out around him. He had here a number of negroes well ac- quainted with felling of trees and managing faw-miils ; of which he erecled feveraL And while thefe were employed in carry- ing on a very ad^^antageous trade of deals and lumber, which were floated down on rafts to New York, they were at the fame time clearing the ground for the colony the colonel was preparing to ef- tablidi. This new fettlement was an afylum for every one who wanted bread and a homei from the variety of employments regularly diftributed, every artifan and €very labourer found here lodging and oc- cupation : fome hundreds of people, indeed, were employed at once. Thofe who were in winter engaged at the faw-mills, w^ere in fummer equally bufied at a large and pro- duftive fifhery. The artifans got lodging and ' ( ipl ) and firing for two or three years, at firft, befides being well paid for every th^ng they did. Flax was raifedj and drefled, and finally fpun and made into linen there 5 and as artlfans were very fcarce in the country, every one fent linen to weave, flax to drefsj &c. to the colonel's colony. He paid them liberally; and having alv/ays abundance of money in his hands, could afford to be the lofer at firfl, to be amply repaid in the Qnd» It is inconceivable what dexterity, addrefs, and de^p policy were exhibited in the management of this new fettlenient ; the growth of which was rapid beyond belief. Every mechanic ended in being a farmer, that is a profitable tenant to the owner of the foil ; and new recruits of artifans from the north of Ireland chieily fupplied their place, nouriOied with the golden dews which this fagacious projedlor could fo eafily command. The rapid In^ creafe and advantageous refult of this efla- blifhment were aftoni(hing. /Tis impoflibl^ for my imperfe£l recollection to do juflicg to the capacity difplayed in thefe regula- tions, 2 ( 192 } tions. But I have thus endeavoured to trace to its original fource that wealth and power which became, afterwards, the means of fuppovting an aggreiTion fo for- midable. CHAP. ( ^93 ) CHAP. XX. Madame's Popularity.— Exchange of Pnfoners. TN the front of Madame's houfe was a por- tico, towards the flreet. To this Ihe was fupportsd, in fine evenings, vv'hen the whole town were enjoying themfeb'es on their refpeclive feats of one kind or other. To her's there were a few ileps of afcentj on which we ufed humbly to feat ourfelvesi while a fucceffion of " the elders of that city" paid their refpedls to Madame, and converfed with her by turns. Never was levee better attended. ^' Aunt Schuyler is come out/* was a talifmanic fentence that produced pleafure in every countenance, and fet every one in motion who hoped to be well received ; for, as I have formerly ob» ferv'ed, Aunt knew the value of time much too well to devote it to every one. Wa lived all this time next door to her, and were often of thefe evening parties, vol., II. j^ The ( 194 ) Tlie Indian war was now drawing to a clofe, after occafioning great difquiet, boundlefs expence, and fome bloodfhed. Even when we had the advantage which .our ta6lic3 and artillery in fome inftances gave, it was a warfare of the mod preca- rious and perplexing kind. It was fome- thing like hunting in a foreft at bed ; could you but have fuppofed the animals you purfusd armed with miffile weapons, and -ever ready to ftart out of fome unlooked- for place. Our faithful Indian confede- rates, as far as I can recolle(fV, were more iifeful to us on this occafion than all the dear bought apparatus, Vv'hich we colleded for the purpofe of deftroying an enemy too wife and too fwift to permit us to come in light of them; or, if determined to attack us, fufficiently dexterous to make us feel before we faw them. We faid, however, that we conquered Pondiac, at which no doubt he fmiled: for the truth of the mat- ter was, the condud of this war refembled a protracted p^ame of chefs. He was as liiilc: able to take our forts without cannon, 2« i ^95 ) as we were able without the feet, the eyes, and the inftindive fagacity of Indians, to trace them to their retreats. After delights ing outfelves for a long while with the man* ner in which we were to punifli Pondiac's prefumption, " could we but once caUb bimy* all ended in our making a treaty, very ho- nourable for him, and not very difadvan- tageous to ourfelves. We gave both pre- fents and promifes, and Pondiac gave — permiflion to the mothers of thofe children w^ho had been taken away from the frontier fettlements to receive them back again, oa condition of delivering up the Indian pri- fbnersj. The joyful day when the congrefs was lield for concluding peace I never ihall forget. Another memorable day is en- graven in indelible charaders upon my me* mory. Madame, being deeply interefted in the projeiled exchange, brought about a fcheme for having it take place at AU bany, which tvas. more central than any other place, and where her influence among the Mohawks could be of ufe in K s getting ( 195 ) getting intelligence about the children, and fending nieflages to thofe who had adopted them, and who, by this time, were very unwilling to part with them. In the firfl: place, becaufe they were grown very fond of them; and again, becaufe they thought" the children would not be fo happy in our manner of life, which appeared to them both condrained and effeminate. This ex- change had a large retrofped. For ten years back there had been 'every now aiid then, while thefe Indians were in the French intereft, ravages upon the frontiers of the different provinces. In many in- flances thefe children had been fnatched away while their parents were working in the fields, or after they were killed. A certain day was appointed, on which all who had loft their children, or fought thofe of their relations, were to come to Albany in fearch of them ; where, on that day, all Indians poffeffed of white children were to prefent them. Poor women, who had travelled fon: e hundred miles from the back fettlements of Fenfylvania and New England, ( ^97 ) England, appeared here, with anxious looks and aching hearts, not knowing v/hether their children were alive, or how exadly to identify them if they fhould meet them. I obferved thefe apprehenlive and tender mothers were, though poor people, all dreffed with peculiar neatnel^f and attention, each wifhing the firft im- preffion her child fhould receive of her might be a favourable one. On a gentle Hope near the fort, flood a row of tempo- rary huts, built by retainers to the troops : the green before thefe buildings was the fcene of thefe pathetic recognitions j which I did not fail to attend. The joy of even the happy mothers was overpowering, and- found vent in tears; but not like the bit- ter tears of thofe who, after long travel, found not what they fought. It was af- feding to fee the deep and filent forrow of the Indian women, and of the children, who knew no other mother, and clung fondly to their bofpms, from whence they were not torn without the mod piercing ihrieksj while their own fond mothers K 3 were C 19S ) were dlflrefled beyond nieafure at the iliy* nefs and averfion with which thefe long loft objedls of their love received their carefies. I ihall never forget the grotefque figures and wild looks of thefe young favagesj nor the trembling hade with which their mo- thers arrayed them in the new clothes they had brought for them> as hoping that, with the Indian drefs, they would throw ofF their habits and attachments. It was in fliort a fcene impoilible to defcribe, but mofl: affeding to behold* Never was my good friend's confiderate liberality and ufe- ful fympathy more fully exerted than on this occafion, which brought fo many poor travellers from, their diflant homes on this pilgrimage to the ihrine of nature. How many traders did fhe perfuade to take them gratis in their boats ! How many did (he feed and lodge ! and in what various ways did (he ferve or make others ferve them all. No one indeed knew how to refufe a re- quefl: of Aunt Schuyler, who never made one for herfelf. CHap. ( 199 5 CHAP. XXL Return of the .55th Regiment to Europe.— Private^- fent to Penfacola. ^j^UE 55th now L amidfl their la] left their calm abodes ikes and forefts, with the joy of children breaking up from their fchool J little aware that they were bidding adieu to quiet, plenty, and freedom, and utter ftrangers to the world, into which they were about to plunge. They all came down to Albany, Captain Mungo Camp- bell was charmed to find me fo familiar with his Milton j while I was equally charmed to find him a favourite with Aunt. Schuyler, which was with me the criterion of merit. Colonel Duncan,. ,for fuch he was now, marched proudly at the head of his pupils, whom he had carried up raw youths, but brought back with all the man- ly and foldierly opennefs of manner and character that could be wiihed, and with K 4 minck ( aoo ) minds greatly improved. Meanwhile Ma« dame's counfels had fo much influence on my father, that he began ferioufly to think of fettling in America. To part with his beloved 55th was very trying ; yet his prof- peds of advantage in remaining among a people by whom he was efteemed, and to whom he had really become attached, were very flattering ; for by the aid of Aunt and the old inhabitants, and friendly Indians, who were at her powerful bidding, he could expeft to get advantageoufly fome lands which he, in common with other of- ficers who ferved in America, was entitled to. He, having a right to apply for the allotted quantity wherever he found it va- cant, that is, in od order was mod unexpectedly read at the head of the regiment, it was worfe to moft of them than a fentence of immediate death : they were goin^ to a difn^al and detefted quarter^ and they were going to become: part of a regiment of no repute ; whom they themfelves had held in the utmoft contempt when they had formerly ferved together* . The officers were not a little afFedted by thi^ cruel order, to part with brave welldifciplined. m^n ^ who, by their fmgular good condud^ ^ 6 aoid ( 204 )• and by the habits of fharlng with thefr offi- cers in the chafe, and in their agricultural ' amufements, fifhingparties, &C.5 had ac- quired a kindly nearnefs to them not ufu- ally fubfifting between thole who command and they who muft implicitly obey. What ties were broke ! what hopes were blafted by this fatal order ! Thefe fad exiles embarked for Fenfacola at the fame time that their comrades fet out for Ireland. My father returned, funk in the (feeped fadnefs, which was increafed by our place of abode : for we had removed to the forfaken fort, where there was no creature but ourfelves and three or four foldiers who chofe to flay in the country, and for whom my father had procured their difcharge. I was in the -mean time more intimate than ever at Aunt Schuyler's j attra(!led not only by her kindnefs, but my admiration for Mrs. Cuyler, and attachment for her lovely little girl. The hufband of the former was now returned from his Weft India voyage, and they retired to a houfe of their own, meaning to fucceed to that bufinefs which the ( 205 ) the mayor, now wealthy and infirm, was quitting. Cortlandt Schuyler, the general's brother,and his fprightly agreeable wife5were now, as well as the couple formerly men- tioned, frequent vifitors at Aunt's, and made a very pleafing addition to her fahiiliar cir- cle. ., I began to be confidered as almoft a child of the family, and Madame took much pains in inflrudling me, hoping that I would continue attached to her, and knowing that my parents were much flattered by her kind- nefs, and fully confcious of the advantages I derived from it. With her aid my father's plan of proceeding was fully digefled. He was to furvey and locate his lands, (that was the phrafe ufed for fuch tranfadions,) and at leifure (as the price of lands was daily rifing,) to let them out on leafe. He was to referve a good farm for himfelf^ but not to refide upon it till the lands around it were culti- vated ; and fo many fettlers gone up as would make the diftridl in a degree civilifed and populous j a change which was like to talce place very rapidly, as there were daily emigrations to that neighbourhood, which was ( 206 ) was become a favourite rallying point, on account of a flourifhing and fingularly well condudled fettlement which I have already mentioned, under the aufpices of Colonel Schuyler in this quarter. CHAP. C -^7, > CHAP. xxrr. A new Property. — Vifionary Plana, '. \Ay father went up in fammer with a red- nue of Indians, and difbanded foldiers> &c. headed by a land-furveyor. In that country, men of this defcription formed aa important and diilind profeffion. They were provided with an apparatus of meafur- ing-chains, tents, and provifion. It was upon the whole^ an expenfive expedition j but this was the lefs to be regretted as the objed proved .fully adequate. Never was a location more fertile or more valuable, nor the poifeflbr of an eftate more elated with his acquifition : a beautiful flream pafled through the midll of the property ; beyond its limits on one fide rofe a lofty eminence covered with tall cedar, which being in- cluded ia na patent, would be a common good, and offered an. inexhauflible fupply of timber and firing after the lands Ihould be entirely cleared. This fylvan fcene apr pearedj even iu its wild (late, to poffefs fin^ gular ( 208 ) gular advantages : it was dry lying land without the lead particle of fwamp, great part of it was covered with chefnuts, the fure indication of good wheat land, and the reft with white oak, the never-failing forerunner of good Indian corn and pafture. The ground, at the time of the furvey, was in a great meafure covered with flrawberries, the fure fign of fertility. And better and better ftill, there was, on a confiderable ftream which watered this region of bene- di£tion, a beaver-dam, that was vifibly of at leaft fifty years (landing. What par- ticular addition our overflowing felicity was to derive from the neighbourhood of thefe fagacious builders, may not be eafily con- jectured. It was not their fociety, for they were much too wife to remain in our vicinity, nor yet their example, which, though a very good one, we were fcarce wife enough to follov/. Why then did we fo much rejoice over the dwelling of thefe old fettlers ? Merely becaufe their induftry had faved us much trouble : for, in the courfe of their labours, they had cleared above thirty acr€s of excellent hay-laad 5 work which ( 209 ) which w€ fliould take a long time to exe- cute, and not perform near fo well ; the truth was, this induftrious colony, by whofe previous labour we were thus to profit, were already extirpated, to my unfpeakable for- row, who had been creating a beaver Utopia ever fmce I heard of the circumdance. The proteclipn I was to afford them, the ac- quaintance I was to make with them, after conquering the firft fhynefs, and the de- light I was to have in feeing them work, after convincing them of their fafety, occu- pied my whole attention, and helped to con- fole me for the drafting of the 55th, which I had been ever fmce lamenting. How buoy- ant is the fancy of childhood ! I was morti- fied to the utmofl to hear there were no bea- vers remaining ; yet the charming, though fimple defcription my father gave us of this ^^ vale of blifs," which the beavers had partly cleared, and the whole *' Townfhip of Clarendon," (fo was the new laid out territory called,) confolsd me for all pafl dif- appointments. It is to be obferved that the political and economical regulations of the beavers, make their neighbourhood very de- firable ( 210 ) Hrable to ne\r fettiers. They build hoiifeS and dams with unwearied induftry, as every- one that has heard of them mufl: needs know ; but their unconquerable attachitient to a particular fpot is not fo well known ; the confequence is, that they work more, and. of courfe clear more land in fbme fitua* tions than in others. When they happen to pitch upon a ftream that overflows often m fpring, it is apt' to carry away the dam, formed of large trees laid acrofs the ftream, which it has coft them unfpeakable pains to cut down and bring tkere. Whenever thefe are deflroyed they cut down more trees and conftrud another j and, as they live all wititer on the tender twigs from the underwood and bark which they ftrip from poplar and alder, they foon clear thefe- alfo from the vicinity. In the day-time they either mend their houfes, lay up ftores in them, or fiih, fitting upon their dams made for that purpofe. The night they employ ijn cutting down trees, which they always do fo as to make them fall towards the ftream, or in dragging them to the dam. Mean- while they have always centinels placed near ( ail ) near to give the alarm, in cafe of any intro* fion. It is hard to fay when thefe indefati- gable animals refrefn themfelves with fieep, I have feen thofe that" have been taken young and made very tame, fo that they followed their owner about j even in thefe the inftuid which prompts their nodurnal labours was apparent. Whenever all was quiet they began to work. Being difcontented and reftlefs^ if confined, it was ufual to leave them in the yard. They feemed in their clviiifedj or rather degraded flate, to retain an Idea that it was neceffary to convey; materials for building to their wonted -habitation. The donfequence was, that a fingle one would carry fuch quantites of wood to the back- door^ that you would find your way blocked up in the morning to a degree almoft in- credible. Being very much inclined to be happy> and abundant in refources, the fimple feli- city which was at fome future period to prevail among the amiable and innocent tenants we were to have at Clarendon, filled my whole mind. Before this flattering vi- fionj all painful recolledions, and even all the violent ( 212 ; violent love which I had perfuaded myfelf ta feel for my native Britain, entirely vanifhed. The only thing that difturbed me, was Aunt Schuyler's age, and the thoughts of o\itliving her, which fometimes obtruded among my day dreams of more than mor- tal happinefs. I thought all this could fcarce admit of addition ; yet a new fource of joy was opened, when I found that we were aduaily going to live at the Flats. That fpot^ rendered facred by the refidence of Aunt, where I (hould trace her fteps wher- ever I moved, dwell under the fhadow of har trees, and, in fliort, find her in every thing I faw. We did not afpire to ferious farming, referving that effort for our own eftate, of which we talked very magnifi- cently, and indeed had fome reafon, it being as valuable as fo much land could be ; and from its fituation in a part of the country which was hourly acquiring frelh inhabi- tants, its value daily increafed, which con- lideration induced my father to refufe feveral offers for it ; refolved either to people it with Highland emigrants, or retain it in his own hands till, he fliould get his price. Sir ( 2'3 ) Sir Henry Moore, the lad Britlfh gover- iior of New York that I remember, came up this fummer to fee Albany, and the or- nament of Albany — Aunt Schuyler ; he brought Lady Moore and his daughter with him. They refided for fome time at Gene- ral Schuyler's, I call him fo by anticipation; for fure I am, had any gifted feer foretold then what was to happen, he would haVe been ready to anfwer, *^Is thy fervant a dog, that he (hould do this thing.'* Sir Harry, like many of his predecefTors, Was a mere ihew governor, and old Cadwallader Col- den, the lieutenant governor, continued to do the bufinefs, and enjoy the power in its mofl elTential branches, fuch as giving pa- tents for lands, &c. Sir Harry, in the mean time, had never thought of bufmefs in his life ; he was honourable as far as a man could be fo, who always fpent more than he had ; he was, however, gay, good na tured, and well bred, affable and courts* Gus in a very high degree, and if the bu- fmefs of a governor was merely to keep the governed in good humour, no one was fitter for that office than he, the more fo, as 12 he ( 214 ) he had fenfe enough to know two things of great importance to be known : one was, that aperfon of tried wifdom and good ex- perience like Golden, was fitter to tranfact the bufinefs of the province, than any depen- dant of his own: the other, that he was totally unfit to manage it himfelf. The govern- inent houfe was the fcene of frequent fefti- vities and weekly concerts, Sir Henry being very mufical, and Lady Moore peculiarly fit- ted for doing the honours of a drawing-room or entertainment. They were too fafhionable, and too much hurried to find time for par- ticular friendfhips, and too good natured snd well bred to make invidious diflindlions, fo that, without gaining very much either of efleem or afFeclion, they pleafed every one in the circle around them; and this general civility of theirs, in the dorm which was about to arife, had its ufe. In the begia- ning, before the temped: broke loofe in all its fury, it was like oil poured on agitated v/aters, which produces a temporary calm immediately round the (hip. As yet the (lorm only muttered at a didance, but Madame was difturbed by anxious prefaij^es. In her cafe. ( *i5 ) '• Old experience a£lually did atlaia *' To fomething like prophetic ilrain.** But It was not new to her to prophecy ia vain. I for my part, was charmed with the manners of thefe exalted vifitors of AuntSj and not a little proud of their attention to her, not knowing that they ihewed pretty much the fame attention to every one. While I wa3 dancing on air with the thoughts of going to live at the Flats, of the beauties of Clarendon, and many other de- lights which I had created to myfelf, an event took place that plunged us all in for- row ; it was the death of the lovely child Catalina, who was the obje£l of much fond- nefs to us allj for my parents, bating the allowance to be made for enthufiafm, were as fond of her as I v/as ; Madame had fet her heart very much on this engaging crea- ture; (he muflered up all her fortitude ta fupport the parents of her departed favour- ite, but fuifered much notwithftanding. Here began my acquaintance with forrow. We went, however, to the Flats in au- tumn. Our family confiilsd of a negro girl^ and afoldierj who had followed my father^s 10 fortunes ( 2l6 ) fortunes from Scotland, and fluck to him through every change. We did not mean to farm, but had merely the garden, orch- ard, and enclofure for hay, two cows, a horfe for my father, and a colt, whiish, to my great delight, was given me as a.prefent* Many fources of comfort and amufement were now cut off from Madame, her nephew and his lively and accompiifhed wife had left her, Dr. Ogilvie was removed to New York, and had a fucceifor no way calculated to fup- p]y his place. This year (he had loil her bro- ther-in-law Cornelius Cuyler,^ whofe found , fenfe • This cftimable charadler had for the ipace of for- ty years (which included very important and critical conjuntiures} been chief magiftrate of Albany, and its diftri£V. A fituation calculated to demand the utrnoft integrity and impartiality, and to exercife all the pow- ers of a mind, acute, vigilant, and comprehcnfivef The lefs he was amenable to the controul and direc- tion of his fuperiors_, the more liable was he to the ani- madverfions of his fellow citizens, had he in the leaft departed from that rectitude which made him the ob- ject of their confidence and veneration. He admimf' tered juftice^ not fo much in conformity to v/ritten laws, as to that rule of equity within his own breaft, the application of which was diredled by found fenfe, improved by experience. I do by means infinuate, that he fither negkded or difobeyed thofe law8> by which, ( 217 ) fenfe and Intelligence made his fociety of confequence to her, independant of the great efteeni and afFedion fhe had for him. The army, among whom fhe always found per- fons of information and good breeding, in whofe converfation (he could take pleafure which might be truly called fuch, were gone. Nothing could compenfate, in her opinion, for the privation of that enjoyment ; Ihe read, but then the people about her had fo little tafte for reading, that (lie had not her wonted pleafure in that, for want of fome one with whom (lie coujd difcufs the topics fuggefled by her iiudies. It was in this poverty of fociety . fuch as (lie was accuf- tomed to enjoy, that (he took a fancy to con- verfe much with me, to regret my want of which, in al- doubtful cafes, he Vv'as certainly guided 5 but that the uneorfupted ftate or public morals, and the entire confidence which his fellow-citizens repofed in his probity, rendered appeals to the^ law, for the moft part, fuperfluous. I have heard that the family of the Cuylers was originally a German one of high rank. Whether this can or cannot be afcertained, h of little confequence. The (lerling worth of their im- mediate anceftor, and his long and faithful fervices to the Public, reflect more honour on his defcendants thaji any length of pedigree. VOL, II. l> edU" ( 2«8 ) education, and to take a particular Intereft ia my employments and mental improvement. That I might more -entirely profit by her at- tention, (he requefted my ^parents to let me pafs the winter with herj this invitation they gladly complied with. The winter at the Flats was fufficientlv melancholy, and rendered lefe agreeable by feme unpieafant neighbours we had. Thefe were a family from New England, who had been preparing to occupy lands near thofe occupied by my father. They had been the fummer before recommended to Aunt's generous humanity, as honefl people, who merely wanted a flielter in a room in her -empty noure, till they (hould build a tem- porary hut on thole new lands which they v/ere about to inhabit. When .we came, the lime permitted to them had longelapfed, ^but my father, who was exceedingly hu- mane, indulged them with a fortnight more after our arrival, on the pretence of fhe fick- nefs of a child ; and there ihey fat, and would not remove for the winter, unlefs coercion had been ufed for that pijrpofe. We lived -on .the road fide^ there was at ihat ( ■ ^'9 ) that tirne -a perpetual emigrailoQ going on from the provinces of New Engiand to our back iettlements. Our acquaintance with the family who kept pofiellion befide us, and with many of even the better forr, who came to bargain with my father about his lands, gave us more infight than we wifiied into the prevalent character of thofe people, whom we found conceited, iitigiouSj and felfifh beyond meafure. My father was told that the only fafe way to avoid being over- reached by them in a bargain^ was to give them a kind of tacit permifTion to fit down on his lands, and take his chance of fettling with them when they were brought into fome degree of cultivation 4 for if one did bargain with them, the cuflom was to have it three years free for clearing, at the end of which, the rents or prnxhafe money wa>^ paid. By that time, any perfon who had €Xj>€nded much labour on laad^ would rather pay a reafonabie price or rent for k^ than be removed* In the progrefs of his intercourfe with thefe very vulgar, infolent, and truly dif^ agreeable people^ my father began to dif» h -2 _ Teliflu ( 220 ) relifli the thoughts of going up to lire among them. They flocked indeed fo fad, to every unoccupied fpot, that their malignant and envious fpirit, their hatred of fubordination, and their indifference to the mother coun- try, begun to fpread hke a taint of infec- tion. Thefe illiberal opinions, vsrhich produced manners equally illiberal, were particularly wounding to difbanded officers, and to the real patriots, who had confulted in former times the happinefs of the country, by giving their zealous co-operation to the troops fent to proted it. Thefe two claffes of people be- gun now to he branded as the flaves of ar-' bitrary power, and all tendencies to ele- gance or refinement were defpifed as lead- ing to ariftocracy. The confequence of all this was, fuch an oppofuion of opinions- as led people of the former defcription to feek *each others fociety exclufively. Winter was the only time that diflant friends met there, and to avoid the chagrin refuiting from this diflempered liate of fociety, vete- rans fettled in the country were too apt to devote thernfeives to Oi&oting and iifhing, taking ( 221 ) taking refuge from langour in thefe folltary aiDufements. We had one brave and loyal neighbour^ however, who faw us often, and was " every inch a gentleman i" this was Pedrom, Aunt's brother-in-law, in whom lived the.fpirit of the Schuylers, and who was ournext neigh- bour and cordial friend. He Vv'as now old, detached from the world, and too hard of hearing, to be an eafy companion ; yet he had much various information, and was en« deared to us by fnnilarity of principle. Matters were beginning to be in this date the firft winter 1 went to live with Aunt. Her friends were much difperfed 5 all con* verfatlon was tainted with politics, Crom- wellian politics too, which of all things, flie diHiked. Her nephew, Gortlandt Schuyler, who had been a great Nimrod ever fmce he could carry a gun, and who vv^as a man of ftrid honour and nice feelings, took furh a mtiancholy view of things, and fo little relilhed that Stamp Aft, which was the exclufive fubjeci of all converfation, that he devoted himfelf more and more to the chace, and feemed entirely to renounce L ^ a f^-= ( ^22 ) a fociety whkh he had never greatly loved. As I iliall not refer to him again, I ihall only mention herfj that this eltimable perfon was taken away from the evil to come two years after, by a premature death, being killed by a fall from hh horfe in hunring. . Wliai forrows "were hid from his eyes by this timely efcape from fcenes, which would have been to him peculiarly woAinding! If Madame's comforts in fociety were dU minifl^ed, her domeftic fatisfaclicns were -not iefs fo. By the time I came to live with her, Mariamat and Dianamat were almoil fuperannuated, and had loR, in a great mea- fure, the retraining power they ufed to ex- ercife over their refpedlve ofispring. Their woolly heads were fnow white, and they were become fo feeble, that they fat each in her great chair, at the oppofite fide of the fire j their wonted jealoufy was now embit- tered to rancour, and their love of tobacco greater than ever. They were arrived at that happy period of eaie and indolence, which left them at full liberty to fmoak and fcold the whole day long ; this they did with fuch unwearied perfeveranccj and in a manner C 223 ) ^isnn^f lo ludicrous, that to us young peO' pie they were a perpetual comedy. - Sorely now ^i^ Aunt lameDt the promife (he had kept fo faithfully* never to fell any of the Colonels negroes. There was fo little to do for fourteen perfons^ except the bnfinefs they created for each other, and it was fo ImpofTi- ble to keep them from too freely fharing the plenty of her liberal houfe, that idlenefs and abundance literally began to corrupt them. All thefe privations and uneafmelTes will in fome meafure account for fuch a perfon as Madame taking fuch pleafure in the fo- ciety of an overgrown child. But then (lie was glad to efcape from dark profpects and eirofs politics, to the amufement derived from the innocent chearfulnefs natu^-al to that lime of life. A pafilonfor reading, and a very comprehenfive memory too, had fur- nifhed my mind v.iih more variety of know- ledgej than fell to the lot of thofe, who liv- ing in large familleSj and (baring the amufe- ments of childhood, were not, like me, driven to that only refource. All this will help to account for a degree of confidence and favour, daily encreafing, which ended L 4 in ( ^H ) in my being admitted to fleep in a little bed befide her, which never happened lo any other. In the winter nights, our converf'a- tions ofien encroached on the earlier hours of morning. The future appeared to her dubious and chearlefs, which was one rea- fon, I fuppofe, that her a£tive mind turned folely on retrofpedion. She faw that I lif- tened with delighted attention to the tales of other times, which no one could recount fo well. Thefe, too, were doubly interefling^ as, like the fociable angeW converfation with our firft father, they related to the origin and formation of all I faw around me ; they afforded food for refledion, to which I was very early addicled, and hourly increafed my veneration for her whom I already con- fidered as my polar flar. The great love I had-for her fird gave intereft to her details; and again, the nature of thefe details in- creafed my efleem for the narrator. Thus paifed this winter of felicity, which fo much enlarged my flock of ideas, that in looking back upon it, I thought I had lived three years in one. CHAP. ( 225" > CHAP. XXIII. Return to the Flats. QUMMER came, and \vi:h it vifitors, as ufual, to Madame from New York and other places ; among whom, I remember, were her nieces Mrs. L. and Mrs. C. I went to the Flats, and was, as ufual, kept ■very clofe to my needle- work } but though there was no variety to amufe me, fummer ilid by very fait. My mind was continu- ally occupied with Aunt, and all the paf* fages of her life. My gfeateft pleafure was to read over again the books I had read to her, and recoiled her obfervations upon them. I often got up and went out to the door to look at places where particular things had happened. She fpent the win- ter's nights in retrofpeclions of her paft life ; and I fpent the fummer days in retro- lpet\ions of thefe winter nights. But thefe 'were not my only pleafures. The banks of L 5 the ( 225 ) the river and the oppofite kenery delignted me; and, adcpdng all Aunt*s tades and at- tachments, I made myfclf believe I was very fond of Pedroni and Sufanna Muet, ss the widow of Jeremiah was called. My attention to them excited their kindnefs ; and the borrowed fentiment, on my part,, foon became a real one. Thele old friends were very amufing. But then I had num- berlefs young friends, who fnarcd my atten- tion, and w^ere in their own way very amu'ilng too. Thefe were the objeds of my earlied cares in the mornings and my needlefs foiicirude all day. I had marked doivn m a lid between thirty and forty nefls of various kinds of birds. It was an extreme dry (ummer j and I faw the parent birds, wliom 1 diligently wat^^hed, often panting with heat, and, as i thought, fa- tigued. After all I had heard and feen of -Aunt, 1 thought it incumbent on me to be -good ant] kind to fome being that needed my all) (lance. To my fellow-creatures my power did not extend ; therefore 1 wifely lerolvcd to adapt my m^de of beneficence to ( ^27 ) to the fphere of adion afligned to me, and decided upon the judicious fcheine of afiift- ing all thefe birds to feed their your^g. My confederate Marian, (our negroe girl,) entered heartily into this plan; and it was the bufinefs of the morning, be- fore tafks commenced, to ilaughter innu» merable infe^ls, and gather quantities of cherries and other fruit for that purpofe^ Portions of this .provifion we laid befide every neft, and then applauded curfelves for faving the poor birds fatigue. Thisj from a purfuit. became a padion. Every fpare moment was devoted to it, and every hour made^ new difcoveries of the nature and habits of our winged friends, which we. confidered as amply recompenfing our labours. ^ The mod eager fludent of natural phl- lofophy could not be more attentive to thofe obje£ls, or more intent on making difcoveries. One fad difcovery we made^ that moj:cified us exceedingly. The mock- ing-bird is very fearer and Very fhy in this noithern diftrid, A pair came, howeveF, 1. 6 . to> ( 2^8 ) to our inexprefiible delight, and built a nefl in a very high tree in our garden. Never was joy like ours. At the imminent riik of our necks we made fhift to afcend to this lofty dwelling during the abfence of the owners ; birds we found none ; but three eggs of a colour fo equivocal, that, deciding the point whether they were green or blue, furnifhed matter of debate for the reft of the day. To fee thefe treafures was de- lightful, and la refrain from touching them impoffible. One of the young we refolved to appropriate, contrary to our general hu- 'mane procedure ; and the next weighty affair to be difcuiTed, was the form and fize of the cage v/hich was to contain this em- bryo waibler. The parents, however, ar- rived. On examining the premifes, by fome myfterious mode of their own, they difcovered that their fecret had been ex- plored, and that profane hands had touched the objects of all their tendernefs. Their plaintive cries we too v/ell underftood. That whole evening and all the next day tliey were bufied ia the orchard ^ while their ( 229 ) their loud lamentations, conflantly reite- rated, pierced us with remorfe. We foon faw the garden next forfaken j and a little further examination foon convinced us, that the violated eggs had been tranfported to another, where, however^ they were not hatched ; the delicate inftinds, which di- reded thefe creatures to form a new nefl, and carry off their eggs, on finding they had been handled, did not, at the fame time, inform them, that eggs carried away, and fhaken by that motion during the procefs of incubation, cannot produce any thing. The great barn, which 1 formerly de- " fcribed, afforded fcope for our obfervations of this nature ; and here we remarked a phenomenon, that I am ftill at a lofs to account for. In the higheft part of that fpaclous and lofty roof, multitudes of fwal- lows,* of the martin fpecies, made their nefls. Thefe v^^ere conftruded of mud or clay as ufual, and, in the ordinary courfe of things, iafted, with fome repairs, from year to year. This fummer, however, being unufualiy hot and dry, the nefts, in great numbers, cracked and fell down on the fluor^ with the young ones ( 230 ) • ones in them. We often found them In this fituation, but always found the birds in them alive and unhurt ; and faw the old ones come to feed them on the floor, U'hich they did with fuch eager confidence, that they often brufhed fo near as to touch us. Now we could no other way account for the . nefts always coming down with the birds liinhurt in them, but by fuppofing that the fwallows watched the fra6lure of the nefts,. and when they faw them about to fall^came round the defcending fabric, and kept it in a kind of equilibrium. Of thefe birds we flood in fuch profound awe, that we never profited by the accident which put them in our povi^er ; we would not indeed, for any confideration, have touched them, efpeci- ally after the fad adventure of the mock- ing-bird, which hung very heavy upon our confciences. Autumn came, and Aunt came at the appointed day, the anniverfary of his death, to vifit the tomb of her beloved cfonfort. This cerem.ony always . took place at that time. She concluded it with a vifit to us, and an earned requeft for my return- ing with her;> and remai»ing the winter. CHAP, ( 231 V € H A P. XXIV. Melancholy Prefages. — Turbulence of the People. 'X'HE converfations between my father and aunt alTumed a melancholy cad. Their hopes of a golden age in that country (now' that the flames of war were entirely quench- ed) grew weaker. The repeal of the Stamp Acl occafioned exceflive joy, but produced little gratitude. The youth of the town,, before that news arrived, had abandoned' their wonted fports^ and begun to amufe themfelves with breaking the windows and deftroying the furniture of two or three, different people, who had, in fucceflion, been fufpected of being ftamp-mafters in embryo. My father grew fonder than ever of hilling and ihooting, becaufe bird^ and fiih did not talk of tyranny or taxes. Some- times we were refreihed by a vifit from fome of Aunt^s nephews, the fons of the mayor. lUi^y aiv/ays left m in great good hEu^our, for ( 232 ) for they fpoke refpedfully of our dear King, and dearer country. But this funfnine was tranfient ; thty were foon fucceeded by Obadiah or Zephaniah, from Hampfhire or Connedicutj who came in without knock- ing ; fat down wthout invitation ; and lighted their pipe without ceremony ; then talked of buying land ; and, finally, began, a difcourfe on politics, which would have done honour to Praife God Barebones, or any of the members of his parliament. What is Very fmgular is, that though the plain- fpoken and manly natives of our fettlement had a general difllke to the character of thefe litigious aud loquacious pretenders, fuch are the inconfiftencies into which people are led by party, that they infenfibly adopted many of their notions. With Ma- dame I was quite free from this plague. None of that chofen race ever entered her door. She valued time too much to devote it to a fet of people whom fhe confidered as greatly wanting in fmceriry. I fpeak now, of the Hampfliire and Conne61icut people. In towns and at fea-ports the old leaven had C m ) had given way to that liberality which was produced by a better education, and aa intercourfe whh ftrangers. Much as aunt's loyal and patriotic feelings were hurt by the new mode of talking which prevailed, her benevolence was not cooled, nor her mode of living changed. I continued to grow in favour v/ith Aunt this winter ; for the bed poflible reafons, I was the only one of the family that would fit dill with her. The young people in the houfe were by no means congenial with her ; and each had a love aifair m hand fait ripening into matrimony, that took up all their thoughts. Mr. H. our chap- lain, was plaufible, but fuperficial, vain, and ambitious. He too was bufied in hatching a projefl of another kind. On pretence of (ludy, he foon retired to his room after meals, dreading no doubt that aunt might be in pofTeflion of Ithuriel's fpear, or to fpeak without a figure, might either fathom his (hallownefs or deted his projecV. One of thefe difcoveries be knew would fink him in her opinion, and the ether ( 234 ) Ciller exclude him froni her houie. For iT>y own p.irt, I was always puzzling my- fclf to coiUider, why I did not more love and reverence Mr. TL, who I took it for granted nuifi: needs be good, wife, -and learned ; for I thought a clergyman was all hut inrpired. Thus ihinking, I w^ondtred-' \xhy I did not feel for Mr. H what 1 i'dl. for aunt in fome degree ; but unfortunately Mr. IL was a true bred native of Connec- ticut, which, perhaps helped more than any intuitive penetration into charade r, to pre- vent any excefs of veneration. Aunt and 1 read Burnet's memoirs and fome biogra- phy this winter, and talked at lead- over much geography and natural hiflory. Here indeed, I Vvas in fome degree obliged to Mr. H.; I mean for a' few leiTons on the globe. He had too an edition of Shake- fpeare, I have been trying but in vain tore- colled what aunt faid of this. Not much cer- tainly jbut (he was much pleafed withtheEflay on Man, Sic, Yet I fomehow underdood that Shakefpeare was an admired author,and was not a little mortified when I found my- feif ( ^^35 ) ielf unable to appreciate his merits. I fup- poie my talle had been vitisted by bombaft tra>;edies I had read at Colonel E.'s. I thought thern grofbly faniiiiar, and very in- ferior to Cato, whom aunt had taught me to admire; in iliort I was ignorantj and becaufe I could read Pvliltonj did not know my own ignorance. I did not expert to meet nature in a play, and therefore did not recognize her. 'Tis not to be conceiv- e<^ how I puzzled over Hamlet, or how his alTumed madnefs and aboife of Ophelia con- founded me, Othello's jealoufy, and the manner in \^hich he expreifed it, were quite beyond my comprehenfion. I mention thefe things as a warning to other young people not to admire by rote, but to wait the unfolding of their own tafte, if they would derive real pieafure from the works of genius. I rather ima- gine 1 was afraid Aunt would think I de- voted too much time to what I then con- fidered as a trifling book. For I remember reading Hamlet the third or fourth time, m a frofly night, by moonlight, in the back ( 236 ) back porch. This reiterated perufal was liot ill confequence of any great pleafure it cdlbrded me ; but I was ftudioiifly labourini^ to diicover the excellence I thought it muft needs contain ; yet with more diligence than fijccefs. Madame was at this time, i imagine, forefeeing a florm, and trying to withdraw her mind as much as poHible fro.n earthly objedls. Forty years before this period, a filler of the deceafed colonel had married a very worthy man of the name of Wendell. He being a parfon of an adive enterprizlng dif- pofition, and poifeiling more portable wealth than ufually fell to the fhare of the natives there, was induced to join feme great com- mercial company near Boflon, and fettled there. He was highly profperous and much beloved, and for a while cultivated a con- (lant commerce with the friends he left be- hind. When he died, however, his wife, who was a meek benevolent woman, with- out diftrull, and a (Iranger to bufmefs, was very ill-treated : her fons, who had been married in the country, died. Their con- nexions ( ^n ) iiexlons fecured the family property for their children. In the primitive days of New York, a marriage fettlement was an unheard-of thing. Far from her native home, having out-lived her friends, help- lefs and uncomplaining, this good woman, who had lived all her days in the midfl of deferved afHuence and affedlion, was now dripped by chicanery of all her rights, and finking into poverty without a friend or comforter. Aunt, immediately upon hear- ing this, fet on foot a negociation to get Mrs. Wendell's affairs regulated, fo that fhe might have the means of living with comfort in a country in which long refi- dence had naturalized her ; or that failing, to bring her home to refide vvath herfelf, Ferhap-s in the whole courfe of -her life, ihe had not experienced fo much of the depra- vity of human nature ^s this enquiry un- folded to her. The negotiation, however, cheered and bufied her at a time when flia g^reatlv needed fome exertion of mind to check the current of thought produced by the rapid and aftonifhing change of man- ners and fentiments around her. But in II our (238 ) our province there were two clades of peo- ple who abfolutely feemed let loore by the dcemoii of difcord, for the deflruCllon of public peace and private confidence. Oae of thefe was compofed of lawyers^who mul- tiplied fofafl: that one would think they rofe like mulhrooms from the earth. For many years one lav/yer was fufiicient for the whole fettlemenr. But the fwarm of thefe^ which had made fo fudden and portentous an appearance, had been encouraged to chufe that profeffion, becaufe a wide field was open for future contention, merely from the candour and fimplicity of the laft genera- tion. - Not in the lead didrafting each other, nor aware of the fudden rife of the value of lands, thefe primitive colonifts got large grants from government, to encourage their efforts in the early flages of cultiva- tion ; thefe land? being firO: purehafed, for fome petty confideration, from the Indians, who alone knew the land marks of that illi- mitable foreft. The boundaries of fuch large grants when afterwards confirmed by government, were. C 2J9 ) were diilingulfned by the terms ufed by the Indians, who pointed them out -, and very exraordniary marks they were. For in- (lance, one that I recollect. " We ex- *' change with our brother Cornelius Ren- *' felaer for fo many ftrouds, guns, &c. " the lands beginning at the beaver creek, *' going on northward, to the great fallen ^^ plane tree, where our tribe Hept lafl: ium- " mtr ; then eaftward, to the three great " cedars on the hillock ; then weflward, ^^ flrait to the wild duck fwamp ; and *• (1 rait on from the fwamp to the turn ia ^^ the beaver creek where the old dam was." Such are the boundaries ferioufly defcribed in this manner, in one of the ear lied pa- tents. The only mode, then exifting, of fixing thofe vague limits was to mark large trees which grew at the corners of the pro- perty, with the owner's name deeply cut,' along with the date of the parent, &c. after blazing, that is to fay, cutting deeply into the tree, for a plain fpace to hold this ia- icription. 3 ^^ ( 240 - ) In this primitive manner were all the eflates in the province bounded. Towards the fea this did very well, as the patents, in a manner, bounded each other ; and every one took care to prevent the incroachments of his neighbour. But in the interior, peo- ple took great ftretches of land here and there, where there were not patented lands adjoining ; there being no continuity of fertileground except on the banks of dreams. The only fecurity the public had againd thefe trees being cut down, or others at a greater difi:ance marked in their dead, was a law which made fuch attempts penal. This was a very nugatory threat ; it being impoiiible to prove fuch an ofFence. Crimes of this nature encroaching on the property of individuals, I believe, rarely happened : but to enlarge one's boundary, by taking in a little of King George's ground, to ufe a provincial phrafe, was conHdered as no great harm ; and, befides, many poiTeiTed extenfive tracls of land unquedioned, merely on the drength of Indian grants unfandion- cd by government. One in particular, the proudeft ( 241 ) - proudefl man I ever knew, had a law-fuit with the King^ for more land than would form a German principality. Now that the inundation of litigious new fettlers, from Maflachufet's bounds, had awaked the fpirit of enquiry, to call it no worfe, every day produced a frefh law-fuit, and alt of the fame nature, about afcertaining boun- daries. In one inftance, where a gentlemau was fuppofed to be unfairly poffefTed of a vaft trad of fine land, a confederacy of Britifh officers, I muil: confef^, queftioned his right ; applying before hand for a grant of fuch lands as they could prove the pof- feflbr entitled to ; and contributinof amono; them a fum of money to carry on this great law-fuit, v/hich having been given agalnfl them in the province, they appealed to the Board of Trade and Plantations at home, fiere the uncertainty of the law was very glorious indeed ; and hence, from the gainful prof* ped opening before them fwarms of pe« tulent half-educated young men, ftarted one knew not whence. And as thefe great law-fuits Ws2re matter of general concern^ vox*. H. M no ( 242 ) no one knowing whofe turn might be next, all converfation begun to be infeded with lUIgious cant ; and every tiling feemed un- ftable and perplexed. CHAP. ( ^43 ) CHAP. XXV. Settlers of a new Defcription. — Madamc's Chaplain. A NOTHER clafs of people contributed their fliare to deflroy the quiet and order of the country. While the great army, that had now returned to Britain, had been ftationed in America, the money they fpent there, had, in a great meafure, cen- tered in New York, where many ephemeral adventurers begun to flourifh as merchants, who lived in a gay and even profufe ftyle, and affeded the language and manners of the army on which they depended. Elated with fudden profperity, thofe people at- tempted every thing that could increafe their gains ; and, finally^ at the commence- ment of the Spanifb war, fitted out feveral privateers, which, being fent to cruife near the mouth of the Gulph of Florida, cap- tured feveral valuable prizes. Money fo gafily got was as lightly fpent^ and proved M 3 indeed C 244 ) indeed ruinous to thofe who fhared it; they being thus led to indulge in expenfive habits, which continued after the means that fupplied them were exhaufted. At the departure of the army trade languifhed among thefc new people ; their Britifh cre- ditors grew clamorous ; the primitive inha- bitants looked cold upon them ; and no* thing remained for them but that felf-ba- niihment, which, in that country, was the ufual confequence of extravagance and folly, a retreat to the woods. Yet, even in thefe primseval fiiades, there was no repofe for the vain and the turbulent. It was truly amuf- ing to fee thofe cargoes of rufticated fine ladies and gentlemen going to their new abodes, all lalTitude and chagrin ; and very foon after, to hear of their attempts at finery, confequence, and pre-eminence, in the late invaded relidence of bears and beavers. There, no paftoral tranquillity, no fylvan delights awaited them. In this forced retreat to the woods they failed not to carry with them thofe houfehold gods whom they had wgrihipped in town ; the pious ( 245 ) pious Eneas was not more careful of hm Penates, nor more defirous of eftablifhing them in his new refidence. Thefe are the perfons of defperate circumftances, expen- five habits, and ambitious views ; who, like the '* tempefl-loving raven,'* delight ia changes, and anticipate, with guilty joy, the overturn of ftates in which they have nothing to lofe, and have hopes of rifing on the ruins of others. The lawyers, too, forefaw that the harveft they were now reaping from the new mode of inquiry into difputed titles, could not be of long dura- tion. They did not lay a regukr plan for the fubverfion of the exifting order of things ; but they infeded the once plain and primitive converfation of the people with law jargon, which fpread like a difeafe, and was the more fatal to elegance, fimpli- city, and candour, as there were no rival branches of fcience, the cultivation of which might have divided people's attention with this dry contentious theme. The fpirit of litigation, which narrowed and heated every mind, was a great nui- M 3 fance C 246" ) fance to Madame, who took care not to be much troubled with it in converfation, be- caufe ihe difcountenanced it at her table, where, indeed, no petulant upftarts were received. She was, however, perfecuted with daily references to her recoliedions with regard to the traditionary opinions re- lative to boundaries, kc. While flie fought refuge in the peaceable precinds ofahe gofpel, from the tumultuous contefts of the law, which rne alwayt^ fpoke of with difiike, flie was little aware that a deferter from her own camp was about to join the enemy* Mr. H. our chaplain, became, about this time, very referved and abfent ; law and politics were no favourite topics in. our houfehold, and thefe alan« feemed much to intereil: our divine. Many thought Aunt was impofed on by this young man, and took him to be what he was not ; but this was by no means the cafe. She neither thought him a wit, a fcholar, or a faint ; but merely a young man, who, to very good intentions and a blamelefs life^ added the advantages of a better education than ( 247 ) than fell to the lot of laymen there ; fiiil- plicity of manners, and fome powers of converfatlon, with a little dafli of the cox- comb, rendered tolerable by great good nature. Vanity, however, was the rock on which our chaplain fplit j he found hirafelf, among. the circle he frequented, the one-eyed- king in the kingdom of the blind ; and thought it a pity fuch talents fliould be lod in a profellion where, in his view of .the fubjeft, bread and peace were all that was to be expeded. The fjrfl intelligence I heard was, that Pvlr. K., on fome pretence or other, often went to the neighbour- ing town of Schenadady, now rifing into confequence, and there openly renounced his profeflion, and took out a licence as a , praclifmg lawyer. It is eafy to conjedlure how Madame mud have confidered this wanton renunciation of the fervice of the altar for a more gainful purfuir, aggravated by fimulation at leafl ; for this feeming open and artlefs charader took ail the benefit of her hofpitality, and continued to be her in- M 4 mate ( 248 ) Hiate the whole time that he was fecretly carrying on a plan he knew Ihe would reprobate. She, however, behaved with great dignity on the occafion 5 fuppofing, no doubt, that the obligations fhe had con- ferred upon him, deprived her of. a right to reproach or re1le6t upon hira. She was never after heard to mention his name; and when others did, always fhifted the converfation. All thefe revolutions in manners and opinion helped to endear me to Aunt, as a pupi! of her own fchool^ while my tena- cious memory enabled me to entertain her with the wealth of other*s minds, rendered more amufing by the fimplicity of my childifh comments. 'Had I been capable of flattery, or rather had I been fo deficient in natural delicacy, as to fay v/hat I really thought of this exalted character, the awe with which I regarded her would have de- terred me from fuch prefumptionj but as I really loved and honoured her, as virtue perfonified, and found my chief happinefs in her fociety. and converfation^ (he could not ( 249 ) not but be aware of this filent adulation^ and (he became indeed more^and more de^ firous of having me with her. To my father, however, I was now become, ia fome degree, neceflary, from caufes fome- what fimilar. He, too, was fick of the reigning converfation ; and being nervouSj> and rather inclined to melancholy, begua to fee things in the darkeft light, and made the moft of a rheumatifm, in itfelf bad enough, to have a pretext for indulging the chagrin that preyed upon his mind, and avoiding his Connedlicut perfecutors, who attacked him every where but in bed. A fit of chagrin was generally fucceeded by a fit of home ficknefs^ and that by a pa« roxyfm of devotion exalted to enthufiafmj during which all worldly concerns were ta give way to thofe of futurity. Thus me» lancholy and thus devout I found my fa- ther i whofe pure and upright fpirit wa^ corroded with the tricks and chicanery he was forced to obferve in his new affociates^. with whom his fingular probity and fimpK* city of charafter rendered hins^ very unfit to- M 5 contends ( 50 ) contend. My mother, aflive, cheerful, and conftantly occupied with. her domeftic af- fairs, fought pleafure no where, and found content every where. I had begun to tafte the luxury of intelledual pleafures with a very keen relifh. Winter always fevere, but this year armed wjth tenfold vigour, checked my refearches among birds and plants, which conftituted my fummer de- lights J and poetry was all that remained to me. While I was, *^ in fome diviner mood," exulting in thefe fcenes of infpira- tion, opened to me by the '^ humanizing mufe," the terrible decree went forth, that I was to read no more " idle books or plays.'* This decree was merely the mo- mentary refult of a fit of ficknefs and de- jedion, and never meant to be feriouily en- forced. It produced, however, the effed of making me read fo much divinity, that I fancied myfelf got quite " beyond the flaming bounds of fpace and time;^' and' thought I could never relifh light reading more. In this folemn mood, my greateft relaxation was a vifit now and then to Aunt's ( 251 ) Aunt's fifter-in-Iaw, now entirely bedrid- den, but dill poiTsiBng great powers of Gonverfation, which were called forth by the flattering attenti«>a of a child to one whom the world had forfaken. I loved indeed play, flri thoughtlefs, childifh play, and next to that, calm re- flexion and difcuffion. The world was toO' bufy and too artful for me j I found myfelf n^iOil at home with thofe who had not ea- teredj or thofe who had left it^ My father's illnefs was much aggravated by the confli6i: which begun to arife in his mind regarding his prppofed removal to his- lands, ,which were already furrounded by a new population, confiding of thefe falhion- able emigrants from the gay world at New York, whom I have been defcribing, and a fet of fierce republicans, if any thing fneak- ing and drawling may be fo called, whom litigious contention -had baniOied from their native province, and who feemed let loofe, like Samfon's foxes, to carry mifchief and conflagration wherever they went, Am.ong this motley crew there was no regular place M 6 of ( ^5^ ) ©f worfhip, nor any likely profped that . there fhould, for then- religions had as many fhades of difference as the leaves in autumn; and every man of fubftance who arrived, was preacher and magiftrate to his own little colony. To hear their people talk, one would think time had run back to the days of the levellers. The fettlers from New York, how^ever, ftruggled hard for fuperiority, but they were not equal in chicane to their adverfaries, whofe power lay in their cunning. It was particularly hard for people who acknowledged no fu- perior, who had a thorough knowledge of law and fcripture, ready to wreft to every felfith purpofe, it was particularly hard, I fay, for fvch alKfufEcient perfonages to hold their lands from fuch people as my father and others, of ^' King George\s Red Goats," as they elegantly Ilyled them. But they were fertile in expedients. From the ori- ginal edabiirnment of thefe provinces, the Connedicut River had been accounted the- loundary, to the eaft, of the prcvince of New York> dividing it from th^ adjoining onef C 255 ) one ; this divifion was fpecified in oM patents, and confirmed by analogy. All at onccj however^ our new tenants at will made a difcovery, or rather had a revela- tion, purporting:, that there was a twenty mile line, as they called it, which in old times had been carried thus far beyond the Connecticut River, into the bounds of what had ever been efteemed the province of New York. It had become extremely fa« fhionable to queftion the limits of individual property^ but for fo bold a flroke at a whole province, people were not prepared. The confequence of eftablifhing this point was, that thus the grants made by the pro- vince of New York, of lands not their own^, could not be valid ; and thus the property^ which had cod the owners fo much to efta- blifh and furvey, reverted to the other pro» vince, and was no longer theirs. This was fo far beyond all imagination, that though there appeared not the fmallell likelihood of its fucceeding, as the plea mull in the end be carried to Britain, people flood aghaftj and faw no fafety in living among thofe ( 254 ) thofe who were capable of making fu<:li daring (Irldes over all eftabliflied ufage, and ready, on all occafions/to eoafederate where any advantage was^ in view, though ever engaged^ in litigious contentions with each other in their original home. This afto- iiifhing plea, during its dependance, af- forded thefe dangerous neighbours a pr&. text to continue their ufurped poflellion till it fliould be decided to which province tli€ lands really belonged. They even carried their infolence fo far, that when a particu- lar friend of my father's, a worthy, upright man, named Munro, who poiTefled a large tra£l of land adjoining to his 5 when this good man, who had eftablifhed a fettlement, faw-mills, &c. came to fix fome tenants of his on his lands, a body of thefe incen^- diaries came out, armed, to oppofe them, trading to their fuperior numbers and the peaceable difpofition of our friend. Now, ' the fatal twenty mile line ran exadly through the middle of my father's property. Had not the revolution followed fo foon, • there was no doubt of this claim being re- ' j.eded .( ^5S ) je«fted in Britain ; but in the mean time it ferved as a pretext for daily- encroachment and infolent bravadoes. Much of my fa- ther's diforder was owing to the great con- flid in his mind. To give up every profpe<5l of confequence and affluence, and return to Britain, leaving his property afloat among thefe ungovernable people, (to fay no worfe of them,} was very hard. Yet to live among them, and by legal coercion force his due out of their hands, v/as no pleafing profped. His good angel, it would feem in the fequelj whifpered to him to return. Though, in human prudence, it appeared a fatal mea- fure to leave fo valuable a property in fuch hands, he thought, firft, that he would (lay two or three years ; and then, when others had vanquifhed his antagonifls, and driven them off the lands, which they, in the mean time, were bufily clearing, he fhould return with a hod of friends and kinfmen, and form a chofen foeiety of his own. He however waited to fee what change for the better another twelvemonth might produce. Madame, who was confulted on all his 1 3 plans. ( 256 ) plangjdidnotgreatlyrelifli ibis; be^at lengthy half promifed to leave me with her, till he fhould return from this expedition. Returning for a fliort time to town in fpring I found Aunt*s houfe much enlivened by a very agreeable vifitor ; this was Mifs W., daughter to the Honourable Mr. W. of the council. Her elder fifter was after- wards Countefs of Caffilis, and fhe herfelf was not long afterwards married to the only native of the continent, I believe, who ever fucceeded to the title of baronet. She pof- felfed much beauty, underftanding, and vi- vacity. Her playful humour exhilarated the whole hcufehold. I regarded her with- ad miration and delight 5 and her fanciful €x:cur lions afforded great amufement to Aunt, and were like a gleam of funfhine amidll the gloom occafioned by the fpirit of contention which was let loofe among all manner of people. The repeal of. the ftamp a^ having ex- cited new hopes, my father found all his expedations of comfort and profperity re- newed by this temporary calm, and the pro- pofed ( 257 ) pofed return to Britain was deferred for another year. Aunt, to our great joy, as we fcarce hoped (he would again make fo diftant a vifit, came out to the Flats with her fair vifitor, who was about to return to New York. This lady, after going through many of the hardlhips to which perfecuted loyalifls were afterwards expofed, with her hufband, who loft an immenfe property in the fervice of Government, is now with her family fettled in Upper Canada, where Sir J. J n has obtained a large grant of lands as a partial retribution for his great loiles and faithful fervice. Aunt again requefted and again obtained permiiTion for me to pafs fome time with her ; and golden dreams of felicity at Cla- rendon again i)egan to poflefs my imagina- tion. 1 returned however foon to the Flats, where my prefence became more important, as my father became iefs eager in purfuit of field fportSe CHAP* ( ^S8 ) CHAP. XXVI. Mode of conveying Timber in Rafts down the River. T BROUGHT out foiiie voIumcs of Shake- fpear with me, and, remembering the prohibidon of reading playa promulgated the former winter, was much at a lofs how to proceed. I thought rightly that it was owing to a temporary fit of fpleen* But thgtt I knew my father was, Hka all mlHtafy mmi tmrniom of his authority, and would poffibly continue it merely becaufe he had once faid fo. I recolleded that he faid ha would have no plays brought to the houfe; and that I read them unchecked at Ma- dame's, who was my model in all things. It fo happened that the river had been higher than ufual that fpring, and, in confequence, exhibited a fucceflion of very amufmg fcenesi. Tlie fettlersj whofe increafe above towards Si ill water had been for three years pa(t in- credibly great, fet up faw-mills on every ftream C 2i9 ) ftream, for the purpofe of turning to account the fine timber v/hich they cleared hi great quantities off the new -lands. The planks they drew in fledges to the fide of the great river; and when the feafon arrived that fwelled the ftream to its greatefl: height, a whole neighbourhood affembled, and made their joint ft:ock into a large raft, which was floated down the river with a man or two on it, who with long poles were always re^dy to fl:eer it clear of thofe iflands or fhallowg which might Impede its courfe» There ii fomgthing ferenely majeftic in th^ tafy progrefs of thofa larga bodias on thg full ftrtam ©f this copioui river. Some* timm one fees a whole family tranfported on this fimple conveyance ; the mother calmly fpinning, the children fporting about her, and the father fi(hing on one end, and watching its fafety at the fame time. Thefe rafts were taken down to Albany, and put on board veiTels there for conveyance to New York ; fometimes, however, it~ hap- pened that, as they proceeded very flowly, dry weather came on by the time they reached ( 26o ) reached the Flats, and it i3ecame impoffible to carry them further ; in that cafe they were depofited in great triangular piles oppo- fite our door. One of thefe which was hrger than ordinary, I feleded for a readingdofet^ There I fafely lodged my Shakefpear j and there in my play hours I went to read it un- difturbed, with the advantage of frefh air, a cool fhade, and a full view of the road on one fide, and the beautiful river ©n the other. While I enjoyed undidurbed pri- vacy, I had the prohibition full in my mind, but thought I fhould keep to the fpirit of it by only reading the hiftorical plays, com- forting n^yfelf that they w^ere true, Thefe I read over and over with pleafure ever new; it was quite in ray way, for I was familiarly acquainted with the Englifh hiftory ^ now, indeed, I began to relifli Shakefpear, and to be aftonifhed at my former blindnefs to his beauties* The contention of the rival rofes occupied all my thoughts, and broke my reft. *' Wind-changing Warwick" did not change oftener than I, but at length my compaffion for holy Henry, and hatred to Richard, ( 26i ) Richard, fixed me a Lancaflrian. I begun to wonder how any body could exift with- out reading Shakefpear, and at length re- folved, at all riiks, to make my father a fharer in my new found felicity. Of the nature of tafte I had not the leaft idea ; fo far otherwife, that I was continually revolv- mg benevolent plans to diflribute fome of the poetry I mod delighted in among the Bezaleels and Habakkuks, of the twenty- mile line. I thought this would make them happy as myfelf, and that when they once felt the charm of '* mufical delight," the tiarfli language of contention would ceafe, and legal quibbling give way before the fpirit of harmony. How often did I re*, peat Thompfon's defcription of the golden age, concluding " For mufic held the whole in perfe^ peace." At home, however, I was in fome degree fuccefsful. My father did begin to take fome intereft in the rofes, and I was happy, yet kept both my fecret and my clofet, and made more and more advances in the ftudy of thefe ^* wood notes wild.'* As you like it, z and ( 262 ) and the Midfummer Night's Dream en- chanted me ; and I thought the comfort of my clofet fo great, that I dreaded nothing fo much as a flood, that ihould occafion its being once more fet in motion. I was one day deeply engaged in compailionating Othello, fitting on a plank, added on the outfid€ of the pile for flrengthening it, when happening to lift my eyes, I faw a long ferpent on the fame board, at my elbow, in a threatening attitude, with its head lifted up. Othello and I ran off to- gether with all imaginable fpeed ; and as thU particular kind of fnake feldom ap- proaches any perfon, unlefs the abode of its young is invaded^ I began to fear I had been ftudying Shakefpear in a neft of fer- pents. Our faithful fervant examined the place at my requeft. Under the very boa^-d on which I fat, when terrified by this un. v;i(hed aflbciate, was found a neft with fevea eggs. After being moft thankful for my efcapcj the next thing was to admire the patience and good humour of the mother of this family, who permitted fuch a being as ( 263 ) as myfelf fo long to (hare her haunt with impunity. Indeed, the rural pleafures of this country were always liable to thofe drawbacks ; and this place was peculiarly infefted with the familiar garter-fnake, be- caufe the ruins of the burnt houfe afforded Ihelter and fafety to thefe reptiles* CHAP. ( 264 ) CHAP- XXVIt. The Swamp. — A Bifcovery. -^pHis adventure made me cautious of fit- ting out of doors, yet I daily braved a danger of the fame nature, in the woods be- hind the houfe, which were my favourite haunts, and where I frequently faw fnakes, yet was never purfued or annoyed by them. In this v/ood, half a mile from the houfe, was a fwamp, which afforded a fcene fo to- tally unlike any thing elfe, that a defcription of it may amufe thofe who have never feen nature in that primitive (late. This fwamp then, was in the midft of a pine wood, and was furrounded on two fides by little hills, fome of which were covered \vith cedar, and others with the filver fir, very pi(^urefque, and finely varied with Ihrubs, and every gradation of green. The fwamp funk into a hollow, like a large ba - fon, exaftly circular j round half of it, was a bor. C ^^5 ) a border of maple, the other half was edged with poplar. No creature ever entered this place in fummer, its extreme foftnefskept it facred from every human foot, for no one could go, without the rifk of being fwal- lowed up; different aquatic plants grew with great luxuriance in this quagmire, par- ticularly bullrufhes, and feveral beautiful fpecies of the Iris, and the alder and willow; much of it, however, was open, and in dif- ferent places the water Teemed to form ftag- nant pools ; in many places large trees had fallen of old, which were now covered with raofs, and afforded a home to numberlefs wild animals. In the midft of this aquatfc retreat, were two fmall iflands of inconceiv- able beauty, that rofe high above the reft, like the Oafis of the defarts, and were dry and fafe, though unapproachable. On one of thefe I remember, grew three apple trees, an occurrence not rare here ; for a fquirrel, for inftance, happens to drop the feeds of an apple in a fpot at once fheltered and fertile i at a lucky feafon, they grow and bear, though with lefs vigour and beauty than VOL. II. N thofe ( 26^ ) tbofe which are cultivated. That beau tli'Gl fruit, the wild plum, was alfo abundant on tbefe little fanfluaries, as they might be call- ed, for, confcious of impunity, every creature that flies the purfuit of man, gamboled in fafety here, and v;ould allow one to gaze ac them from the brink of this natural fortrefs. One would think a congrefs of birds and ani- mals had affembled here -, never was a fpot more animated and chearfu!. There was no- thing like it in the great foreds ; creatures here, aware of their general enemy, man, had chofen it as their laft retreat. The blac!^, the large filver.grey, the little (Iriped, and nimble flying fquii rel, were all at home herej and all vifible in a thoufand fantaftic atti> tudes. Pheafants and woodpeckers in countlefs nunibers, difplayed their glowing plumage, and the fongfters of the forefi-, equally confcious of their immunity, made the niarfh t'efound with their blended mufic, while the fox, here a fmall auburn coloured creature, the martin, and racoons occafion- ally appeared and vanilhed through the foli- age. Often, on pretence of bringing home 4 the C 26; ) the cows in. the morning, (when in their own leifurely way they were coming them^ felves,) I ufed to go, accompanied by my faithful Marian, to admire this fwamp, at once a menagerie and aviary, and might truly fay with Burns, ** My heart rejoic'd in nature*sjoy." Not content, however, with the con'^empla- tion of animated nature, I begun to entertain a fancy, which almoil grew into a pafiion, for explaining *' Every herb that fips the dew.'* The ordinary plants of that country differ very much from thofe mofl frequent here; and this third for herbah'zing, for I mud dignify my humble refearches w^th the name oF botanical ones, was a pleafing occupation. I made fome progrefe in difcovering the names and natures of thefe plants, I mean their properties ; but unfortunately they were only Indian or Dutch names. This kind of knowledge, in that degree, is eafily acquired there, becaufe every one poifeires it N 2 in ( 268 ) in fome meafure. Nothing furpnfed me fo much, when I came to Britain, at to fee young people fo incurious about nature. The woods behind our dwelling had been thinned to procure firing, and were more open and acceffible than fuch places gene- rally are. Walking one fine fummer*s evening, with my ufual attendant, a little further into the wood than ufual, but far from any known inhabitant, 1 heard peals of laughter, not joyous only, but trium- phant, iflue from the bottom, as it feemed, of a large pine. Silence fucceeded, and we looked at each other with a mixture of fear and wonder, for it grew darkifh. At lad we made a whifpered agreement to glide nearer among the busies, and explore the fource of all this merriment. Twilight, fo- lemn every where, is awful in thefe forefts; our awe was prefently increafed by the ap- pearance of a light, that glimmered and dif- appeared by turns* Loud laughter was again reiterated, and at length a voice cried, *^ How pretty he isT' while another anfwered in fofter accents, " See how the dear crea- I ture ( 259 ) ture runs !" We crept on, cheared by thefe founds, and faw a handfome good natured looking man, in a ragged provincial uniform, fitting on a (tump of a tree. Oppolite, on the ground, fat a pretty little brunette woman, neatly, though meanly clad, with fparkling black eyes, and a countenance all vivacity and delight. A very little, very fair boy, with his mother's brilliant black eyes contrading his flaxen hair and foft infantine complexion, went with tottering fteps, that fhewed this was his firft effay, from one to the other, and loud laughter gratnlated his fafe arrival in the arms of either parent. We had now pretty clearly afcertained the family, the next thing was to difcover the houfe j this point was more difficult to eftablifli; at laft, we found it was barely a place to fleep in, partly excavated from the ground, and partly co- vered with a (light roof of bark and branches : never was poverty fo complete or fo chear- ful. In that country, every white perfon had inferiors, and therefore being merely white, clain^ed a degree of refpecl, and being very rich, or very fine, entitled you to very little N 3 more. ( 27^ ) tnore. Simplicity would be a charming thing, if one could drain it from grciTncfs, but that, 1 believe, is no eafy operation. We tjow, with much confideration and civility, prefented ourfelves ; I thought the cows would afford a happy opening for converfa- tiori, " Don't be afraid of noife, we are driving our three cows home ; have you any tx)\\s ?'* " Och no, my dare child, not one, yourg Mifs," faid the foldier, *' O, but then mamma will give milk to the child, for we have plenty, and no child," *' O dear, pretty mifs^ don't mind that at al), at all." ** Come," faid the miltrefs of the hovel, *' we have got fine butter- milk here, from Ste- phen's, come in and take z drink." J civilly declined this invitation^ being wholly intent on the child, who appeared to me like a fmiling love, and at once feized on my aifec- tion. Patrick Coonie, for fuch was the name of our nev/ neighbour, gave us his hillory in a very few words ; he had mar- ried Kate in Penfylvania, v/ho, young as ilie looked, had three children, from fen to fourteen, or thereabouts; he had fome trade which ( ^71) which had not thriven, he hfled In the pro- vinciais, fpent what he had on his family ^ hired again, ferved another campaign, came down pennylefs, and here they had come for a temporary fhelrerj to get work among their neighbours: the excavation exided before, Patrick happily difcovered it, and added the ingenious roof which now covered it. I afKed for their other children -, they were in fome mean fervice. I was all anxi- ety for Patrick, fo w^as not he ; the Irllies of the field did not look gayer, or more thoughtlefs of to-morrow, and Kate feemed equally unconcerned^ Haftily were the cows dnven home that n^ght, and to prevent reproaches for delay, I flew to communicate my difeovery. Eager to fay how ill off we often were for an oc- cafional hand, to afTift with our jobs, and how well we could fpare a certain negle£led log-houfe on our preniifes, occ. This was treated as very chimerical at firfl:, but when Patrick's family had undergone a furvey, and Kate's accomplifhments of fpinning, &c. were taken into confideraticn, to my un- N 4 fpeakable ( 272 ) fpeakable joy, the family were accommo- dated as I wiihed, and their feveral talents made known to our neighbours, who kept them in conPtant bufinefs. Kate fpun and fung like a lark, little Paddy was moftly with us, for I taught every one in the houfe to be fond of him. I was at the utmofl lofs for fomething to .cheriili and carefs, when this mofl amufing creature, who inherited all the gaiety and good temper of his parents, came in my way, as the..fir{l of poffible play things. Patrick ywas, of all beings, the moil handy and oblig- ing ; he could do every thing, but then he could drink too, and the extreme cheapnefs of liquor was a great fnare to poor creatures addicted to it; Patrick, however, had long lucid intervals, and I had the joy of feeing them comparatively happy. To this was added, that of feeing my father recover his fpirits, and renew his ufual fports, and more- over, I was permitted to return to aunt Schuyler's, I did not fail to entertain her with the hiftory of my difcovery, and its confequences, and my tale >yas. not told in vain. { ^7^ ) vain. Aunt weighed and balanced all things in her mind, and drew fome good out of every thing. White fervants, whom .very few people had, were very expenfive here; but there was a mode of meliorating things. Poor people who came adventurers from other countries, and found a fettlement a flower procefs than they were aware of, had got into a mode of apprenticing their children. No riik attended this in Albany ; cudom is all-powerful ; and lenity to fervants was fo much the cuflom, that to ill-ufe a defence- lefs creature in your power was reckon- ed infamous, and was indeed unheard of. Aunt recommended the young Coonies, who were fine well looking children, for apprentices to fome of the beft families in town, where they were well bred and well treated, and we all contributed decent clothing for them to go home in. I deeply- felt this obligation, and little thought hov/ foon I was to be deprived of all the happi- nefs I owed to the friendfhip of my dear benefadrefs. This acceflion occupied and N 5 pleafed ( 274 ) pleafed me exceedingly ; my attachment to the iittle boy grew hourly, and I indulged it to a degree I certahily would not have done, if I had not fet him down for one of the future inhabitants of Clarendon ; that region of fancied felicity, where 1 was build- ing log-houfes in the air perpetually, and filling them with an imaginary popuhation. innocent and intelligent beyond *all compa- rifon. Thele vifions, however, were foon deftined to give way to fad reahties. The greated immediate tribulation I was liable to, was Patrick's coming home now and then gay beyond his wonted gaiety ; which grieved me both on Kate's account and that of little Paddy: but in the fertile plains of Clarendon, rem>edies were to be found for every pafling evili and I had not the lead doubt of having influence enough to prevent the admiffion of fpirituous liquors into that '' region of calm delights." Such were the dreams from which I was awaken- ed (on returning from a long vifit to Aunt) by my father's avowing his fixed intention to return home. A very C ^75 ) A very worthy Argylefhire friend of his. in the mean time, came and paid him a vifit of a month ; which month was occu- pied in the moO: endearing recolleflions of Lpchawfide^ and the' hills of Morven, When I returned, I heard o£ nothing bu£ the Alpine fcenes of Scotland, of which I had not the imaUefl: recollection ; but which 1 loved with borrowed enthufiafm : So well that they at times balanced with Claren- don. My next fource of comfort- was, that I was to return-to the land of iight and free- dom, anJ mingle, as I fiattered myfelf I fhould, with fuch as thofe whom I had ad- mired in their immortal works. Deter- mined to be happy, with the fanguine eager- nefs of youth, the very oppofite materials ler-ved for conPtrucling another ideal fabrico. K 6 CHAP. ( ^7^ ) CHAP. XXVIIL Mrs. Schuyler's View of the Continental Politics. A UNT was extremely forry v^hen the final determination was announced. She had now her good fifter-in-law, Mrs. Wen- dell, with her, and feemed much to enjoy the fociety of that meek pious woman, who was as happy as any thing earthly could make her. As to public affairs their afpe^t did not pleafe her ; and therefore fhe en? . deavoured, as far as poffible, to withdraw her attention from them. She was too well acquainted with the complicated nature of human affairs, to give a rafh judgment on the political difputes then in agitation. She faw indeed reafon for apprehenfion what- ever way fhe turned. She knew the pre- judices and ftlf-opinion fad fpreading through the country too well, to exped quiet iubmiffion, and could fee nothing on all ( ^n ) all hands but a choice of evils. Were the -provinces to fet up for themfeives, (he thought they had not cohefion nor fubor- dination enough among them to form, or to fubmit to any falutary plan of govern- ment. On the other hand (he favi^ no good effe6l likely to refult from a reludant de- pendance on a dillant people, whom ihey already began, to hate, though hitherto nurfed and protected by them. She clear- ly forefaw that no mode of taxation could be invented to which they would eafily fub- mit ; and that the defence of the continent from enemies, and keeping the neceflary military force to protect the weak and awe the turbulent, would be a perpetual drain of men and money to Great Britain, fHIl increafmg with the increafed population. In fhort, (he held all the fpecious plans that were talked over very cheap ; while her af- fedion for Britain made her fliudder at the moft didant idea of a feparation 5 yet not as fuppofing fuch a ftep very hurtful to this country, which would be thus freed of a very codly incumbrance. But the dread of ( 278 ) of future anarchy, the horrors of civil war, ?Tid the dereliQion of principle which ge- "nerally refuks from tumultuary confiitl?, were the fpedres with which flie was haunted. Having now once for all given (to the bed of my recolledion) a faithful (ketch of AOnt's opinions on this intricate fubjed, I ' fhall not recur to them, nor by any means attempt to enter into any detail of o ) pecuniary advantages, feems to be the ru- ling principle of this great continent. Love of country, that amiable and noble feniiment, which by turns exalts and foftens the human mind, nourifhes enthufiafm^ and infpires alike the hero and the fage, to defend and adorn the facred land of their nativity, is a principle which hardly exifts there. An American loves his country, or prefers it rather, becaufe its rivers are wide and deep, and abound in fifli ; becaufe he has the forefts to retire to, if the god of gainful commerce fhould prove unpropi- tious on the fliore. He loves it becaufe if his negro is difrefpedful, or difobedient, he can fell him and buy another ; while if he himfelf is difobedient to the laws of his country, or difrefpeftful to the magiftracy appointed to enforce them, that ihadow of authority, without power to do good, or prevent evil, muft poffefs its foul in pa- tience. We love our country becaufe we ho- nour our anceftors ; becaufe it is endeared to us not only by early habit, but by at- tach- C 3" ) tachment to the fpots hallowed by their piety, their heroifm, their genius, or their public fpi- rit. We honour it as the fcene of noble deeds, the nurfe of fages> bards, and heroes. The very afpeft and features of this bleft afylum of liberty, fcience, and religion, warm our hearts, and animate our imagina- tions. Enthutiafm kindles at the thoughts of what we have been, and wliat we are« It is the lad retreat, the citadel, in which all that is worth living for is concentrated. Among the other ties which were broken, by the detachment of America from us, that fine ligament, which binds us to the tombs of our anceftoTS, (and feems to con- vey to US the fpirit and the aflfedions we de- rive from them) was difTolved : with it per rifhed all generous emulation* Fame, *' That fpur which the clear mind doth raife To live laborious nights and painful days," has no votaries among the ftudents of Poor Richard's almanack, the great Pharos of the dates. The land of their anceftors, party hoftility has taught them to regard with ( 31* ) With fcorn and hatred. That in which they live calls up no images of paft glory or excellence. Neither hopeful nor defirous of that after-exiftence, which has been mod coveted by thofe w^ho do things worth recording, they not only live, but thrive $ and that is quite enough, A man no longer fays of himfelf with exultation, ^^ I *' belong to the land where Milton fung ^' the fong of feraphims, and Newton ^' traced the paths of light ; where Alfred " eftablifhed his throne in wifdom, and *^ where the palms and laurels of renown ** fhade the tombs of the mighty and the " excellent/' Thus dilfevered from re- colledions fo dear, and fo ennobling, what ties are fubftituted in their places ? Can he regard with tender and reverential feelings, a land that has not only been deprived of its bed ornaments, but become a receptacle of the outcafts of fociety from every nation in Europe ? Is there a perfon whofe dubi- ous or turbulent charader has made him unwelcome or fufpecled in fociety, he goes to America, where he knows no one, and k of C 3'3 ) of no one known ; and where he can with fafety aiTume any chara6\er. ' All that tremble Vv'ith the confciournefs of undete6l- ed crimes, or fmart from the confequence of unchecked follies j fraudulent bankrupts^ unfuccefsful adventurers, refllefs projedors, or feditious agitd'tors, this great Limbus Pa- trumhas room for them all 5 and to it they Hy in the day of their calamity. With fuch a 'heterogeneous mixture a tranfplanted Briton of the original flock, a true old American, may live in charity, but can never affimilate. Who can, with the cordiality due to that facred appellation, ''my country," apply it to that land of Hivites and Girgafliites, Vvhere one cannot travel ten miles, m 2. ilretch, without meeting detachments of different nations, torn from their native foil and liril affeclions, and living aliens la a fl range land, vvhere no one fee ms to form .part of an attached connected whole. To thofe enlarged minds, who have got far beyond the petty confideration of coun- try and kindred, to embrace the whole hu- man race, a land^ v/hofe population is lilce . voh. u. F Jofeph's ( 3'4 ) Jofeph's coat, of many colours, muft be a peculiarly fuitable abode. For in the endlefs variety of the patchwork, of which fo- ciety is compofed, a liberal philofophic mind might meet with the fpecimens of all thofe tongues and nations which he com- prehends in the wide circle of his enlarged philanthrophy^ CHAP. ( PS > x::hap. xxxii. Refle(ftions cantlnued. >TnHAT fome of the leaders of the hoftile party in America aded upon liberal and patriotic views cannot be doubted. There were many, indeed, of whom the pub* lie good was the leading principle ; and to thefe the caufe was a noble one : yet even thefe little forefaw the refult. Had they known what a cold felfifh charader, what a dlrelidion of religious principle, what furious fadions, and wild unfettled notion^ of government, were to be the confequences of this utter alienation from the parent ft^te, they would have ihrunk back from the pro*^ fped. Thofefine minds who^nurturf^ in the love of fcience and of elegance, lool^d back to the land of their fbrafathcrs for mo- dels of excellence, and drank infpiratioii from the production of the Britifli mufe, coulcf not but feci this rupture as " a wrench p a from ( 3 '6- ) from all we love, from all we are,^^ They^ too, might wifh, when time had ripened their growing empire, to aiTcrt that inde- pendence which, when mature in ilrength and knowledge, we claim even of the pa- rents we love and honour. — -BlU to fnatch it, with a rude and bloody grafp, outraged (\vi feelings of thofe gentler children of the common parent. Mildnefs of m.anners, refuiement of mind, and all the fofter vir- tues that fpring up in the cultivated path-s of focial life, nurtured by generous affec- tions, were undoubtedly to be found on the fide of the unhappy royalifts ; whatever fu- periority la vigour and intrepidity might be claimed by their perfecutors. Certainly, hov/ever necelTary the ruHng powers might fiiid it to carry their fyftem of exile into ex- •ijcuiion, it has occafioned to the country an irreparable privation. When the EdixSl of Nantz gave the feat- hering blow to the proteflants of France, .they carried wiih them their arts, their fru- gal regular habits, and that portable mine ^l wealth which is the portion o^ patient in* duftry* _C 3 '7 ) diiflry. The chafni produced' In France by the departure' of (a much hunible virtue, and \o many ufeful arts, has r>ever been filled. What the lofs of the Hogonots was to commerce and manufadures in France, that of the Loyalills was to religion, litera* ture, znd ame?7ity, in America. Thefiiken threads were drawn out of the mixed web of fociety, which has ever fmce heen com- paratively coarfe and homely. The dawn- ing. light of elegant fcience was quenched in univerfal dullnefs. No ray has broke through the general gloom except the phof- phcric lightnings of her cold blooded phi- loibphers, the deiilical Franklin, the legitimate father of the American " age of calculation." So well have '^ the children of hh/ouF' pro- fited by the frugal leiTons of this apoflie of Fiutus, that we fee a nev/ empire bleil in its infancy wiih all the faving virtues which are the ufual portion of cautious and feeble age; and we behold it with the famie com- placent furprife which fills our minds at the fight of a young miler. p 3 Forgive ( 3i8 ) Forgive me, (hade of the accomplifhed Hamilton *, while all that is lovely in vir- ture, all that is honourable in valour, and •all that is admirable in talent, confpire to lament the early fetting of that weftern ftar ; and to deck the tomb of worth and genius with wreaths of immortal bloom : *' Thee ColumUa long ihall weep ; ** Ne'er again thy likenefs fee j'* fain would I add, ** Long her ftrains m forrovva flcep, •* Strains of in:imortality.'* GftAVt but, slas ! ** They have no poet, and they die." Pops. His character was a bright exception } yet, after all, an exception that only con« firms the rule. What mud be the (late of that country where worth, talent, and the difmterefted exercife of every faculty of a vigorous and exalted mind, were in vain devoted to the public good ? Where, in- * General Hamilton, killed In a duel, into which he was forced by Aaron Burr, Vice-Frefident of Con- grefa, at New York, in 1806. deed. ( JI9 } dced^ they only marked out their pofleflbr for a vidim to the (hrine of fadion ? Alas t that a compliance with the laws of falfe^ honour, (the only blemifh of a ftainlefs life,) fhould be fo dearly expiated ! Yet the deep fenfe exprelTed by all parties of this general lofs, feems to prcmife a happier day at fome future period, when this chaos of jarring- elements fhall be reduced by fome pervading- and governing mind into a fettled form. But much mufl be done, and fuffered, Ibefore this change can take place. There never can be much improvement till there IS union and fubordination ; till thofe Hrong local attachments are formed, which are the bafis of patriotifm, and the bonds of fociat attachment. But, while fuch a wide field is open to the fpirit of adventure; and, while the facility of removal encourages that reftlefs and ungovernable fpirit, there is little hope of any material change. There is in America a double principle of fermenta- tion, which continues to impede the growth of the arts and feiences, and of thofe gentler virtutrs of fecial life, which were blailed by p 4 the ( 3^^ ) the breath of popular fury. On the fea-iide there ivS a perpetual iraportation of lawlefs and redlefs perfons, who have no other path to the notoriety they covet, bat that which k'a<^s through party, violeBce ; snd of the want of that local attachnient, I have been ipeaking of, there can be do (Ironger proof^ than tliQ paffion for emigration fo frequent in Arnerica. Among thofe who are neither beloved m, the vicinity of their place of abode, nor kept ilationary by any gainful purfaitj it is in- credible hov^ light a matter will afford a pre- tQxt for rem oval ! Here is one great motive, for good con- dud and decorous manners, obliterated. The good opinion of his neighbours is of little confequence to him, who can fcarce be faid, to have any. If a man keeps free of thofe crimes which a regard for the public fafety compels the magiitrate to punifh, he finds fhelter in every foreft from the fcorn and diflike incurred by petty trefpailes on fociety. There,all who are unwilling to fubmit to the reftraints of law and religion:, may live un- challenged. ( 3^^ ) challenged, at a diflance from" the public exercife of either. There all whom wane has made defperate, whether h be the want of abilities, of charader, or the means to live, are fure to take flielter. This habit of removing furnilhes, however, a palliation; for fome evils, for the facility with which they change refidence, becom.es the means of ridding the community of members too turbulent or too indolent to be quiet or life- ful. It is a kind of voluntary exile, where thofe whom government want power and efficiency to baniflij very obligingly banifh themJelves ; thus preventing theexploftons- which might be occafioned by their con* tinuiiig mingled in the general mafs. It is owing to this falutary difcharge of peccant humours that matters go on fo quietly as they do, under a government which is neither feared ncr loved, by the community it rules. Thefe removals are incredibly freqnent ; for the fame family, flying as it were before the face of legal au'* thority, and civifeation, are often known to remove farther and farther back into the p 5 woods ^ ( 322 ) woods every fifth or fixth year, as the po- pulation begins to draw nearer. By this feceflion from fociety, a partial reformation is in fome cafes efFedled, A perfon incapable of regular induftry and compliance with its eftablifhed cuftoms, will certainly do lead harm, when forced to depend on his per- fonaJ exertions. When ^ man places him- felf in the fituation of Robinfon Crufoe, with the difference of a wife and children for that folitary hero's cats and parrots, he muft of neceffity make exertions like his, or perifh. He becomes not a regular hufband- Ttian, but a hunter, with whom agriculture is but a fecondary confideration. His In- dian corn and potatoes, which conftitute the main part of his crop, are, in due time, hoed by his wife and daughters ; while tht axe and the gun are the oilly Implements he willingly handles. Fraud and avarice are the vices of fociety^ and do not thrive in the fhade of the fo» refts. The hunter, like the faiior, has little thought of coveting or amaffing. He docs not forge, nor ch«at, nor ftealj asfuch an unprincipled ( 2>'^Z > Mnprincipled perfon muft have done in the world, where, inflead of wild beads, he' mufl: have preyed upon his fellows ; and he does not drink much, becaufe liquor is not attainable. But he becomes coarfe, favage,. and totally negligent of all the forms and decencies of life. He grows wild and un- focial. To him a neighbour is an en- cToacher. He has learnt to do without one; and he knows not how to yield to him in any point of mutual accommoda- tion. He cares neither to give or take af- frftance, and finds all the fociety he wants . in his own family. Selfifli, from the over- indulged love of eafe and liberty, he fee* in a new comer merely an abridgement of Ws range, and an interloper in that fport on which he wo^rld much rather depend for fubfiftence than on the habits of regular in- duftry. What can more flatter an imagina- tion warm with native benevolence, and- animated by romantic enthufiafm, than the image of infulated felf-dependant families, growing up in thofe primesval retreats, re- mote fxoiu the corruptions of the world, p 6 and ( 324 ) and dwelling amidd the prodigality of na- ture. Nothing, however, can be more anti- Arcadian. There no crook is feen, no pipe is heard, no lamb bleats, for the bed poffible reafon, becaafe there are no fheep.. No pall oral (trains awake the fleeping echoes, doomed to ileep on till the bull- frog, the wolf^ and the Quackawarry * be- gin their nightly concert. Seriouily, it is not a place that can, in any inilance, con- flitute happinefs. When Hftlefs indoknce or lawlefs turbulence £y to Ihades the mod tranquil, or fcenes the mod beautiful, they degrade nature inftead of improving or en- joying her charms. Adive diligence, a fenfe of our duty to the fource of all good, and kindly afFe£lions towards our fellow- creatures,- with a degree of felf-command and mental improvement, can alone pro- duce the gentle manners that infure rural ^ peace, or enable us, with intelligence and gratitude, to *' rejoice in nature's joys.'^ * Quackawarry is the Indian name of a bird, which flies about in the night, making a noifc fimilar to the.4 found of its name. CHAP. i. 3^5 ) .GHAP, xxxiir. Sketch of the Settlement of Pcnnfylvania. T^AiN would I turn from this gloomy and uncertain profpe^l, fo difappointing to philanthrophy, and fo fubverfive of all the flattering hopes and fanguine predidions of the poets and philofophers, who were wont to look forward to a new Atalantis^ ** Famed for arts and laws derived from Jove/* in this weftern world. But I cannot quit the fond retrofpedt of what once was in one favoured fpot, without indulging a diflant hope of what may emerge from this dark difordered ftate. The melancholy Cowley, the ingenious - bifhop of Cloyne, and many others, alike eminent for virtue and for genius, looked forward to this region of liberty as a foil^ where peace, fcience, and religion coold have ( 326 ) have room to take foot and flourifli unmo- lefted. In ihofe primseval folkudes, en- riched by the choiceft bounties of naturcy they might (as thefe benevolent fpeculiators thought) extend their fhelter to tribes no longer favage, rejoicing in the h'ght of evangelic truth, and exahing fcience. Lit- tle did thele amiable proje6lors know ho v/ much is to be done before the human mind, debafed by habitual vice, and cramped by artificial manners in the old world, can wafh out its ftains and' refume its fimplicify in a new ; nor did they know through how many gradual (lages of culture the untu- tored intelled of favage tribes mufl pafs before they become capable of comprehend- ing thofe truths which to us habit has ren- dered obvious, or which at any rate we have talked of fo familiarly, that we think we comprehend them. Thefe projectors of felicity were not fo ignorant of human nature, as to expert change of place could" produce an inftantaneous change of charac- ter ; but they hoped to realize an Utopia^ where juftice fliould be adminillrcreii on the pureft ( 3^7 ) pureft principles; from which venality fhould be baniflied, and where mankind fhouldj through the paths of truth and up- rightneFs, arrive at the higheft attainable happinefs in a ftate not meant for perfec- tion. They " talked the (lyle of gods," making very little account of '* chance and fufferance." Their fpeculations of the re» fult remind me of what is recorded in fome ancient writer, of a projed far building a magnificent temple to Diana in fome one of the Grecian ftates. A reward was of- fered to him who (hould ered, at the pub- lic coft, with mofl: tafte and ingenuity, a ftrudure which fhould do honour both to the goddels and her worfhippers. Several candidates appeared. The firfl that fpoke was a felf-fatisfied young man, who, in a long florid harangue, defcribed the pillars, the porticoes, and the proportions of this intended building, feeming ^U the while more intent on the difplay of his elocution, than on the fubjed of his difcourfe. When he had finiftied, a plain elderly man came froni behind him, and leaning forwards, faid ( 32S ) faid in a deep hollow voice, " All that he has faid I will do.'' Wiiliam Penn was the man, born to give ^' a local habitation and a name/' to all that had hitherto only floated in the day dreams of poets and philofophers. To qualify him for the legiHator of a new born fed, with all the innocence and all the helpleflnefs of infancy, many circumdances concurred, that could fcarce ever be fuppofed to happen at once to the fame perfon 5 born to fortune and diftindion, with a mind power- ful and cultivated, he knew, experimen- tally, all the advantages to be derived from wealth or knowledge, and could not be faid ignorant ly to defpife them. He had, in his early days, walked far enough into the paths - of folly and diffipation, to know hiim.an cha- rader in all its varieties, and to fay experi- mentally — all is vanity. With a vigorous mind, an ardent imagination, and a heart glowing with the warmed benevolence, he appears to have been driven, by a repul/ive abhorrence of the abufe of knowledge, of pleafure, and pre-eminence, which he had witneffed^ ( 3^9 ) witneiTed, into the oppofite extreme ; iato a fed, tiie very firll principles of which, clip the wings of fancy, exdnguiili ambition^ and bring every flruggle for fuperiority, the re- fult of uncommon powers of mind, dovvn to the dead level of tame equality ; a fedj that reminds one of the exclulion of poets from Plato's fancied republic, by dripping off all the many-coloured garbs with which learn' ing and imagination haveinvefted the forms of ideal excellence, and reducing them to a few fimple realities, arrayed as foberly as their votaries. This fed, which brings mankind to a re- femblance of Thomfon's Laplanders, " Who Jittk pleafure know, and fsel no pain/' might be fuppoi-td the lad to captivate, nay^ to abforb, fuch a mind >as i h?ve been de- fcribing. Yet To it was : even in the midft of all this cold humiliryj dominion was to be found. That rule, which af all others, is mod gratifying to a mind confcious of its own power, and direding it to the p.urpofes of benevolence, the voluntary fubjedion of 3 mind^ ( 330 ) mind, the homage which a fedi pays to its leader, is juftly accounted the moft grati* fying fpecies of power 5 and to this lurking ambition every thing is rendered fubfer- vient by thofe, who have once known this native and inherent fuperiority. This man, who had wafted his inheritance, alienated his relations, and eftranged his friends, who had forfaken the religion of his anceflors, and in a great mealure the cuftoms of his country, whom fome charged with folly, and others wiih madnefs, was, neverthelefs, deftined to plan with confummate wifdom, and execute with indefatigable activity and immoveable firmnefs, a fcheme of government, fuch as has been the wifh, at lead, of every enlarged and benevolent mind, (from Plato, down- wards,) which has indulged fpeculations of the kind. The glory of reaHzing, ya fome degree, all thefe fair vifions, was, however, referved for William Penn alone. Imagination delights to dwell on the tran» quil abodes Oi plenty, content, and equani- mity, that fo quickly " rofe like an exhala-^ tion," in the domains of this pacific legiHa- tor* ( 331 ) tor. That he (hould exped to protedl the quiet abodes of his peaceful and indullrious followers, merely with a fenc« of olive, (as one may call his gentle inflitutions,) is won- derful ; and the more To, when we confider him to have hved in the world, and known too well, by his own experience, of what difcordant elements it is compofed. A mind fo powerful and comprehenfive as his^ could not but know, that the wealth which quiet and blamelefs induftry infenfibiy accu- mulates, proves merely a lure to attrad the armed fpoiler to the defencelefs dwellings of thofe, wJho do not think it a duty to proted themfelves. <* But when divine ambuion fwdl'd his mmd, <* Ambition truly great, of virtuous deeds," he could no otherwife execute his plan of utility, than by the agency of a people who were bound together by a principle, at once adhefive and exclufive, and who were too calm and felf-fubdued, too benignant and juft to create enemies to themfelves among their neighbours. There could be no mo- th e C 332 ) tive but the third of rapine, for did^jrbing a community fo incfFenfive; and the founders no doubr, flattered himfelf that the parent country would not fail to extend to them that protedion, which their ufeful lives and helplefs (late both needed and deferved. Never, furely, were inftitutions better caU culated for nurfmg the infancy of a fylvan colony, from which the noify pleafures, and more buftling varieties of life, were neceifa- rily excluded. The ferene and difpaffionate date, to which it feems the chief aim of this feci, to bring the human mind, is precifely what is requiiite to reconcile it to the priva- tions that mud be encountered, during the early dages of the progredion of fociety, which, neced*arily excluded from the plea* fures of refinement, fhouldbe guarded from its pains. Where nations, in the courfe of time be- come civilized, the procefs is fo gradual from one race to another, that no violent edbrt is required to break through fettled habits, and acquire new tades and inclina- tions, fitted to what might be almod diled, a nevr ( 32?> ) a new mode of exlftence. Bat when colo- nies are firft fettled, in a country fo entirely- primitive as that to which William Penn led liis followers, there is a kind of retrograde nioyement of the mind, requifite to recon- cile people to the new duties and new views that open to them, and to make the total privation of wonted objeds, modes, and amufements, tolerable. Perfedl: iimplicity of tafle and manners, and entire indifference to much of what the world calls pleafure, were neceflary to make life tolerable to theiirft fettlers in a tracklefs wildernefs. Thefe habits of thinking and living, fo difficult to acquire, and {o painful when forced upon the mind by inevitable neceffity, the quakers brought with them, and left, without regret, a world from which they were already excluded by that auftere iimplicity which peculiarly fitted them for their new fituation. A kindred fimplicity, and a fimilar ignorance of artificial refine- ments and high feafoned pleafures, produced the fame efFcd in qualifying the firfl fettlers at Albany to fupport the prii^ations, and ensure ( 334 ) endure the inconveniences of their noviciate in the forefts of the new world. But to return to William Penn; the fair fabric he had ereded, though it fpeedily fulfilled the utmoft promife of hope, contained within rtfelf the principle of diffolution, and, front the vdry nature of the beings which com- pofed itj mud have decayed, though the re- volutionary fhock had not fo foon (haken its foundations. Sobriety and prudence lead naturally to wealth, and wealth to au- thority, which foon ftrikes at the root of the fliort lived principle of equality. A lingle inftance may occur here and there, but who can ever fuppofe nature running fo contrary to her bias that all the opulent members of a community fhould acquire or inherit wealth for the mere purpofe of giving it away ? Where there are no elegant arts to be encouraged, no elegant pleafures to be procured, v/here ingenuity is not to be re- warded, or talent admired or exercifed, what is wealth but a cumbrous load, finking the owner deeper and deeper into groiTnefs ?Lnd duhiefs, hating no incitement to exer- cife ( 335 ) tife the only faculties permitted hini to ufc, and few objects to relieve in a community from which vice and poverty are equally ex- cluded by their induftry, and their whoJe- fome rule of expulfion. We all know that there is not in fociety a more ufelefs and dif- gufting charad:er than what is formed by the poflellion of great wealth without ele- gance or refinement, without, indeed, that liberality which can only refult from a certain degree of cultivation. What then would a . community be, entirely formed of Rich per- fons, or, fuppofm^ fuch a community to exift, how long would they adhere to the fimple manners of their founder, with fuch a fource of corruption mingled with their very exiftence. Detachment from pleafure and from vanity, frugal and fimple habits, and a habitual clofe adherence to fome par- ticular trade or employment, are circum- ftances that have a lure tendency to enrich the individuals who practice them. This in the end is " to give humility a coach and *' fix/' that is, to deftroy the very princi- iQ pie ( 336 ) pie of adhelion which binds and continues the fe6l. Highly eftimable as a fe6l, thefe people v/ere refpedlable and amiable in their col- leclive capacity as a colony. But then it was an inilitution fo conftruded, thatj with- out a miracle, its virtues mud have expired with its minority, I do not here fpeak of the neceflity of its being governed and pro- teded by thofe of different opinions, but merely of wealth flagnating without its pro- per application. Of this humane commu- nity it isbut juil to fay, thatthey were the only Europeans in the new world who al- ways treated the Indians v/ith probity like their own, and with kindnefs calculated to do honour to the faith they profeffed. I fpeak of them now In their collective capa- city. They too are the only people that, in a temperate, judicious, (and, I truft, fuc- cefsful) manner, have endeavoured, and ftiil endeavour to convert the Indians to chrifti- anity •, for them too was referved the ho- nourable diftindion of being the only body who ( 337 ) who facrificed interefl to humanity, by vo- luntarily giving freedom to thofe ilaves whom they held in eafy bondage. That a government fo conftituted could not, in the nature of things, long exlfl:, is to be re- gretted ; that it produced fo much good to others, and fo much comfort and profperity to its fubjecls while it did exid, is an ho- nourable teftimony of the worth and wifdom of its benevolent founder> vQuti. ^ CL CHAP. ( 33^ ) C HAP. XXXIV. Profpe^ts briglitcniug in Eritifli America.— -Defirablc Country on the interior LakeSi&c. TTov/EVER dircouragmg the profped of fo. ciety on this great continent may at prefent appear, there is every reafon to hopq time, and the ordinary courfe of events, may bring about a defirable change ; bat in the prefent (late of things^ no government feems lefs calculated to promote the happi- nefs of its fubjeds, or to enfure peraianence to itfelf^ than that feeble and unliable fyf- tem which is only calculated for a commu- nity comprifmg more virtue, and more union than fuch a heterogeneous mixture can be fuppofed to have attained. States, like individuals, purchafe wifdom by fuffering, and they have probably much to endure before they ailunie a fixed and determinate form. Without partiality it may be fafely averred, that ( 339 ) that notwithdanding the feverity of the climate, and other unfavorable circum(lan» ces, the provinces of Britidi America are the abode of more prefent fafety'and happinefs, and contain fituations more fa- vourable to future eftabllihments, than any within the limits of United States* To ftate all the grounds upon which thrs opinion is founded, might lead me into dif- cufiions, narratives, and defcription which might fwell into a volume, more intereding than either of the preceding ones. But being at prefent neither able or inclined to dojuflice to the fubjecl, I (hall only briefly obferve firft, with regard to the govern-, ment, it is one to v/hicb the governed are fondly attached, and which like religion becomes endeared to its votaries, by the fufferings they have endured for their ad- herence to it. It is confonant to their ear- lieft prejudices^- and fandlioned bv heredi- tary attachment. The climate is indeed fevere, but it is (leady and regular^ the fKies in the interior are clear, the air is pure. The fummer^ with all the heat of warm cli- Q 2 mates ( 340 ) .mates to cherifli the productions of the earth, is not fubjed to the drought that in fuch chmates fcorches and deflroys the.ni. Abun- dant woods afford flielter and fuel, to mi- tigate .the fevelity of winter ; and dreams rapid and copious flow in all direclions to refrefn the plants and cool the air^^ during their ihort but ardent fummer. The country, barren at the fea fid^y does jiot afford an inducement for thofe exten- .iive fettlements which have a tendency to become merely commercial from their fituation. It becomes more fertile as it recedes further from the fea. Thus hold- ing out an inducement to purfue nature into her favorite retreats, where on the banks of mighty waters, calculated i6 pfoniote zii the purpofes of focial traffic among the in- habitants, the richeft foil, the happieft cli- mate, and the moft complete detachment from the world, promife a fafe afylum to thofe who carry the arts and the literature of Europe, hereafter to grace and enligh- ten fcenes where agriculture has already made rapid advances. In ( 341 ) In the dawning light which already begins to rife in thefe remote abodes^ much may be difcovered of what promifes a brigh- ter day. Excepting the remnant of the old Canadians^ who are a very inofFenfive people, paticDt and chearful, attached to monarchy, and much affimilated to our modes of thinking and living, thefe pro- vinces are peopled, for the molt part, with inhabitants poiieiTed of true Britifh hearts and principles. Veterans who have ilied their blood, and fpent their bed days in the fervice of the parent country, and royalifts who have fled here for a refuge, after de- voting their property to the fuppo.rt of their honour and loyalry • ^'^^ ^^^^^^.^ ^^^^^ ther and form a fociety graced by that knowledge, and thofe m.anners, which ren- dered them refpedable in their original ftate, with all the experience gained from ad- verfity ; and that elevation of fentiment V hich refults from the confcioufnefs of having fuftered in a good caafe. Here, too, are clufters of emigrants who have fled unacquainted with the refinements, and un- contaminaced by the old world, to ieek for that ( 342 ) that bread and peace, which "the progreis of luxury and the change of manners denied them at home. Here they come in kind- ly confederation, refolved to cheri'fh in thofe kindred groupes, which have left with focial forrow their native mountains, the cuftoms and traditions, the language and th^ love of their ancedors, and to find comfort in that religion, which has been ever their ^ fupport and their fhield, for all that they have left behind *. It is by tribes of individuals intimately . eonneded with each other by fome com- ' men tie, that a country is mofi: advanta- geonfly fetikd j to which the obvioui | fuperiority m point of principle and union that diftinguifhes Britifh America from the United Siates, is chiefly owing. Our pro- vinces afford no room for wild fpeculations either of the commercial or political kind; regular, moderate trade, promilmg little K beyond a comfortable fubiiftence, and agri- * It is needlefs to enlarge on a fubje^fl, to wbidi Lord SelJ^frk has done fucli ample juftice, who wanted nothing but a little experience and a little aid, to make the beft practical comments on his own judicious obfervations. ■ \ , culture, 1 ( 343 ) • cnlture, requiring much indudry and fet- tled habits, are the only paths open to ad- venturers; and the chief inducement to emi- gration is the pofTibility of an attached fo- ciety of friends and kindred, finding room to dwell together, and meeting, in the depth of thefq fertile wildS;, with fimilar aiTocia- tions. Hence folitary and defperate ad- venturers^ the vain, the turbulent, and the ambitious, fhun thefe regulated abodes of quiet induflry, for fcenes more adapted to their genius. I fliall now conclude my recolleclions, which circumdances have often rendered very painful; but will not take upon me to enlarge on thofe hopes that flretch a dubious wing into temporal futurity, m fearch of a brighter day, and a better order of things. Content if I have preferved fome records of a valuable life ; thrown fome glimmering light upon the progrefs cf fo- ciety in that peculiar (late, which it was my fate to witnefs and to (hare, and af- forded fome hours of harmlefs amufement to thofe lovers of nature and of truth, who can patiently trace their progrefs through a cale ( 344 ) a tale devoid alike of regular arrangement, furprifing variety, and artificial embel- lifiiment*. * The reader, who has patiently gone on to the conclufion of thefe defultory memoirs, will perhaps regret parting with that fingular aflbciation of people^ the Mohawk tribes, without knowing where the few that remain have taken up their abode. It is but doing juftice to this diftinguiihed race to fay, that, though diminifhed, they were not fubdued ; though voluntary exiles, not degraded. Their courage and fidelity were to the laft exerted in the moft trying exigencies. True to their alliance with that nation ■with whom they had ever lived in friendihip, and faithful to that refpe(Sl:ab]e family, who had formed at once the cement and the medium by which that al- liance vvas confirmed, and through which aflurances of attachment and afliftance had been tranfmitted, all that remained of this powerful nation followed Sir John Johnfon (the fon of their revered Sir William.) Into Upper Canada^ where they now find a home around the place of his refidence. One old man alone, having no living tie remaining, would oo-t forfake the tombs of his anceflors^- and remains .like '^ A watch, man on the lonely hill j" or rather like a fad memento of an extinguiihed nation. FINIS. Strahan and Prefton, University of Connecticut Libraries