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By James Bain Jr, Toronto
The CHANGED conditions
which existed in the Highlands of Scotland after Culloden forced many of
the inhabitants to look abroad for new homes. Poverty stricken
landlords, coal tax, salt tax, and many other burdens were resting heavy
on the people. The reports which had been received from the new
settlements in New York State, the Carolinas, and also Georgia, had been
favorable, and undoubtedly a considerable emigration would have flowed
into the colonies if the revolutionary war had not broken out. The same
spirit of loyalty, however, which led them to follow Prince Charlie,
turned them from the now United States. The letters of those who had
followed the British flag to take up their residence in the newly
explored lands of Canada diverted attention in that direction,
supplemented as they were by the stories of many a returned Highland
soldier. With characteristic Scottish caution, however, Scotsmen were
for many years in the habit of coming to spy out the land and report
upon its possibilities and capabilities for settlement, and among the
earliest was a Mr. Campbell. From the title page of his book, which was
published in Edinburgh in 1793, we glean no information about him,
except that his Christian name commenced with S., but from conversations
reported in the text we gather that he had been in charge of the deer
forest of Mamlorn, and that he had given up his position owing to some
misunderstanding with the steward.
"I betook myself to
farming, trading a little by sea and land, by which I made out so well
as now to be enabled to give up all business and gratify a passion for
travelling." A Scotsman of Scotsmen, he marks his journey by the
distance from one Scotsman's home to another, he is of the opinion that
if the revolutionary war had been managed by Scotsmen, the result would
have been different. All the English generals failed, and the only
successful officers were Sir Archibald Campbell, Generals Campbell and
M'Lean.
"Does it not verify what
the great Lord Chatham said, 'That he sought for merit everywhere, and
found it in the healthy mountains of the North?'" "'Tis a barren clime,
but breeds a generous race." A casual allusion gives us a hint as to his
religious views. When passing a Quaker settlement, he says: ''I suppose
their religious tenets, in point of morality and decency, to be the best
in the world, and they in that respect come nearer the Scotch
Presbyterians than any other class of men whatever."
The start was made on
June 11th, 1791, from Fort William, arriving at Greenock on 18th, where
he took passage in the brig Argyle for New Brunswick. The ship sailed on
the 21d of July, but meeting with a severe storm off the Mull of
Kintyre, was forced to return to the Fairly roads until the 8th. It was
not till the 27th of August that the traveller reached St. John's, after
what he calls a fine passage of fifty-six days.
The St. John's of that
day "was well planned;" the streets cut at right angles but from the
unevenness and raggedness of the sloping ground on which it is built,
does not appear regular to the eye. It consists of about five hundred
houses, all of timber, well painted. They have a neat appearance, and
some of them even elegant; generally consisting of two stories high. The
shops, stores and wharfs, numerous and commodious. They have two
churches, also of wood, the largest not yet finished but when it is, may
contain a numerous congregation; and so well painted on the outside is
this church that, without strict examination, any spectator would
conclude it to be built of stone and lime." The fishing everywhere
interests him, and he invariably devotes a considerable space to a
description of the fish and methods of fishing, and the prospects of
foreign markets. The St. John's river had been settled but a few years
before by loyalists, and his first inland journey was up this river,
stopping each night at a settler's house, who all appear to have been
men of a superior class. Everywhere he goes he appears to meet
Highlanders in well-to-do circumstances, and among others his relative,
Lieutenant Dugald Campbell. He learns of a large settlement of
Highlanders on Nashwack, and that they it were in many respects not a
whit better than the real Indians that they would set out in the dead of
winter, with their guns and dogs; travel into the deep recesses of
distant forests, continue there two or three weeks at atune, sleeping at
night in the snow, and in the open air and return with sleas loaded with
venison yet withal, were acknowledged to be the most prudent and
industrious farmers in all this province of New Brunswick, and lived
most easy and independent."
Reaching this settlement
he spent some time visiting from house to house, where he was received
with Highland hospitality, in shooting and fishing, and examining the
lands, of which he speaks enthusiastically. As an extreme example of the
abundance of fish, he says that Captain Symon told him that three
Frenchmen enspeared seven hundred salmon in one night. The Nashwack
settlement was largely formed from the 42nd regiment, and the "'greatest
want, and what they complained most of, was women for their young men,
they begged of me to recommend some hundred of them to come, and that
they would engage that they should all get husbands, or masters, before
they should be three weeks in the country." The last settler on the
river was Angus Macintosh, ''a very decent man, originally from
Inverness, and a sergeant in the 71st regiment. His wife told me they
had every necessary of life in abundance on their own property, but
there was one thing which she wished much to have that was heather. And
as she had heard there was an island in the Gulf of St. Lawrence
opposite to the mouth of the Mirimashee river, where it grew, and as she
understood I was going that way, she earnestly entreated I would bring
her two or three stalks, or cows, as she-called it, which she would
plant on a barren brae behind her house, where she supposed it would
grow; that she made the same request to several going that way, but had
not got any of it, which she knew would greatly beautify the place for,
said she, 'This is an ugly country that has no heather. I never yet saw
any good or pleasant place without it.'" From Fredericton he made his
way through the bush to the Mirimashee river, where a considerable
settlement had been made, the principal men of which were Scotsmen.
Their shipbuilding, lumbering and fishing industries were all inspected,
and the rapid growth of their exports noted with hearty interest.
Returning to Fredericton by the same route, he resolved to continue his
journey westward across the barren and untrodden country lying between
that town and the French settlements on the St. Lawrence, ''through
impenetrable forests, a savage wilderness, and mountains covered with
snow." He was accompanied by his servant and his constant companion, his
dog, and for guide, one of the settlers familiar with the wood, George
M'Gregor. It was late in the season, for in October he might expect to
find some of the upper waters frozen, and the cold would be at times
severe, but in spite of all his difficulties he reached Quebec before
the end of the month. The calashes, the wild bull's skin ''which we call
buffalo liye," the system of post houses, the "porpoise" fisheries, and
the system of "signiories'' are all new and interesting. A short account
of Quebec, with some anecdotes of the late siege by Montgomery, is given
before he starts upon his journey further westward. At Three Rivers ''I
fell in with a Scotchman dignified with the title of Sieur Forbes, who
kept one of the post houses, an old man, formerly a private soldier in
the 71st regiment, or Fraser's Highlanders married to a Highlaud girl,
who lately emigrated from Morar in Inverness-shire. Here I dined, and
was much pressed to stay all night. She spoke French fluently, but very
little English, so that she and I conversed in Gaelic." In the island of
Montreal he especially admires the farms "possessed by some Englishmen
who cultivate and manure their lands as is done in that country, forming
a great contrast to the habitants, who are perhaps the worst farmers in
the world." The price of wheat is 3s. sterling per bushel, beef at 1d.
per lb., turkeys and geese from 10d. to 1s. each.
On the 5th of November he
started for the upper country, spending the first night at Lachine with
Messrs. Grant and Ross and Lieutenant M'Donnell from Knoidart, when he
acknowledges to have drank a good deal of port and Madeira, a very
common confession of Mr. Campbell's. These gentlemen insisted upon
giving his servant and himself a free passage to Kingston. Travelling
leisurely in ''battoes," and walking over the portages, he invariably
finds a Fraser, Beaton, M'Donald, Gray, M'Kay, or M'Martin with whom to
spend the night and make merry over their wine. The latter told him
"there was a Glenorchy woman whom I remember to have seen in that
country, married to a Captain Thomas Fraser, some miles farther up the
river." When he reached the house he could not believe that any
Highlander owned so fine a place with so much farm stock, but was
induced to enter. "When I came up they took no sort of notice of me
farther than desiring me to sit down. My trousers being torn with the
bushes, and the rest of my dress being in situation, they supposed me to
be a Vanky come from the States. After sitting a while in this way,
nobody speaking to me or I to them, Mrs. Fraser happened to sit by me. I
looked full in her face, and clearly recognizing her features, I
accosted her in and asked her if she had ever seen me before. She could
not say whether or not. This turned the eyes of. everybody in the house
toward us; but on my asking if she had heard of or known such a person,
naming myself, she said she did, and knew him very well; but could not
suppose that I was him. On saying I was, she turned about to her
husband, 'My dear,' said she, 'this is the gentleman whom I have often
told you was so kind to us when he was forester of Mamlorn, and whatever
disputes we and our neighbors had when our cattle trespassed upon the
forest, he always favored our family.' Captain Fraser on instantly
welcomed me to his house, ordered dinner and venison stakes to be got
ready immediately." Thence he passes to Captain William Fraser's, where
he passes the night, and next morning to another Fraser's, a Highlander
who had been a long time a private in the 42nd regiment, and so he goes
on Kingston is reached. Kingston very favorably in- presses him. ''I
never saw a prettier situation for an inland town than this place. The
town is in its infancy yet, but fast increasing. It is well supplied
with provisions of all kinds from the fertile country behind it." He
dines at the mess with the officers of the garrison, rides out into the
country to see Parson Stewart's and Sir John Johnson's houses, and is
shown the place where ''it is supposed the new Governor of Upper Canada
will erect his place of residence and fix the seat of Government. If so
surely none can be more suitable. Everything is inviting, and it seems
by nature intended for the emporium of this new country. capable of
being extended to a considerable Empire." It was as late as November
24th when he got on board the Colville sloop, mounting two six-pounders
and two swivels, bound to Niagara. The weather was stormy, the captain
drunk, as were most of the men, so that by nightfall they were glad to
get back behind Carleton Island, where they remained in shelter for four
days. It was not until December 8th that they reached Niagara, thus
actually spending fifteen days in the passage. Fort Niagara was still in
the hands of the British, so that they crossed to that side, and "puts
up at the only public house in the place, which is near the fort.'' The
town of Niagara on the western side was just being ''lined out," and
lots were given gratis to such as will undertake to build on. Half an
acre is allowed for the "stance of each house and garden, and eight
acres at a distance for enclosure." The question of the situation of the
seat of Government was evidently exciting public interest, for he says:
"On the opposite side of the lake, at a place called Toronto, fifteen
miles across from Niagara, is a fine bay and safe anchorage, where some
people suppose the seat of the new governor will be erected." After a
short stay he visited the Falls of Niagara in compaiy with Mr. Robert
Hamilton, a well-known resident of Queenstown, returning to the fort,
where he spent the month of January. Early in February he set out with a
"party of gentlemen in two sleas" on an excursion to the Grand River.
The first night was spent at Squire McNab's; next day they crossed
"Geneva Lake— now Burlington Bay—where he was deeply interested in the
various devices for capturing fish beneath the ice used by the Indians
of the Messessagoe nation, and on the following day reached the
residence of Captain Brant on Grand River. Here they were received with
much hospitality. Captain Brant he finds was well acquainted with
European manners, and "Mrs. Brant appeared superbly dressed in the
Indian fashion, the elegance of her person, grandeur of her looks and
deportment, her large mild eyes, symmetry and harmony of her expressive
features, though much darker in the complexion, so far surpassed them as
not to admit of the smallest comparison between time Indian and the fair
European ladies." The children are also praised in the same strain. Tea
served in time handsomest china plate. Next day was Sunday, and dinner
was served on return from a saunter round the village.
Two slaves attended the
table, the one in scarlet, the other in colored clothes, with silver
buckles on shoes." We drank pretty freely after dinner, port and Maderia
wines.'' After nightfall Captain Brant arranged to show him a war dance,
which intersted him very much. " No sooner the war dance was over than
they began their own native and civil ones, in which Captain Brant and I
joined; he placed me between two handsome young squaws and himself
between other two in this way we continued for two hours more without
coming off the floor, dancing and singing." Campbell was evidently in
for a night's enjoyment, for "after this and every other dance peculiar
to their nation was over, we began to Scotch reels." Here we continued
until near daylight. I told Captain Brant that in my country at all
country weddings and frolics, it was customary to kiss both before and
after every dance. He said it was a strange though agreeable custom, but
that it would never do here. I had brought two gallons of rum to
entertain them, and he had ordered six bottles of Maderia wine from his
own house, and would hardly allow the other gentlemen and myself to
taste any other liquor. By my being in a manner under the necessity of
often drinking grog with the young Indian and squaws, I got tipsy,
though I and one young Indian were the only persons present in the least
affected. As for the squaws I could hardly get them to taste, however
warm they might he with dancing.'' Well might he say that ''on the whole
I do not remember I ever passed a night in all my life I enjoyed more."
The following day was spent in seeing Brant's curiosities, and
discoursing upon all kinds of subjects, from firearms to religion, which
latter carries him off on long discussion of that burning subject among
Highlanders at the end of the last century, the authorship of "Ossian."
The return was made via Chippewa. the road to Fort Niagara being marked
by a series of carousals. On 10th of March he set out on homeward
journey by way of Albany and New York, travelling on horseback over
roads which led through forests and swamps almost impassable at that
season of the year. Even in the German settlements of the Mohawk Valley
he finds Scots, for at a public house kept by a German, "the landlady,
judging by mine and servant's language, that we were Scotch, accosted me
in Gaelic, and asked if I understood that language, when I answered in
the affirmative, she seemed very happy. The whole family and other
strangers that were there, all Dutch, looked with amazement on hearing
her and me converse in an unknown language. She was born in this
country, of Scotch Highland parents of the name of Fraser, from
Straherrich." He also begins to find old acquaintances like John McVean,
upon whom he maliciously attempts to pass himself off as a German. "I
asked him in that language if his name was McVean, and if he understood
German; he answered in English that his name was McVean, but that devil
a word of German he could speak. I then asked him in the same language
if Mr. McVean could speak Gaelic; he understood me well, and said he
could speak Gaelic, and instantly turned about to his wife, and said in
that tongue, seemingly with a great deal of surprise in his countenance,
that he never saw anyone so like the head forester of Manilorn as that
Dutchman was. At length, after some conversation in this way, with a
great deal of surprise on part and amusement on mine, I discovered
myself by asking, ''what would you say if it was the forester himself?"
In troth I believe it is," said he, "of which discovery we were very
happy." The number of Scottish people in the district tempts him to stay
over a day and accept some of the many invitations sent to him. Among
others he meets with an old friend, Angus Cameron, his former
under-forester. A large fur cap I had brought from Canada, and had on
the time, disguised me so much in the eyes of my friend that he supposed
me to be a Frenchman or a Dutchman. I accosted him in German, and asked
him if he had any oxen to dispose of. He said that I must change my
tongue and speak to him in English or Lochmaber German, otherwise he
could give me no answer. Mr. McIntyre asked him in in Gaelic if he knew
me; he answered not. "Why, then, (says the other) he says he knows you."
"The fellow is a d--d liar (says Cameron), he never saw me in his life;
but let him be what he will, he speaks more languages than one. On
saying this he put on a curious enquiring face that I could not help
smiling, which he observed, and then came up to me and examined my
clothes and took off my cap, and knew me."
Eventually reaching New
York, and finding it difficult to continue his journey south, he took
ship for St. John's, New Brunswick, and ascended the river as far as
Fredericton, resolved to purchase land near the latter place. His brief
residence in the United States has not toned his patriotism, intensified
by his visits to so many Scottish loyalists, and he continually
contrasts Upper Canada with New York, much to the latter's disadvantage.
"From all the States," he
says, "they fly to Upper Canada, which is now deemed the paradise of the
New World." His final reflection of the political state is, that the
British Colonies are so sensible of the advantage they derive from a
free trade with Britain, the British laws and Government, the protection
of its navy to their shipping and trade, no duty paid, no land tax, no
cess, nor any public burden imposed, no grievances whatever, have many
facilities in that line no country in the world enjoys, and many other
unnecessary to enumerate here, that were they millions strong, their
first and last wish would be a continuation of their connection with
Great Britain. The examples of the Federal States, as already observed,
would operate so powerfully as to preclude all idea of the remaining
British Colonies ever wishing for a change." Mr. Campbell's style is
characteristically his own, and free from all affectation, but his
orthography leaves much room for improvement. Scrol, School; Keraboo, or
Cariboo; inelases, molasses; Preskeil, Presqu'ile; Lasheen, Lachine;
Keiity, Quinte; squeel, squeal; Kieuga, Cayuga; Unindagoe, Onondago;
Onido, Oneida. In spite, however, of all defects, he is a good specimen
of a brave, courteous and loyal Scottish Highlander, of the old school. |
