Roger Davis, Loyalist

Tr

nor, while I was assigned to a similar position under a certain Colonel Francklin, who had been appointed by the Government as superintendent of Indian affairs. There went with u

ountry north of the bay, with a view to getting some of the many farmers who

emed to be remarkably fertile. There were wide, rich marshes, orchards, and many well-cultivated farms, occupied mainly by settlers who had come in from the American Col

rocky and forbidding. At a place called Portland Point, where we landed, there were a few buildings, somewhat rudely constructed, and used mainly by a trading company that, for years, had don

fterwards discovered up the river-to be true and loyal subjects of the King. They exerted t

efs have, in answer to a special invitation, visited General Washington at Boston. He there spoke many flattering words to them, told them also that the English were planning to take their country and make them slaves. Besides th

on a look of keen anxiety. 'Have t

the minds of the tribes. Cattle of the loyal settlers have been driven off by them,

rg, Mr. Simonds and myself, with some dozen others, went on board a small sailing vessel, and proceeded up the ri

eat cliff of bluish white limestone. Far up this a few workmen, in the employ of Mr. Simonds, were chipping and drilling the rock, while down near the water's e

d sparkling in the flood of May sunlight, I could see the winding line of the river sliding among other lower hills, which showed blue through the lifting mist. White, circling gulls shrieked out prot

below was clearer, the wind purer, the sweep of scenery finer than any my memory could recall. Was nature to help in compensating us for what we had lost and left behind? Had fate been cruel a year ago in order to be kinder now? At any rate I felt as I looked out over it all, t

ise from his seat on the deck, and advancing to the vessel's prow, look eagerly up t

f the good priest I was finally able to make out a long, thi

ng me to look and wonder, he was off to s

y arrows; now and then there sounded out sharply the crack of an American rifle; there was also much shouting and wild jeering such as I had never heard before. In one of the leading canoes wa

ing I did not hear to Colonel Francklin, then the next moment advanced to the rail. 'Pierre Tomah,' he shouted, 'Pierre Tomah'; then still

tle wind, and his brilliant costume glittered in the evening sun. 'I baptize him feefteen years ago on de Restig

r bow-strings. A great silence fell over the fleet of swaying canoes. On our vessel each man breathed uneasily. Pierre Tomah was the chief of all the Indi

intelligible to me for a time. At length I caught the word 'Washington' a

his arms as he did so. I heard him use the wo

he wide sandy stretch of shore. In a few moments it was arranged th

then threw himself upon the sand and remained lying face downward, speechless and motionless for a long time. On rising he informed the other chiefs that he had been advised by the Great Being to keep peace with King Georg

f peace were, after several days, finally agreed upon. When all had been arranged, the lieutenant-governor, representing King George, accompanied by Colonel Francklin, the commander of the fort, and several soldiers who formed a bodyguard, marched d

government some weeks previously, binding them to send six hundred warriors into the field. They then took a solemn oath, 'to bear faith and true allegiance to His Majesty King George the Third; to take no

ising and walking along the line of kneeling chiefs, placed a decoration on the shoulder of each. He also presented the warriors with a large Union Jack. When handsome speec

to the salute from the cannon on Fort Howe, they gave three huzzahs and an Indian whoop. The last sound we heard as the

his agents, I fell asleep and dreamed of the new home I was to build on the now peaceful St. John for my mothe