1815-16.
Eighteen months passed. The Chief was in Quebec with Hannah and Abbie awaiting the arrival of Rug, who had been sent by his father to the Mother Land to dispose of two cargoes2 of timber.
It was an unusually cold evening in June. Snow had been falling all day. The neighboring hills were covered with large feathery crystals, which, however, soon melted as the sun appeared for a moment before sinking behind the gray walls of the Castle St. Louis. Just as the evening gun was fired, news had reached the union Hotel that a vessel3 had been sighted near the Island of Orleans. It was ascertained4 that it was the Dorris, in command of Captain French, and that Rug was on board. They were soon speeding down Mountain Street in a caleche to the docks, where they secured passage in a small row-boat which was going out to the vessel. The genial5 captain invited them to take tea with him, and said that Rug was below supervising and arranging with the Customs Officer about the baggage of his numerous protégés, and would be on deck shortly.
Hannah burst into a paroxysm of tears when she caught sight of her long-lost lover, who had been compelled to leave only a few weeks after their marriage. He looked twenty years older, and appeared careworn6, haggard and ill. As they were seated round the table he gave an account of his travels.
"When I received your letter," he said, addressing his father, "I chartered two vessels7 and persuaded Archie and Jonathan Campbell to go with me for a pleasure trip. We were nearly three months tossing about at the mercy of wind and wave when a hurricane swept the deck of the vessel, carrying with it the main-mast and sails. Water began to pour in at an alarming rate, and after a desperate struggle at the pumps the captain ordered all hands on deck. We felt that we had to prepare for the worst. The sailors had abandoned the pumps from exhaustion8, and Jonathan and I took their places and worked until we, too, were exhausted9, and as others took our places we retired10 to the stern, where we found Archie in a sheltered nook, seated upon a coil of rope, playing his violin, apparently11 oblivious12 of our perilous condition.
"For two days the work at the pumps was a matter of life and death, and when at last the wind subsided13 we drifted about helplessly until a passing vessel saw our signals of distress14 and towed us from the Bay of Biscay to Bristol, where the necessary repairs were made to enable us to proceed to Liverpool. We soon disposed of the timber at good profit, and Jonathan, Archie and I took the stage-coach for London, where we had the honor of being presented at Court to gay Prince Geordie, who is acting15 as Regent, owing to his father's mental derangement16. I wish you could have seen the Carleton House," he said, turning to Hannah. "He built it at a cost of ￡250,000 sterling17, and had to sell his stud of race-horses and discharge most of his servants to meet the demands of the creditors18, for he had led such a wild, dissipated life that the King and Parliament refused for a long time to help him out of his difficulties.
"We visited many places of interest in London and the old farm in Kent, which we found bordered on that of General Wolfe. Then we crossed to France, and after having with great difficulty secured passports, drove to Paris.
"If we had arrived on the scene only a few months sooner we might have seen how Napoleon turned Louis XVIII. from the kingdom, or we might have seen the great battle of Waterloo; but Napoleon is now safe at St. Helena, where he was sent last October."
"The story of Napoleon Bonaparte," said Captain French, "presents probably the most remarkable19 example in the world of the action of great intellect and resolute20 will, unrestrained by conscience, and shows both the possible success which may reward, for a time, the most unscrupulous selfishness and also, fortunately, its certain ultimate failure and overthrow21."
"Notwithstanding which, I have the greatest admiration22 for Napoleon," said Rug.
"The Captain's sentiments are mine," said the Chief. "He was a man of no conscience, no heart, and one of the most uncompromising enemies of constitutional liberty that the world has ever seen. I am amazed that a born republican like you, Rug, could see anything to admire in despotism or tyranny."
"Did you see anything of poor Josephine?" asked Abbie.
"No," he said. "The Empress Queen Dowager died two years ago, but we saw her beautiful home, 'Malmaison.'
"If one may judge from appearances, it will take many years for France to recover from the effects of the Reign23 of Terror. My object, however, in visiting France and England was that I might see something of their progressive developments in agriculture and commerce, so that we might adopt the newest and best methods in building up our own little colony. I have brought with me," he continued, "the latest novelties in the way of general merchandise; I have brought the newest inventions in agricultural and milling machinery24; I have Herefordshire and Devon cattle, of most renowned25 ancestors, who have not ceased to protest against a sea voyage from the time they left Liverpool.
"Nor is this all," he said; "I have something better still on board for the new settlement, namely, twenty-five English families, who are going to take up land in the township and pay for it in work."
"And who nearly turned mutineers," added the captain, slapping him on the shoulder, "did they not, Wright?"
"How was that?" asked the Chief.
"When we boarded the vessel at Liverpool," replied Rug, "some were bright and cheerful, but most of them were in tears, which showed that they did not leave the Old Land without a struggle. We soon weighed anchor and were under sail with a fair wind, but it came round to the east and blew fresher, so that we were forced to come to anchor not far from the place we left. The ship, as you may see, was fitted up for the timber trade, and has only a small cabin or quarter-deck. On each side are ranged two tiers of berths26 for passengers providing their own bedding. Along the open space in the middle we placed two rows of large chests which were used sometimes as tables, sometimes as seats—all of which I shall show you presently. There was much noise and confusion before all found berths; crying children, swearing sailors, scolding women, who had not been able to secure the beds they wanted, produced a chorus of a very melancholy27 nature. The disagreeableness of it was heightened by the darkness of the night and the rolling and tossing of the ship. After breakfast, as usual, all began to be sick. I took the advice of the sailors and drank some salt water, which acted as an emetic28, and I soon felt better.
"Unfortunately, while we were still at anchor, boats came from the shore with friends of the sailors, who smuggled29 a lot of liquor on board, and before the captain discovered it the whole crew was drunk. We were wakened at an early hour next morning by the violent motion of the ship, for there was a perfect gale30 blowing from the north-west. The sea was roaring and foaming31 around us. The passengers were all sick. Things grew worse and worse. Consternation32 and alarm were in every face. Children were crying, women wringing33 their hands, and I could see by the angry looks of the men that they would like to have thrown me overboard. The ship had little ballast, and it mounted the waves like a feather. Sometimes a hard sea would break over her with a shock that would make every one stagger. After a sleepless34 night, in which I received many a bruise35 and uttered many a groan36, the captain informed us that the squall had carried away our mainyard and rigging, and that we were on our way back to Bristol to refit. At one time, when the ship was on her side, several chests, though strongly lashed37 to the deck, broke from their moorings, and in their progress downwards38 carried destruction to everything on which they happened to fall.
"What a sight the deck presented! Do you remember, Captain? Clothes, spoons, shoes, hats, bottles, dishes, were strewn about in endless confusion. The next day the captain returned with the mainyard dragging behind his boat, but owing to a strong head wind we could not prepare nor rig it till the following day, when all the men on board who could get round it assisted at the work, and we were soon speeding along at the rate of six miles an hour with a fine favorable breeze.
"The next day we made one hundred miles in twelve hours. I cannot describe what took place after that, for I was too ill. It was well that I was ill, for the indignation of the men and the fury of the women were almost unbounded as they thought of having consented to leave their comfortable cottages to follow me to what I had represented was a new and better country.
"As we neared the banks of Newfoundland a most extraordinary phenomenon was produced by the dashing of the salt water against the bow of the ship in the evening. The water seemed on fire and produced a very fine effect. The next day a mass of ice appeared about two hundred yards distant. It was almost half a mile in length, and was moving south-east. Soon after we found the channel between Cape39 Breton and Cape Ray, and got into the ice. The captain sent eight men to the bow with fenders. One piece knocked splinters off the bow and threw us all down. About five days later we reached the Island of Anticosti, but I was too ill to see it. We saw porpoises40 in shoals plunging41 about the ship, while the sailors tried to harpoon42 them beneath the bow. About two hundred and eighty miles below Quebec the pilot came on board. His number was painted in large characters on his sail as well as on his boat. He had a cask of fresh water and some maple43 sugar, which he sold at an extortionate price to the passengers.
"Near Bic Island we saw whales spouting44 water at a great height, and a habitant came out in a boat with a large basket of eggs, which he disposed of at a shilling per dozen, and so we continued on until the domes45 and towers of Quebec came in sight and I began to realize the inexpressible joy of being at home once more."*
Rug was a young man of great executive ability, a young man whose word could be relied upon with absolute certainty, a young man who proved himself the very soul of honor in all his business transactions.
The rare, practical, common sense shown in the expenditure47 of twelve thousand dollars in the Mother Land inspired the Chief with such confidence in his son that when, a few years later, he appealed for funds for the construction of timber slides at the Chaudiere and the Chats, of which he was the inventor, his father had no hesitation48 in entrusting49 him with over one hundred thousand dollars.
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1
perilous
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| adj.危险的，冒险的 | |
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cargoes
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| n.（船或飞机装载的）货物( cargo的名词复数 )；大量，重负 | |
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vessel
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| n.船舶；容器，器皿；管，导管，血管 | |
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ascertained
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| v.弄清，确定，查明( ascertain的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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genial
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| adj.亲切的，和蔼的，愉快的，脾气好的 | |
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careworn
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| adj.疲倦的，饱经忧患的 | |
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vessels
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| n.血管( vessel的名词复数 )；船；容器；（具有特殊品质或接受特殊品质的）人 | |
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8
exhaustion
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| n.耗尽枯竭，疲惫，筋疲力尽，竭尽，详尽无遗的论述 | |
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exhausted
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| adj.极其疲惫的，精疲力尽的 | |
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retired
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| adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的 | |
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apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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oblivious
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| adj.易忘的，遗忘的，忘却的，健忘的 | |
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subsided
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| v.（土地）下陷（因在地下采矿）( subside的过去式和过去分词 )；减弱；下降至较低或正常水平；一下子坐在椅子等上 | |
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14
distress
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| n.苦恼，痛苦，不舒适；不幸；vt.使悲痛 | |
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acting
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| n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的 | |
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derangement
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| n.精神错乱 | |
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sterling
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| adj.英币的(纯粹的，货真价实的)；n.英国货币(英镑) | |
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creditors
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| n.债权人，债主( creditor的名词复数 ) | |
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remarkable
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| adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的 | |
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resolute
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| adj.坚决的，果敢的 | |
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overthrow
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| v.推翻，打倒，颠覆；n.推翻，瓦解，颠覆 | |
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admiration
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| n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕 | |
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reign
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| n.统治时期，统治，支配，盛行；v.占优势 | |
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machinery
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| n.(总称)机械，机器；机构 | |
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renowned
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| adj.著名的，有名望的，声誉鹊起的 | |
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berths
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| n.（船、列车等的）卧铺( berth的名词复数 )；（船舶的）停泊位或锚位；差事；船台vt.v.停泊( berth的第三人称单数 )；占铺位 | |
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melancholy
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| n.忧郁，愁思；adj.令人感伤（沮丧）的，忧郁的 | |
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emetic
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| n.催吐剂；adj.催吐的 | |
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smuggled
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| 水货 | |
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gale
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| n.大风，强风，一阵闹声（尤指笑声等） | |
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foaming
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| adj.布满泡沫的；发泡 | |
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consternation
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| n.大为吃惊，惊骇 | |
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wringing
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| 淋湿的，湿透的 | |
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sleepless
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| adj.不睡眠的，睡不著的，不休息的 | |
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bruise
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| n.青肿，挫伤；伤痕；vt.打青；挫伤 | |
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groan
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| vi./n.呻吟，抱怨；(发出)呻吟般的声音 | |
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lashed
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| adj.具睫毛的v.鞭打( lash的过去式和过去分词 )；煽动；紧系；怒斥 | |
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downwards
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| adj./adv.向下的（地），下行的（地） | |
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39
cape
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| n.海角，岬；披肩，短披风 | |
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porpoises
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| n.鼠海豚( porpoise的名词复数 ) | |
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41
plunging
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| adj.跳进的，突进的v.颠簸( plunge的现在分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降 | |
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42
harpoon
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| n.鱼叉；vt.用鱼叉叉，用鱼叉捕获 | |
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43
maple
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| n.槭树，枫树，槭木 | |
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44
spouting
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| n.水落管系统v.（指液体）喷出( spout的现在分词 )；滔滔不绝地讲；喋喋不休地说；喷水 | |
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45
domes
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| n.圆屋顶( dome的名词复数 )；像圆屋顶一样的东西；圆顶体育场 | |
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46
rev
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| v.发动机旋转，加快速度 | |
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47
expenditure
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| n.(时间、劳力、金钱等)支出；使用，消耗 | |
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48
hesitation
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| n.犹豫，踌躇 | |
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49
entrusting
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| v.委托，托付( entrust的现在分词 ) | |
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