Morning herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1837-1840, 1838-05-30
MORNING HERALD.


atr.v Leaves frem Straggier's Nsse besks
AHr,o,e WsmAs AND WoMANIsH HHRc.-lt
.. !, the month of January last that fortune found
nae NJ Montreal The winter had set IN with uRu-
anal severitv the rivers and lakes above had beer
frozen over for many days and there was great diff
cultv experienced in crossing at La Chine to Caugh
navaupah. The ice came down the ST. Lawrence
the Loqueis and the 0ttowa in enorrous cakes, OF
rather fields the crossing at st Annes was almost
blocked up by them, and few beside the Indians
would attempt to cross any where above the city,
was sittng by the side OF roaring fire at Rascos
toasting nay toes, and hesitating whether ! should
venture out and be victimised by the pltess penng
Of the savage Storm or run the risk of a reprimaHd
and stay in safety by the side of the sea coal tre DC
fore The door leading to the large entrance nail
was open, and heard the voice OF woman plead
ing piteously for conveyance to take her 10 La
Chine, that she might cross to Caughnawausah.-
She had left her family of small children at nome
not far from La Prairie, and came to Montreal 10 IN
tercede for her husband who had been arrested on
charge Of treason; she was returning to her lit
tie ones TO comfort them with hopes Of their fathers
release The storm she felt not she saw not; she only
saw her humble cottage and helpless babes in the
hack ground To start she was resolved If she per-
ished by the way. ! jumped from ray seat before
the fire, and called carroll TO the door; she was well
wrapped up, and so was l and we were soon seated
side by side, and on our way to La Chine. Courage
is contagious; two more CAROLS were called: old
Kntes, Of the Provincial Parliament, jumped into
one, together with one of her Majesty's commissa-
ries who was taking bundles of military stores to the
frontier for the volunteers Old Knites was one Of
your real pine-knot breed Of dsgs-crssty atwist
and about as crooked VermoRter eff the snake
tooth tribe he had been arrested for treason and lib
Grated In the third CAROL sat young Lieut.. Macdon
mel Of her Majesty's light dragons eight enough,
some of them were) and hard drinking, brandy
bottle messed major of the artillery, rightly named
heary for he slept seventeen hours out of every TWEEN
ty-foxr.
We "trotted along the road" tolerably to La Chine
and got into large batteau, navgated by five Anglo
Canadians. The view of iherver was appalling but
our case was desperate-we had set our lives upon
crossing and were determined 10 stand the hazard Of
the die! Old Kntes was as cool as a cucumber, and
would have been SO independent of the weather,
which was cold enough to freeze the nose off ola
brass monkey. He did his best 10 comfort the
young French woman, who sat as calm and unruf-
deda as a summers sea Thought of Uncle Toby and
he widow-the situation reversed Ii was soon evident
% all board the bateau that the rapdty of the cur
ent and the large cakes of would carry far below
,ur destined place of andng and the fear then arose
hat we might be carried into the rapids which boiled
below us for half mile with sound and fury that
old toe truly there was no escape from them for
mortal with mortal life.
looked on the major and said nothing, for as yet
was not wholly conscious Of oar immin ent danger.
The major looked at me- and took swlg at his brandy
bottle and nodded his head much as TO say, It's
folly to meet trouble half way" Old Knites begged
a lean of the brandy bottle for the lady, which she
refused TO touch-she sat speechless, but hrm-her
eye quailed mother lip quvered mother cheek ban-
ched not-she thought only on home and heaven |,
confdng in the latter with the true trust OF woman
Dung Lieut. Macdonald seemed pale as death-he
got forward in the bow of the bateau, laid hand on
either gunwale, his parted lips qulverng like an
aspen leaf watching every deviation of the batteau,
az the stout strokes of the threw her toward
the southern shore The men piled their oars swift
" and fiercely-but with avail against the force
Of the current and the sheets Office As they lay TO IT.
and gave way" the old batteau would spring again
like bent reed, and shrek as though every plank
was singing its death song. The spray Of the rapids
W
scendng current caught fral bark her bow would
bend round, and she would leap forward like race
horse we neared small island in the stream, that
shat out the view of the dangerous whirlpool below.
Y esnQ mcdonnell drew his breath for moment
Old Knites sung out now, commlssary," if we
don't make yon point, ten minutes will takeus into
eternity, unless we throw overheard all your rattle
traps, which you call government stores The oars
men strained every nerve-the woman qualed not
all was Of no use-an enormous cake OF ice struck
us-carred us below the point and past the island.
God what an awful sight was close before US. The
river rumbling rapidly and foaming furiously, over
thousand rocks; the boiling and Kissing noise of the
water, foam and spray was stunning-the cold had
alnos, deprived as Of sensation-the eye alone took
in full conception of the fearful fate that seemed to
await Us. Large cakes Of ice continually struck
against the rocks, were thrown up end instantly,
split into thousand pieces and rolled rumbing and
rambling down the rapids far as the eve could
reach. Yosng Macdonald, who was palsed from
fear gave shrek and fell eless in the bottom Of,
the bat,eau. The woman who till then had not stir.
red, jumped forward, snateh.d the brandy bottle
from the masr whe half drunk and half asleep, was
wholly unconscious Of the passing seene and taking
the lieutenants head in her lap, began to bathe his
temples, and tried to force some Of the Iauid down
his throat.
The energies Of the old vermsnter rose with the
occasion and sezing bale after bale OF her msjestys
s,ores he committed the safe keeping OF the spi-