The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1842-08-09

from the toll of wading through the snow, and be-
held with admiration and envy the facility with
which the Indians i'm their snow shoes moved over
the surface. No contrast could be greater than the
patisnco of Father Ncholass proselytes and the ir
| rability of the Frenchmen.
| When they they reachd the spot where the live
ly little town of Burlington now stands, a general
halt was ordered, that the necessary arran gaments
might be made to penetrate the forests towards the
settled parts of Massachusetts In starting from
this point, Father Nicholas left to bring up
his division, and De RouviIle led his own with
compass in his hand, taking the direction of Deer
field. Nothing that had been yet suffered was
equal to the hardships endured in this march. Day
after day the Frenchmen went forward with indie
iatigabe bravery heroic contrast to the pancs
of their countrymen in the Russia storms of
latter times. But they were Ioquacious; and the
roughness of their course, and the enangiing moes
taEion which they encountered from the underwood
provoked their maedictions and excited their ges
ricuIation. The conduct of the Indians was far
different: animated with holy zeal, their constitn
tonai ;aciturnity had something dignfed-even
sublime, in its sternness No murmur escaped them;
their knowledge of traveilin the woods instructed
them to avoid many OF the annoyances which cal
led forth the pestes and sacres OF their not less
brave but more vocifernus companions.
Long before the parry had reached their destina
ton, Father Nicholas was sick of his crusade the
labor of threading the forest acerated his ee:, and
the reeoilng of the boughs had, at times, by his
own inadverteney in following too closely behind
his companions, soreiy blamed, even excoratiou
his cheeks. Still be felt that he engaged in
sanctified adventure; he recTed to mind the mar
tyrdoms of the saints, and the prosecutions of the
fathers, and the glory that would rebound to him
self in ali after ages, from the redemption of the
bell.
On the evening of the Both of February, 1704,
the expedition arrived within miles of Deerfieid
without having been discovered. De Rouville OF
dered his TO halt, rest and refresh tn emseves
until midnight, at which hour he gave orders that
the village should be taken.
The surface of the earth frozen and cracked
beneath the tread. With great sagacity TO deceive
the English garrison, De Rouvrle directed, that
in advancing to the assault, his men should FIRE.
quenrly pause, and then rush for snort time rapid
" forward. By this ingenious precanuon, the sen
neIs in the town led to imagine that the
sound came from the irregular rustic of the wind
through the laden branches of the snowy forest
but an alarm was at last given and the terrible con
act took place in the streets. The French fought
with their accustomed sphit, and the Indians with
tnelr cndTacteElsIC IoFliAuue- h6 SdIIlsOu was
dispersed, the town taken, and the buildings
set on fire.
AT daybrealx all the Indians although greatly
haused by the fatigue OF the night, waited in
body and requested the hu,y father conduct
them 10 the bell, that they might perform their
homnges and testify their veneration for it, Father
Nicholas vas not ltlle Disconnected this So
emn request, and De Rouvle, with many of the
Frenchmen, who were Witnesses laughed il
most unr ghteousIy. But the father
irelv discomfited As the Indians had never
heard bell before, ne obtained Of the ldiers
from DE Rouville, and despatched him to ring it
The sound in the silence of tha frosty dawn and
the still woods loud and deep; il was, to the
simple of the Indians as the voice OF an orace
they trembed, and were filled with wonder and
awe
The bell then taken from the belfry land fas
tened TO beam with a bar each end to
enable it to be carried by four men. In this way
the Indians proceeded with it homewards, exnting
in the deliverance of the ''niracuous organ. Butt
it soon found too heavy for the uneven track
they had to trace, and, in consequence, when they
reached their starting point the shore of Lake
Chang ain they buried it, with many benedctinns
from Father Nicholas, until they could come with
proper means TO carry it away.
As soon as the ice was broken up, Father Nioho
as assembled them again in the church, and hav-
ing procured yoke of oxen, thew proceeded to
bring the bell. Ia the mean time all the squawsl
and papooses had been informed of it's marvellous
powers and capacities, and the arrival of IT wa
looked to as one of the greatest events in the
womb of time. Nor did il prove far short of their
anticrpauons. One evening, while they were talk
ing and commuuing together, mighty sound was
heard approaching in the woods it was louder and
louder; they listened, they wondered, and began to
shout and cry, ''It is the bell
1t was So Presently the oxen, surrounded by
the Indians were seen advancing from the woods;
he beam was laid their shouiders,and, rs
the bell was swung between them, 1t sounded wide
and far On the the top of the beam robe seat was
erected ON which sat Farther Nicholas the most
triumphant of mortal men, adorned with wreath
round his temples, the oxen TOO, we're ornamented
with garlands of flowers fn this trumphai array
in the calm of beautiful eveniug,when The leaves
ill nd ,rrsar and while the ollie Ion