Year: 1859

agara, and some three miles above the
eternal Cataract, there is long, narrow
island, having few ordinary looking farm
houses scattered along its shores, but COW
cred principally by q dense growth Of
dwarfsh trees, with here and there soil
tary old oak, towering aloft above the sur
rounding thickets, like some tall giant
amid group of schoo-boys.


This is Navy Island, and here it was
that occurred one of the most ridiculous
farces, at the same time one of the most
painful tragedies, which were enacted du-
ring the Canadian Rebellion.


Some seven hundred men and boys, rep
resenting every grade of society but the
spectacle, were assembled with the inten-
tion-ah! that is mystery. Probably
not one in that misnamed patriot host
knew why they were there, and it is equal
ly probable that few of them cared. But
each individual seemed to know that be
had heretofore all his life been cypher in
the community, and happen what would,
that he could not well be less, while he
might possibly be more, even thoug there
was but faint promise of such a result.


The officers of this modern winter cru
SADIE, it may be, were many of them in the
confidence Of the prime movers of the af
fair, or partially so, but it is doubtful
whether any of them had knowledge of
any ultimate design, other than that they
were to assemble on the island and wait
the action of their co-patriots in Canada.


With some three or four old and unser-
viceable pieces or artillery, perhaps rife,
to every third man, no camp equipage, very
little ammunition, less provisions, in the
midst of the rigorous frontier winter, with
the snow full two feet deep, and the men
worse clad, if possible, than the heroes of
Point au PeIee, it was altogether one of
the maddest schemes ever undertaken, and
any one who may chance TO be thoroughly
posted up on the history of the Navy Is
land affair, nsed not be in the least sur
prised if at some future time they would
learn that dozen porter-house despera-
does, led on by rum-bloaied Van Some
body, should sieze upon canal boat, cross
the Atlantic, blockade the English Chan
mel, and possess themselves of the Isle of
Wight, from which to invade Great Bri-
tain. - s4-i


Several days had passed siace the cccu-
pstion of the island, during which time
the crusaders had been starving, freezing,
wadipg about in the snow and keeping up
desultory firing from their few rusty, in
efficient guns upon the town Of Chippewa,
and two or three from houses along the
banks of the river, most of their shot, how
ever, dropping harmlessly into the river,
far short of their mark, when one cold,
clustering afternoon, little steamer from
Buffalo touched the island, having on
board about forty passengers, mostly men
of respectability, who had chartered the
boat and come down merely to have look
at the chrysalis Napoleons of Navy Island.


1t was almost sundown when the passen-
gers were ready to embark, and, as the
river was running full of ice, making the
night navigation up stream both difficult
and dangerous, it was decided to run the
steamer over to little wharf at Selosher,
about mile above the falls, on the Amer
ican side, and there remain until the fol-
lowing morning.


The steamer reached the wharf about
dark, and number of her passengers who
who were anxious to return to Buffalo that
night, procured two teams and immediate
ly set Out


There were still more persons on board
than could be accommodated with berths,
and so another party repaired to a botel
only few rods from the wharf, leaving on
the steamer, as nearly as could be ascer-
tanned, sixteen persons, exclusive of the
crew.


It was an hour past midnight when the
inmates of the hotel were suddenly aroused
from slumber by the rapid discharge of
firearms accompanied by the screams and
yells of men being shot and stabbed, and
every indication of terrible melee.


Rushing to doors and windows, and
some Of them out into the street, they
beheId scene which chilled their very
hearts blood, and struck them with mute
horror. -


There, on board the steamer, not ten
rods distant they heheld the bright red
flames darting upwards in a dozen places,
Illuminating the the whole surrounding
scenery with q lurid glare, while here and
there upon the steamers deck, could be
seen the coated soldiers of the British Co.
lionel Possessions stabbing and shooting
down unofendiug and defenceless Ameri-
can citizens. a..


Eyerywhere amid the flames cleaned the
scarlet uniform of those human demons, as,
led on and melted by more demoniac Off
GERS, they revelled in their bloody midnight
massacre. - e, saI e-S


Only one las far as ever was KNOWN
ofthat little company escaped to the shore.
He quiet young man-the husband of a
beautiful woman, the father of two lovely
children, clerk in Buffalo warehouse
thought to avoid the fate of his follows
by stealing away from the scene in the
shadow Of some old buildings near the riy-
er. He had almost reached the friendly
shade when be was discovered, shot down,
riddled with bullets; but still lived and es-
sayed to drag himself away on his hands
and knees. =


"Kill the Yankee rasealw shouted the
English commander, and dozen soldiers
sprank forward to execute the brutal or
der. 4" @ t.ts


In vain poor Durfee implored mercy at
the hands of those scarlet butchers. As
well might the dove seek to move the pity
Of the swooping eagle. @