CHAPTER IX. Journey from Canada to Glen's Falls, in the State of New York.— Franklin Steam-Boat on Lake Champlain-Cross the Boundary to the United States-Plattsburg-Naval Action on the Lake-Port Kent Burlington-Burning of Phoenix Steam-Boat-Crown Point -Ticonderago Abercrombie's Expedition - Lord Howe Killed--Burgoyne's Capture of Ticonderago-Whitehall-Burgoyne's March from Whitehall-Sandyhill-Indian Barbarities-Employment of Indians in War-Glen's Falls-Lake George-Driver of Barouche— Caldwell-Overcharge for Boat on the Lake-Conversation with driver of Barouche-Baron Dieskau's Defeat at Fort William Henry -The Bloody Pond-Montcalm's Attack, followed by Capitulation of Fort William Henry, and Barbarities of Indians-System of Schools in New York State, Connecticut, &c.-Presidential Election-Jefferson's Sentiments respecting the Contest between Jackson and Adams-Settlement of the Country-High Sheriff of the CountyAdvertisement of a Candidate for the Office. From 17th to 20th September. THE Franklin steam-boat, which is large and well managed, conveyed us from St John's to Whitehall, a distance of 150 miles, over Lake Champlain. The provisions were excellent; and here, as in every place where we have yet been in the United States, places were left for us at the head of the table, on account of our being foreigners. I notice this particularly on this occasion, because there were several persons of PLATTSBURG-NAVAL ACTION. 165 eminence in the boat,―part of the family of the Attorney-General of the United States, and several clergymen. The Isle Aux Noix, an island in the lake, about eleven miles from St John's, and consisting of about ninety acres, is the frontier post of the British. It is low lying, but there is no elevated ground in the neighbourhood. Fever and ague prevail here to an alarming extent. A few miles above this post, we again entered the territories of the United States. A custom-house officer was on board of the boat, who was satisfied with our declaration, that our portmanteaus contained nothing but travelling baggage, and did not require them to be opened. We had been treated with the same civility at Black-Rock, on our entering Canada, by the British custom-house officer. About thirty-five miles from Isle Aux Noix, Plattsburg, a considerable village in New York State, is situated, in the neighbourhood of which the American and British flotillas on the lake had a severe engagement in 1814, which was attended with disastrous consequences to the British,-their commander, Captain Downie, being killed,—their fleet captured,—and Sir George Prevost, with a large army invading the United States from Canada, forced precipitately to retreat, This expedition, in which we sustained so great loss, was even more rashly determined on than that of Burgoyne in 1777. The object of both expeditions was the same, viz. to cut off the New England States from the Confederacy; but the population of New England, which consisted comparatively of a handful of men in the time of the revolutionary war, was in 1814 greater than that of one-half of the states at the period of Burgoyne's invasion. We were gulled on the last occasion by stories of the unpopularity of the war at Boston, and in other parts of New England, and were presumptuous enough to suppose, that we might detach this valuable part of the American republic from the union. In this vain attempt we made prodigious sacrifices of blood and treasure. At the distance of ten miles from Plattsburg, we passed Port Kent, a thriving village, near which are considerable iron-works. Mr Watson, one of the proprietors, who resides at Port Kent, and was a passenger in the boat with us, gave us a very hearty invitation to go ashore, and visit his house, that we might see the works, which we were sorry that it was not in our power to accept. On the opposite side of the lake lies Burlington Bay, and the town or village of Burlington, in the State of Vermont, both remarkable for their beauty. Not far from Burlington, the Phoenix steamboat, when employed in the conveyance of passengers, was burned a few years ago, in circumstances peculiarly trying. It happened in the middle of a severe gale, and when the captain, ashore in bad health, had substituted in his place his son, a young man of twenty. At midnight, the vessel caught fire, but by good management, and presence of mind, the juvenile commander succeeded in saving the passengers and crew,—he himself was the last person picked up, floating on a piece of wood, almost exhausted. Burlington contains FORTRESS OF TICONDERAGO. 167 3000 or 4000 inhabitants, and is the largest village on the lake. The houses are particularly neat and clean-looking, all painted white. The situation is on a bank rising above the lake. Crown Point, where some old works are still visible, is about thirty-six miles from Burlington, near the head of the lake. It was originally occupied by the French as a military position,-was captured by the British in 1759,-and was afterwards alternately in their possession and that of the Americans till the peace of 1783. The views in this part of the lake are strikingly varied at every change of situation, and the scenery marked and bold. The Vermont hills, called the Green Hills, are the highest on the eastern coast of America; some of them 6000 feet high. Lake Champlain is nowhere above six miles broad. It becomes narrow above Crown Point, and more and more contracted all the way to the ruins of the wellknown fortress of Ticonderago, twenty-four miles from Whitehall, and to Mount Defiance, on the opposite side of the inlet of the lake. The fortress of Ticonderago was first constructed by the French in 1756. It stands on a narrow peninsula between Lake Champlain and the passage into Lake George. The works are about 200 feet above the lake, and of considerable extent, and the ruins still very interesting. The object of the French in erecting it, was to distress the British settlements from this position; and, with the assistance of the Indians, they so frequently succeeded, that an expedition, under Ges 168 TICONDERAGO-LORD HOWE KILLED. neral Abercrombie, was in 1758 dispatched to reduce the fort. Lord Howe, a fine young man, devoted to his profession, and a great favourite with the soldiers, was the second in command. He was the grandson of George I.—his mother, Lady Howe, being the daughter of Lady Darlington, when she was the mistress of the King. He made himself quite the idol of the army, by his unceasing attention to their wants, and by his sharing with all ranks every self-denying regulation which he established. Mrs Grant enumerates some of those privations, which now appear to us sufficiently curious. Nothing at this period was reckoned so ornamental as to have the hair, the more abundant the better,-put up in a great queue, and the whole powdered and pomatumed. Though himself remarkable for fine hair, Lord Howe had it cut short; and the whole army followed his example and were cropped. He allowed no furniture to be carried on the march, and showed them how unnecessary it was before setting out, by having his officers to dine with him in his tent, where they found neither chair nor table, nor any furniture but bear skins for a carpet. He always wore an ammunition short coat with no gold on it. This valuable officer was unfortunately killed in one of the first skirmishes with the French, about two miles from Ticonderago, before General Abercrombie's fine army of 16,000 men reached it. This army embarked at the south end of Lake George, on 5th July, on board of 125 boats, and 900 batteaux, Lord Howe was killed soon after landing on the following day, at the outlet of the lake. The party by |