USA > Maine > A brief history of Maine > Part 11
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snored; but when the women forgot to keep their eyes open, he only tickled their faces with the feathers on the other end of his staff.
9. Books were scarce and expensive in those days; and, when the hymn was not familiar, the minister read off two lines, which were sung by the congrega- tion; then other two lines were read, and sung -and . so on through the hymn. After a while printed tunes came into use; and then the chorister had to be more particular about pitching the tunes,-so they had for this purpose little wooden whistles, which they called pitch pipes.
The Puritans reckoned the Sabbath to begin at sun- set on Saturday, and to close at sunset on Sunday night. Within these hours no labor was allowed, ex- cept what was needful for the health of the body. All recreation or traveling for business or pleasure was strictly forbidden; and people who staid away from meeting were by law subject to a fine. In good Puritan families on this day the children and servants recited the orthodox catechism; for this, also, was required by the law.
10. From the year 1638, when Harvard College was established, every town of fifty householders was ordered to hire a teacher the year round; and a town of one hundred householders had its school where children were taught their a, b, c; and where, also, boys could be fitted for college. Probably none of sour well trained boys and girls ever heard in school hours such buzzing as they had in these ancient schools all the time. The country in those times seemed so large that most families talked loud, having no fear that they would be overheard by any neighbors ex- cept the bears and wolves; while the children had no idea that they could study without pronouncing the words at least in whispers; so, I suppose, when they buzzed the liveliest the teacher looked for the best lessons. Often two or three would be seen studying
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from the same volume, as one book of a kind fre- quently answered for a whole family; for classes were very few, but large. There were other sounds in the room besides the smothered tones of the student; the sound of the birch that made the jacket smoke, the "spat" of the broad ruler, -- which was sometimes pierced with holes, for the kindly purpose of raising blisters; while over all arose the sob of the sensitive, the whine of the base, or the groan of the plucky. But there were busy fingers as well as lips; and the rustle of sheets and pillow cases, and the "whip" of the stout, swift thread on the the back seats answered to the click of the knitting needles, where the stock- ings and suspenders grew in the hands of both boys and girls. Often in cold weather the cut and split of the firewood fell short; then the big boys had to take their turns in making the fresh chips fly from the great, green logs piled up beside the door.
11. In the long winter evenings there were the spelling school and the singing school, where pleasure was joined with instruction ; and the husking and the apple bee, where pleasure went hand in hand with profit. And when the parties separated, the favorites walked home together in the calm moonlight; and often then, as now, a pair would linger on the door- step for a few tender whisperings, and the soft chirrup of a good night greeting. But the law was very watchful to prevent unsuitable matches; and if an ardent youth or an older and more designing man at- tempted to win the affections of a girl under eighteen unbeknown to her parents or guardians, he thereby became subject to a fine. Yet most of the young peo- ple either fell in love or grew to love each other, got married and lived happily. Land was cheap and lum- ber abundant in those days; and any healthy and in- dustrious young couple could soon make themselves a comfortable home,-as, indeed, they can at the pre- sent day.
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12. The first houses were built of logs; notches being cut on the opposite sides at each end, so that they would lock at the corners and lie close along the sides. But after the Indian wars were over, wherever the sawmills provided lumber, frame honses were built, which were covered with great broad boards; being made water tight on roof and wall by shingles split out of the great blocks with mallet and frow,- and old men say that never since have shingles lasted as those did.
In passing through our State even at this day we shall see that many houses, mostly very old, set at every angle with the roads; yet we might be sure that most of them faced the south. This happened because the houses were often built before the roads were made; but the south was always there. So the sun gave the chief rooms a cheerful aspect at all hours, while at noon it shone squarely through the little win- dows, telling the busy housewife what was the time of day.
13. Then there was the great fireplace, of brick or stone, four-aye, often six feet wide at the back; decp and high enough, too, for the children to sit in the corners and see the stars glimmering through the huge throat of the chimney. Within the fire-place also hung joints of pork, slowly turning to bacon in the smoke; while from the bare beams overhead were suspended strings of pared and quartered apples, and the curving strips of pumpkin,-which through the long winter and spring, turned to delightful pies, or made more savory the great loaves of "rye and In- dian" bread.
On hooks near the chimney hung the guns, the big powder horn, and, perhaps, a spontoon, or a halberd. Possibly a coarse engraving or two of bible scenes, or more frequently, King Charles' "Twelve Good Rules," hung upon the plain wall of wood or plaster. Oppo- site the fireplace, and always reflecting its light, was
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the "dresser," on which stood the table ware of bright pewter, crockery, or smoothly turned wood. About the room were long benches and movable stools, a broad stout table and, possibly, a few chairs.
14. There was the little treadwheel with its distaff and spindle, for flax spinning,-and near by was the larger wheel for wool and cotton; while farther away, or in another room, stood the great, square wooden frame of the hand loom, where the family clothes were woven. Here, during the long summer afternoon, the industrious mother or buxom daughter sat flinging the swift shuttle from side to side of the stout web, and her buskined foot upon the treadle reversed at every moment the mazy warp, while the swinging beam beat close the imprisoned thread of the woof. Cloth of wool for blankets, cloaks and coats, sheets of linen and cotton, strong and serviceable,-cach came in its turn from this true and original "manufactory."
At first all the shoes were brought from England; then the skins of moose and deer, and, later, those of their own domestic animals, were used by the shoe- makers; while soft-dressed deer skins were frequently worn for coats and leggins. In summer, farmers and mechanics had their tow cloth suits for every day wear,-for winter, their woolens, and for Sunday, their "full-cloth" and linen,-generally the product of the industry and skill of their own wives and daugh- ters.
15. The villages of Maine were as yet too small and scattered for much display, and the dress and ceremony of fashion were rarely seen except in one or two towns, until after the revolution. The people of this period loved better a cordial and comfortable sort of life ; and when the thrifty housewife went out to visit a neighbor, it was often with distaff of flax in hand and the diminutive spinning wheel on her arm. And sometimes all the ladies of a parish would visit their minister's house, and hold there a spinning bee
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as a benefit to their worthy host and his excellent wife.
The good ladies attended each other's afternoon tea parties, bringing cach her own cup and saucer of china, -if she was so fortunate as to have one; for these were generally heir-looms,-part of a set which the mother or grandmother had brought over from her English home, and divided and subdivided among daughters and granddaughters. It was often with other household stuff as with china; in many a plainly furnished house might be seen a carved chair, a fine table or buffet, seeming quite out of place amid the rough furniture made on the spot.
The early settlers of our State were usually of good parentage, many of them being impoverished branches of noble families -here becoming sons and daughters of the soil; whose names, by and by, should emerge again to fame by the noble deeds of their children.
What right had the settlers in Maine which few of them had possessed in England ? What regulations were made by the General Court in regard to immigrants? What can you tell of the king's woods ? To whom did the king give the territory between the Kennebec and Penobscot in 1729 ? Who held a previous right to that tract ? What people did Dunbar bring in as settlers ? What celebrated preacher visited Maine in 1741 and 1745? What was in general the character of Puritan preaching ? What was at first the Puritan law in regard to voters ? What were the laws in regard to the observance of the Sabbath ? What were some of the customs of those days ?
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CHAPTER XIX.
1. In the spring of 1744 France joined Spain in the war which she was carrying on against England. As soon as the French subjects in America heard of this, they began to plot against the English colonies. Nova Scotia was now in the possession of the English, and here the French and Indians made their first at- tacks. Yet Cape Breton Island was still held by the French; and Louisburg, the chief town, naturally a strong position, had been so strongly fortified that it was called the Dunkirk and the Gibraltar of America. The possession of this place would be of great advan- tage to the English; and in the spring of 1745 an ex- pedition was sent against it. As the principal leaders of this enterprise were citizens of Maine, I shall give a particular description of the siege.
2. The armament consisted of four thousand men, and thirteen vessels, with transports and store ships, carrying in all about two hundred guns. The com- mander in chief was William Pepperell, of Kittery; who had for several years been colonel of the York- shire militia. Ile was a gentleman of unblemished reputation, by occupation a merchant; but he had a taste for martial affairs, and was familiar with Indian warfare. The second in command was Samuel Wal- do, of Falmouth, who was commissioned Brigadier General. Others were Lieutenant Colonel Jeremiah Moulton, noted for his success in the destruction of Norridgewock; and Lieut. Colonel William Vaughn, of Damariscotta, the originator of the enterprise. The commander of the fleet was Captain Edward Tyng, of Falmouth, who had distinguished himself the year before by capturing a French privateer, much larger than his own vessel. Mr. Whitefield, the great
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preacher, was consulted by General Pepperell in re- gard to the expedition, and gave as a motto for the flag the words, Nil desperandum, Christo duce.
3. The movement had been kept so secret that the force arrived within sight of Louisburg before the French were really certain that they were to be at- tacked at all. Off Louisburg the fleet captured a French brigantine laden with supplies for the garrison. Commodore Warren with four British war ships soon after joined the colonial flotilla, and during the siege six other ships of war arrived; so that in all the fleet mounted some four hundred and ninety guns. The first movement against the city was made by Lieut. Colonel Vaughn. Landing four hundred and fifty men in the woods, he marched in the night to the northeast side of the harbor, where he set on fire some buildings containing naval stores and a great quantity of wine and brandy. The grand battery of the French was about three fourths of a mile from these, and such volumes of smoke were carried into it by the wind, that the gunners became terrified; and, spiking their cannon, fled to the city. In the morning Vaughn took possession; and, drilling out the spiked vents, turned the guns-great 42 pounders-upon the city. Then more troops were landed and other batteries constructed, one after the other,-cach new one nearer than the last. Yet to do this the guns and ammuni- tion had to be dragged over a morass where oxen could not pass, the men going up to their knees in the mud; and all the work was done on foggy days, or in the night time, when the enemy could not see to fire upon them.
4. A summons of surrender was sent to Ducham- bon, the governor; but being refused, the work was still pressed on until a battery was creeted within two hundred and fifty yards of the west gate. The next day after this was completed, a French ship hove in sight, and was decoyed into the midst of danger ;
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where, after a few shots, she surrendered to Captain Tyng. She proved to be the Vigilant, a sixty-four gun ship, laden with military stores, and bringing five hundred and sixty men. A few days later a flag of truce was sent ashore with a letter requesting the enemy to give his English prisoners better treatment. The messengers were accompanied by the captain of the Vigilant, who informed the authorities how kindly the French prisoners on board the vessels were treated. His appearance was the first knowledge the French had of the capture of his vessel with its troops and stores, on which they greatly relied; and they were in great dismay. Their works were already badly damaged by the fire of the batteries, even the magazine and the central battery being greatly injur- ed, while the western gate was broken down.
5. The fourteenth of June was the anniversary of the king's ascent to the throne ; and at twelve o'clock the English fired a grand salute, the guns of the fleet and batteries being discharged together. The French perceived that everything was now ready for the bom- bardment and assault, and the governor sent a flag of truce offering to surrender. A capitulation was agreed upon, by which the French troops were sent home to France, under parole not to fight against the English for twelve months. On the 17th of June the English troops marched into the city. They were filled with surprise at the strength of the fortifications; the wall on the side next the shore being above thirty feet high, with a ditch in front eighty feet in width; while in the various batteries were nearly one hun- dred heavy guns and mortars. The garrison consisted of two thousand soldiers. The French loss in this Fiege was above three hundred killed and many more wounded, while the loss of the English was but one hundred and thirty. One vessel had been lost in a storm; but, to offset this, the prizes taken amounted to nearly a million pounds sterling. Yet it all went
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to the British; but the colonies, after soliciting parlia- ment for seven years, obtained an allowance of 200,000 pounds.
6. The news of this victory filled France and Eng- land with astonishment, and America with gladness. Bells were rung, bonfires blazed, and a public thanks- giving was held throughout New England. Pep- perel., the commander of the land forces, was made a baronet; and the British commodore, Warren, who came to the siege unwillingly and late, was raised to the post of admiral; while Tyng, to whom belonged all the honor of the naval exploits, received the offer of post-captain in the British navy; but declining this, he had only his pay and the applause of his country- men as his reward.
SIR WILLIAM PEPPERELL.
Though the Indians east of the St. Croix were now in open war with the English, the Tarratines still re- mained peaceful. They had every reason for it. Since Governor Dummer's treaty the authorities had frequently met them for conference, feasted them,
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made them presents, and had even bestowed pensions on some of the chief's. Yet for a year previous to the fall of Louisburg frequent acts of mischief had been committed by some tribes in Maine. They seemed to have a fondness for breaking down fences and setting the cattle upon the growing corn; while now and then a beast was killed or a building burned.
7. It was supposed that the Androscoggin and Norridgewock Indians were the guilty parties; and the Penobscot tribe was called upon to furnish war- riors to aid in chastising the guilty tribes -- this being a condition of Dummer's treaty. A high premium was offered them for scalps, with an additional sum of five pounds for captives, in order to save life. Yet the constant reply of the sagamores was that their young men would not take up arms against their brethren. During these twenty peaceful years since Lovewell's war a generation of young savages had grown up. They had heard from their sires the story of the white man's wrongs upon their race; and they burned for vengeance, and to win honor and renown among the tribes for their valiant exploits. The French supplied them with arms and ammunition; and neither the persuasions nor the presents of the English authorities could deter them from their bloody purpose.
8. The first blow fell on St. George's Fort, which was attacked by a body of Cape Sable, St. John and St. Francis Indians on the 19th of July. Not making any impression upon it, they burned a mill and sev- cral dwelling houses, killed many cattle, and departed, having captured but a single prisoner. Meantime a party of young warriors from Penobscot and Nor- ridgewock marked Fort Frederick, at Pemaquid, for their prize. Coming near the fort they met a wo- man whom they shot in the shoulder, then made pris- oner. This was only about three hundred yards from the walls; and the sound of the gun, together with
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the shrieks of the wounded woman, alarmed the garri- son,-who immediately gave the savages a telling vol- ley. In the smoke and confusion the woman broke away from her captor and escaped to the fort.
9. The foiled braves now set their hideous faces westward, appearing a few days later at North Yar- mouth. Their first approach was discovered by a dog; and, turning back, they committed other barbarities castward. Again they laid an ambush at Yarmouth. Unconscious of their presence, three men approached their hiding place; and one was instantly killed, an- other was made prisoner, while the third escaped. The Indians now scattered themselves along the ridge. between the two forts, and fired upon the men as they rushed out of the houses below to repel the attack; but they speedily retreated to the woods when the English bullets began to whistle about them.
It was now considered more than imprudent to work on the farms except in large and well armed parties; for people away from the garrison were liable to be shot down at any moment.
10. But it was on St. George's River that the savages were the most numerous and watchful; for these settlements were the furthest advanced upon the territories of the tribe best able to resist such en- croachment. Here a whole party, consisting of sev- eral men, were killed and scalped only a short distance from the garrison; two men going down river in a boat to collect rockweed were taken and carried to Canada; two women while milking their cows close to the garrison were surprised, and one of them cap- tured, while the other narrowly escaped to the fort.
So many had been drawn from Maine by the Louisburg expedition that scarcely as many men as there were families remained for defense; and one hundred and seventy-five soldiers were drawn from Massachusetts to reinforce the garrisons. This raised the number in military service in Maine to about sis
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hundred; and scouting parties now frequently trav- ersed the region in the rear of the towns from Berwick to St. George.
11. At length another demand was made upon the tribes at Penobscot and Norridgewock in a somewhat different form. It was that they should deliver up the parties guilty of the recent outrages in the East, or hostages for them, or else furnish at least thirty fighting men within fourteen days-otherwise the treaty was to be considered broken, and war declared. The tribes made no response; therefore on the 23d of August government declared war against all the east- ern tribes. The bounties offered for each Indian cap- tive or scalp taken were one hundred pounds to & soldier in public service, two hundred and fifty pounds to a person receiving provisions and not wages, and four hundred pounds to a volunteer having neither pay nor rations. Though by these inducements many small companies were drawn into occasional service, the depredations of the savages were not wholly pre- vented. One inhabitant fell here and another there, all along the coast; and, though scouting parties were constantly out, few Indians were taken -the most successful party being that of Lieutenant Proctor, who had a skirmish near St. George's River, in which two Indian chiefs, "Colonel Morris" and "Captain Sam," were killed, and "Colonel Job" taken prisoner.
12. During the winter a rumor that the French were preparing to join the Indians and fall upon some of the towns, caused a further addition of about four hundred men to the garrisons from Massachusetts, together with four small field pieces and a swivel. But no attempt was made by the enemy; and, though greatly distressed, the inhabitants had not to mourn other friends fallen, or property destroyed.
What war commenced in 1744? Who at this time held Cape Breton ? What town upon this island was very strongly fortified ? Who were the leaders of the expedition against Louisburg ? What
جاليليو
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motto did Whitefield give for the expedition ? Give a brief ac- count of the siege. To whom did the credit of these achievements belong ? What reward did Pepperell receive ? Who after this supplied the Indians with arms and ammunition ? What fort was first attacked ? What Indians attacked Fort Frederick? To what place did the savages next proceed ? Why was war declared against the eastern tribes ?
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CHAPTER XX.
1. In the following spring the Indians renewed their depredations in greater force and more vengeful mood. In Gorham several persons were killed or cap- tured while at work in their fields. A. Mr. Bryant and his son being surprised by them, the two ran different ways, and the father was overtaken and killed. The boy getting out of their sight, plunged into the brook. He pushed his head above water among the roots of a tree, so as to breathe ; but he was so well hidden that when the Indians arrived at the spot they were unable to find him. They then went to Mr. Bryant's house, and killed four children, and took off their scalps. One of the savages pulled the baby from its cradle by the feet, and dashed its head against the fire-place be- fore the eyes of its mother. Then he tossed it into a kettle of water that was boiling on the fire, shouting with fiendish glee, "Hot water good for Indian dog, good for pappoose, too." This horrible act was in revenge for its mother's cruelty in throwing hot suds upon him more than a year before. Then the savage danced about her, pointing with bloody fingers at her
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husbands' scalp in the girdle of the chief. They car- ried the widowed and bereaved woman away with them to Canada, where she was sold to the Frenchmen.
2. In May a large body of Indians attacked Wal- doborough, burning the dwellings, killing many of the inhabitants, and taking many prisoners. They kept up this sort of warfare until winter, almost every town losing inhabitants, buildings and cattle. The people were forced to remain in the garrison houses, and could only plant and gather their crops under a strong guard, and at times they dared not even milk their cows, though these were kept in pastures adjoining the gar- risons. There had been so many wars that the two races had now learned each other's devices ; so that while fewer of the settlers were killed, the savages, on their part, came so secretly and fled so swiftly that the English could not often meet or overtake them. The dogs of the English generally showed great antipathy to the Indians, growling, barking and bristling with rage whenever any of these people were near. They .could scent them at a long distance, too; and often gave timely warning of their approach. Therefore these animals became a great advantage to the settlers ; and the scouts, also, found their keen scent of much use in following Indian trails. The Indians soon came to fear the white men's dogs, and the killing of them by the savages was often found a precursor of hostile attacks.
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3. The French were now planning to recapture Louisburg and Nova Scotia; and in the autumn of 1746 a fleet of seventy ships with upwards of three thousand land troops was sent for this purpose. Sor- eral of the largest ships were so much disabled by a storm that they had to be sent back ; and on landing at Chebucto, (Halifax) it was found that nearly one- half the troops had died of scorbutie fever, while the remnant were so weak that they could not endure the least fatigue. A force of seventeen hundred men had
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