for five hundred acres of land as a loyalist settler;[1] which being granted me by government, I immediately felled timber to build a house for the accommodation of Indians, in hopes of deriving considerable advantages by barter.
In a few days the Indians came to trade with us, which gave us encouragement, and at the same time flattered us with the pleasing ideas of succeeding in commerce: but some affairs requiring my friend's attendance at Montreal, trade suffered a temporary suspense, and at his return he told me that we must leave our quarters, for he was apprehensive of a seizure for an English debt.
In this cruel dilemma, flight was our only security,
and we embarked all our goods on board a large batteau,
and proceeded to Pimitiscotyan landing upon Lake
Ontario, where we entered a creek, and found accommodation
at a trader's house. The next morning we prepared
a house for trade, and for some days went on successfully;
but our happiness was of short duration, for an
officer pursued us, and took possession of all the effects
he could find, even to the tent which sheltered us from
the weather, and carried them down to Montreal, where
they were sold for less than one fourth part of their
original cost and charges.—Thus circumstanced, without
any property to trade with, we came down [176] to
the Bay of Kenty, and resided there ten months among
the loyalist settlers, whose hospitality tended to soften the
rigour of distress, and alleviate my sorrows. Early in
————
- ↑ The Canadian government was at this period granting large areas of land north of the St. Lawrence, and of Lake Ontario, to the Loyalists of the United States, who were removing thither. Two hundred acres were given to each settler; and higher amounts, according to rank, to those who had served in the British army. See Canniff, History of the Settlement of Upper Canada (Toronto, 1869).—Ed.
