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Page 14
"What sort of a looking man was Arnold at that time?" inquired Hand.
"He was then about thirty-five years old," replied Davenport; "of the
middle size, and rather stout, his face was rather handsome; but there
was an iron look about his mouth that many a man would not like; his
eyes were of a dark grey, and full of fire and restlessness. He seemed
never to be satisfied unless he was moving about and doing something."
"Exactly as I knew him," remarked Kinnison.
"Well," said Davenport, "I'll return to my story. At the end of seven
days we were ready to move on; and we soon arrived at the Carratunc
Falls, where there was another portage. We got round that, however,
without much difficulty. The banks were more level and the road not so
long; but the work afterwards was tough. The stream was so rapid that
the men were compelled to wade and push the batteaux against the
current. There was a little grumbling among us, and quite a number of
the men deserted. Two days after reaching the Carratunc Falls, we came
to the Great Carrying Place. There work was to begin to which all our
other work was play. The Great Carrying Place extended from the Kennebec
to the Dead River, about fifteen miles, and on the road were three small
ponds. Before we took our batteaux out of the water of the Kennebec, we
built a block-house on its banks, as a depository for provisions, so as
to secure a supply in case of retreat."
"I thought you said you had no extra quantity of provisions," said
Pitts.
"I did," replied Davenport. "We did not intend to leave any of our
provisions at the block-house. It was built as a repository for
supplies ordered up from Norridgewock. Well, we took the boats out of
the water, and took most of the baggage and provisions out of the boats,
and toiled up a steep, rocky road for more than three miles to the first
pond. There the boats were put into the water, and we had a short rest.
We caught plenty of fresh salmon-trout in the pond, and Colonel Arnold
ordered two oxen to be killed and divided among us, as a sort of treat.
At the second portage we built another block-house for the sick. At that
time I felt sick and worn out myself, but I couldn't think of stopping,
so I kept my sufferings hidden as much as I could from everybody but
O'Brien, who did all he could to help me. After crossing the last pond,
we had several marshes and deep ravines to cross. Sometimes we had to
wade up to the knees in mud and water, carrying heavy bundles of baggage
on our shoulders, and in constant danger of sinking into deep mud holes.
Ha! ha! I recollect, O'Brien, Johnson and myself were toiling along
through one of the marshes, Johnson a short distance behind, when
O'Brien and I heard a yell and a cry of 'Och, murther!' The yell, I
thought might have come from a savage, but the 'Och, murther!' I knew
never could. O'Brien's quick eye soon discovered what was the cause of
it, and I followed him back. There we found Johnson, up to his neck in
mud and water, yelling for help to get out of the bloody dirt. I was the
first to grasp his hand, but in pulling, my foot slipped, and I fell in
alongside of Johnson. O'Brien was more careful; he got on the baggage
that Johnson and I had thrown down, and by great exertions, dragged us
both out; but in such a condition--covered with mud from head to foot.
Of course, O'Brien and I laid it all on Johnson's blundering. O'Brien
said he believed Johnson's birth was a blunder of nature, she had
regretted ever since; and that if he fell into a mudhole again, he
should stick there. Johnson admitted that he was thinking of home when
he fell into the dirty place; he was just kissing his darlin' Mary when
his foot slipped. Well, we shouldered our wet baggage, and waded on to
the rest of the party, and soon after, we reached Dead River. This river
seemed to have a smooth current, broken by two or three little falls,
and we thought we could have quite an easy progress. The boats were
easily pushed along, and the men got the rest they wanted. As we were
going slowly along the river, we discovered a high mountain, the summit
of which appeared to be whitened with snow. Near the base of the
mountain we found Arnold, with the two first divisions, encamped. We
were all very glad to see a camp once more and enjoyed it, I tell you,
as much as a good meal after a hard day's work. On the day after the
arrival of our party, Colonel Arnold raised the pine-tree flag over his
tent, the men firing a salute and giving three cheers, as soon as it was
raised. On the same day, Major Bigelow went up to the top of the
mountain, expecting to see the spires of Quebec. But he weren't a Moses;
he didn't see the promised land. After that, I believe the people gave
the Major's name to the mountain. Ninety men were sent back to the rear
for provisions which now began to grow scarce. It began to rain before
we left the encampment, and it rained the best part of three days; every
man and all the baggage were drenched with water. Morgan and Arnold,
with the first and second divisions had gone ahead, and we followed. One
night, we landed at a rather late hour, and were trying to get a little
rest, when we were awaked by the freshet, which came down upon us in a
torrent; O'Brien waked Johnson and myself just in time to allow us to
get out of the way. The water arose to a great height, covering the low
grounds on each side of the river, and the current became very rapid. As
the batteaux moved on they would get entangled among the drift wood and
bushes. Sometimes we wandered from the main stream into the branches,
and then we would have to fall back into the proper course. The number
of falls seemed to increase as we advanced, and of course, there was a
portage at every one. I was almost worn out with toil and sickness, yet
I was sustained by the hope of succeeding in the expedition, and of
doing some injury to the enemy before I died. You know how an excited
spirit will overcome weakness of body. At length a disaster happened to
our party which almost checked the expedition. By some bad management,
and partly by accident, seven of our batteaux were overset; O'Brien,
Johnson and myself were among the men thrown into the water, and we had
a terrible time of it, clinging to the bottom of the batteaux. We pushed
the boats ashore, and not a single man was drowned; but all the baggage
and provisions in the boats were lost. That made such a breach in our
provisions, that the boldest hearts began to be seized with despair. We
were then thirty miles from the head of Chaudi�re river, and we had
provisions for twelve days at the farthest. A council of war was held,
and it was decided to send the sick and feeble men back, and press
forward with the others. Colonel Arnold wrote to Colonel Greene and
Colonel Enos, who were in the rear, to select such a number of their
strongest men that could supply themselves with fifteen days'
provisions, and to come on with them, leaving the others to return to
Norridgewock. You know how Colonel Enos acted upon that order; he
marched back to Cambridge, while Colonel Greene obeyed Colonel Arnold's
instructions."
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