CHAPTER VI.
FRESH ARRIVALS.
The Chief being a Magistrate, had, by the law of the land, the power of celebrating marriages, after banns had been duly published. The mode of publishing banns was by fixing written notices upon three of the most conspicuous pine trees in three public places in the township. The first marriage after this primitive fashion among the settlers was celebrated by the Chief at his residence, between Mr. Matthew Barr, a lumberer, and Miss Elizabeth McIntyre, daughter of John McIntyre, the oldest settler, who came out in 1825. After Mr. Barr's marriage, frequent inter-marriages occurred among the settlers, and since the trial of Alex. McNab, matters had subsided into a state of tranquility. Alex. McNab left the township, but his family still remained, cultivating and improving the farm. He, himself, travelled westward, and obtained a school which he taught for some years. About this time (1830), a fresh accession of settlers increased the numerical strength of the inhabitants. They consisted of the McNabs, the Camerons, the Campbells, the McKays and the McNevins from Isla, and they took up land in the rear of the township, where there was a good hardwood country, viz., on the first, second, third and fourth concession, embracing the part of the country lying around White Lake, and what is called Canaan. The arrangements entered into with these settlers, whom McNab met in Montreal and induced to settle in what he called "his township," differed from all the rest. It will be borne in mind that they paid their own passage money and expenses to McNab Township. It did not cost McNab or his friends in Scotland one single penny—yet, in direct violation of the Order-in-Council, quoted in the second chapter of this narrative he located them as follows:—
[copy.]
I, Archibald McNab, of McNab, do hereby locate you, James McKay, upon Lot No. 18, in the Second concession of McNab, upon the following terms and conditions, that is to say:—I hereby bind myself, my heirs or successors, to give you the said land free of any quit rent or free rate, for three years from this date, and also procure you a patent for the same at your own expense, upon you having done the settlement duties, and your granting me a mortgage on the said lands, that you will yearly thereafter pay to me, my heirs or successors in the Chieftainship of the Clan McNab forever, three barrels of flour, or Indian corn, or oats of like value, in name of Quit Rent, and fee duty for the same in the month of January.
Your subscribing to these conditions being binding upon you to fulfil the terms thereof.
Signed and sealed by us at Kennell Lodge, this Twelfth day of August, 1830.
(Signed)Archibald McNab, [L. S.]
(Signed)James McKay, [L. S.]
In Montreal he met these people, told them he had a township of his own on which he would place them at a merely nominal rent—a trifle—that the land was fertile. It was a Highland settlement, etc. His affable manners, imposing appearance, kindness and condescension had its desired end. The poor settlers in their inexperience and simplicity, thought that three barrels of flour for 200 acres of land was a mere song. These people had been accustomed in the old country to see two or three hundred pounds annually paid as rent for similar quantity of land, and they eagerly embraced his offer and settled in McNab. It was there they found out by experience the difficulties and hardships and labor they had to surmount in the arduous task of clearing the land for agricultural purposes. They then discovered that a lien upon their lands of three barrels of flour a year in perpetuity, was a heavy tax upon their industry and the proceeds of their labor, crippling their resources and cramping their energies, when they considered that it was imposed on themselves and descendants for ever. Both the settlers and the government were imposed upon, the settlers in being led to believe the township was bona fide the Chief's, the government that there were new settlers brought out at McNab's expense. The first settlers had now began to pay their rents. They found that the bushel per cleared acre was a heavy burden, and they had to subsidize the amount by working on the Chief's farm at Kennell. From some (the Flat Rapid settlers), he had as yet received nothing. They had become involved in the Miller suit and fell into arrears.
Becoming disheartened, the McFarlanes and the McDonalds left the township entirely and went to Calabogie Lake, and James McLaren abandoned his lot, and settled in Horton within a short distance of the present village of Renfrew. Those who did pay the rent endeavored to procure some reduction. At length, in 1831, a Government commissioner was sent out to see how the settlement was progressing, and upon the complaint of the settlers, with the concurrence of the Laird of McNab, a reduction was promised to one-half, that is, one-half bushel per cleared acre, but this promise was never fulfilled. The full bushel was exacted, or a demand made for the passage money and interest. McNab received the duty off every stick of timber cut upon their land by the lumberers; nothing was allowed them for this, and it has calculated that the Chief drew about £30,000 from this source during the time the Township of McNab was under his control and superintendence. Whenever the Laird received a large amount from timber dues it was his custom to make periodical excursions to Montreal and Toronto. At Montreal he picked up settlers, at Toronto he hoodwinked the government.
At both these cities he indulged in lavish expenditure, gave dinners, and entertained his friends and flatterers with the profuse generosity of a high-souled and magnanimous Highland Laird. When his funds had dwindled away by this exhaustive line of conduct, he returned to Kennell, and there his hospitality was proverbial. No weary and travel-worn wayfarer ever reached his Highland home in McNab without receiving a cordial welcome. Honorable poverty was treated with as much kindness as titled wealth. Prodigal in his hospitality, as well as in his promises, settlers from Perthshire and other places flocked to his Township, and in 1832 his domain began to show signs of life and prosperity. With all his good qualities his conduct was characterized by many pernicious drawbacks. He never forgave. To oppose his wishes or his schemes was to provoke unrelenting hostility. To offend in the least or to offer the merest slight to his vanity or pride was to make a powerful enemy forever. Vindictive oppression and unabating persecution followed quickly and surely upon what he considered a wrong to his plans, his dignity or his pride. He had erected his residence on the bold and high terraced acclivity on the banks of the Ottawa in close proximity to the mouth of the Madawaska, on the very spot where now stands the princely mansion of Mr. H. F. McLachlin. It commanded a panoramic view of the Ottawa and Chats Lake in all its solitude and wild grandeur. No clearance broke in upon the loneliness of the forest vista. On all sides of his abode were then trees and mountains, lakes and rivers; sometimes broken in upon by the passing voyageur or the adventurous lumberer, as they passed on to their annual labors. Here he dispensed the hospitalities of his race. Here he sat in state as lord of the manor and the patriarch of his clan. Here he listened to the complaints of his settlers, and gave ear to one or two tale-bearers, who poisoned his mind against the "black sheep" and shut up his soul to reconciliation or mercy. Here he devised plans for the future, either of punishment on the refractory or of schemes for his own advancement. Numbers of the settlers paid their rents regularly. Their sons had at this time (1832) grown up to be men—stalwart and hardy workers, and got employment and good wages from the lumberers, and thus contributed to the support of their parents and their families. At this period, too, the time had expired, as will be seen on reference to the Order-in-Council of 1823, for the payment of their passage money unless compromised by rent. Now he was at liberty to proceed by law against the refractory. As I have before stated, the Flat Rapid settlers were the only ones that came beneath the banns of his vengeance for the part they had taken in the Miller case. They had as yet paid no rent. From them the Chief would receive no labor in lieu of rent. Their land was sandy and light and barely sufficed to support them. But the Chief cared not for this. They had opposed his vengeance on Miller in 1829, and now they must be made examples of as a warning to the other settlers for all time to come. Writs were accordingly issued by Mr. MacMartin in February of this year against John, Peter and Daniel MacIntyre, Donald McNaughton, James McDonald, James McFarlane and James McLaren, to recover the amount of their bond. These people got intelligence of this movement and prepared themselves accordingly. A road had been cut from their settlement to Kennell and the mouth of the Madawaska through dense swamps. It was a good winter road, but almost impassable in summer. The late Mr. Anthony Wiseman undertook the service of the writs. Having safely arrived at Kennell in the beginning of March of that year, accompanied by a guide he proceeded to the Flat Rapids. The appearance of a stranger was the signal for the ox-horned tocsin of alarm. No sooner had he stepped within the clearance than his ears were greeted with the trumpet sounds of horns resounding and echoed back from clearance to clearance, accompanied by a regular fusilade of small arms. His astonishment was quickly dispelled when he reached the shanties. Not a single male inhabitant was visible. The woman of the house "could talk no English." Poor Wiseman was in a maze, he had to return as he came, bewildered and discomfitted. Several unsuccessful attempts were made to effect a service with similar results. It was two years before any of them could be served, and those were the two McIntyres and Donald McNaughton. McDonald, McFarlane (Kier), and McLaren had left the Township and retreated further into the wilderness. All attempts to bring the latter within the jurisdiction of the law proved abortive. Messrs. Duncan and John McFarlane, afterwards successful lumberers on the Madawaska, sons of James McFarlane of Kier, upon hearing of these proceedings, went to the Chief and offered him £80 in lieu of passage money and in full of rent, but it was scornfully refused. "I don't want the money, my man," said the laird, "I wish to punish the d——d scoundrels." "Well, Chief," replied Duncan, "you will never get a copper, for this is the last offer we'll make," and to this day the Chief never received a farthing, through his own obstinacy and determination to punish. An anecdote is related of old "Bill Matheson," who was about that time Deputy Sheriff, which is worth mentioning. When Wiseman and other bailiffs failed to get the "blister" clapped on the defendants, Mr. William Matheson swore he would serve them. Accordingly he set out from Perth with an assistant, and reached Kennell in safety. Here he got a guide by the name of John Madigan, one of the Chief's servants. Madigan very reluctantly accompanied him, for he had a friendly feeling towards the people. Accordingly they set out. It was about the beginning of June and the mosquitos were to be found in swarms, especially in the swamps. Now, it was seven good miles to the nearest settler, John McIntyre. Madigan came with them as far as Milk's meadow, about three miles distant from the Laird's; he turned off upon a shanty road and pretended to have lost his way. Telling them to remain in the same place till he returned, Madigan, who was a bit of a wag, quickly took himself to the clearance of Mr. James McNee, the Chief's piper, and having made a smudge at its outskirts quietly rested there till evening and then approached the house, told the story of having lost his way, etc., and remained there all night.
In the meantime Matheson and his man stayed in the same place where they had been left by their guide, vainly expecting his momentary return, ever and anon cheering up their spirits by frequent applications to the brandy flask, which was usually carried about the person in those anti-temperance days. At length the shades of night warned them it was time to look out. They proceeded backwards and forwards, and became involved in the swamps, wet, footsore and splashed all over with mud. Shouting was useless, for there was no one to hear them. At length they made a fire and camped out all night. In the morning Madigan returned to Kennell, told his story and feigned sickness owing to what he called his exposure. A party was instantly formed to search for the lost officers of the law. About noon they were discovered in a sad plight and brought back to Kennell, and Matheson swore he would never return on such an expedition, and he kept his word.