Elsie's Journey on Inland Waters. Finley Martha

1814, and about the same time Commander Arthur St. Clair with a little squadron consisting of the Caledonia, St. Lawrence, Niagara, Tigress, and Scorpion, started on a land and naval expedition to the upper lakes. The land force, under the command of Lieutenant-colonel Croghan, the gallant defender of Fort Stephenson, was attacked by the British and Indians August 1, 1813."

      "Oh, yes, I remember!" exclaimed Walter. "What splendid work he did there, though he was but twenty-one years old!"

      "The expedition left Detroit early in July," continued the captain. "I will not go into the whole story of its action at present; sufficient to say they arrived at Mackinaw on the 26th of July. They soon learned that the enemy was very strong in position and numbers, and it was a question between St. Clair and Croghan whether it would be wise to make an immediate attack. The guns of the vessels could not damage the works because they were so elevated, and they could not carry the place by storm.

      "Finally it was decided that Croghan should land on the western side of the island, under cover of the guns of the vessels, and try to attack the works in the rear. He did so on the 4th of August, landing without much molestation, but was presently met by the garrison, who were strongly supported by the Indians in the thickets; also a storm of shot and shell was poured upon them from a battery of guns. There was a sharp fight and Croghan was compelled to fall back and return to the ship; 1 officer and 12 privates had been killed, 52 wounded, and 2 others were missing.

      "The attempt to recover Mackinaw at that time had to be given up, and most of the little squadron sailed for Detroit. The Scorpion and the Tigress were left behind to blockade the only route by which provisions and other supplies could reach Mackinaw. The two vessels cruised about for some time till the garrison was threatened with starvation or surrender in order to avert it; but early in September they were both captured by British and Indians sent out from the fort. They came in five boats and surprised the Tigress first, when the Scorpion was said to be fifteen miles away. She was at anchor near the shore, it was about nine o'clock in the evening, intensely dark, and the enemy was within fifty yards of the vessel when discovered.

      "The Americans made a gallant defence, but were overpowered by numbers, there being but thirty of them beside the officers, and about one hundred of the assailants. Lieutenant Bulger, the British commander of the expedition, said in his report of the affair that the defence of the vessel did credit to her officers, who were all severely wounded. They and the crew were all sent prisoners of war to Mackinaw, while Bulger and his men remained on board the Tigress. They kept her position unchanged and her pennant flying, and when, on the 5th, the Scorpion was seen approaching, Bulger ordered his men to hide.

      "All this deceived the men on the Scorpion; they thought the Tigress was still in the hands of their comrades, and when within two miles anchored for the night. At dawn the next morning the British ran the Tigress down alongside of her, the concealed soldiers ran out from their hiding-places, rushed on board the Scorpion, and in a few minutes the British flag was floating over her."

      "And the British were very jubilant over the capture, as I remember reading," remarked Violet.

      "And not very truthful in their report of it," added Walter. "Lossing says Adjutant-General Baynes actually reported in a general order that the vessels had crews of 300 each; only exaggerating 570 in stating the aggregate of the crews of the two schooners."

      But just here the talk was interrupted by the not unwelcome summons to their evening meal.

      CHAPTER V

      As they left the table and gathered upon deck on the evening of the next day, the captain announced that they were nearing Mackinaw.

      "I am glad of that, papa," said Grace; "for we shall have a lovely view of it by moonlight."

      "Are we going to stop there, sir?" asked Walter.

      "Not unless someone particularly desires it," returned the captain; "but we will pass slowly and quite near, so that we may all have a good view of it. Ah! it can be seen in the distance now," he added, pointing it out.

      "And though the sun has set the moon will, as Gracie says, give us a lovely view of it," remarked Violet.

      "Yes, she is nearly full," said the captain, glancing skyward, "which will help us to a more vivid conception of how things looked to Darman when he set out for Fort St. Joseph, on the 16th of July, 1812."

      "I'm glad of that," said Lucilla. "I want to be able to imagine just how things looked at that time."

      "Yes," said Grace, "but it is far more delightful to know that no war is going on now, and we are in no danger from either civilized or savage foes."

      "It is indeed!" responded her father. "Peace is a great blessing; war a dreadful scourge."

      "It is an Indian name the island bears, is it not, captain?" asked Evelyn.

      "Yes; and the meaning is the Great Turtle, alluding to its shape. Notice that as we approach, and see if you do not think the name appropriate."

      "To the tongue of which of the Indian tribes does the name belong, sir?" asked Walter.

      "The Algonquin."

      "The harbor is considered a fine one, is it not?"

      "Yes; it is semicircular, 1 mile long; the strait is 40 miles long and 4 miles wide; the island 7 miles in circumference. Now we are near enough for a good view."

      "What makes it look so white, papa?" queried little Elsie.

      "It is limestone rock, my child," replied her father. "See the village down near the water and the fort on higher ground – the white cliffs half covered with green foliage – beyond it the ruins of old Fort Holmes."

      "The one the British took in that war you told about, papa?"

      "The very same," he said. "I believe you were not by when I pointed it out to the others on our former visit to the island."

      "No, sir; I think Neddie and I were asleep in our berths."

      "Yes, so you were," said her mother. "Ah, my dear," to her husband, "what a lovely sight it is by this witching light!"

      "Yes," he said. "I think we will visit it again one of these days, when we can spend more time in viewing the various interesting places – such as the Arch Rock, a natural bridge almost as picturesque as the famous one in Virginia, the Rabbit's Peak, Giant's Causeway, and the Lover's Leap. We are passing that last now; and I want you all to notice a projecting crag at the other end of the island, called Robinson's Folly. These are all famous places, and each has its legendary story."

      They steamed slowly past, greatly enjoying the moonlight view of the island; then, as it faded from sight, the speed of the vessel was increased, and before the older ones had retired they had entered Lake Huron.

      The pleasant weather continued, and most of them spent the greater part of the following day upon the deck.

      "We will reach Detroit early this evening, I suppose, Brother Levis?" said Rosie, in a tone of enquiry.

      "Should nothing happen to prevent," was the pleasant-toned reply. "And now I wonder if my pupils can tell us most of the history of that city?"

      "Beginning with the war of 1812, I suppose, as we have already gone over the story of the doings of Pontiac?"

      "Yes; but first I shall give you a few facts concerning its settlement, growth, and so forth:

      "It is by far the oldest city in the western part of our country, and older than either Philadelphia or Baltimore on the seaboard. It was founded by the French in 1670, as an outpost for the prosecution of the fur-trade; and as late as 1840 it still had less than 10,000 inhabitants. It is on the west side of Detroit River, about 7 miles from Lake St. Clair and 18 from Lake Erie. Can you tell me the meaning of the name Detroit, Elsie, daughter?"

      "No, papa, you never taught me that," replied the little girl.

      "It is the French for strait," he said. "The strait or river connecting Lakes St. Clair and Erie gave the name to the city."

      "At the time we are talking of – when General Hull was