The Great Company Part 26

One detail only was lacking to render the situation farcical--an anonymous letter. This reached Dobbs on the 21st of January, and ran in this absurd vein:--

"This script is only open to your Eyes, which have been sealed or closed with too much (we cannot say Cunning) Artifice, so as they have not been able to discover our Discoverer's Pranks.

All Nature cries aloud that there is a Pa.s.sage, and we are sure there is one from Hudson's Bay to j.a.pan. Send a letter directed to Messieurs Brook and Cobham, who are Gentlemen who have been the Voyage, and cannot bear so Glorious an Attempt, should die under the Hands of Mercenary Wretches, and they will give you such pungent reasons as will awaken all your Industry. They desire it may be kept secret so long as they shall think fit; they are willing to venture their Lives, their Fortunes, their All, in another attempt; and they are no inconsiderable persons, but such as have had it much at heart ever since they saw the Rapidity of Tides in the Welcome. The frozen straits is all Chimera, and everything you have yet read or seen concerning that part of our Voyage, We shall send you some unanswerable Queries. Direct for us at the Chapter Coffee House, St Paul's Churchyard, London."

It was now clear that Middleton's voyage had been made in vain, and that another would shortly be attempted.

FOOTNOTES:

[55] This fort has been thought to have been in the neighbourhood of Selkirk, Manitoba. But Verandrye would not have abandoned such an advantageous position as that which the meeting of the two rivers afforded at the modern Winnipeg.

[56] On the site of Fort Jonquiere, a century later, Captain Brisebois, of the Mounted Police, founded a post bearing his name.

This post has given way to-day to the well-built and thriving town of Calgary.

[57] In one of his letters, dated 21st of January, 1737, Middleton held that the Company thought it their interest rather to prevent than forward new discoveries in that part of the world. "For that reason they won't suffer any of our journals to be made public," he adds.

Than which certainly no observation could be truer.

[58] A LIST OF VESSELS FITTED OUT BY THE HUDSON'S BAY COMPANY ON DISCOVERY OF A NORTH-WEST Pa.s.sAGE.

1719--_Albany Frigate_, Capt. George Barlow, sailed from England on or about 5th June. Never returned.

_Discovery_, Capt. David Vaughan, sailed from England on or about 5th June. Never returned.

1719--_Prosperous_, Capt Henry Kelsey, sailed from York Fort, June 19th. Returned 10th August following.

_Success_, John Hanc.o.c.k, master, sailed from Prince of Wales'

Fort, July 2nd. Returned 10th August.

1721--_Prosperous_, Capt. Henry Kelsey, sailed from York Fort, June 26th. Returned 2nd Sept.

_Success_, James Napper, master, sailed from York Fort, June 26th. Lost 30th of same month.

1721--_Whalebone_, John Scroggs, master, sailed from Gravesend, 31st May; wintered at Prince of Wales' Fort.

1722--Sailed from thence 21st June. Returned July 25th following.

1737--_The Churchill_, James Napper, master, sailed from Prince of Wales' Fort, July 7th. Died 8th August; and the vessel returned the 18th.

_The Musquash_, Robert Crow, master, sailed from Prince of Wales' Fort, July 7th. Returned 22nd August.

[59] "On looking through the correspondence at the Admiralty, it is impossible not to be struck with the straightforward manliness, candour and honesty of purpose exemplified by Captain Middleton throughout this trying business. It was a cruel attack."--Sir John Barrow.

CHAPTER XXII.

1744-1748.

War again with France -- Company takes Measures to Defend its Forts and Property -- "Keep your guns loaded" -- Prince "Charlie" -- His Stock in the Company Confiscated -- Further Instructions to the Chief Factors -- Another Expedition to Search for a North-West Pa.s.sage -- Parliament Offers Twenty Thousand Pounds Reward -- Cavalier Treatment from Governor Norton -- Expedition Returns -- Dobbs' Enmity -- Privy Council Refuse to Grant his Pet.i.tion -- Press-gang Outrages -- Voyage of the _Seahorse_.

[Sidenote: War with France.]

In the year 1740 the state of affairs in Europe seemed to point to war between England and France. England had declared war against Spain, and although for a time Lewis XV. and his ministers sympathized with the latter country, they endeavoured to avoid being drawn into a conflict with her powerful neighbour and hereditary enemy across the Channel. Yet such a conflict seemed inevitable, when by degrees Spanish commerce became shattered under the blows of King George's navy. Apprehensive that England would wrest from Spain her colonies, France resolved to take sides with Spain. In 1744 war was declared, and hostilities, which had been in abeyance for thirty-one years, at once recommenced in the transatlantic possessions of both crowns.

It was therefore decided at a general court of the Adventurers, at which no fewer than seventy were present, to take measures to avoid a repet.i.tion of the disasters of fifty years previously. They felt that their enemies were now many, who would be glad to see them driven from the Bay, and that less a.s.sistance might be expected from the Government than at any of the crises which had previously overtaken them. We have seen to what this was due. It now behooved the Company to gird up its loins, and if the foe came, to strike, and strike with force.

It was the Hudson's Bay Company against France and Spain. The incident of Louisburg alone saved the Company from destruction.

To ill.u.s.trate the temper of the Company instructions were immediately drawn up by the Committee, and despatched to the chief factors in the Bay. The one addressed to Joseph Isbister and Council at Albany Fort was dated the 10th of May, 1744.

"The English and French having declared war," it ran, "against each other, and the war with Spain still continuing, we do hereby strictly direct you to be always on your guard, and to keep a good watch, and that you keep all your men as near home as possible.

[Sidenote: Bellicose instructions from the Company.]

"We do also direct that you fix your cannon in the most proper places to defend yourselves and annoy an enemy, after which you are to fire each cannon once with powder to see how they prove, and instruct your men to the use of them without firing; and that you keep them constantly loaded with powder and ball, ready for service. You are also to keep your small arms loaded and in good order and at hand, to be easily come at; and that those loaded arms be drawn or discharged once a month, and be well cleaned; and you are to exercise your men once a week till they are well disciplined and afterwards once a month. And you are also to keep a sufficient number of your trading guns loaded and at hand in case of an attack; and if there be any Indians that you can confide in, and will be of service in your defence, we recommend it to you to employ them in such manner as you think proper.

"We have wrote to the factory at Moose River, that in case they have any intelligence of the French coming down that river to attack them, they are immediately to send you notice thereof, that you may make the necessary preparations for your defence, and that there be a constant correspondence and intelligence between each factory for the safety of both.

"As we rely on the courage and conduct of Mr. Isbister, our chief, in case of an attack from the enemy, which, if done at all on your factory, we apprehend it will be by land in the winter, from Canada; in which case the enemy not being able to bring down any cannon with them, we doubt not of your frustrating their designs and repulsing them.

"In case you are attacked at Henly House, and notwithstanding a vigorous resistance you should have the misfortune to be overpowered, then you are to nail up the cannon, blow up the House, and destroy everything that can be of service to the enemy, and make the best retreat you can to the factory." The letters to the other Governors were in similar strain.

The Company directed Isbister to get "the best information you can from the trading Indians, whether the French are making any preparations to come down to the factory, or have lodged any provisions, stores or ammunition at certain distances from their supply. We also direct you, for your better security, at all times to keep two Indians in the factory with civil and kind usage, and send them out every morning for intelligence, to a proper distance, so that they may return in the evening; and provided that they do not return that it be an alarm to you, and that you thereupon prepare yourselves for a vigorous defence. But," it was added, "you must not, upon any consideration, let those Indians have the least knowledge of the use you intend to make of their not returning."

[Sidenote: Letters of marque to the Company's ships.]

At the Company's urgent request letters of marque were granted to the _Prince Rupert_ against both France and Spain. The _Prince Rupert_ was one hundred and eighty tons burthen, and the crews were full of expectation that the voyage would yield them a prize of some sort or another. But they were destined not merely to be disappointed, but to be given a great fright into the bargain. When in the neighbourhood of Davis' Straits, where a whale fishery was established, several large vessels were sighted. They seemed to the Company's captain undoubtedly French men-of-war. Filled with fear, he immediately turned round in his tracks and bore away as fast as his sails could carry him, and after beating about for a time managed to pa.s.s through the straits un.o.bserved. So convinced were the Company on the return of its ship in the autumn that the French were lying in wait for its ships at the straits, they sought the Admiralty with a request for a convoy to York Fort, to return with its vessels the following autumn.

A convoy was granted, but it was hardly necessary. Louisburg had fallen, and all the strength the French could muster was being directed in an attempt to win back that fortress from the English. No French ships could therefore be spared to cruise north of lat.i.tude fifty in North America.

[Sidenote: Confiscation of Prince Charlie's stock.]

One consequence of the war with France was a revival of the hopes of the Jacobites. In 1744 Charles Edward, the grandson of James II., was placed by Lewis in command of "a formidable armament," and in the following year the young Pretender placed his foot on a little island of the Hebrides, where for three weeks he stood almost alone. But the Highland blood was fired; the clans rallied to the standard of "Prince Charlie," and when he began his march on Edinburgh, several thousand Scottish zealots had rallied to his standard. "James the Eighth" was proclaimed at the Town Cross of the capital, and when his troops and the English regiments met at Preston Pans, in September, the latter were defeated with heavy loss. But although this victory swelled his numbers it did not bring the Lowlanders and English to fight for him.

"Hardly a man," we are told, "had risen in his support as he pa.s.sed through the districts where Jacobitism boasted of its strength. The people flocked to see his march as if it had been a show. Catholics and Tories abounded in Lancashire, but only a single squire took up arms." The knell of Jacobitism was rung, and after a brief success the English forces fell upon Prince Charles Edward at Culloden Moor, and cut his little army to pieces. Fifty of his followers and adherents in England ascended the scaffold; Lords Lovat, Balmerino and Kilmarnock were beheaded, and over forty n.o.blemen and gentlemen were attainted by Act of Parliament. Scarcely a month had elapsed from Charles Edward's escape to France after his romantic adventures, when a motion was submitted to the Governor and Company of Adventurers in England trading into Hudson's Bay, ordering the confiscation of the stock held by the heir of the second Governor of the Company, King James II. The exiled monarch had never relinquished his share, and under the name of "John Stanion" the dividends had always reached him. But the Jacobite rising affected his fellow-adventurers' complaisance, and by 1746 "John Stanion" had ceased to figure as an active partner of the Company.[60]

Under date of 3rd of May, 1745, the Company wrote to Governor Isbister and Council, at Albany Fort, to say that they had "augmented the complement of men (as you desired) at your Factory and Moose Fort, that in case of need you may a.s.sist each other, and thereby we hope you will be enabled to baffle the designs of the enemy.

"We do direct," it pursued, "that not only a continual correspondence be kept between you and Moose Fort, but that you correspond with the Factory at Slude River, York Fort, and Prince of Wales' Fort as often as you can, and if under any apprehensions of an attack, to give immediate notice to Moose Fort. We still recommend your diligence in getting intelligence and information of the designs of the French."

[Sidenote: Further instructions to Company's officials.]

It also urged Governor Pilgrim and Council, at Prince of Wales' Fort, "to keep a good watch, and your men near home, except those that are guarding the battery at Cape Merry, but not to hinder a proper number to be employed in providing a sufficient quant.i.ty of the country provisions to prevent the complaint of those persons that murmur for want of victuals; and we recommend sobriety, that you may be capable of making a vigorous defence if attacked.

"We again recommend your keeping the land, round the Fort and the Battery at Cape Merry, free from everything that may possibly conceal or shelter an enemy, that you may thereby prevent being surprised.

"We again direct that you keep up a general correspondence with all the Factories, and get what intelligence you can of the designs of the French."

[Ill.u.s.tration: PLANS OF YORK AND PRINCE OF WALES' FORTS.]

The course of events now bids us return to Dobbs and the renewed endeavours to find a north-west pa.s.sage through the Company's territory.