The New York Express publishes a letter from T. S.
Brown, de- scribing the hardships and adventures of the flight from St. Charles into Vermont. If this is a genuine document, it proves Brown to possess some of the qualities desirable in a " rebel "—elasticity of spirit, and the power of enduring pain and fatigue ; but certainly not the right stuff to make u " general." The narrative, it will be seen, is full of Yunkeeisins; a circumstance which needs not shake our belief in its genuineness, though detracting from its exact truth. It will not bear curtailment; and though long, it will afford considerable amusement.
"One brigade of British Invincibles had been driven back ignominionaly from St. Denis ; a second brigade had retreatrd, to use the fashionable word, from St. Charles to the safe barracks of Montreal ; when a third tirigede was directed on St. Denis, and had arrived at St. Ours, nine miles distant. — and myself saw that, there being no rising elsewhere, we were draining the whole force of the Goverutnent to our devoted district ; and that, though we might maintain ourselves in force, still we most retreat and draw the enemy after us, whereby the thirstiness of European rage for Americas blood mould be satiated in the murder or grey haired sires and smiling batons, not to mentiou the destruction of property, to intimidate other counties from imitating our example. We. therefore, told our men to go home quietly for the present, and to be in readiness to assemble at the tine signal. For tau wives, a free pardon to all had been offered, upon condition of our being delivered into the hands of Government ; and we felt no ambition to become the vicarious sacrifice for the political offences of the county of Richelieu. We also intagiueil that the august represeutative of the Mine petticoat of Britain might. in his ardour for an harmless. with two individuals who had caused him so much disquiet, offer a price for our heads that would render them a marketable
commodity. With these considerations we determined on visiting the States. Os
Friday evening. the 1st of December, — and nit self left St. Denie, accompanied by live oaten who considered enderation espidient. We rode all night in carts, and arrived next morning about daylight at St. Cesaire, where we were
pushing on towards the townships tendering on the lines, when a man informed us that ty e were going into the grille du limp (the wolf's throat), that guards were stationed along the road to intercept gentlemen moving on especial business, and that it would be necessary to go through the woods, with the miaow of which lie was at- gnaint.l. Atter breakfasting, we crossed to the right or northern bank ot' the Vatuaska river, and continued walking until nighttell, alien we foetid ourselves in a tretuetidons
windfall. the trees crossed in every direetiosi, through which we forced ourselves, like mail fish through ;imitation me. until we arrived at a swamp, when darkness prevented our cuing ouannl. The proximity of some huts prevented our making a tire. To compensate for Ow all-race or sleep during the lad forty humus, I had the consolation of getting my back against a tree with my knees drawn up to keep my fret out of the
water. which refreshing posture was did urbed admit two o'clock in tow morning by • violent rain which lasted till meriting. Al day light our 111111C11 was resumed. the outer world was lair and beautiful, hat in the wrest the cum:taut dripping from the trees was like a shower bath Loin tot ice-louse. A l'anailian finest is nut a Vermont wool, where you move between majestic trees and tread upon the dry elastic leaves., the accumulation of ages. No, the damp, low soil throws the routs of trees to the surface, and every Wind overthrows them in every direction, while small brush grows up in every little teaming thus created. Your course is a continued climbing over fallen loge or swintmiv through a thick set hedge of brush-wood, with the expedition of a fly through a saucer of honey. Underneath the ground is spongy, leaving water in every footstep. One half the surface is covered with title pools, which being slightly frozen, kept one in runatant tremour between hope and fear and alleruate changes of joy awl sorrow, no his feet sunk or remained firm upon the treacherous surface. Onward we packed till night, when choosing a dry spot, we kindled a fire, collected hemlock branches for our beile, dried our clothes. and passed a comfortable night. For food we had during the day found a few small turnips, which the owner appeared to have left on the field for the gleaners, after the Let itical law. For drink, the swamp pools furnished alitintlauce, that we drank acconliug to the custc u of the Jews in the days of the Judges, whereby I perceited that we were not men lit fur war, for noun a lapped with their tongues.' Ou Monday early we reached the skirt of the wood, when what was our horror in discovering that we had got into the throat of a still stronger wolf titan the one we had left behind. we were in fact close upon the Tory village of Granby. where a guard appeared stationed. Our guide, like Natty Bump. deceived by the clearings. ha-I lost his way. Returaiug to the woods we discovered the northern branch of the Yarnaska River, about a mile, whets —, who is of a Kentuckian frame, dashed into the water, and fording across, wanted us to follow him. By comparing the water-litie upon Ili, body by a section of corre- sponding height upon our owu, we saw that the experiment with ourselves would ap. roach too nearly the sub.marilie,and therefore listened to our guide's insinuation that there was a better place lower down. By moving to this place we lost sight of entirely, and, upon reaching it, our guide, upon pretence of looking a little Wither , deserted is fur ever. — was gone, and we were deserted by ton guide. My compa- nions, five Canadians, tired of wandering in the woods, determined upon returning to the French settlements; but i informed them that I must go to the States, wherever they might go; and, upon coining near a log-hone, I deehied upon going towards it, in- stead of making one of those everlasting turns into the woods to avoid it,sueh as we brad practised for three days. My companious remonstrated in vain. They turned into the woods, and I towards the house, and 1111111 1 found myself aloue. I neglected to mention that fortunately finding a potato ;latch, we regaled ourselves the second time upon the raw vegetable. Before leaving St. Denis I hail lamed one of my feet. and a fall from a home at St. Charles having nearly broken one of my ribs, my side was much inflamed. On approaching the cabin, I found the only inmate an Irishwoman. Her husband was absent for several days—pribably, however, hid under sonic neigh- bouring log. Her voice was for peace. She had nothing eatable but potatoes, which she charitably offered to boil ; but as she mentioned there ems a Yankee living is mile further down, declining her civility, I proceeded towalils his clearing. On mining to the house, how grateful to my ears was the altar), voice of the wifo scolding her ail. then. It was a Yankee voice. Upon entering the dwelling. which a as composed of one room, without a chimney, but with at tremendous pile of wool limning upon a hearth, the smoke from which escaped through a hole in the root', I asked for some milk. The lady, eyeing me suspiciously. guessed she had uone--• the children had eat it all tip.' I had, however, hardly felt the grateful hanuetbee of the blazing fire, when a bowl of milk with bread accompaniments was on the table, and instantaneously the fryiugpau was hissing upon the eonls with pork. Oh, woman I whether iu the palace or the log-hut, in spite of y oar vagaries, how universally does the spontaneous impulse of compassion gild your character a henever or wherever it case of distress is presented to you. The husband soon arrived, dark and suspicioes ; but learning that I was a Vermonter and a Republican, things went smoothly. I was quite ignorant of Canada affairs, but spoke learnedly tit piuctrees and maintop hinds. There were nine children in the family. A little girl prettily remarked there were' plenty of children. but nothing to put on 'eat.' In summer, the absence of neighbours to make uncharitable remarks, made clothes of little consequence, and in winter they could stay in .the house. The squatter was, boaever. Ma industrious man, who will one day have a good farm; for the big boys split long shiugles all the evening, to use for boards in ouveriug a barn, it bile the father *hared them. I slept among the children, who knotted up like a nest of eels; but how would you expect children bred iu the wards to know the polute of compass to a bed ? tau Tileaowy a latng.ao. r A hearty breakfast. I crossed the branch of the u.ku iu a canoe. 'three mi;ea walk through the wiaals brought u e to the sow I, breach, up which 1 nctil I found another canoe in a clearing. when 1 was far. ryed over by is I 'sn.nli,.n wt Iran. Priweeding until Once o'clock, I reached the clear, enItivati conntry, aunt Int ing tow a in a point of amia, slept until dark. My lame. nom had lawome iusufferatle; but I walked briskly along the road to the lines, passing a bridge while they were iliangiug guard, to the subsequent chagrin of the guardians, who beard of it in the morning. At midnight. fatigue impelled me to resort to a couch of hemlock boughs iu the woods until slay light, when I continued my route to within two miles of Durham village, when I airsick into the woods to gait, the Staubridge road. I inquired for milk at a logdionse—they had none ; but the owner started to inform the illiAge of my presence, and was informed he would have made his Pylon* by catching me. For four long hours I trudged before I found bread and milk, and great was my sorrow to less■ I had ugly gained fifty rods in distance. Tie truth ii, one of my legs having become useless, my supporters had performed the action of a pair of dividers, one leg standing still w bile the other walked round it. Refreshed. I continued my route till late is the afternoon, when I passed a large clearing on which were Ave cultivated forme. Inquiring at, the last one for a wood road leading tire miles through the forest, I entered it boldly, tired my carbine as though game was any object, and laid down till dark. With the best disposition is the,world„ I souk) go no further. The leg that had been dragged all day, nut only refused to be dragged longer, but the other, which had so pa• Dimly suffered the toil, would drag it uo longer. With such mutinous members, I tosld only return to one of the houses mol make out as good a story as I could devise. As I approached I met the owner, to whom I said, ' I was going through the woods, bat it looks so mush like snow I will wait until morning.' Ile looked an instant In
my face and exclaimed,' 1 know you, but here are four friends of yours, and you are safe. I have just come from the Flat ; they are all after you. Old Cup'er was Axing his old gun ; I told the d—d old fuss itwouldn't go eff, hot he swore he'd shoot you if he seed you; I dermal take you into my house, so you must come into the barn'
" A council of the four 'friends' was called. They could devise no means of escape. ensept walking immediately through the woods to the lines. This, I modestly informed them, was haprastiaable. unless they could furnish me with a new pair of legs. Coverlids and a slipper were then brought, and I was hid for two nights and one day under a haymow, by which time the swelling of my limb had nearly subsided. M y danger was not over, for the women. considering the secret of my lining place too weighty fur their weak abilities, had galled upon their neighbs ur. to help them keep it. I accordingly removed for one day to another barn, when my limbs becoming re- novated, and a young man having offered as a guide. I again act out on Friday evening Mat. Knowing that I was watched in every direetion, we ii.issed through woods, and M a great diatauee from the road, (the snow was rather unpleesantly deep), to as oid ob- servation, and happily suceeerted is making Chaffey a, in Iterkshire ( Vermont) before morning. Dating left Si, Denis with a determination of getting in the States hi safety, nobody ever hailed the land of freedom with more exultation. Du Saturday. Moved tit the southward. The grit Muntreel 'leper I saw contained, sore enough, a reward for my head, and that of —. We eertaiuly have precedence on the list, hut I don't like the elaesilication. and eonsider the veluatioa far below on 0, n estimate. Poor Lord Guam,' most, however, be pardoned. ',e lied, by our little proceedings, already caused so much expense to the little Queen's treasury, that we most charitably *appose he could not afford more. A laughable thing orreurred at Milton. The stage passengers (among whom was Mr. Mother. Member of Parliament. Mr. Iteandry. Vice-President of the aloutreal Young Men's Society, and myself.) sat down to breakfast. when a Yankee dry goods seller of Montreal ordered a breakfast apart fur himself and n hank clerk, that they might not be contaminated by eating with rebel.. This man belongs to a class of Yankees in Caton* who expect to grow fat by licking not imlepetillently their ox n paws like the bears, but the posteriors of British Royalists. Severn' bete 4..,rie out to
prejudice the Vermonters against Canadian freedom ; but so universai is public
sym-
pathy in the north, that, unless they beware, Lynch law will be applied ilusparingly upon those persons as u.artiel law is by a bloody government in Canada."
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