SICKNESS IN THE BUSH. 375 Other diseases may be thrown off and the former strength recovered, but where the ague takes firm hold of a man his previous strength is never regained. Thus James O'Reilly, the backwoodsman, a man of one hundred and seventy or one hundred and eighty pounds, with broad chest and erect carriage, who at the age of forty had not known what sickness was, and was as vigorous as when twenty-one, was in three years hopelessly prostrated. He never completely got rid of the ague. During the continuance of the fever, he became delirious; when it passed he frequently fainted, and, though afterwards in good health, never thoroughly recovered his former vigour. It is very easy to realize what difficulties and hardships such sickness entailed. The husband fallen sick, the wife did not escape, and so their substance was consumed. Their furniture, and even clothing, had to be given for doctor's bills. But all difficulties must have an end, and theirs proved no exception. Settlers came in; roads were built; villages arose in suitable positions; as their family grew up their labour became less onerous, and if not rich, they were independent and respected. In a pioneer's life there are many points worthy of remark, the most important of which relates to religion and its influence on the lives of the settlers. Thus on O'Reilly's migration to the back-woods there was no minister of his persuasion permanently established nearer than Belleville, a distance of forty miles. There the late Reverend Father Brennan was missionary for immense distances both up and down the lake, and could, therefore, but seldom visit any one locality. The consequence was that many of the people became indifferent or careless. Sometimes eight children of the one mother were baptised at the same time, private baptism having been previously administered. Thus it was a standing joke with an old Protestant friend that he was the priest" who christened the children of the O'Reillys. Subsequently the settlers in this locality were visited by Father Butler, of Peterborough. The first priest permanently established in their midst was the Reverend Edward Vaughan, who arrived in 1845. Picture the life of a minister of religion in those times. Then buggies were not in use for there were no roads to drive them on, travel being either done on foot or on horseback. His life was not In one of either ease or luxury. Mr. Vaughan's mission included the Townships of Seymour, Percy, Asphodel, Dummer and Belmont, which still remain the same mission. Father Vaughan was soon recalled. By his removal the mission lost a most zealous pastor and charitable man. He was succeeded by the Reverend J. Bernard Higgins, who had kindred difficulties to surmount. 1852 Father Higgins was removed and the Reverend James, now Vicar-General Farrelly appointed, who erected a priest's house at Hastings, which, when O'Reilly "moved in," had not a house of any kind or a tree cut where the village now stands. At that time there were two wooden churches erected by the present pastor, Reverend John Quirk, one at Hastings and one at Norwood, besides a frame church at Campbellford. Warkworth Church has been enlarged. During Father Vaughan's time any small room would hold the congregation, but now commodious churches are becoming crowded. These churches have been erected almost wholly by the Irish people. Among the hardships of life in the woods there is hardly anything, as we have already seen, more distressing to the settler than the presence of wolves. Their hideous howling, their treacherous and ferocious disposition, and their destructive habits make them a formidable enemy. Every night sheep, calves, and such helpless animals had to be secured from harm. This was usually done by building a square pen of rails which was then weighted. This pen had what was called a slip gap" for the admission of the sheep. The space between the rails left the poor shivering animals in full view of their terrible foes. The snow was frequently tramped as solid as a road on all sides of the pen. Wolves hunt in packs. They surround a sheep pen and encourage each other with their dismal howls, seek for entrance, and woe to the poor animals if any weak part is discovered in the pen. The pack usually send out a scout, an old and experienced wolf which will view the ground before a raid is made. In old times the large chimneys were the only means of warming the houses or "shanties" of the settlers. The fire was kept up with wood like cordwood but split somewhat finer, such wood being piled at night at the side of the hearth. At one or two o'clock one morning the family was disturbed by the dog which rushed madly against the WOLVES AND BEARS. 377 bolted door and then ran off only to return with greater force. O'Reilly arose to see what was the matter. There was a moon. By its light he saw a large wolf that chased the dog. Seizing a stick of wood, and advancing towards the wolf which retreated, he cast the wood at him. The animal deftly dodged the stick and returned after O'Reilly to the door. O'Reilly pelted him with sticks of wood which the wolf cunningly avoided, without leaving his post. Finding stick-throwing to no purpose and bethinking him of an old musket which he possessed, he determined to try that. The musket was not in very good condition having the barrel bent, or as one of his friends said, “built for shooting round corners." He fired without striking the wolf. No sooner was the report heard, however, than every fence corner, stump, and stone seemed alive with dismal howls. On another occasion O'Reilly started before daylight to a neighbouring pond to fish for bass. Having caught a nice string of fish he was returning when he heard on every side of the path through the woods howl answering howl. He was in the centre of a scattered pack. Pulling the fish from the rod on which he had them strung, he cast them away, thinking the wolves would be detained to devour the fish. He soon reached home, and subsequently visiting the place he found the fish untouched. Wolves evidently are not fond of fish. Bear stories are plentiful. While laid up with ague, O'Reilly had a hired man, who proved a lazy fellow. He frequently neglected to do work which should have been done. Some wheat in the stack having become wet and sprouted was taken down and set around to be given to the pigs. The man, one night after dark, acknowledged that he had not fed the pigs, and was despatched to do so. What was his horror on, as he supposed, seizing a sheaf of wheat, to find that he had a live bear by the shaggy coat. Bruin gave an angry growl and left. An old Indian Chief, Penashie, with his two grandsons, started out on a hunt in the woods. The old man proceeded to the flat while the boys took the ridge. After advancing some time the old Indian discovered a cub on a tree, and rashly fired. He only wounded the young bear, whose cries brought the mother to its assistance before the Indian could reload his gun. The bear immediately "went" for the Indian, who, for his age, used his feet in a very lively manner. Knowing that he would be caught if he moved in a straight line, he ran in circles round a large basswood, closely followed by the bear. Such a race could have but one end. But luckily the young men had been attracted by the report and came running to see what their grandfather had shot. They found him not the hunter but the hunted. They shot the bear and none too soon, as the old man was completely exhausted. Two white hunters named Perry, with a horse and a small dog were going through the woods, and seeing a cub in a tree, although wholly unarmed, determined to take it home in a bag which they happened to have with them. One of them climbed the tree whose branches approached the ground. On the approach of the man the cub began to cry, which brought the mother to the foot of the Here she proceeded to climb after the man but was seized by the dog in the rear, which so exasperated her that she turned to punish his temerity. Immediately letting go and keeping out of her reach, he returned on her attempting to climb the tree, and thus kept her employed until the man had bagged the cub and handed it from the limbs to his comrade on horseback below. then dropped on to his horse and left the field. He Nearly all the early settlers were distinguished for their kindness to each other during sickness and more especially the Irish and Scotch settlers. In spite of religious and political prejudices and in defiance of contagion, the sick were tended with the utmost care. There was another trait of character not so praiseworthy. Many of the early settlers contracted a pernicious habit of "visiting," or as it used to be called "cabin hunting." Thus the wife with the "baby" would go to see some of her neighbours, and have "tea," which would consist of all the "good things" that their scanty means could afford, and very often at the expense of their future necessities. The husband went in the evening to carry home the baby. There was another trait among Irish settlers, a curse entailed by landlord oppression and by the system of "tenant-at-will." They were very backward in making good permanent improvements, usually putting up some temporary affair that " will do for this year." Like the children of Israel they required one genera BUILDERS-UP OF BELLEVILLE AND HAMILTON. 379 tion of free life in the wilderness to eradicate the canker of slavery. These anecdotes and observations I have learned from Mr. O'Reilly's son, who also tells me of kindnesses shewn him during disease and trouble by a Scotch Presbyterian family. Angus was the name of these good Samaritans. Among the builders up of Belleville and the neighbourhood were: Wm. Alford, John Allan, Geo. Armstrong, T. Atkins, Buckley, Col. Wm. Bell, S. Briton, H. Bulgar, R. Bullen, Burke, W. Beatty, Robt. Bird, Brennan, Rev. J. Campbell, Deagan, S. Carroll, Jas. Coulter, R. Cummings, Rev. J. Cochrane, J. Kennedy, Larkin, D. Lawler, P. Lynch, Wm. Morton, Jno V. Murphy, A. Manahan, H. McGuire, Jas. McDonnell, J. Meagher, Jacob Moore, -McCreary, Wm. McDavid, J. McConohey Mormacy, W. McCowan, J. Garvey, W. McInnich, J. McMamara, J. McAnnary, H. McGinnis, M. Nulty, C. O'Brien, Saml. Orr, P. O'Reilly, — O'Donnell, Jno. Patterson, W. Perkins, Jas. Power, -Prentice, M. Ryan, R. Tanderson, J. Shannon, Shanks, P. Shehan, Shaughnesey, Thompson, Sennett, Jas. Stead, Dr. R. Stewart, O. Shea, D. Sullivan, Wm, Templeton, Gordon Tracy, Wm. Watt, White, Jas. Whiteford. In Dundas and Brantford and Hamilton we have a large Irish population. In Hamilton, Mr. John Barry, who came to this country many years ago, is an eminent Irish barrister, who has won the confidence of his fellow-cieizens as alderman. Mr Neill O'Reilly is a child of Irish parents, and has brought to great perfection that gift of fluent utterance with which his countrymen are credited. The Stinsons, the Bradleys, and the Murphys took an active part in the first settlement of Hamilton. Judge O'Reilly, now Master in Chancery, in Hamilton, is probably the oldest settler in that city. The old judge is still full of activity. He did good service in early life as a volunteer soldier in Canada, and as a leading lawyer and judge he performed his part of our great work here. |