rent Brock's heart. That the men who had fought so bravely under him at
Egmont and laughed at the carnage at Copenhagen should end their lives
in this manner was inexpressibly sad. After reading the account of the
execution of their comrades to the men on parade at Fort George, Brock
added, "Since I have had the honour to wear the British uniform I have
never felt grief like this." The prisoners publicly declared that had
they continued under our hero's command they would have escaped their
doom, "being the victims of unruly passions inflamed by vexatious
authority."

When Brock assumed command every possible privilege was extended to the
troops at Fort George. For every request, however trivial, he knew there
was some reason. His mind was big enough to trade in trifles.

In view of these desertions, the prospect of hostilities between Canada
and the United States became a momentous one. By close study of events
in France and America and intercourse with prominent United States
citizens, Brock detected the signs that precede trouble.

But the grave question of desertion and the war-cloud on the horizon
could not occupy our hero's attention to the exclusion of other demands
upon his time. Canada's growing importance was attracting many
travellers from over-seas. Notable among these was Thomas Moore, the
brilliant Irish poet, who was our hero's guest at Fort George for two
weeks in the summer of 1803. Every attraction that the peninsula
presented was taxed for his entertainment. Of these diversions the one
which probably left the most lasting impression on the versatile son of
Erin was a gathering of the Tuscarora warriors, under Chief Brant, at
the Indian encampment on the Grand River.