their own hands. Melancholy as it was, however, to
reflect that the spirit of conciliation had been thus
repaid, the country had reason to rejoice in their flight;
for, having thus declared themselves, there was nothing
now, beyond their open hostility, to apprehend. Not so
with the few who remained. Alike distrusted with those
who had taken a more decided part, it was impossible to
bring any charge home to them, on which to found a plea
for compelling them to quit the country, in imitation of
the example of their fellows. They had taken the oaths
of allegiance to England--and, although ninety-nine had
deliberately violated these, there was no legal cause
for driving forth the hundredth, who still kept the "word
of promise to the ear," however he might break it to the
hope. Not that, on this account, the hundredth was held
to be one whit more honourable or loyal. It was felt and
known, as though it had been written in characters of
fire upon his brow, that if he did not follow in the
steps of his predecessors, it was because his interests,
not his inclination, induced his pursuing an apparently
opposite course. It is true, those who remained were few
in number; but scattered, as they were, over various
isolated parts of the country, this only rendered them
greater objects of suspicion. If the enemy became apprised
of any of our movements, for the successful termination
of which it was necessary they should be kept in ignorance,
it was at once taken for granted their information had
been derived from the traitors Canada had so long nourished
in her bosom; and as several of them were in the practice
of absenting themselves for days in their boats, under