He gave me some refreshment, and as soon as safety would permit, saddled
his horse, and taking me on behind him, carried me six miles to another
boat, put me on board, and paid the captain three dollars to carry me
to Laprairie. On leaving me, he gave me twenty-five cents, and said,
"you'll be caught if you go with the other passengers." The captain said
he could hide me and no one know that I was on board, but himself. He
led me to the end of the boat, and put me upon a board over the horses.
He fixed a strong cord for me to hold on by, and said, "you must be
careful and not fall down, for the horses would certainly kill you
before you could be taken out." The captain was very kind to me and when
I left him, gave me twenty-five cents, and some good advice. He said
I must hurry along as fast as possible, for it was Jubilee, and the
priests would all be in church at four o'clock. He also advised me not
to stop in any place where a Romish priest resided, "for," said he,
"the convent people have, undoubtedly, telegraphed all over the country
giving a minute description of your person, and the priests will all be
looking for you."
Two days I travelled as fast as my strength would allow, when I came
to Sorel, which was on the other side of the river. Here I saw several
priests on the road coming directly towards me. That they were after me,
I had not a doubt. Whither should I flee? To escape by running, was out
of the question, but just at that moment my eye fell upon a boat near
the shore. I ran to the captain, and asked him to take me across the
river. He consented, and, as I expected, the priests took another boat
and followed us. Once more I gave myself up for lost, and prepared
to spring into the water, if they were likely to overtake me. The man
understood my feelings, and exerted all his strength to urge forward
the boat. At last it reached the shore, and as he helped me out he
whispered, "Now run." I did run, but though my own liberty was at
stake I could not help thinking about the consequences to that man if
I escaped, for I knew they would make him pay a heavy fine for his
benevolent act. A large house stood in my way, and throwing open the
door I exclaimed, "Are there any protestants here?" "O, yes," replied
a man who sat there, "come with me." He led me to the kitchen, where a
large company of Irish men were rolling little balls on a table. I saw
the men were Irish and my first thought was, "I am betrayed."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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