[Illustration: Cover art] [Frontispiece: PHILEMON WRIGHT. MRS. WRIGHT.] _The White Chief of the Ottawa_ _. . . By . . ._ _Bertha Wright Carr-Harris_ _With seven full-page illustrations by John Innes_ _TORONTO WILLIAM BRIGGS 1903_ Entered according to Act of the Parliament of Canada, in the year one thousand nine hundred and three, by BERTHA WRIGHT CARR-HARRIS, at the Department of Agriculture. PREFACE. "The White Chief of the Ottawa" is not fiction. It is not a tale with a carefully concealed plot, meant to delude the reader at the beginning and to surprise him at the end. It is something stranger than fiction, a sketch of the life experiences of Philemon Wright and his family, the first settlers in the district of Ottawa. With the exception of the love of Abbie and Chrissy, which are based upon fact, the story is mainly a simple recital of actual facts which cannot be controverted. The writer is indebted to the following for furnishing valuable data: Diary and letters of Philemon Wright, 1806-1816. Bouchette's Topographical Report. "Travels in the North"--Sir Alexander Mackenzie, 1803. "Three Years in Canada"--McTaggart, 1830. "Shoe and Canoe"--Dr. Bigsby. Parkman's History of Canada. Also to traditions of old settlers collected at various times and places. May some of the pictures set forth in these pages inspire us with an ever-deepening appreciation of the self-sacrifice, the energy, the enterprise, of those whose loyalty to the British Crown led them to penetrate the dark recesses of our Canadian forests and brave the trials and vicissitudes of pioneer life. To these conquering heroes Canada owes much of her prosperity and greatness. CONTENTS CHAPTER I.--A Weird Ceremony II.--The White Chief III.--Newitchewagan IV.--An Indian Suitor V.--Chrissy VI.--Gay Voyageurs VII.--"A Ministering Angel, Thou" VIII.--Convent Days IX.--The New Tutor X.--Tobacco Offerings XI.--Snares XII.--Mrs. Bancroft's Sugaring Off XIII.--Accidental and Confidential XIV.--Machecawa Scalps the Englishman XV.--A Romantic Wedding XVI.--A Perilous Journey XVII.--A Double Tragedy XVIII.--An Exciting Moose Hunt XIX.--After Many Days XX.--Found Out XXI.--Rideau Hall in the Thirties XXII.--Light at Eventide LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. Philemon Wright and Mrs. Wright ... Frontispiece "He stood there, a colossal statue in bronze" "Oh, Machecawa, my brother, it is not well that you grieve" "Soon twelve canoes rounded the headland" "When Martin came up I went down" Hon. Louis Joseph Papineau and Madame Papineau "The Chief proceeded to throw the tobacco into the Chaudiere" Colonel By "I remained behind the tree, dodging round" Hon. Thomas MacKay The White Chief of the Ottawa. CHAPTER I. _A WEIRD CEREMONY._ 1800. "De Beeg Chief he want to know, heem, by what autorité you fellers, you, cut down hees wood and tak' hees lan'?"