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Shortly after his family joined him,
McLeod received a pressing invitation from a colony of Highland refugees
who had settled near Hamilton in
Ohio. He was elated at this warm sign of recognition, but very loath to
leave his good friends at Pictou, and so declined the offer. So insistent,
however, were the people in Ohio of having him amongst them that they sent
a deputation to Pictou offering to find land for himself and all his
people if they and he would come to Ohio. This new proposal was both
flattering and tempting. Ohio was described to them as a very desirable
country, with good and cheap land, fine climate, and very pleasant
conditions of life. Some weeks were spent in prayerful consideration of
the proposal. Most of the people were very unhappy, owing to deaths and
hardships, so that they were indifferent to any new proposal. Norman
called them together and explained to them their prospects at Pictou, and
the hopes that Ohio held for them. He said that the only way they could go
to Hamilton would be by sea, and for that purpose they would have to build
a suitable ship to carry them. That, however, was not a hard task, for
they had abundance of timber, labour, and skill amongst themselves. There
were no railways and few roads in the country at this time, and the
Prairie Schooner (waggon) was of little use in Pictou. Norman spurred them
on with hopes of betterment and
ultimate success. Meeting followed meeting, and at last it was decided
that a list be made of all those willing to go to Ohio. The younger
members of the community were eager for the change, and at length it was
decided that most of those who had recently come from Scotland in the
"Frances Ann" should move into Ohio. Then began a mighty felling of timber
at Middle River in the summer of 1819. Norman laid the keel of the vessel
at Middle River Point, and all that summer, autumn, and winter the work
went on merrily. The people around, who were not Normanites, thought the
project a mad one, and dubbed the ship "The Ark" and its designer " Noah."
The greater the ridicule, the harder the people worked. Norman invoked the
blessings of Heaven and his enthusiasm was contagious. As the winter snows
of 1820 melted in the warmth of the April sun "The Ark" was launched. She
was a vessel of some 200 tons, and was well planned and equipped for the
voyage.
DEPARTURE OF THE ARK.
On May 1, 1820, she was ready to
embark passengers. Hundreds of people from the neighbouring settlements
hurried into Pictou to witness the strange adventure. Some thought the
voyagers to be mentally afflicted, some that they were labouring under
religious excitement, and still others that it was merely a cover for
their return to Scotland. It was indeed a Sacrament Sunday of the olden
times when hundreds of people gathered on the hillside to witness the
celebration of the Lord’s Supper. Norman acted as leader and organizer of
the expedition, and the people placed their confidence in him.
Pictou is situated on the
north-eastern coast of Nova Scotia inside the Gulf of St. Lawrence, and
hence well sheltered from the Atlantic gales. "The Ark" lay at anchor in
the bay. As the people gathered at the harbour, their neighbours followed
in large numbers to bid them farewell. If parting at Lochbroom was painful
this was equally so, for death had robbed them of many who were dear to
them. They were, however, restless and unhappy, and it mattered little to
most of them whither they would go. They were sorry at parting with their
new friends, and the friends were loath to part with them. They, however,
had implicit faith in the Providence of God, and so all would be well.
At this juncture Norman beckoned for
silence, and thus addressed the crowd :—" Friends, we are about to embark
not to a new land but to a new home. Two years ago we left Lochbroom under
very sad circumstances, and now we are about to leave our good friends of
Pictou. I would recall to mind the words of the revered Rev. Lachlan
McKenzie as we parted with him, viz., ‘to trust in the infinite mercies of
God.’ He saved us from shipwreck and He opened a door for us at Pictou.
Now He calls us to Ohio, and that, too, amongst our own people. Once upon
a time we were oppressed, but now we are free. Once we were outcasts, but
now we are about to enter a land that welcomes us. Some of our people may
be sad at the thought of changing our flag, but we are about to join one
whose emblem is ‘Hope and Glory.’ Some of those who left Lochbroom with us
have gone to their eternal rest. Sorrows, hardships, and disease have done
their work. They were the victims of man’s inhumanity to man. Their blood
be upon the heads of the Cumberlands and Nabooths of the old country, for
they were as truly murdered by these cruel tyrants as were the chosen of
the Lord by Pharaoh of old. Did not the man after God’s own heart sing
God righteous judgment executes
For all oppressed ones,
and we can do no better than sing
the first verses of the 103rd Psalm :—
O M' anam beannaich thusa nis."
O thou my soul bless God the Lord
And all that
in me is.
The singing over, and with many
blessings, prayers, and tears, Norman with his wife and family led the way
to board "The Ark." The ship was their own property. She was manned by
their own people. They were as one family, and the ship was their
temporary home. The anchor was weighed, sails unfurled, and, amidst tears
and cheers, "The Ark" moved away. All went well until they had passed
through the Straits of Canso, which divide Nova Scotia from Cape Breton.
On rounding Cape Canso and moving out into the great Atlantic they
encountered a terrific gale from the south-west. This they could not face,
nor did they think it wise to sail eastwards into unsheltered seas.
Meantime they were being driven along the southern coast of Cape Breton,
and passed the island of Scatari. Suddenly the wind changed and blew a
gale from the northeast. This reversed her course and drove her to the
Bird Islands off the mouth of the Big Bras D’Or. They were now in grave
danger of being wrecked on the north shore of St. Ann’s. To avoid this
they took shelter under Cape Dauphin, and thence into St. Ann’s Bay, where
they dropped anchor in comparatively smooth water. For several days all
the people were battened under hatches. They were in imminent danger of
their lives, and a second time were rescued from threatened shipwreck.
They knew Norman was at the helm, and if human skill and courage could
avert danger they were confident in his powers. No sooner had the ship
come to anchor than the hatches were unfastened, and the people crowded
upon deck. There was no landing place and no inhabitants thereabouts in
those days. The whole country was one dense mass of timber and very
uninviting as a settlement. Immediately the people had recovered their
composure, Norman engaged in family worship, and expressed gratitude to
God for having saved them from a watery grave.
Next day a council of war was held
to consider whether they should continue their journey to Ohio or land and
take possession of the country around them. A party was sent ashore to see
if it was occupied and, if so, by whom, and if they might land and form a
settlement. After a day’s wandering the party returned and reported that
all the land around the harbour was still held by the government, and that
they could have allotments made to them at a nominal price on terms of
permanent occupation and improvement of the land. The proposal seemed
favourable, and as the summer was still young they would have plenty of
time ere winter arrived to build themselves the necessary huts and secure
winter fuel. Most of the people were anxious to land, as the spot seemed
desirable, and there would be abundance of fish in the spacious harbour,
with game in the woods. A few proposed to return to Pictou, but that would
mean the making of a fresh start under less favourable circumstances than
were presented to them here. After much prayerful consideration, it was
decided all should land and take possession of the country offered. A
decision having been arrived at, they disembarked with all their goods on
May 20, 1820. It had been arranged in Pictou that "The Ark," having
completed her voyage to Ohio, should return thence and embark such other
people as chose to follow them. In due time "The Ark" left for Pictou, but
was never heard of, so that none of these people formed a settlement at
Ohio. |
