icers
apologized afterwards for firing at this diminutive vessel, which was
not much bigger than a man of war's launch, observing, that they
imagined her passing to be the result of a frolicsome wager. They
little thought that she was a New England trader, or rather huxter,
ladened with _notions_, such as apples, dried and green, apple-sauce,
onions, cheese, molasses, New England rum, and gingerbread, and a
number of little ditto's, suitable, as the skipper thought, for the
Quebec market, after it should have changed masters.

When the _Captain_ of this famous little schooner went on board the
British admiral, he enquired the name of his vessel. He replied, "_The
Terror of France_;" which was painted on her stern. How are you armed?
_We have four swivels, three muskets, and one cutlass, beside a broad
axe._ How many men have you? _We have three souls and a boy._--And
where does your vessel belong, _Captain_, when you are at home?
_Updike's Newtown._ And where is that, Sir? _Does not Admiral Holmes
know where Updike's Newtown is?_ says Jonathan, with a look of
surprize. I do not at this moment recollect, Sir. _Why Updike's
Newtown is half way betwixt Pautuxet and Connanicut._ The British
admiral did not choose to risk his reputation with this fearless
waterfowl, by asking him any more geographical questions.

We have dwelt on this ludicrous anecdote for the sake of one serious
remark. Capt. John Knox, of the 43d British regiment, whose Historical
Journal, in 2 volumes quarto, is dedicated to General Lord Amherst,
never once intimates that this courageous man was from New England,
but leaves the reader to infer that he and his "three souls and a
boy," were Englishmen. In this way have all the British writers
treated us Americans, although we all know in this country, that
Louisbourg was taken by New-England-men. Throughout the whole war of
1758, and 1759, the English strained their voices to magnify
themselves, and debase our character.

In this anecdote we see the first glimmerings of the New England
character, which defies all danger, in the pursuit of gain. Here we
see the characteristic marks of the _Yankee_, full twenty years before
that term was ever used. The greatest things were once in embryo.
These incipient germs will one day grow up to a naval and commercial
greatness, that will infallibly push into the back-ground the
conquerors of Quebec; and the spirit, which impelled and directed that
diminutive schoon