Brushed With Mystery

Vacation

How hapily  (sic) those three weeks flew by! Every day with Cordelia I visited new a (nd?) delightful objects and scenes.  With the genial Rector Mr Mont Milin (sic) the French people called him Monilaw; I soon became familiar and found him a very kind and agreeable man. He it was who took on himself the care and guidance of our two selves in all our excursions.  With him we visited the wild within our reach in every direction often passing hours in the Indian lodges or strolling in company of the female papooses of our own age through their encampment while the Rector  tryed (sic) to teach a class of the Indians to read or talked to them of the Great Scripture of our Lord.

The little swaws soon became familiar with the pale faces or were jolly playfellows although we understood little of their chatter, but one a tall elegant princess, one I admired very much could speak a little English and wished to acquire more, condescended to join us often as we visited  the encampment and soon attracted our exclusive attention.

Winona was an Indian belle I suppose for some of the young braves came to her side often but she gave her attention so exclusively to the white squaws as they called us, that the tawny gallants soon left us.  Winona talked to us and asked the definition of what we said in so many ways and we tried so hard to teach her the meaning of our terms and phrase that the time flew by imperceptibly and our good rector was needy to go home before we ware (sic).  The good Dr. complimented us on our missionary efforts; told us that Winona/Winnenna was the only child of the Chief of the tribe, and almost worshipped by her people that the good visitors were trying to educate her.  She seems to care much about acquiring a knowledge of the English language but takes little interest in anything else they try to teach her said he in conclusion, I think she will be your schoolfellow and you can assist her much more effectually than the nuns who are French women.



My first introduction to the school might have been very trying but for the assistance of Cordelia,  She had attain (ed) a smattering of French, the nuns who were our teachers had a tolerable knowledge of English so I was soon acclimated.



My Note:

I would love to find out more on Winona!

Sir George noticed a look of enquiry in the eyes of his guests, as he presented his lady so after the compliments and formalities of the introduction were over, he invited them to remain to dinner and console his family, declaring that his wife and niece were so lonely and home sick that they were almost blind with weeping. O dear!  Now I was sure again that I was quite spoiled in the estimation of all, and the idea of my red nose and watery eyes added to a painful consciousness of inferiority, destroyed at once the delightful assurance which had so lately and so suddenly promised happiness in the society of a child  like myself, a pleasure I had never known.  I could have wasted a few more tears, of bashfulness and vexation, and probably should done so , had not Miss Murray come to the rescue by asking one where I came from, how old I was, and one question following another, till fairly at my wits end I  forgot that it was unbecoming in one of my age to cry, and laughed very heartily at my new friends questions, and tryed (sic) to rival what I thought was smartness by (ey..?) by smart replys (sic).  Childlike we were fast friends in half an hour, and so were our elders, aye, and so we remained till fate separated us, placing us so far asunder that we were as dead to each other.

My Note:

The mention of the ‘sick with weeping’ is based on the fact thatDorathea and the Nuttles have just left their home and family (Dorathea’s mother, father sisters and brothers) in Boston after the American Revolution.  Not having copied the whole manuscript yet I don’t know why Dorathea and Cordelia (this is the name of the daughter) are ‘torn asunder’.  Hopefully I will find out.

Entering the drawing room, we were presented to General and Mrs. Murray  and Miss Murray, with quite a courtly air, by uncle who seemed to have recovered all the dignity, which the nobels (sic) and the protracted voyage had deprived him.  And well he might, for our visitors were real English people, and our next door neighbours, who had in their earnest wish  for the society of their countrymen, laid off their national reserve, and introduced themselves.  Gen Murray appeared to me at that first interview the very achme (sp?) of high born elegance, his lady the perfection of womanly lovelyness (sic) , and the daughter! Ah me, it was so delightful to meet  a person not too much taller than myself.  I am sure that I forgot in a moment the annoyance I had felt at entering the presence of strangers and(..dled?) up to the little lady , shyly eying the elders and fancying I blushed all over.

I was very small, in fact decidedly undersized and lean, and angular to a degree of plainnys (sic) very heartyly (sic) regreted  (sic), for I just now began to realize the fact, and would have kept out of sight till I grew taller and handsomer, as I was sure I should do, but this was a person- almost as diminsterive  (sp?) as myself, and not much prettyer (sic),as I discovered the next moment; which discovery measured me amazingly,notwithstanding the tasteful attire which adorned my visitor.



My note;

There are at least 40 pages of this manuscript.  I haven’t finished transcribing it.  I find that I copy a few pages out, and then want to reserach what I am finding.  I love the reserach- it is like unearthing the past and breathing remembrance into what is forgotten…

Now for the facts- I have called this the 1790 manuscript.  That is what my reserach is telling me.  There is an account of General Murray, and ironically he has a  daughter called Cordelia, but the dates don’t match up.  Murray is a governor of the district of Quebec in 1760-1768. Cordelia isn’t born in 1781 and it is claimed in Minorca.  Montmollin- who will be mentioned if you read these documents- is a clergyman in Quebec during 1768- 1775 (around there).  No dates are mentioned in the manuscript only names and events.  Any help or advice would be appreciated.

Additional Note:

After researching for a while I have come to the realization that the author is most probably Belle Born- the granddaughter of Dorathea Gamsby- both are relations on my grandmother’s side of the family.  I will find out more on this. In this excerpt ‘the voyage’ that Dorathea is talking about  is her escape from Boston with her Uncle Sir George Nutting and his wife-a loyalist who was forced to leave America when the British army pulled out in the American Revolution. She was ten years old in 1775- so she might be 15-17?