(RiDDELL] NAVY ISLAND EPISODE, 1837 61 



amongst them, of the verity of his claims, while Best never had any- 

 great following. Best, however, had the security of mediocrity, for 

 he ended his life in peace and without prosecution, dying in 1825, 

 while poor Brothers was first charged with treasonable practice and 

 confined as a criminal lunatic, and was subsequently removed to a 

 private asylum. 



We have at the present day some instances of the same kind of 

 prophet. Joseph Smith was a strong example, and since his time we 

 have had the Holy Rollers, the Holy Ghost and Company, and like 

 bodies of visionary enthusiasts. 



Some of them are still with us. 



Coventry's Account. 



Grand Island belongs to our Neighbours, therefore to secure 

 themselves from Molestation, they [that is Mackenzie's Forces] agreed 

 to make the Conquest of Navy Island belonging to the British Govern- 

 ment, and inhabited only by one old Woman and her daughter, whom 

 they sent over to Grand Island in snug quarters there at a Log Hut 

 within sight of their previous location. 



That no opposition should be made to their landing, they kept the 

 place of their destination a profound secret, and marched through a 

 Wild forest for four or five Miles, frequented by Nothing whatever but 

 Deer and Wild Cats. — It so happened however, that early intelligence 

 reached us, and had it been acted upon promptly, the whole trouble, 

 confusion, expence and Inconvenience, might have been Easily avoided. 

 It was early in the Morning of the 11th of December, I was at Captain 

 Ussher's, when a respectable farmer called to give his deposition 

 relative to their Movements. He stated he wished to do so from a 

 fear that his Cattle and property would be plundered by these Brigands 

 on their March. He owned a large farm on Grand Island as well as 

 300 acres of Land in Upper Canada — and therefore claimed our pro- 

 tection, by dispersing the pirates as quickly as possible. He happened 

 to be at Tonawonta at the very time when they embarked — sus- 

 pecting their place of destination, which on Enquiry was Confirmed, 

 he hastened thro the Island to the shore — took his Canoe — came over 

 and gave us the Information. This was the first Intelligence that 

 reached us — we took down his deposition in writing — ^witnessed it, 

 and after breakfast. Captain Ussher mounted one of his Horses and 

 rode off to the Commanding Officer^ then at Fort Erie to give him 

 Intelligence. — It was considered an event so highly improbable, that 



