TWENTIETH ORDINARY MEETING. 225 
houses have been at different times attached to it and have 
been burnt or destroyed, but still the chimney remains, solitary, 
moss-grown and grey, and will remain no doubt until the 
advancement of civilization and the necessities of commerce will 
cause its replacement by something more modern. It was at the 
wharf at Schlosser that the ill-fated steamer Caroline was fastened 
that night, in ’37, when she was cut out by the loyalists from the 
Canadian shore. The Canadian militia, under Col. Allan McNab’s 
command, at that time investing Navy Island, were in a complete 
state of ignorance concerning the river. The Falls were a source 
of great terror to the storming party, and a circuitous route was 
taken to reach Fort Schlosser that delayed them many hours. 
At present the hardy inhabitant of either shore safely crosses the 
river in a small boat or canoe within half a mile of the rapids, and 
adventurous youths land with impunity even on Goat Island, but in 
37 the cutters out of the Caroline were esteemed greater heroes 
than even those who faced the bullets of the enemy ; such is the 
power of nature compared with even the life-destroying gunpowder. 
The affair of the Caroline caused much international ill-feeling and 
was made the subject of much conjecturing and studying of inter- 
national law. Evidently the same principles and arguments were 
quoted and cited, but by the opposite parties, when the Alabama 
claims came before the board of arbitrators at Geneva. Lying to 
the north-west of Grand Island, and west of Schlosser, is the small 
Island, formerly Isle la Marine, now Navy Island. The French, in 
1759, built some small vessels on this Island, hence its name was 
literally translated when it came into possession of the English. 
Although hardly over three miles in circumference it was probably 
better known and more thought about, at one time of our national 
existence, than even Toronto itself. Here, in December, 1837, 
Wm. Lyon Mackenzie established his headquarters and issued 
his proclamations to the patriots, as the unfortunate rebels called 
themselves. In fact to this day, on the American side of the 
river, the trouble of ’37 is referred to as the ‘ patriot war.” 
There was great uncertainty as to the number of the insurgents, 
who certainly lad plenty of arms and ammunition. To this day 
may be seen in the upper rooms of the several farm houses on the 
Canadian shore the marks of the bullets, while every plowing turns up 
on Navy Island many a rusty cannon ball. There is still standing and 
