996 PROCEEDINGS OF THE CANADIAN INSTITUTE. 
in good repair three miles from the Village of Chippawa, and directly 
opposite the head of Navy Island, the house in which Captain Usher 
was shot.. Upon the door of this house is painted in white letters 
‘No. 8, 20 men,” evidently its billeting capacity. There are yet on 
the island two log huts or cottages which were occupied by Mr. and 
Mrs. Mackenzie. Although degraded to agricultural purposes they 
still seem destined to out-last several more modern structures built 
near them. There could not have been much peace of mind for any 
of the Reformers there ; Sir Allan McNab, while not exposing his 
men to too much personal danger, continued to ply the rebels with 
shot and shell. While Mrs. Mackenzie was attending to some 
culinary operations one day a shell, plunging through the roof, fell 
into a barrel of beans which formed part of the stock of provisions, 
and burst, scattering a week’s provender, but fortunately the inmates 
all escaped. For the greater security of his followers Mackenzie 
caused an open space to be cut out of the forest in the centre of the 
island. This is still known by the name of Mackenzie’s Field, and is 
now used as a pasture for cattle. The proximity of the island to the 
United States, its great capabilities for defence and its commanding 
the entrance to the Welland River (which river is one of the entrances 
to the Welland Canal), combine in making it an outpost of great 
military value in time of war. On Navy Island may be seen many 
trees and flowers growing wild which cannot be found in any other 
place nearer than the Southern States ; amongst others are the mag- 
nolia, sassafras, and several varieties of wild grapes. The apricot and 
nectarine are also grown and attain great perfection. A mile and a 
half from the head of Navy Island, on the Canadian side at the 
mouth of the Welland River, is the Village of Chippawa. It was 
at one time, before the building of the Welland Canal, a prosperous 
place. It was the head of navigation and a tramway ran from it to 
Queenston, the port at the other end of the Portage. But the canal 
and railway came and Chippawa suffered the common lot and de- 
creased in trade and population in proportion as the larger towns 
grew. It is one of the oldest settled portions of Canada, John 
Cummings a U. E. Loyalist having settled there in 1782. It was 
the scene of several battles in the war of 1812 between the British 
and Americans. Several buildings are yet standing which were 
built previously to 1812, and in one of them may be seen a room at 
that time used as a prison; the rings and staples for securing the 
