236 THE FRENCH BLOOD IN AMERICA 



placed in the few rude carts which the emigrants pos- 

 sessed, and then the picturesque caravan set out on its long 

 journey to church, the men and the remainder of the 

 women walking beside the carts, many of them bare- 

 footed, yet all rejoicing, and showing by their happy 

 faces and the ringing hymns they sang that they took 

 their privations lightly. All lesser evils were swallowed 



Joy in Liberty up in the great good for which they were never tired of 

 giving thanks to God — the freedom to worship God openly 

 and without a shadow of misgiving, and the knowledge 

 that they were laying up for their children and their 

 children' s children a like heritage. But it must not be 

 thought that these exiles did not love their native land. 

 They left France with regret in their hearts, and often 

 turned towards their old home with pity and with long- 

 ing. Of one old man it is related that every evening at 

 sunset he would go down to the shore of the Sound, look 

 off across the water in the direction of France and slug 

 one of Marot's hymns, while the slow tears fell upon the 

 sand at his feet. Gradually others met with him, until 

 there gathered daily a little group of exiles to pray and 

 sing. 



As to this attendance upon church in New York, the 



True to their fj^^t is attested by the celebrated Huguenot, Dr. John 

 . Pintard, the founder of the Historical Society, who says 

 in his Recollections: ."The holy sacrament was aid- 

 ministered to the Huguenots, at New Rochelle, four times 

 a year, namely, Christmas, Easter, Whitsuntide, and the 

 middle of September. During the intermissions that 

 occurred, the communicants walked to New York for that 

 purpose. Prior to their departure on Sunday, they alwa;^s 

 collected the young children, and left them in the care of 

 friends, while they set off early in the morning, and 

 walked to the city barefooted, carrying their shoes and 

 stockings in their hands. They were accustomed to stop 

 at a rock, about twelve miles from the city, to rest and 

 take refreshments, where they put on their shoes and 



