great attempt of the British to sweep the
shores of the lake of those inhabitants, who were friendly to the re-
publican cause. On the same night, detachments from this vessel
burnt nearly all the houses aloiig the lake from Bridport to Ferris-
burgh, making prisoners of the male inhabitants, and leaving the
women and children to suiFering and starvation. ]Mr. Ferris's house
and all his other buildings were burnt. Forty persons were brought
on board the next day ; and within a few days, the number reckoiied
two hundred and forty-four ; part of which were put on board the
schooner Carleton of sixteen guns, which then lay at the mouth of
Great Otter Creek. The forces, which came out in the ]Maria and
Carleton, were originally destined for an attack upon Rutland, but
their object having become knownby the escape of an American
prisoner, Lieut. Benjamin Everest, that project was abandoned, and
they were employed in desolating the country, and stripping it of
its inhabitants. The vessels proceeded with their prisoners to St.
HI.>T:>ilY OV ALVDISOX CUUNTY. !)1
John:?: from tlicnce they were marched to Sorel, and it vras the in-
tention of the captors to have continued their march down the St.
Lawrence to Quebec. xVt Sorcl they crossed the St. Lawrence, and
soon after a heavy snow storm came on, which making it impossible
to continue the march, trains Averc seized in all directions, and on
these they were driven to Quebec, lierc they were confined in pris-
on. Soon after some of them having contrived to escape, they were
divided, and about one hundred of them wero sent down the river
one hundred miles and