But the grave question of desertion and the war-cloud on the horizon could not occupy our hero’s attention to the exclusion of other demands upon his time.  Canada’s growing importance was attracting many travellers from over-seas.  Notable among these was Thomas Moore, the brilliant Irish poet, who was our hero’s guest at Fort George for two weeks in the summer of 1803.  Every attraction that the peninsula presented was taxed for his entertainment.  Of these diversions the one which probably left the most lasting impression on the versatile son of Erin was a gathering of the Tuscarora warriors, under Chief Brant, at the Indian encampment on the Grand River.

“Here,” wrote Moore, in one of his celebrated epistles, “the Mohawks received us in all their ancient costumes.  The young men ran races for our amusement, and gave an exhibition game of ball, while the old men and the women sat in groups under the surrounding forest trees.  The scene altogether was as beautiful as it was new to me.  To Colonel Brock, in command of the fort, I am particularly indebted for his many kindnesses during the fortnight I remained with him.”

It was while Moore was paddling down the St. Lawrence with his Caughnawaga voyageurs, after leaving Niagara—­where he saw the fountains of the great deep broken up—­that he composed his celebrated boat-song: 

     “Faintly as tolls the evening chime,
     Our voices keep tune and our oars keep time. 
     Soon as the woods on shore look dim,
     We’ll sing at St. Ann’s our parting hymn. 
     Row, brothers, row! the stream runs fast,
     The rapids are near, and the daylight’s past!”

In the fall of 1805 our hero was gazetted full colonel, and returned to England on leave.  While he had lost none of the buoyancy of his youth, he was daily realizing the fullness of his responsibilities.

For the better defence of Canada, he submitted to the Duke of York, the Commander-in-Chief, a suggestion for the forming of a veteran battalion.  He quoted the case of the U.E.  Loyalists, who after the Revolutionary war, had been granted small tracts in Upper Canada; contrasting their perfect conduct with the practices of some of the settlers ten years later, whose loyalty, from his own observation, would not stand the test.  Our hero, who was warmly thanked by the Duke for his zeal, was now regarded as a person to be reckoned with.  His abilities and charm of manner had won him a reputation at the Horse Guards.

He returned to Guernsey to receive the congratulations of those brothers “who loved him so dearly,” but had not time to tell the graphic story of his sojourn in Canada or revisit the haunts of his boyhood, for news arrived from the United States of so warlike a character that he returned before his leave expired.  He overtook at Cork the Lady Saumarez, a well-manned Guernsey privateer, armed with letters of marque, and bound for Quebec.  Leaving London on the 26th of June, 1806, he set sail for Canada, never to return to those to whom he had so endeared himself by his splendid qualities.