Tahawus, Newcomb, and Long Lake.
George Shaw, Robert Shaw and John Todd
Rexford, NY 1955
LONG LAKE
NOTICE A few of these books were made up to assist in the sale of the original. Shaw manuscript, and as elsewhere mentioned, all rights to the text in the first section have now been acquired by the Adirondack Museum, Blue Mountain Lake, New Yorko (1955) The narrative of Tahawus, the Indian, and the Adirondack Iron Works, including the early history of Newcomb and Long Lake was mostly written by George Shaw and later kept up-to-date by his son, Roberto The narratives on the Iron Works may be somewhat imaginery, just how much will probably never be knowne The information on the early settlers in Newcomb and Long Lake are fairly accurate and check with other available sources. In all, it gives a very good picture of the hard ships encountered by these worthy pioneerso They have in the £iles at the Headquarters House of the NeYoS. Historical Association, Cooperstown, NoYo some of the original corres pondence between McIntyre, Henderson and MacMartino According to an article in their January, 1948 publication the three men were, in 1826, shown the vast iron ore deposit in the Tahawus area by an Indian named Lewis Elijah. The Revo John Todd's story on Long Lake, published in 1845, although not quite as direct as Shaw's, contributes some additional informatione A second manuscript, which was recently found, and written by Robert Shaw, describes Robert's personal experiences. It has been included as a second section in a few copies of this particular book for a very limited personal distribution. (HoioB~)
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\, -~- ·'I' , l, A. THE SHAWS George Shaw came from County Donegal, Irela..~d, where he grew up, married, and started to raise a famjJy and like many others decided to seek his fortune, or better living conditions in America. Some of his brothers had emigrated to Ohio, and in 1834, George started out with his wife and children to join his brothers. He traveled by boat to Quebec with the intention of hitchhiking to Whitehall, then by canal packet., or boat, to Buffalo. However,· siclmess altered his plans and eight years late:~, after staying in Addison, Vt., he arrived on the Virgin Shores of Long Lake and never did get in touch with the brothers in· Ohio. (The St. Lawrence River is a direct route between Quebec .. and Lake Erie, but apparently there was no suitable boat traffic.)
. The Sha-w manuscript including the narrative of Tahawus and the Adirondack __Iron Mine written jointly by George and his son, Robert, and now owned by the Adirondack Museum was first brought to light by Mrs~ Howard Seaman, of Long Lake, who recognized its value and the necessity of preserving the :information for future generations. Mr. Harold K. Hochschild purchased it from Mrs. Alma Stanton, the granddaughter of Robert Shaw, and gave it to the Museum. The second manuscript started by Robert Shaw, but never finished, covers more of his personal life, and has also been made available for those interested in the early life of Long Lake.
This opportunity is taken to include the geneology of the Shaw fami]y which with the pictures was furnished.by Mrs. Alma Shaw Stanton, and a direct descend ant of Mr. George Shaw, Sr., of Bric411tport, Vermont, who very kindly filled in much of the missing information ..
George Shaw was born in County Donegal, Ireland, in 1799, and died at Long Lake, N. Y., in 1871. He had brothers in Ohio and came to America in 1834 with his wife and their first children; others, were born here. Their children were:-
Robert, George, Jr~, William, Mary Jane, Mellesa, Helen, and Maria.
George, Jr. migrated to the west and last lived in Seattle, Washington, was married a...nd had five children:- Lelia, Maud, Bertha, Edward, and Chauncy. At the last, George was taken sick and moved to an Old Soldiers' Home in California, where he died twenty-four hours after arri_ving. Robert (1829 - 1907) stayed in Long Lake and in 1854, married Gitty M.Keller. There were no children and they adopted Ai Gitty of Newcomb, N. Y. Ai married, in 1891, Mary Goodspeed of North Creek. There were two children, Robert and Alma (Stanton). William (1841 - 1922) in 1$71 married Pauline Dwnas. There were four children:- George, Eva, Garfield, and Maud. All have passed away, except George, who with his wife and son, George, live in Bridpport, Vt. William, in 1892, moved from Long Lake to Vermont to farm.
Mary Jane married Ransom Palmer of Long Lake and moved to Viola, Minn. Mellesa married Clarence Dickerson in Viola, Minn. Helen died young in Addison, Vt(t Maria married John Lapell of Long Lake. Howard I. Becker - 1955 Rexford, New York
George Shaw(l799-1871) and wife Mary. They came to America from Ireland in 1834 and to Long Lake in 1842
An early picture of One of the last pictures of Mrs .Robert Shaw Robert Shaw Robert Shaw (Gitty Keller} 1829-1907
CONTENTS Page
FOR~RD ON THE SHAWS A. NARRATIVE ON TAHAWUS AND THE moN MINE 1 NFMCOMB, LONG LAKE AND CAPTAIN PETER SABATTIS 65 CONSTRUCTION OF THE VIl,J,AGE OF ADil1.0NDACK AND THE FORGE 75 LIFE AT ADmONDACK AND THE FORGE 81 THE WEDDING OF CALVIN STARKS 'lO ALICE GATES 85 CHABIJi!Y YOUNG AND THE FRENCHMAN 87 THE WAY MR. NUTT CAUGHT HIS WIFE 89 THE mISJI TOWN CLERK S9 JOHN CHEENEY AND THE MOOSE HUNT 90 AUNT POLLY 94 DAVID HENDERSON 98 NEWCOMB 102 LONG LAKE 1~ Fm.5'l' SE'rTLERS 108 DAVID KEJ.T,ER 109 JAMES SARGENT 109 ALENE PARKER, BARTON BURLINGAME, WILLIAM J. AUSTIN, AND ED .ALLEN lll THE MIXES AND LYSANDER HALL 112 EBENEZER BOURNE AND AMOS HOUGH ll5 SAMUEL REANEY, ISAAC B. C. ROBINSON ll7 WILLIAM KELLOO 118 GEORGE SHAW 119 ROBERT SHAW 122 EARLY STRUGGLES AT LONG LAKE 130 MITCHEJJ, SABATTIS 138 ARCHITECTURE 140 CHURCHES 142 POLITICS 144 THE SAGAMORE HOTEL AND LOCAL INTERESTS 144, 157 EARLY PICTURES. 169 THE REV. JOHN TODD'S VISITS TO LONG LAKE 170
Second section; Autobiography of Robert Shaw 1 ..• 62
TA.."FIAVlUS -=- NKvVCOMB
&'1.d LONG LAKE By GeorgA and Robert Shaw of Lo:ng Lake 7 N .Y. 1842-1900 ALSO Th~ Rev. John Todd's own sto17 of his visi.ts to Long Lake, 1841.-1844 written ·..1.· t"i i-g4~ ·--· .J ~ •
THE STATE Of NEW Y0RK,BEING A GREAT STATE,REACHING NORTH TO
CANADA, AND WESTWARD TO THE GREAT LAKES, EMBRACED WITHIN ITS ERA,flFTY
YEARS AGO, NEARLY TWO MILLION ACRES OF FOREST LANDS, IN FACT AN ALMOST
UNEXPLORED WILDERNESS. THIS WILDERNESS WAS FULL Of ALL KINDS Of GAME,
COMMON TO THE REGlON AND CLIMATE. ALSO,THOUGH THEN UNKNOWN, THERE WERE
NUMEROUS IRON ORE BEDS WITHIN ITS BOUNDS; AND If MENTION IS MADE Of'
THE LUMBER, FIGURES COULD HARDLY BE PILED HIGH ENOUGH TO ESTlMATE THE
NUMBER OF fEETo THE SOIL ANO CLIMATE IS NOT WELL ADAPTED TO AGRICULTUREo
THE TABLELAND FORMING THE WATERSHED Of THE. HUDSON RIVER AND lTS TRIBU
TARIES, RUNNING SOUTH, AND BLACK RIVER AND ITS TRIBUTARIES RUNNING WEST,
AS ALSO THE RACKETT RIVER AND OTHER LESSER STREAMS RUNNING NORTH, HAS
AN ALTITUDE Of EIGHTEEN HUNDRED FEET, WITH MANY OF THE MOUNTAIN PEAKS
REARING THEIR HEADS AWAY UP AMONG THE CLOUDS.
AT THE TlME OF WHICH 1 SPEAK, 1830, NO WHITE MAN WAS CONVERSANT
WITH THE INTERIOR OF THE WILDERNESS~ DURING THE SUMMER THE INDIANS
TOOK CANOES AND, FOLL0WIN~ UP THE STREAMS INTO THE HEART OF THE
WlLOERNESS,FlSHED, KILLED MOOSE AND DEER AND OTHER GAME, THEN PLENTY,
AND SOMETIMES MADE MAPLE SUGAR. SOME Of THEM EVEN WINTERED THEREo
THE THOUGHT MAY ARISE IN THE MIND Of THE READER, "How DID THEY
MAKE MAPLE SUGAR?" I iAN NOT TELL YOU. ALL KNOW WITH REGARD TO IT IS
THAT WHEN WHITE PEOPLE BEGAN TO GO FURTHER INTO THIS WILDERNESS THEY
FOUND, ON SOME OF THE MAPLE RIDGES, BIRCH BA~K DISHES AT THE BASE OF
MAPLE TREES, IN LARGE NUMBERS, AND BOILING PLACES WERE STILL VISl~~E,
BUT WHAT THEY BOILED THE SAP IN I CAN NOT TELL.
ONE Of THE IND I ANS, BECOMING ENSTRANGED FROM .HIS FAMILY AND TRIBE,
RESOLVED TO BE REVENGED FOR, WHAT SEEMED TO HIM, A GREAT WRONG AND
THEN LEAVE THE WILD HAUNTS Of HlS BOYHOOD AND THE FAMILY ANO HOME or
HlS FATHER~ THE DEED NEED NOT NOW BE STATED, BUT WILL COME TO LIGHT
FURTHER ON IN THE NARRATIVE. -2-
DURING THE FALL AND EARLY WINTER, AFTER TAHAWUS HAD PUT A BARRI
ER BETWEEN HlMSELf ANO A RETURN TO HIS NATIVE LAND, HE KEPT WELL
SECRETED IN A DREARY AND MOUNTAINOUS PART OF THE WILDERNESS. As WINTER
APPROACHED AND THERE WAS LESS DANGER OF BEING OBSERVED, THE SUMMER
VISITING INDIA.NS HAVING RETURNED HOME, TAHAWUS BUILT HIMSELF A CAMP
ON A SMALL· STREAM BETWEEN TWO LAKES, NOW KNOWN AS.LAKE SANFORD AND
LAKE HENDERSO_N, WHERE A YEAR OR TWO BEFORE, HE, WITH OTHERS, HAD FOUND
FISH AND GAME TO BE PLENTY AND WITHIN ABOUT SlX MILES OF WHERE A ROAD
HAO BEEN MADE BY THE STATE.
TAHAWUS 1 PLAN AT FIRST WAS TO STAY THERE UNTIL COMPELLED TO LEAVE,
FRO~ WHATEVER CAUSE, THEN FOLLOW THE LINE Of THIS NEW ROAD TO THE.
SETTLEMENT AND.MAKE H-IS WAY SOUTH TO ALBANY AND SO ELUDE THE VIGf~ANCE
OF HIS COMRA~ES, WHOM, HE KNEW, WOULD BE.MATCHING FOR HI~ NEAR THE
ST_. RIDGES.
THIS PURPOSE HE CARRIED OUT IN FEBRUARY Of THE NEXT WINTER. HE
REACHED ALBANY WITHOUT EVENT, WORTHY Of MENTtON, HAVING A LARGE PACK
Of FUR TO DJSPOSE OF. -T~ESE HE SOLD, WENT TO A CLOTH LNG ~TORE AND,
AS FAR AS CLOTHES COULD 00 lT, TRANSFORMED THE INDlAN INTO A CIVILIZED
BEING. THEN, WHEREVER HE COULD FIND WORK WOULD DO lT, ALWAYS SAVING
HIS WAGES AND AVOIDING EVERY PLACE WHERE LlQUOR WAS SOLD SO THAT HE
MIGHT AVOID ANY CHANCE INDIANS THAT MIGHT BE ON THE ALERT.
THE SPRING CAME, SUMMER RETURNED ANO WITH ITS RtTURN TAHAWUS
LONGED FOR THE FOREST AND WAS CONTEMPLATlNG A TRIP IN THE FALL TO HIS
CAMP,LEFT THE YEAR BEFORE, FOR THE PURPOSE Of OBTAINING ANOTHER PACK
Of FURS 0 But, AS WITH MOST OTHER PEOPLE WHO PROPOSE, SOME OTHER
PROVIDENCE OR FORTUNE DISPOSES. TAHAWUS WAS THROWN INTO QUITE ANOTHER
CURRENT, WHICH, INDEED, AFFECTED OTHERS QUITE AS MUCH AS HIMSELF.
ONE BRIGHT DAY lN SEPTEMBER, ABOUT A MONTH BEFORE HE INTENDED
STARTING ON HIS TRIP TO THE WILDtRNESS, HlS ATTENTION WAS DRAWN TO A -3-
CROWD Of PEOPLE IN FRONT Of A HALLWAY, WHICH LED fO A~ UPPER STORY.
As HE WATCHED, SOME GOING IN WHILE OTHERS WERE COMING OUT, HE INQUIRED
WHAT IT ALL MEANT. "OH!", SAID A MAN AS HE RUSHED BY, "THAT lS WHERE
PEOPLE MAKE THEIR FORTUNES. 11 TAHAWUS DID NOT FULLY COMPREHEND THE
MEANING. HE HAD LEARNED SOMEWHER~ THAT PEOPLE TOLD FORTUNES, SO HE
SOUGHT TO f" IND OUT HOW ,HE COULD HAVE H lS FORTUNE TOLD, AND AT THE SAME
TIME NOT BE RECOGNIZED, FOR HE FEARED EXPOSURE. BEING SUPERSTITIOUS
HE FEARED THE RESULT, BUT CURIOSITY HAD THE SAME AFFECT ON THE INDIAN
AS ON THE OTHER PEOPLE, AND HE DETERMINED TO TRY IT. HE PASSED AND
REPASSED THE OPEN HALLWAY DAY AND EVENING, THOUGH TRUE TO HIS NATURE
HE WAS ON THE ALERT FOR WHATEVER HE MIGHT LEARN, HE DETERMINED NOT TO
BE SUSPECTED OR ANY PURPOSE.
ARCHIBALD MAClNTYRE, ONE OF THE CHIEF MEN OF THE LOTTERY BUSINESS,
WAS ONE DAY COMING OUT OF THE HALL AND SEEING THE INDIAN LOIJERING,
AS HE THOUGHT, ABOUT THE PLACE, ACCOSTED HIM THUS,"WANT TO BUY A
TICKET?" TA~AWUS HAD BEEN TO PLACES WHERE TICKETS HAD TO BE PURCHASED,
THE T~OUGHt STRUCK HtM AND Ht ASS~NTED. THE TICKET WAS PROCURED, PRICE
TOLb H!M AND ALL QUESTIONS ANS~ERED TO THE BEST ADVANTAGE. Bur TAHAWUS
WAS SUSPICIOUS AND HESITATED. "COME, MY FRIEND," SAID MAClNTYRE WHO
SAW A SALE FOR TICKETS IF HE COULD WORK UPON THE INDIAN 1 S CURIOSITY
AND AROUSE HlS DESIRE TO GET RICH. As THEY WALKED ON THEY CAME TO A
SALOON. "COME IN HERE, LET US HAVE A LUNCH AND A BOTTLE OF ALE", SAID
THE LOTTERY MAN. TAHAWUS AT FIRST SAID 11 No, ME NOT HUNGRY, ME NO DRINK."
"WELL, BUT COME l N AND TALK WH I LE TAKE MY LUNCH • " TAHA WU S ENTERED
AND BEFORE HE CAME OUT MY STORY WAS BORN.
THE SCOTCHMAN OVERCAME ALL THE I ND IAN 1 S FEARS AND OBJECT·10NS AND
WHEN HIS TONGUE BEGAN TO WAGGLE, FROM THE AFFECT Of DRINK, HE TOLD
MACINTYRE HE KNEW WHERE THERE WAS A BlG MOUNTAIN Of IRON. -4-
11Now11, SAID TAHAWUS, nYOU GIVE ME THE TlCKET YOU SAY MAKE ME
RICH, SO ME BE BIG MAN LIKE YOU, ANO I TELL YOU THE NAME OF THAT BIG
MOUNTA.I N Of I RON AND TELL YOU WHERE YOU FI NO IT."
THE BARGAIN WAS STRUCK. TAHAWUS HAD THE TICKET THAT WAS ALMOST
SURE TO DRAW FIFTY THOUSAND DOLLARS ANO MACINTYRE HAD SPELLED OUT
ADD-IRON-DACK, WHICH HAS BEEN PUT INTO OUR ADIRONDACK,' A BIG IRON
MOUNTAIN. Nor ONLY HAD TAHAWUS TOLD HIS SECRET, BUT HE HAD AGREED
TO PILOT MACINTYRE:To THE SPOT. THIS HE DlD NOT CONSIDER ANY TROUBLE
AS HE INTENDED TO REMAIN THERE. Bur WHEN THE HAPPY AFFECTS OF THE
DRINKS HAD PASSED OFF TAHAWUS BEGAN TO FEEL SICK AT HEART. HIS SECRET
WAS SOLD, HIS THlRST FOR DRINK AROUSED AND AS FOR FORTUNE HE HAD NONE.
ABOUT THIS TIME MACINTYRE BETHOUGHT HJMSELF OF A COUPLE OF FRIENDS
WHO WOULD ~E JUST THE MEN TO FORM A COMPANY, NOT ONLY TO flND THE lRON
MOUN TA IN BUT IN CASE THERE SHOULD BE IRON, AS IND lCATED, THEY WOULD
BE THE RIGHT MEN TO DEVELOPE THE ORE ANO IRON BUSINESS ON A GRANO
SCALE.
ROBINSON, LIKE MACLN·TYRE, WAS A MIDDLE AGED MAN. HENDERSON WAS
A MAN or EXCELLENT ABILITY, EACH Of THEM BEING SCOTCHMEN. To THESE
MEN MACINTYRE RELATED THE INDIAN 1 S STORY AND THE CIRCUMSTANCES Of HIS
BARGAIN WITH HIM IN REGARD TO SHOWING HIM WHERE IT WAS SITUATED ANO
WHEN IT WAS TO BE UNDERTAKEN.
PREPARATIONS WERE ACCORDINGLY MADE AND THE INDIAN WAS OFTEN
ACCOSTED BY THESE MEN AS THEY SAW HlM ON THE STREET AND THE INDIAN
AND ONE OR MORE OF HlS WHITE FRlENDS WERE OFTEN SEEN IN SOME SALOON,
ALL IN A MERRY MOOD, ESPECIALLY THE IN0tANo
TAHA~us, WHEN IN A HAPPY STATE OF MIND, IMAGINED HIMSELF THE PEER
Of THE WHITE MEN, ESPECIALLY WHEN TALKING or THE FlFTY THOUSAND
DOLLARS HE WAS TO QET FROM MACINTYRE 1 S WHEEL Of FORTUNE.
ONE EVENING, ABOUT TWO WEEKS BEFORE THE TIME f0R THE DRAWlNG, IT -5-
WAS ANNOUNCED BY THE SCOTTS THAT THE NEXT MONDAY MORNING WOULD BE THE
TIME TO MAKE THE TRIP IN SEARCH Of THE IRON MOUNTAIN. THE OBJECT WAS
TO GET THE INDtAN TO PERFORM HIS PART Of THE CONTRACT BEFORE THE
DRAWING TOOK PLACE, THERE BEING DOUBT AS TO WHETHER HE WOULD BE
WILLING TO CARRY OUT HIS PA~T IN CASE HE DID NOT GET THE EXPECTED
Flf'TY THOUSAND.
TAHAwus, AlSO, WAS NOT WITHOUT S0'4E THOUGHTS IN REG.ARO TO WHAT
WAS TAKING PLACE. WORDS DROPPED BY THE SCOTTS HAD SOMEWHAT AROUSED HIS
SUSPICION AND WHEN TOLD Of THE PROJECTED TRIP HE AT OKCE DECLINED TO
GO UNTIL AFTER THE DRAWING TOOK PLACE. BESIDES IT WAS PLAIN. TO THt
MINDS OF THE TRlG THAT IN CASE THE INDlAN DID NOT QET HIS MONEY HE
WOULD NOT CONSlDER IT PART OF THE CONTRACT TO SHOW THEM WKERE THE ORE
WAS.
"AUGK! ME WANT SOME BIG MONEY IN POCKET. W~-A! ME BIG MAN, ME NO
tNGUN. ME CHIEF."
"WELL, BUT YOU PROMISED TO GO SHOW US WHEN WE WERE READY~'' IN~
TERPOSEO ONE Of THE PARTY.
11 YAH ME GO SHOW YOU WHEN YOU GIVE ME BlG MONEYo 11
"You DON'T NEED MONEY IN THE WOODS, TAHAWUS," I NS I STED MACINTYRE,
"you AND HENDERSON, w I TH AS MANY AS YOU WANT TO CARRY THE PROV IS-IONS,
CAN GO AND I -WILL STAY AND TAKE CARE OF YOUR TICKET AND IN CASE IT
DRAWS I WILL TAKE CARE OF YOUR MONEY FOR YOU. THE.N WHEN YOU GET BACK
YOU WILL BE RICH MAN ANO WILL NEVtR NEED TO WORK ANY MORE. IT WILL BE
BETTER TO GO BEFORE, FOR If YOU GET SO MUCH MONEY YOU WOULD NOT WANT
TO GO THEN•"
WHILE THlS CONVERSATION WAS GOING ON THE DRINK HAD FLOWED FREELY.
THE SCOTTS DEEMED IT IMPORTANT TO RAISE HIS SPIRITS ANO WHEN THE
LIQUOR HAD DONE THlS TO SECURE, WHAT THEY Now~sAw THEY NEEDED MOSTLY,
THE LOCATION OF THE ORE BED. WHEN MACINTYRE SUGGESTED THAT THE TICKET -6-
MIGHT NOT DRAW THE EXPECTED MONEY, TAHAWUS, IN THE ACT OF TAKING
ANOTHER GLASS, DRANK THE CONTENTS, SET THE TUMBLER DOWN ON THE COUNTER
WITH A HEAVY HAND, AND THEN SEEING THAT HE HAD BROKEN IT THREW THE
REMAINS ON THE FLOCR. HALF WILD WITH RAGE HE BROKE FORTH INTO AN
UPROAR, MUCH OF WHICH HIS AUDIENCE DID NOT UNDERSTAND. Bur ENOUGH WAS
GATHERED TO REALIZE THAT TAHAWUS WAS A LITTLE TOO FULL FOR THEIR
PURPOSE. THEY ALSO LEARNED THAT HE DID NOT INTEND FOR THEM TO LEARN
THE LOCATION OF THE IRON MOUNTAIN UNTIL THE FIFTY THOUSAND DOLLARS - . . WERE HIS. THEY LEARNED YET ONE MORE IMPORTANT THING WHICH, IF LEARNED
LATER ON, MIGHT NOT HAVE BEEN so WELL, NAMELY: THE TEMPER or THE
INDIAN~ HE MUST BE KEPT IN A GOOD HUMOR, FLATTERY, NOT COERCION, <
WAS THE WAY TO ~AND~~ HIM•
CONSEQUENTLY, A NEW SCHEME WAS NECESSARY IN ORDER TO MAKE THE
DISCOVERY THEY ~ESIRED. As FOR THE TICKET, THERE WAS NO USE TO SPEND
TIME WJTH THAT. THE THING TO BE DONE NOW WAS TO GET tT FROM HIM.
TAHAWUS, NOW BOISTEROUS,· WAS HARP TO MANAGE AND SOON STYLED HIMSELF
"CHIEF OF THE PARTY". IN THE MEANTIME ONE OF THE SCOTTS HAD GONE our,
UNPERCEIVED BY THE INDIAN, AND NOW ENTERED ~I.TH TWO POLICEMEN WHO SOON
SECURED TAHAWUS AND WALKED HIM OFF TO JAILo
IN THE MORNING TAHAWUS, BEGINNING TO RECOVER FROM THE. CONDITlONS
OF THE PAST NIGHT, CONSfDERED HIMSELF IN PRISON FOR THE CRIME FOR
WHICH HE HAD FLED FROM HIS COUNTRY. WH.EN BREAKFAST WAS BROUGHT HIM
HE COULD NOT EAT AND WHEN MARCHED TO COURT WAS HARDLY ABLE TO STAND.
THE SCOTTS, ON THEIR VAY HOME, HAD AGREED THAT ONE OF THEM SHOULD
GO TO THE COURT, MAKE TAHAWUS BELIEVE THAT HE WAS TO BE SE·VERELY DEALT
WITH AND IF POSSIBLE GET SOME PLEDGE FROM HIM THAT WOULD BE AN
ADVANTAGE TO THEM.
HENDERSON, ON THE APPROACH Of TAHAWUS, MET HIM IN THE HALL, WITH
"WELL, YOU DON'T FEEL AS SMART AS YOU DID LASI NIGHT?" -7-
n0H! MR. HENDERSON, ME BAD INGUN, ME SORRY. 11
nlF YOU HAD LISTENED TO US, AND DONE AS YOU AGREED, YOU WOULD
NOT BE WHERE YOU ARE."
"OH! MR. HENDERSON, WHAT BAD ME DO, WHAT WILL THEY DO FOR ME?
ME VERY MUCH SORRY. OH! CAN ME DO SOMETHING-"
AT THIS .JUNCTURE THE OFFICER CALLED FOR THE PRISONER. THE COURT . ASKED HIS NAME, WHERE HE WAS BORN, WHERE HE RESIDED PREVIOUS TO
C OM I NG TO A.LB A NY , HOW L O NG HE HAO B E E N TH E R E , AL L 0 F WH I C H WE R E
ANSWERED PROMPTLY.
"WERE YOU EVER MARRIED?" ASKED THE JUDGE.
rtME NO MARR.Y, n WAS HIS QUI CK REPLY.
"You HAYE SOME BROTHERS, I SUPPOSE."
nNO BROTHER," HE.ANSWERED SAVAGELY AS HE CAST WILD GLANCES ABOUT
THE COURT ROOM, HIS MINO NOW DWELLING ON THE PAST. THAT "No BROTHER"
SEEMED TO HIM WAS ABOUT TO APPEAR. TAHAWUS FEARED THAT HE HAD SAID
SOMETHING THE KIGHT BEFORE, WHILE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF DRINK, THAT
HAD LED TO HlS EXPOSORE 0
HENDERSON SAW THE INDIAN 1 5 PERPLEXED STATE OF MIND, THINKING
THIS HIS TIME TO STRIKE SOME CORD THAT WOULD BE GAME FOR THEM,
SUGGESTED TO THE COURT THAT TAHAWUS WAS AS YET UNAIDED BY COUNSIL.
11 D0 YOU WISH FOR COUNSIL?n ASKED THE JUDGEo HENDERSON CAUGHT
THE INDIAN 1 S EYE AND NODDING, MOTIONED HIM TO SAY YES. ·Ir WAS SOON
ARRANGED THAT HENDERSON SHOULD BE HIS COUNSIL.
11 11 1F IT PLEASED TkE COURT , HENDERSON BEGAN, "I SHOULD LIKE A
PRIVATE INTERVIEW WITH MY CLIENT."
PERMISSION BElNG GRANTED THEY RETIRED TO A SMALL ROOM NEXT TO
THE COURT ROOM. WHEN INSIDE AND THE DOOR CLOSED, TAHAWUS CAUGHT
HENDERSON BY THE HAND, HE WAS TREMBLING FROM HEAD TO FOOT. -8-
"WHAT A I LS YOU, MAN? rt WAS HENDERSON r S f I RS T QUEST I ON •
"ME WEAK LIKE WOMAN. ME NO BRAVE. WHAT ME DO LAST NIGHT?"
11 0, YOU AWFUL BAD IND IAN, TAHAWUS."
11 WHAT ME SAY LAST NIGHT? 11 ' "0, TAHAWUS, YOU VERY WICKED MANA WHAT WILL YOU GIVE ME If
GET YOU CLEAR AGAIN? 11
"ME BE MUCH GOOD. ME GO SHOW YOU ADIRONDACKS. ME DO ANYTHING
YOU AXE ME. 11
HENDERSON TOOK A SMALL BOOK FROM HIS POCKETj WROTE AND AGQEEMENT;
READ IT TO THE INDIAN, WHO HAD BEEN LEARNING TO WRITE, SCRIBBLED HIS
NAME TO THE CONTENTS~ WHICH WAS THIS:
To WHOM THIS MAv CONCERN:
BE IT KNOWN THAT I, TAHAWUS FORSNEIR, NOW OF
ALBANY, NoY., HEREBY AGREE AND PLEDGE MY SACRED HONOR THAT IN CONSID
ERATION Of FIFTY DOLLARS, TO ME THIS DAY PAID, I CONFESS THE RECEIPT
THEREOF, I HEREBY PROMISE TO CONDUCT ARCHIBALD MACINTYRE TO THE
ADIRONDACK, OR IRON MOUNTAIN, WITHOUT FURTHER FRAUD OR DELAY, WHETHER
MY LOTTERY TICKET No.4361 DRAWS A PRIZE OR NOT.
SIGNED IN PRESENCE OF TAHAWUS FORSNEIR. DAVID HENDERSON.
THE PAPER IN HIS POSSESSION HENDERSON RETURNED TO THE COURT
ROOM•
"YOUR HONOR," HE BEGAN, nPLEASE READ THE CHARGE. 11 WHICH BEING . READ WAS FOR AN ASSAULT WITH INTENT TO KILL~
11 PRETTY GRAVE CHARGE, YOUR HONOR."
"INDEED IT IS. WHO IS THE COMPLAINANT? HAVE HlM SWORN."
COM P L A -1 NA N T C O UL D NO T B E f O UN D ANO NO Wl TN E S S E S WE R E P R ES E N T •
PRISONER'S DISCHARGE WAS DEMANDED. OFFICERS WERE DISPATCHED FOR THE
COMPLAINANT, BUT Of NO AVAIL. OF COURSE, IN THE ABSENCE Of BOTH -9-
COMPLAINANT AND WITNESSES THE INDIAN WAS DISCHARGED.
AT FIRST HE WAS GREATLY PLEASED AND HASTENED TO HIS LODGING TO
THINK Of THE FORTUNES OF THE PAST AND MAKE PLANS FOR THE FUTURE.
TAHAWUS, AFTER PARTAKING Of A HEARTY SUPPER, RETIRED TO HIS ROOM,
LOCKED THE DOOR AND GAVE HIMSELF UP TO MEDITATING ON THINGS GONE BY.
HE WENT OVER HIS ENTlRE_ LlFE, BEGINNING BACK AS FAR AS MEMORY WOULD
CARRY HIM, TRACING ALONG MUSIN$LY UNTIL THE EVENT Of HI_S LIFE WHEN
HE KAO BEEN REVENGED FOR WHAT HE HAD TERMED A JUST CAUSE. WHEN
NEARING THIS POINT lN HJS IMAGINATION THERE AROSE FROM THE SPOT
THE VERY PERSON, THE FEAR OF WHOSE APPARITION HE HAO $0 MUCH DREADED.
As HE CAUGHT SIGHT OF HER HIS BLOOD CURDLED IN HIS VEINS, A CHILL
PASSED OV£R HIS BODY ANO HE FELT UNABLE TO MOVE. As SNE APPROACHED
HE DECIDED TO LEAVE THE SPOT. RISING TO HIS FEET HE FELL, STRIKING
AGAINST THE SIDE Of THE ROOM, AND AGAIN HE SPRUNG TO HlS FEEt.
CLUTCHING AT lMAGINARY OBJECTS HE TURNED TO ESCAPE, AGAIN RAN AGAINST
THE WALL AND FELL. THlS TIME THE FALL BROUGHT HIM TO HIS SENSES AND
HE CONCLUDED HE HAD BEEN ASLEEP. THE FRIGHT, H~WEVER, HAO BEEN
THOROUGH, DR~.AM AS IT WAS, AND AS HE REFLECTED ON THE ORIGINAL SCENE
IT FILLED HIM WITH TERROR. WHAT If SOME ONE HAD WITNESSED WHAT HAD
JUST HAPPENED. PERHAPS HE HAD UTTERED WILD EXCLAMATIONS WHICH, If
. . HEARD, WOULD HAVE GIVEN A CLUE TO THE CRIME OR AT LEAST LED TO
SUSPICIONo
A RAP AT THE DOOR PUT AN END TO TAHAWUS 1 REFLECTIONS, WHILE HE
MUTTERED, "ME HERE. COME IN."
A STRANGER ENTERED, DRESSED IN UNIFORM, A SHORT STICK IN HIS HAND,
AND AS HE CLOSED THE DOOR TAHAWUS CAUGHT A GLIMPSE Of OTHERS BEHIND
HIM. THE OFFICER CAST A HASTY GLANCE ABOUT THE ROOM, THEN TURNING TO
TAHAWUS DEMANDED HIM TO SURRENDERo -10 ....
"HOLD UP YOUR HANDS," HE SAID, PRESENTING A HEAVY REVOLVER COCK
ED WITHIN A FEW FEET OF HIS HEAD. THE INDIAN AT ONCE OBEYED.
11 WH O E L S E HA V E Y O U H E R E ? rt D EM A ND E D T H-E . Q F F I C E R I N R A T H E R HA RS H
TONES.
"ME NO GOT SOME LADY HERE," WAS THE SIMPLE REPLY OF. THE AL.ARMED
PRlSONER. A LITTLE RATTLt AND THE DOOR OPENED AND TWO MEN ENTERED.
"PuT IRONS ON THIS FELLOW." THIS BEING DONE AND HIS PERSON
SEARCHED THEY BEGAN A SEARCH Of HlS PREMISES, WH1CH, OF COURSE,
PROVED fRUITLESSi
· THE OFFICER TURNED TOWARD TAHAWUS, AND Wt.TH FIERCE ~ESTURES,
DEMANDED TO KNOW WHERE THE PERSONS WERE HE HAD BE~N HEARD TALKING
WlTH A FEW MOMENTS BEFORE.
n NO PERSON HERE • I NO TA L K TO SOME LADY , n TA HAW US ST AMMER ED I N
HIS ALARM, FOR HE WAS THOROUGHLY AROUSED AND FEAR HAD FULL CONTROL
OF HIS TREMBLING FORM. IT MAY NOT BE GENERALLY KNOVN, BUT IT IS A
FAC~, THAT WHEN AN INDIAN 15 ALARMED HE GOES DOWN AS MUCH LOWER
IN UTTER WEAKNESS, BELOW THE USUAL WEAKNESS OF WHITE MEN, ·AS HIS
BRAVERY IS MARKED FOR HEROISM AT TIM£S, ABOVE -USUAL EXHIBITION OF
WHITE MEN.
n-0 I D YOU NOT HAVE A SQUABBLE I N TH I S ROOM W j TH SOME ONE? n DEMAN O
E: D .;THE OF f l CE R •
"ME NO SQUABBLE. ME NOT HAVE ANY ONE HERE."
nYEs, BUT YOU WERE HEARD TO TALK AND FROM WHAT WAS GATHERED OF
. THE CONVERSATION AND NOISE IT WAS CONCLUDED YOU WERE MURDERING SOME
WOMAN IN HERE.n
.TAHAWUS, BY THlS TIME, BEGAN TO GET CONTROL or HIS SCATTERED
WITS, REALIZING THAT HE MUST MAKE NO BLUNDERS IN ANSWERING "THE
0FflCER 1 S QUESTIONS• -11-
"MR. HENERSON WAS COMING TO YOUR ROOM TO SEE YOU ON BUSINESS
AND HEARD YOUR CONVERSATION ANO CONCLUDED, BY THE NOISE, HE HAO
BETTER CALL THE POLICE. Now, IF YOU CAN SATISFY us THAT IHERE WAS
NOTHING WRONG, I WILL RELEASE YOU, OTHERWISE I SHALL TAKE YOU TO
THE STATION HOUSE."
"ME BE GLAD TO SEE MR. HENDERSON." THAT GENTLEMAN_, NOT BEING
FAR AWAY, WAS CALLED IN. TAKING TAHAWUS BY THE SHOULDER HE LED HIM
INTO AN ADJOINING CLOSET.
"OH! MR·• HENDERSON," BEGAN THE I ND I AN, 11 WHAT FOR YOU MAKE ME so MUCH TROUBLE? You KNOW I BEEN SCARED IN THAT COURT LAST NIGHT.
I GO HOME, EAT BIG SUPPER, SAT DOWN TO REMEMBER WHAT I DO ALL MY
LlfE, I WENT SLEEP., HAD AWFUL DREAM BECAUSE I BEEN so SCARED IN THE
JAlL. fELL ON FLOOR; JUMPED UP AND F_AlL ONE MORE TIME• MAY BE, SUR,
SPEAK. WHEN I WAKE I BEEN SURE I BEEN HAVING BAD DREAMS AND MAKE
A NOISE ON THE FLOOR. SURE I .LI VE THAT BE ALL I DONE .. OH! MR·.
HENDERSON, YOU TEL~ 1 EM I NO DONE BAO THINGS. I NO LIKE GO TO JAIL
ONCE MORE. ME GO QUICK ANO SHOW YOU THE Aoo-lRON-DACK, AND ME NO
MORE SEE ALBANY."
THE INTERVIEW ENDED IN ARRANGEMtNTS, AGREEMENTS AND PLEDGES FROM
THE RED MAN, TO THE SATJSFACTION OF HlS PRETENDED FRIEND, WHEREBY
THEY WERE TO LEAVE ALBANY THE NEXT MONDAY MORNING FOR THE FIRST TRIP
EVER PLANNED FOR A VISIT TO THE ADDIRONDACK.
WHEN HENDERSON AND TAHAWUS EMERGED FROM THE CLOSET, THE OFFICER,
WITH SEVERAL OTHERS, WERE QUIETLY SEATED AWAJTING THEIR RETURN.
"MR. SHANON," BEGAN MR. HENDERSON, "I GUESS THERE IS NOTHING
WRONG. MY FRIEND HERE, HAD BEEN HAVING A LITTLE SPREE LAST NIGHT
AND GOT INTO THE LOCK-UP. HE ONLY MADE Hrs ESCAPE ABOUT NIGHT-FALL
AND, AFTER EATING A HEARTY SUPPER, RETIRED TO HIS ROOM TO REFLECT ON
THE PAST AND CALCULATE FOR THE FUTURE. Nor HAVING HAD MUCH SLEEP -12-
LAST NIGHT HE DROPPED OFF INTO THE LANO OF DREAMS, FELL OUT OF Hrs
CHAIR, JUMPED UP AND FELL AGAINST THE WALL, AND AS HE WAS DREAMING
OF FORMER SCENES HE PROBABLY TALKED IN HIS SLEEP. THIS HE SAYS &s·
TRUE AND AS WE FIND NO TRACE OF ANY THING MORE, I AM Of THE BELIEF
THAT I T I S Al L • n
THE INDIAN WAS RELEASED. THE OFFICER BADE HIM "Gooo NIGHT" AND
0 NC E MORE TA HAW US WAS ALONE·• H IS NERVES HAD BE.EN STRUNG UP TO SUCH
A TENSION THAT HE FELT NATURE GIVING AWAY~ THROWING Off HIS CLOTHES
HE WENT TO BED AND WAS SOON ASiEEP. WHEN HE AWOKE IN THE MORNING IT
SEEMED AS THOUGH HE HAD BEEN ON A LONG JOURNEY AND HE HARDLY KNEW
WHERE HE WAS, ON ARlSING, HOWEVER, HE WAS SOON IMPRESSED WlTH THE
REALITIES OY THE PAST TWO DAYS ANO NIGHTS. A NEW IDEA CAME CREEPING
OVER HIM LtTTLE BY LITTLE. ALL THE FORENOON HE FELT DISINCLINE-D TO
GO OUT UPON THE STREET AND WHEN THE THOUGHT OF GETTING A DRINK
CROSSED HIS MJND IT CAUSED HIM TO SHUDDER AND FILLED HJM WITH A
FEELING Of REVENGE AKIN TO THOSE THAT HAO DRIVEN HIM FROM HIS OWN
PEOPLE. THIS WAS NOW NEW FEELING. TAHAWUS HAO ALWAYS BEEN TROUBLED
WITH A·S~l~li OF RETALIATION. IT HAO BEEN HIS FIRST IMPULSE WHEN
OTHER-SOURCES OF REDRESS SEEMED TO BE CLOSED.
THIS NEW lDEA OF HIS WAS GAINING GROUND AND EVERY VIEWING MADE
IT STRONGER AND FIXED IT DEEPER IN HIS MIND UNTIL FINALLY IT WAS
MATUR_ED.
THE RECORDS WOULD HAVE READ THUS:
"THE THREE SCOTTS ARE NOT MY FRIENDS. THEY TOO SMART FOR ME.
BIG FOOL. ME NO GOOD, ME DRINK WHISKEY. ME COME RICH, ME TELL ALL
THEM WHITE MEN WHAT ME KNOWS~ THEY FOLL ME, GtT ME DRUNK, PUT ME IN
JAtL., GET IRON ON ME AND MAKE ME PROMISE TO SHOW TH"EM Aoo-lRON-DACK
BEFORE THEY G&VE ME BlG MO~EY. ME NOT GET BIG MONEY. THEY -GET MY/ -13-
Aoo-lRON-DACK THEN ME CAN GO TAKE CARE POOR INDIAN."
THE IDEA OF BEING DECIEVED ONCE FIXED IN TAHAWUS 1 MIND, HE BEGAN
TO PLAN REVENGE. FIRST HE DECIDED MOT TO GO ON THE PROJECTED TRIP
UNTIL AFTER THE ORAW!NG, WHICH WAS .ONLY A FEW DAYS LATER AND IN
CASE HE DID NOT GET HIS BIG MONEY HE SHOULD BE PREPARED TO GET EVEN
WITH THEM.
HIS PLANS BEING NOW ALL MADE, TAHAWUS ONCE MORE MADE HIS WAY
TO THE STREET~ HE DID NOT GO TO THE sAiooN, AS HE HAD DETERMINED NOT
TO DRINK ANOTHER BlT OF ANYTHING THAT WOULD UNFIT HIM FOR CARRYING
OUT HlS PLANS OR THAT WOULD AGAIN PUT HlM IN THE POWER OF HIS
ENEMIES, AS HE NOW REGARDED THESE MEN•
HE WANTED TO SEE HENDERSON BUT HAD DECIDED NOT TO CALL ON HIM
AT HlS HOME. HE PASSED EVERY PLACE WHERE HE MIGHT EXPECT TO SEE HIM,
GOING ON DOWN TO THE RIVER. HERE HE WATCHED THE BOATS AWHILE, BUT
• T I R I N G O F T HA T R E T RA C E D H 1 S S TE PS 0 Wii E N O P P-O S l T E T KE C O RN E R O.F ST A T E
AND SOUTH·PEARLSTREETS HE MET MACINTYRE.
"WHY, FRIEND TAHAWUS, WHERE ARE YOU GOING?" WERE HIS FIRST WORDS.
"OH! ME GO HOME. ME WANT TO SEE YOU. ME PRO~lSE HENDERSON ME GO SHOW
HlM tHE BIG MOUNTAIN IRON NEXT ~EEK. ME NO CAN GO~ ME GOT NO MONEY.
ME SHOW HIM IRON-DACK, THEN ME GO SEE MY FADER. ME WANT MONEY • 11
"0 H ! N EVER M I ND ABO U T MON E Y • HENDERSON ·w I L L L END YOU AL L THE
MONEY YOU WANT AND WHEN YOU COME BACK YOU CAN PAY HIM WITH THE MONEY
YOU GET."
THE INDIAN DEMURRED AND GAVE AS HIS REASON THAT IN ALL PROBABILITY
HE WOULD WANT TO STAY, THEREFORE HE THOUGHT IT BEST TO WAIT UNTIL
AFTER DRAWING BEFORE GOING.
"8 UT YOU KNOW , 11 SA I D THE SCOT C HM AN , " I T I S NOW RATHE R LATE AN 0
IF ANOTHER WEEK 1S LOST IT WlLL BE TOO COLD TO GO AT ALL THIS fALL·
AND SOMETHING MIGHT- HAPPEN THAT YOU COULD NOT GO IN THE SPRING,." -14-
THIS LAST REMARK OF THE WHITE MAN 1 S ONLY STRENGTHENED TAHAWUS 1
DETERMINATION AND HE REPLIED,
"You CAN GIVE ME BIG MON£Y NOW. THEN ME READY. ME GO QUICK."
"0Ht NO. I COULD NOT DO THAT. YOUR TICKET IS NOT SURE TO DRAW
BIG MONEY."
"ME NO SURE GO SHOW BIG MOUNTAIN,T00._11
THE MEN SEPARATED, EACH HAVING HlS OWN THOUGHTS, EACH TO PLAN
HOW TO GAIN THEIR POINT. THE INDIAN, SET IN HIS PURPOSES, COULD NOT
BE BEAT. THE WHlTE MEN HELD A COUNCIL THAT EVENING ANO THE RESULT
MAY BE GATHERED FROM WHAT TRANSPIRED NEXT MORNING.
A MESSENGER WAITED IN THE HALL FOR TAHAWUS, As SOON AS HE MADE
HIS APPEARANCE HE WAS NOTIFIED THAT MR. MACINTYRE AND HIS FRIENDS
WISHED HIM TO COME TO THEIR OFFICE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AND THAT
UNLESS THEY SAW HIM IN A FEW MOMENTS HE WOULD AGAlN BE ARRESTED.
TAHAWUS 1 TERROR fOR ARRESTS HAO BECOME TERRIBLE AND HE AT ONCE
FOLLOWED THE MESSENGER AND FOUND BOTH GENTLEMEN WAITING FOR HIM. As·
SOON AS HE ARRIVED THEY TOOK HIM INTO A PRIVATE ROOM~ WHAT TRANSPIRED
THERE IS A SECRET BUT WHAT FOLLOWED IS NOT. THE INDIAN WAS KEPT CLOSE
AND NEXT MORNING BOTH MACINTYRE AND HENDERSON, IN COMPANY WITH
TAHAWUS, HAD LEFT THE CITY. TAHAWUS ESPECIALLY FELT THANKFUL THAT
HE HAD ESCAPED BEYOND THE REACH OF OFFICERS, WHILE THE OTHER MEN
FELT ELATED WITH THE SUCCESS OF THE SCHEME-PLANNED THE NIGHT BEFORE.
THE fJRST PAUSE WAS AT CEDAR POINT ON LAKE CHAMPLAIN~ THERE WAS
NO RAILROAD THEN, THEIR PASSAGE TO WHITE HALL WAS BY CANAL AND BY
STEAM BOAT TO THE ABOVE NAMED PLACE. FROM CEDAR POINT A ROAD HAD BEEN
~UT OUT AND PARTLY WORKED TO-WARD THE WEST~ ACROSS TO THE SCHROON
RIVER, WHERE WAS A SMALL RUN. To REACH THE RUN A TEAM HAD TO BE
OBTAINEDa·TEAMS WERE SCARCE AND MEN SCARCER WHO COULD BE INDUCED TO
UNDERTAKE THE JOURNEY AND WHEN AT LAST THEY FOUND AN IRISHMAN, ~y THE -15-
NAME Of McDONALD, WHO CONSENTED TO GO, A BIG PRICE WAS PUT UPON
THE WORK. Bur NECESSARY THINGS MUST BE HAD AND AT LAST TWENTY DOLLARS
WAS AGREED UPON AS THE PRICE.
ON THE SECOND DAY AFTER LEAVING ALBANY, IN THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER,
1826, ~HE FIRST PARTY STARTED FOR THE ADDIRONDACK. THE RIG, LIKE MANY
Of THE SUCCEEDING ONES, WAS A PRIMITIVE AFFAIR_• THE ROAD LED THROUGH
WHAT WAS KNOWN AS THE WEST MORIAL WOODS TO SCHROON RIVER, WHERE WAS
A SMALL SETTLEMENT KNOWN AS NIAGRA MILLS. A SM.ALL INN KEPT BY HARMON
WEATHERHE0 AFFORDED THE PARTY SHELTER AND FOOD FOR THE NIGHT~
IT WAS NIGHT, THE SUN HAD HlD HIS FACE BEHIND THE WESTERN HILLS
LONG BEFORE THE OLD TEAM, NEARLY WORN our, HAD DRAWN INTO PORT. THE
WAGON WAS BROKEN AND THE MEN TIRED AND GLAD TO FIND THE INN~ THE
LANDLORD LAUGHED OUTRIGHT WHEN HE LEARNED THE MlSSION OF HIS _GUESTS.
"FINDING ORE IN THAT BJG WILDERNESS,rr SAID HE, "1s LIKE LOOKING
FOR A NEEDLE IN A HAY STACK• ANO SHOULD YOU FIND AN ORE BED OF WHAT
VALUE WOULD IT BE? THE BEST THING FOR YOU TO DO IS.RETURN IN THE
MORNING WITH THE TEAM THAT BROUGHT YOU OYER."
Bur THE EXPLORERS WERE NOT TO BE TURKE0 ASIDE FROM THEIR PURPOSE.
IN THE MORNING THE TEAM RETURNED ANO THE DAY WAS .SPENT IN GETTING
READY FOR THEIR JOURNEY. OUR SCOTCH HEROES OBTAINED CLOTH WtTH WHICH
TO MAKE PACKS. BREAD WAS BAKED, DOUGHNUTS, COOKIES, DRIED VENISON ETC.
BEING AMONG THE THINGS SUPPLIED. AT LAST EVERYTHING BEING READY IT
WAS DECIDED BY THE HOST THAT THEY NEEDED ~N0THER MAN TO HELP CARRY
THE SUPPLIES, BLANKETS, GUNS ANO AN AX, ANO AN OLD TRAPPER, BY THE
NAME Of COVIL, FINALLY CONSENTED TO GO. THERE WAS NOTHING NOW TO DO.
THE PARTY RET·lRED FOR THE NIGHT. COVIL WAS ON HAND EARLY NEXT MORNING.
HE WAS AN EARLY RISER, A BRIGHT MAN, WELL ACQUAINTED WITH THE
WILDERNESS AND LIKE THE HOST DID NOT·BELIEVE IN ORE BEDS, MUCH LESS
IN MOUNTAINS Of ORE. IN A SHORT TIME ALL WAS BUSTLE AND NOISE. -16-
IT WAS THE flRST TRIP TO THE ADIRONDACK. How LITTLE OUR PARTY
THOUGHT THEY WERE INAUGERATING A NEW INDUSTRY Of SUCH PROPORTIONS.
SIX 0 1 CLOCK FOUND EVERY MAN WITH HIS PACK ON AND EVERY THING
ARRANGED.
THE ORDER OF MARCH BEGAN. THE INDIAN FIRST, MACINTYRE ANO
HENDERSON NEXT, WHILE COVIL BROUGHT UP THE REAR. THEY FOLLOWED
WHAT WAS THEN NOT AN OLD ROAD, THOUGH NOT A VERY GOOD ONE, CALLEO
THE CEDAR POINT ROAD, TO DEER POND, WHERE, EVEN AT THAT EARLY DAY,
LIVED A MR~ DAVID JOHNSON, WHO WAS SOMEWHAT Of A HERMIT, AND A
GENIUS OF SOME NOTE, WHO ALWAYS PLIED HIS GUESTS WITH QUESTIONS
AS TO THEIR BELIEF tN THE BIBLEo
HERE OUR PARTY SPENT THE NIGHT AND IN THE MORNING PASSED ON
THEIR WAY, THAT DAY THEY FOLLOWED THE SAME ROAD TO THE STREAM
BELOW LAKE SANDFORD. HERE COVIL KNEW OF A SHANTY WHERE THEY
CONCLUDED TO SPEND THE NIGHT. THEY ·sooN KINDLED A FIRE, ON WHICH
THEY COOKED TROUT, CAUGHT IN THE NEARBY STREAM. THE NIGHT PASSED
WITHOUT ACCIDENT. THE ONLY THING THAT AROUSED THEM FROM THEIR
PEACEFUL SLUMBER WAS THE HOOTING Of AN OLD OWL. THE OLD FELLOW,
SEEING THE FIRE GETTING LOW, CONCLU.DED TO WAKE UP THE SLEEPERS,
WHICH HE DID MOST.EFFECTUALLY. Hts flRSt WHoo-0-0-0 BROUGHT THE
TWO ALBANY GENTLEMEN TO A PERPENDICULAR POSITION IN A HURRY, IT
BEING THE FIRST INTRODUCTION THEY EVtR HAD TO MR. OWL. THEY WERE
TERRIBLY FRIGHTENED AND HAO THE G0lDES BEEN .. READY TO FEIGN FRIGHT
TOO A PANIC WOULD HAVE BEEN THE RESULT. Bur WHEN THEY SAW THEM ON
THEIR FEET THEY ROARED ALOUD. AND MRD OWL DROPPED OFF HIS PERCH
AND FLEW AWAY. QUIET BEING RESTORED THEY NOW FELL ASLEEP AGAIN
ANO THE NEXT ciLL WAS COVIL 1 S CALL TO GET UP. BREAKFAST OVER, THEIR
PACKS READY, AGAIN THEY STARTED. THE LINE Of MARCH WAS NOW INTO AN
UNTRAVELLED, WILD REGION, WHERE NO TRACE OF MAN COULD BE FOUND. -17- llTTLE WAS SAlD. THE INDIAN LEO THE WAY. WHAT THOUGHTS WERE
PASSING THROUGH THE MJNDS Of EACH WERE ONLY KNOWN TO THEMSELVES.
TAHAWUS SEEMED SULLEN AND ONLY SPOKE WHEN SPOKEN TO AND HAD HARDLY
SMILED SINCE LEAVING CAMP.
NEAR NOON, AS THE PARTY WERE DESCENDING INTO A VALLEY,TAHAWUS
MOTIONED A HALT, UNLIM~ERED HIS RlflE AND CRAWLING ABOUT FORTY
FEET, FIRED AT SOME OBJECT, UNSEEN BY THE OTHERS. BUT AS SOON AS
HE SHOT A NICE BUCK PLUNGED Off AT RIG~T ANGLES, OUT Of SIGHT.
''Now YOU GO DOWN TO THE RIVER," SAID TAHAWUS, "MAKE A FfRE,
ME BRING BUCK, ME HAVE VENISON FOR DINNER.n AND HANDING HIS RIFLE
TO ONE Of THE MEN Off HE STARTED. THE OTHERS ALSO STARTED AND
PROCEEDING LESS THAN A FOURTH OF A MILE THEY CAME TO A STREAM.
THE INDIAN SOON RETURNED DRAGGING HIS GAME. A HAM WAS SOON SKINNED
AND SOME Of IT BROILING OVER THE FIRE. OUR ALBANY FRIENDS HAD
NEVER SEEN SUCH COOKING AND CONFESSED THEY HAD NEVER TASTED SUCH
VENISON OR EATEN SUCH A MEAL WITH SUCH RELISH.
TAHAWUS HERE INFORMED HIS PARTY THAT THERE WAS A LAKE A LITTLE
WAY UP THE RIVER AND AT THE UPPER END OF THE LAKE WAS THE MOUNTAIN.
WHEN ALL HAD GORGED THEMSELVES TO THEIR UTMOST,PREPARATIONS
WERE MADE TO MOVE ONWARD. COVIL SUGGESTED THAT IT MIGHT BE WELL
TO TAKE ALONG A QUARTER OF THE sue~, WHICH THEY DID.
HALF AN HOUR'S TRAVELING BROUGHT THEM TO THE OUTLET OF A
BEAUTIFUL SHEET OF WATER. TAHAWUS LED THE WAY ON THE LEFT HAND SI-DE,
F0LL0WfNG THE SHORE SOME DISTANCE, BETWEEN THE WATER AND VEGITATION,
UNTIL. THE LAKE BECAME VERY NARROW, WHERE A POINT·WITH A SANDY SHOAL
EXTENDED NEARLY ACROSS THE LAKE. As THERE WAS NO NAME KNOWN FOR THE
LAKE MACINTYRE SUGGESTED THAT THEY CALL IT SANO-FORD AND SAID. "LET
US CROSS IT HERE." -18-
AFTER THE PARTY HAD CROSSED IN SAFTY HENDERSON EXCLAIMED:
"BULLY, MAC, THAT'S AN APPROPIATE NAME. LAKE SANDFORD."
"THAT IS VERY APPROPIATE~" REMARKED THE OTHERS, "MAKE ANOTHER
NOTE IN YOUR DIARY_.n
AFTER A FEW MOMENTS REST THEY STARTED ON. HERE TAHAWUS LEfT
THE LAKE, TAKING AN EASTERLY COURSE. ABOUT FOUR 0 1 CLOCK ANOTHER
STREAM WAS REACHED .. FOLLOWING THIS FOR ABOUT THREE QUARTERS Of A
MILE HE ORDERED A HALT.
"THIS GOOD PLACE CAMPj PLENTY WOOD, LOTS TROUT. ME GO ON.
COME BACK BY BY."
. . THE MEN TOOK Off THEIR LUGGAGE, AS SUGGESTED. IN A SHORT TIME
THEY FOUND THE INDIAN HAD OLSAPPEARED. No ONE SAW HIM GO OR KNEW
WHICH WAY HE WENTo
MR ... Cov IL, BE I NG A HUNTER, KNEW WHAT TO DO TO PREPARE FOR CAMP I NG.
THE OTHER MEN HELPED WHAT THEY COULD. 8Y SUNDOWN THEY HAO A COM
FORTABLE CAMP ERECTED, A GOOD FIRE STAR.TED AND COVIL, TAKING HIS
FISH LINE,WENT TO THE RIVER TO CATCH A FEW TROUT, ~HILE THE OTHER
TWO PREPARED SUPPER. Bur AS DARKNESS CLOSED IN ABOUT THEM THERE WAS
AN UNEASY FEELING STOLE OVER THEM, AS THE INDIAN DlD NOT RETURN.
THEY AT FIRST TRIED TO CONCEAL THEIR FEELINGS. ~UT AS TIME PASS-
ED COVIL OBSERVED THAT SOMETHING WAS TROUBLING THEM SO HE SAID:
"010 YOU EXPECT THE INDIAN TO STAY ALL NIGHT?"
"OF COURSE NOT," WAS THEIR INSTANT REPLY.
"HAVE YOU H l RED H JM TO LEAD YOU TO THE I I RON MOUNTAIN I AS HE
CALLS l T?"
"Nor EXACTLY. WE HAVE HIS PROMISE; BASED ON A CERTAIN CONTING
ENT CONSIDERATION AND I AM AFRAID HE IS NOT ENTIRELY SATISFIED. HE
HAS ACTED STRANGELY EVER SINCE WE STARTED AND, TO TELL THE TRUTH,
WE FEAR HE IS NOT ALL RIGHT. HE HAS NOTHING WITH HIM TO EAT, THAT -19-
WE KNOW OF, AND WITH THE SINGLE POSSIBLILITY OF HIS GETTING
LOST, I SEE NO REASON WHY HE DOES NOT RETURN. 11
"WELL, GENTLEMEN, YOU DO NOT SUPPOSE HE WOULD MURDER US HERE,
DO you?"
11 WE HAVE HAD THE FULLEST CONFIDENCE IN THE FELLOW UNTIL NOW,
BUT, REMARKED HENDERSON, "I CONFESS TO A fEAR THAT l DID NOT
SUPPOSE I POSSESSED. Now, THAT I REMEMBER IT, HE SAID SOMETHING
THE LAST NIGHT OR TWO BEFORE WE LEFT ALBANY ABOUT HIS BEING IN
OUR POWER ANO THAT IT MIGHT NOT ALWAYS BE SO. AT ALL EVENTS, I
SEE NOW, WE ARE IN HIS POWER. THE CAUSE OF HIS STRANGE CONDUCT
IS NOW EXPLAINED. FOR ONE, AM IMPRESSED THAT MY DEAD BODY
WILL BE CARRlE.D OUT Of tHESE wooos."
"NONSENSE," INTERRUPTED HlS COMPANION, "oo NOT GIVE WAY TO
SUCH FEELINGS. TAHAWUS HAS NOT LOST FAITH IN THE SUCCESS OF HIS
LOTTERY TICKET YET."
A PAUSE ENSUED. THE TWO COMPANIONS WERE LOOKING OVER THE PAST
IN ORDER TO ARRIVE AT THE REAL SITUATION OF THE PRESENT WHILE
COVIL BEGAN TO SUSPECT THAT THE INDIAN HAD BEEN DECEIVEDo
"IT IS NO NEW THING," THOUGHT HE, 11 AND IT IS NOT A NEW THING
FOR INDIANS TO GET EVEN WITH SUCH MEN. IF I HAD KNOWN WHAT I DO
NOW I WOULD NOT BE HERE. Bur I HAVE DONE HIM NO HARM," HE THOUGHT,
"HE WILL NOT HURT ME.rt
IT WAS FINALLY AGREED THAT ONE SHOULD WATCH WHILE THE OTHERS
TRIED TO $LEEP. THE WATCH WAS A VIGILANT ONE. EVERY SOUND WAS
NOTICED, BUT THE WEARY NIGHT PASSED WITHOUT EVENT. DAY BROKE
CLEAR AND PLEASANT WITHOUT A CLOUD IN THE BLUE HEAVENS.
AFTER A GENERAL CONVERSATION AS TO THE SUPPOSED INTENTIONS OF
THE INDIAN, THEY DECIDED TO GO FISHING. THE TWO SCOTTS WENT UP THE
STREAM WHILE COVIL WENT DOWN, AGREEING TO MEET AT CAMP PROMPTLY AT -20-
EIGHT 0 1 CLOCK. GOING UP THE STREAM A SHORT DISTANCE THEY CAME~TQ~
RAPIDS, WITH A FALL OF EIGHT OR TEN FEET, UNDER WHICH WERE PLENTY
OF TROUT. ENOUGH WERE CAUGHT IN A FEW MOMENTS FOR PRESENT USE AND
IT WAS NOT YET SEVEN 0 1 CLOCK.
"LET US LEAVE THE FISH AND POLES HERE WHILE WE GO ON UP THE
STREAM. PERHAPS WE MAY LEARN SOMETHING AND FIND SOME TRACE OF
TAHAWUS."
CLIMBING UP THE BANK THEY SAW WHERE TAHAWUS HAD EVIDENTLY PRE
CEDED THEM THE NIGHT BEFORE. FOLLOWING THESE TRACES THEY CONCLUDED
HE HAD GONE TO THE RIVER. Ar THE HEAD OF THE FALLS HE HAD EITHER
CROSSED ON THE LEDGE, WHICH RAN ACROSS THE STREAM, OR HAD GONE OFF
IN A BOAT. THERE WERE, INDEED, tNOICATiONS.OF CONSIDERABLE STEPP
ING HAilNG BEEN DONE AT THE SHORE. GOING UP THE -STREAM A SHORT
DISTANCE, HOWEVER, CONVINCED THEM THAT HE HAO NOT GONE UP VERY
FAR IN THE BOAT, If INDEED HE HAD .ONE. COMING BACK TO THE FALLS
THEY WENT OVER ON THE ROCK BED, WHICH WAS ONLY A FEW INCHES UNDER
WATER. ON THE OTHER BANK WAS A PILE OF STONES, EVIDENTLY PILED
THERE YEARS BEFORE. AN EXAMINATION OF THIS PILE SATISFIED THE .MEN
THAT lT WAS.NOT STONE BUT IRON ORE.
"WE L L MA C I N T YR E , 11 SA I O H I S C OM PA N I O N , · n I f' T HA T I S O R E T H I S
BED ACROSS THE RIVER IS ALSO ORE."
THEY WERE SO INTERESTED IN THIS THAT THEY FORGOT THAT TIME
WAS FLYING, UNTIL THE REPORT OF A GUN REMlNDED-THEM THAT IT WAS
TlME TO RETURN TO CAMPo ON ARRIVING THERE THEY FOUND COVIL HAD
BREAKFAST READY. HE ALSO HAD A GOOD STRING OF TROUT AND HAD KILLED
A PARTRIDGE. THAT WAS THE TIME THEY HAO BEEN AROUSED BY THE REPORT
AND HAD STARTED fOR CAMP.
"WE L.L G E N T L EM E N , A N Y T RA C E O f TA HA WU S T H l S MO R N I NG? n .
THINK WE SAW WHERE HE CROSSED THE STREAM A SHORT -21-
DISTANCE UP AND THAT lS NOT ALL WE FOUND EITHER," OBSERVED ONE OF
THE MEN. "THERE IS PLENTY OF IRON ORE IN THIS SECTION. WE HAVE. FOUND A NATURAL DAM OR FALLS OF PURE ORE.~
"WELL DONE. THINK YOU WILL BUILD A FORGE THIS FALL, GENTS?"
"THOSE L I TTL E FALLS WOULD BE A CAP I TA L S I TE FOR A F.U RN ACE AND
11 FORGE TOO,'' OBSERVED HENDERSON; PROV I OED THERE IS AN APPROPRIATE
PLACE ABOVE FOR DAMS FOR RESERVOIRS. AFTER WE HAVE HAO OUR BREAK
FAST WE CAN STROLL UP STREAM UNTIL NEARLY NOON. PERHAPS WE MAY
FIND TAHAWUS. IT IS .EVIDENT HE HAS BEEN HERE BEFORE AND DO NOT
DOUBT BUT THAT HE HAS A CAMP NOT VERY FAR FROM HERE. Bur WHAT CAN
HE GET TO .EAT IS WHAT CAN NOT UNDERSTAND~"
ABOUT·N&NE O 1 CLOCK THE THREE MEN, GUN lN HAND, LED BY COVIL,
AFTER CROSSING THE FALLS, AS IN THE MORNING, FOLLOWED UP THE
STREAM ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE. THEY HAD GONE BUT A SHORT DISTANCE
WHEN THEY CAME UPON A TRAIL THAT WAS -EASILY FOLLOWED.
"HERE YOUR MAN HAS GONE. HE HAS .COME OUT OF THE STREAM HERE
ANO GONE OFF IN THI~ DIRECTION," SAID COVIL, POINTING PARTLY AT
R lGHT ANGLES, IN RATHER AN EASTERLY COURSE. "GUESS THE FELLOW HAS
A CANOE, OR SOME KIND OF A BOAT. 11
"THE FELLOW IS AT HOME HERE, "REMARKED HCNDERSON, "ONLY I CAN'T
UNDERSTAND WHAT HE EATS."
THERE BEING NO DIFFICULTY IN FOLLOWl~G TH~ TRAIL THEY CONCLUDED
TO SEE WHERE IT LED "TO. THE OPENING WAS SOON SEEN AHEAD, WHICH
CONVINCED THEM THAT ANOTHER LAKE WAS .NEAR.
"YES," COVIL REMARKED, 11 HERE IS A NICE LAKE."
THERE WAS NOT THE LEAST DOUBT BUT THAT TAHAWUS HAD GONE OFF
FROM THE SHORE IN A CANOE. WALKING ALONG THE SHORE, TO A POINT LESS
THAN A QUARTER OF A MlLE FROM WHERE THEY FIRST STRUCK THE LAKE, THEY
HAD A VERY GOOD VIEW OF IT, AND THE SCENERY ON .THE OPPOSITE SIDE. -22-
AWAY ACROSS, WHAT APPEARED TO BE THE HEAD Of THE LAKE, WAS MARSH
AND VALLEY, WHICH AT THE HEAD Of THE VALLEY WAS A NOTCH IN THE
MOUNTAIN, THE LEFT HANO SIDE RISING PERPENDICULAR SEVERAL HUNDRED
FEED ANO ON THE RIGHT HAND SI DE WAS. A BIG MOUNTAIN, THOUGH NOT
DlfFERING FROM MANY OTHERS IN THAT REGION.
IT WAS NEAR NOON A'ND THE MEN WERE THlNKlNG ABOUT RETURNING
WH E N CO V I L S U G GEST E D T HA T T HE . LA l<.E H_A,D BE T T E R B E NAM E D .•
"WELL, HENDERSON, IT IS YOUR T-U_RN.THl$.TlME," SAID MACINTYRE ..
"You NAME IT AND. I WILL NOTE IT DOWN lN THE DAYS DOlNGs."
11 "LAKE SALLY," SAID H·ENDER_SON. 8Y JOVE, OLD FELLOW, Y0U 1 LL HAVE
THE OLD LADY UP HERE SURE AS FATE IF-YOU NA"E A LAKE AFTER HER,"WAS
MACINTYRE 1 S LACONIC REPLY.
ON THE WAY TO CAMP ALL SORTS OF SURMISES WERE lNOULGED IN.
WHAT COULD TAKAWUS BE DOING? WHAT COULD BE THE OBJECT? WITH MANY
OTHER WHYS AND WHERE~ORES. THEIR .CAMP WA.S f9UND UNDISTURBED AND
AFTER EAJIN& TH£1.R .DIKNER ANOTHER TRIP TO LAKe.SALLY WAS PLAKNED.
TH IS T fME THEY fOLLOWE.D THE STREAM .UP, AN.D TAK lNG THE RIGHT HAND
SIDE FOLLOWED THE SOUTH SHORE Of THE LAKE THE SAME o,sTANCE TO A .. . POINT FROM WHICH THE WKOLE LAKE COULD BE SEEN.
11 "WHAT A BEAUTlrUL SHEET OF WATER, SAID MACINTYRE.
"TH.ERE," SAID COVIL, POINTING ·TO THE HEAD Of THE LAKE,"1s WHERE
YOUR j ND I AN l S • SEE THAT SMOKE?"
"Y o-u . A RE R I G H T , C O V I L , I GU E S S T. H A T t S . T H E S P O T , n SA I D O N E O F
THE ME.N •·
"l-tow LONG WOU(D IT TAKE us TO .TRAVEL AROUNO THERE?n ASKED HENDER~
SON a
"I Do~· 1 r BELIEVE I WOULD UNDERTAKE IT TONIGHT," WAS COVIL 1 S
QUICK REPLY. "You MIGHT NOT LIKE TO TAKE SUPPER WlTH HIM. BESIDES WE
CO UL 0 NOT GET THERE BY LAND BEFORE DARK, AND SURELY WE CO UL 0 N'O T f I ND -23-
IT THEN."
BOTH MEN DECLARED THAT IN THE MORNING THEY WOULD START EARLY,
TAKING MOST OF THEIR LUGGAGE, AND, IF POSSIBLE, FIND HIM AND LEARN
WHAT HE WAS ABOUT.RETRACING THEIR STEPS THEY WERE SOON AT THE FOOT
Of THE LAKE. FROM THERE THEY STARTED TOWARDS THE TRAIL THAT LED TO
THE LAKE ANO FOLLOWED IT BACK TO THE FALLS. THEN HAVING SOME TIME
TO SPARE, THEY SPENT ABOUT AN HOUR IN LOOKING FOR ORE. To THE
NORTH or THE FALis A RlOGE OF THE METAL CROPPED OUT FOR SOME DISTANCE•
E V_E RY TH I NG I ND I CATE D ORE l N ABUNDANCE • Go I NG BACK TO THE R l VER
HENDERSON STOOD AS IF CONTEMPLATING SOME GREAT THING.
''A PENNY -FOR YOUR THOUGHTS," SA ID MAC fNTYRE.
"$ERIOUSLYJ I ·wAS JUST THINKtNG," SAID HENDERSON, "WHAT A GOOD
SITE FOR A FURNACE THAT WOULD BE. A DAM AT THE OUTLET OF THE LAKE
WQ.ULD G.IVE WATER ENOUGH FOR RUNNING PURPOSES," AND WALKING OUT TO
A LlTTL£ Rl~E JUST NORTH OF THE RAPIDS HE SAID!
"SEE HER.E MACK. WHAT A CAPITAL PLACE THIS WOULD BE TO START
FROM TO GET_ VP INTO THE TOP HOUSE OF A FURNACE. ANO OUT THERE WOULD
BE A GOOD PLACE FOR COAL KILNS. AND DOWN THERE ALONG THE RIVER ON
THAT PLAT WOULD BE -THE PLACE FOR A ROW OF HOUSES."
MACINTYRE LAUGHED OUTRIGHT.
rt WH A T A R E YO U -L A UG H I NG A T ? " A S K E D H E N D E R S O N •
ffl D0~1 T THINK YOU HAD BETTER BUlLO THE FURNACE THIS TIME,
HENDERSON•"·
"WELL, JUST AS YOU SAY," HE REPLlED.
JUST THEN THE REPORT Of A RIFLE IN THE DIRECTION OF CAMP
BROUGHT THEM TO THEIR SENSES.
"W HA T DOES TH A T M EA N? YO U DON '· T SU P PO S E TH A T TA HAW US J S A T CAM P ,
DO vou?" GASPED MACINTYRE. -24-
"REALLY MACK, I DO NOT KNOW WHAT TO THINK. HONESTLY FEEL THAT
SOMETHING IS GOING TO HAPPEN TO ME UP HERE."
HEARING NOTHfNG MORE THEY WALKED CAUTIOUSLY FORWARD, TAKING
CARE TO APPROACH CAMP FROM A NEW DIRECTION SO THAT THEY MIGHT
EVADE TAHAWUS, IF HE SHOULD BE THE ONE WHO FIRED THE GUN, AND
WAS WA I T I NG F O R T H EM , AS . T H E Y f E.A R E D M I G H T B E T HE C AS E • 8 U T THE I R
FEARS CAME TO AN END AS SOON AS.THEY CAME IN SIGHT Of CAMP. COVIL
WAS BUILDING A FIRE AND NEARBY LAY A LARGE HEDGEROG THAT HE HAD
~HO.;[. NEITHER Of THE SCOTTS KN.EW WH.AT IT WAS• 0N.E OF THEM WENT TO
P I CK I T UP BUT LET I T DROP AS Q U IC K AS H£ COULD AFT.ER G.E TT I NG H IS
HAND FULL oi QUlLLS. COVIL LAUGHED H.EARTILY AT THIS.
HAVING SEEN, WHAT THEY CONCLUDED MUST BE_ SMOKE. ~ROM .THE
INDIAN 1 S FIRE, OUR TRIO CONCLUDE.D T.HAT THAT THERE WAS NO CAUSE
FOR FEARING THAT HE MIGHT MOLEST THEM THAT NIGHT. AFTER ~UCH TALK,
EACH ADVANCING HIS OWN THEORY, UNTIL A LATE HOUR, ~HEY RETIRED.
NOTHING OF EVENT OCCURING, THE MORNING FOUND THEM STILL SLEEPING.
COVIL, RISING TO REBUILD THE FIRE HEARD A STICK BREAK A SHORT
DISTANCE UP STREAM. STEPPING BACK HE TOOK OP HlS RIFLE AND PEERED
CAUTIOUSLY IN THE DIRECTION OF THE NOISE. f·N AN INSTANT.TAHAWUS
WA L K E D l N T O C AM P • SU R P R I S E S OO N P AS S E D I N T O WE L C OM E , H E S E E M l N.G
AS PLEASED AS THE REST OF THE PARTY.
"Gooo MERCY, TAHAWUS, WH.ERE HAVE YOU BI:EN'?" SAID MACINTYRE,
n I ·wAS AfRA ID YOU WERE LOST OR SOME BIG PA~H"ER HAD CAUGHT YOU.".
"O, ME HOME ALL RlGHT. COME BACK TO SAOW YOU BIG MOUNTAIN."
"Gooo FELLOW," SHOUTED BOTH MEN. '\,JHERE IS 'YOUR HOME,TAHAWUS?"
"0, ME NO TELL SOMEBODY. WHITE MEN NO LIKE MY HOME. No INDIANS
EVER SEE IT. NOBODY EVER SEE IT. -25-
THE MEN AND THE INDlAN TALKED UNTIL COVIL TOLD THEM THAT
BREAKFAST WAS READY. THE INDIAN ATE AS HUNGRY MEN OF THE FOREST DO
AFTER A FAST FOR A DAY OR TWO. EVIDENTLY HE HAD BUT LITTLE TO EAT
WHILE ABSENT. No MENTION WAS MADE OR QUESTIONS ASKED AS TO THE
' REASON FOR HIS ABSENCE.
AFTER ALL HAD EATEN THEIR FILL TAHAWUS SIGNIFIED HIS WILLING
NESS TO $HOW THEM THE MOUNTAIN IN ~UCHA BLAND WAY TttAT BOTH MEN f E L .T D l S I NC L l NE D TO GO , E ~ P E C I .A L L Y WH E N TA HAW US SA l D CO V I L C O.U L D
REMA IN BEHIND, CATCH TROUT ANO GET .DINNER REAO.Y F.OR .TH.EM WHEN THEY
SHOULD COME BACK.
HEN.DER SON SA I D , n NO , WE W I LL ALL G.O TOGETHER . SO I f ANY TH I NG
OCCURS WE W.l LL HAVE HELP. n
HENDERSON 1 S ~EPLY TOUCKED THE INDIAN AND THE 1NDIAN 1 S APPEARANCE
AROUSED SUSPICION TO THE OTHERS. EVEN COVIL WAS AWARE Of SOME PLOT.
HE INSTlNCTlVELY DREW TO WHERE HIS RIFLE WAS AND· PUT HlMSELf INTO
POSITION TO COVER THE INDIAN If HE SHOULD A~TEMPT A.NY V-.IO~ENCE.
TAHAWUS' EYES FLASHED AS HE TURNED FIERCE UPON MACINTYRE AND HIS
COMPANION •.
"You FRAID OF INDIAN. WHY YOU FRAID OF INDIAN? WHY -YOU .WATCH
ALL NIGHT? ME NO DONE YOU BAD THlNG. ME KNOW WHY YOU F~A-ID OF
INDlAN. You GET INDIAN DRUNK, YOU TELL INDIAN HE BIG MAN, SOME DAY
HE BE RlCH. You FOOL POOR INDIAN AND HE TELL YOU ABOUT ADD-IRON-DACK.
You MAK~ HIM PROMISE GD S~DW YOU ALL WHERE HE BE. WHEN INDIAN NO
DRUNK HL KNO~ YOU FOOL POOR INDIAN. THEN YOU GET HIM DRUNK, LOCK
HIM UP,,'MAKE'HIM PROMISE SHOW YOU Aoo-1RON-DACK AND ME HAVE NO BIG
MONEY. ME FRAlD THEN, YOU-FRAID -THEN; ME FRAID NOW, YOU FRAID I NO
GET BIG MONEY ME NO SHOW YOU Aoo-1RON-DACK. Now ME FRAID ME SHOW
YOU ADD T I RON - DACK ME NO GET B I G. MONEY • YOU GOOD MANS • YOU GO T 0
CHURCH; YOU PRAY GOOD SPIRIT, YOU BEEN LEARNED IN BIG SCHOOL, ~OU
LIVE lN GRAND HOUSE, YOU MUCH BUSINESS. POOR INDIAN HE NO MUCH MAN -26-
IN ALBANY; YOU SAY "POLICE ARREST POOR INDIAN, OH NO, DON'T ARREST
POOR iNDIAN.n ME SHOW YOU ALL YOU WANT, ME NO WANT BIG MONEY.
POOR INDIAN SAY ANYTHING WHITE MAN WANT HIM. YAH, INDIAN FRAID IN
ALBANY. INDIAN NO FRAID HERE. Now WHAT FOR YOU FRAID? ME NO HURT
WHITE MAN. WHITE MAN TELL INDIAN SHALL GET TICKET SURE DRAW BIG
MONEY. TELL WHITE MAN ME WILL SHOW HIM BIG MOUNTAIN, ADD-IRON-DACK.
Now WHITE MAN GIVE ME WHAT HE TELL ME HE BE NO FRAID, ME SHOW YOU
Aoo-lRON-DACK. 11
HENDERSON HAD OFTEN ·LISTENED TO TAHAWUS WHEN MAKING SPEECkES
WHEN HE WAS UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF LIQUOR BUT THIS WAS HIS FIRST
SPEECH TO THEM THAT HAD ANY EFFECT. THEY FELT ALL ITS FORCE AND
THEY SAW THAT HE MEANT BUSINESS. FURTHER THEY SAW THAT IF THEY DID
NOT TREAT HIM AS THEIR EQUAL, GIVING WHAT HE FELT WAS RIGHT, THEY
COULD NOT TREAT WITH HIM AT ALL.
MACINTYRE WAS THE FIRST TO SPEAK,
"TAHAWUS, DID YOU NOT SAY YOU WOULD SHOW US THE IRON MOUNTAIN?
"YES, ME SAY THAT. MR. MACINTYRE, DID YOU PROMISE ME BIG MONEY?"
"I PROMISED YOU A TICKET, WHICH I TOLD YOU WOULD DRAW FIFTY
THOUSAND DOLLARS, IF l T DREW ANY TH I NG, AND I GAVE YOU THE TICKET. 11
"ME GOT HlM. FIRST YOU SAY HIM SURE TO GET BIG MONEY, ME BE
RICH MAN. AFTER, YOU SAY NO USE WAIT FOR HIM TO DRAW FOR HE NO SURE
DRAW BIG MONEY. PROMISE COME HERE, SHOW YOU AD0-1RON-DACK. ME
COME. ME NO SURE SHOW YOU IF YOU NO SURE TICKET DRAW MONEY. TAHAWUS
NO GO CHURCH, NO PRAY GOOD SPIRIT, NO GOT ANY SCHOOL, BUT TAHAWUS
DO ALL HE SAY, IF WHITE MAN DO WHAT HE SAY. WHITE MAN NO CAN CALL
POLICE, INDIAN NO FRAID. INDIAN NOT HURT WHITE MAN HERE. TAHAWUS
TALK ENOUGH, HE GO TO HIS HOME, WHITE MAN CAN GO TO ALBANY, ME NO
MEET ONCE MORE." -27-
THERE WAS NO DOUBT BUT THAT THE SITUATION WAS CHANGED; THAT
MEN, SO DIFFERENTLY SITUATED IN SOCIAL LIFE, WERE CERTAINLY IN A
PLACE WHERE NO ADVANTAGE COULD BE TAKEN, THERE BEING NO POWER THAT
COULD BE LAID HOLD OF fOR THE TIME BEING, COMPETENT OR MATERIAL.
THE TWO MEN WITHDREW BY THEMSELVES TO HOLD CONSULTATION WHILE
CO V l L AN D TA HAW US W E R E .. A S K E D TO R EM A 1 N I N C AM P UN T I L TH E I R R E TU R N •
THEY WALKED UP TO THE RAPIDS, CROSSED OVER _TO WHERE HENDEBSON STOOD
WHEN HE CALL,ED MACINTYRE THE EVENING BEFORE. WHEN ~EATED,HENDERSON
B E GAN B Y S.A Y J NG ..
"THERE lS NO MYSTERY NOW IN RE~ARD .TO TAHAWUS 1 CONDUCT, IS
THERE?
"I SHOULD SAY NOT," SAID HIS COMPANIO~, "I FEEL B£TTER NOW
THAN· I HAVE fOR TWO DAYS."
nYEs," REPl. IED HENDERSON, "WE KNOW WHERE WE ARE NOW· AND I CAN
SEE THAT ONE OF TWO THINGS MUST BE DONE .. TAHAWUS MUST BE ASSURED
Of HIS FIFTY T~OUSANO DOLLARS OR WE. ~ MUS.T. GIVE UP THE MATTER. THE
FIFTY THOUSAND IS.TOO BIG A PRICE AND I DISLl~E VERY MUCH TO GIVE
THE MATTER UP," WAS THE REPLY fROM MACINTYRE.
"Now·suPPOSE THAT WE TRY TO MAKE A NEW ·BARGAIN WITH THE FELLO~",
$UGGESTED HENDERSO~. "LET US PAY HIM WELL FOR WHAT HE HAS DONE IN
COMING HERE AND aET HIM TO CONSENT THAT WE DO OUR OWN PROSPECTING
AND, .lF HE LIKES, HIRE HIM TO HELP US.TO ANO FROM HERE WHENEVER WE
CHOOSE TO COME.n
nY"ES, OR GIVE H&M A LESS ~UM, If HE WILL TAKE IT, AND LET HIM
SHOW US ALL HE KNOWS OF ORE AROUND HERE~n
ON THEIR ARRIVAL AT CAMP THEY FOUND COVIL AND TAHAWUS TALKING
CALMLY AND BOTH WERE AS COOL AS IF NOTHING HAO OCCURED TO DISTURB
OR MAR THE PEACE OF THE CAMP. TA HAW US SPOKE, AS, THEY DREW ~EAR,
"You BEEN lN SALOON. HA,HA,HA. ME NO GOT SOME FIRE WATER, -28-
HA,HA,HA. "
THEN HENDERSON SAID TO HIM,
nOO YOU WANT A DRINK, TAHAWUS?"
"YAH, ME LIKE DRINK,"
HENDERSON LOOKED AT MACINTYRE, WHO SHOOK HlS HEAD. COVIL THEN
WISHED HE HAO A DRINK.
"I RATHER THINK WE WOULD ALL TAKE A LITTLE, IF WE HAD IT,
"REMARKED MACINTYRE.
"WELL, TAHAWUS, WHAT ARE YOU GOING T6 oo?" ~RE YOU GOING TO
SHOW US THE lRON MOUNTAIN THIS MORNING?" ASKED ONE OF THE MEN.
"YAH,· YOU GIVE ME BIG MONEY, AS YOU ~AV~ ME DO JUST ME SAY."
"WE H.AVE. NOT GOT THE MONEY HERE.., TAH_AWU~. WHEN YOU GO_ BACK TO
ALBANY NO DOUBT YOUR MONEY W&LL BE READY FOR YOU. NEXT MONDAY THE
DRAW I NG I 5 _TI> "BE,.- $·H"OW US -T"HE ORt: BEl> TODAY AND 10MORROSW WE CAN
START OUT. T-0-oAY 7S SUNDAY 50 WE WILL STAY fN CAMP. TOMORROW, THE
VERY DAY YOUR T"ICKET WllL DRAW, WE WlLL GET THE TIRST SIGHT OF THE
BIG IRON MOlTNTAIN. THEN WE WILL GO HOME. NEXT SUMMER WE WILL COME
UP HERE AGAI~ ANO IF THE ORE IS GOOD WE WILL CONSTRUCT A ROAD TO
THE MINE. WE· ARE RUNNING AS MUCH RISK AS YOU ARE. THE ORE MAY NOT
B E GO OD A ND S HOU L D I T B E E V E R SO G. 0 0 D T H E R E I S A GR EA T R I S K TO fl UN
IN TRYING TO WORK IT. WE ARE AS LIKELY TO LOOSE ALL WE PUT INTO IT
AS WE ARE TO SUCCC:ED. So YOU SEE WE ARE RU'NN ING-·"MORE RISK THAN YOU
ARE. You CAN NO LOOSE BECAUSE YOU HAVE NOT~ING ~o LOOSE. You ARE
NOT S·ELLING :\JS THE ORE BED, IT IS NOT YOURS. You ONLY TELL us WHERE
IT IS. WHEN ~E SEE IT AND DECrDE WHETHER IS IS VALUABLE TREN WE MUST
B U Y T H E L A N D , : W·H I C H M A Y C O S T A L A R G E S U M • TH E N C OM E S T HE R I S K I N
SUCCEED I NG ,~ .THE ·aus I NESS. Now TAHAWUS, I w 'LL TELL ·you WHAT WE
WILL oo. You GIVE us BACK THE TICKET AND WE WILL PAY YOU THE SAME
WAGES FOR COMING HERE THAT WE PAY MR. COVIL. WE WILL PAY ALL YOUR -29-
E X P E NS E S UN r r L Y01J G E T B A C K TO A L BA N Y • A ND I f WE C OM E HE R E I N
THE SPRING YOU SHALL COME UNDER THE SAME ARRANGEMENTS. You SHOW us
ALL YOU KNOW IN REGARD TO THE ORE AND If IT IS GOOD AND WE OPERATE
IT WE WILL TAKE CARE OF YOU AS LONG AS YOU LIVE OR ~HOOSE TO STAY w I TH us. How IS "THAT, OLD BOY?n
BEFORE THE INDlAN HAD TIME TO ANSWER COVIL SAID,"THAT 1 S FAIR,
TAHAWUS, THA1 1 S FAIR. BY JOVE, i 1 D TAKE 1 £M UP ON THAT QUICKER THAN
COULD SNAP AN OLD GUN."
TA HA WU S , F O R T H E F I R S T T I ME I N H I S L l F E , HA D B E E N Pl. A C E D I N A
POSlTION WHERE HIS MIND WAS UNABLE TO COPE WITH INTRICATE AFFAIRS
OF MORE THAN COMMON MOMENT. HIS FACE GREW GRAVE, THE DETERMINED,
HAD LINES OF RIGl~NESS SEEMED TO BE SOFTENINGa SEVERAL MOMENTS
PASSED WITHOUT ANY WORDS BE"f~ SA Io-. AT LENGTH TAHAWUS SPOKE.
"WHITE MAN'S WORDS SEEM GOOD~ You GIVE INDIAN GOOD OFFER. ME
NOW GO TO MY HOME. TOMORROW ME COME BACK, ME ANSWE~ YIHITE MAN.n
TAHAWUS AROSE TO GO. HENDERSON OFFERED HIM SOME BREAD AND OTHER
ARTICLES Of FOOD, WHICH TAHAWUS TOOK WITH APPARENT SATISFACTION.
NOTH I NG MORE WAS SEEN OF HIM lYNT IL MONDAY MORN l NG.
AFTER HIS DEPARTURE THE TWO ME'N WENT OUT BY THEMSE.LVES. IT IS
~OT KNOWN WHAT THEY SAID BUT NO DOUBT THEY CONFESSED THE INDIAN 1 S
ABILITY TO PUT TH£M IN A CORNER, IT BEING EVIDENT THAT HE HAD TURNED
THE TABLES MOST EfFEC1UALLY. T~EY F~LT THE REBUKE MOST KEENLY.
"I WISH WE HAD BEEN ALONE," SAIO HENDERSON. "THAT MAN COVIL_,
THOUGH UNLEARNED LIKE THE INDIAN, IS A SHREWD OBSERVER OT PASSING
EVENTS AND READS CHARACTER REAUILY. HOWEVER THE THING GOES NOW. WE
ARE HUMBLED AND ARE COMPELLED ~O COME TO TAHAWUS 1 TERMS. WHAT DO YOU
THINK HE WILL DO, MACK?"
rr I CAN NOT IM AG IN E AND I N FACT CARE VERY L ITT l E, n MAC INT YR E REPLIED. "As FOR MYSELF, WOULD RATHER CONTINUE JHE BUSINESS i AM
IN, WHILE I LIVE, ONLY I 1 D RATHER MY BOYS WOULD GET INTO ANOTHER
PLACE. BESIDES, THERE IS DANGER OF A LAW BEING PASSED PROHIBITf~G
LOTTERIES. You ARE YOUNG, HENDERSON, AND HAVE THE VIGOR AND PLUCK
I NECESSARY TO LEAD SUCH AN ENTERPRISE AS THIS SEEMS TO OFFER~ AND l
HAVE NO DOUBT THAT YOU WOULD MAKE I~ A SUCCESS. UNLESS HE IS TOO
UNREASONABLE WE HAD BETTER TRY AND MAKE SOME KIND OF AN AGREEMENT
WITH HIM AND KEEP ON THE GOOD SIDE Of HIM~ BECAUSE HE IS DANGEROUS
AS AN ENEMY. IN THE MORNING WHEN HE COMES BACK YOU TAKE HIM TO ONE
SIDE, AS YOU CAN HANDLE HIM A GREAT DEAL.BETTER ALONE THAN IN
COMPANY, AND IF HE DOES NOT DO AS YOU THINK HE OUGHT WE WILL LET
HIM GO. IN THAT CASE WE CAN BRING UP AN EXPERT NEXT SPRING AND
11 EXPLORE FOR OURSELVES. THE ORE IS NEAR HERE.
·GOING TO CAMP IN THE AFTERNOON THEY FOUND IT DESERTED. TOWARDS
NIGHT COVIL CAME IN WITH TROUT FOR1HEIR SUPPER, SAYING,
"IT WOULD BE A PITY TO SPOIL THE FISHING IN AN UNSUCCESSFUL
ATTEMPT TO MAKE IRON HERE. BUT, GENTLEMEN, THERE IS A GREAT DEAL Of
ORE AROUND HERE. I SHOULD NOT GIVE MUCH TO BE SHOWN MORE ORE AT
PRESENT THAN I ALREADY SEE HERE. Bur, FOR PITY'S SAKE MEN, HOW
WOULD YOU EVER GET IRON OUT OF HERE.
"WELL. , CAN NOT SAY," ANSWERED HENDERSON, "WE HAVE NOT COME
TO THAT YET. I AM QUITE WELL SATISFIED THAT THER.E IS PLENTY Of
GOOD ORE HERE AND IF IT WERE NOT FOR THE REASON THAT TAHAWUS MIGHT
BE TROUBLESOME,WE COULD LET HIM GO. Bur FROM WHAT HE HAS SHOWN IT
WOULD NOT BE SAFE TO JILT HIM AND UNDERTAKE TO OPERATE HERE. IF WE
HAD HIM IN ALBANY WE COULD HANDLE HIM, HERE IT IS DIFFERENT."
THE NIGHT PASSED AS THE OTHERS, WITH ONE EXCEPTION. THE HEDGE
HOG'S FRIENDS, WHILE SEARCHING FOR THEIR MISSING ONE, STROLLED INTO
CAMP. THE TERROR STRICKEN SCOTTS CALLED FOR HELP. COVIL FOUND' A CLUB, -31-
WHICH HE USED TO REPEL THE FOE, AND KILLED TWO HEDGEHOGS ANO
THOUGHT ANOTHER ONE ESCAPED. IN THE MORNING MACINTYRE DECLARED
THAT DEATH WAS PREFERABLE TO SUCH A SCARE, PROVIDED IT CAME
SUDDENLY.
' I N T H E MO R N I NG· TAHA WU S ~ ~ S . 0 N HA ND A ND B R EA K FAS T E O W I T H T HE
OTHERS. THE CONVERSATION TURNED UPON GAME, LARGE AND SMALL, LAKES,
STREAMS,F1SH AND OTHE~ MINOR SUBJECTS. SOON AFTER BREAKFAST
HENDERSON ASKED TAHAWUS TO GO OUT WITH HIM. THE INDlAN REFUSED,
WI TH THE ~EMARK,
n ME f R9' 1 D- _• I ND l_ A_ N WA N T N O MO R E L O N E T A L K • I N O l A N R E A O Y T O L I S T E N
WHEN WHlrt: MAN TALK ALL GETHER .. "
TA HAW US WAS St A T ED _O.N .A L O G NO T FA R F ROM T HE F I R E I N f RON T ·o f
T H E C A M P • H E"'"N O ~ R SO N St O O D B E T W E E N H J M A N D T H E f I R E , FA C I N G T H E
1-N D I AN •
"WE_LL,.TAHAWUS, HOW MUCH SHALL WE GIVE YOU? LET US DECIDE THIS
AND DROP THIS ~ATTER JUST WHERE WE ARE."
"ME TA«E ·FIFTY DOLLARS. ME NEVER GO BACK TO ALBANY AND YOU
NEVER .COME BAC« ~ERE ONCE MORE."
"WELL, AND ~ow MUC~ WILL YOU TAKE IF YOU CAN GO WHERE YOU PLEASE
AND WE GO WHER£ :~E PL£ASE? You SHALL NOT DO us ANY HARM ANO WE WILL
NOT DO YGU ANY HARM."
"No, N'O. ME NO LIKE THAT TALK MUCH WELL. WHITE MAN SPOIL MY
HUNTING GROUND EVERY TIME HE COMES HERE. ME NO CAN HURT YOU COME
TO ALBANY."
11 WHAT THEN WILL YOU TAKE FOR YOUR HUNTING GROUND AND YOU GO AWAY
AND NEVER COME BACK AGAIN?"
11 ME WANT BIG MONEY YOU SAY FIRST TICKET WAS GOING TO DRAW."
"THAT. IS TOO MUCH," WAS HENDERSON'S QUICK ANSWER. "Now I SEE
THERE IS NO· USE SPEND I NG Tl ME HERE. I WI LL MAKE TWO OFFERS AND YOU -32-
CAN ACCEPT ONE OR REJECT BOTH, AS YOU LIKE. I RENEW THE OFFER MADE
YESTERDAY, GIVE ·us .THE LOTTERY TICKET AND WE WILL PAY YOU THE SAME
WAGES THAT WE DO COVIL FOR THIS TRIP AND If WE EVER COME BACK HERE
WE WILL EMPLOY YOU AND PAY YOU THE SAME AS WE DO OTHERS. ANO If WE
OPEN UP THIS ORE WE WILL EMPLOY YOU ANO PAY YOU GOOD WAGES AS LONG
AS YOU A~E ABLE TO WORK ANO THEN TAKE CARE OF YOU AFTERWARDS AS
LONG AS YOU L"IVE~-OR WE WILL GIVE YOU ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS, AS SOON
AS WE GET BACK TO ALBANY, If YOU WlLL SHOW US A MOUNTAIN OF ORE AND
THE ORE 1S ANY GOOD."
TA HA WUS · B E G_A N . T O B R E A K U P P I EC E S 0 F S T l C KS U N""T l L H E HA D F I F T Y •
TH ES E H E P LAC ED ON A LO G , I N A ROW • TH E N ST RA I G H, EN r NG U P H E SA I. D ;
"TICKET BIG MONEY, ALL THEM FOR Aoo-1RoN-OACK. Now ONE LlTTLE
MONEY ALL POOR INDIAN GET."
"WE L L , SU P PO S E YOU S HOW US . T H E 0 R E A N D K E E P Y'O UR T ·1 C K E T , AS WE
TALKED Of AT FlRST, AND lf IT DRAWS THE BIG MONEY YOU WILL BE RICH.n
THE lNDIAN, TURNING, LOOKED THEM BOTH lN THE ~ACE ~HILE HE ASKED
THEM IF THEY WOULD PROMISE THAT THE TICKET WOULD BE SUCCESSFUL. THEN
THEY SAID "No, YOU MUST TAKE .YOUR CHANCE."
TAHAWUS DIVIDED THE STICKS INTO TWO PILES THE~, SAYING,
"GIVE ME HALF YOU SAY TICKET DRAW? 11
.BY THIS TIME IT WAS EVIDENT THAT THE INDIAN w~s TRYING TO BRING
THE WHITE MEN TO TERMS. HE WAS NOW TRYING TO GET THE MEN TO
GUARANTEE THE SUCCESS Of THE TICKET ANO WAS READY TO FULFILL HIS
PART Of THE ORlGINAL CONTRACT, AS HE UNDERSTOOD IT • . 11 SEE HERE, TAHAWUS," HENDERSON WENT ON, "oo YOU EXPECT us TO
PAY YOU FIFTY THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR NOTHING? You DO NOT OWN A FOOT
OF THIS LANO OR A POUND Of THIS .ORE. IF YOU Wll~ GIVE US A GOOD TITLE
TO THIS TOWNSHIP Of LAND WE WILL GUARENTEE THE TICKET DO DRAW FIFTY
THOUSAND DOLLARS OR, If IT DOES NOT, WE WILL PAY THAT SUM FOR T~E TOWNSHIPo -33-
TAHAWUS, YOU ARE TOO SENSIBLE A MAN NOT TO SEE THAT YOU ARE
PUTTING TOO HIGH A VALUE UPON THE SIMPLE CIRCUMSTANCE or DISCOVERY.
Now, IF YOU ARE TO MAKE 8 I G MONEY, AS YOU TERM IT, GO AND PURCHASE
THE TOWNSHIP. THEN YOU WILL BE IN SHAPE TO TALK TO MEN OF ·CAPITAL.
WE CONSIDER THE TlCKET WORTH AS MUCH AS YOU·R KNOWLEDGE Of THE ORE.
THE R E MA y· B E NO VA LU E · 1 N E I T H E R A N D .. T H E R E MA Y P OS S 1 ~ L E B Y VA L U E
IN BOTH. THAT REMAINS .TO BE SEEN."
THIS LAST TALK SEEMED TO HAY: OPENED. TAH~WUS .EYES TO BUSINESS,
SOMEWHAT. HE SAW HE. WAS, IN FACT, GIVING NOTH7NG, AND IT MlG.HT BE,
AS HE HAD BEEN AWARE, HE SHOULD G.£T NOTHIN.G. FROM .THE TICK.ET. So
TAKING THE STICKS HE THREW THEM I~ THE F_LRE, PULlED OUT HIS.LOTTERY
TlCKET AND THREW THAT. IN THE FIRE ALSO.·. .
"THEN I HAYE NO UNDERSTAND .• ME GET SAME PAY YOU GIVE MR~COVIL
You LET ME GO NEXT SPRING WHEN YOU COME HERE AND PAY ~E SAME AS HE
GET, ALL ME WANT• ME .NOT GOT SOME BIG MOUNTAIN, ME .ONl.. Y SHOW YOU
WHERE HE BE. WHITE MEN BUY BIG MOUNTAIN, LARGE LAND, DIG UP ORE,
MAKE BI.G MONEY. THEN HE TAKE CARE POOR IND1AN, Y~U BE POOR INDIAN 1 S
FRlEND.n
"THAT'S RIGHT," REPLIED BOTH MEN AS .THEY STEPPED FORWARD AND
SHOOK TAHAWUS 1 HAND HEARTILY. TAHAWUS HIMSEtF WAS .MUCH MOVED. COVIL,
T O O ., PA R TOO K O F T H E G E N E RA L GOO D f E E L l N G , AS . H E SA I D ,
"Now YOU ARE COM l NG AROUND ALL RIGHT. I FEEL BETl"ER •· TAHAWUS,
YOU HAVE DONE RIGHT~ I BELIEVE THAT YOU ARE AN HnNEST MAN, FOR AS
SOON AS YOU UNDERSfOOD THE SITUATION YOU DID NOT HESITATE TO ACT AT
ONCE. Now ALL SIT DOWN AND HAVE A FRIENDLY CHAT WHILE I GET DINNER
AND THEN WE WILL ALL TAKE A LOOK AT THE IRO'N MOUNTAIN.
AFTER DJNNER, AS AGREEABLE A PARTY AS Ev-ER SET OFF FOR A STROLL
IN THE WOODS, LEFT CAMP AND SAW WHAT THEY COULD Of THE ORIGINAL ORE
BED, AND HE CONVINCED THE GENTLEMEN THAT HE HAD NOT OVER-ESTIMATED -34-
THE TRUE WORTH Of THE Aoo-1RON-OACK.
ABOUT FOUR 0 1 CLOCK IN THE AFTERNOON HENDERSON CALLED A HALT.
WHEN ALL WERE SEATED HE REMARKED.
"I AM PERFECTLY SATISFIED THERE IS ENDLESS QUANTITIES Of ORE
HERE AND If WE CAN BUY THIS TOWNSHtP THERE.WILL BE A FORGE HERE
WITHIN TWO YEARS .. THE LOCATION WILL BE AT THE FALLS .OR -IRON DAM
ANO WE SHALL ORGANIZE A COMPANY TO WORK IT, CALLEO THE ADDIRONOACK
IRON COMPANY, THUS MAKING BUT ONE WORD Of TAHAWUS Aoo-JRON-OACK."
MACINTYRE LOOKED UP WITH A TWINKLE IN HIS EYE, AS.~E ASKED
HENDERSON,
rt SE E WE HA V E A N HOU R TO S PAR E HAD WE NO T B E_"T T"E R ·-c L £ A R Of F A
$POT TO SET THE FORGE?"
" I GU ES S , " SA Y S HEN D ER SON , ~'WE HAD B Ei TE R GE T TO CAMP THE
FIRST THING WE OO_an
To THIS THEY ALL AGREED. THERE WAS NO GLOOM IN .CAMP THAT NIGHT.
CONVERSATION RAN ON WELL lNTO THE NIGHT.
As SOON AS IT WAS LIGHT ENOUGH TO SEE, THE PARTY BROKE CAMP.
THEY REDUCED THEIR PACKS TO BARELY ENOUGH ~OR .DINNER, INTENDING TO
MAKE CLEAR POND BY NIGHT FALL. TAHAWUS TOO~ A NEARER ROUTE TO
STRIKE THE RIVER BELOW LAKE SANDFORD AND PASSED IN SIGHT Of ANOTHER
LAKE. SHORTLY A f TE R LE AV I NG THE STREAM ON WH I CH THEY HAD CAMPED ..
"THERE IS LAKE HENDERSON," REMARKED MACINTYRE.
"TA HAW US , I S T H E R E A NO T H E R L A K E A R O UN D H E R E ? 11 AS K E D H E NO E R S. 0 N •
"WHY?" ASKED MACINTYRE.
~0, I WANTED TO LEAVE YOUR NAME HERE SOME PLACE," WAS
HENDERSON'S REPLY ..
"NEVER MlND,"REPLIED MACINTYRE, 11 1 WILL CLIMB SOME OF THESE
MOUNTAINS NEXT SUMMER AND CUT MY NAME IN ONE Of THEM." -35-
THUS ENDED NEARLY ALL THE CONVERSATION THAT TOREN~ON. THE
DAYS WORK WAS A HARD ONE AND THERE WAS NO TIME FOR IDLING IF THEY
REACHED THE INN THAT NIGHT. IN PASSING WHERE THE DEER HAD BEEN
KILLED ON THEIR WAY lN, FRESH SIGNS OF BEAR WERE SEEN.
"WE KlLL HIM, LITTLE WHILE," MUTTERED~TAHAWUS.
"0, LET HIM GO, WE WILL GET HIM NEXT FALL,n SAID HENDERSON,
"WE WILL HAVE MORE TlME THEN AND PERHAPS l3ETTER ROAD."
TAHAWUS WAS SOMEWHAT LOTH TO TAKE THE ADVISE, HE WANTED THE
BEAR, BUT WAS PREVAILED ON TO LET HIM GO.
NOON FOUND THEM NEAR CLEAR POND, BUT IT WAS AGREED THAT THEY
HAD CARRIED THEIR DINNER ON THE OUTSIDE LONG E~0UGH. THE MATTER OF
BUILDlNG A FIRE AND BROILING A FEW TROUT WAS T~E WORK Of BUT A FEW
MOMENTS, AND THE JOURNEY WAS RESUMED WITH. THE ~E~ARK FROM ONE OF
THE PARTY THAT THE DINNER DID CARRY EASIER ON THE INSIDE ANO
WONDERED WHY SOME Of THEM DID NOT THINK OF THAT BEFORE.
AFTER A BRISK HOUR'S WALK CLEAR PONO WAS REACHED. HERE COVIL
TOOK THE PARTY A NEW ROUTE, DECLARING HE COULO SAVE AN HOUR 1 S TIME
T O MU D p O ND • T H E W I ND HA D B E E N B L OW I NG 'H AR D · :f-l EA R L Y "A L L DA Y ·A ~J D
SINCE NOON HAD INCREASED PERCEPTABLE AND THE SKY HAD BECOME OVERCAST
W \ T H C L O UD S • A F T E R L E A V I NG T H E P O ND T O T H E L E f T H E I N T E ND E'D T 0
MAKE A SOUTHEAST COURSE AND STRIKE THE STREAM OUT OF MUD POND SOME
HALF MILE BELOW THE POND. SOMEWHERE BETWEEN THE PONDS COVIL RAN
UPON A PARTY OF BEARS, AN OLD ONE AND TWO CUBS. HE SHOT AT THE OLD
ONE, SHE FELL, JUMPED µp AGAIN AND OFF SHE WENT, COVIL AND THE
INDIAN AFTER HER, WHILE THE OTHER TWO ME~ SAT DOWN TO REST AND
AWAIT THEIR RETURN. HALF AN HOUR PASSED WHEN ONE OF THEM SUGGESTED
THE POSSIBILITY Of THEIR NOT BEING ABLE TO FIND THEIR WAY BACK.
"WHAT CAN WE DO IN CASE THEY DO NOT RETURN? 11
"WE WOULD HAVE TO SIT HERE AND DIE, AS FAR AS HELP I NG 0U'RSELVES -36-
15 CONCERNED," REPLIED MACINTYRE.
"Nor LlKELY, I CAN GET OUT Of HERE, 11 SAID THE .OTHER, 11 BUT IT
WOULD TAKE PART Of ANOTHER DAY, GUESS. THERE, I HEARD A GUN, 11 AND
TAKING OUT HIS REVOLVER HENDERSON ANSWERED BY flRING TWICE. THEN
ANOTHER GUN.
11 THAT l S NE A R L Y I N T H E D I R EC T I ON W. E WERE G'O I NG , rt SA I D ON E OF
THE MEN, THEY CONCLUDED TO FOLLOW THE SOUND AND AFTER A FEW MOMENTS
F 'RED TWO M_0RE p I STOL SHors AND WERE PLC:ASED TO HEA.R THE OTHERS
ANSWER. THEY INCREASED THEIR SPEED ANO I~ .THEIR EXCITEMENT PAID
LlTTLE ATTENTl0N TO THE COURSE THEY WERE TRAVELING UNTIL THEY
CAME UP TO A LEDGE Of ROCK•
"MY ~OODNESS, MAN, WE CAN NEVER CLIMB THAT LEDGE," SAID
MACINTYRE lN SURPRISEA HENDERSON GOT OUT HIS PISTOL AND FIRED TWO
SHOTS AND TO THEIR UTTER ASTONISHMENT THEY HEARD-:THE REPORT Of TWO
GUNS DIREtTLY BEHIND THEM DOWN THE HILL.
"WHAT ON EA-RTH DOES .THAT MEAN?" ASKED MACINTYRE.
t~ I GU ES S T HAT MEA NS T HA T WE A R E . T U R N ED A RO UND , 0 R I N O T H E R
WORDS WE ARE LOST."
TURNING fAC£ ABOUT THEY SPED DOWN THE HILL AS FAST AS THEY
COULD, RESlSTlNG THE PROMPTINGS TO TURN AROUND, WHICH WAS SO STRONG
IN BOTH 0-f THEM 'AS TO MAKE IT IMPOSSIBLE TO KEEP lN A STRAIGHT
COURSE. THE RE~0RT OF ANOTHER GUN, HOWEVER, REASSURED THEM SOMEWHAT
AND AFTER ANSWERING AND RECEIVING A REPLY CONCLUDED TO PRESS ON
DOWN J.HE HJLL. A FEW MOMENTS LATER THEY WERE CHEERED BY HEARING
THE VOICE Of COVIL, WHO WAS ONLY ABOUT FORTY ROOS AWAY. SOON AFTER
THE PARTY MET ANO AFTER RESTING FOR A FEW MOMENTS RESUMED TH~lR
JOURNEY.
THE WINO HAD INCREASED, THICK CLOUDS COVERED THE SKY AND AFTER -37-
A HALF HOUR 1 S WALK IT BEGAN ~OGE~ DARK. COVIL HAD LENGTHENED HIS
STEP AND QUICKENED HIS PACE, TAHAWUS .CLOSE ON HIS HEELS. THE OTHER
MEN WERE FURTHER BEHIND, IN TACT WERt JUST IN SIGHT.
AT LAST ONE Of THEM CRIED OUT, "HOLD ON, I AM TIRED OUT AND
CAN'T KEEP UP."
"WELL, MY GOOD StRs," REPLIED COVIL, "wE MUST.MAKE THE ROAD
BEFORE DARK OR WE 1 LL HAVE NO SUPPER TONdGHT. AND I HAVE MY DOUBTS
AS TO WHETHER WE WILL BE ABLE .TO FOLLOW THE ROAD, AFTER DARK, EVEN
If WE SHOULD REACH IT. THERE IS A STORM OF SOME KIND UPON US ANO
FEAR IT WILL BE SNOW."
"How FAR DO YOU THINK THE ROAD IS FROM HERE?" ASKED ONE OF THE
MEN.
"PERHAPS A MILE."
"WELL, PUSH ON. WE WILL ~OAS LONG AS WE CAN," REMARKED ONE OF
THEM.
DARKNESS CLOSED IN FAST, GUSTS Of WIND SWAYED THE TREES AND
EVERY FEW MOMENTS TREES FELL ON EITHER SlOE OF THEM. THE s·ITUATION
WAS ANYTHING BU7 PLE~SANT. THE GUIDE ~USHED ON AND THE REST Of THE
PARTY FOLLOWED AS FAST AS THEY POSSIBLE COULD, UNTIL THE OLD MAN
MAClNTYRE, FELL HEAVILY, BRUISING H.lS ARM ANO FACE AND HENDERSON
CAL-LED OUT, 11 HOLO ON," ANO W.ENT BACK TO HIS COMPANION .. Bur COVIL
DID NOT STOP,. SAY ING TO THE I ND IAN AS HE HASTENED ON,
"Yau WAIT FOR YOUR FRIENDS AND I WILL GO ON TO THE ROAD AND
CALL YOU our."
TAHAWUS WENT BACK AND AFTER A SHORT REST THE PARTY PRESSED ON
AFTER COVIL WHO HAD SHOT OUT OF SIGHT LIKE A DEER ANO IN A SHORT
TIME REACHED THE ROAD AND WAITED FOR THEM. HE CALLED AND THEY
ANSWERED, THUS KEEPING UP THE SOUND THEY WERE ABLE TO KEEP THEIR
COURSE UNTIL THEY, TOO, R&ACHED THE ROAD AND STOOD BESIDE THE1R -38-
GUIDE, BUT tT HAD BECOME SO DARK THEY COULD SCARCELY SEE HIM.
nNow, GENTLEMEN," COVIL BEGAN, ttWE HAD. BETTER STOP HERE AND
WILL EXPLAIN THE SITUATION. FIRST, WE ARE IN TOTAL DARKNESS, ON A
TRAIL FOR A ROAD, AS MUCH AS SEVEN MILES fROM THE INN. How MANY OF
YOU CAN ·wALK THERE IN THIS DARKNESS TONIGHT?"
HENDERSON REPLIED BY ASKING, "WHAT ELSE ,s LEFT FOR us TO oo?
WE CAN NOT SIT HERE ALL NIGHT."
nVERY WELL. ABOUT A QUARTER OF A MILE BACK ON THIS ROAD IS A
HOL~ow, WlTH A LARGE ROCK FOR A DEFENSE AGAINST TREES BLOWING DOWN
ON US, WH£RE, JF WE,.GET A GOOD FIRE, WE CAN PASS THE NIGHT, WITHOUT
ANY SUPPE~." THE TIME CONSU~ED IN THIS CONVERSATlON HAO SOMEWHAT
RESTtD OUR lRON HUNTER AND THEY CONCLUDED THEY COULD MAK£ THE INN
BY NINE O'CLOCK SO AN ONWARD SLOW MARCH WAS ORDERED. COVIL WAS TO
LEAD, THE TWO GENTLEMEN TO FOLLOW NEXT AND TAHAWUS TO BRING UP
-THE REAR.
• IT WOULD BE UTTERLY IMPOSSIBLE TO DETAIL THE IN-CI DENTS Of THE
EVENING, BETWEEN STUMBLING, FALLING GETTING UP, RUNN1NG AGAINST
TREES, STONES AND ONE ANOTHER, CURSING AND USING EVERY CONCEIVALBL£
KlND OF EXPRESSION, AND RESTING SEVERAL TIMES, THE SCHROON RIVER
WAS FINALLY REACHED, THE WIND HAD GONE DOWN AND THE RAIN WAS NUW
FALLIN~. IN THE DARKNESS IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO CROSS THE RIVER
UNLESS THEY WADED WHERE lT WAS .NOT TOO DEEP AND SWIM, If NECESSARY.
IT WAS SUGGESTED TO SHOOT Off GUNS IN ORDER TO AROUSE THE INN-
KEEPER.
"NONSENSE, n SAID COVIL, ¥ YOU MIGHT AS WELL THlNK OF AROUSlNG
THE DEAD. THERE IS A LOG JUST ABOVE HERE," HE ADDED, "THAi RUNS
NEARLY HALF WAY ACROSS THE STREAM, PAST THE DEEP WATER. I AM GOING
TO WALK OUT ON THAT AND THEN WADE THE REST Of THE WAY AND IF YOU
CHOOSE TO FOLLOW ME YOU CAN. OR YOU CAN STAY HERE UNTIL I RETURN, -39-
IF YOU WOULD RATHER. 11 COVIL STARTED AND THE OTHERS FOLLOWED CLOSE
BEHIND.
COVIL FELT CAREFULLY ALONG THE BANK OF THE RIVER FOR SEVERAL
RODS, THEN STEPPED UP ~N THE ~RUNK Of A LATSON TREE AND WITH THE
HELP OF A STICK, WALKED OUT TO THE END or THE LOG, GAVE A JUMP AND
LANDED IN TWO FEET OF WATER. FROM THERE HE WADED ON TO THE BANK.
SUDDENLY HE HEARD SOMETHING SPLASH INTO THE WATER AND HE CALLED OUT
"WHAT 1 S THAT?"
"0 , ME. COME TOO , rt REPLIED TAHAWUS •. THEN ANOTHER SPLASH AND
MA C I N T Y R E C R l ED OU T , ny E S A ND I AM C OM I NG TOO • " AN D S T I L L A NO T H E R
SPLASH AND HENDERSON WAS IN THE WATER. Bur HE MADE NO REMARK ANDi
INSTEAD, WAS FLOUNDERING ABOUT IN THE WATER. TAHAWUS STEPPED IN
AND, TAK ING HIM BY THE COLLAR_, HELPED HIM ON. H lS .FEET. WHEN HE
FINALLY GOT HIS BREATH ffE SAfO, ME COME -Too," AT WHICH THEY ALL
HEARTIL¥ LAUGHED, AND IN A SHORT TIME HAD RESUMED THEIR JOURNEY
DOWN STREAM TO THE ROAD 0
A HEAVY SHOWER SET IN ABOUT THE TIME THEY CROSSED AND HAD IT 1 NOT BEEN THAT THE ROAD WAS CUT OUT THEY COULD NOT HAVE TOLD WHEN
THEY CAME TO IT. SUCH TOTAL DARKNESS IS SELDOM HEARD OF.
BETWEEN FEELING AND GUESSING THEY FOUND THEtR WAY TO THE INN,
AROUSED THE LANDLORD AND, SOON AFTER, THE ENTIRE FAMILY. IT WAS
NEARLY MIDNIGHT. IT IS USELESS TO DETAIL EARTHER THAN TO SAY THAT
AfTER A HEARTY MEAL ALL RETIRED TO GET A MUCH NEEDED SLEEP. WHILE
A TERRIBLE STORM WAS RAGING OUTSIDE, DEEP SLEEP HAD FALLEN ON THOSE
WITHIN. THE MORNlNG WAS WELL ADVANCED WHEN OUR ORE HUNTERS LOOKED
OUT UPON ITS WET, DREARY FACE AND AS THEY GAZED OUT EACH FELT IT
WAS GOOD TO BE UNDER SHELTER ANQ GLAD THEY HAD NOT CAMPED BESIDE
THE BIG ROCK. No EFFORT WAS MADE TO GET ON THAT DAY BUT THEY
DECIDED TO START ON THE NEXT MORNING_, AND PREPARATIONS WERE MADE -40-
ACCORDINGLY. THEY STARTED THE NEXT MORNlNG, AS INTENDED. THE DAY
WAS FAIR AND NlGHT FOUND THEM ON THE SHORE OF LAKE CHAMPLAlN AND ON
SATURDAY THEY. WERE SAILING TOWARDS ALBANY, WHICH THEY.REACHED IN THE·
EARLY.•PART OF THAT NIGHT SAFELY, HAVING BEEN ABSENT. TWO WEEKS.
AFTER A FEW DAYS R~ST, TAHAWUS, HAVING R.ECEIVED QUlTE A LlTTLE
SUM OF MONEY FOR HIS SERVICES, DISAPPEARED FROM VlEW, HE HAD
DEC 1- DE D NOT TO ST AY WHERE POL I CE MEN WERE SO PL ENT I FU L AND LOCK-UPS
SO NEAR BY. IN THE '1(EANT I ME OUR SCOTCHEN-. HAD FORMED A COMPANY FOR
THE-PURPOSE Of FlRST PURCHASING TttE TOWNSHIP UPON ~HlCH THE ORE
BED WAS rouGo AND SECONDLY.TO.OPEN IT UP AND, .Jf VALUABLE, TO
OPERATE lN THE _lRON .BUSlNESS. l T , WAS . F () lJ ND.,. THAT · THE ·.ST AT E OWNED
THE LAND AND.WERE READY.TO.SELL. -THE NEXT STEP.OF IMPORTANCE _WAS
TO GET A .RQAO AND, l F POSS J BLE, GET. HEb.P- FROM. THE STATE. TO. Bltl LO
l T-. _t· T . WAS . COMMON , I N . THO S E DAYS , . TO . BU~. LA-MO -A N D GE l . l-H E . S-T ATE
TO APPROPRlATE MONEY. TO CONSTRUCT ROADS.THERETO SO TKE-Y.HAD.NO
FEAR~ ON.THAT PQJNT.
Q N T H E 1 0 T H O A Y . 0 F A PR I l ,. i 83 7 , . TH E . C·O.M PAN~ . WAS F ORME D , UN D ER
THE. CORPORATE NAME OF "THE. ADD I RONDACK I Ro~· .COMPANY". ·tH Is COMPANY
WAS COM P OS E D O F A R C H I B A L D MA C I NT Y R E , . LU C t O tJ S ROB l NS ON . AND _0-A V I D
HE NO E R S ON , . A L L R ES I DE NTS .. 0 F A. L B AN Y • • T f;j E F I RS, T . 9 F T ti E F O L LOW l NG . MAY. \'
. THE STATE DEED FOR TQWNSHIPi27, TOTT€N AND CROSSFlELDS PURCHASE
w~s Fl LED JN THE OFFICE OF COMPTROLLER IN A(BANY, IN .FAVOR OF SAID
COMPANY, CONVEY l NG TO. THEM. THE SAID TOWNSH-1 P. AND. ALSO .SOME LANO
NORTH OF IT.
NOTHING MORE COULD aE DONE UNTtL SPRING AND OUR· NEW~(~ON
COMPANY-BENT ALL THEIR ENERGIES IN GATHERING FUNDS.FQR .USE.IN-THEIR
NEW ENTERPRISE. LJTTLE ~ID THEY THINK OF WHAf NOTORIETY THE WQRLD
ADDlRONDACK WAS DESTINED TO HAVE •. AND HAO THEY F9RESEEN.THE FUTURE -41-
OF THE COMPANY THE NAME NEVER .WOULD HAVE BEEN COINEOe 8UT IT WAS
COi NED. MUCH HI STORY HAS BEEN WRITTEN THEREON .ANO THEREOF o
THE FOLLOWING SPRING,_AFJER SECURlNG THE TITLE TO THlS LAND, A J
NEW PARTY WAS ORGANIZED TO VtSlT THE SCENE AND MAKE PREPARATIONS
FOR ACTlVE WORK .. t RON WAS H l GH AND MANY. PE,0PLE REALLY SUPPOSED- THE
' S U PP L Y W A S L I M I T E D ,. R A I L R O A D S W £ R t .C O -M l N G - I N T O N O T I C E A N O O UR
A DD l R ON D A C t<- I R O N C OM P A N Y B E L I E V E D T H E •I. R F OR T U N E L A Y l N I R 0 N OR E •.
I RON WAS WO R TH $ 80 o 00 . PE R TON o WOOD AND .1 RON WERE NEAR , THE ON l Y
DRAWBACK WAS A ROAD,0VER WHICH TO HAUL IT TO MARKET,.
ON MONDAY, MAY 1837f THE THREE MEMBERS OF THE IRON C0MPANYJ
AND TWO OTHER GENTLEMEN, ONE AN EX~ERT ON MINING ANO THE 0THE~_ONE
OF ALBANY, 1 S WEAL Tk:f, CIT l ZENS, .. WHO HAD. TAKEN THE. FEV~R IN THE FIRST
STAGE AND SHOULD HE FIND TH.lNGS AS REPRESENTED WAS READY TO BECOME
ONE OF THE COMPANY OR LOArt MONEY TO BE USED IN THE BUSINESSe
tT HAD BEEN ASCERTAINED THAT THERE WAS A SMALL SETTLEMENT ON
THE'ADJ0lNING TOWNSHIP, SOUTH OF THElR OWN.AND VERY.NEAR THE LINE.
A MAN BY THE NAME OF PENDL.ETON, WHO OWNED SOME LANDS ON THE WEST
BRANCH Of WHAT T~EY CALLED NORTH RIVE~, HAD ENTICED ABOUT A HALF
DOZEN FAMILIES TO SETTLE ON !To ALSO A MR~ NEWCOMB HAD GONE SOME
FOUR OR MORE Mi LES FURTHER NORTH AND MADE A LARGE CLEARING ON A
HARDWOOD RIDGE ABOUT A HALF A Mi LE FROM A PRETTY GOOD SIZED LAKE,
SITUATED ON THE BOUNDARY OF THE ! RON COMPANYl!S LAND~ TH\S LAKE
MRo NEWCOMB CALLED AFTER HIMSELF, AND !T HAS EVER BEEN KNOWN AS
NEWCOMB LAKE 0 WHEN THE TOWN WAS FINALLY ORGANIZED THERE WAS SOME
RIVALRY BETWEEN PENDLETON AND NEWCOMB !N REGARD TO THE NAMEo
FI NALLY THE LATTER WAS I MM 0~ T A·t I Z E.O -BY GETT & NG-· T H-E TOW~ C H1" J STE.NED ... -
"NEWCOMBon THE SETTLEMENT, HOWEVER~ WAS CALLED PENDLETON FOR MORE·
THAN A SCORE OF YEARS AFTER BUT WAS FINALLY GIVEN UP$ THE R0Ap, OR -42-
WHAT.WAS CALLED A 80AD~-WH1CH INDEED.WAS A POOR ONE, OVER WHICH TffE
FEOPLE HAD TO TRAVEL TO.GET TO THIS.SETTLEMENT, ENTERED THE FOREST
AT· Ml NERVA, WHICH LAY i N _A S9UTHE;AST D fRECT I ()N FROM NEWCOMB AND LAY
0 VER ~ 0 ME OF THE- H l G HES T . H 1 LL S . 1 N E 1 THE R T Q-W N. Ml NE RV A, AT THAT
TIME, WAS ONLY.A NEWLY SETTLED RURAL TOWN,-WJTHOUT EVEN.A STORE •
.1· T . wAs A B o·u T T wE NT y f l 'V E . M J L Es Aw A y . A N D Of T E N . TOOK T wO DA y s T O MA KE
I T ,. W -l T H E V E N A S MA L t. L -0 AO • 0 X :r E A M-5 A N D 'w O OD S ·H OD S L E D S OR J UM P E R S
WERE USED IN CARRYlNG FREIGHT. SlX ·TO.TEN HUNDRED PQUNDS WAS
CONSlDERED A GOOD L6AO.
THE EXPLORING PARTY, HAVING LEARNED Of~THIS ROUTE, LOADED A
WAGON-WlTH SUCH UTENSlLS,-PROVtSIONS AND CAMPING OUTFIT AS THEY . .
DESIRED, SET _QUT ON. THEIR OVERLAND R◊UTE TO.THE ANTIClPATED SCENE OF
OPERATlON. fOLLOWlNG THE CHAMPLAIN CANAL AS FAR .AS THE TOWN OF
MAREAU, THEY CROSSED THE HUDSON,-PASSEO THROUGH GLENS FALLS ANO
CADWELL AT THE H.£AD OF. LAKE GE~RGE,. THEN WILD AS W'I LD co·uLD BE. WI TH
MANY SlGNS Of THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR •. FROM THERE. THE RQAD LAY ·ENTIRE
LY THROUGH A DEEP, UNBROKEN.WILDERNESS, TO A LITTLE VlLLEGE ON THE
SCHROON 8..1.VE-R, CALLED WARRENSBUR.GH. ANOTHER STRETCH OF THIRTEEN
MILES THROUGH ORIGINAL FOREST, HAD TO BE TRAVELED BEFORE CHESTER
COULD BE REACHED. QN REACHtNG CHESTER OUR eARTY LEARNED THERE WAS
THEIR LAST CHANCE OF PURCHASING GOODS; THAT THE PEOPLE RESlDING AT
NEWCOMB, THEN FORTY MILES ZWAY, CAME THERE TO DO THEIR TRADING AND
THAT A MR. BUTLER HAD LEFT THERE THAT DAY FOR NEWCOMBo MR. TUBBS,
PRINCIPLE MERCHANT, GAVE THEM MUCH USEfUL INFORMATION.
FOUR DAYS ~AD ALREADY. BEEN SPENT IN THElR JOURNEY THUS FAR
AND~ AT LEAST, TWO MORE HA.RD ONES WERE BEFORE THEMi lf THEY REACHED
NEWCOMB BY SATURDAY NIGHT.
COVIL HAO BEEN .WRlTTEN TO A MONTH -PREVIOUS TO THEIR STARTING .. AND APPRlSED OF THE TIME .OF THE STARTING AND THEIR INTENDED.ROUTE
AND OF THEIR WI.SH TO HAVE HlM INTERCEPT THEM ON THE WAY, WHEREVER
... HE THOUGHT BEST AND ALSO,- JF HE .KNEW WHERE TAHAWUS WAS, TO BRING
HIM _ALONG. NOT MEETJNG HIM AT CHESTER THEY WERE S-OMEWHAT OlSAPr
POINTED BUT-ON FRJOAY.MQRNlNG STARTED ON, AND.REACHED POTTERSVILLE,
S>ME Fl VE MI LES NORTH, , I _N THE . Mt DOLE . O·f THE FQRENOON. ·THIS. P~ACE
BOASTED A STORE AND.HOTEL ANO AS. THEY DROVE YP ~HO.~HOULO ~CCQST
THEM BVT COYl~. AFTER A GREETING AND.~FOR"AL lNTROOUCTlON TO THE
NtW MEMBERS OF THE PARTY INQUIRY WAS.MADE 9F TAHAWUS~ COVIL O!O
NOT KNOW WHERE .HE WAS,. NOT HAVl NG SE.EN .HIM. FOR MANY. MONTHS. HALF ' AN . HOUR . WAS . S PE NT FOR . R E f R ES HMEN T . AND. RES T Af T ER . WH I CH T H E Y . T 0. O.K A
CQURSE DUE.WEST reR A FARM HOUSE.AT W·HtCtt,.TttEY. HAO BEEN TOLD, THEY
COULD GET THEIR DlNN~R,.WHJCH .WAS.AB6UT FOUR MILES AWAY~ AFTER
DINNER .. THEY STARTED QN, HOPING ~O.RE~CH A.FARM. HOUSE ON THE EXTREME
WEST BORDER -OF MINERVA,-.THER£.B£1N~ NO TAVERNS.AFTER -LEAVlNG PQTTERS-
V l L L E .• TH E . MA N I s NAM E - wAs' wEs T • IT. WAS_ DARK WH.EN, ·THEY. DROVE UP· TO . ~ . ' .
T H I S H OU S. E • (T WAS-QFF QF THE ROA0.TO_.THE RiGHT AND.UNDER.A Hill.
HERE THEY FOUND.lHE.MAN .THAT HAD STA~TED FROM NEWCOMB. H~_HAD JUST
~£ACHED THERE FROM THE .OPPOSITE DlRECTlON~ HE LEFT THERE lN THE
MORNtNG AND lN UNDERTAKtNG TO FORD THE~eOREAUS R1vtR HAD DROWNED
ONE or HIS HORSES AND MOUNTING THE .OTHER HE HAD COME BACK TO BUY
ANOTHER HORSEo HE SAlD THE WATER WAS.HIGH AND IT.WOULD aE ,BEST TO
WAIT A FEW DAYS, FQR THE WATER T~ FALL, BEFORE PROCEEDlNG. 8EFO~t
G O I N G T v B E D , l T WA S . A GR E E D .. T H A T .. Ttt E. Y · · $ H O U LO 1- WA I T U N T I L MO ND A Y . B E f OR E
PUSHING ON, WHEN JT WAS -THOUGHT THE ·WATER WOULD ADMJT A SAFE PASSAGE
OVER THE RIVER, AND MR. 8UTLER.W~ULO.ACCOMPANY_ THEM.
SATURDAY BEING FAIR THE MEN .S~ROLLED OFF UP THE_ROAD,.FQR ONLY
A SHORT WALK,.AS.THEY $AlD, .. NOT ~NQWtNG 9R CARING .W_HERE THEY.WENT -44-
NOT EVEN ASKlNG A QUESTlON B~FORE LEAVlNG THE HOUSE _CONCERNING THE DI
DIRECTlON ETC. THEY HAD WALKED ON, TA~!NG NO NOTICE OF TlME, UNTIL
STOPPED BY THE SARKIN~ OF A DOG.
"SOMEBpDY MUST BE COMtNG," REMARKED ONE OF THE MEN, BUT NO ONE
APPEARED AND SEEING NOTHING OF THE DOG THEY WALKED ON~
"You OON~T SUPPOSE.DOGS RUN .WILD.UP HERE,.DO YOU COVIL?" $AID ONE
OF THE MEN •.
. C~ Y J Q V E , n S A l D Q N E . 0 F T H E ME N.,.'- rt I . SH OU L D . T 1K l N K D Q GS WO U L D G 0
WlLD_UP HERE, AND-MEN AS WELL .AS.DOGS.~-
AFTER SUPPLYING THEMSE~VES ✓ W4Ttt SP~VCE ~UM.THEY.RETURNED BU·T
BEFORE THEY REACHED.THE HQUSE_WERE-9YERTAK£N_BY.A.MR~_CHANDLER,.ALS.
A RES l DENT OF PENDLETON .SETTLEMEN·T , . . W_HQ·. ·P-~SSEO THE .NIGHT. W-1 TH THEM.
$tiNpAY ~QR~lN~ MR. CHA~DLE~ WENT $N).:PROMISlNG. TO:&E BACK MONDAY •..
M QR N l NG- . i N . T I ME T O AC C OM PA NY . T HEM. · r+t RO U G H TO . PE ND L E T Q N •
[ARLY.MONDAY M()RNlNG FOUND.THEM .ASTlR. THE.PARTY HAD GRQWN.TO
TEN, .ALL ABLt, STURDY MEN,:WHO_FELT.CAPABpE Qf .D9lNG EfflC4ENT WQRK
.N CASE Of EME~G~~CY. THE FORDING PLACE ,WAS.REACHED WITHOUT ANY
ACClDENTS. THE WATER HAD SUBSIDED SOME,_BUT WAS.STILL.TOO HIGH FOR
SAFE FQRDlNG .. -THE .RlV~R, AT THlS·.PLA-CE,. . WAS .WlOE AND THE FURTHER
-BANK ESPECtALLY. HlGHo MRo YA~ES; THE-OWNE9-0f THE TEAM CARRY~NG
THE IRON CQMPANY 1 S LUGGAGE, .R~FUSED TO.EfTER THE RIVER. MR~ BUTLER,
~AVlNG LOST ONE HORSE, SEEMEO.RATttER DOUBTFUL, BUT THOUGHT THE
PASSAGE.MIGHTABE MADE WITH SAFETY~
MR .. · HEN-OE;RS-ON; WH·-8 SEEMED TO. ~AY.-E MORE OF THE. l NV ENT I VE AB t Li TV
THAN .. THE. QTHERS, .. DECLARED. H.E HAD. A -PLAN ..
"UNHt.JCH THE TEAM,.CUT LONG.-PQLES AND STRAP THEM TOGETHER ANO
FASTEN.TO T~E TON~UE Of THE WAGON~ DRJVE-THE.T~AM THROUGH AND HlTCR
THEM TO_ THE. f>:OLES -'ON THE -OP-POSt TE. BA.Ni( ANO. "AUL THE .WAGON -QV£R. n -45-
"CAPITAL IDEA:, "SHOUTED THE PARTY.
11 YES, 11 SAID COVIL, rtAND I CAN FASTEN THE POLES WITH WITHES
BETTER THAN WITH STRAPSon
THE PLAN WAS CARRIED OUT AND IN AN HOUR OR SO ALL WERE OVER,
I UNHURT BUT NOT VERY DRYo NOON FOUND THEM AWAY UP ON THE SIDE Of
Mr. VANDWHACKER, BUT, THERE BEING NO WATER, THEY WERE DIRECTED TO
A BROOK DOWN THE OTHER SIDE OF THE MOUNTAIN. IT WAS CONSIDERABLLY
AFTER THE DINNER HOUR WHEN THE PLACE WAS REACHED. THE HORSES WERE
UNHITCHED AND ONE PAIR FED JN A COUPLE OF TROUGHS THAT HAD BEEN
MADE FOR FEEDING TEAMS. ONLY ONE TEAM ·coULD FEED AT A TIME, THIS
BEING THE FIRST TlME THAT TWO TEAMS HAD BEEN THERE AT THE SAME TIME.
MR. BUTLER GAVE THE NEW COMER THE FEED TROUGHS AND WITH AN AXE SOON
DUG A FEEDING PLACE ON TOP OF A LOG NEARBY. AFTER SATISFYING THEIR
APPETITES THEY STARTED ON. AFTER ABOUT TWO HOURS RIDE YATES' WAGON
BROKE DOWN. Now THE QUESTION WAS, "WHAT CAN WE oo?" HENDERSON, WHO
HAD BEEN REGARDING THE SITUATION SOMEWHAT SERIOUSLY, REMEMBERING
THE NIGHT THEY TRAVELED BETWEEN MuD POND AND SCHROON RIVER, ASKED,
"BUTLER, HOW FAR ARE WE FROM A LODGING PLACE?"
"WE MA Y HA VE T O L O DG E WH E R E WE A R E , tt H E A NSW E R E D , n B UT I T I S
ALL OF EIGHT MILES TO THE PLACE WHERE I INTENDED TO STAY AND YOU
MIGHT AS WELL STAY HERE AS ANY WHERE THIS SIDE OF THERE."
"T HA T WO UL D ME A N A B O UT A N HO UR I S R I D E , I F WE WE R E HO ME , B UT
IT WILL TAKE ABOUT FOUR OUT HERE.
"WHAT FELLOWS YOU ARE, TO SPEND TIME MAKING COMMENTS, 11 SAID
COVIL. "DECIDE WHAT YOU'LL DO AND THEN DO IT~ BUTLER ADVISED
THEM TO LEAVE THEIR LOAD AND TAKE THE WAGON THROUGH AND COME AFTER
THE LOAD TOMORROW 11
"How w I LL YOU TAKE A WAGON ON THREE WHEELS, I SHOULD LI KE TO
KNOW?" ASKED YATES9 -46-
nUNLOAD AND I W ! LL SHOW YOU, n REPLIED BUTLER.
WHILE THEY WERE UNLOADING BUTLER CUT A POLE ABOUT SIXTEEN
FEET LONG AND CAVIL MADE THREE WITHESo THE BIG END OF THE POLE
WAS PLACED ON THE TOP OF THE FORWARD AXLETREE AND UNDER THE HIND
ONE, JUST WHERE IT WAS BROKEN OFF. ONE WITHE WAS PUT AROUND THE
FORWARD AXLETREE AND PO~E, ANOTHER ONE WAS PLACED AROUND THE HIND
AXLETREE AND THE POLE, WHILE THE WHEEL WAS PLACED UPON THE FORWARD
END OF THE BOX AND WITHED TO STANDARD, THE SMALL END OF THE POLE
DRAGGING ON THE GROUND. AFTER THIS WAS DONE THEY WERE READY TO
PR0CEEDo
"FIVE O'CLOCK AND ALL JS WELL, "SANG OUT MRo ROBINSON WHO HAD,
NOT AS YET, MADE ANY FUN, 1-T HAD BEEN A RATHER SERIOUS AffAlR TO
HI Mo
Two HOURS LATER IT BEGAN TO GROW DUSKYo "Is IT NIGHT?tt ASKED
ONE OF THE MEN.
nlT MUST BE,"ONE ANSWERED AS HE LOOKED AT HIS WATCH, ",rs
Q'U ARTER PAST SEVEN o n
UPON HEARING THE TIME MR .. BUTLER SAID, "I GUESS WE HAD BETTER
LEAVE MY WAGON HERE AND TRY TO GET OUT BEFORE DARKo I WAS IN HOPES
OF GETTING TO NORTH RIVER BEFORE LEAVING MY LOAD, BUT WE CAN'T DO
I T o "
"BUTLER UNHOOKED HIS TUGS AND STARTEDo YATES SAID HE WOULD
TRY TO KEEP UP WITHOUT LEAVING HIS WAGONo IN A SHORT TIME THE
RIVER ROAR WAS HEARD. THE OLD LOG BRIDGE OVER THE RIVER SHOOK AND
GROANED AS THEY PASSED OVER IT. IN ANOTHER HOUR IT WAS DARK, SO
DARK THAT THE HIND TEAM COULD NOT SEE THE ONE BEFORE ITo YATES HAD
TAKEN HIS SEAT ON THE WHEEL AT THE FRONT OF THE WAGON AND WAS WORK
ING M~NFULLY TO MAINTAIN HIS SITTING. PRESENTLY BUTLER CAL.LED OUT,
It "LooK our, YATES~ THERE IS A BAD PLAC'Eo -47-
A MOMENT LATER YATES FOUND IT. ONE HORSE WAS ON HIS SIDE IN THE
MUD AND THE OTHER HAD PITCHED OVER THE POLE AND FALLEN ON THE OTHER
HORSE, YATES HIMSELF TRYING TO KEEP ON TOP OF BOTH OF THEM, AND CALL
ING FOR HELP.
"HELP HIM OUT,BOYS,"SHOUTED BUTLER, AND WENT ON. IT WOULD BE
UTTERLY IMPOSSIBLE TO DESCRIBE THE SCENE THAT FOLLOWED. NOTHING
COULD BE SEEN. TOTAL DARKNESS, COUPLED WITH UTTER CONFUSION, HANDI
CAPPED THEM. EVERY ONE GAVE ORDERS AND NO ONE ACCOMPLISHED ANYTHING.
THE HORSES, BEING TIRED, LAID WHERE THEY FELL. YATES FINALLY GOT
LOOSE •
. COVIL WAS THE ONLY MAN WHO KNEW WHERE THEY WERE. HE BEGAN
FEELING OUT THE CONDITION OF THE TEAM~ SATISFYING HIMSELF THAT THEY
WERE NOT DEAD AND WERE BREATHING AS EASILY AS COULD BE EXPECTED
UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES, BEGAN Tp LOOSEN STRAPS, UNHOOK TUGS AND
JN A SHORT TIME THEY WERE UNHITCHED.
"Now YATES, IF YOU HAVE COOLED Off COME HERE AND TAKE THIS
HORSE BY THE HEAD AND WE WILL SEE If WE CAN GET HIM UP.tt YATES HAD
DECLARED THAT HE WOULD NOT LIFT A FINGER TO SAVE THE WHOLE THING
FROM DESTRUCTION BUT AT THE WORD OF COMMAND FROM COVIL HE GROPED
HIS WAY TO THE HORSES HEAD AND TOOK HOLD OF IT. COVIL HAD IT BY
THE TAIL AND WHEN YATES SAID HE WAS READY COVIL SANG OUT,"GtT UP,"
IN SUCH TONES AS TO ALMOST RAISE THE DEAD, AND PULLING HARD AT THE
SAME TIME. THE HORSE WAS ON HIS FEET IN AN INSTANT AND THE BOTTOM
HORSE, BEING RELEASED, SPRANG TO HIS FEET.
11 "HERE YOU ARE YATES 11 "SA!D COVIL, NOW PROCEED.
"WHAT'S TO BE DONE NEXT?" ASKED YATES, AFTER SATISFYING HIM
SELF THAT THE HORSES WERE ALL RIGHT.
"THANK Goo AND TAKE COURAGE,nWAS THE NEXT FLASH OF WITo
"YEs," SAID YATES, nAND WAIT FOR THE DAY." -48-
"OH! No," SAID HENDERSON., niT ts TOO EARLY IN THE EVENING
FOR THAT. THERE COMES A LiGHT, WE'LL WAiT FOR THAT."
BUTLER HAD GONE ON AND SENT A MAN WITH A LANTERN. THIS LANTERN
WAS MAqE OF TIN AND LOOKED SOMETHING LIKE A KEROSENE OIL CAN, WITH
A DOOR ON ONE S!DE AND SMALL HOLES CUT ALL AROUND THE CAN. THE
LIGHT SHONE DIMLY THROUGH THESE HOLES, BUT IT WAS A WELCOME
CONTRIVANCE JUST THEN. BY JTS AID THE HORSES WERE AGAIN HITCHED
TO THE WAGON AND THE PROCESSlON MOVED ON. HALF AND HOUR LATER TEN
MEN, ONE WOMAN AND THREE CHILDREN WERE SHELTERED UNDER A ROOF COVER
ING A LOG HOUSE SIXTEEN BY TWENTY FEET, KEPT BY A THIN, TALL
MUSCULAR W.OMAN, WIFE OF A MRo DANIEL BISELlo IT Will NOT BE OUT OF
PLACE HERE TO DIVERGE AND TELL SOMETHING OF THIS WOMAN, AS SHE IS
QUtTE PROMINENT IN THE NARRATIVE OF TH!S BOOK .. THE MAN WAS. AN
HONEST, HARD WORKING, YOUNG MAN., SLOW OF SPEECH, DIFFIDENT AND ODD.
THE WOMAN WAS JUST THE OPPOSITE., EXCEPT FOR HONESTY. BESIDES SHE
WAS QUICK OF DlSCERNMENT AND, AFTER ONCE DECIDING WHAT TO DO, LOST
NO TIME IN DOING IT, AND NO ONE, ACQUAINTED WITH THE PAIR, EVER
WENT TO THE MAN TO SETTLE FOR THE NIGHT'S LODGING. OR BUY ANYTHING,
FOR THE S!MPLE REASON THAT HE NEVER COULD TELL WHAT THE PRICE WAS.
IN FACT, MRS. BtSELL WAS THE MAN OF THE HOUSE, SHE WAS KNOWN TO ALL
AS "AUNT POLLY", THOUGH A YOUNG WOMAN, AND WAS WELL L!KED BY ALLo
Bur AT THE TIME OF WHICH I WRITE THEY WERE VERY POOR AND AT TIMES
HAD HARDLY THE NECESSARIES Of LlfEo OUR HEROES HAD A GOOD SUPPER
AND ALSO RESTED WELL iN THE NIGHTo
TUESDAY MORNING THE TEAMSTER., W!TH Cov,L AND ANOTHER MAN, A
BROTHER OF MR~ 81SELL, WERE EARLY DISPATCHED FOR THE LOAD LEFT ON
THE WAY, THE DAY BEFORE~ AND PREPARA~IONS WERE MADE FOR REPAIRING
THE BROKEN WAGONo ALL P0SS!BLE ATTENTION WAS GiVEN TO THE ·VISITORS
BY THE HOSTESS AND HER HUSBAND AND ERE THE SUN WENT DOWN EVERYTH!NG -49-
WAS iN ORDER AND READY FOR RESUMlNG THE JOURNEY IN THE MORN!NGo
IT BEING ABOUT EIGHT MlLES TO MRv NEWCOMBiS FARM IT WAS DECIDED
TO TRY TO GO THAT FAR THAT DAY AND MAKE THAT POINT THEIR HEAD
QUARTERSo A LONG JUMPER HAD BEEN SECURED FOR TRANSPORT!NG THEIR
SUPPLIES, AS THE ROAD WOULD NOT ADMIT WAGONS. THE JUMPER WAS
LOADED W ! T H SUCH ART 1 C L__ ES AS WERE PO S I T I VE LY NEC ESSARY AND THE
BAL AN CE OF THEIR THINGS WAS LEFT WlTH MRo BiSELL.
NEXT MORNING ALL WERE UP EARLY. ONE NEW FACE COULD HAVE BEEN
SEEN AMONG THE OTHERS, THAT OF A TALL, MUSCULAR MAN, NEARLY SIXTY
YEARS OLDo HIS NAME WAS BELDENQ HE LIVED CLOSE BY AND CAME TO
SEE WHAT ALL THIS MEANT.
"Go I NG TO MAKE ! RON THEN, ARE you?" WAS HI s FIRST QUEST t ON.
BE I NG TOLD THAT IT WAS THEIR I NT ENT I ON TO DO SO IF THEY FOUND
TH!NGS !NA F\VORABLE CONDITION, HE BROKE OUT,
GOOD HEAVENS, WHAT DO YOU EXPECT TO FIND? NOBODY EVER FOUND
A NEEDLE IN A HAY STACK. You CAN'T FIND ANY ORE OVER THERE."
THEY EXPLAINED THAT THERE WAS ORE EN_OUGH, THAT WAS NOT WHAT
WAS WORRYING.THEM, BUT BELDEN ONLY LAUGHED AT THEM.
ABOUT SEVEN O'CLOCK ALL WERE READY AND THEY STARTED ON. HALF A
MILE UP THE ROAD WAS A SAW MILL, HERE THEY HAD TO CROSS THE R!VER
AND TURN NORTH AND THEN ON TO AN OLD STATE ROAD, MADE SEVERAL YEARS
BEFORE FOR M!LlTARY PURPOSES, WHICH LED TO NEWCOMB'S FARMo IT HAD
BEEN CUT OUT AND SOME OF THE WORST PLACES FIXED, EXPEC!ALLY THE
BRIDGES. THE LOAD BEING LIGHT, THERE WAS N0THfNG TO HINDER THEM
FROM PUSH!NG STEADILY ON, TRAVEL~NG AT ABOUT ONE AND A HALF OR TWO
MILES AN HOURo BETWEEN TWELVE AND ONE O'CLOCK THEY ARRIVED AT THE
FARMo WHEN THE OBJECT OF THEIR TRIP WAS MADE KNOWN TO MRo NEWCOMB,
HE, LIKE MRo BELDEN, ONLY LAU~HED AT THEM AND ASKED,
"fr YOU DO FIND THE ORE WHAT CAN YOU DO WITH iT?" -50-
trMAKE IRON, OF COURSE, 11 THEY REPLtED LAUGHINGLY, BUT
MR. NEWCOMB WAS NOT CONVJNCEDo AFTER DtNNER MR. NEWCOMB GAVE
THEM SUCH INFORMATION REGARDING THE TOWNSHIP, AS HE POSSED,
WHICH WAS NOT VERY MUCH, HE ONLY HAVJNG BtEN THERE StNCE THE
I SPRING BEFOREG THEY LEARNED THAT JT WAS ABOUT THREE MILES TO
THE LAKE THEY HAD NAMED LAKE SANDFORD WHEN THERE BEFORE, BUT THE
ROAD HAD NOT BEEN CUT OUT.
ff" I HAVE BEEN THERE SEVERAL TlMES, BUT HAVE NEVER EXPLOfED IT.
I THtNK SOME HUNTER FREQUENTS THE LAKE, AS: f HA~E HEARD REPORTS OF
GUNS, lN THAT D!RECTlON. I N S EPT E MB ER O F: . LAS T Y EAR I H EAR D R E PORT S
OVER THAT WAY, AND ONLY YESTERDAY THERE WERE TWO MOR£~REPORTS OF
l HAVE BEEN CONTEMPLATING GOING .TO THE LAKE AND DJG OUT A
CANOE, FOR THE PURPOSE OF EXPLORJNG THE LAKE AND FIND OUT WHO ARE
MY NEIGHBORS." AFTER MR. NEWCOMB HAD RELATED All HE KNEW OF THE
COUNTRY, HOW HE CAME TO BE THERE, WHAT HE INTENDED TO DO, ETC.
THEY RELATtD TO HIM THEIR EXPERIENCE WHEN THERE BEFORE, WHAT
DlSCOVERJES THEY ,~AD MADE AND THAT THEY SU$PECTED TAHAWUS M!GHT
BE 1N THE VlCJN!TY NOW. THE FlRST DESIRE WAS TO SEE HtM AS HE HAD .. SOME KIND Of A BOAT OR CANOE~
"'YES,rt SAlD MR. NEWCOMB, "HE HAS A BARK.CANOE, AND lf YOU HAD
HlM HE COULD MAKE OTHERS MUCH EASIER AND CHEAPER THAN WE CAN DiG
OUT LOG CANOESo" THUS CONVER~ATION RAN ON UNTIL NEARLY NJGHT,WHEN
A YOUNF NEGRO, BELONGING TO MR. NEWCOMB, CAME lN VERY MUCH ALARMEDo.
"OH! MASSA NEWCOMB, B!G BEAR CARRY OFF ciLF, KILL SPORT AND - ALMOST CATCH ME."
A GENERAL STAMPEDED ENSUEDe GUNS, REVOLVERS, AXES, AND A . LARGE NEGRO WOMAN EVEN FOL~OWED WITH HER MOP IN HER HAND·, WERE
GRABBED, AND OUT THEY RUSHED. SURE ENOUGH, JUST BEHIND THE BARN
AT THE EDGE OF THE WOODS, THEY FOUND THE OLD BEAR DRAGG!NG THE -51-
CARCAss·oF THE CALF. SHE WAS so INTENT UPON HER.WORK THAT SHE
DtD NOT ~BS[RVE THEM, UNTIL Cov1L GAVE HER A SHOT. Ar TH?S SHE
DRO.PPED THE CALF AND, BEING WOUNDED, MADE FOR HER ENEMY. COVIL
RETREATED, SAYING AS HE DlD,
"G'tVE IT TO HER, BOYS, WHILE I LOAD UP. 11
BAN~! BANG! BANG! WE~T GUN AFTER GUN BUT ON CAME THE BEAR AND
AS FAST AS THE MEN DISCHARGED THEfR PIECES THEY FELL BACK WITH
D~UBLE QUICK STEP, TOO, FOR THE OLD BEAR WAS MAD. BLOOD WAS POUR-
ING FROM SEVERAL HOLES MADE BY THE SHOTS FIRED lNTO HER AND SHE WAS
DESPERATE. COVJL HAD REACHED THE BACK OF THE BARN AND WAS LOADING
HIS GUN, AND NOT SlVlNG MUCH HEED TO THE BEAR. HE THOUGH THE S!GHr
OF THE. -PEO.PLE, fl.EE tNG FROM THE BEAR, WAI OF MtlCH MORE l NT ER EST THAN
THE BEAR, BESIDES THE BEAR WAS PERSUJNG THEM AND NOT HJM. SUDDENLY
SHE TURNED ON HJM WHEN HE WAS NOT PREPARED FOR HER. HE HAD A CAP !N
HIS HAND BUT BEFORE HE COULD LOAD HIS GUN THE BEAR WAS UPON HIM,KNOCK
JNG Ht~ DOWN AND NEARLY K.tll~NG HtM •• A SMALL DOG, THAT HAD HELPED
KILL A BEAR SOMETIME AGO, PlTCK~D INTO THE BEAR, JUST AS MR. CovtL
FELL. THE OTHERS WITH THEI~ CLUBS, GUNS AND AXES, AND EVEN THE OLD
NEGRO WOMAN W1TH HER MOP, CAME TO THE RESCUE.· THE MELEE THAT FOLLOW
ED !S BEYOND DESCRIPTION. THE BEAR HAD ALL SHE COULD ATTEND TO~
PRESENTLY COVIL REGAINED HtS FOOTING, AND RELOADiNG HIS GUN WALKED
UP TO THE BEAR, PUT THE MUiZLE JNTO HER OPEN MOUTH AND FJRED. THE
CONTEST WAS OVER.
MR. N.EWCOMB WENT DOWN TO WHERE THE CALf WAS LYING AND WAS
EXAM!~lNG IT TO SEE lF SOME OF lT WOULD NOT BE WORTH SKlNNlNG, WHEN
THE SAME LITTLE DOG BEGAN TO BA~K JUST A SHORT DISTANCE DOWN THE H!LL~
PRESENTLY HE HEARD A SQUEAL AND CAL.LED TO THE ·orHERS,
"HERE 1 S MORE GAME, BOYS, LOAD UP YOUR GUNS. THERE 15 A CUB
DOWN HERE AND MAY BE ANOTHER BEAR. BEFORE THE GUNS WERE LOADED, -52-
AND THE MEN HAD COME OVER TO WHERE MR. NEWCOMB WAS, THE LJTTLE DOG
AND THE CUBS WERE. JN TROUBLE AND, FOLLOWJNG THE:R MOTHERS EXAMPLE,
WERE MAKING JT QUITE INTERESTING FOR THE DOG. WHEN THE MEN SATISFIED
THEMSEL~ES THAT THERE WAS NO LARGE BEAR TO FEAR, THEY TOOK THE CUBS
AL:VE, THEY BEJNG QU!TE SMALL, AND REALLY DID NOT SEEM TO BE AFRAID
Of THE MEN, BUT DEEMED tt AN ACT OF MERCY TO BE DELIVERED FROM THE
DOG.
THt EVENT JUST RELATED FORMED THE PRJNC!PLE TOPJC FOR CONVER
SATJON DURING THE REST OF THE AFTERNOON AND EVENtNG, SPJCED WITH r
BEAR STbRlES, EXPERIENCES OF HAIR-BREADTH ESCAPES AND DARING EXPLOlTS.
THERE JS TRULY ~OMETHtNG EXCITING ABOUT BACK wooos' LIFE AND EXPERIENCE
AND PEOPLE RARELY TlRE OF LlSTENtNG TO THE RECtTAL Of INCtDENTS or
FRONTIER LIFE. TEN ofcLOCK AND NO ABATEMENT. No ONE WAS SLEEPY BUT
THEY DECIDED TO RETIRE. THE READER MlGHT 1MAGINE THAT MR. NEWCOMB
SHOWED HIS GUESTS UP ON A FLIGHT OF STAIRS TO A WELL FURNISHED ROOM.
Bur lNSTEAD, HE TOOK SUCH MATERIAL AS HE HAD, TOGETHER WITH THE
BLANKETS HlS GUESTS HAD BROUGHT WITH THEM, AND MADE BEDS ON THE FLOOR
I N. r R ON T O F T HE GR AT E F I R E T HAT BUR NE D AT O NE E ND O f T HE K t T C HE N•
IN THE MORNING, AS PLANNED, SOME OF THE PARTY, VITH MR. NEWCOMB
AS GUlDE, STARTED FOR LAKE SANDFORD. MR. YATES AND IVES, WtTH THE
TEAM, WENT BACK TO PENDLETON TO GET THE BALANCE OF THE LOAD. UPON
THE ARRIVAL OF THE PARTY, GUIDED BY MR. NEWCOMB, AT THE LAKE IMAGINE
. THEIR SURPRISE WHEN THEY SAW A CANOE, WITH ONE MAN !N IT, SOME HALF
MILE AWAY COMING TOWARD THE~. As HE CAME NEARER, MACINTYRE EXCLAJMED,
"THAT LOOKS L1KE TAHAWUS.n
11 1 REALLY BELIEVE THAT lT IS, 11 WAS HENDERSON 4 S REPLY. THE PARTY
WAS"STANDtNG BEHIND SOME BUSHES AND TAHAWUS HAO NOT SEEN THEM, BUT AS
HE WAS LOOKING FOR A GOOD PLACE TO LAND HE SAW ONE OF THE ME~ AND
STRAIGHTENED BACK IN SURPRISE. --53-
"WA, ME KNOW YOU SOMEWHERE BOUT HERE, ttHE EJACULATED BEFORE
ANY ONE SPOKE.
"WE l L , HOW A R E YO U, 0 L D FE L L OW f AS KE D HE ND ER SON AS HE WAL KE D
DOWN TO THE EDGE Of THE WATER, 11 1 AM SO GLAD TO SEE YOU."
TAHAWUS PUSHED UP AND STE·PPED FROM THE CANOE. TAKING EACH ONE
OF THEM BY THE HAND AND ,SHAK1NG THEM HEARTILY~ HE SAID,
"uEM KNO'-"w YOU COME, ME HEAR YOU SHOOT LAST NIGHT. ME COME FIND you."
THEN THEY TOLD HIM OF THE ADVENTURE WITH THE BEARS AND SOME-
THINGS THAT HAD HAPPENED ON THEIR TRIP FROM ALBANY.
"WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN ALL WINTER?" ASKED MACtNTYRE.
"Ott! ME BEEN LONE. ME GOT LOT FUR. ME DO GOOD ENOUGH."
"WELL WE ARE GLAD YOU DJD WELL. Now WE WANT YOU WtTH us ALL
SUMMER AND WHEN WE GO HOME YOU WILL GO WITH US.
ttyES ME HELP YOU, ME NO CAN TELL ME GO BACK TO ALBANY SOME
MORE AGAIN."
"O.~ f Gu ES S YOU W 1 LL.... NOW TA HA WU s, W EM US T HA V E A C ANO E, O R
SOME KiND OF A BOAT, SO WE CAN CROSS THE LAKE YHEN WE WISH TO. CAN
YOU MAKE A LARGE CANd~, SOMETHING LIKE THIS, THAT WILL BE STRONG
ENOUGH TO CARRY THREE OF FOUR MEN?n
nYAH, ME MAKE BIG CANOE," SAID TAHAWUS.
"ALL RIGHT, MY GOOD FELLOW, HAUL UP THE CANOE AND COME WITH US
AND THIS AFTERNOON WE WILL SEE ABOUT THE MAKlNG OF THE CANOE. 11
"NA! CovtL COME IN CANOES, ME GO GET CANOE," WAS THE INDlAN 1 S
REPLY.
"HAVE YOU ANOTHER CANOE?" ASKED COVIL.
"COME SEE, "sA ! D TA HAW US AS HE STEPPED INTO THE FRA l L BARK.
Cov!.L GOT IN TOO AND IN A FEW MOMENTS THEY WERE OUT OF SIGHT.
"WE MtGHT AS WELL WAIT UNTIL THEY RETURN," SAID SOME OF THE COMPANY. -54-
11 You MAY GET TIRED OF WAITING,ttSAlD THE ALBANY PROPERTY MAN,
WHOM WE WILL CALL DOCTOR BY WAY OF DISTINCTION, THERE BEING OBJECTIONS
TO GIVjNG HIS REAL NAME. THE DOCTOR DID NOT LIKE THE APP~ARANCE OF THE
IND IA No " f F I HAD BEEN HERE ALONE, 1 KN OW f WOULD HAVE 8 EE N AFR A I D Of
HIM. THAT ~S THE WORST FACE I EVER SAW, BLACK OR WHITE .. "
tt I GUESS YOU ARE NOT USED TO SEE l NG 1ND I ANS, ARE YOU DOCTOR?"
SAID HENDERSON, LAUGHINGLYo
'TIW E L L YO U C A N MA K E F UN O F ME I F Y O U W I S H , 8 UT I T E L L YO U T HA T
MAN IS A MURDERER AT HEART. REVENGE iS HIS PREDOMtNATtNG TRAIT."
11 nw E L L , tr R E M A R K E D MA C l NT Y R E , H E HA S A R A T HE R 8 A D T E MP E R , f A C-
KNOWLEDGE, BUT I DO NOT BELIEVE HE WOULD DO ANY HARM. 0H, HE MIGHT
BE PRESSED SO AS TO DO A DESPERATE ACT BUT ON THE WHOLE I THINK HE IS
A PRETTY GOOD fND!AN. WHEN YOU GET BETTER ACOUAlNTED YOU, TOO, WILL
LIKE HIM .. "
"JusT LOOK OVER THERE, WILL you?" SPOKE UP HENDERSON, "SEE THOSE
DEER!n SURE ENOUGH THERE WERE THREE DEER WALKtNG ALONG ON THE SHORE
JUST OPPOSITE WHERE THEY WERE SITTING.
nNow, IF Cov IL AN0 TA HAW US WERE HERE WE COULD HAVE SOME VEN ISON
I FOR OUR SUPPER,nSA!D ONE OF THE f>A;>TY.
"RATHER POOR MEAT, SHOULD JUDGE," SAID THE DOCTOR AND BEFORE
ANYTHING MORE COULD BE SAID THE DEER PLUNGED INTO THE WATER AND SWAM
TOWARDS WHERE THEY WERE.
"Now,nsAtD THE OOCTOR, rt1F YOU ARE VENISON HUNGRY WHEN THEY COM-E
OVER SECURE YOUR GAME. I WlLL NOT TRY MY HAND AT BRINGING ONE OF
THEM DOWN."
THE DEER CAME ON QUITE NEAR AND THEN TURNED UP THE LAKE.
"THERE, MAc, THAT 1 S AS NEAR AS THEY ARE COMING,"SAID THE DOCTOR,
nTHEY SMELL THIS SMUDGE, f GUESS. TRY THEM."
MACINTYRE, RESTING OVER A LIMB, FIRED AT THEM, STRIKING OVER THE -55- DEERS BACK.
nTwo NEAR, BY JovE,"SAID HENDERSON, nTRY THEM, DOCTOR." THE
DOCTOR HAD NOT INTENDED TO TRY BUT, SOMEWHAT EXCITED, HE SPRANG TO
HlS FEET, LEVELED HIS GUN AT ARMSf LENGTH AND SHOT.
tfToo FAR AWAY,n SAID HENDERSON.
"D10 I SHOOT UNDER?" ASKED THE DOCTOR.
nYES, YOUR BALL STRUCK QU!TE A D:STANCE THIS SlDE OF THE DEER."
ttw ELL, LET THEM GO, It SA!D THE DOCTOR.
n I GUESS. WE HAD BETTER NOT KILL THEM, n SAID MACINTYRE,LAUGHING.
"DocTOR,"SAID ROBINSON., "010 YOU EVER HEAR THE STORY OF.THE
NIGGER THAT WAS STATIONED UNDER THE TREE TO CATCH THE COON WHILE THE
OTHER WENT UP TO SHAKE HlM OUT?"
"No, CAN 1 T SAY AS HAVE," REPLIED DOCTOR.
"WELL, THE CLIMBER, HAVING REACHED HI$ ANIMAL, ASKED 5AM IF HE
WAS READY AND SAM SAID HE WASo •WELL, LOOK OUT, HE 1 S COMlNG SAM.'
HE SA~ HIM COMING AND WAS WAIT~NG W!TH OUTSTRETCHED HANDS. As SOON
AS HE CAME WITHIN REACH SAM GRABBED H.IM BUT AS SOON AS HE DlD HE LET
GO AND COMMENCED PICKING SLIVERS OUT OF HIS HANDS. 1 1 CAUGHT HIM BUT
I LET HIM GO,'SAID SAM. rWHAT YOU DO THAT FOR? ASKED THE OTHER. 5AM,
STILL lNTENT UPON PULLlNG QU:LLS, REPL!ED., 'I LET HIM GO CAUSE HE'S
ROUGH HAlREO BEAST AND iT WOULD TAKE MORE BUTTER TO COOK HIM THAN
PARALLEL,"SAID HENDERSON, LAUGHINGLYo
"W E L L , B O YS ., I T I S N OO N o WE HA D B E T T E R G O BA C K T O N EW C OM B ' S •
WE TOLD HIM WHEN WE LEFT WE SHOULD BE THERE FOR DINNER,nSAID ROBINSON.
rt YE S , n S A I D T HE DO C T OR , n W E MA Y AS W_E L L G O , T H E I ND I A N W I L L K I L L
YOUR MAN COVIL BEFORE HE COMES BACK AND WE WILL SEE NO MORE OF EITHER
OF THEMo
nl WILL RISK COVIL WITH ANY INDIAN THAT EVER TRAVELLED THIS
WILDERNESS.," REPLIED HENDERSON. nHE KNOWS TAHAWUS BETTER THAN WE DO AND IS ON HIS GUARD, NEVER YOU FEAR. 11 -56- Jus·T THEN THE MEN SAW A CANOE SHOOT OUT AROUND THE POINT
WHERE T,HEY WERE LAST SEEN. "AND THERE COMES THE OTHER.,nSA!D
MACINTYRE.
"WELL.,"sArD HENDERSON.,"IFEEL BETEA ALREADY. THE DOCTOR HAD
MADE ME'FEEL RATHER DOUBTFUL."
"WELL, GENTLEMEN, I 1 LL TELL YOU, DON'T CROSS THAT INDIAN,"
SAID THE DOCTOR WARMLY. "Jr YOU DO YOU WILL LEARN WHAT HE IS MADE OF.
HE JS ALL RIGHT WHEN RIGHT AND WILL BE ALL WRONGWHEN WRONG. REMEMBER
WHAT I SAY."
T HE. CA NO ES WE R E S O ON L AN D E D • TH E ON E T HE Y W E NT F OR WAS . A LA R GE ' .. ONE, CAPABLE OF CARRYING HALF A TON'S WEIGHT. THE MEN WERE FREE TO
EXPRESS THEIR A.PPROBATlON AND APPRECIATION OF THE CRAFT.
"TAHAWUS, YOU ARE A VERY GOOD PROVIDER. THAT IS JUST WHAT IS
NEEDEo,"sAID HENDERSON. "Now COME, LET us WALK BACK TO THE HOUSt AND
MAKE ARRANGEMENTS f"OR THE MORROW."
ON THE WAY BACK TAHAWUS RELATED TO HENDERSON ~IS ADVENTURES DUR
ING THE WINTER AND HOW HE KNEW THEY WERE COMING. HE HAD BEEN JN
, ALBANY BUT HAD KEPT OUT OF THEIR WAY. HE SAJD HE HAD S~EN TROUBLE
ENOUGH AND WAS AFRAID OF POL I CE AND LOCK- UPS.
"ME KEEP OFF IN wooos,"HE SAID, ttME NO GET HURT. ME NO FRAID
HERE. ME GOT GOOD CAM~ ME MAKE CANOE, ME FIND MORE ORE, ME GOOD MAN
FOR ¥OU, YOU GOOD FRIEND FOR ME. ME NO SEE SOMEBODY HERE, ME NOT LET
SOMEBODY SEE ME. ME KNOW SOMEBODY LIVE HERE. ME FlSH LAST NIGHT AND
ME HEAR THE GUN AND ME THlNK YOU COME."
"You GUESSED RIGHT, TAHAWUS, AND WE ARE GLAD TO FIND YOU ANb"
11 L/ t"' A R... A •• YOUR CANOE= W1.. I'\ c. LL RiGHT NOw., "REPLIED HENDERSON., AliD WE SHALL
G E T R EA O Y T O P UT UP OUR F O R G E T H l S FA L L ., 1 F WE CA N • n
THE AFTERNOON WAS WELL ADVANCED WHEN THEY REACHED THE HOUSEo
AFTER DINNER PREPARATIONS FOR A TWO DAYS TRIP WAS MADE. THE PAR~Y -57-
WAS TO CONSIST OF THE THREE MEMBERS OF THE FIRM, MR. IVES AND THE
DOCTOR. THEY INVITED MR. NEWCOMB BUT HE, BEING ENGAGED WITH SEVERAL
MEN CLEARING LAND, THOUGHT HE COULD NOT SPARE THE TIME.
"BE~ I DES, nSA ID HE, 11 I DO NOT CARE TO HAVE ANY PART IN EXPL0R 1 NG
BUT WHEN YOU GET FURTHER ALONG I WfLL GO AND SEE WHAT YOU HAVE FOUND".
QUITE LATE IN THE EVENING THE DOCTOR CAME RUSHING INTO THE HOUSE.
"Jusr COME OUT HERE AND TELL ME WHAT KIND OF AN ANIMAL THIS ts".
"W H E R E I S H E ? n
"OH, DOWN HERE IN THE wooos."
THEY ALL RUSHED OUT AND STOOD LISTENING.
"THERE,"SAID DOCTOR, "WHAT DO YOU CALL THAT?"
A ROAR OF LAUGHTER GREETED THIS QUESTION AND A RUSH FOR THE
HOUSE.
"WELL, I-SHOULD THINK YOU HAD NEVER BEEN IN THE wooos,"sAJD
MR. NEWCOMB,"1r· YOU HAD BEEN YOU WOULD NOT HAVE SCARED AT AN OWL."
"OwL? WELL I ADMIT I WAS SCAREDo I THOUGH SURE IT WAS A LARGE
ANIMAL AND IF I HAD BEEN IN THE WOODS ALONE I CERTAINLY WOULD HAVE
BEEN FRIGHTENED."
THE PARTY RETIRED, SLEEPING ON THE FLOOR, AS THEY DID THE
PREVIOUS NIGHT.
THE MORNING WAS FAIR. AFTER BREAKFAST EACH SHOULDERED HIS PACK
AND STARTED OUT, AS JOLLY A CROWD AS COULD BE FOUND ANYWHEREo THE
PATH TO THE LAKE WAS TRAVELED IN SILENCE, OR NEARLY SO. THE FIRST.
THING THEY DID WAS TO GO OVER THE LAKE. NOT ONE OF THE PARTY HAD C
EVER BEEN IN A BARK CANOE. TAHAWUS TOOK ONE MAN IN HIS CANOE AND
CO V I L T 0 OK T WO I N H·1 S A ND L A ND E D T HE M O N T H E P O I NT T HAT R A N f R OM T H E
OPPOSITE S1DE, AND THEN CA~ BACK THE OTHER THREE. THEN IT WAS
ARRANGED TO LEAVE THE LARGE CANOE THERE AND TAHAWUS WAS TO GO BACK
IN THE OTHER ONE AND GET THEIR PR0VJSIONS AND PACKS AND CONVEY THEM -58-
UP THE LAKE TO THE HEAD, WHERE THE PARTY WAS TO MEET HIM, AND
PROCEED FROM THERE TO WHERE THEY HAD CAMPED THE YEAR BEFORE. COVIL
LED THE WAY. HE WAS CONFIDENT AT f!RST THAT HE WAS ABLE TO GUIDE
THE WAY THROUGH, BUT FINALLY, TAKING OUT HIS COMPASS, HELD IT A
MOMENT ·AND THEN DECLARED HE HAD NOT KEPT HlS COURSEo THE WOODS DID
NOT LOOK THE SAME AS THEY DID THE FALL BEFORE AND THE WAVES DID NOT
SEEM TO BE THE SAMEo COVIL HAD NOT PAJD MUCH ATTENTION TO THE
SURROUNDINGS WHEN THEY CAM THROUGH BEFORE BECAUSE HE HAD DEPENDED ON
TAHAWUS, WHO WAS THEN GUID~NG THEMo
"ARE YOU LOST, CovtL?n ASKED MACJNTYREo
"YES, I MUST BE TURNED AROUND A L1TTLE,"SAJD COVILo tr I HAVE A .
FEELING iAAT, THAT lS THE DJRECTfON WE SHOULD GO,"POlNTtNG TO HtS
LEFT, "BUT tf THE COMPASS IS CORRECT WE SHOULD NOT.It
COMPASS CORRECT,"EXCLAIMED THE DOCTOR, "HOW YOU TALK. You ARE
NOT ONLY LOST BUT YOU HAVE LOST YOUR SENSESo LET ME TAKE THE COMPASS.
THERE, WHAT COURSE DO YOU THINK WE OUGHT TO Go?"
"WE WENT A NORTHEAST COURSE LAST FALL,"SAID COVIL AND HENDERSO~
SAfD HE THOUGHT THEY DID TOO.
"WELL,COME ON," AND THE DOCTOR LED OFF, THE REST Of THE PARTY
FOLLOWING, SILENCE REIGNING FOR FIFTEEN OR TWENTY MlNUTESQ
nT HERE JS AN OPEN J NG, rt SA ID THE DOCTOR, n I WONDER ! f THERE 'S A
LAKE IN HERE."
"I GUESS THERE 1s," SAID COVILo "THERE CERTAINLY IS NO CLEARING
nlT .IS NOT EXACTLY IN OUR COURSE,"SAJD THE DOCTOR, 11 BUT LET us ·Go
OUT AND SEE WHAT WE HAVE FOUNDa" AND OFF THEY WEMT. THEY WALkED OUT
iNTO A DEEP, NARROW BAY AND LOOKED OUT INTO A BEAUTIFUL SHEET Of
WATER~ WITH A MOUNTAIN ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE QUITE NEAR THE SHOREo
AF~ER TALKING FOR SOMETJME THEY CONCLUDED THEY WERE LOST AND THOUGHT
lT DOUBTFUL WHETHER THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO FIND THEfR WAY OUT, THERE -59-
BEING SUCH A DENSE FOG.
nLOOK THERE, THAT IS TAHAWUS,nEXCLAIMED COVIL. "HE'S LOOKING
FOR us," AND THE NEXT MOMENT HE SHOUTED TO HJM.
"WHAT FOR YOU COME HERE?"ASKED TAHAWUS, "ME THINK YOU LOST."
nYES,SAtD MACINTYRE,nWE GOT TURNED OUT Of OUR COURSE. YOU'LL
HAVE TO BE OUR GUIDE, TAHAWUS.n
TAHAWUS STEPPED OUT AND HELPED COVIL lNTO THE CANOE.
"Now YOU FOLLOW ME AND ME GO WHERE YOU WANT TO Go." SAID THE
INDIAN AS HE LED THE WAY. IN ABOUT AN HOUR THEY HEARD THE WATER
RUNNING AND CAME TO THE RIVER.
"THERE THE PLACE YOU CATCH FISH LAST FALL, MR. MACINTYRE.•
AND SURE ENOUGH THAT WAS THE PLACE. IN A~SHORT TJME THEY CAME . TO THE PLACE WHERE. THEY WERE TO MEET COVIL AND THEY FOUND HIM WAITING
THEREo SOON EACH MAN HAD HIS PACK ON HIS SHOULDER AND THEY STARTED,
SINGLE FILE, WlTH TAHAWUS AS THEIR GUIDE. HALF AN HOUR LATER TAHAWUS
STOPPEDon
"S_EE YOU COME HERE SOMETIME, LONG AGO," TA HAW US SAID, A BROAD
GRlN ON H1S FACE. AND AFTER LOOKING AROUND THEY FOUND THAT THERE
WAS THE PLACE THAT THEY HAD TALKED OF BUILDJNG A FURNACE AND FOUND A
POCKET KNIFE THAT MR. MACINTYRE HAD LOST WHILE THERE BEFORE.
nWELL NOW, "SAID HENDERSON,"LET US UNLOAD AND PILE UP OUR THINGS
HERE BEFORE ANYTHING MORE IS SAID OR DONE, FOR I BELIEVE THAT RIGHT
HERE !S WHERE WE WANT OUR HEADQUARTERSo AND HERE IS WHERE, IF WE £-VER
MAKE IRON., IT SHALL BE DONE. Now, TAHAWUS YOU TAKE us TO ALL THE
PLACES THAT YOU KNOW Of WHERE ORE CAN BE FOUND AND THEN IN A SHORT
TIME WE WJLL COME BACK AND HAVE SOMETHlNG TO EAT. THEN WE WILL MAKE
CAMP AND CATCH SOME TROUT FOR OUR SUPPER.n
WHEN THEIR PACKS WERE PLACED IN A PILE TAHAWUS TOOK HIS-POWDER
HORN AND SPRINKLED POWDER ON THE PILE AND SCATTERED SOME ON THE GROUND -60- AROUND THEMo
rrWHAT'S THAT FOR?" ASKED THE DOCTOR.
"T HA T ' S A P R E VE NT A T I VE , "A NSW E R E D CO V I L •
"W H A T W I L L I T P R E V E N T ? T H E D O C T O R Q U E S T I O N E D •
"PREVENT US GOING WITHOUT. OUR SUPPER,"SAID COVIL. TAHAWUS
LAUGHED AT CovtL'S REMA~K.
11 n YA H, T HE I N D I A N SA i D , n S OM E B I G B EAR C OM E T O EAT I T UP • HE
FRAID POWDER."
11 GOOD FOR YOU., MY BOY~" SAID HEND.ERSON AS HE SLA~PPED HJ M ON THE
BACK O "Now .GO SHOW us THE Ano-1 RON-DACK ONCE MORE .. n
AWAY THEY SPED, NO ONE KNEW WHERE OR WHICH WAY BUT THERE WAS
N O E N D T O I R O N O R E. A N D I T WAS T 'fl O I N T H E A FT E R N O O N W H E N T H E I ND l A N
CAME TO A STREAM AND TURNING TO MACINTYRE AND HENDERSON SAID,
11 SEE HERE. 11 ANO THERE WAS THE I RON DAM THAT THEY HAD SEEN
BEFORE. IN A SHORT TIME THEY REACHED THE PLACE WHERE THEIR PACKS
WERE AND TAHAWUS EXCLAIMED,
"HA! HA! SOME BEAR BEEN HERE, HE SMELLED OUR DINNER"
UPON EX~MINATlON IT WAS FOUND THAT THE BEAR HAD PULLED ONE BACK
OUT FROM THE REST BUT HAD LEFT IT HEREo TH!S WAS ATTRIBUTED TO THE
SMELL OF POWDER. A HALF HOUR WAS SPENT tN EATING, AFTER WHICH THE
FIRST BU!LDING WAS PUT UP ON THE SITE OF THE ADDIRONDACK VJLL£GE. Ir
FACED THE IRON DAM AND WAS FOUR LOGS HIGH ON THE BACK SlDE AND THE
ENOS WERE COVERED WJTH SPRUCE BARK. TAHAWUS, CovJL,YATES AND IVES
WERE THE PRJNCtPLE WORKMENo HENDERSON GATHERED MOSS TO PUT BETWEEN
THE LOGS AND MACINTYRE AND ROBINSON WENT FISHING. THE CAMP WAS ALL
COMPLETE, WITH A GOOD CARPET OF HEMLOCK BOUGHS, BEFORE SUNDOWN. A GOOD
WARM MEAL, WITH PLENTY OF TROUT, CURED EVERY ILL AND AFTER A FEW
STORIES SLEEP SOON CLAIMED THEM. THE OWLS TALKED OVER THE STRANGE
SPECTACLE AND OTHER SMALL GAME WONDERED WHY THEY WERE THUS DISTURBED, -61-
WHJLE THE SLEEPERS, IN THEIR DREAMS, TRAVELED FAR AWAY LOOKING
FOR HIDDEN TREASURES OR WERE LOST IN THE WOODS. "Nor A SOUND WAS
HEARD ~NTIL MOR.NINGo Coy}L HAD BEEN UP ONCE IN THE NIGHT TO RE-
.KINDLE THE F"IRE., BUT HAD DISTURBED NO ONE. IN THE MORNING, HOWEVER, ' IT WAS PLAIN TO DISCERN THAT THERE HAD BEEN SOME INTRUDERS. A STRING
OF TROUT AND SOME SAUSAGE, WHICH HAD BEEN LEFT OUTSIDE, HAD BEEN .TAKEN.
AT LEAST THEY COULD NOT BE FOUND. THE ·tNDIAN LAUGHED AS HE SAID,
"You NOT GOT SOME POWDER ON HIM."
"THE OLD V1LLIAN,"SAID THE DOCTOR,"HE HAD BETTER BE CAREFUL.".
"YES,BETTER BE CAREFUL," SAID YATEs,~"You HAD BETTER PUT SOME
POWDER ON YOUR CLOTHES."
THE DOCTOR, BEING A LITTLE SENSATJVE RETORTED, "You ARE JUST AS
SCARED AS ANY ONE ELSE."
ME~DERSON,. THINKING IT BEST TO E~0'THE CONVERSATION SUGGESTED THAT A COUPLE Of THE PARTY SHOULD CATCH SOME MORE FISH ~H1LE THE
OTHERS GOT BREAKFAST.
11 n ALL R I G H T , n SP OK E UP CO V I l ., A N D l ' L L GO A N D K :J LL T H E B EA R ,.
Ht TOOK HJS GUN AND VAS OUT OF SIGHT IK A FEW MINUTES~ THE IND!AN
AND MAClNTYRE WENT TO flSM~ TWENTY MlNUTES LATER THE REPORT OF
CovtL's GUN AWOKE THE ECHOES Of CENTRAL ADDIRONDACK AND STARTLED THE
CAMPERSo
"T HA T I S P R E T T Y C L OS E , I S N ' T I T ? A 5 K ED YO T E S • T H E WO RDS W E R E
HARDLY SAID BEFORE A CALL WAS HEARDo EVERY MAN TO HJS GUN AND
STARTED IN THE DIRECTION OF THE CALL BUT BEFORE THEY WERE OUT Of ::. SIGHT COVIL PUT OFF FOR THE WOODS. IT TOOK SOME SPACE FOR THE SCEN~
THAT FOLLOWED. THE BEAR, AFTER TAKlNG HER MEAL OF FISH AND SAUSAGE,
HAD RETURNED TO HER CUBS AND WAS SOUND ASLEEP WHEN COVIL BLUNDERED
UPON THEM. BEFORE HE KNEW Of THEIR PRESENCE. ON£ or THE CUBS GAVE T~E
ALARM BY A SQUAL. THE SQUEAL STARTLED HlM. THE NEXT JNSTANT THE MOTHER BEAR WAS UP AND Cov1·L RETREATED AS FAST AS POSSIBLE FOR HE
KNEW FULL WELL THAT IF HE DID NOT KlLL HER AT THE FIRST SHOT THERE
WAS BUT LITTLE CHANCE FOR HJM BUT lF HE WOULD GET AWAY FROM THE CUBS
THE OLD BEAR WOULD NOT BE SO SAVAGE. THE OLD DAME DID NOT AT FIRST
I SCENT HIM, BUT FLEW ABOUT TO ASCERTAJN THAT HER FAMlLY WERE ALL SAFEo
IN A tEW MINUTES HE HEARD HER COME TEARING THROUGH THE BUSHESo
"COME ON, YOU OLD THIEF,"HE SAID AS HE PREPARED FOR BATTLE.
JUMPING OVER A LOG HE FACED ABOUT, THINKING SHE WOULD RAfSE THE LOG
AND AS SHE DID HE COULD SHOOT HER FATALLY. Bur THE BEAR WAS so
ENRAGED THAT SHE D1D NOT STOP FOR THE L8G BUT SAILED OVER, LANDING_
JUST A LtTTLE TO ONE SIDE bF WHERE HE STOOD. SHE HAD NOT SEEN HIM.
0 NC E OVER T H E l 0: G S H E T ti R N E"·D AH-.& u.C O V I L T R I ED T O S HOOT HE R I N T HE
MOUTH. BUT ~JSSED tT AND SHOT HER IN THE EYE. SHE FELL AND COVJL RANo
JN A MOMENT SHE WAS UP AND AFTER HtM. IT WAS THEN THAT HE CALLED,-
SO THE CAMP MIGHT BE PREPARED FOR WHAT MIGHT FOLLOW, AND IT WAS THE
ENRAG(D ANri WOUNDED BEAR THAT DID FOLLOW AND AS SHE CAME TEARlNG ON
EACH MAN GAVE HER ROOM. THEY STEPPED TO ONE SIDE AND SHE PLUNGED IN
TO CAMP, KNOCKING OVER FIRST ONE THING ANO THEN ANOTHER, THINKlNG .. PERHAPS THAT SHE WAS PYNtSHINt HER ENEMJESo TAHAWUS, WHOSE GUN WAS
NOT LOADED, AND THE ONLY MAN THAT WAS NOT PAN!C STRICKEN, SEIZED THE
AXE AND, AS THE BEAR WAS COMING OUT PAST THE F!RE, THREW IT WITH ALL
HIS MJGHT, HJTTJNG HER ON THE SIDE Of THE HEAD. SHE FELL !NTO THE
FIRE AND, STtLL IMAGINING THAT SHE WAS DEAL!NG WITH HER FOE, SHE
OPENED HER MOUTH AND GOT HOLD OF A BRAND Of FIRE. AND THEN WHAT A
YELL AND SUCH TEARING AROUND AS FOLLOWEDo SHE iEFT THE SCENE OF HER
DlSASTER, PASSED ON FOR THE WATER, TAKJNG NO NOTICE OF THE SHOTS
FIRED AT HER ON THE WAY. PLUNGlNG INTO THE STREAM SHE GROWLED FOR
SEVERAL MINUTES.
"COME, you, QUICK. GtvE ME GUN. SHOOT'." SHOUTED TAHAWUSo HENDERSON GAVE HtS RIFLE TO THE INDlAN, tT BEING THE ONLY ONE
WH~CH WAS LOADED, AND TAHAWUS CREPT CAREFULLY ALONG TO WHERE HE
COULD SEE HER AND ·THEN SHOT. THE BEAR WAS DEAD. ALL THIS TIME
COVIL WAS StCURlNG THE CUBS. THERE WERE TWO OF THEM AND THEY WERE
Q-UlTE SMALL, WHtCH,HE SAID., ACCOUNTED FOR HER BOLDNESS., AND SEEMING
RECKLESSNESS, l N .PILFER t NG THE l .R CAMP, THEY NOT BE t NG OLD ENOUGH TO
FOLLOW HER Y.ET.
"W .E L l , BY FUR Y l E X C LA I MED T HE D O CT OR , n t F T HAT WAS N ·.f T AS G 01) I)
AS A C~RCUS. How SHE DID TEAR THtNGS THOUGH~
lfY£s,•sA~D MAClNTYRE, "AND HO.W ~-HE .PLUNGED tNTO THE WAT:ER. Bur t tMAGINE WE WOULD GO FOR VATER TOO IF WE HAD B~EN EATING FIRE AND
ROLLtNG 1N. lT TOO~ ff
WHEN TH t NGS WERE R J.&MTED UP ANOTHER ATTEM'PT WAS MADE T.O GET SOME
TROUT FOR THEJR BREAKFAST. ]TWAS LATE BEFORE BREAKFAST WAS OVER.
THEIR PACKS, BROKE CAMP AND MADE FOR THE CANOE. TfftS TlME EVERYTH~NG , . WAS PUT tNTO THE CANOE, COVIL AND TAHAWUS GOJNG OFF lN lT AND WERE TO
COME ~ACK ·wtTH THE OTHER ONE TOO,TO GET THE REST OF THE PARTY, WHO
W E R E T O W OR K T HE t R WAY ON SHOR E UN T I L MET BY T HE CA N:O ES • TH E F ,0 R E,..
NOON WAS SPENT IN GETT.ING TO THE PLACE WHERE THEY FIRST EMBARKED AND
THE MEN WERE THANK~NG THElR FORTUNES FOR HAVtNG GOTTEN OUT OF THE
CANOES ONTO THE LAND ALlVE.
NEW. C OM B .fAR M WAS_ 1 N S .f G HT A BOUT T\( 0 ·o f. C LO C K t 'N T HE A f T £ R NO ON a
AFTER DlNNER THE THREE MEMBERS Of THE fJRM, MR. MEVCOMB A~D THE DOCTOR
WERE fN SECR£T ~ESStON AND !TWAS QUITE LATE &EfORE THEY AGAIN
APPEARED. WHAT TOPtCS WERE DlSCUSSED MAY ONLY BE CONJECTURED BY
WHAT FOLLOWED. IN THE MORNING THE THREE MEMBERS OF THE FIRM AND THt
; .... DOCTOR, ACCOMPANIED BY MR. NE~COMB, STARTED FOR PENDEETON. MRo YATES AND MR •.IVES WENT TO WORK ON THE FARM AND IN A DAY OR TWO MR. NEWCOMB
RETURNED, AND WITH HIM, TWO MEN, WHO, WITH YATES AND IVES, THE NEXT
DAY WENT TO CUTT!NG OUT THE OLD MILITARY ROAD DOWN TO THE OUTLET OF
LAKE SANDFORD AND THEN ON OUT TOWARDS ScHRfON Rt VER, MAKING BRIDGES
AND OTHrR REPAIRS, AS THEY THOUGHT BEST.
THE COMPANY, WITH THE DOCTOR, HAD GONE HOME AND TAKEN TAHAWUS AND
COVIL WITH THEMo THEY WALKED TO WEST'S THE DAY THEY LEFT PENDLETON
AND HIRED VEST TO TAKE THEM TO POTTERSYILLE. tROM POTTERVILLE
HENDERSON WENT BY WAY OF SCHROON LAKE, WITH-TAHAWUS AND COVIL, WHILE
THE OTHER THREE RETURNED Tri ALBANY BY THE ROUTE THEY CAME.
HENDERSON AND HIS MEN WALKED TO SCHROON, A DISTANCE OF NINE MILES,
THAT AFTERNOON. THE FOLLOWING MORNING THEY TRAVELED NINE MILES MORE TO
RooT'S HOTEL ON SCHROON RIVER NORTH. RUSSEL ROOT WAS A YOUNG MAN AND
UNEDUCATED, YET HE WAS A BUSINESS MAN OF A GREAT DEAL OF PUSH. To HIM
HENDERSON MADE KNOWN WHAT HE WAS DOING AND SAID THAT THE OLD MILITARY
ROAD MUST BE OPENED AT ONCE; THAT BY THE MIDDLE OF AUGUST HE WOULD
COME WITH ANOTHER PARTY TO MAKE ARRANGEMENTS TO BUILD A FORGE NEXT
SPRING, THE MATERIAL_ FOR WHICH MUST BE HAULED IN NEXT WINTER. ALSO
MATERIAL FOR A NEW MILL AND SEVERAL HOUSES. THIS WAS UNEXPECTED ~00D
Ntws TO MR. RooT, WHO HAD CONTEMPLATED SELLING OUT AND GETTING AWAY FRO.
SOLITUDE OF SCHROON RIVER. HE ENTERED HEARTILY INTO THE PLANS OF HIS
GUEST AND BEFORE GOING TO BED HAD CONTRACTED TO DO THE WORK OF OPENING
THE ROADo THE ROAD BED WAS ALL RIGHT, THE BRIDGES WE'RE POOR AND SECOND
GROWTH TREES GREW THICK TOGETHER AND THEN FALLER TREES HAD TO BE CUT
AND ROLLED OUT.
'~ELL, RooT, HERE IS THREE HUNDRED DOLLARS AND IN AUGUST I SHALL
BE UP, WITH OTHERS TO GO OVER THE ROAD AND I WILL PAY THE BALANCE THEN,
WHICH WAS QUITE SATISFACTORY TO MR. Roor. TAHAWUS AND COVIL WERE TO
REMAIN AND WORK AS MUCH AS THEY WISHED TO. ARRANGEMENTS BEING Ail
MADE THERE WAS NOTHING TO DO BUT SLEEP UNTIL MORNING, WHEN MR. ROOT -65-
WAS TO TAKE MR. HENDERSON TO CROWN POINT ON LAKE CHAMPLAIN.
PART SECOND
ABOUT THE TIME THAT THE TRANSACTIONS OF THE LAST CHAPTER WERE
!N PROGRESS NEWCOMB., OR PENDLETON SETTLEMENT., NOT COUNTING MR.
NEWCOMB.,, CONT Ai NED Fi VE• FAM! L; ES., ALL TOLD., AND IT HAD BEEN SETTLED
SEVERAL YEARS AND WAS AN 0RGAN~ZE0 TOWNo THREE FAMILIES OF BlSELS.,
ONE BELDEN FAMILY AND CHANDLER CONSTITUTED THE TOWN.
WEST FROM NEWCOMB., SOME TWELVE M!LES BY THE PRESiNT ROAD, IS LONG
LAKE., TOWNSHIP TWENTY-ONE., TATTON AND CROSSFlELD 1 S PURCHASE, WHICH CAME
INTO POSSESSION OF AND WAS OWNED BY WELLS HAMMOND Of CHERRY VALLEY,
NEW YORK., WHO., THlS SEASON., HAD BEEN TO EXPLORE AND SET MEN TO WORK
BUILDING A SAW MILL fN THE TOWNSHIP AND TO C0N.STRUCT A ROAD FROM
NEWCOMB TO THE LAKE~ HE HAD TO GO THERE BY THE OLD STATE ROAD UPON
THE NORTH SIDE OF RICH AND CATLIN LAKE., TO THE FOOT OF LONG LAKE.
ON CATLIN LAKE THERE HAD BEEN A LARGE CLEARING MADE BY A MR. CATLIN . WHO., HAVING BECOME SiCK OF SUCH LONG WINTERS, PULLED U~ AND LEFT IT.
IN COMPANY WITH WELLS HAMMOND., ARE COLONEL SAGE AND A MR. Sr.JOHN.
THE LAST NAMED GENTLEMAN WAS A CONTRACTOR WHO HAD BEEN ALLURED BY
HAMMOND'S GLOWING DESCRIPTION OF THE COUNTRY INTO BELIEVING HE COULD
MAKE SOME MONEY AND PERHAPS SETTLE., AT LEAST WK!LE MAKING THE MONEY.
THAT PARTY ALSO HAD MADE THE ACQUAINTANCE OF AN INDiAN WHO WAS TO MEET
THEM AT THE FOOT OF LONG LAKE AND TAKE THEM TO THE HEAD OF THE LAKEa
LONG LAKE WAS THEN SA!D TO BE EIGH.TEEN MILES LONG, BUT ACTUAL MEASURE
MENT HAS REDUCED IT TO A LITTLE OVER THIRTEEN, A STRAIGHr, NARROW SHEET
Of WATER, LYING NORTHEAST AND SOUTHWEST, IN. MOST PARTS NOT 0VtR ONE·
TH~RD Of A MILE W!DE, AND IT IS ONLY A LITTLE OVER A MILE AT ITS -66-
~lDEST PLACE. iT lS A BEAUTIFUL.SHEET ~f WATER,.WlTH BEAUTlFVL
S CE N E R.Y , :· ESPE C t AL LY A T . T H E . LOW ER E ND ~ I T HAS SOME T H I NG L t KE . i,..
. 0--0 Z E N . l S LANO S .,. LA R G E A ND SM A L L • MR • HAMMON O t s.. PAR Ty . R E AC H ED , TH E
.F.OT.-OF ,THE LAKE A608T NOON~-SEPTEMBER 12, 1855. As THEY WALKEJ '
O·Vl' .· .·• N . T H E . 0 LO M1 L l TAR Y . BR l D G E , . 0 y. ER . THE . RAC KE TT , R· l VER S, JUST . AT_ . T ff E
. Mt.U TH , 0 f T ff .E . R J V ER ,. W H·I C' H . W-A S S T-t L L . ST A ND l· ,NG _, T_ H E Y . S A.W CAPT,\ I N . p~ TE R ·
. C-QM..l NG.: UP· THE :Rt· YER . l N . Hi S BARK CA NOE·.
TflEY GREETED THE.OL·D-~AN-WlTH~
ffHEL~O~,CAPTAtK" •
.,fl·How. BE. Yt)U·,- MR., WELLS.?"'' .
11 ¥0-UR JUST. l .N TIM.~. C~N THAT. CANO·E. CARJtY ALL .-&f .. tS ..,. .-C~PT~J~·r' -.
"YEJ~.YOU SIT.STILL .AND-WlNO N~ .. BL-~W_.VERT-MUCNfl:
-f!·WE L;L., ft SA l D HAM.-.0-NO.,. ""w E . HAD BE TT ER . E-A T A . L·~N~H A.NJ) . THAT -W·l-~L
FOR. EACH. HAD A. SMAL·L .. PACK .• , PROV l St-ON~. . , ...... ,··
· "·6E TT ER .. GET l N . CANOE J · . ._SA I D THE I ND l AN 1 · n AND , GO , TO ijtf CK . PO I NT~-
· THERE .BE.GOOD SPRING. ME GOT TROUT,.MAKE f"IRE THERE,.ROA.ST.EM.GG-0:-0
I "VERY ~ELL,:CAPTA.IN~ JUST AS YOU-SAY."
THE PARTY.PLACED THEMSELVES IN THE CANOE AS DJRECTED ANO WERE
SOON.ON THElR WAY. TO THE POlNT. THE INDIAN WAS lN THE.STERN.ON.A
CROSSPIECE WITH A. PlECE Of S-OME Kl ND-Of SKIN ON IT~ ONE Of THE OTHERS
sr•oo ON HIS KNEES NEAR THE FORE END, AND. 1N .THE-MIDDLE THE.OTHER· TWQ·
SAT .R RECLlNED, AS THEY CHOSE, ONE PADDLE IN ,THt.~ANDS_or THE.FRONT
I~ LtS$ THAN-AN .HOUR -OUR CRAfT WAS LANDtO ON.TKE.UPP&R SlDE OF
TH£ P-0 I Ni AND SURE. tNOUGH THE.RE .WAS A SPR l NG AND JU.ST OVER . IT,- ON A
THE INDlAN, WITH rLINT AND.PUN~, I' • I
SOON HAD Ap."ft RE, AN. OLD TES. POT WAS PRODUCED; fl SH WERE. ROASTED OVER . . THE fl RE BY PUTTING.THEM .QN.A LONG ~HARe. STlCK. LITTLE SLlTS,WERE CUT -67-
!N THE SlDES OF THE FISH AND SALT SPRINKLED lN THEM AND WHEN
ROASTED WERE FINE EATING.
THlS lS, SO FAR AS WE. KNOW, THE BEGlNNlNG OF OUR PRESENT
GUIDE SYSTEMo IT IS NO DOUBT THE FIRST TIME A WHITE MAN WAS EVER I
CONVEYED BY A GUIDE AS A SPORT IN THIS PART OF THE WILDERNESS. THE lNIT!ATIVE \GUlDE AND SPORT BUSINESS, WHICH NOW HAS GROWN TO BE SUCH AN
!MENSE TRAFFIC. THEN AS NOW THE DINNER WAS IMENSE. PRAISE WlTHOUT
ENDo AND SUCH WATER, IT WAS NOT PLACED THERf BY THE CREATOR TO.RUN
AWAY ALWAYS ANO BE .WASTED.
n TH I S WAS D ES T I N E D T O B E A GOO O C OUN T R Y S OM E T I M E , -DON .f T YOU . T H l NK so~" ASKED MR. SAGE.
"(NDEED I oo,-"wAS HAMMOND'S QUlCK REPLT. n I l NT END TO HAVE
SETTLERS ON THE UPPER END OF THE LAKE NEXT SUMMER."
THEY UNLOADED AND PADDLED ON UP THE LAKE.
nWELL, ST JOHN," SAID SAGE, 11 WHAT WILL YOU CALL THAT lSLAND?ft
nWELL, THAT lS ROUND ISLAND."
APPROPRIATE,"RETURNED HAMMOND. LATER ON, AND FURTHER UP, A
NARROW PLACE lN THE L~KE WlTH A SMALL ISLAND ON .THE EAST SlDE OF THE
CHANNEL, WAS REACHED.
nHERE lS ANOTHER ISLAND.WAITING TO BE NAMED," REMARKED.SAGE.
ttYES,n SAID HAMMOND, "AND THIS lS IN OUR OWN TERRITORY. THIS tS
TOWNSHIP TWENTY-ONEo THE LINE IS A MILE BELOW HERE AND YOU, ST JOHN,
ARE THE MAN, LIKE ADAM, TO NAME THESE THINGS."
"CALL THAT Pl NE ISLAND, THEN," SAID ST. JOHN.
"APPROPRIATE AGAIN, AS SURE AS I LlVE, "sAlD HAMMOND.
"Now SEE HERE, HAMMOND,"SAID ST JqHN, qHow DO YOU KNOW BUT THAT
THIS lS THE PLACE FOR OUR MILL?" THERE IS A STREAM COMING IN BEHIND
THAT I SLANDo n
"YEs,"REPLlEO HAMMOND, "THERE IS A STREAM, BUT IT IS RATHER SMALL. -68-
LJp AT THE HEAD OF THE LAKE lS A LARGER ONE THAT COMES FROM A LARGE
PONDo .WE WILL GO AND EXAMINE THAT FIRST AND THEN IF WE DO NOT LIKE IT
WE WILL COME AND LOOK AT THIS IN THE MORNING • 11
AFTER PASSING THE LAST NAMED ISLAND THE LAKE WAS WIDER.
"THERE, 11 SAlD HAMMOND, POlNTING TO A MARSH ON THE WEST SIDE OF
T H E L A K E , n I S A . S T R E A M A ~ D A G O O D M l L L S I T E , B U T I T l S B A C K F R OM T. H E
LAKE AND AT PRESENT THIS .LAKE lS TO BE THE HIGHWAY, ESPEClALLY UNTIL
THE LAKE lS SETTLEOo THE SAME OBJECTION PRETAINS TO .THE ONE BEHlND THE lSLAND. I THINK .WE CAN GET A St TE FOR A MILL CLOSE TO THE WATER'S
ED GE UP AT THE o:r HER PLACE. n
PASSING A ROCK PROMONTORY, AS THEY.PASSED OUT OF THE BAY,.THEY
GAVE IT THE NAME OF "WATCH RocK. "THAT WlLL BE A GOOD PLACE T-0,WATCH
THE BAY FOR DEER."
A LITTLE FURTHER ON CAPTAJN PETER STEERED UP UNDER THE EAST
SHORE AND AS HE FLOATED UP NEAR THE SHORE HE SAlD,
"HERE SOME GOOD WATER."
' 11 WE MUST REMEMBER WHERE THlS lS," SA1D.ST JOHN. "SUCH WATER AS
THlS lS NOT FOUND EVERY DAY".
AS THEY PASSED UP THE- LAKE lT NARROWED AND BECAME MARSHY, LILLY
PADS AND MUD BOTTOM •
. "THERE IS ANOTHER ISLAND. CAPTAJN PETER,WHAT DO YOU CALL THAT?
ASKED ST JOHN.
"MoosE ISLAND,"SAID THE OLD MAN.
"WHY? BECAUSE IT LOOKS LIKE ONE?"
"No. , ME KILL MOOSE HERE ONE TlME."
"OH, THAT'S ITo WELL, HOW MUCH FURTHER HAVE WE GOT TO Go?"
ASKED THE COLONEL.
"Jusr AROUND lN .THE BAY BEYOND THAT POINT."
As THEY ROUNDED THE POlNT THE ROAR OF THE WATER FALLS APPRISED -69- THEM OF THE FACT THAT THEIR TRIP FOR THAT DAY WAS ABOUT ENDED. LAND
ING ON A FLAT ROCK TO THE WEST OF THE STREAM THEY WERE SOON MAKING
PREPARATIONS FOR CAMPING. (APTAlN, THOUGH ADVANCED IN LlFE, WAS A
VIGOROUS OLD MAN AND IN AN INCREDIBLY SHORT TlME HAD SEVERAL SPRUCE
TREES GIRDLED AND STRIPPED OF BARK SEVEN FEET HlGH. THE BARK WAS
CARRIED BY THE OTHERS TO THE PLACE SELECTED FOR THE CAMP, AS WERE-
ALSO A COUPLE OF CROTCHES AND A POLE· TO_PUT lNTO THEM, THEN POLES TO
RUN FROM THE MAlN .POLE SLANTlNG TO THE GROUND. WHEN ALL THE MATERlAL
WAS -ON .THE SPOT THE RAISING BEGAN AND lN LESS THAN TWO HOURS A.SNUG
SHELTER, AS THE CAPTAIN CALL~D IT, WAS-READY FOR THE NIGHT. THE
COLONEL BEING A FISHERMAN, HAD CAUGHT A SUPPLY OF SPECKLED BEAUTlES
FOR THElR SUPPER6 AFTER SUPPER THE PARTY TALKED OVER Ml LL AND -ROAD
MATTERS, FOR AN .HOUR OR TWO, AFTER WHlCH CAPTAlN PETER ENTERTAl!NED
THE PARTY WlTH HUNTING STORIES UNTlL .QUITE LATE, OF WHICH THE FOLLOW
lNG lS THE ONLY ONE REMEMBERED AT PRESENTo
THE CAPTAlN HAD STARTED A LARGE MOOSE. THE SNOW WAS VERY DEEP
WITH A GOOD CRUSTo A COUPLE OF SMALL DOGS AND A SINGLE BARREL RIFLE
PlSTOL WERE HiS WEAPONS OF WARFAREo THE MOOSE FLED AS FAST AS HE
COULD THROUGH THE DEEP SNOW, DOWN THE MOUNTAlN SlDE, UNTIL THE DOGS
OVERTOOK HlMo HE DlD NOT SEEM TO CARE FOR THEM AT FlRST, UNTlL SWAMPY
GROUND WAS ENTEREDo THE SNOW BEING DEEPER THE MOOSE, TIRED OF-FLIGHT,
STOPPED TO FIGHT OFF THE DOGS, WHICH BEING SMALL HE 010 SUCCESSFULLY.
MEANWHlLE THE CAPTA!N~ ON SNOW SHOES, PlSTOL IN HAND, WAS APPROACHING,
FOLLOWED BY A BOY. WHEN HE FIRST CAME lN SlGHT THE MOOSE WAS STAND
lNG NEARLY STILL, KEEPING THE DOGS OFF WITH HIS HEAD. Bur AS SOON AS
THE MOOSE PERCElVED THAT A REINFORCEMENT WAS COMlNG, HE STARTED OFF . ON A BRISK TROT AND FOR A Ml LE OR SO LEFT THE CAPTAIN .!N THE REAR AND
OUT OF SlGHTo THE DOGS WERE MORE TROUBLESOME SiNCE THEY WERE ENCOURA~
ED BY.THE SIGHT OF THEIR MASTER AND THEN THE MOOSE BECAME WEARY' AND -10-
ALL THIS MADE HIM VERY ANGRY AND HE MADE DESPERATE THRUSTS AT THE
DOGSo THE CAPTAlN SAlD HIS EYE WERE REDo "HIM MAD, HE HIT ONE DOG,
H ~ M GO BACK, . NO GOOD ANY MORE. n TH l S Tl ME 'WHEN HE SAW THE CAPT A I N . HE
DID NOT ,RUNo (APTA\N SAID, "His HAIR ALL STICK UP, HE TURN FOR MEo
ME SHOOT HIM IN THE NECK. MOOSE NO STOP, ME RUN, HIM COME TOO. ME
GO FOR BIG TREE, RUN ROUND TREE, MOOSE AFTER ME. HE MOST GOT ON SNOW~
SHOES, MOOSE NO TURN QUICK ROUND TREE. ME COME UP BEHIND MOOSE, ME
TAKE HATCHEJ 1 HATCHET IN .BELT ON SIDE HERE,. MOOSE VERY. MAD AND ME
VERY FRAlD. BOY.NO COME YET. 6Y BY ME COME UP WlTH HATCHET, CUT MOOSE
HAM STRING. MOOSE SIT DOWN, HE CAN NO COME LONGER. BOY COME, HE
S HO OT MOOS E l N N E C K • H E D l E • ME PR E T T Y . T l R E D • n A F T E R A F E W Q UES T l-ONS,.
RELATIVE TO MOO$£, THE PARTY ELAPSED lNT-0 SLEEP.
CAPTAl·N PETER, SO CALLED, WAS M.l TCHEL .SABATTlS FATHER, WHO,. FQR
SOME SERVICE DONE lN THE WAR OF 1812, WAS HONORED BY TH~ T\TLE OF
CAPTAIN~ HE llVEO TO BE VERY OLD, WAS A MAN Of GOOD SE~SE, WITH.QUITE
CORRECT NOTlONS OF WHAT WAS RlGHT AND WHEN TALKATlYE COULD ENTERTAIN
A PARTY WITH HUNTlNG EXPERlENCES, AS WELL AS GlVE A CORRECT DESCRIP- -
TlON.OF THE COUNTRY.
IN THE MORNING THE MEN FOLLOWED UP THE STREAM ABOUT A MILE, TO
WHAT THEY CALLED SOUTH PONDo THElR GUlDE WAS LEFT AT CAMP TO AWAIT
THEIR RETURN BUT, NOT RETURN!NG AS SOON AS HE THOUGHT THEY SHOULD
WENT OFF 1N HIS CANOE AND AT ABOUT TEN.0 1 CLOCK, WHEN THEY RETURNED,
THEY FOUND THE CAMP DESERTED, WiTH WOOD CUT FOR THEIR USE DURING THE
NIGHTo COLONEL SAGE WAS THE FIRST TO NOTICE THAT THE CANOE WAS GONE,
SAYING.,
nWE ARE LEFT ALONE FOR ONCE. NOW JUST lMAGiNE, ."HE SAID, nlF THAT
iNDlAN TOOK lT INTO HlS HEAD TO MURDER US, WHAT A GRAND CHANCE THIS
l S " n
"INDIANS HAVE BEEN KNOWN TO DO THAT VERY THlNG,tt REMARKED ST JOH~ -71-
.nTHAT IS TRUE, OF COURSE:,"SA!O MR. HAMMOND, "BUT CAPTAIN PETER
IS NOT THAT KIND OF AN INDIANo HAD RATHER TRUST H l M. THAN LOTS .OF
OUR WHiTE MENon
"WELL, LET US MAKE SOME EXAMtNATION OF THIS MILL SITE ANO DECJOE
WHERE THE DAM lS TO BE~" SUGGESTED.ST JOHN, "wE MUST GO.OFF lN THE
MORN l NG .. n
"WHILE YOU ARE DOING THAT I WILL CATCH SOME TROUT, PREPARATORY
T O G E T T I NG D I N N E R., n S A 1 D T HE C O LON E L •
-"YES, 11 SAID MRo HAMMOND, "AND YOU CAN GET.THE DlNNER TOO.
WHILE THE MEN WERE MEASURING AND MAKlNG ESTlMATES -OF CO~T OF
CONSTRUCTl-ON .ETC. COLONEL.SAGE WAS HAVING EXCELLENT SPORT AND CAME
NEAR FORGETTING HIS DtNNER. ftNALLY.BETHJNKtNG HtMSELf HE BEGAN·
DR ES S ! NG F t S H o WH EN R EADY . H E CA LL E-D H L S COMP AN i ON S • . WH l LE EAT l NG ,
THE SUBJECT OF BUJLDING MJLLS, MAKING ROADS, AND SEVERAL -OTHER TOPICS
RELATIVE TO OPENING A NEW COUNTRY, WERE DJSCUSSED.
"Now, i THlNK," SAlD MRo HAM~OND, "THIS lS DESTiNED .TO_BE.QUlTE
A COUNTRY, WHEN lT 1S SETTLED AND CLEARED UP.
"VERY ~IKELY, WELLs,"sAlD THE COLONEL, "BUT WE SHALL NOT LlVE T-0
SEE lT CLEARED UP VERY MUCH.
AFTER DlNNER THEY ALL SAT ON A LOG AND HAVlNG MADE MEASUREMENTS
AND PLANS FOR A MiLL 3 BEGAN TO FlGUREo AFTER CONSIDERABLE BANTERING,
ST JOHN AGREED TO BUILD A ROAD FROM NEWCOMB .TO LONG LAKE, STRIKING THE
LAKE ANYWHERE HE COULD FIND THE BEST ROAD, AND BUlLD A SAW Ml LL ON
THAT SlTE FOR FIVE LOTS OF LAND AND FlVE THOUSAND DOLLARS IN MONEY,
THE ROAD TO BE COMPLETED BEFORE WINTER, THE MILL TO BE BUILT THE
FOLLOWING SUMMER. A CRUDE MEMORANDUM WAS MADE AND SIGNED BY MRo
HAMMOND OF THE FIRST PART AND MRo.ST JOHN OF THE SECOND PART, THE
COLONEL SIGN!NG AS WITNESS AND FIFTY DOLLARS WAS PAID TO BlND THE
BA R GA l N o TH E R E I S NO DOU B T BU T T HA T T HA T WAS T H E F l RS T C·ONT R AC T E V E R -72-
DRAWN AND SIGNED IN THE T0W.N OF LONG LAKE.
WHEN NEARLY DARK CAPTAIN PETER APPEARED AND lN HIS CANOE WERE
TWO 0TTERSo HE HAD BEEN TO SOME OF HIS TRAPS AND FOUND ONE Of THEM
·1N ONE AND ON HIS WAY HOME HAD SHOT THE OTHER. ' 11 11 . HA! HA! SAID HAMMOND, YOU'VE BEEN HUNT.NG, I SEE."
"YES, ME HUNT SOME, M~ TRAP SOME T-OOo"
nw'HAT DO YOU DO WITH THE FUR?" ASKED ST JOHN.
n O, M'E TA KE t EM .ST R E G l S , S E ND t EM TO .MONT R EA L , S E L L . t EM., GE T
MONEY, BUY.SOMETHING EAT 3 DRlNK SOME TOO. HA! HA! AND THE OLD rELLOW
LAUGHED AS If lT OLD HlM GOOD.
[ARLY IN THE MORN!N~ THE PARTY WAS PADDLING DOWN THE LAKE. THEY
VISITED THE COLD SPRJNGS AND STOPPED TO lNSPECT A STONE OVEN, SAtD
T-0 HAVE BEEN MADE BY THE SURVEYORS SEVERAL YEARS BEFORE, TO.BAKE THEIR
BREAK lN. THEY ALSO STOPPED ON A ROCK POINT -ON THE WEST SIDE OF THE
LAKE. 3 JUST ABOVE ROUND ISLAND~ No THER STOPS WERE MADE UNTIL THE FOOT
OF THE LAKE WAS REACHED. 1HE lNDlAN, .HAVlNG CONCLUDED TO.ACCOMPANY . THEM AS FAR AS CATLIN LAKE, TOO« WHAT WAS LEFT OF THEIR PROVISIONS
SAYING THEY WOULD GO ON THE ROAD ABOUT A MILE TO A COOL BROOK, BEFORE
EATING THE!R LUNCH. AFTER EATING THEY WENT ONo AND SOMEWHERE, DURING • THE NEXJ SIX OR EIGHT MILES, CAPTAIN PETER WENT UP A LlTTLE BROOK AND
BROUGHT BACK A PIECE OF LEAD HE HAD CUT OUT OF THE BROOK BED, CLAIMING
THERE WAS LOTS MOREo WHEN THEY LEFT THE CAPTAIN ~HEY PAID.HIM TWO
DOLLARSo THAT, TOO, WAS DOUBTLESS THE FIRST GUIDE WAGES EVER PAID IN
THE REGION., IF NOT IN WHAT IS NOW KNOWN AS THE ADIRONDACKS~
THE CAPTAiN SEEMED WELL PLEASED, SAYlNG,
"PLENTY MONEY,"AND AFTER A HEARTY HANDSHAKE W~TH THE OLD MAN
THE PARTY LEFT HIM AT CATLlN LA~E.
IT WAS NEARLY DARK WHEN THEY REACHED MR~ DANIEL BlSELS. NEXT
DAY MINERVA WAS REACHED. HERE THEY STARYED OVER NIGHT W\TH A MR. -13-
TALBOT, lN A HOUSE STANDiNG ON A CORNER OF THE ROAD ON HlGH GROUND,
SOME SlX Ml LES WEST OF POTTERSVlLLE. THE MAN WAS ONE OF THOSE NORTH
OF IRELAND, ~HREWD, OLD,PROTESTANT IRtSHMAN, WHO, WlTH HlS BETTER
~ALF, LOVED THEIR WHISKEY; THERE WERE OTHE~ THERE THAT NIGHT THAT,
ONE WOULD TH!NK, LOV~D THEIR WHJSKEY, BES!DES THE HOST AND HlS LADY.
NEXT DAY OUR PARTY REACHED (HESTER VlLLAGE !N TlME FOR DINNER, AND
SPENT THE AFTERNOON .W!TH THEIR HOST MR. WETHERLAND, OF COURSE, THE
MAN WANTED TO KNOw WHO .THEY WERE AND WHAT THEY WERE DOING AND THESE
TOP1CS OF CONVERSATION TOOK UP THE WHOLE AFTERNOON. (TWAS SOON
NOlSED ABOUT •. ST JOHN, BE!NG IN THE STORE IN THE EVENING, MADE
ARRANGEMENTS WlTH MR. TUBBS, THE MERCHANT, TO FURNISH H1M PROVlSIONS
FOR A SMALL SQUAD OF MEN~ TO BE READY ABOUT THE FlRST OF AUGUST AND
-ALSO TO ENGAGE THREE OR.FOUR .MEN TO GO.AS CHOPPERS.TO.OPEN THE ROAD
AND SAlD HE.,
"i SHOULD L!KE TO FlND A FAMiLY THAT WOULD LiKE TO GO lNTO LONG
LAKE IN THE SPRiNG 3 TO LlVE THERE AND WITH WHOM I CAN BOARD WHILE
BUILDING THE MILL. MRo HAMMOND !S TO MAKE A PRESENT OF FIFTY ACRES
OF LAND.TO THE F!RST SlX FAMILIES THAT MOVE THERE. BESIDES, THERE
WlLL BE WORK FOR THOSE WHO DESIRE IT AND, AS SOON AS THERE ARE PEOPLE • ENOUGH, WE lNTEND T~ ORGANIZE A TOWN"
"HE WAS HERE TODAY.,"HE SAiD, "AND WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THE
ALBANY F!RM THAT IS MAK!NG PREPARATIONS TO OPEN AN IRON WORKS SOME
.WHERE IN THAT REGION AND HE SAiD HE WOULD LIKE TO GET A CHANCE TO GO
IN THERE AND LlVEo
"WE L. L !in SA I D ST JOHN 3 n YOU T £LL H I M l AM H i S MAN . AND I W l LL BE
HERE THE LAST Of JULY AND. AS MANY AS DESIRE TO ACCOMPANY ME AS
LABORES iN CUTTING THE ROAD SHOULD LEAVE THEIR NAMES HERE WITH you·
AND ABOUT THE MIDDLE OF JULY YOU WRlTE TO ME. I WILL DEPEND ON THE
MEN." -74-
SOME FURTHER CONVERSATION RELATIVE TO THE lRON FIRM AND WHO
THEY WERE~ WHAT THEIR SEVERAL OCCUPATIONS WERE AND Sr JOHN RETURNED
TO THE HOTEL~· MAK!NG KNOWN TO HIS COMPANIONS WHAT ARRANGEMENTS HE HAD
MADE.
"l 'D RATHER GET MEN FROM THIS REG\ON THAN BRiNG THEM FROM HOME.
THESE MEN KNOW MORE OF THE WOODS AND ARE USED T-0 HARD FARE 3 "SA1D MR.
HAMMONDo
"WELL, SUPPOSE WE TAKE OUR NIGHT-CAPS AND RETIRE," SUGGESTED
THE COLONEL.
THE SUGGESTlON WAS CONSENTED TO, SO THE WRITER DROPS .HlS PEN. -75- PART THREE
OUR BOOK WOULD BE ALTOGETHER TOO VOLUMINOUS WERE WE TO FOLLOW
IN DETAiL EVERY INClDENT CONNECTED WlTH THE OPENING AND PUTTING IN
OPERATION Of THE IRON WORKS OF THE AD:RONDACK. IT WILL BE SUFFICIENT
FOR OUR PURPOSE TO SAY THAT THE ROAD WAS CUT OUT AND PUT tNT0 SHAPE
SUFf;C!ENT FOR A GOOD WINTER ROAD AND lN THE FOLLWOING WINTER MUCH
HAULING WAS DONE OVER IT~ CASTINGS FOR A SAW MILL~ FORGE MATERIAL,
NAILS FOR BU!LDiNG, PROViSiONS ETC., WH!CH HAD BEEN SHIPPED FROM ALBANY
TO CROWN Po j NT FROM WHERE IT WAS TAKEN ON SL.E: GHS TO Ao I RONDACK IRON
WORKS, WERE ALL TAKEN OVER THIS ROADo A LOG BOARDING HOUSE HAD BEEN
CONSTRUCTED DURING THE SUMMER, WHICH WAS SHINGLED W!TH SPRUCE BARK
AND THE LOWER FLOOR WAS SPRUCE POLES, HEWN ON THREt S1DES AND
SPOTTED DOWN ON SLEEPERS, MAKING THE TOP AS LEVEL As· POSSIBLE~
THE CHAMBER FLOOR BEING MADE OF BOARDS SAWED AT PENDLETON, WHERE
THERE WAS A RUDE SAW MILLo
[ARLY IN THE SPR!NG OPERATIONS COMMENCED. BEFORE THE SNOW WAS
FAIRLY OFF OF THE GROUND THE SAW MILL WAS STARTED AND AS FAST AS • LUMBER. WAS SAWED l T WAS PW T i NT 0 BU t L.D 1 NG S. THE FORGE f RAM E WAS ON THE
WAYo As SOON AS THE SNOW WAS GONE THEY MADE BRICKS, COAL PlTS BEGAN
TO SMOKE AND A DAM MADE, ALL WiTH:N A STONE'S THROW Of WHERE HENDERSON . . STOOD THE FIRST TIME HE SAlD TO MAc:NTYRE, "RlGHT HERE WOULD BE A
CAP:TAL PLACE FOR A FORGE A.ND TH!S FOR A FURNACE .. "
OUR;NG THAT SUMMER A ROAD WAS CONST~UCTED UP THE LEFT HAND SHORE
OF LAKE SANDFORD, TO WHERE TAHAWUS USED TO LAND H!S CANOE, THENCE TO
THE VILLAGE, AS THEY BEGAN TO CALL !T. THE ROADS OF THOSE DAYS WERE
CHEAP CONCERNS. THE TREES WERE CUT DOWN CLOSE TO THE GROUND, IF SMALL,
AND THE LARGE TREES LEFT, THE ROAD BED WiND!NG AROUND THEM, OR AS
TERMED, TURNED OUT FOR THE LARGE TREES AND ALSO FOR THE LARGER ROCKS.
ON A SIDE H;LL A LOG WAS PLACED ALONG THE LOWER SIDE OF THE ROAD BED
AND THE DIRT PLACED AGAINST IT, DIGGING DOWN THE UPPER SIDE UNTIL -76-
WIDE ENOUGH FOR THE PASSAGE OF A WAGON, SAY SEVEN OR E1GHT FEET ~tDE.
THESE ROADS~ WHEN WORN A LITTLE wiTH HEAVY TEAMING, BECAME TERRIBLE.
THE STRONGEST WAGONS WERE OFTEN BROKEN. Now AND THEN A HORSE WA$ .. KILLED OR SUCCUMBED TO FATIGUE OR, IF SPlRITED, BALKED. THEY REALLY
WERE ONLY EXCUSES FOR ROADS AND HAD TO BE ACCEPTED ONLY AS A KECESSITY.
THE SUMMER WAS CONSUMED !N ERECTIKG STRUCTURES NECESSARY FOR
COMMENCING OPERAT{ONS THE FOLLOWING SEASON AND lN THE FALL THE
FORGE WAS READY FOR THE HAMMER, WHICH AS YET HAD NOT BEEN ·oRDEREQ,
BUT WAS HAULED tN THE NEXT WINTER. HOUSES WERE WELL ON THE VAY TO
COMPLETlON AND MUCH DO~E AND BElNG DONE PREPARATORY TO OPENING UP
THE ORE BEDo MANY PROMtNENT IRON MEN VtSITED THE PLACE DURING THE
SUMMER. SPECULATORS FLOCKED 1N AND JOBBERS Of EVERY GRADE WERE
PRESENT. MR. GosstP WAS NOT MlSStNG, HE KNEW THE PROJECT WOUL~ BE A ..
FAlLUREo
"WHY, n SA I D HE , . "THERE I S NOT MONEY ENOUGH I N THE C I TY Of' . AL 13A NY
TO RUN THIS THING ONE YEAR.-~
BUT tHE SPRING OF 1838 OPENED AFTER RATHER A HARD WINTER, WlTH
SUPPLlES ON THE SPOT AND THE BIG FORGE HAMMER,.
AND OTHER TH~NGS NECESSARY TO PUTTING THINGS IN OPERATlON FOR
TESTiNG THE OREQ SOME EXPERlENCEO FORGE MEN WERE ON HAND, THE MEMBERS
0 F T H E F I R M , W l T H M A N Y O F T H E I R f R I E; N OS , W E R E i N A T T E N DA N C E AS W E R E A L S Cl
1RON ME~ FROM VARIOUS PORTS, AND THEY WITNESSED THE FiRST HEAT ANO THE
HAMM~RING OF THE FIRST 6AR OF IRON FROM ADIRONDACK OREQ THE MACHINERY •' WAS PRONOUNCED GOOD, T~E ME~HANICA~ SKILL APPROVED AND THE BAR Or lRON
wAs A ~ o o o o NE o Bu T I r wAs· o I s co v E: RE. p r o a E A o I fr ERE N1 Q u AL I r v ;o F o Rt ,
ONE FIRE ONLY WAS RUN AT FIRST BUT L.ATER IN THE SEASON ANOTHER FlRE
WAS ADDED, BOTH OF WHICH WERE OPERATED MOST OF THE TlME DURING T~E
SUMMER AND EARLY FALLo WHEN S~EtGHING COMMENCED THE TEAMS THAT HAULED
FREIGHT TO THE IRON WORKS CARRIED lRON BACK, THUS A SMALL RETURN WAS, -77-
REALiZED, BUT IT WAS SMALL COMPARED TO THE EXPENSEo
THE NEXT THlNG ~NORDER WAS THE BUILDiNG OF A PUDDLING FIREo
;TWAS BUiLT iN THE FORGE. DRY SPRUCE, HEMLOCK AND CEDAR OR BALSAM
WOOD WAS USED IN MAKING THE FIRE. ·tr WAS A LARGE., SQUARE OVEN., WITH
A DRAFT 1NTO WHICH THE WOOD, ORE AND OTHER MATERIAL., USED TO HEAT
THE OVEN., AND MELT THE MASS ~NTO A MOLTEN SEA., WAS PUTo A BAR OF IRON
WAS THEN THRUST INTO THE FURNACE., THROUGH A DOOR. THE MELTED ORE WOULD
ADHERE TO THE BAR~ AS IT WAS WORKED ABOUT IN-THE FIRE., UNTIL THE MASS
WAS AS A KE G O F NA I L S o T HE N A C R A NE WAS SW UN G U P· T O T HE DOOR A ND A
HOOK., HANGING FROM THE CRANE AND HANGING EVEN WlTH THE BOTTOM OF THE
. DOOR., RECEIVED THE BAR OR IRON, UPON WHICH THE ADHERING MASS WAS, ON
ONE END AND THE MAN HELD THE OTHER. THE MAN BALANCED THE MASS AS
THE CRANE SWUNG TO THE B!G HAMMER, WHICH THEN aEGAN TO PLAY. THE MASS
WAS SWUNG lNTO. POSITION AND WHEN THE BIG HAMMER CAME DOWN ON lT A
SHOWER OF SPARKS SHOT OUT BOTH WAYS AT RIGHT ANGLES FROM THE BAR, ANO
WOE TO WHOEVER STOOD WITHIN RANGE, WITHIN TWENTY FEET FROM THE ANVlL.
THE MAN HO L,D I NG THE BAR WAS CALLED HAMMERS I MAN., WHO T. URNED THE
LOOP, AS IT WAS CALLED, UNTIL IT WAS SHINGLED, THAT IS FINISHED
INTO AN EIGHT SQUARE PIECE OF SOLID IRON, ABOUT TWO AND A HALF FEET
LONG., WEIGHING ABOUT ONE HUNDRED POUNDS.
DURING THE SEASON A LARGE: BOARDING HOUSE WAS ERECTED, ALSO A
STORE, BESIDES SEVERAL DWELLING HOUSES AND OTHER NECESSARY BUILDINGS.
THE PLACE BEGAN TO ASSUME THE APPEARANCE OF A ~!LLAGEo SOME OF THE
FIRM WERE THERE A GOOD PART OF THE TIME. EXPERTS IN THE MANUFACTURE
0~ 1RON FOUND THE ORE DIFFICULT TO WORK BY THE ORDINARY PROCESS • .. SOME.CLAIMED THERE WAS TOO MUCH SOMETHING, OTHER THAT THERE WAS NOT
ENOUGH OF A CERTAIN TH!NG uN THE ORE AND STILL OTHERS THAT THE ORE WAS
Too· PURE, ETC. EVERY NEW OPERATOR TRIED SOME NEW EXPERIMENT. THE
F I R M B E C A M E S ·o M E W t(A T D I S C O U R A G E O I N T H E ·A T T E M PT T O O P E RA T E I T • T HE
-MEMBERS OF THE FtRM, BEING SCOTCH, THEY·WERE/NTO DISPOSED TO PUT ANY -78-
MAN lN A POSiTiON 0 F RESP O fJ S i 6 I L i TY AND TRUST UNLESS HE WAS A SCOTCH
M.A No •.H:.s , As··IL ...,·r-y M;GHT BE GRANTED BUT ~!S HONESTY WAS DOUBTED.
CONSEQUENTLY HE WAS D!SCARDED, AND A SCOTCHMAN OF lNFER!OR AB!L:TY,
SOUGHT FOR THE PL.ACEo THUS TH:NGS WENT ON UNTIL 1840~ A YOUNG
MARRiED MAN, BY THE NAME OF AND8EW PORTEOUS, WHO HAD SOME EXPERIENCE
\N O~D SCOTLAND, WAS FOUNDo HE WAS A BRIGHT MAN, POSSESSED OF AB!LITY
AND PLENTY OF CONCEIT, AND, BEING A SCOTCHMAN, SOON IN:TIATED HIMSELF
lNTO THE GOOD GRACES OF THE ADiRONDACK !RON COMPANY; THEY TOOK HIM
AND HIS ~;FE, AT ONCE, TO THE IRON WORKSo A BLAST FURNACE WAS JUST
READY TO PUT ~N BLAST. IT WAS, IN SOME WAY, DJFFERENT FROM WHAT
PORTEOUS HAD B~EN USED TO, AND LIKE A PRUDENT MAN, HE PREFERRED
EXPER!MENTaNG IN THE PUDDL:NG FURNACE BEFORE HEATING UP THE LARGE ONE.
THE MANY WHO HAD TR5ED THE ORE, AND FAILED TO WORK IT SATISFACTORJLX
WERE OF THE OPINION THAT THE ORE WAS, IN S~ME WAY, LACKING, AND THE
COMPANY WERE RATHER SICKENING OF THE EXPERIMENT, IN FACT DID NOT REAL
LY LOOK FOR SUCCESS, EVEN BY THE SCOTCH FOREMANo BUT PORTEOUS HAD
f,J • - Jl STRUCK AN OPPORTUNITY Jr, YES . it , AND HE DETERMINED TO LIFT THAT
rr ~ tn; AND W: TH THAT END l N V ! EW DETERM; NED TO GO SLOW AND STUDY THE
·TH!NG THOROUGHLYo To· EFFECT HIS PURPOSE HE SUPER!NTENDED EVERY DETAIL,
MADE RECORD OF EACH EXPERlMENT AND NOTED EACH RESULT. FiNALLY HE CAME • TO BEL1EVE, THE ORE, BE!NG SO PURE AND FREE FROM SULPHUR, LEAD OR ANY
.. ,.. H .. S u I. . lNGREtJiENTS, NEEDED ADULTERAT·:ONS M~XED WiTH THE ORE WHILE BE!NG
HEA~EOo A1 THE END OF SiX MONTHS HE ORDERED THE BLAST FURNAC F!LLED.,
' :· C. '... : E V : N G H E H A D s O L V E D T H E NY s T E R y O T HE F u R N A C E wA s wH A T w A s
ST.YLED A QUA.TER FURNACE, THE STACK WAS FORTY FEET H!GH, THE TOPHOUSE
HAD A WAGON W!Y INTO iT, START!NG FROM THE VERY SPOT THAT MR. HENDERSON
HAD SELECTED THE FiRST TIME HE AND MR. MACiNTYRE WERE THERE.
IN F!LL!NG THE STACK DRY SPRUCE WOOD WAS PLACED IN THE BOTTOM,
SAl"URATED w;rH TAR, UPON THE WOOD WAS A LAYER OF CHARCOAL, ALSO
SATURATED WITH TAR AND SULPHOR, THEN MORE WOOD, THEN CHARCOAL, UNTtL -79-
TWEN~YF'.VE FEET H:GHo ON THE LAST LAYER OF COAL WAS A LAYER OF- .LIME,
THEN A TH!N LAYER OF COAL, THEN CLAY, S!X iNCHES DEEP, THEN FINE WOOD,
THEN THE ORE AND COAL ALTERNATE, UNT:L F!LLEDo WHEN ALL WAS READY
FIRE WAS pUT ;NTO THE BOTTOM A~D WHEN WELL STARTED THE BOTTOM WAS
CLOSED THE DRAFTS OPENED AND RESULTS AWAiTEDa WHEN ·rHE MASS BEGAN TO
SETTLE iT WAS REPLEN:SHED :N THE SAME ORDER AS WAS THE F:LL!NG, WOOD,
COAL, LINE, CLAY, ORE W!TH SULPHOR.
MRv PORTEOUS WATCHED W:TH UNT!R!NG V!GILANCE, SCARCELY ALLOwlNG
HlMSELF REST OR EVEN SLEEP, UNTIL A1 LAST HE ORDERED THE PIGBED PUT tN ORDERo .THERE WAS A CROWD OF MEN AND SOME WOMEN ON THE SPOT TO
WITNESS THE DRAW!NG OFF OF THE F!RST L!QUID !RONo PORTEOUS, UNTIL
TH!S, HAD ONLY GiYEN H!S ORDERS, BUT NOW HE SEtZED THE LONG !RON TAP
BAR AND OPENED THE MOUTH OF THE FURNACE. THE REPORT, WHICH THE OPEN
~NG CAUSED, STARTLED EVERY SPECTATOR ~RESENT, SOME OF THEM RUSHING OUT
OF THE BU!LD!NG, BUT WERE SOON CALLED BACK TO WITNESS THE GLAD SCENE
6EiNG ENACTEDo THE MELTED sRON FLOWED ON LIKE SO MUCH OlL, F:LLING
THE PLACES MOULDED FOR !T ;N THE SAND COMPOSING THE PIGBED, AFTER WH!CH
THE OPEN!NG WAS CLOSED. THE EXPERIMENT WAS A DECIDED SUCCESSo PORTEOUS
WAS THE SUBJECT OF MUCH CONGRATULATION~ THE IRON COMPANY WERE tN
THEiR GLORY AND DOUBTLESS WOULD HAVE SAJD, ~F PRESSED, THAT A
SCOTCHMAN HAD DONE i1.o As FOR MRo PORTEOUS, HE HAD EARNED ALL THE
MER'.T BESTOWED UPON H:Mo HE F"ELT REL!EVED AND, WHEN HE ALLOWED HiS
ANX~ETY TO SUBS~DE, FOUND HIMSELF WORN ou·ra MEN TALK ABOUT HARD WORK;
AND THERE ARE PLENTY OF PEOPLE WHO ADVOCATE THAT PEOPLE WHO NEVER DO
MANUAL LABOR ARE NEVER T:RED AND WORN; BUT PUT THOSE PEOPLE UNDER THE
STRA~N Of MENTAL CAPAC!TY, UNT:L THE MiND iS WORKED TO !TS UTMOST
TE~s;oN, AS 15 THE PHYSICAL, OF1"EN, AND THE PHYSICAL W!LL OUTWEAR THE
MENTAL TWO TO ONEa MR. PORTEOUS HAD WORKED MANY A DAY UNTlL TOO TIRED
TO WALK TO HIS LODG!NG AND WOULD t.~E DOWN iN SOME WARM PLACE NEAR THE
FURNACE AND SLEEP T:LL MORNING, WHEN HE WOULD AWAKEN ANO FEEL FRESH -80-
FOR H:S DAY'S WORKo BUT NOW., AFTER THE\; ..N:~HT'S ~ : SLEEP FOLLOW1NG THE
NARRAT:VE ABOVE, HE AWOKE W!TH A NERVOUS HEADACHE AND BY HE URGENT
SOL:C:TUDE OF H:S EMPLOYERS, DlD NOT GO TO THE FURNACE FOR SEVERAL
D A Y S :, W H 1 L f O r-: E O F T H E M S U P E R ! N T E N D E D T H E W O R K A T T H E F U R N A C E , W H I C H
WORKED SPLEND!DLY~ FROM TH!S T:ME ON THE ADIRONDACK iRON WORKS WAS A
FACT AN~, BARRJNG THE LONG HAUL!NG, WAS A SUCCESSo
EVERY YEAR FOUND S~ME ADDED lMPROVEMENT AND THR!FT WAS STAMPED ON
EVERYTHiNG ABOUT THE PLACEo MEN WERE DRAWN TO iT FROM ALL PARTS OF
THE CO-UNTRYo AiJIRONDACK BEGAN TO BE HERALDED EVERYWHERE. FiRST A
POST OFF~CE CALLED AD:RONDACK WAS ESTABL!SHED AND THEN A BANK. A
SNUG L ~TTL E BR "i CK ADD f T 1 0 N TO MR .. Po RTE OU S' OWE LL I NG., HELD THE
CURRENCY, OF COURSE THE BILLS WERE PRlNTED ELSEWHEREo BUT THE BANK
WAS AT ADIRONDACK AND WHOEVER WAS FORUNATE ENOUGH TO GET THE BILLS
FELT SURE THEY WERE GOOD. ADIRONDACK., AT THAT Tl"E~ WAS CONFINED TO
THE v;LLAGE, NOTH!NG FURTHER. IT WAS THE PLACE WHERE POOR MEN, tN
QUEST OF WORK AND FAcR WAGES, PUSHED FOR AND WHEN EARNED, THEIR MONEY
WAS READYu ALTHOUGH THE IRON BUSlESS NEVER PA!D, OW!NG TO THE LONG
D!STANCE THE ~RON HAD TO BE HAULDED AND THE BAD CONDiTON OF THE ROADS,
YET THE COMPANY ALWAYS PAID PROMPTLY EVERY HONEST Bill PRESENTED.
TH r MEMBERS o·F THE OLD OR a G i NA L i RON COMPANY WERE MEN OF SOL j D
!N.fEGRi1·y, WHEN ONCE U~DER ·cONTRACT OR OBL}GATiONo ST!LL THERE WAS
S OM E P UR E P R E ,J UD i C E A GA ) NS T MR o MA C ; NT Y R E O N A C C O U Nl O f T HE L OT T E R Y
S C H E Mp H E W A S S A I D T O H A V E M A D E H ; S M O N E Y B Y , B U T J T D O N O T A T T A C H T 0
THE F~RM, AS RUN BY !TS MANAGERS., -81- PART FOURo
As TH;S !SNOT WRITTEN TO ENLIGHTEN ANY ONE !N THE MANUFACTURE
OF iRON, WE Will LET THAT PART OF THE NARRATIVE FALL OUT AND RELATE THE
FACTS TRANSACTED JN AND ABOUT THE VILLAGE~ STOR!ES OF ADVENTURE., INCID
ENTS OR STORY AND ROMANCE CONNECTED WiTH THE PLACE AND OF THE PEOPLE
Tl-!ERE.ASOUTS.
To MANY, WHO WERE DRAWN TO ADiRONDACK~ THE SiGHTS WERE NEW ANO
WHAT THEY SAW, IN FACT, WAS THE!R F;RST EXPERIENCE AWAY FROM HOME.
IT., ~N GENERAL, LED THEM TO BE ALARMED AT THE SIGHTS OF SIN OR THEY
AT ONCE FEtL INTO THE ALLURiNG SCENES OF VICE, THE LATTER WAS THE MORE
FREQUENT.
ONE YOUNG MAN, WHO FOR THE FIRST TIME FOUND HIMSELF LEFT TO OE-
C~DED FOR HIMSELF WHAT TO DO AND WHAT NOT TO DO~ HAVING, ~OWEVER, BEEN
WELL !NSTRUCTED, LEARNED A LESSON TO BE REMEMBERED. HE WENT ONE
EVEN!NG :NTO THE STOR:. A YOUNG MR. THOMPSON WAS CLERK, WHO, DOUBTLESS
DEEMiNG IT H!S DUTY TO SELL ALL THE CIGARS HE COULD., GOT THE FELLOWS
~N THE STORE INTO SOME K1ND OF A GAME; WHEN DECIDED THE CIGARS WERE
PASSED BUT THIS VIRTUOUS YOUNG FELLOW AT F~RST DECL!NED. THEN THE
CROWD SA:D "You MUST TAKE ONE, NO BACKING OUT HERE. YOUR MOTHER
1.sN'T HERE.., SHE WONiT KNOW ~.1·0 TAKE 'TI • ., IT WON'T HURT YOU• .. n
TH~S WAS TOO MUCH TO RES:ST. HE TOOK THE WEED, LIT lT AND SMOKED
ON; THE HOUSE WAS SOON F~LLED W\T~ SMOKE WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN HIS
STOMACH GAVE A LURCH AND THE HOUSE COMMENCED TURN1NG~ AT FIRST HE
DJD NOT TAKE iN THE SiTUATi0N BUT ANOTHER LURCH OF HIS STOMACH BROUGHT
HlM TO H!S SENSES; HE WAS GOING TO VOMiT~ HE SPRANG TO H!S FEET,
~NTFND!NG TO GO OUT, BUT ONCE UP HE WAS UTTERLY UNABLE TO STAND,
AND STAGGERING AGA;NST THE COUNTER, TO WHICH HE HELD UNTIL HE
/ REACHED THE DOOR., HE MADE HJS EXIT, AM!D A ROAR OF LAUGHTER. THE
REFRESH!NG AIR, OF A COLD, WINTER N!GHT, SOMEWHAT REVlVED H!M, BUT
D ; D NO T S A V E H ! S S U P P E R , H E D E E MI NG H I MS E L F F O R T U NA T E T O HA VE -~ -82-
ES CA P E W i T H T HE S OL E S O F H : S 8 0 0 T S. o T HE E XP E R ! E NC E WA S T OO S E VE R E T 0
8£ OF ANf FURTHER BENEFiT TO THE TOBACCO TRADE;, HE NEVER USED ANY or
THE WEED AFTERWARDSu HE SAYS~ HOWEVER~ HE HAS REMEMBERED THOMPSON AND
NEVER SEES H:M W~THOUT RECALLING THAT, HIS FIRST CIGAR, AS WELL AS THE
LAST.
A YOUNG PROTESTANT IR~SHMAN, WHOM WE WILL CALL Bos, FOUND HJS
WAY TO ADiRONDACK AND NOT FINDING WORK BY THE MONTH WENT TO CHOPPING
CORD WOOOu HE KNEW NO ONE AND, THE EVENINGS BEING SO FINE, HE WENT
TO THE FURANCE WHERE HE COULD ENJOY A WARM PLACE OR LIE ON THE WARM
SAND WHERE THE IRON HAD JUST BEEN TAKEN FROM. HE CHANCED TO FALL tN
W : T H A NOT HER I.R I S H f E t.,."l OW , BY T H E NAM E OF Mt KE DON A L LY • DON AL LY ,
THfNKING THAT ALL JRISH BOYS WERE OF HiS OWN FAJTH, READILY TOOK THE
LONEL y PROTESTANT I NT.() H1 S, COM PAN l ONSH t P • THEY MET NEARLY EVERY
EVENING AT THE FURNACE AND OFTEN STAYED !HERE ALL NIGHT, THE WEATHER
BEING EXTREMELY COLD, AS WAS ALSO THEIR LODGING, AND THE FURNACE
BEING SO WARM THEY SLEPT IN THE ~AND Of THE PIGBED. ONE EVENING,
SEVERAL WEEKS LATER, TI-IEY WERE LYING THERE WATCHING THE WORKMEN PRE~
PARaNG TO DRAW OFF IRONo THERE WAS AN AWKWARD, BRUTE-LOOKING IRfSHMAN
ABOUT THE FURNACE THAT Bos DtD NOT LtKE AND WITHOUT THfNKING HE SAID,
"W H A T A B R UT E O f A CA T H O L ~ C T H AT MA N I S , MI K E " .o
MiKE, WITH EYES GLARiNG, SPRANG TO HIS FEET, EXCLAiM!NG,
n Bo B ., AR EN ' T Yo U A CA_ TH ·o L I c ? ''
"Nor BY A D-M SIGHT."
11 "HoL.Y MouHER," HE·SA,D, "roRGeVE MEo AND HE WALKED Offo THIS
ENDED THEIR FRlENDSH!Po WHENEVER Bos MET H;M HE WOULD TAUNT HfM WITH
"HOLY M;THER"o UNT!l ONE NIGHT M!KE HAD AN AXE ON H!S ~HOULOE~, WHICH
HE THREW AT Bos BUT HE DODGED IT AND EVER AFTERWARDS LET HIM ALONE.
THE PEDDLER.
THERE USED TO BE PEDDLERS A: ADIRONDACK, AT LEAST THERE WAS ONE. -83-
ONE DAY YOUNG SARGENT MET JHiS PARTICULAR PEDDLER JUST BELOW THE v;LLAGE ..
"HELLO, CADMANo i KNEW YOU MUST BE COM!NG,n HE SAtD.
"W H y ? fl A s KE D CA DMA N 0
n0H., BECAU_SE ~TWAS SO DARK THjS AFTERNOON."
(ADMAN ~AS A YOUNG FELLOW, DARK COMPLEXIONED AND RATHER UNPRtN·~
CIPLED., THAT IS, HE 010 NOT REGARD LAW OR THE WISHED Of OTHER PEBPLE,
PROV!DED HE COULD SELL GOODS AND GET CASH FOR THEMo AMONG HIS NOTIONS,
S O M E W H E R E C O N C £.AL E D , H E W O U L D HA V E J U G S A N D B O T T L E S O f W H t S K E Y ., 0 R
0TijER LtQU0RSo THiS HE WOULD SELL TO THE MEN WORKING THE FURNACE AND
THE MEN, GETTING 0RUN~, NEGLECTED THEIR ~ORK AND WERE IN DANGER OF
SPOlL2NG THE FURNACE. MR. PORTEOUS HAD REPEATEDLY TOLD HIM THAT HE DID
NOT WANT HIM TO SELL WHISKEY TO HIS MEN BUT CADMAN DID NOT HEED HIS
W[SH, BUT INSTEAD WAS A L;TTLE MORE SLY. ON THIS PARTICULAR TIME, ONE
SATURDAY NIGHT, MRo PORTEOUS HAD LA!D PLANS TO CATCH HIM AND, IF
POSSIBLE, DEFEAT H~S SELL;NG THE WHISKEY AND ALSO PLAY A TRICK ON HIM
THAT WOULD HAVE A TENDENCY _TO BREAK UP THE TRAFFIC. CADMAN NO SOONER
OFFERED HIS BOTTLES FOR SALE THAN A SQUABBLE BEGAN BETWEEN THE FELLOWS
WHO WERE ON THE SCENEo CADMAN AT ONCE BEGGED THEM NOT TO FIGHT OR
MAKE ANY NOiSE. WHilE HE WAS TRYING TO QUELL THE DISTURBANCE THE OTHER!
STOLE MOST OF H~S LIQUOR. HE fHEN LOCKED UP WHAT WAS LEFT AND TR1ED
TO FlND OUT WHO HAO TAKEN H~S PROPERTY; FAiL~NG IN THAT HE WENT TO
GET A WARRANTu THE JUSTICE COULD NOT BE FOURND. SUNDAY MORNING ONE
OF HlS WAGON WHEELS WAS GONE ANO HE SPENT THE DAY SEARCHING FOR IT
BUT !T COULD NOT Be FOUND. MONDAY MORNJNG CADMAN WAS NEARLY FRANTIC.
HE OFFERED TO LET THE TAKING OF THE LIQUOR GO If THEY WOULD BRING HIM
H~S WAGON WHEEL OR TELL HIM WHERE IT WASo FtNALLY HE MET YOUNG
/ SARGENT AND OFFERED H;M A DOLLAR IF HE WOULD TELL HIM WHERE THE
WHEEL WASu SARGENT SAID~
"I HAVE NOT TAKEN YOUR WHEEL." -84-
nPERHAPS NOT,n SA~D CADMAN, uBUT YOU CAN TELL WHERE IT IS."
ttYEs, I CAN. G:vE ME YOUR DOLLAR~"
HAVlNG RECE!VED THE DOLLAR HE SAID;
11 tt . T HERE tS YOUR WHEEL, POiNTlNG TO THE SPIRE OF THE SCHOOL HOUSE
SOME LITTLE DISTANCE OUT OF THE VilLAGE. (ADMAN WAS PROVOKED TO
HAVE LOST HiS DOLLAR WHEN THE WHEEL WAS IN PLAIN SIGHT AND LIKELY HAD
BEEN ALL THE TIME. THE NEXT TH!NG WAS TO GET JT DOWN; FOR THAT PUR
POSE HE BEGAN ENQUlRE FOR A LADDER. No LADDER COULD BE FOUNDJ Ar
NOON HE MET SARGENT AGAIN, OR RAT_HER SARGENT PUT HtMSELF IN HIS WAY.
CADMAN WAS FULL OF WRATH FOR BEING TREATED JN SUCH A MANNERo
"I HAVE BEEN H!NDEREO ALL DAY,n HE SAID_; ni OUGHT TO HAVE BEEN
SELLING GOODS INSTEAD OF THIS RAMBLlNG ABOUT THE STREETS. Now tf YOU
WILL GET THAT WHEEL FOR ME I WILL GIVE YOU ANOTHER DOLLAR."
n I CAN 1 T GET IT, I HAVEN'T ANY LADDER AND DONtT KNOW WHERE TO GET
ON," REPLIED THE YOUNG MAN.
"PERHAPS NOT, BUT YOU CAN GET IT iF YOU WANT To," SAID CADMAN
ANGERLY.,
"t'LL TELL YOU WHAl I 'LL DO~ IF i CAN GET THE LADDER FROM THE
TOPHOUSE ~ WI LL GET rT FOR YOU FOR A DOLLAR." CADMAN CONSENTED.
ON HiS WAY TO THE FURNACE HE MET PORTEOUS, WHO SANCTiONED THE PLANS
AND SAID,
"WH!LE YOU GET THE LADDER i WILL GO AND TALK TO H~M AGAIN."
PORTEOUS TOLD (ADMAN TO START OUT Of TOWN JUST AS SOON AS HE
COULD AFTER GETTING HiS WHEEL~ ASSURuNG H!M THAT HE MUST NOT BRING
ANDY MORE LIQUOR INTO THE PLACEo
"!r YOU oo," SA,D HE:, "lgLL SET THINGS INTO MOTION HERE THAT
W~LL ASTONiSH YOUo"
THAT BROKE UP THE TRAFF!CQ YOUNG SARGENT HAD SiDE COMBS, TO GIVE
TO THE GIRLS FOR MONTHS, THAT HE HAD STOLEN FROM (ADMAN'S CART WHILE
PRETEND!NG TO HELP HIM OFFo -85-
THE WEDDING ..
THERE CAME A T-:ME, AFTER A WH!LE, WHEN PEOPLE GOT MARRIED AT
AD:RONDAcK., ~N FACT THE PLACE BECAME NOTED FOR MANY TH!NGSe 8UT THE
W E D D i N G O F CA L V ; N s· 1 A R K S T O M l S S. A L ! C E GA T E S , D E S E R V E S M OR E T HA N
PASSiNG NOT'.CEo THE EVENT BECAME PUBLIC SEVERAL DAYS, AND PERHAPS
WEEKS, BEFORE TAK~NG PLACE. GREAT CARE HAD BEEN TAKEN !NORDER TO GET
EVERY'fH!NG ;N READINESS. Nor ONLY WERE THE PARTtES THEMSELVES CAREFUL
TO HAVE ALL THINGS NECESSARY FOR COMFORT, READY; BUT THE ENTIRE
SETTLEMENT WAS ALIVE AND DETERMINED TO MAKE THE EVENT AN OCCASt0N OF
M!RTH AND JOLLITY. THE COUPLE WERE BOTHE WELL ALONG IN YEARS AND WELL
AND FAVORABLY KNOWN. IT WAS tN THE DEAD OF WINTER AND WORKS WERE IN
FULL BLAST·, THERE 6EING ABOUT THREE HUNDRED ~EN IN AND ABOUT THE PLACE,
THE WEDDING WAS TO BE AT THE HOME OF THE BRIDE'S BROTHER, JAMES GATES,
WHOSE HOUSE WAS THE F!RST HOUSE UP THE STREET FROM THE BOARDING HOUSE.
THE W&ND0WNS WERE CURTA:NED BUT SP!ES WERE tN WAIT!NG AND SO WERE A
LARGE CROWD OF MEN AND BOYS DOWN THE STREET, JUST OUT Of THE VILLAGE.
1 AN OLD CANNON HAD BEEN PLACED BETWEEN THE BOARDJNG HOUSE AND GATES ,
SCREENED FROM VaEW BY LOADS ON SLE!GHS AND SLEIGHS WITHOUT LOADS.
AT A G~VEN StGNAL THE PROCESSION MOVED FORWARDo Jusr AS THE HEAD
OF THE COLUMN WAS PASSING WHERE THE KNOT WAS BEiNG T;ED, OR HAD JUST
THEN BEEN TIED., THE CANNON WENT OFF, AND SO DID THE MEN 1 S HATS; IT
FA'.RLY LIFTED THEM OFF THE!R FEET, OFF WENT A HUNDRED GUNS~ HO~NS,
...,.. BELLS, T:N PANS, GONGS AND SHou·rs~ l~E MEN, UNDER THE LEAD OF
CAPTA]N JAMES SARGENT, MARCHED UP ·:HE STREET, AROUND THE FURNACE AND wHEN OPPOS~TE THE GATES HOME ANPTHER CANNON AND A REPET!T!ON Of ALL
THE OTHER SMALLER N0~SES, WH;CH, WHEN PUT TOGETHER, WAS SIMPLY AWFUL.
Bur FORWARD MARCH ON DOWN THE ROAD AND BACK, WHEN ANOTHER GUN SHOOK
/ THE VERY EARTHo AFTER THE NOISE HAD SUBS;DED THE CAPTAIN CALLEri f0R
STARKS, B~T HE WAS GRtTTYu No RESPONSE BEiNG MADE A FORWARD ¥ARCB
WAS ORDERED, AROUND THE FURNACE AND BACKJ ANOTHER TERRIBLE GUN -86-
FOLLOWED AS BEFORE WJTH ENOUGH NOISE TO WAKE THE DEAD. ORDER BEING
RESTORED STARKS WAS AGA~N CALLED FORo THIS TiME HE MADE NO DE-LAY IN
PUTT~NG iN AN APPEARANCE, AND W~TH HIM A MAN BEAR;NG A BtG JUG, WHILE
STARKS HELD A LANTERN AND TWO TUMBLERS. WHEN THE PROCESSION HAD ALL
BEEN TREATED THE CAPTAIN SAiD,
TITHANK YOU, MRo STARKSe I N B E HA L f O f T HE C OM P A N Y ·1 W I S H YO U MU C H
J O Y., W i T H L OT S O F C H i L DR E N T O F O L L OW • rt S HO UT A F T E R S H O UT R E NT T H E
C:LEAR., COLD A!R., ,THf: ECHOES SOUNDING AWAY lN THE DISTANCE.
MRo PORTEOUS, ABOUT THIS TIME, WHISPERED TO CAPTAIN .SARGENT, TO j
WH~CH THE CAPTAIN RESPONDED,
nALL RiGHT. FORWARD MARCH." DOWN THE ROAD AND_BACK THEY WENT,
TO THE STEP OF f~FE AND DRUM, UNTIL OPPOSITE MR. PORTEOUS DWELLING,
WHEN ~~ALT" SOUNDED., DISTtNCT AND LOU0lo
iT ·WAS NOT LONG BEFORE MR. PORTEOUS., LANTERN. lN HAND, AND A
COUPLE Of MEN., BEARING BOTTLES AND GLASSES, APPEARED ON THE OOOR$TEP.
SALUT!NG THE CROWD MRe PORTEOUS SAID,
"Boys, iT }S NOW MY TURN TO TREAT," AND WHETHER HE $AID ANYTHING
ELSE COULD NQT BE; .ifOLOo
nHURRAH FOR MRo PORTEOUS!n SOUNDE,O LOUND AND LONGo AFTER THE
TREAT THE CAPTAtN THANKED THE BOYS FOR BEHAVING SO WELL, UNDER Ff RE,
W;TH ONLY SUCH A SHORT DR~LL, AND THEN DISM~SSED THEM.
As LEARNED AFTERWARDS, THE FlRST GUN WAS F!RED THE INSTANT THE
L A S T W O R D O f T H E C E R E M O N Y W A S S '" I D " T H E G U E S T S S A T A R O U N D T H E R O OM J
THE MALE GUESTS SPRANG TO THEilR FEET, THE WOMEN SCREAMED AND SOME
NEARLY FA!NTEOu THOSE s,TT~NG BY THE WINDOWS WERE SHOWERED WITH
BROKEN GLASS, AS NEARLY EVERY PANE Of GLASS !N THE HOUSE NE,T TO r
CANNON, WAS BROKEN TO PYECES, SO WAS THE GLASS lN THE BOARptNG HOUSE / L:.KEWtSE BROKENo CHIVAR~, IN THOSE DAYS, WAS QUtTE COMMON; AND THE
OPJN'fON PREVA;LS AMONG MANY WHO WERE PRESENT AT THE ADJRONDACK CHtVAR 1 -87-
THA: THAT WAS THE BANNER CH! VAR l f N THE S1~·fE. THAT YEAR., IF NOT
FOR ALL TiMEo
A R·~oT; OR CHARLEY ·rc;UNG AND THE FRENCHMENo
YOUNG WAS A D!NiNG ROOM WAITER AT THE BOARDtNG HOUSE; HE WAS A
SHORT:, ·TH I CK ~ET MAN., BETWEEN T\r/ENTY-f 1 VE AND TH I RTY YEARS OLD.,
- AND QU!TE A BULLY AMONG A CERTA!N CLASS., A GOOD WRESTLER AND NOT t.AC.KlNG ~N· COURAGE OR NERVE.
ONE ~AY., ,AFTER.D!NNER WAS OVER AND THE TABLES HAD BEEN CLEARED OFF • TWO FRENCHMEN CAME tN AND WANTED DlNNER. YOUNG DID NOT L!KE THtS AND
BECAME SAUCYJ THE fRENCHMEN QUICKLY TOOK IT UP AND SOON THE BLOOD OF
ALL WAS BOILINGo A FIGHT ENSUED, AT THE FlNISH OF WllCH THE FRENCH
MEN FOUND THEMSELVES AT THE FOOT OF THE STAIRS LEADING FROM THE DtMING
TO THE MEN'S N)0M BELOW. THE MEN DID NOT RETURN THAT DAY, BUT EARLY
NEXT MORNING, BEFORE YOUNG WAS UP OR MANY OTHERS IN THE HOUSE, _SOME
ONE RAPPED AT THE DOOR OF HIS ROOM AND WHEN ASKED WHAT THEY WANTED
REPL. ~ ED.,
"T H E R E f S A MA N I N T H E 8 A R R O OM W A I T I N G T O S E E Y O U • n
YoUNG GOT. UP AND, sL,PPiNG ON Hts TROUSERS AND SLtPPERS, WtNT TO
THE BAR ROOM. UPON ARR~V,NG THERE HE FOUND SEVERAL FRENCHMEN WAlTlNG,
ONE OF WHiCH_, nN BROKEN [NGLJSH SA~D., I
11 You BE THE MAN THAT CAN .L ! CK ALL THE FRENCH MEN f N Ao tRONDACK • t1
YOUNG GRASPED THE SiTUAT!0N AT ONCE AND TRIED TO GET TO THE STAIRS.,
BUT FOUND H~S RETREAT CUT OFF~ 8£tNG VERY ATHLETIC, HE MADE A RUSH F
FOR THE OUTS]DE DOOR, ir BE]NG OPEN, AND SUCCEEDED IN JUMP;NG OVER
SOME AND KNOCK~NG OTHERS DOWN, UNT!L HE REACHED THE DOOR AND FLED
TO THE STREE:To HERE HE WAS KNOCKED DOWN BY SOME ONE, WHOM HE HAD
NOT SEEN~ Jusr A~ TH!S JUNCTURE GEORGE BEEBE AND HENRY PRATT,
TWO YOUNG, ABLE, PROST EST ANT IR ! SH MEN, HEAR I NG THE NOISE., J UM p''E D
OUT Of BED ~N THEtR NiGHT CLOTHES, PRATT EVEN PULLING OFF HIS SHIRT,
MADE THEJR APPEARANCE ON THE SCENE, JUST AS A VER~ LARGE MAN, -88- CALLED .- OR KNOWN AS B:G FRENCHMAN, HAD BOARDED YOUNG. THE SHIRTLESS PR A"f T WENT ~HROUGH THAT CROWD LiKE A PANTHER THROUGH A FLOCK Of SHEEP
STR~K!NG WiTH FEET AND HANDS AND HAV!NG NOT SHIRT ON THEY COU~D
NOT CATCH HOLD Of H!M, AS WAS OFTEN ATTEMPTED. THE LARGE MAN COULD
N01'i9 UNDERSTAND W~Y SUCH A SMALL MAN AS PRATT COULD NOT BE HELD, BUT
GOT AWAY FROM THEM AT WiLLo BEEBE, HAV~NG LiBERATED YOUNG, STOOD UP
BY H!S S~DE AND AS FAST AS A MAN CAME WITHIN REACH HE WA$ KN0CK(D
OVERo AT LAST, ABOUT SUNRISE, THE THREE MEN OFFERED TO WHfP ALL THE fRENCHMEN OF THE AD]RONDACK. Mi. PORTEOUS, JUST THEN COMING OUT OF
HiS HOUSE NEARLY 0PP0S~TE, PUT AN END TO THE AFFRAY. MR. YOUNG CAME
NEAR PAYING DEARLY FOR HIS !MPUDENCE OF THE DAY BEFORE. Hls ESCAPE
FROM BE!NG BADLY HURT, !F NOT KILLED. IT WAS THE PLAN OF THE
FRENCHMEN TO TACKLE HIM !N THE BAR ROOM, BEFORE ANY HELP COULD BE
CALLEDo THE TIMELY ARRIVAL OF BEEBE AND PRATT A SECOND TIME TURNED
(HARLEYtS FORTUNE, FOR HE WAS ALREADY iN THE HANDS OF HlS ENEMJES.
IT SERVED AS A LESSONo YOUNG TOOK GOOD CARE OF HtS IRlSH
FRIENDS, WHiLE AT ADIRONDACK.
ALL K1NDS OF PEOPLE AND NAT!ONAllTiES WERE TO BE FOUND AT THE
WORKS AND ALL KINDS OF WORK WAS BEiNG D0NEo A MRo HENRY SHA~, A ,.. ~ANAD}AN, WAS MAKING COAL AND DOING SUCH JOBS AS HE FOUND PROFITABLE.
BESJDES HAVING QU!TE A LARGE FAM:LY OF HtS OWN, ONE OF HIS SISTERS
LIVED W~TH H~Mo SHE WAS ABOUT SEVENTEEN YEARS OF AGE AND COULD
SCARCELY SPEAK A WORD OF [NGLiSHo ~N THE SAME ViCtNITY WlTH SHAW
WAS A MAN BY ·THE NAME Of NUTTo HE WAS OF THE SAME TRADE AND A MAN-
OF MORE THAN M1DDLE AGE, MINUS ONE EYEJ A GREAT WORKER AND QUITE A
SHREWD BUS!NESS MAN, WHEN S0BERo BUT DRINK WAS H!S GREAT FAULT AND
WHEN DRUNK HE WAS A TERROR, ESPEC!ALLY AT TIMES. ON ONE OCCASION / HE STARTED FROM THE ADtRONDACK WITH F!VE HUNDRED DOLLARS lN MONEY
AND A GOOD SPAN OF HORSES, HARNESS AND SLEDo WHEN HE GOT BACK AS -89-
~AR AS LAKE SANDFORD, HAViNG BEEN ABSENT FOR TWO OR THREE WEEKS AND
SPENT ALL H1S MONEY, AND BE!NG SO DRUNK D~D NOT KNOW WHERE HE WAS
DR: V ~ NG, HE DROVE : NTO A HOLE J N THE i CE, DROWN I NG BOTH HORSES., HE
AND THE MAN WITH H:M BARELY ESCAPING WiTH THEtR LIVES.
THE WAY NUTT CAUGHT His W,FEo
NUTT A~D FRENCH SHAW WERE ON A SPREE, AT ONE TIME., WHEN THE
SUBJECT OF NUTT NOT BEING MARR!ED CAME UPo NUTT EX-PERtENCED A DEStRE
TO HAVE A W:FEo WHEN SHAW SAID TO HIM,
11 · MR o T OM NUT T YO U G t VE ME T ~ N D OL l A RS , ME GE T YOU ON E W J FE • n
NUTT AT ONCE HANDED SHAW THE MONEY AND PARTIES WtTNESSED THE BARGAIN,
AND THE NEXT SUNDAY WAS SET AS THE WEDDING DAY. SHAW WENT HOME AND
INFORMED HIS S1STER THAT HE HAD FOUND A HUSBAND FOR HER. NUTT SENT
FOR A JUSTICE OF THt PEAcr AND THE KNOT WAS TIED, ACCORD)NG TO
AGREEMENTS. NUTT COULD NOT UNDERSTAND ANYTHtNG HIS WIFE SAtD., NEI.THE~
COULD SiiE UNDERSTAND H!M, BUT NOT WITHSTANDING THE RAJStD A FAMILY
OF ABOUT A HALF OF A DOZEN CH~LDRENa THE OLD MAN HAS BEEN DEAD
S E V E R A L Y EAR S ; T H E YO UN G NUT T S HA D A DD E D A n_M C n T O T HE NA ME AND AR E
QU:TE SMALL ;N s:~E, BUT HAVE KEPT TO THE HEREDITARY QUALJTtES or
FATHER AND MOTHERo
·r1 HE J' R ~SH --ril OWN C l ERK ..
A WELL P~OPORT!ONED, RATHER GOOD LOOKING, M~DDLE AGED IRISHMAN, . CAME TO THE WORKS, HE WAS A MAN OF GOOD ADDRESS AND-WELL EDUCATED,
LOOKJNG, HE SA~D~ FOR WORK, AND FOR A TIME DID WORK WELL. HE WAS
rAVORiTE WiTH THE PEOPLE GENERALLY, DO[NG WR~:r;lNG OR FlGURtNG FOR
T tl E' M ., A S O P P O:R T U N ~ T Y P R ES E NT E D o
ONE AFTERNOON A TEAM CAME TO THE WORKS AND, AS WAS CUSTOMARY,
THE TEAMSTER HAD A JUG OF GIN FOR MRu SNYDER AND ANOTHER MANo SOON
AFTER TAKlNG THE JUG UN CHARGE ~TWAS STOLENo THERE WAS NOTHING TO
DO BUT TO AWAtT DEVELOPEMENTSo NEXT DAY, BEING SUNDAY, A W.ATCH WAS -90-
KEPT UP AND A MESSENGER HAD BEEN SENT TO PENDLETON FOR JUSTICE CHASE.
MONDAY M0RN:NG A WARRANT WAS ISSUED FOR THE ABOVE DESCRfBED
!R~SHMAN, WHO HAD BEEN DRUNK THE DAY BEF0REQ AFTER A LITTLE THE MAN
P .L E A D E D G U ! L l Y T O T H E C H AR GE A N· D J US T I C E C H A S E F l N E D H I M T W E L V E
DOLLARS. TH£ IR~SHMAN, TURiNG TO A WIND0WN AT THE 0PP0StTE StDE Of
THE ROOM, STOOD THERE SEVERAL MtNUTES; THEN TURNED AND WALKED OVER
TO WHERE THE JUST~CE WAS SiTT~NG AND HANDED H!M TWELVE DOLLARS.
11 T H E R E , Y E R HO N OR , ~ S T H E A M OU NT O f T HE f t NE • l AM A .T HO US.A ND . TtMES OBLIGEP TO YE~ AND HERE ts TWELVE DOLLARS MORE FOR ANOTHER JUG,
THE SAME AS THIS ONEo" HE ACKNOWLEDGED DR1NK HAD BEEN HlS RUIN.
n I A M A G I N T L E M E N, ~ S S ON ~ Y E R HO N OR , A N D ON L Y FOR D R I N K I N G. M I G H T BE
I COULD NO MORE RESlST TAKING TKAT JUG
SATURDAY NIGHT THAN : CAN RESlST BREATHlNG. Goo HAVE MERCt UPON
ME SOUL AND PITY ME POOR BROKEN HEARTED FATHER.
JOHN CHEENEY.,
JOHN CHEENEY WAS ANOTHER PERSONAGE WHO FIGURED QUlTE C0NSP1CU-
0USLY AT AND ABOUT ADIRONDACK IRON WORKS AND V1CINlTY. HE WAS A
SDNGLE MAN., NOT YET THIRTY, SPARE,, SLIM AND WtREY., THOUGH FULL Of'
MUSCLE; HE WEiGHED ABOUT ONE HUNDRED AND THJRTY AND FEW MEN ABOUT
THE WORK~ COULD LAY H!M ON H~S BACK WHEN WRESTLINGo HE MOVED WITH
THE AGILITY OF A CAT AND WAS ONE OF THE BEST HUNTERS THAT EVER LtVED
IN THE AOJRONOACK REGuON, AND NO MAN AROUND THERE, 'PROBA~LY., SAW AS
MUCH OF THE ROUGH SIDE OF THE Wf~S OF THE REGtON ·IMMEDlATELY AROUND
THE OLD IRON WORKS AS HEo THE MOOSE HAUNTS OF THAT. PART OF THE
COUNTRY WERE ALL KNOWN TO HIM•
ONE COLD, FEBRUARY DAY, SOON AFTER THE OPENING Of BUSINESS AT THE
IRON WOR~S, CHEF.NEY, :N COMPANY w f TH OLD SPORT AND ARMED W1 lTH
H8S FAVORITE PiSTOL, STARTED FOR WHERE HE KNEW THERE WAS A YAio or
MOOSE,. Jusr BACK OF THE LITTLE LAKE, TOWARDS THE JNDtAN PASS., ABOUT . . '
TEN o'cLOCK, HE STRUCK THE TRAi~ WHERE A PANTHER HAD BEEN ENGAGED -9~-
~N CAPTUR!NG A DEER. THE S!GNS BEING FRESH JOHN CONCLUDED TO FOLLOW
HiM A WHtLE, NOT THINK}NG OF GIVlNG UP THE MOTIVE HE HAD IN VIEW H
WHEN HE STARTED OUT tN THE MORNING; BUT AS HE WAS FOLLOWING ALONG
OLD SPORT BEGAN TO GROWL AND SHOW SIGNS OF FEAR, HIS HAtR BRISTLED
UP AND HE SEEMED ~NCL!NED TO FALl BEHJND~ THE HUNTER~ HALTING,
BEGAN TO LOOK CAUTIOUSLY INTO EVERY OLD TREETOP AND TijJCKET ABOUT
HIM; BUT NOT SEttNG A~YTHING HE PASSED ON, LOOKING FOR THE PANTER*S
TRACK~ Nor SEE;NG IT HE CONCLUDED HE MUST BE OVERHEAD IN SOME OF
THE TREES• HE DID NOT PEER LONG UNTIL TO HiS HORROR, ALMOST DIRECTLY
OVER HlS HEAD, AND NOT MORE THAN TWENTY FEET FROM HIM~ THE PANTHER,
CAT LIKE, WAS EYEING H1M, HIS TAIL AND ,FEET WORKJNG AS THOUGH HE WAS
!N THE VERY ACT OF JUMPING UPON HIM9- CHEENEY ACKNOWLEDGED AFTERWARDS
THAT H4S HAIR STOOD ON ENDS AS HE GRASPED THE SITUATtON. As SOON AS
THE PANTHER SAW C~EENEY WAS LOOKING AT .HlM HE QUIETED DOWN, BUT STILL
KEPT HES EYE ON HIMo CHEENEY ALSO KEPT HI~ EVE ON THE PANTHER,
ESPECJALLY AS HE NOTICED THAT THE PANTHER BEGAN HIS TREADING MOVE
MENTS AS SOON AS HE TURNED HIS HEAD.
THE HUNTER HAD NOTH~NG BUT A SINGLE BARREL PISTOL,, CARRYING A
32 BALLo To SHOOT AND ONLY WOUND THE PANTHER MEANT A PROBABLE HAND
TO HAND CONTESTJ NOT TO SHOOT, ANO LEAVE THE PANTHER UNMOLESTED,
WOULD SHOW COWAROoCE~ THE QUESTION WiTH CHEENEY WAS SOON SETTLED.
SrEPP:NG BACK F!FTEEN OR TWENTY FEET HE TOOK OFF HJS SNOW SMOES,
TREADlNG THE SNOW DOWN AROUND HIM. HE CUT A CLUB W!TH HIS HATCHET,
WHICH HE ALWAYS CARRIED IN HIS BELT, TOOK OFF HIS OUTER COAT, STUCK
HIS CLUB AND HATCHET IN THE SNOW BESIDE HIM, TOOK UP ~IS PISTOL,'
PUT ON A FRESH CAP ANO PREPARED FOR THE fRAYo HE HAO SELECTED HtS
pos;TION BEH~ND THE TREE so THAT tN CASE HE ONLY WOUNDED THE
PANTHER AND THE ANlMAL SHOULD SPR!NG UPQN HIM HE COULD N~T REACH HIM
WiTHOUT FIRST STRtKING THE TREE OR FALL~NG ON THE GROUND AND SO -92-
GiVE H~M A CHANCE TO GET HOLD or THE CLUB.
PLACING THE PISTOL ALONGSIDE OF THE TREE HE TOOK, AS HE EXPRESS
ED !T, CARE TO DRAW A F!NE StGHT UPON HIS GAME. WHEN THE PISTOL
CRACKED CHEENEY SPRANG FOR THE CLUB AND THE PANTHER SPRANG FOR
CHEENEY, BUT. WHEN HE STRUCK THE GROUND HIS SPRINGS WERE USELESS,
THE AiM HAD BEEN PERFECT, AS THE BALL HAD PASSED THROUGH THE
ANiMAL'S HEART. CHEENEY SAID AFTERWARDS THAT HE THOUGHT WHEN THE
PANTHER LEFT THE TREE HE FELT THE PRESPJRATION START ON HtS FACE,
BUT SAID THAT HE WOULD HAVE ~IED GAME. THE PANTHER WAS A LARGE
ONE, THE LARGEST CHEEN~Y EVER KILLED.
THE PANTHER SKijNNED AND CHEENEY HA ~ING EATEN HIS LUNCH lT WAS
NEARLY TWELVE olcLOCK~ HE KNEW THAT IT WAS LATE TO BEGIN A MOOSE
HUNT BUT THOUGHT HE WOULD TAKE A TURN AROUND THE MOUNTAtN 3 WHERE HE
HAD SEEN THE MOOSE SIGNS AND LEARN DEFtNlTELY AS TO THEfR WHERE
ABOUTS AND THEN WHEN HE SHOULD AGAIN SEEK THEM HE SHOULD KNOW WHERE
THEY WEREo AFTER A COUPLE OF HOURS' CIRCU~TING OLD SPORT SUDDENLY
BARKED LOUDLYo UP TO THAT T!ME HE HAD KEPT THE DAG NEAR HIM BUT
TH~NKING THE MOOSE HAO MOVED HE HAD BECOME CARELESS AND THE DOG
WAS OUT OF SJGHTo UPON GOING IN THE o,RECTtON .OF THE BARKlNG
HE FOUND TRACES Of WHERE THE MOOSE AND THE DOG HAD GONE OFF UP THE
R!DGE~ OccASijQNALLY THE MUSIC OF OLD SPORT ~ND!CATED THE COURSE
1 THEY WERE PURSUJ NG. THE SNOW, NOT BEING VERY DEEP, THE MOOSE LEDv
OfF 9 CROSSED THE RUDGE AND MADE TOWARDS MOUNT COLDEN. CHEENEY,
FORGETTING THAT NiGHT WAS NEAR, PASSED ON, FOLLOWING ONLY THE TRAIL,
AS THE BARKS OF $PORT HAD BEEN LOST AS SOON AS HE PASSED OVER THE
RJDGE. WHILE FOLLOWING HARD, THE SWEAT STREAMiNG FROM EVERY PORE,
HE HEARD SPORT SING OUT AGA!N IN A HtGH KEY. THE MOOSE, ON ENTERING • . THE LOW LANDS, ENCOUNTERED DEEPER SNOW AND FINDING THE DOG WAS GAtN-
iNG UPON HlM, TOOK A SMALL CIRCLE AROUND THE DOG COMING tNlO BACK
TRACK BEHIND HiM AND ·wHEN CHEENEY HEARD THE DOG HE LOOKED UP AND -93-
BEHOLD THE MOOSE WAS COMING UP THE HtLL, NOT A HUNDRED YARDS AWAY.
STEPPJNG BEHiND THE TREE HE PREPARED TO :NTERCEPT HJM. WHEN THE
MOOSE WAS WJTH~N EASY RANGE CHEENEY FIRED THEN STEPPED OUT TO SEE
THE AFFECT OF HiS SHOTo As HE ·DaD SO THE MOOSE TURNED DOWN THE HILL;
CHEENEY SAW·THE BLOOD WAS FLOW;NG FREELYo HE THEN BEGAN TO RELOAD
HiS PISTOL, WALKING SLOWLY IN THE DIRECTION THE MOOSE HAD GONE.
PRESENTLY THE DOG AND THE MOOSE MET.
nAND SUCH A YELL AS THAT DOG MADE, n SAID JOHN, r~MADE MY BLOOD
CURDLE on
HE RAN AS FA$T AS HE COULD UNTIL HE CAME TO WHERE THE MOOSE WAS
ACTUALLY TRAMPING HIS DOG UNDER FOOTo THIS JOHN COULD NOT STAND,
SO RUSHING UP, HATCHET IN HAND, HE DEALT THE MOOSE A BLOW ON THE HEAD
WHiCH SEEMED TO QU!ET HIMa THEN STEPPING NEAR THE MOOSEls HlND
LEGS, WHERE THE DOG WAS STILL HELD, HE RAISED ON!OF THE ANlMALrS
H l ND FEET TO L I BER ATE THE DOG, WHEREUPON THE LEG ST RA t·G HT ENE D OUT
AND CHEENEY LANDED TWENTY FEET AWAY, fN A RATHER WRETCHED CONDITION.
Hts FACE WAS LACERATED, AND THE BLOOD FLOWING, HIS LEFT AR~, HE
THOUGHT, WAS SURELY BROKEN BY THE BLOW Of THE MOOSE 1 S FOOT. BY THE
T~ME HE GOT BACK TO THE MOOSE HE WAS DEADQ THE DOG, LIKE HIMSELF,
WAS A CR:PPLE AND BEFORE HE WAS AWARE IT BEGAN TO GROW DARK. HAV!NG
ONLY ONE HAND AND A SMALL HATCHET THE PROSPECTS FOR CAMPING WERE NOT
AT ALL FLATTER!NG, BUT CAMP HE MUSlo THE NEXT MOVE WAS TO TREAD
DOWN THE SNOW AROUND THE MOOSE AND TAKE THE iNWARDS our; WHEN DONE
HE CUT A COUPLE OF STICKS TO KEEP THE OPENING APART AND CRAWLED IN.
CHEENEY AFTERWARDS SAiD iT WAS A NOVEL PLACE TO SLEEP, BUT HE DID
SLEEP; JUST HOW MUCH HE COULD NOT TELL, ALL HE CAN SAY IS THAT HE DfD
NOT HEAR THE CLOCK STRIKE AFTER HE f;RST WENT TO SLEEP AND HE DID
NOT SUFFER fROM THE COLD. IN THE MORNING HE KNOCKED OUT THE PROPS,
CRAWLED our, SK~NNED THE MOOSE, BROILED SOME Of HIM FOR BREAKFAST AND
TOOK DINNER AT THE BOARDING HOUSE~ -94-
A FEW YEARS LATER HE MARRIED Mtss LucJNA B!SELL AND BU!LT A
HOUSE, ON A RIDGE ON THE BOREANS ROAD ABOUT A HALF A MILE FROM THE
LOWER WORKS, AFTERWARD CALLED TAHAWUS, WHERE THEY LlVED THE REST
Of H;s L,FE AND THERE DIED IN i87_C> Two SONS WERE THE FRUIT OF THIS
MARRIAGE; ONE OF THESE WAS IN AN ASYLUM FOR CRIMINALS, HAVING SET
F;RE TO THE HOUSE THE FAM,LY L!VED IN AND HAVING SHOWED SYMPTOMS
OF !NSAN~TY FOR SEVERAL YEARSo
AUNT POLLY
THE WELL KNOWN INN KEEP9ER OF THE EARLY ~ENDLETON SETTLEMENT
WAS BORN IN WESTCHESTER Co., NEW YORKo WHEN BUT A YOUNG GJRL,
HER FATHER MOVED INTO THE NEW SETTLEMENT STARTED BY ANSON PENDLETON,
NOW CAL·LED NEWCOM~o $HE MARRIED A YOUNG MAN WHO HAD ALSO COME JNTO
THE PLACE FROM VERMONT, WJTH HIS PARENTS, BY THE NAME Of DANIEL
8:SELL, ABOUT THE YEA~ 1828, BUT DID NOT GET TO HOUSEKEEPING UNTiL
A FEW YEARS LATERo THEY WERE BOTH WORKERS AND FOR SEVERAL YEARS THAT
WAS ALL THElR STOCK iN TRADEo AFTER THE LONG LAKE SETTLEMENT BEGAN
IO REQUIRE A STIPPiNG,PLACE FOR ;rs TRAVELERS, THEY MANAGED TO PUT
.. UP A COUPLE or SPARE BEDS AND BY AND BY A LOAF Of GOOD BREAD, FOR,
BE IT KNOWN, BREAD WAS NOT ALWAYS TO BE FOUND IN EVERY HOUSE 1N
TH'S REG!ON, ~N THOSE T~MES. HER OWN CONFESSION, !N AFTER LIFE,
WARRANTS ME :N SAY~NG THAT SHE KEPT A READY LOAF AND A COUPLE or
P!ES !N THE CLvSET FOR A POSS~BLE TRAVELER. ALSO HEARD ONE OF HER
SONS SAY THAT HE KNEW THERE WAS WHEAT BREAD IN THE HOUSE WHEN THE
CH~LDREN MADE THE~R SUPPER ON JOHNNY CAKE AND ROAST POTATOES.
WH!LE RELATtNG iT BEFORE H;S WiFE SHE MADE SPORT OF WHAT HE WAS
TELLING. HE, A LITTLE STUNG, SPOKE SHARPLY,
"I WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND, MRS. B~SELL, i HAVE SEEN THE TIME
WHEN RYE AND CORN BR EA D Of MY MOT HER r S MAKE , TA ST ED 8 ET T ER T H'A rf
ANY CAKE i EVER TASTED OF YOUR MAKE. I TELL YOU I AM TELLING THE
TRUTH. WE WENT TO BED OFTEN WITH NO BREAD FOR SUPPER, BUT IT WAS -95-
NOT TO BE SO ALWAYSt10 AUNT POLLY~ BY HER fRUGALiTY, SOON BEGAN
TO HAVE WHAT HER HOUSE NEEDED AND FOR YE-ARS HE HOUSE WAS THE INN OF
THE SETTLEMENT; HER PRICE FOR SUPPER, LODGING AND BREAKFAST WAS
FORTY CENTS; THlRTEEN CENTS BOUGHT A SINGLEMEAL AS LATE AS 1848,
THEN f~FTEE~ CENTS TO 1861, AFTER WHiCH THE PRtCE WENT UP TO
TWENTY-FIVE CENTS AND FINALLY TO FORTY CENTSo THE FIRST SJGN Of
TRiFT THAT MANlFi~TED !TSELF WAS A NEW LOG HOUSE ON THE OTHER SlDE OF
THE ROAD., ! N 18450 IN 1850 A FRAME ADDiT!ON MADE THE EAST END Of
T H E ·tt O US E L OOK R E $ P E C TA B L E o f i NA L L Y I N 18 6 3 T HE L O G PAR T WAS T OR N
DOWN, THE FRAME PART MOVED UP WHERE THE LOG HOUSE HAD BEEN AND A
DEC~NT FRAME HOUSE PUT UP 24x30, ONE AND A HALF STORIES HIGH, ALL
COMPLETE FROM TOP TO BDTTOM, AND AS THE MATERIAL OR WORK WAS DONE
AUNT POLLY PAID FOR IT !N GOLD. HER BUS!NESS ABtLtTY WAS OF HtGH
ORDERo To ILLUSTRATE HO~ SHE DID BUStNESS, AN INCIDENT, WHICH IS
RELATED BY THE PARTY HIMSELF, WILLEXPLAINo
THE MAN HAD ENGAGED TEN BUSHELS Of POTATOES ANO HAD COME TO
PiCK THEM OUTo BtSELL AND THE MAN WERE DOWN CELLAR GETTING THEM
UNTO BA GS. THE MAN, SEEING THEY HAO PLENTY OF POTATOES IN THE
CELLAR, SAID_,
"WHY, YOU HAVE LOTS OF THEMo CAN'Y YOU SELL ME TEN BUSHELS
MORE?¥ MRo BiSELL BEGAN TO HUM AND STAMMERo F!NALLY HE CALLED OUT,
11 . P O L ~. Y " o jN A MOMENT THAT LADY APPEARED ON THE STAIRSo
"WHAT !S WANTED?" SHE ASKED.
"MRo SHAW WANTS TEN MORE BUSHELS OF POTATOES, CAN WE SPARE THeM?'
"WELL, LET ME SEE," WAS HER REPLY. 11 THERE ARE FORTY BUSHE~S
~N THAT B;N, FJFTEEN IN THAT AND TEN !N THOSE BARRELSo HARVEY WANTS
TEN BUSHELS, DAN BRALEY MUST HAVE FIFTEEN BUSHELS AND TWENTY~f!VE
/ w:LL BE AS MANY AS WE SHALL NEEDo YES, HE CAN HAVE TEN MORE ~USHELS
iF HE WANTS THEMo" -96-
HE KNEW ALL ABOUT THE MATTER JUST AS WELL AS SHE DtD, BUT HE
COULD NOT GET OUT. BESIDES HE HAD BEEN AN OBEDIENT HUSBAND.TOO
LONG TO THlNK Of REBELLING. HE LIVED TO BE OVER SEVENT-FIVE.YEARS
OLD AND IT IS DOUBTED WHETHER HE PAID OUT, OR RECEIVED, A HUNDRED
COLLARS DURING HiS MARRJED LIFE, EXCEPT WHEN HE WAS SUPERVISOR FOR
FOR A FEW TERMS AND HANDLED SOME MONEY AT THAT TIME.
AUNT POLLY DJD ALL HER OWN WORK IN THE HOUSE, WITH BUT VERY
LITTLE HELP; NO HIRED GIRL EVER BOTHERED HER. SHE TOOK ONE GtRL
AFTER HER OWN DAUGHTER GOT MARRJED. I DO NOT NOW RECOLLECT OF EVER
SElfNG A HIRED GIRL IN HE~ EMPLOY. DRJVE UP AT HALF PAST TWELVE OR
ONE o'cLOCK AND TtLL HER YOU WiSHED DINNER AS SOON AS POSS1BLE AND
SHE WOULD TELL YOU TO PUT tN YOUR TEAM, FEED THEM AND WASH YOURSELF
FOR DINNER AND BY THAT TIME IT WILL BE READY. I ONCE DROVE UP THERE
tN A GREAT HURRY, TELLING HER I WANTED DINNER AS SOON AS SHE COULD
GET IT READY. BEF'ORE 'I' HAD ANY I DEA THAT IT WAS READY SHE ~CALLED
ME" WHEN I WENT IN SHE SAID, "COME, HURRY UP, YOUR DINNER JS GETT!NG • COLD on HAD NOT BEEN THERE TWENTY MINUTES. I HAD FRESH BOILED
POTATOES, FRESH CQOKED MEAT AND EVERYTHING IN FIRST CLASS·ORDER.
HERE IS THE PLAN Or THAT DINNER. SHE ALWAYS KEPT A TEA-KETTLE FULl
Of BOILJNG WAT~R ON THE STOVE, SHE WENT DOWN CELLAR, GOT THREE
LARGE POTATOES, 'PARED AND SL t CED THEM IN A SMALL KETTLE, POURED
BO~ LI NG WATER FROM THE TEA-KETTLE ON THEMj THEN PUT HER TEA IN
WATER AND CUT HER MEAT. FtrTEEN MINUTES LATER ,orATOES, MEAT AND
TE A WERE ON THE T A·B LE, WITH SR£ AO, CAKE, P I ES, PI CK LES AND OTHER
T H 1i1 N GS , MA K I N G A t I RS T C LASS O I N N £ R .. TH I S WAS NOT A N E X PER .J MEN T
BUT A FORETHOUGHT CARRIED THROUGH HER WORK, A SYST£M THAT SHE
ALWAYS PUT INTO PRACTICE. SHE WAS R&RELY EVER CAUGHT NAPPING, THE
SAME FORETHOUGHT ANO CARE WAS CARRIED INTO EVERY DAY LlrE; IT
KEPT THE LOAt AND PIE FOR UNEXPECTED CUSTOMERS; KEPT HER WELL FtLlED
PANTRY AND CELLAR IN AFTER YEARS IN READINESS FOR EMERGENCIES. -97-
8ES:DES, SHE SPUN AND KN!T DOZENS OF PA!RS OF WOOLEN SOCKS AND
M]TTENS EVERY YEAR~ SHE WAS NEVER IDLE. SHE LIVED SEVERAL YEARS
.. AFTER HER HUSBAND D'.EDo
MRS •. D. Co CHASE, OF NEWCO~B, WAS A REMARKABLE WOMAN. SHE
WAS 0AN~EL .BtSELL'S S!STER AND SHE RA~SEO SEVEN SONS AND ONE GIRL,
THE GiRL BEING RATHER WEAKLY WAS NOT MUCH HELP TO HER MOTHER.
MRS. CHASE, LiKE AUNT POLLY, NEVER KEPT A H!RED GIRL AND, WHtLE
RA~s;NG HER FAM~LY, FREQUENTLY HAD HER HOUSE FULL OF MEN, LUMBERING
0 R w· 0 R K I N G O N DA MS O R O N T H E J! ; Y E R A N D I N T H E W OODS • I HAVE KNOWN-
T HAT WO MA N. T O GET BR EA K FAST FOR HER BO ARD ER S W H r L E CARRY I NG A GOOD
SIZED CHILD ON O~E ARM; SHE ALSO SfWED FOR ALL., THAT FAMILY, KNtT
THE!R,SOCKS AND MiTTENS AND NEVER LOST ANY TIME BY SICKNESS. WHAT
SEEMED HARD WAS THAT S;IE HAD NO OTHER THOUGHT THAN THAT SHE WAS JUST
DOING HER DUTY_. IN AFTER YEARS HE STRENGTH FAILED AND DISEASE
DEVELOPEDo THEN, WHEN TOO LATE, ,r WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE.WIFE AN~ ... MOTHER HAD OVERDONE.; SHE HAD NOT TAKEN CARE Of HER ROBUST STRENGf.ij
AND WAS NOT A!DED BY THOSE WHO SHOULD HAVE ASSISTED HER. SHE DiED A
DOZEN YEARS AGO, BUT L!VED TO SEE HER CH!LDREN BECOME MEN AND WOMAN,
ALL DY!NG BEFORE HER, EXCEPT THREE SONS.
DANIEi CHENEY CHASE, HER HUSBAND, CAME TO NEWCOMB FROM TICANDER
AGA lN 1839, MARR]ED M:ss MAT!LDA BiSELL AND BOUGHT OUT JAMES
(HANDLER, ONE OF NEWCOMBeS FIRST SETTLERS, UPON WHICH PLACE, SITUATED
AT THE HEAD OF R]CH LAKE, HE L!VED All THE REST OF HIS DAYS, DYING
iN 1899~ HE WAS A BRIGHT MAN AND FOR MANY YEARS WAS THE LEADING
MAN OF THE TOWN, 'wAS SUPERVISOR SEVERAL TERMS, JUST!CE or PEAC[ AND
HJGHWAY COMMiSSIONER, BES!DES JOBBING ~N CLEARING LAND, BU!LDING
DA.MS AND LUMBER~ NG" MR Q CHASE WAS ALSO A F ! RST CLASS Hf,..-NTER AND
M A D E MA NY H U N DR E D DO L L A R S A T j T ; S U P P L Y 1 NG H ! S T A B L E W I T H ffO T H F I S H
AND VEN1S0N., -98-
HE KNEW THE FOREST STREAMS AND MOUNTAINS, THE RESORT OF DEER
AND ~N EARLY T]MES, THE HAUNTS OF BEAR, WOLVES AND PANTHERS, AND
MANY HAS HE BROUGHT lNo
DAV~D HENDERSON.
DAVID HtNDERSON WAS THE YOUNGER MEMBER OF THE ADIRONDACK IRON
COMPANY AND WAS THE HEAD OF THE FIRM, BEJNG AT THE WORKS SUPERJNT
EDJ~NG THE BUILDING OF COAL KILNS, COAL SHEDS, ROADS AND MAKING
!MPROVEMENTS GENERALLYo THE FURNACE AND FORGE WERE KEPT RUNNING
ONLY WHEN THE BLAST FURNACE BECQME LUNGED UP, AS THEY CALLED lT,
THROUGH THE NEGLECT OR IGNORANCE OF THE WORKMAN; BUT THE FOREMAN
' HAD BECOME MASTER OF THE StTUATtON; WHEN HE WAS ON THE GROUNQ 1 AND
HiS ORDERS WERE OBEYED, FOR WHEN HE FOUND SOMETHING WAS WRONG AND
THE FURNACE WAS NOT WORKtNG PROPERLY, HE AT ONCE SLOWED IT ou~,
AS HE CALLED IT~ FOR IT WAS EASIER TO CLEAN OUT THE FURNACE AFTER
IT WAS SLOWED OUT THAN WHEN !THAD BEEN LUNGED UP. THE WATER SUPPLY
WAS NOT QUITE SUFFICIENT ON THE DRY TIME OF THE YEAR. MR. HENDERSON
WAS ARRANGING FOR MORE WATER AND FOR THAT PURPOSE WAS EXAMtNING THE
STREAMS AND ROUTE OF A SMALL POND, FOUR OR FIVE MILES BACK IN THE
WOODS, IN COMPANY W~TH Hts OLDEST SON, A LAD or ABOUT FOURTEEN YEARS
OF AGE; H~S INTENTION WAS TO TURN THE STREAM INTO fHE ONE THAT
SUPPLIED THE PRESENT SUPPLY OF WATER BY DIGGING A CHANNEL THROUGH
A SLlGHT RAISEo BES:DES H;S SON THERE WERE, ALONG WITH HIM, A MR.
JOHN CHENEY AND ANTHONY SNYDER, AS GU:DES, MRo HENDERSON CARRtED A
PlSTOL AND WHEN THEY HAD REACHED THE POND, AS HE STOOD BESIDE A
LARGE ROCK TALK!NG TO THE MEN ABOUT THE DAM THAT WAS TO BE MADE AT
THE OUTLET OF THE PO~D., IN ORDER TO RAISE THE WATER, AND HOW IT
COULD BE TURNED INTO A HOLLOW LEADING INTO A STREAM THAT EMPTIED
JNTO THE RIVER WHICH SUPPLIED THE FURNACE WITH POWER, HE STRUCK
T H E .P I S T O L O N T H E R O C K W : T H S U F F : C I E N T F O R C E T O D I S C rt A R G E ..- I T • T H E
BALL PASSED INTO H~S BODY, HE EXCLAIMING, 11 0H, Goo, I AM SHOT." -99-
THE FEW MOMENTS THAT WERE LEFT TO HIM HE SPENT tN CONVERSATION
WITH HIS SON. WHEN THE SAD NEWS WAS CONVEYED TO THE SETTLEMENT,
HIS WIFE, WHO WAS THERE AT THAT TIME~ fAINIED. THE SHOCK WAS AS
SEVERE ONE TO THE NEW ENTERPRISE; EVERYONE SAW AND FELT THAT THE
HEAD WAS GONE. UPON A RUDE BIER, ABLE AND WILLING MEN CARRIED
HENDERSON THROUGH THE WOODS, MOST Of THE WAY THERE BEING ONLY A LINE
LAKE CHAMPLAIN AND CARTHAGE ROAD WAS BEING OPENED FROM RO-OTS TO
LONG LAKE AND WAS TO PASS THE LOWER WORKS, BUT FROM THE LOWER
IRON WORKS, OR TAHAWUS, TO WITH_IN A MILE OF THE BOREANS RIVER, THERE
WA NO ROAD, SO THEY CARRIED HENDERSON 1 S BODY ON THE BIER ALL THJT
DISTANCE, SOME SIX MILES. WHEN THE WORKED ROAD WAS REACHED, A
WAGON WAS PROCURED TO TAKE THE REMAINS TO CROWN POINT. THE BIER
WAS SET UP AGAINST A LARGE BIRCH TREE AND TH~ijE IT ROLLED DOWN.
MANY YET RECALL WHERE THAT SPOT IS. THE POND t-S CALLED CALUMJTY
POND. A MONUMENT HAS BEEN ERECTED ON THE SPOT WITH THE FOLLOWING
EPITAPH:
ERECTED BY FJLIAL AFFECTION TO THE MEMORY OF OUR DEAR FATHER,
WHO WAS ACCIDENTLY SHOT BY THE PREMATURE DISCAHARGE or A PtSTOL,
SEPT. 3o, 1845.
THE FIRST FURNACE WAS ERECTED ?N 1838, DAVID TAYLOR BEING
THE ENGJNEER. TAYLOR WAS ALSO WITH MR. HENDERSON AT THE POND WHEN
HENDERSON WAS KILLED. To HIM, WHO WAS TO sµ~ERINTEND THE BUILDING
OF THE DAM, HENDERSON WAS DIRECTING HIS CONVERSATION WHEN THE
PISTOL WAS DISCHARGED. SPENCER EDGERTON AND HENRY DOARNBUR~H ~ADE
THE COFFIN lN WHICH HIS REMAINS WERE CARRIED HOME TO ALBANY.
THE WORKS EMPLOYED ABOUT THREE HUNDRED MEN AT THE TIME. HEND~R
SON'S DEATH. MR. HENDERSON WAS A BUSINESS MAN or MUCH fORCE AND
FORESIGHT; THE COMPANY WAS COMPOSED or HONORABLE MENJ THE
ADJRONDACK BANK SUCCUMBED ArTER HENOERSON"s DEATH, BUT REDEEMED All
•rs CURRENCY OR B1LLI. -100-
THE PLANS, IN COURSE OF MATURITY WHEN MR. HENDERSON WAS SHOT;
WERE NEVER CARRIED OUTo THE NEW FURNACE WAS NEVER OPERATED. JN
A FEW YEARS THE PLACE WAS DESERTED, THE ON~Y FAM1LY TO BE FOUND
THERE BEJNG THAT OF MR. ROBERT.HUNTER, WHO WAS KEPT THERE BY THE tOMPANY TO "WATCH THE PROCESS Of DECLINE; THEY PAIO HIM WASES AND
GAVE HIM ALL HE COULD 1RAISE OFF OF THE OLD CLEARINGS LEFT BY THE
JOBBERS JN· THE VICINITY. MRo HUNTER, LOSlNG HIS WIFE, FINALLY
LEFT THE PLACE, HENCE THE NON DEPLUME, DESERTED FORGES, COLE KILNS,
AND ·ALL THE BUILDINGS HAVE LITERALLY ROTTED AND THE S!GHT OF THE
FIRST FURNACE AND FORGE ARE WlTH DlfflCULTY LOCATED BY THOSE WH8
WERE FAMILIAR WITH THEM WHEN RUNNING.
Bur THE IRON MPUNTAJN,_ OR AN lNEXHAUSTABLE QUANTJTY OF ORE, JS
ST!LL T~EREJ THE WATER FALLS OVER A LITERAL IRON ORE DAM, AS IN THE
DAYS Of yQRE. THE LAST OF THOSE, WHO WERE ACtUALLY JN THE SERVICE
OF THE COMPANY AT THE TJME OF THE DEATH OF HENDERSON, JAMES THOMPSON~
THEN A CLERK IN THE STORE, HAS LATELY DIED. HE HAS-~~EN THE
RECONGNJZED AGENT OF THAT COMPANY SINCE THAT TIME. Nor EVEN A SON
OF EtTHER OF THE PARTNERS BUT HAVE BEEN DEAD MANY YEARSJ ALL THOSE
THEN JN AND AROUND TH~_WORKS, AS EMPLOYEES, JOBBERS OR ENGINEERS,
HAVE GONE OYER THE RIVER. AMONG THOSE WELL KNOWN, WHO WERE ACTIVE
AT THE TlME Of THE DEATH OF HENDERSON, WERE ANDRE PORTEOUS, THE
FOREMAN, JAMES THOMPSON, MERCHANT, ALEXANDER RALPH,_BOOK~KEEPIR
AND AGENT, DAVID TAYLOR, ENGINEER. EMPLOYED .IN THE MAKJNG Of tRON
WERE, HENRY PRATT, HENRY DORABURGH, GEORGE BEEBE, ROBERT HALL,
JOHN GIBBS. AND SEVERAL OTHERS, WHOSE, NAMES HAVE BEEN FORGOTTEN, SOME
OF WHOM ARE YET LIVING. Bur OF THE MORE NOTED FAMILIES, WHO, FOR
A LONG TIME LIVED THERE, WHEN THE WORKS ~ERE BOOMING, AND WHO ARE
ALL DEAD, MAY BE MENTIONED, JOHN CHEENEY, ANTHONY S-NYDER,
ROBERT HUNTER, JAMES SARGENT, THOMAS Nurr, EowARD SttAw, ·{Nurr 1 s
BROTHER-IN-LAW) DANIEL GA·TES, RoBERt KARKNESS ANo··ANSON WEST, -101-
WHO KEPT THE BOARDING HOUSE.
AT THE TIME OF P~OSPERITY THERE HAD BEEN A DAM CONSTRUCTED
ACROSS THE RIVE.R, ·sOME SIX MILES BELOW LAKE SAN~FORD, AT A COST OF
NE A R L Y S I X T HO U·S A ND D OL L AR S • T HE N A L S O A GO OD B OA R D l NG HO US E HA D D -~
B EE Nl E R E CT E·o,, S AW M I L L A ND DO C KS ., T H E WA T E R F R OM T H E F L OW O F T H E DA M
SET BACK TO THE HEAD OF LAKE SANDFORD, W ITH IN A FEW FEET ,..0 F THE
NEW FURNACE ~ND A SCOW BOAT., PROPELLED BY OARS, DID THE CAfRYING
BETWEEN THE WORKS_, THE DAM~ 0~ LOWER END OF NAVJGATION BEING CALLED
THE ·LOWER WORKS. TH JS PLACE WE NT BY THE NAME Of TA HAW US, THERE .l BElNG A POST OFFICE THERE. IT WAS SiTUATED ON LAKE CHAMPLAIN AND
CARTHAGE ROAD, EIGHT MILES FROM PENDLETON SETTLEMENT, NOW CALLED
NEWCOMB, AND ABOUT TWENTY MJLES FROM ROOTS ON THE SCHROON RtVERo
AFTER THE ADANOONMENT OF THE WORKS THE DAM WAS USED AS A RESERVOJR,
TO SUPPLY WATER FOR DRIVING LOGS !N THE RIVER BELOW. THERE WERE
NO LOGS CUT ABOVE THE DAM, UNTlL AFTER IT BECAME A RUJN, SJNCE
WHJCH LUMBERING HAS BEEN EXTENSIVELY CARRIED ON BY fJNCH, PRYNE& co., AND OTHERS, THE TERRITORY BEING NOW NEARLY STRIPPED, ESPECIALLY
0F fl NE AND SPRUCE. Ar THE UPPER WORKS THERE 15 NOW A CLUB HOUSE
BUILT, WHERE MANY OF THE RELATJVES AND DISTANT FRIENDS OF THE OLD
FOUNDERS OF THE l~ON COMPANY, WITH OTHEB, RESORT ONCE AND TWICE A
; YEAR FOR RECREATION AND SPORT, HAVING SET APART, AS PRJVATE GROUND,
THE ORIGINAL PURCHASE. PEOPLE, GOING FROM ANY POINT WEST Of THE
MOUNTAINS TO VISIT EITHER MARCY MCINTYRE, COLDEN, NIPPLE TOP OR THE
INDlAN PASS, GO WITH TEAMS TO THE OLD ADIRONDACK VILLAGE, WHERE THE
CLUB HOUSE HAS PRQVIDED ENTERTAINMENT, A MR. MYRAN SUTTLES KEEPING
ACCOMODATJONS FOR ORDINARY PARTJES GOING TO AND FROM THE MOUNTAJNS.
Bur NO PARTIES ARE ALLOWED TO HUNT OR FISH ON THE TERRJTORY
WHO ARE NOT MEMBERS OF THE CLUB.
JAMES McNAUGHTON, PRESlDENTo
JAMES WJCKS, SECRETARY, AND TREASURER. -102- NEWCOMB.
ExcLUSlVE OF THE IRON WORKS, WHICH WERE IN THE TOWN OF NEWCOMB,
BUT NEVER CALLED NEWCOMB BY THE INHABJTANTS, CONSISTED THEN OF THE
PENDLETON SETTLEMENT, BEFORE REFERRED TO, WHJCH C0NTAJNED ONLY SJX
FAMILJES IN THE DAYS WHEN THE IRON WORKS WERE AT THEIR BEST.
ELISHA BISSEL, THE SIRE OF THE B!SSELL FAMILY, IN THE TowN, . WAS AN OLD MAN AND ~IED OF CANCER IN 1857. DANJEL 8JSSELL,
CHARLES 8JSSELL AND WARREN BtSSE~L, THREE OF THE OLD M~N 1 S SONS,
WERE SETTLED IN THE PLACE AND FROM WHOM SPRANG ALL THE 8JSSELLS,
EVER SJNCt SO NUMEROUS IN THE TOWN BUT OF THE ORIGINAL THREE ONLY
CHARLES IS NOW LIVING.
ABNER BELDEN, ALSO AN OLD MAN, A BROTHER-JN~LAW Of OANlEL
BISSELL, WHOSE WIDOW STILL LIVES WITH HER YOUNGEST SON, KtMBALL
BELDEN, NOW NEARLY NINETY YEARS OLD AND FOR ·THE PAST SEVEN YEARS
HAS NOT KNOWN EVEN THE SON AND HJS WIFE, WHO SO PATIENTLY CARE
FOR HER.
AND LASTLY, DANl~L C. CHASE, ALSO A BROTHER-JN-LAW OF THE:
81SSELLS, HAVl~GIMARRlE~~~ALINDA Bl_SSELL, A SJSTER OF DANIEL AND
THE OTHERS, IS STlLL LIVING. CHARLES BISSELL AND WIFE, NOW OLD AND
FEEBLE, ARE ALSO LIVING. WH!LE ALL OF THE OLD MEN, AND WOMEN TOO,
LOVED AND DRANK WHISKEY ON SPECIAL OCCASIONS, YET NO WHJSKEY
SHOPS WERE ALLpWED IN THE TOWN UNTIL JUST WJTHIN THE LAST FEW YEARS.
THE REASON ASSI.GNED WAS THAT THEY WERE WHLGS AND AFTERWARDS
REPUB_LICANS. Bur AFTER A WHILE A BACKSLIDEN REPUBLICAN, WHO
CONFESSED HE DiD NOT LIKE THE BUSINESS BUT KNEW THERE WAS MONEY IN
lT AND WAS AFRAID SOME DEMOCRAT MIGMT GET THE P0SITJON, SET UP
BUSINESS, f)RST WITHOUT LICENSE AND AFTER HE HAD BEEN TRAINED THE
_I YOUNG REPUBLJC~NS GAVE HIM LICENSE. HIS FATBER-JN-LAW, BEING A
VETERAN IN THE WAR, RECEIVED A PENSION, THE MOST OF WHICH HE GAVE -103-
TO HIM. THEN, HE RECEIVED A PENSION ALSO, FOR HE TOO WAS A SOLDJER~
AND THE TWO SUMS, WITH PRACTICAL GAMES KNOWN, l SUPPOSE, TO RUM
SELLERS, HIS BUSINESS SOON BEGAN TO GROW, BOTH JN WEALTH AND
STRENGTH. IN SPITE OF THIS HE. CLAIMED TO SE THE BEST MAN JN TOWN,
FREQUENTLY .PUNISHING THOSE DARING TO ASSAIL HIS AUTHORITY.
Bur AT LAST THE WHISKEY SELLJNG BUSINESS OF THE TOWN HAS REACHED
ITS LEVEL. THE BACKSLIDEN REPUBLICAN TURNS OVER STAND AND STOCK TO
A FIRST CLASS DEMOCRAT, WHO WAS AN IRISHMAN, WHO, WHEN HE FEELS
TO MUCH CONDEMNED TYTHES THE PR)EST, AND RETURNS SINGJNG,
"OcH, ME OARLINT, DHRINK AGIN."
LONG LAKE.
WHEN ST JOHN RETURNED IN THE FALL HE FOUND TWO MEN AWAJTJNG . HtM AT CHESTER, THEY BEING JOEL PLUMLY AND JAMES Mt CARTHY, READY
FOR THE ROAD CUTTING FROM NEWCOMB TO LONG LAKE. MR. HAMMOND HAD
ALSO BEEN EXCITING THE PEOPLE IN THE VICINJTY or CHERRY VALLEY,
WHERE HE RESIDED, IN THE REVELATION Of GRAND PROSPECTS OF THE LONG
LAKE SETTLEMENT. A MR. DAVID KELLER, A QUITE WE~L-TO-D0-FARMER,
WHO, IN CONNECTION WJTH FARMING, HAD A SHOP FOR MAKING CABJNET WORK.
~~-• KELLER LIVED ON ·wHAT WAS CALLED PATENT LAND, WHICH HE COULD
ONLY RENT FOR A YEAR, THEREFORE HE READILY TOOK IN THE LIBERAL OFFER
OF FIFTY ACRES Of LAND FREE AND THE PURCHASE Of ALL HE WJSHED TO
BUY AT FJFTY CENTS AN ACRE. HE HAD TWO BROTHERS, WHO WERE GOOD
WORKMAN. HE SOON MADE PREPARATJON TO MOVE TO LONG LAKE, AS SOON AS
THE ROAD SHOULD BE OPENED. MR. HAMMOND AND MR. KELLER WERE AT LONG
LAKE WHEN Sr JOHN AND HIS ROAD CREW ARRIVED AT NEWCOMB.
A FEW DAYS WERE SPENT JN LOOKING OUT A ROUTE FOR THE R8AP AND
TH£ WORK WAS THEN COMMENCED AT ONCE. ONLY SUCH WORK WAS DONE AS
/ WOULD ADMJT PASSAGE OVER THE ROAD WITH AN OX TEAM AND A LONG,
W00DSH0D SLED, OR POSSIBLY AN OLD TEAM Of H0R~~S ATTACHED TO THE
SAME KJND Of A VEHICLE. -104-
IT STARTED IN AT THE HEAD OF RICH LAKE UN THE WEST END OF
PENDLETON SETTLEMENT FOLLOWING UP THE STREAM ABOUT A HALF A MJLE
ABOVE THE JUNCTION OF THE CATLIN LAKE STREAM ON THE SOUTH SJDE;
T HE R E T H E F I S H I N G 8 R·.O O< B R AN C H WA S C R OS S E D , A ND S T R I K J NG OV E R AL L T HE
HILLS BETWEEN TMERE AND LONG LAKE, COMING OUT ON THE SHORE JN THE
EAST. BAY, NEAR ROUND ISLAND. FROM THERE, JN LOG AND BARK CANOES.,
PEOPLE WENT TO ANY PART OF THE LAKE~ BUT AS YET NOT A HOUSE HAD BEEN
ERECTED AND O~LY TWO MEN HAD DECfDED TO BUILD ONE.
·WHEN THE ROAD WAS MADE ST JOHN AND HJS MEN BEGAN PREPARATJONS
FOR BUILDING A HOUSE AND A MILL AT THE EXTREME UPPER END OF THE . LAKE- ABOUT TWO ACRES OF FALL9W WAS cur, THE BODY OF A LOG HOUSE
ROLLED UP, A PLACE CLEARED AWAY FOR A DAM, All JN ANTJC!PATlON OF
COMMENCJNG BUSINESS IN EARNEST THE NEXT SPRING.
ONE DAY, AS ALL WERE BUSY, THJNKING ABOUT GOJNG HOME SOON, AND
RETURNING IN THE SPRING, THE IRISHMAN CALLED our,
11 SAY BOYS, YE SPOKE OF HAVING A GOOD PAIR OF OXEN HERE JN THE
SPRING."
"YESn
"WELL, YOU KNOW, I WAS THINKJNG ABOUT WHAT A TRANSPORT YER LOG
CANOE WOULD BE TO BR 1 NG THEM UP THE LAKE IN. n
ttSURE, ENOUGH, JAMES YOU HAVE STRUCK AN JDEA. AND IT IS WELL
YOU HAVE FOR THAT QUESTION BETTER BE RAISED NOW THAN WHEN THE TEAM
GETS TO THE LANDING, I RECKON. 11
THE WORK WAS SOON RESUMED AND NOTHING MORE SAJD ABOUT IT UNTIL
EVENJNG WHEN, AS THE MEN.WERE STRETCHED BEFORE A FIRE, THE BOSS
SAID,
~WELL BOYS, WE HAD BETTER ACT UPON MACK'S SUGGESTION, I THINK, I AND GET OU~TRANSPORT READY TO HJTCH UP THOSE OXEN NEXT SPRING."
"SURE, YER NOT GOING TO MAKE A SHJP YET BEFORE YOU GO HOME,
I HOPE," REP;ED THE IRJSHMAN. THE EARNEST LOOK ON THE MAN 1 FACE -105-
CAUSED A LAUGH, WITH THE REMARK FROM THE BOSS THAT JAMES WAS GETTING
AFRAJD HE WOULD NOT KNOW BJDDY AND THE BABY IF HE STAYED MUCH LONGER
IT WAS FINALLY SETTLED THAT THE THING TO DO WAS TO CUT A RAAD
FROM WHERE THEY WERE TO THE ROAD LANDING IN EAST BAY, AS IT WAS
THEN CALLED, BUT JS NOW KNOWN AS THE OLD LANDING BAY, AND JT WAS
ALSO DECIDED TO COMMENCE THE WORK IN THE MORNING, AND WHEN COMPLETED
LET MACK GO HOME AND SEE HJS WlFE, BEFORE HE SHOULD ENTIRELY FORGET
HER. FOR SEVERAL DAYS NOTHING U~USUAL HAPPENED. WHEN ABOUT TO
START FOR THEJR CAMP ONE NIGHT SMOKE WAS DJSC0VERED ON THE 0PP0S1TE
SHORE, SOME DISTANCE BELOW THE~~ ON A PLACE THEY CAlLED CAPTAIN
PETER 1 5 RocK, JUST BELOW WHERE BtG BROOK EMPTIES JNT0 THE LAKE.
"NEJGHBORS, SURE AS YOU LlVE,n WAS THE LAC0NlC SPEECH Of MACK.
"LET US SALUTE THEM," SAID THE BOSS, AND A VOLLEY OF THREE
SHOTS RENT THE AJR, BUT NO REPLY WAS HEARD AND JT WAS OBSERVED, BY
; ONE Or THE PARTY,
"OUR NEIGHBORS ARE NOT VERY SOCJABLE, SEEMS TO ME.n
Bur, AS IT ~AS NEARING NIGHT AND THE CAMP WAS NOT PROVIDED WJTH
WOOD FOR THE NIGHT AND A SHORT HALT MUST BE MADE AT PINE ISLAND
FOR A FE~ TROUT, IT WAS THOUGHT BEST TO LET THE MYSTERY REMAIN
A MYSTERY UNT1L MORNING.
IN THE MORNING PLUMLY AND Sr JOHN TOOK A CANOE AND PADDLED OVER
TO WHERE THE SMOKE HAD BEEN SEEN.
"YES, SOME ONE HAS SURELY BEEN HERE," SAYS PLUMLY.
"Bur ARE NOT HERE NOW, EH?" SAID THE OTHER • .!.!
"Nor THAT I CAN SEE," REMARKED PLUMLY. A CLOSE SURVEY OF THE
SPOT SATlSFJED THEM T-HAT THE PARTY HAD NOT SPENT ALL THE NIGHT
THERE BUT HAD GONE OFF UPON DISCOVERING THAT THERE WERE OTHERS ON l. , . , ; THE LAKE.
"WELL, .J'r THEY WERE ASHAMED TO BE SEEN, THEY HAD BE~TER GET
AWAY,~ WAS PLUMLY 1 S C0NCLUSl&N, AND THEY STARTED OFF FOR, THElR WORK~ -106-
As THEY NEARED THE POINT., WHERE THEIR WORK WAS, THE MAN JN FRONT
SAID.,
"W HA T I S T HA T C O M I N G O F F T H E P O I NT ? n A B E AR , 8 Y JO VE ., J S N 1 T I T ? n
nKEEP STILL," PLUMLY SAID. "LET:rS SEE WHAT HE WILL oo."
THE BEAR WALKED DOWN TO THE WATER'S EDGE, LIFTED UP HER NOSE AS IF
SMELLING OUT THE SITUATitON THEN LOOKED BACK OVER HER SHOULDER AND
MADE A QUEER NO I SE.
nTHERE 1 S CUBS CLOSE BY,n SAJD PLUMLY AGAIN IN AN UNDER TONE.
nYES, AND THERE THEY COM~.,_·· THE OTHER REPLJED.
THE CUBS ~ALKED DOWN BESIDE THE OLD ONE AND BEGAN TO PLAY WJTK HER.
PRESENTLY SHE GiVE THEM A TOSS AND THEY LANDED OUT IN THE WATER.
THEN SHE DELIBERATELY WALKED IN HERSELF. SI. JOHN TREMBLED SO HE
FAlRLY SHOOK THE CANOE BUT THEY REMAINED MOTJONLESS UNTIL THE BEARS
WERE OUT AWAY FROM SHORE. JuST THEN THE OTHER MEN CAME IN SIGHT
LESS THAN HALF A MILE ABOVE. PLUMLY WAVED HIS HAT AND MOTIONED FOR
THEM TO COME ON ~ND THEN SAID,
"fHERE, ~T. JOHN, IF YOU ARE ANXIOUS FOR THE FRAY., PITCH IN. "
st "I DON 1 T BELIEVE I CARE TO PITCH IN," HE REPLIED. l AM OF THE
OPINION THE ODDS ARE AGAINST us."
"WE'LL HAVE SOME FUN, ANY WAY.," SAJD PLUMLY, AND BEGAN TO PADDLE
S T o JO H N D I D N O'T L :· F T H I S P A D D L E •
n COM E ., P U T ·; N T HA T PA D D L E , ST • JO HN , L E T r S C UT T H E M O F F F R OM
GOING OUT. BY THE TIME WE GET THEM TURNED BACK THE OTHER MEN WILL
BE HERE."
THEY STRWCK OUT, AS THEY INTENDED TO GET BETWEEN THEM AND THE SHOREo
WHEN THE BEARS SAW THEM THE OLD ONE MADE A W~INING SORT OF A N&JSE
AND ST ARTE D O iJ A FASTER RATE • THE CU 8 S ATTEMPTED TO CL I MB ON HER
/ BACK, WHJCH WEIGHTED HER DOWN SO SHE CO.ULD NOT MAKE MUCH HEADWAY.
THE MEN SUCCE~DED IN GETTING BETWEEN THEM AND THE SHORE~ THE BEAR
STOPPED A MOMENT, AS IF CALCULATING HER STRENGTH AND TOOK A COOL SURVEY OF HER ANTAGONlSTS.
11 KEEP QUIET," SAID Sr. JOHN,"AND LET THOSE OTHER MEN COME UP."
11 YES, I INTEND TO, IF SHE LETS ME ALONE,n SAID PLUMLY, TAKING
UP H I S OLD MUSKET AND BEG AN r·o LO AO I T • THE MOVEMENTS MADE I N TH J S
OPERATION CREATED A SUSPICION IN THE MOTHER BEAR'S MIND THAT SHE
HAD BETTER GET TO SHORE. SHE SKINNED HER TEETH, GAVE A HORRID
GROWL, SHOOK OFF THE CUBS AND MADE FOR THE CANOE.
11 SHiOOT, SHOOT,n CRIED THE OTHERS, NOW NEAR ENOUGH TO SEE THE
DANGER. Bur THE MEN THOUGHT IT BEST TO GET OUT Of HER WAY AND AS
T H E Y 5 'W UN 'G AR Ou·N G . T HE OL D B E AR :, p L UM L Y GA VE HE A C HAR G E OF S HOT A N0
THE STRUCK ONE OF THE CUBS WITH A CLUB THAT WAS KEPT IN THE CANOE
FOR KILLJNG DEER. THE CUB SQUEALED AND THE OLD BEAR TURNED JUST
IN TIME TO GET THE NEXT CLJP. THE BLOW ONLY MADE HER FIERCER, AND ~
SHE RUSHED TO THE DEFENSE OF HER CUBS. BY THIS TIME THE' JRJSHMAN
RAISED HIS GUN AND THE BALL HIJ HER -IN THE E'tE; THAT BEWILDERED THE
OLD DAME AND SE~JNG ONLY WITH ONE EYE FURTHER OBSTRUCTED HER PROGRES I· f AND SHE TURNED FOR THE SHOREo HERE SHE ENCOUNTERED THE IRISHMAN 1 S
BOAT, WHJCH SHE LAID HANDS ON AT ONCE. MAC HlT HER OVER THE HEAD
WITH HIS GUN, BREAKING THE STOCK. THE NEXT SCENE WAS MAC AND HJS
COMPANIONS lN THE WATER AND THE BEAR MAKING FRANTIC EFFORTS TO GET
RID OF THE CANOE. PLUMLY, BY THIS TIME, HAD ANOTHER CHARGE IN THE
OLD MUSKET AND LET THE OLD BEAR HAVE IT IN THE BACK OF THE HEAD AND
THEN TURNED HIS ATTENTION TO THE MEN lN THE WATER. WHlN THEY WERE
RESCUED THER WERE NO BEARS IN SIGHT. Two OF THE MEN BElNG ~ET THE
THE WHOLE PARTY RETURNED TO CAMP ANO IN THE AFTERNOON TOOK A HOUND
AND WENT, IN S[ARCM OF THE BEARS. HALF A MILE BACK IN THE WOODS THE
OLD BEAR AND ONE CUB WERE AROUSED BUT THE WOUNDS INFLICTED UPON THE
1 OLD DAME PREVENTED HER FROM MAKlNG ANY HEADWAY IN FLIGHT S0 SHE
DETERMINED TO DEFEND HERSELF AND CUB TO THE BEST OF HER ABILITYv
THE OLD HOUND, NOT VERSED IN BEAR, RUSHED UP SUPP0S1NG A WOUNDED -108-
DEER WAS THERE•• Bur HE SOON CHANGED HJS OPINION., IF THAT WAS WHAT
HE THOUGHT. ONE SLAP OVER THE LEFT EYE LEFT HIM IN AS BAD A
CONDITION AS THE OLD BEAR HERSELF., ONE EYE WAS GONE AND THE OLD
HOUND WAS ALSO GO I NG DE CLAR I N·G AT EVERY BREATH., "Nor I, Nor I. II -> THEN PL ·UM LY AND MACK., WHO HAD ONLY RETURNED TO F I N 1 SH THE HUNT., ..... SAW THAT THEY WERE ENCOUNTERING A FOE OF NO MENA PROPOSJTiON AND
0 NL Y FOR THE I NT ER FER AN CE OF TH£ CUB M I G HT HAVE ·s EE N SUBJECTED
TO THE TREATMENT SUCH AS THE &OG RECEIVED. ~UT THE CUB, BEING
S C·A RED., KEPT SQUEAL I NG AND EVERY T IM E HE SQUEALED THE OLD BE AR WOULD
T UR N T OW A"R DS I :t° \i,. G l V J ,NG T H E MEN OPP ORT UN I T Y TO SHOOT HER AG A J N • As SHE FELL THE CUB WAS ALSO SHOT, BUT NOT A SIGN COULD BE SEEN OF
THE OTHER CUB. THEY SKINNED THE BEARS, TAKING THE HAMS OF THE CUB
TO CAMP AND EACH OF THEM SAID TT WAS EXCELLENT EATING. A FEW DAYS
AFTER THE OTHER .CUB WAS FOUND FLOATING IN THE LAKE. THE BLOW OF
PLUMLY 1 S CLUB STUNNED lT AND IT PROBABLY STRANGLED BUT WAS OVER-
LOOKED IN THE EXCITEMENT Of THE HOUR. JT WAS ALSO AFTERWARD LEARNED
THAT A PARTY OF INDJANS HAD PASSED ON THEIR WAY DOWN THE LAKE WITH
A CORPSE, ONE OF THE4R NUMBER HAVING DlED, AND ON THE LOWER ISLAND,
AT THE FOOT Of THE LAKE, THEY DUG A GRAVE, LJNED WT WITH BIRCH
. BARK AND COVERED IT WITH POLES AND DIRT. FIRST SETTLERS.
IN THE SPRING Of 1834 THE FIRST WHITE WOMAN EVER KNOWN TO HAVE
BEEN WITHIN THE BOUNDS OF TERRITORIAL LIMITS OF THE TOWN OF LONG
LAKE, DONNED HE·R OUTER GARMENTS WITHIN SJGHT OF THE RAP!DS OF THE
HEAD OF LONG LAKE. As SOON AS SPRING OPENED Sr. JOHN AND PLUMLY.,
WITH A COUPLE OF OTHER MEN, MADE THEIR WAY TO THE ANTICIPATED
SETTLEMENT AT THE BEAD OF LONG LAKE. As SOON AS SPRUCE BARK COULD
B E PE E L E D A R O Of WAS PUT O N T H E NE W HOU S E A ND WOR K B E G UN ON -'T H E SAW
MILL AND IN JUNE MR. PLUMLY WENT TO HORICAN, WA~REN COUNTY., AND
LOADED HIS FAMILY, CONSISTING or ~IFE AND THREE CHILDHEN, -109-
JNTO A LUMBER WAGON, DRAWN BY A PAlR OF 0XEN, AND A THREE DAYS
MARCH LANDED THEM AT THE LANDING AT LONG LAKE. MRS. PLUMLY NEVER
AGAIN LEFT THE TowN, DYING IN 1851, HAVING GIVEN BIRTH TO SEVERAL 0
OTHER CHILDREN AFTER COMING TO HER NEW AND DESOLATED HOME. HER
FIRST CHILD BORN IN.LONG LAKE WAS JEREMIAH 0. PLUMLY, WHO STILL
LIVES AT LONG LAKE AND IS OFTEN HEARD TO BOAST OF HIS BEING THI
FIRST WHITE CHILD BORN IN TOWN. HE ALSO BOASTS OF BEING A VETERAN
IN THE LAST WAR AND HAS BEEN MARRIED T~ICE.
DAVID KELLER
THE SAME YEAR THAT PLUMLY MOVED INTO LONG LAKE DAVID KELLER
ALSO CAME UP AND CHOPPE-D ·A~ FALLOW ON THE FARM NOW OWNED BY
CHARLES D. KELLER, BRINGING PART Of HIS FAMILY 'AS FAR AS NEWCOMB.
WHERE THEY LIVED FOR A COUPLE Of YEARS, UNTIL A SUJTABLE PLACE COULd
BE MADE FOR THEM AT THE LAKE. THE KELLER FAMILY CONSISTED OF .l, HIS WIFE AND, AT THAT TIME, NtNE DAUGHTERS AND ONE SON; ONE SON AND
ONE DAUGHTER WERE BORN AFTER THEY BECAME SETTLED IN THEIR NEW HOM£,
ALL OF THEM SPENDING THEIR LIVES IN THE TOWN, EXCEPT ONE DAUGHTER,
A MRS. WtDMIRE, WHO, AFTER THE DEATH Of HER HUSBAND, CAME BACK TO
SPEND HER REMAJNING i DAYS WITH• HER KINDRED AND SOON AFTER DIED.
LEAVING SOME MONEY FOR HER RELATIVES TO LAW ABOUTo ALt THE
F A M I L Y T H A T A R E I N OW N A N D A L L T H A T H A V E DJ E D-. D l E D . l N. 'T O\Ii' N A N D I ··-"
A R J:.: L I K E L Y T O A L L R E S T T O G_ E "( HE R . l ~ T -H E SA M E C-E M E T E"R Y •
N O T S O \ W .I T H Jvt R • --PL U M L Y f S .. F A M I L Y • 0 F S E V E N G R OW N U P C H I L D R E N
ONLY THREE LIVE AT lbNG LAKE, NONE HAVE DIED THERE.
,JAMES SARGENT o
JAMES SARGENT, FROM WAITSFIELD, VERMONT, CAME TO LONG LAKE THE
NEXT YEAR AFTER THE SAW MILL WAS BUlLT. HE WAS A CARPENTER BY
TRADE AND WAS TH~N YOUNG. HE WAS MARRIED TO A FINE YOUNG MOMEN,
RETSY McCANLEY, AND THEY HAD FOUR CHILDREN. HE MADE A LARGE CLEAR-
tNG BETWEEN THE HEAD Of LONG LAKE AND SOUTH POND. A BACHELOR -110-
BROTHER, ROBERT .SARGENT, LIVED WlTH THEM. IT WAS SAID THAT ROBERT
HAB SOME MONEY AND WAS SUBJECT TO MELANCHOLY SPELLS AND MRS.
SARGENT, FOR THAT REASON., TREATED HIM VERY KtNDLY. THE KIND
TREATMENT., SHOWN TO THE BROT-HER., AROUSED JEALOUSY 1 N THE MI ND
OF HER HUSBAND AND SOON AFTER DEVELOPED INTO INTENSE HATRED
TOWARD THE BROTHER AND ILL TREATMENT TOWARD HIS WIFE.
Ft NALLY~ IN THE FALL OF 1839, THE. TWO BROTHERS WENT TO THE FOOT OF LONG LAKE TO DRIVE DEERo AFTER- BEING ABSENT A WEEK OR SO, SARGENT CAME HOME, SAYING THAT HIS BROTHER HAD BEEN LOST FOUR DAYS,
THAT HE ·HAD GONE OUT ON THE WEST SIDE Of THE LAKE TO START DEER AND
HAD NOT YET RETURNED: THAT HE HAD WAITED AS LONG AS HE COULD,
EXPECTIMG EVERY HOUR THAT H1$ BROTHER WOULD RETURN~ BUT FOR WANT
OF FOOD HAD RETURNED; THE DOG ROBERT TOOK WITH HIM HAD COME tNTO
CAMP. WITH A CUT ON HIS NECK, WHICH HE THOUGHT HAD BEEN DONE BY
ROBERT~ HOPING TO EAT THE DOG AND THERBY PROLONGLlfE.
SECURING WHAT HE-~P HE COULD THEY RETURNED TO SEARCH FOR THE
LOST MAN, BUT NO TRACE Of HIM WAS FOUND. THE NEXT JUNE A COUPLE
OF YOUNG MEN, DAVID KELLER Ja. AND WtLLIAM KNOWLTON WERE PLAYING
ALONG THE LAKE SHORE IN A BOAT AND FOU~0 .SARGENT LYING IN FOUR
FEET OF WATER., JUST ABOVE WATCH ROCK, HALF A MILE BELO~ ROUND
ISLAND. THE ALARM WAS GtVEN AND A RUDE COfftN MADE AND HlS DEAD
BODY PUT lNTO iT. A SOON AS THE BODY WAS TAKEN OUT OF THE WATER
; ;TWAS SO SOFT THAT THE FLESH ALL FELL OFF OF THE BONES AND
SMELLED SO BADLY THAT NO EXAM!NATION COULD BE MADE. HE WAS BURIED
A N D I F E V l D E N C E O!f C R t ME t::. WA S T O HA V E B E E N F OU N D U PO N H I M , T HA T
TOO WAS BURIED. Bur SUSPICION RESTED UPON SARGENT AND HIS
STRANGE CONDUCT EVERY AFTER, AS LONG AS HE LIVED IN THE PLACE, ONLY
CAUSED PSOPLE TO TALKo SHORTLY AFTER SARGENT'S OLDEST AN-0 ONLY
DAUGHTER DIED, A GlRL OF FOURTEEN. SHE WAS BURIED BESIDE HER
UNCLE, HERS BEING THE FIRST NATURAL DEATH IN THE SETTLEMENT • -111-
iN A YEAR OR TWO AFTER, SARGENT BECAME PIOUS ALL AT ONE AND
FOR A WHILE SEEMED TO BE A DIFFERENT MAN. Bur THE R~v. M. PARKER,
SENT TO TAKE C~ARGE OF THE CHURCH ESTABLISHED BY JOHN TODD D.D.
OF PtTSFIELD, MASSo, WAS A BACHELOR AND BOARDED AT SARGENTS.
THE OLD DEVIL OF JEALOUSY AGAIN GOT CONTROL OF HtM AND, ACCORDING
TO THE PROVERB, THE DOG RETURNED TO HIS VOMIT AGAIN. IN 1845
HE MOVED TO THE IRON WORKS, WHERE NOTHING MORE WAS HEARD Of HIS
HAVING TROUBLE WITH HIS W?FE~ AFTER THE IRON WORKS STOPPED
O"PERATiON HE WENT WEST.
ALENES PARKER AND BARTON 8URLtNGAME.
ALENES MEN ALSO CAME FROM VERMONT AND SETTLED ON THE OPPbStTE
StDE OF THE LAKE FROM THE MILL AND FURTHER DOWN. IN A YEAR OR
TWO MR. PARKER MARRIED A Mtss RACHEL DoRNBURGH, A COU~lN OF THE
YOUNGER KELLERSo PARKER tS STILL LIV1NG, HAVING RAISED A LARGE
FAMILYo HE LIVES tN NEWCOMB,
BURLINGAME GOT HURT BY THE FALLfNG or A L1MB AND WAS HE~PLESS
FOR SEVERAL YEARS AND FINALLY DJEO A PAUPER.
WtLL!AM J. AusTtN.
W ! L L I A M 1.J • A UST I N , .. A Y O U N G M A R R 1 E D MA N F R O M VE R MO NT , M11 VE D
5NTO THE TOWN ;N 1840 OR 41, MADE A SMALL CLEARING HALF A MILE
FROM THE Ml LL ON A H I G H R 1 DGE, BU J LT H I M A FRAME HOUSE 2.0 x26, A
REGULAR FRAME, AND RAl~ED IT HIMSELF. HE WAS A LARGE., POWERFUL
MAN AND A·GOOD MECHANICo THEY RAISED THREE CHILDREN WHILE IN
THIS PLACE AND THEN MOVED TO MARISH., ESSEX COUNTY., WHERE HE
STILL LiVES.
EDo ALLEN.
Eo ALLEN, A CANAD JAN FRENCHMAN., WORKING FOR A FARMER iN
WARRENSBURGH :N 1839 WAS DRtVtNG A TEAM Of OXEN., HITCHED T/0 A
WAGON., ALONG THE ROAD ONE DAY AND OVERTOOK A GIRL AND ASKED HER TO
RIDE WITH HIM. BEFORE THEY HAD REACHED THE UILLAGE THEY HAD -112-
STRUCK UP A BARGAIN, WENT TO A JUST!CE OF THE PEACE AND WERE
MARRIED AND SOON AFTER THEY WENT TO LONG LAKE, LIVED THERE ABOUT
FOURTEEN YEARS AND THEN MOVED TO PENNSYLVAN!A, WHERE, IT WAS
REP0RTID BY A LETTER FROM HiS DAUGHTER, THAT HE WAS MURDERED.
THE M!XES.
IN THE SUMMER OF 1841 THREE YOUNG MEN, BY THE NAME OF Mix,
HEARING OF LONG LAKE, STARTED FROM VERMONT AND TRAVELED ON FOOT
TO LONG LAKEo LYMAN Mtx AFTERWARD MARRIED JANE ANN KELLER, ONE
OF DAVID KELLER'S DAUGHTERS AND SETTLED tN TovN. -T~R~E BOYS
ANO ONE DAUGHTER WERE BORN TO THEM. Two OF THE BOYS ST.ILL RESIDE - ~EAR WHERE THEY WERE BORN, ONE BOY LIVES IN JOHNSBURGH, N.Y., AND
THE GIRL !S IN CONNETICUT. THE ELDER Mtx WAS QUITE AN INFLUENTIAL
MAN, HAVING HELD T~E 0FFlCE Of SUPERVISOR SIX YEARS, ALSO . JUSTICE OF THE PEACt, AS WELL AS COMMISSIONER Of HIGHWAY AND
ASSESSORG
LYSANDER HALLo
LYSANDER HALL WAS A NEPHEW OF LYMAN Ktx, A SISTER 1 $ S0No
. OF ALL THE PECULiAR CHARACTERS EVER FINDING ROOM AMONG THE LlTfLE
SQUAD OF PIONEERS iN THE REGION OF LONG LAKE, TH?S ~AN WAS 'THE MOSl
PECULIAR OF THEM ALLo HE WAS ABOUT NINETEEN YEARS OF AGE, WHEN HE
F,RST CAME WITH ONE OF HIS UNCLES TO THE SETTLEMENT, !N 1841
HE WAS ABOUT FIVE FEET, SEVEN INCHES H:GH, WEIGHED ABOUT ONE
HUNDRED AND THIRTY-FtVE POUNDS, ALL S!NEW AND MUSCLE. THERE NEVER
WAS A MAN HE WOULD YIELD TO l.N POINT Of ENDURANCE. A FEW INCtDENTS
OF REAL L!FE W!LL BETTER ILLUSTRATE THE ENDURANCE AND AT THE SAME
TIME GiVE THE READER AN !DEA Of THE MAN.
ON ONE OCCAS:ON HE WAS OOM!NG FROM MARIAH TO LONG LAKE. HE
/ AROSE EARLY, WALKED FOUR MlLES TO A LI0U0R SHOP, PROCURED A GALLON
OF RUM IN A jUG AND WAS BACk TO TAKE BREAKFAST WITH THE FAMILY -113-
WHERE HE SPENT THE PREVIOUS NIGHT, ATE HIS BREAKFAST WITH THEM,
SHOULDERED HtS JUG OF RUM AND BEFORE DARK NAO WALKED ALL THE WAY
TO LONG LAKE, A DISTANCE OF FIFTY-FIVE MILES, BESIDES H!S
MORNiNG WALK AFTER THE RUM,·WHICH WAS ABOUT SEVEN OR El~HT MJLES 0
ON BU'ILD!NG A PtER !N THE RIVER ON THE ROCKETT FALLS, BELOW
LONG LAKE, ROBERT SHAW, WHO HAD CHARGE OF THE JOB, EMPLOYED HALL
TO WORK~ THE SUPPLIES WERE LANDED AT THE NEAREST POINT POSSIBLE
TO THE WORK AND AS THERE WAS NOT TEAM TO HAUL THE STUFF TO CAMP,
PLANS WERE DISCUSSED AS TO HOW TO GET THE HEAVY ARTICLES TO CAMg
THE HEAVIEST BEING A HALF BARREL OF PORK, WEtGHING ONE HUMORED
AND SIXTY-FIVE POUNDS. HALL SHOULDERED THE PORK AND WAS SOON
OUT OF SIGHT AND WHEN SHAW ARRIVED tN CAMP WITH A HALF BARREL
OF PLANS HALL ANO THE PORK WERE lN CAMP •
. HE WOULD FRE0UENTLY SLING A HEAVY PACK ON HIS BACK, GET UNDER
A HEAVEY BOAT, WITH OARS AND GUN TIED INTO IT, AND MARCH OFF
FOR TWO M!LES WtTHOUT RESTINGo THERE SEEMED TO BE NO END TO HIS
ENDURANCE. HE COULD BEAR GRIEF AND FATIGUE, SO FAR AS PHYSICAL
TORTURE WAS CONCERNED BUT NOT SO WHEN HIS MENTAL STRENGTH OR
TEMPER WERE TR?ED. THEN HE FLEW ALL TO PIECES. HE HAD A BLOW
OF GAB EQUAL TO ANY TWO DUTCH WOMEN IN TOWN AND WHEN THE READER
COMES TO LEARN THE CAPAC!TY FOR TALK THAT SOME OF THEM HAVE HE
WILL COMPREHEND, BY COMPARISON, SOMETHING OF HtS POWER Of GAB,
BECAUSE THERE WAS OFTEN NOTHING BUT GAB TO HIS TALK. THERE WAS
NOT MUCH POWER OF CONVERSATION BUT WHEN THE COMIC OR LUDICEROUS
WERE THEMES HE WAS A MASTERPIECE. IF LISTENING TO YARNS OR IF
SOME ONE WAS RELATING SOMETHING HE THOUGHT WAS UNREAL, HALL ~0ULD
GENERALLY TELL SOME YARN SO R!DICUL0USLY ABSURD AS TO PUT A STOP
TO FURTHER CONVERSATION ON THAT SUBJECT OR RESULT IN A QUARREL
AND SOMET1MES A F!GHT, AND EVEN THEN HALL DID NOT TAKE A BACK
SEAT. -114-
ONE DAY, WHILE LISTENING TO A STRANGER, WHO SEEMED TO BE QU!TE FULL
OF BIG ST OR!ES, SOME ONE SUGGESTED THAT HALL SHOULD TELL HIS BlG FISH
STORY ..
. --nvES,'ll1 SA!D H ALL, "I WAS FISHING OFF THE BIG R OCK AT THE FOOT OF
LONG LAKE ONE 1 ! iME AND CAUGHT A RI VER TROUT THAT WOULD WE! GH ABOUT
THREE POUNDS AND HE HAD A PICKREL IN SIDE OF HJM, PARTLY DECOMPOSED,
THAT WEIGHED FIVE POVNDS, W;TH SIX INCHES OF THE TAIL STICKING OUT OF
HtS MOUTH.n
·TH£ FIRST FELLOW FELT INSULTED. HALL SAID HE FELT SO TOO. HALL
WAS A L S O NOT ED FOR _c OUR A G E , l .F C I R C UM ST AN C ES T HR EW H t M t NT O DA NG ER ,
HE DID NOT SEEM TO RE~LIZE IT UNTIL AFTERWARDS
:WH!LE WATCHING FOR DEER, ONE FALL, NEAR THE LOWER END Of LONG
LAKE, HE SAW THROUGH A GLASS SOME DARK SPOT tN THE WATER A MILE AWAY.
,JUMP~NG INTO.• HIS BOAT HE ROWED TOWARDS IT., AS IT DID NOT MOIJE VERY
RAPIDLY. HE GAINED UPON iT AND SOON FOUND IT TO BE AN OLD BEAR WHO,
SEElNG HIM~ PUSHED OFF FOR SHOREo HALL SAW THE RACE WAS GOING TO BE
A CLOSE ONE, BUT PADDLED AS BEST HE COULD, AIMING TO RUN THE BOAT
BETWEEN THE BEAR AND THE SHORE, WHiCH., IN FACT, HE DID., BUT SO CLOSE
TO SHORE THAT THE BEAR HAD JUS1 J0CHED BOTTOMS, AND INSTEAD OF TURNiNG
OUT '.NTO THE LAKE, JUST SWUNG AROUND THE STERN OF HIS BOAT AND VALKED
OUTu NOT THINK;NG WHAT ELSE TO DO HALL JUMPED OUT OF THE BOAT AND ON re T~E BEAR 1 S BACK, KNiFE IN HANO. HE HAD NO SOONER TOUCHED THE BEAR
THAT BRU!N REACHED BACKED AND PICKED HALL OFF AS THOUGH HE HAD BEEN A
B;G FLY AND SEATED HIM ON PEBBLE STONES~ THAT LINED THE SHORE, WITH SUCH
FORCE, AS TO NEARLY KNOCK THE BREATH OUT OF HIS BODY. HALL DtD NOT
CEASE SWEARiNG ABOUT THE BEAR UNTIL HE WENT TO SL[(P NEAR MIDNIGHT ThAT
NIGHT. HALL KNEW NO FEAR9 BUT OFTEN FOUND HIS MATCH, AS HE DID IN THE
BEARo HE. HAD A COMPANiON THAT, THOUGH MORE POWERFUL THAN HiMSEtf AND
WHO OFTEN USED HIM VERY ROUGHLY, HE NEVER REFRAINED FROM ASSAULT!NG HJM
AND AT SlXTY HALL DIED FROM ,NJURIES RECEIVED IN THESE FRAYS. THE -115-
COMPANION'S NAME WAS ~LAR, ALIUS CoDMANS ESSENCE ETC.
EBENEZER BOURNE
EBENEZER BOURNE WAS ANOTHER RARE CHARACTER WHO FOUND HtS WAY TO
LONG LAKE FROM CLINTON.COUNTY, N:Y. IN 1844. BOURNE WAS NEVER MARRIED
BUT LIVED A H(RM!T-SORT OF A LIFE AT THE OUTLET OF THE LAKE. ALTHOUGH
A MECHANIC OF SOME ABILITY YET HE LIVED IN A MERE HOVEL WITH NO BED
WORTH THE NAM~~ HE LIVED IN FILTH AND DIRT, MORE LIKE A DOG THA A MAN.
HE COULD REPEAT WHOLE PAGES OF ANY BOOK THAT HE READ, tT ONLY ONCE.
HE COULD REPEAT POEMS AND SONG, GtVE CHAPTER AND VERSE lN THE BtBLE,
W]TH EASE, REPEAT.SHAKESPEARE, AND COULD GIVE YOU CALCULATION FOR
WATER WHEELS AND WATER POWER AND WAS SOMETHtNG OF AN ENGINEER ANO
ASTRONOMER. IN HIS MtDDLE AGE HE CLAIMED TO HAVE A RELIGIOUS FAtTH THAT
COUlD NOT FAIL HtM WHEN HE CAME TO OtE~ BUT tT DtD NOT STAND THE TEST
AND HE SENT FOR A MINISTER AND ASKED HlM IF HE COULD NOT DO SOMETHfNG
FOR HIM, AS HE DID NOT WANT TO DIE AS HE THEN FELT.
AMOS HOUGH.
AMOS HOUGH, ANOTHER OF THE EARLY SETTLERS, CAME FROM TURtN, LEWtS
·. COUNTY, N~Y~ HE RAISED A FAMILY CONSISTING OF six GIRLS AND ONE BOY.
T,HE SON, Oft D• HOUGH, STtLL RESIDES IN TOWN, BUT ONLY ONE DAUGHTER LfVES
THERE, MRS a. JOHN[. PLUMLYo FATHER HOUGH WAS OF AN UNSTEADY rµRN OF
M:NDo HE BUILT AS MANY AS FIVE HOUSES, SOME OF THEM WERE SHANTIES,
WH!LE lN TOWN, BESIDES liVING IN SOME HE DID NOT BUILD. HE, IN HiS
OLD AGE~ MOVED TO ;owA NND AFTER A COUPLE OF YEARS CAME BACK AND THEN
WENT AGAlN TO 10WA, WHERE HE DIEDo HERE WE WILL LEAVE HIM, AFTER
RELATtNG ONE L?TTLE EPISODE OF WH!CH HIS SON FREOUENTLY REMINDED HIM.
HE H~D AN OLD REVOLUTIONARY MUSKET FOR NIGHT HUNTING PURPOSES.
Hts OWN SON, A YOUNG FELLOW ABOUT SIXTEEN YEARS OLD, USED TO TAKE THE
I OLD MUSKET WITHOUT~_HlS FATHER'S CONSENT. MR. HOUGH HAD FORBIDDEN HIM
SEVERAL TIMES AND FINALLY CONCLUDED TO PUN1SH HIM IF HE lOOK IT AGAIN,
SO LOADED 1T UP AND PUT IT IN ITS PLACE. A WEEK OR SO AFTER, ONE OF -116-
HOUGH~S NEIGHBORS PROPOSED THEY GO HUNT1NG THAT NIGHT. HOUGH TOOK
DOWN THE OLb MUSKET AND, SEEING IT WAS LOADED ALL RIGHT, STARTED OFF,
NOT THINKING OF THE LOAD IT CONTAINED •. THAT NIGHT A DEER WAS SIGHTED At
AND AS THE DEER WAS NOT AS PLAIN.AS HE DESIRED HOUGH RAISED UP ON
H!S FEET, F!RtD AND THEN FOUND HIMSELF tN THE RIVER. CoMrNG OUT~
HE SA!D.,
"BY THUNDER, I HAD FORGOTTEN, I LOADED THAT GUN FOR THE Boys."
Hts FELLOW ~UNTER HELPED HIM tNTO THE BOAT AND OFTEN TOLD ABOUT HIS
LOADING THE OLD MUSKET.
THOMAS CiRY, ALSO FROM VERMONT, WAS A YOUNG MAN. IN THE WINTER
OF 1843 HE WAS EN~AGED TO TEACH A SMALL SCHOOL, THE FtRST ESTABL1SHED
IN TowN~ T~E ST~UCTURE WAS A RUDE ONE, A LOG BODY WITH A FLAT ROOF,
COVERED WtTH SLABS AND BOARDS. THE SCHOOL CONStSTED OF THE CHILDREN OF
THE HOUGH.AND SARGENT FAMILtES AND DtD NOT NUMBER ONE HALF Of A DOZEN.
Bur THERE WAS A GIRL OR TWO IN THE HOUGH FAMtLY WHO ~ERE QUITE WELL
ADVANCED IN THE COMMON SCHOOL BRANCHES AND THE WOULD-BE TEACHER SOON SA~
THAT HE HAD A JOB THAT SMALL FIGURES WOULD NOT HELP HtM OUT OF, SO IN
CASE OF A CROWD AND HlS SMALL FIGURES, PROVIDENCE PROVIDED A MATCH AND
THE SCHOOL HOUSE BURNED DOWN ONE MORNING BETWEEN THE TIME THE TEACHER
BU~LT HIS MORNING F!RE AND SCHOOL TIME.
THOMAS CARY AFTERWARD MARRIED Miss JANE DoURNBURGH, WHOSE FATHER
MpVED lNTO THE TOWN ABOUT THAT TIMi CARY, AT ONE TIME, WAS A
?ROSPER~ous, WELL, TO-DO FARMER, LIVED AT THE HEAD OF LONG LAKE, KEPT
BOARDERS AND D!D A SMALL TRADE IN DRY GOODS AND GROCERIES. Bur, LINDER-
T A K t N G T O B .E A T O N E O F H I S C R E D I T O R S , G OT l N T O L AW A N D T H E F R E £ M A S ON S
RUINED HiS FiNANCESu
HE ALSO WILL BE REMEMBERED BY SOME AS THE KEEPER OF A BOARDING HOUSE
AT RoQUETTE LAKE~ AFTER THE DEATH OF HIS WtfE HlS DAUGHTER, CARDLtNE,
KEPT HOUSE FOR HtMo HE HAS TWO SONS IN TOWN. ONE IS IN THE EMPLOY OF
THE BRANDRETH AT BRANDRETH LAKE, THE OTHER JN' THE EMPLOY OF HOWARD -117-
DURANT ON LITTLE FORKET LAKE.
SAMUEL REANEY.
SAMUEL REANEY LIVED AT LONG LAKE A FEW YEARS~ HAVING COME FROM
CROWN POlNT, WHERE, !T HAS BEEN SA1D, HE WAS ACCUSED OF ILL TREATING
A CHILD AND CAUSING ~TS DEATHo HE SETTLED ON THE PLACE THAT CARY
AFTERWARDS OWNED AND WHERE THE GROVE HOUSE IS NOW SITUATED. THE
FAMiLY LlVED SECLUDED AND WERE LOOKED UPON AS A STRANGE FAMILY~ ALTHOUGH
NQTHiNG WAS KNOWN THEN ABOUT THE CHILD MURDER, SAID TO HAVE BEEN
COMMUTI~Do
!SAAC BQ C. ROBINSON.
lSAAC 8. Co ROBINSON WAS ANOTHER OF THE FIRST SETTLERS, A NAT1VE OF
- VERMONT, WHO ,FOLLOWED THE MIX BROTHERS TO LONG LAKE. HE SOON CAPTURED
CHRISTINA KELLER, ONE Of PtONEER KELLERS DAUGHTERS~ AND S~TTLED ON A
BLUFF ON THE WEST SIDE OF LONG LAKE. OPPOSITE PtNE ISLAND. THE LOG
HOUSE, tN WHtCH HtS Fl VE SONS AND THREE DAUGHTERS WERE BORN, HAD ONLY
OF LATE BEEN DEMOLISHEDo HE AND HI$ WIFE ST1LL RESIDE ON THE SAME
FARM, WlTH HIS SONS ALL SETTLED AROUND HIM. ONE DAUGHTER IS IN
C ON N E T ·1 C UT , A N OT HE R L t V ES I N T OW N A N D T H E. 0 L O E S T D A U GHT E R I S D E A D •
ISAAC B. ~G RoBiNSON HAS BEEN.A VERY PROMtNENT MAN iN TOWN, HAVtNG
BEF.N SUPERV!SOR, COMM!SStONER Of ROADS, JUSTtCE Of THE PEAC~, BESIDES
H0LD~NG OTHER M!NOR 0FF~CESo {N THE EARLY TlMES HlS WORD WENT FOR
~AW AMONG A MAJORITY OF THE tNHABlTANTS OF THE PLACE. HE WAS A GENIAL,
GOOD NATURED, JOLLY SOUL; NO MATTER WHEJ.HER THERE WAS BREAD tN THE I HOUSE OR NOT HE WAS ALWAYS WHISTLING AND SINGING. HE LOVED POSITION,
WAS~ SORT OF LAND AGENT, S0MET.!MES SELF CONSTITUTED, AND INCURRED THE
ill W~LL OF HtS TOWNSMEN BY BEING Off1ClOUS, AS THEY CALLED IT, LOOK
ING UP THE TRESPASSES ON LANDS AROUND TOWN AND REPORTING TO THE OWNERS.
THIS CREATED A DISLIKE TOWARD HIM AND RESULTED IN LAYING HIM 0~ THE
POLITICAL SHELF BEFORE HE WAS CONTENT TO REMAlN THERE. Bur BEING
KEPT THERE HE CHAFED SOMEWHAT AND SOUGHT REDRESS lN PURSUING HtS WORK -118-
OF REPORTlNG HtS NElGHBORS 1 TRESPASS TO THE STATE, UNTIL THE STATE
D~SCARDED THE :NFORMAT!ON.
WtLLiAM KELLOGG.
W1LL:AM KELLOGG, OF ELtZABETHTOWN, ESSEX COUNTY N.Y., CAME TO
LONG LAKE ~N 1843, THEN WELL ADVANCED IN LIFE, HAVtNG ONE SON AND A
DAUGHTER MARR!ED AND ALL OF A FAMILY OF SEVEN GROWN UP~ EXCEPT THE
' YOUNGEST, A G!RL OF ELEVEN YEARS~ MR. KELLOGG BEGAN OPERATlON ON A
NEW LOT AT THE MOUTH OF BIG BROOK, HIRfNG THE flRST CHOPPING DONE BY
THE JOB. A HOUSE WAS PUT UP AND ALSO A BARN IN THE FlRST AND SECOND
. . YEAR, AFTER WH!CH A FALLOW Of THREE TO FIVE ACRES WAS CUT EVERY YEAR,
THE OLD GENTLEMAW CUTTING THE MOST Of THEM HIMSELF~ UNTtl~ WlTHtN A
PERIOD OF NOT MORE THAN SIX YEARS, HE FlLLED A THIRTY BY FORTY FOOT
BARN WITH HA~ AND HAD TO ENLARGE STORING ROOM BY BUtLOIN·G A LARGE HAY
SHED. H1·s BbYS HELPED TO ERECT THtS BUILDtNG, AS THREE Of THE OLDEST
WERE CARPENTERS BY TRADEo
MR. KELLOGG, SEN!OR, ALSO FILLED THE OFFICE OF SUPERVlSOR FOR
SEVERAL TERMS, WAS ROAD COMM!SS!ONER AND JUSTICE OF THE PEACE~ ONE OF
SONS~ PHYLANDER, MARRIED ONE OF THE KELLER GIRLS~ To THEM WERE BORN ' TWO CHGLDREN; AT THE BtRTH OF THE LAST ONE MOTHER AND CH1LD DJEDo
THE OLDEST DAUGHTER GREW UP IN TOWN AND AFTER BEING MARRIED FOR SOME
T}ME, DIED, LEAVING HER HUSBAND WITH TWO, LiTTLE BOYSo W. HENRY STANTON,
HER HUSBAND, ONLY SURViVED HER A FEW YEARS, LEAV!NG ANOTHER LITTLE
BOY BY A SECOND WIFE, WHOM HE LEARNED WAS NOT L!KE H!S FlRST. SHE
LEFT HIM A YEAR OR TWO BEFORE H!S DEATH. POOR FELLOW, HIS Ml-STAKE
COST HlM HIS L!FE~ ALL OF THE SONS OF THE PATRIARCH KELLOGG SCATTERED
OFF OUT OF TOWN, EXCEPT CYRUS Ho HE MARRIED FOR A SECOND WIFE,
(HRiST~NA O0RNBURGH, A COUSIN TO THE KELLERS, LIVED AND KEPT A. HOTEL
AT ROQUETTE LAKE A FEW YEARS, THEN BOUGHT A STAND IN THE VlLLA~E.. OF LONG LAKE AND K~PT HOTa AND STORE MOST OF THE TIME UNTIL HIS DEATH IN
1879. HE LEFT THREE SONS~ C. H~ KELLOGG WAS A MAN Of MORE THAN -119-
0RD;NARY ABIL!TY. ON F!RST SETTLiNG DOWN, ABOUT THE BEGJNNtNG Of THE
~AR. HE BECAME SUPERV!SOR AND MANAGED TO KEEP IN OFFICE UNTIL THE
CLOSE OF THE WAR, MAK}NG H:MSELF WELL OFF DURING THE VERY STIRRtNG AND
EXClT~NG TIME OF WAR SPECULAT ON~ Bur A FEW YEARS SUFFICED TO RESUCE
H1S F;NANCES. · WHAT HAD GROWN UP AROUND HtM 1N SO SHORT A TtMF SEEMED
TO VANISH AS MYSTERIOUSLY AS 1T H~D BEEN GATHERED ~OGETHER, LEAVING
HiS WIDOW ~N DEBT. SHE HAS StNCE THEN BUtLT A HOUSE ON THE LAKE SHORE
AND RUN tT FOR THE LAST TEN YEARS OR MORE. SHE HAS WORKED HERSELF
NEARLY TO DEATH TRYtNG TO GET ABOVE STRAIGHTENED AND PINCHED
. ClRCUMSTANCES. Bur HER SONS, ALL MEN A~D MARRIED, ARE A BURDEN RATHER
THAN A HELP TO HERo SHE KEEPS THE LAKE HOUSE AND DOES THE BEST SHE CAN
TO GfVE HER CUSTOMERS A FAIR EQUlVALENT FOR THElR MONEY.
THE OLD~ST DAUGHTER OF WtLLlAM KELLOGG~ MRSo PALMER, STILL RESIDES
IN TOWN. HEk HUSBAND, WHO ONCE WAS THE ~ELL KNOWN, GENIAL AND ALWAYS
K~ND AND OBLIGING LAND LORD OF THE PALMER PLACE AT THE
HEAD OF THE LAKE, THE FIRST AND, AT ONE TtME~ THE ONLY REC0GNlZED
PLACE FOR SPORTS IN TOWN, HAS BEEN DEAD ONLY A FEW YEARS~
GEORGE SHAW.
GEORGE SHAW WAS A PROTESTANT fRtSHMAN, WHO MOVED INTO TOWN IN THE
EARLY w:NTER OF 1842-3u HE HAD LIVED INV RM0NT A FEW YEARS BUT KNEW
NOTHftNG ABOUT THE WOODS OR fl0NEER LIFE AND, WHAT PROVED TO BE MORE
SER!OUS, D!D NOT SEEM TO BE CAPAB~E OF LEARNING. ALTHOUGH HE WORKED
HABD HE SEEMED TO GET HOLD OF THE WRONG END OF EVERYTHlNGo NOTWlTH
STAND!NG HE, W!TH THE HELP OF HzS OLDEST BOY, A LAD OF FOURTEEN, HE
CLEARED UP A FARMo HE CLEARED THE FIRST TWENTY ACRES WITHOUT A TEAM,
EXCEPT OCCASiONALLY THE NEiGHB0RS WOULD MAKE A BEE FOR HIM, SOMETlMES
L0G!NG AN AC~E ~N."AN AFTERNOONo AFTER ABOUT FIVE YEARS OF DESPERATE
STRUGGL~NG AND HARDSHIPS, PINCH!NG POVERTY MOVED OUT AND SHAW BEGAN TO
LOOK AHEAD TO BETTER T!MES.
IN THE FALL OF 1847, AFTER ALL OF THE HAY A~D GRAIN HAD BEEN -120-
HARVESTED AND GATHERED !NTO HIS LOG BARN~ WlTH ONE SMALL STACK
STANDiNG OUT, IT BEING EARLY IN.OCTOBER, THE OLD MAN AND HIS SON WERE
AT WORK ON THE BRIDGE NEAR MR. KELLOGG'S, OVER THE 8tG BROOK, LOOklNG
HOMEWARD HE SAW SMOKE RtS!NG OUT' OF THE CLEARING fN WH1CH HIS WIFE
ANDF0UR CHiLDREN WEREo
rt O : . GO D ~ n E X C l A I M E D T H E f AT H E R ~ '' 0 UR H O US E l S B U R N t N G • n
Bur ON REACHING THE PLACE HE FOUND lT WAS THE BARN THAT WAS BURltNG
AND MRSo SHAW HAD 1 BURNED HER FACE AND ARMS tN GETTING A PORKER OUT OF A
P E N A"D J A CE NT . T O T H. E BA R N • AL L T HE GR A f N AND MOST O F T HE HAY f OR Wt NT £ R
USE WAS G0Nr. THEY HAD HOPED THAT THEIR DAYS OF PR0VERTY WERE OVER
AND NOW THOSE ~OPES WERE BLASTED. THE BtTTEREST THOUGHT Of ALL WAS
THAT THE BARN COULD NOT HAVE P0SStBLE CAU~HT ON FlRE~ rr BEtNG AWAY
·FR OM T H E H O US E • ·t H E F LA M E ~ W H E N F -t RS T D t S C O V £ R ED • WAS ON T H E HA Y UP
IN THE R0QF; IT WAS POS:!T!VELY KNOWN THAT THE CHlLDREN HAD NOT BE~N tN
THE BARN THAT DAYo THEREFORE SOME ONE MUST·HAVE SET lT ON FlRE BUT NO=
ONE .SUGGESTED WHOM ijT MIGHT POSSlBLY HAVE BEEN.
ONLY A FEW DAYS ELAPSED, HOWEVER, BEfQ~E SUSPtCt0N, YEA MORE, JT
VAS KNOWN, WHO HAD DONE THE DASTRADLY DEED~ A· WARRANT WAS SV0RN OUT
AND JOEL PLUMLY WAS ARRESTED BUT BY SOME LOOP HOLE OR OTHER A PRETtNSE -)
WAS FURNqSHED AND JUST~CE ROBINSON DISCHARGED THE PRfS0NERo AFTER THE
TRJAL SHAW WENT HOME AND AS HE PASSED THE BLACKENED SP0I WHERE HtS BARN
HAD STOOD, HE PAUSED A MOMENTo
"WiSH I HAD BEEN HERE WHEN THAT VILLIAN CAME OUT OF THE BARN AFTER
SETTING }TON F!RE," HE SAID TO HIMSELF, "THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN ALL
THE REDRESS 1 SHOULD HAVE ASKEDo"
THE UNFAIRNESS Of THE TR!AL AND THE SEEMtNG UNL!KEL!NESS OF EVER
GETT!NG JUST!CE DONE, FIRED UP THE MAN!S BLOOD FOR A M0MENTa
1 I ' 1 n L L T A K E N O M O R E L AW , " S A l D H E , " B UT I L L P UN f S H O L D PL tfML Y , ' If ! LfVE LONG ENOUGH~"
GotNG iNTO THE HOUSE THE SCENES or THE DAY WERE TALKED OVER, AS -121-
WERE ALSO THE PLANS FOR THE FUTURE~ THE FUTURE SEEMED DESOLATE; NOT
ONE AVENUE APPEARED TO BE OPEN.
11 nWELL,n SA!D THE FATHER, WE HAVE ENOUGH LEfT TO GET BACK TO VERMON
W!TH AND WE HAD BETTER Go."
n•i TH:NK THAT 1S BEST, r1 MRS. S HAW REfLIED. ROBERT, THEN A YOUTH
OF ABOUT SEVENTEEN YEARS AND A STEADY FELLOW, SPOKE UP,
"? DON'T WANT TO GO BACK TO VERMONTg"
"Bur, WHAT WE ·CAN WE DO HERE, MY BOY?" ASKED THE MOTHER.
11 WELL , MOTHER , : 'WE HAVE A GOOD HOG AND TWO COWS AND THE CALVES • . SELL ONE COW AND THE CALVES AND f WtLL GO TO THE IRON WORKS AND CHOP
WOOD THIS WiNTER.n
"I THINK,fl SAtD THE -FATHER, "vou WOULD MAKE A SORRY PICTURE CHOPP
' NG W O O D ! N FOUR I F E ET O F S NO',/ , BE F OR E SP R J' N G •.n ' '
"I CAN DO IT FATHER. BEStDES, WHAT ts THERE IN VERMONT FOR· YOU
TO 00 OR GO BACK'TO? You LEFT THERE BECAUSE YOU WERE OPPRESSED."
TH E B O Y K E Pt, ? L Y ·1 NG T H E A R G UM E NT UN .T I L f l NA L L Y T HE MO VE 'WAS G l YEN UP~
, A LITTLE HOVEL WA~ euTUP NEAR THE STACK tN WHICH TO KEEP THE cov,
POTATOES WERE DUG AND iN NOVEMBER YOUNG SHAW BtD GOOD BYE TO HO~E,
FOOTED tT TH!RTY H:LES OVER A LONELY ROAD AND AT N1GHT REACHED UP AT
THE !RON WORKS6 HE WENT TO WORK, CUTTING FOUR FOOT WOOD AT S1XTY
TWO CENTS A CORD AND PAiD FOR HiS BOARDo ' ONE SUNDAY MORN!NG, ABOUT TWO WEEKS AFTER HIS ARRlVAL AT THE IRON.
WORKS, SHAW WAS HOMES!CKv IT WAS A CLEAR AND COLD DAY AND THE
THOUGHT Of A LONG SUNDAY, WITH NO ONE TO TALK WITH, SEEMED TO PRESS SO
HARD THAT BEFORE N!NE o'cLOCK IN THE MORNING HE WAS ON HiS WAY HOME,
GOlNG AT A LIVELY GA1To SHORTLY AFTER DARK HE ARRtVED THERE AND HOME
NEVER SEEMED AS PLEASANT AS IT D!D THENo A WEEK SPENT AT HOME AND
ANOTHER TRIP WAS UNDERTAKENo ANOTHER TWO WEEKS OF WOOD CHIPPlNG AND
AS SATURDAY WORE AWAY HE BEGAN TO FEEL SICK AGA!N~ BUT CONCLUDED NOT TO
GO BACK FOR A~OTHER WEEK, SO RETIRING EARLY HE MADE UP HfS MtND TO -122-
SLEEP JUST AS LONG THE NEXT DAY AS HE POSSIBLY COULD. SLEEP CLOSED
THE SCENES ABOUT HiM, BUT DREAMS.OF HOME, A HEARTY GREETIN~, WAS TOO
MUCH AND HE AWOKE~ HE THOUGHT OF ALL HE HADOREAMED AND TRiED TO SLEEP.
HE TOSSED UNTIL FOUR o'cLOCK :N ·THE MORNING WHEN HE HEARD SOME ONE UP
AND BETHOUGHT" HIMSELF THAT A TEAM WAS GOING FROM THE HOUSE EARLY TO
MAKE A TR!P TO NEWCOMBo HE AROSE AND DRESSED HIMSLEF AND GOT TO THE
STREET JUST iN T¥ME TO BOARD THE SLEIGH FOR HOMEa HE SUFFERED MUCH ON
TH£,WAY, FOR THE DAY WAS EXTREMELY COLD AND HE HAD, HAD NO BREAKFAST,
NO OVERCOAT, NO HEAVY UNDERWEAR, AND NOTHING ON HtS FEET BUT LEATHER
BOOTS. HE WOULD RiDE A WHILE AND THEN WALK AND WHEN THE TEAM GOT TO
' ITS DESTiNATJON HE WENT ON THE REST OF THE WAY ON FOOT ANO AGAtN
SURPRtSED THE FAMiLY. ANOTHER.WEEK AT HOME AND THE FATHER WENT BACK
WtTH HtM. THIS TIME, WHEN HE GOT HOME, HE FOUND THE OLD FtREPLACE~
T6GETHER WtTH THE OLD BOARD CHIMNEY, HAD BEEN TORN OUT, A NEW STOVE
HAD BEEN PUT UP AND THE WEEK WAS OCCUPIED lN PUTTfNG lN A STOCK Of
WOOD, AFTER WHICH THE FATHER AND SON STARTED ON FOOT FOR THE IRON
WO~KSo THE FATHER STAYED NEARLY A MONTH AND THEN RETURNED HOME BUT
THE SON HAD BEEN CURED OF HtS HOMESICKNESS AND WORKED ON UNT!L THE
FlRST DAY OF APRIL, 1848. UPON ARRlVING AT HOME HE FOUND A STRANGER
SiTT!NG ON HIS MOTHER'S LAP. THE NEXT SEASON A NEW BARN "'-A:$ PUT UP~
A GOOD FRAME ONE, AND IN THE FAL~ THE YOUNG MAN GOT OUT THE FRAMING
TiMBER FOR A NE~ HOUSE AND THE NEXT SEASON SAW THE FAMILY SNUGLY
DOMiClLED iN THE NEW QUARTERS. POVERTY WAS THIS TlME DRIVEN AWAY,
NEVER TO RETURN. MR.,SHAW, UP TO THIS TIME, HAD NOT PAID ONE DOLLAR
FOR THE LAND UPON WHICH HE L~VED, BUT SOON AFTER PA!D FOR HIS LAND
AND HAD PLENTY LEFTo BECOMING OLD AND HIS YOUNGER BOYS REFUStNG TO
TAKE CARE OF THE HOME, HE TURNED !T OVER TO ROBERT AND SPENT THE BALANCE
OF HIS L~fE W!TH H!M, DYING THERE iN
ROBERT SHAW.
ROBERT SHAW, THE OLDEST SON OF MR~ GEORGE SHAW, WAS BORN lN -123-
r R E LA No I N 1 8 2 9 • H ., s PA R E NT s c A ME T o AM E ~ J c A t ~ 1 8 34, s ET rt E o ·.a N
Aoo1SON, VERMONT, WHERE THE YOUTH SPENT Hts BOYHOOD DAYS, G01NG TO
StHOOL SUMMER AND WINTER UNTIL HE WAS FOURTEEN YEARS OLD. THEN HtS
PARENTS MOVED TO LONG LAKE. NOTHING REMARKABLE COULD BE OBSERVED 1N
HtM, ONLY HlS REMARKtABLE STUP!DITY AND CARELESSNESS, BEING A DULL
SCHOLAR, OR RATHER LACKING INTEREST tN HIS STUDIES. HE WOULD RATHER
SPEND HIS TIME TYING STRJNGS IN THE GtRLS' HAIR OR UNTYING T~ElR APROM
STR.tNGS, AT ALL EVENTS WHEN HE STOPPED SCHOOL HE ~AD NOT GONE HALF
WAY THROUGH AoAM·'s ARITHMETlC.
Bur ON C0MtNG TO MATUR1TY HE WENT TO WORK VtTH THE PµRrOSE Of
GE1TING PROPERTY AND or V~RK1NG FOR tr, GOiNG ALONG SLOVLY ANO TAK1NG
HOLD ~F ANYTHJNG THAT PRESENTED tTSELF.
WHEN HlS FATHER BUlLT HIS NEW HOUSE AN·o BARi. YO.UNG SHAW TOH THE
BROAD AXE ONE· DAY TO SE E I F HE C OU L D HEW~ THE CARP E NT·E R ,. Wff O WAS
.HEW t NG , S E E I N·G H.E C OU L D O O I T FA t R L Y W EL L , S ~ 1 D T O H I S FAT HER ,
"LET H 1 M DO THE HE.WI NG AND f w·tLL LOOK UP Ttt.E T tM'BER AMO GET -1 T
READY FOR THE SCORERS AND THAT WILL PUT THE V0RK FORVARD.n
W~EN THE FRAMING BEGAN YOUNG SHAW WATCHED EVERY MOVE, AFTER ASKlNG
QUiSTtONS ABOUT THINGS HE DID NOT UNDERSTAND.
TME NEXT YEAR HE STARTED OUT AS A CARPENTER ANO ACTUALLY LAID OUT
TWO HOUSE FRAMES, ONE FOR MR. FRANCIS SMITH AND ONE FOR ·WlLllAM STANTON•
T~t NEXT YEAR HE fR~ME0 TWO 8ARNtS, ONE FOR HJMSELF ANO THE OTHER
STAND$ ON THE COUNTY ~tNt tN TME TOWN or NEWCOMB. BARNS AND HOUSE&
THAT HE BUt~T STANQ OV£R ijOTH TOWNS ANO FOR YeARS HE WAS ACCOUNTED TH£ eEST FRAMER tN MtS TowN.
IN TM0$f DAYS THtRt WERt NO SHOPS WHERE REPAIRS or ANY KIND COULD
BE MADE AND THERE WERE. VtRY FEW. . WHO COULD DO ANY MECHANICAL WORK or
ANY KtND. -124-
THtS WILL ACCOUNT fOR A MAN, Of MR. SHA~'s TURN or MIND, TAKING HOLD
OF ANYTHING HE WANTED DONE. NECESSITY ts THE MOTH~R or lNVENTlON~
OFTENTIMES HE WANTED A JOB DONE AND PERHAPS,.AFTER ROWING ALL DAY
TRYING TO FIND SOME ONE TO DO IT, WOULD GO HOM~ AND DO IT HlMSELr~•
IN THlS WAY AND FOR THIS REASON HE WAS QUITE AN ADEPT AT SEVERAL THINGS
HE COULD, AND D1D FOR A YEAR OR TWO, AT TWO DIFFERENT TIMES, DO
At. ·L T HE BL A C KS M I T H f NG T HAT . WAS D ON E t N TH -r· TOWN • fj£ COW.. D MAK E A
WAGON AND tRON tr: HE ALSO MADE SEVERAL PAtRS OF TR~M's ~LEtGH, A
CUTTER, MEND A BUCKBOARD OR A SPRtNG lN A BUGGY. HE ALSO OOBBLED,
. . OFTEN Fl X f' NG LAD I E g,l·· SHOES WHO I N TRANS l T THROUGH Ti; E PL A 1C E r OUN E> l T
N E C ESSA R Y T O ST OP A ND R EPA l R • Br FOR E BE l .NG. MA RR t ED 1· HE USED r ·o MA KE
Hts ·owN·PANTS ANO VESTS. Ir IS SAJD THAT HE MADE THE PANTS HE WORE
WH EN H E ·WAS MA RR J ED .. HE A L S O L A t D C Ji l MN ET S AND ST OJI! E UN D_ ~R Pl N ·1 N 8
AND ALSO PLASTERED HOUSES. IN FACT ~HERE WAS NO LABOR tk THE VICINITY
t·N WHICH HE LIVED BUT WHAT HE TOOK A HAND ll•
A YEAR OR TWO BEFORE BEtNG MARRIED, BEJNG DtSAPVOlMTED IN A BOAT
1N WHtCH TO CROSS THE LAKE, ON A SUNDAY TO SEE HIS tNTENDED BRlDE,
HE DELIBERATELY ROLLED IN A LOG OF FLOODWOOD, CUT A POLE WITH HIS
POCKET KNtFE, PUT H1S WATCH INTO Hts HANDKERCHIEF ANO PUT BOTH INTO
HIS HAT; THEN' STEPPED ON THE LOG AND PADDLED TT ACROSS THt LAKE~ LANDINt:
SAFElY.-
N E X T 5 P R I N G ., A S. J.H.E J C E W A S T O O P O O R T O C R OS S ., Y OUN G ,"5 HAW C A M E
HOME FROM THi LU~BER WOODS, WHERE M~ HAP BEEN AT WOR~. Nor HAVING
SEEN HlS S·WEET~tART fQR A MONTH H~ START[D OUT fOR ~IS·HOHt. ON REACHtNG
THE LA~i H~ fOUND THE SHORE OPEN AND POOR LOOKING ICE JN THE CENTER.
ffRST Ht THOUGHT H~ VOUtP GO 8ACK, AS Ht WAS TlRED rROM Hts WALK, BUT,
AS HE WAS GOING UP THE HILL TO THE WOODS HE HEARD A WOMAN 1 S VOICE.
L60K1NG ACROSS HE SAW A ~OMEN AND A SMALL GfRL ON THE OPPOSITE SHORE.
Ir WAS HIS SWEETHEART.
"SHE IS LOOKING, SHE EXPECTS ME," HE SAID TO HIMSELF. THERE WAS -125-
AN OLD BOAT ON THE SHORE; HE TURNED IT INTO THE OPEN WATER.
"How THIS THING LEAKS. I 0UESS IT WON'T FtLL UP GOlNG OVER TO
THE ICE~" HE SAJD.
IT DID NOT AND HE GOT OUT ON THE ICE; THEN GRABBING THE BOATBY . BOTH SIDES, TURNED IT OVER HIS HEAD AND THEN STEADtEO tT, W~LKtMG ON
U NT l L O N E, f' 0 O·T BR OK E T HR O UGH T H E I C E • TH E' BO AT C OM E D 04,/ N W I T H A CRASH
AND HE CRAWLED OUT ANO DRAGGED lT THE REST OF THE WAY TO THE WATER
NEAR THE OTHER SHORE AND THEN GOT IN AND WENT ACROSS, WHERE THE OBJECT
0 F H I S V E N T UR E WA S AW A 1 T I NG H I M, . HA V 1 NG B E EN FR J GHt E NE D BY T HE FA Lt ..1.-
0 F THE BOAT, SHE SUPPOSING S~AW WAS UNDER IT.
THESE THINGS ARE ONLY RELATED TO SHOW THE PRESIST~MCY OF THE MAN,
THERE DtD NOT SEEM TO BE AMY tNSURMOUNTABLE OBSTACLE IN RIS WAY. HE
KNEW NO FEAR AND HAZARDED VHAT OTHERS WOULD WOT. OFTi~, WHEN DOING A
JOB lNV0LVING DANGER, HE ALWAYS TOOK THE POST OF DANGER HtMS~tr.
TwJCE ON SUCH OCCASIONS HE CAME NEAR LOSING HIS LtFE, ONE OF WHICH WtLL
BE GJVEN HERE.
WHEN THE RACKETT RIVER WAS tMPROVED IN 1850, DR;·HEW!TT, or
POTTSDAM, CAME UP TO LONG LAKE AND LEFT SHAW THE JOB 0£ BUlLDtNG A
PIER ON THE FALLS BELOW LONG LAKE. WHEN THE BOTTOM LOG CAME TO BE LAID
FOR THE SIDE Of THE PIER FARTHEREST FROM THE SHORE, THE WATER BEING
SWlFT THE LOWER END WAS WITHIN A FEW FEET OF A DEEP WH1RLPOOL, WHERE THE
WATER WAS DEEP AND IF A MAN SHOU~D MAYE FALL~N INTO tT THERE WAS NOT
MUCH HOP~S OF Hte BEING RESCUED. TME UPPE~ O.R TOP END or THE TIMBER
HAD TO BE CARRIEDO.UT OVER A ROCK ASOUT ~RtAST D£EP, WITM fHE WATER
R.OARtNG ANO DASHING OVEij IT~ WHEN TH( LOG WAS READY THE LOWER END,
iHA1 BEING THE FOOT, WAS PUT WH~R~ IT WAS TO BE ~[rT BUT JT HAO TO BE
HELD IN PLACE UNTIL THE TOP END WAS PUT OVER THE ROCK. THERE WERE ONLY
THREE Of THEM AND WHEN THE TOP END WAS ON THE ROCK SHAW SAi.~~
n N. 0 W , B O Y S , W-~ I C H W I L L Y O U D O ? 8 0 T H O f Y O U G O A N D H O L O T H E B UT T E ND:
ENO OR LAY THIS OFF OVER THE ROCt
"DP Y.OllJ MEAN TO INStNUATE THAT YOU ARE. Eg.UAL TO BOTH OF us?"
"No, NOT EXACTLY. Bur THERE ts ONLY THREE Of us: YOU ARE MARRt~
ED AND I Aft,1 NOT. 'WANT TO GtVE YOU THE BEST CHANCE or; ti FE. THERE
ts LtTTLE DANGER HERE BUT YOU WILL HAVE TO GET WET ALL ·OVER~ Ar THE
OTHER END THE WORK FOR TVO WILL BE LtGHT, rr I LET THIS TOP END OVER
ALL R 1 GMT • I CA N 1i OL D T lfE OT HER END I "f YOU f' EL l OW S ON L Y HCL D TO T ff,'l 8-r-
.END• ff:,
H£ MADE HIS VAY TO TKE OTHtR EKD, BARR lN HAND, STEPPE·e OUT OVER
THE TlMBER, PLACED H1S FOOT ON TKE EDGE OF THE WHlRL~QOL AW~ PLACE~ ·Mt$
·BARR _-:lN p·o·s·,r·'toN TO tr-OLD THE TlMBER; THEN MOTtOMED TO THE :MEN TO
~T~ADY DOY~ T~EIR END• WHETKER ~HEY VER£ AIRAID OF TH-E YATER OR WHETKE
·.SOME SllP OR M'fSS STEP MAOE tT NECESSA-RY FOR THEM TO LET GO. THE TlMBER
ts NOT K"N"OWN. Bur THE T·tMBER FELL. RA tSIMG THE END Sli,\W WAS l{OtDfNG AND
...... tT KNQtKED THE BARR OUT OF ~tS H~ND~ STRlKJK~ Hlk ON THE FOOT AND $0· . .
DEMO L fS M. 1 _NG. T HE • S HOE· T 1-t AT · l T W A°S N E Vt R R EPA t R £ D • -HE MAOE. A PlUNGt.
. . . TOWARD .. THE Sko·RE., FALLt'NG OYER TH_~ TtMBE~- AMO WAS TAKEN_ OtlT .. OF THE WATE
BY H'tS ME"t( lN ·A"N -tJNCON"SCtOUS C0N9ITtON, ✓ fr HE HAD rALLEN· ·BAC·KWARDS ·HE.
WOULD:MAVE BE~N K~LLED.
AS HAS BE EN • l NT f MAT E D , H E L EA R N E D . TO R I DE ·t O GS l N D R -1, .Vt r, ~ G . : ·. ·; R I V E R S •
HE TEllS OF lrts rtRST tr·SSON., WH't AH l:lAPPENED· AS FOLLOWS:
- W·H ·1 L E WA ( T t NG F OR T HE ST RE A MS T O OP E N A F E'W Of T HE M:£ N WER E
. i BUS Y G ET T l MG T HE CH A N NE l ·o P. ,E "N _ BF; L 0-V T HE R·O L L \I A Y. .~ 0 NE C O ~ 0 MOR NJ NG. ;f K
0 APR~ii... SOME Or THE MEN~ W.MO -HAD B.EE N O_N... T.H_E Rt ·vER BEF~RE, too·K A GOOD StZED t,.O·G AT THE ROLL WAY AND RODE JT DO\\'~ TO WHERE THEY WERE CtlTTlNG • 0 M
1-·ct., SO SAY·tNG A POSSl"BLE WETT"ING •. WHl~H .MtGHT OCCUR l.F THE.Y ~ENT ON
FOOT BECAUSE OF THE DANGER or FALLING 1NTO SOME HOLt~ ~YOUNG SHAW
WAT C HE I) A F' E W Of T H E M GO ~ f .r· ·o N T H E t R L O GS . A ND , TH t N K t NG lT L O OK E D ' .., rAsv. cowc1u~io ro TRI PME.ttJHi\Et, Ht §Etrc1rn t scan ,et raet e -127-
POLE TO STEADY H~MSELF W:TH, AS DIRECTED, AND, AS HE HAD SEEN THE
OTHERSa HE WENT ON N;CELY UNT!L A LITTLE EDDY CAUGHT THE LOG AND
B E GA. N T O T UR N l T AR O UN D • H E L OS T H I S - B AL A NC E A ND I N H-~ WE NT , B UT S OO N
SWAM OUT AMID FLOAT~NG :cE ANO LOGS. THE MEN AT THE ROLLING LAUGHED
AT HrM, BUT THAT· ONLY MADE HiM MAD. HE WALKED AROUND TO THE ROLLWAY A
AGA ! N, TOOK ANOTHER LOG AND SET SA l LG THE EDDY CAUGHT THE. SECOND LOG
AND i N HE WENT AG A ! N. THEN HE SWORE HE WO UL O R t DE A LOG DOWN THERE 0
OR HE WOULD NOT GO AT ALL~ A THtRD LOG, WITH SHAW ON tT, SET OFF FROM
THE BANK AND A THIAD T tME HE GOT .DUCKED tN THE SAME MANNER. LOTS Of
ME N S T A ND ON E . I MM E RS I ON BUT T HR E E WAS EN OU G H E VE N FOR $.HA 'W • HE WAS AS
GOOD AS H)S WORD; HE LEFT FOR THE HOUSE SO CHILLED THAT HE WAS MERELY
ABLE TO REACH IT. Bur NEXT TIME HE WENT TO THE RIVER HE ·GOT A LONG
POLE AND MOUNTED ANOTHER LOG ANO RODE lT SAFELY THROUGH AND BECAME
SECOND TO NONE IN RtDliNG LOGS.
IN 1854 HE WAS MARRlED TO Mtss GtTTY KELLER, THE NEXT TO THE
YOUNGEST OF THE KE~LER G?RLS, AND THE NEXT FALL THEY BEGAN HOUSEKEEP
INGa ABOUT THIS TiME HIS FATHER WAS SUED FOR A NOTE HE HAq G!VEN TO A
GEORGE LEAVETT, FOR BOOT MONEY IN TRAO(NG A PA fR Of YOUNG STAGS FOR AN
OLD PAiR OF OXEN. WHEN THE NOTE BECAME DUE PAYMENT WAS REFUSED ON
THE GROUND Of MISREPRESENTATIONS ON THE PART Of LEAVETT !N REGARD TO
THE OXENQ LEAVETT SUED THE ELDER SHAW BEFORE SQUIRE SUTTON AT
NEWCOMB. THE OLD MAN WAS GOlNG TO CHESTER OR SCHROON FOR A LAWYER
BUT ROBERT SA!D, 11 'r9U BETTER PAY THE NOTE THAN DO THAT. IT WILL COST
AS MUCH, ~F YOU DO WIN, AS IT WILL TO PAY THE NOTE. LET US FlGHT
l T OUTS ELVES AND I F WE GET BE AT l T W ! LL NOT COST US AN TT H I NG AND ! f
WE BEAT THEM WE WILL WI~ Allo "
THE SUIT CAME OFF. LEAVETT HAD JUDGE TERRILL ON HIS S1DE, T~E JURY
WAS EMPANELL~D AND THE CONTEST BEGAN. YOUNG SHAW, IN TH~ D£FtNSE, KNEW
JUST ENOUGH TO OBJECT TO EVEAY MOVE MADE BY THE PROSECUT!ON. TERRILL
WAS ON OLD MAN AND AT TIMES SEEMED TO LOSE HIMSELF. ABOUT MtDNIGHT -128-
THE CASE WAS G!VEN TO THE JURYo TERRILL ASKED YOUNG SHAW TO TAKE A
WALK TO REST THEMSELVES. As THEY ENGAGED IN CONVERSATtO~ TERRlLL SAID
"MR.-SHAW~ HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN PRf\CTIC!NG LAWf"
11 T H ! S l S MY F I RS T CASE, n WAS H IS REP l Y.
"No. You DON'T MEAN TO SAY THAT YOU HAVE NEVER PLEADED A CASE
12 BEFORE TODAY?
"INDEED I DO StR. 11
"WELL DONE, MY BOY."
SHAW WON THE SUIT AND HAS BEEN A LAWYER EVER SINCE, SOMETIMES
GO!NG IHTO OTHE~ TOWNS AND COUNTIES AND MEETING WJlH GENERAL SUCCESS.
1856 HE EXPER!ENCED RELIGlON AND tN A YEAR OR TWO BEGAN TO PREACH~
WORKING HIS WAY ALONG THE L1NE OF STUDY~ AS PER THE RULES Of" THE
W.Mo CoN~tCTION, TO WHICH HE BELONGED. HE WAS ORDAINED A f"EW YEARS . LA T E R .~ AN D S E R VE D H t S L O CA L C H U R CH AS · P ~ S T O R f" 0 R S E V E R AL y· E A R S , N E V ER . BEING DJSERTED BECAUSE HE LACKED INTEREST. Bur, BElNG A POLITICIAN AND
A LAWYER HE SOMETIMES Of"f"ENDED PORTIONS Of" THE PEOPLE SO THEY DtD NOT
GO TO HEAR HIM f"OR A TIME. Bur IT WAS THE VANQUISHED THAT STAYED
AWAY AND IT WAS USUALLY DISASTROUS TO BE IN OPPOStT·toN. HE HELD THE
PEOPLE TO HIM TO SUCH AN EXTENT AS HAS NEVER BEEN EQUALED BY ANY OTHER
MAN IN THAT PLACEo ME HELD THE OFftCE Of" SUPERVISOR FOR SIXTEEN YEARS,
WITH BUT L:TTLE !NTERRUPTtON AND WHEN OTHERS WERE ELECTED THEY WERE
HtS CHOiCE.
THERE WAS ONE MORE PROFESSION, AT LEAST, IN WHICH MR. SHAW WAS
QUITE A REPUTATION, THAT OF DOCTOR. FOR YEARS HE WAS THE ACKNOWLEDGED
HEAD OF THE PROFESSION AND TRULY NOT WITHOUT FOUNDATION tN FACT. HE
HAS BEEN CALLED UPON IN ALMOST EVERY EMERGENCY AND OFTEN PROVED EQUAL
TO WHAT WAS EXPECTED AND IN SOME CASES FAR EXCEEDED ALL EXPECTATION.
/ As A SURGEON HE. HAS DONE SOME EXCELLENT WORK AND, AS FAR AS KNOWN, NO
BAD JOB tS LAID TO HIM. HE HAS SET BROKEN LEGS, ARMS, DISLOCATED
SHOULDERS AND ELBOWS AND SET HIS OWN KNEE WHEN OUT OF JOINT. HE SET -129-
A CH!LD'S THIGH BONE~ BROKEN OFF WITHIN THREE ·tNCHES OF THE SOCKET,
AND ATTENDED IT UNTIL SOUND, MAKING A GOOD JOB OF IT.
iN Jr,NE 1888 A MRo BOYDEN CUT HIS LEG ON A CIRCULAR SAW, CUTTfNG
WITHIN AN INCH OF THE BIG ARTERY, AROUND THE BACK SIDE, CLEAR TO THE.
OUTSIDE OF THE TH!GHo IN THE PRESENCE OF A DOZEN MEN, ONE OF THEM AN
EDUCATED PHYSIC?AN AND SURGEON, MR. SHAW, THEN SIXTY YEARS OF AGE,
SEWED UP THE TORN, RAGGE9, UGLY WOUND, WITH A NERVE AND STEADINESS
UNEQUALLED AND IN A MANNER, TO ALL APPEARANCES, AS WELL AS IT COULD
BE DONE.
YET~ THIS MAN ·SHAW ENCOUNTERS ALL SORTS OF ABUSE. HE HAS GAT~FR
~O ABOUT HIM QUITE A PROPERTY AND IN DOING lT NO MAN ACCUSES HIM Of
WRONG, BUT SURMtSES HE MUST BE A BAD MAN OR HE COULD NOT WORK FOR
OTHERS NEARLY HALF OF HIS TIME AND AT THE SAME TIME MAKE MONEY-
Now THE MOST WONDERFUL .THING ABOUT THIS. BAD MAN AND THE THING THAT IS UNEXPLAINABLE IS THE FACT~ FOR ALL HIS DOCTORING, SURGICAL ATTEMPTS,!
TEETH PULLING AND THE BOTTLES OF MEDICINE HE IS ALMOST DAILY MAKING
FOR PEOeLE, TOGETHER WITH HIS PREACHING, AND EVEN LAWING, UNLESS HE
HOES OUT OF TowN, NO CHARGE IS MADE. IT REALLY SEEMS THAT SUCH A MAN
COULD BE APPRECIATED, BUT THE SAYING, "A PROPHET IS NOT WITHOUT HONOR,
£XCEPT IN H!S OWN HOUSE AND AMONG HJS OWN PEOPLEn !SA STUBBORN FACT.
ONE HALF OF ALL THE SALARY PAID THE MINIST£R IN THAT CHARGE IS FROM 1
MRo SHAW; HE HAD PAID, TOWARDS THE CHURCH EDIFICE, 8VtR SEVEN HUNDRED
DOLLARS AND HAS DONE MORE TO K(EP IT RUNNING AND IN REPAIR THAN ALL THE
OTHER MEMBERS OF THE SOCIETYo
AFTER ~EADING THIS C~APTER, WHO SHALL SAY OF THE CHARACTER HERE
REPRESENTED, THAT HE IS NOT A RARE SPECIMEN Of THE RACE AND SHOULD
ANY READER DOUBT THE TRUTHFULNESS OF WHAT IS SAID GO GET ACQUAINTED
/ AND THEN CONFESS THE WHOLE TRUTH HAS NOT BEEN TOLD AND ALL lS TRUE
THAT HAS BEEN TOLD. -130~
EARLY STRUGGLES OF THE EARLY SETTLERS.
WHEN IT IS REMEMBERED THAT FOR THE FIRST FIFTEEN YEARS THERE WAS
NO POST OFFICE NEARER THAN FORTY MILES, NO STORE WITH1N THE SAME
DlSTANCE AND NO ONE LIVING IN THE SETTLEMENT ~HO HAD MORE THAN WAS
- N E E D E D I N H l S Ovi N F A M I L Y ; · T HA T E A C H , l N H I S \-.0.\ili-N C R I B , H A D N O MO R E T HA f\
WAS NEEDED FOR A WEEK 1 S SUPPLY, IT lS NOT HARD TO REALIZED INTO WHAT
CIRCUMSTANCES THEY WERE SOMETIMES PUT, ESPECtALLY IN THE WlNTER. FOR
WEEKS AT A TIME NO TEAMS COULD PASS OVER THE ROAD TO SCHROON RlVER•
THAT BEING THE ONLY ROAD USED AFTER.THE CARTHAGE AND LAKE CHAMPLA1N
R~AD WAS OPENED; BEFORE THAT THE TRAVEL WAS OVER THE OLD MlNERVA ROAD
PAST BEDFOR~S, WHICH WAS IMPASSABLE QUlTE OFTEN ON ACCOUNT OF THE
F0RDlNG OF THE 80REANS RIVER. JTJWAS NO UNCOMMON THfNG FOR MEN TO
CARRY JN PACKS ON TKEIR BACKS SUCH THINGS AS SHOES, SUGAR, tEA AND
·t V E N . FLOUR . FR OM M ! NE R VA AN D E VE N FROM C Ii EST E R V 1 L LAGE ., A O'1-S TAN CE· 0 F
FlFTY MILES.
THE OLDER MR. SHAW, ~HE FALL HJS·BARN WAS BURNED, WENT TO CHE~TER
AND FILt-ED.A LARGE PACK WITH _SUPPLIES FOR HIS FAMlLY, THAT WEIGHED OVER
EIGHTY ~OUNDS, ANO CARRIED tT ALL THE WAY BACK TO LONG LAKE. JHE
FIRST WtNTER ~HAW LIVED THERE HE BOUGHT A LOAD OF HAY Of D.. C. CHASE
0 F NEW C OM. B A ND . T HE T EA M ON L Y DR ·E W l T AB O UT S I XT Y R O DS PA ST T HE C OUN T Y
LlNE AND THR~W lT OFF THERE MR. SHAW PAC~ED.TH~J HAY, A HUNDRED AT A
T I M E ·, ·T O H I S OW N P LA C E , A O I S T A N C E O F E J G H T M l L E S •
\ i1 WAS NO UNCOMMON THING fOR FAMILIES TO HAVE NO BREAD IN THE
HOUSE FQ.R TWO AND THREE WEEKS AT A TlME. ONE INSTANCE IS TOLD OF A
FAMJLY EATING THE SEED ENDS THAT HAD BEEN SAVED TO P~ANT; CHJLDREN
WO UL D G O T O S C HO O L J N D L D B OOT F E E T T H E t R FA T H E: RS. HA D WO R N A ND ON
REACHIKG THE SCHOOL WOULp LAY THEM OFF.AND RUN AROUND THE SCHOOL ROOM
tN THEtR BARE FEET. WHAT A PICTURE INDEED! Bur~ EVEN WtTH ALL THEIR
HADRSHIPS, THE USUALLY FRIENDLY ~EELtNG OF THE PEOPLE.. T0~ARDS EACH OTHER -~AS PROVERB1AL. -SoctABILITi AND FRtNbLINESS VERg rug COMMON -131-
STOCK lN TRADE. IF THEY HAD ONE KIND OF BREAD: IN IT WAS DEEMED
FORTUNATE AND THEY SHARED IT FREELY WJTH EACH OTHER. A PLAIN,
UNPRETENDING PEOPLE, P(AlNLY DRESSED, EVEN AFTER THOSE PRIMITIVE TIMES
BEGAN TO GJVE WAY TO BETTER FARE. THE PLAIN, COMMON-SENSE DRESS OF
THOSE TlMES STILL HAS A CHARM TO THOSE WHO NOW SEE THE STRAIN AND
PUCKER APEING OF THE DAUGHTERS OF POOR PEOPLE. How CHANGED. A
CAL lCO DRESS THEN ANSW.EREO THE PURPOSE Of .. Vi S l TI NG, AND MEET JN-~- G,OWN
OR To· WEAR TO ANY PLACE .or AMUSEMENT. _Bur .OUR NOBJLITY WOULD NOT
NOW GO TO A ·s_TORE OR BE SEEN ON tHE STREETS OF OUR MODERN. L~M~ .LAKE
UNLESS.'.DRESSEri. AND THE NOB~LITX, MOST NOTED, HAVE ~OT A DOLLAR, SOK[
OF THEM, TO THE1R NAME; ANO ARE {NDEBTED FOR THE PRESSES WORN·ANB
THE HOUSES THEY L1VE 1N. NEVERTHELESS UNDERNEATH THE OUTER GARMENT~.
DtREGTLY ON THE RUMP, IS THE LATEST STYLE~OF BUSTLE, EVEN lF JHE
WEARER 1·s IN ·THE WASH TUB OR MPPPING THE FLOOR, HAVING NO IDEA ·rHAT
ANY CALLER WILL INTRUDE, BUSTLES ARE T~E FASHION.
SHADOWS FROM OTHER DAYS.
s·HADOWS FRO~ OTHER DAYS FALL, WITH~UT EFFECT, ON THE MlNDS OF THE .. GRA~P AND GREAT GRA~D CHILDREN Of 1HE SlRES OF THOSE TIMES •. Bur, ~HAT
DEEDS ·or DAR11NG AND PAT1ENT S.UFFERING MAY BE KEPT IN HISTORY FOR THE i
~000 OF THOSE WHO MAY YET FALL INTO STRAITS WHERE EXAMPLE MAY HEL~
I ENDURE WHAT MIGHT OVERCOME THEIR FORTITUDE WERE THEY TO THJNK SO MUCH
SUFFERINGS WERE EVER THE LOT OF OTHERS BESIDES THEMSELVES, WE GIVE
A FEW PICTURES OF WHAT IS VOCHED FOR AS TRUE TO THE LETTER.
IN 1835 MR. KELLER., WITH HlS WIFE AND DAUGHTERS., NEARLY
GROWN WOMEN, AND.A BABY lN THE VIFE 1 S AA~I, LEFT NEWCOMB~ WHERE THEY
HAD BEEN L!VtNG A WHILE~ THAT THEY MIGHT FIND A SUJTAaLE PLACE 1N
LONG LAKE. THEY STARTED WITH A PAIR OF HORSES AND A LONG woo6 SltOD
SLED EARLY iN THE MORNlNG. IN CROSSING THE STREAM, KNOWN AS ftSH~NG
BROOK., IT WAS DISCOVERED.THAT THE SPRING FRESHET HAD DAMA~ED THE BRlDGEo AFTER QUITE A DELAY IN PUTTING THE COVERING BACK ON THE
BRIBGE, MR. KELLER AGAJN STARTED HIS TEAM. THE TEAM WERE NOT USED TO
SUCH A BRlDGE AND COMMENCED TO CROWD; THE COVERlNG, BEING NOTHING
BUT ROUND POLES, SPREAD AND THE HORSES LEGS WENT THROUGH AND BEFORE
THEY GOT AWAY FROM THE BRIDGE ONE OF THE HORSES WAS DEAD. WHEN THE
BRIDGE WAS FIRST REACHED THE WOMEM WENT ON AFOOT, PREFERR[NG TO WALK
RATHER THAN WAIT FOR THE FIXING OF THE BRIDGE, AS THE RIDING WAS
TEDIOUS AT BESTJ ANYH0~, THEY SAID A WALK WOULD BE A CHANGE, UNTIL
THE TEAM OVERTOOK ~THEM.- AFTER WAhKlNG SOME DlSTANCE THEY S~T DOWN
.- TO AWAit THE COMING OF THE TEAM, BUT GROWING WEARY STARTED ON AGAIN;
THIS TKEY DlD SEVERAL TIMES UNTIL THEY WERE PRITTY WELL TJRED OUT.
KELLER, AFTER LOOSING HIS HORSE, TOOK THE OTHER AND FOLLOWED AFTER THt
WOMEN; BUT, BEING HINDERtD A LONG TIME, THE WOMEN HAD A GOOD START
AND HE DJD NOT OVERTAKE THEM UNTIL NEARLY THR.OUGH TO THE LAKE. WHEN
THE LAKE WAS REACHED AT A LATE HOUR THE BOY, WHO HAD BEEN THERE-WJTH t 1 A BOAT TO TAKE THEM TO THEIR PLACE, HAD GIVEN UP THEIR COMING AND HAD
LEFT~ TVING THE HORSE TO A TREE MR. KELLER STARTED ON FOOT UP THE
SHORE OF THE LAKE THREt MILES TO A P0fNT OPPOSITE WHERE HIS MEN WERE
AT WORK, AT DARK MR. KELLER EMERGED FROM THE FOREST TO THE SHORE
OP~osirt.AND BEGAN TO CALL. HE WAS SOON HEARD AND THE C~NOE SENT OVER
FOR HIM. IT WAS TEN o'cLOCK AT NlGHT WHEN MRS. KELLER AND HER
CHILDREN WERE SEATED IN THE CANOES AND AN HOUR LATER THEY WERE LANDED
AT THE SHORE, WHERE SHE WAS NET BY A GROWN-UP DAUGHTER AND HER SON,
WHO HELPED HER TO THE CAMP, WHERE THEY GOT THEM SOME FOOD; THlS WAS
THE flRSl FOOD TASTED SINCE EARLY MORNING AND SHE HAD WALKED TEN
MILES A~D CARRIED A CHILD. fHOSE WOMEN OFTEN FOOTED THlS DISTANCE
BETWEEN LONG LAKE AND NEWCOMB, THINKING IT NO GREAT FEAT. MRS~
DORNBURGH, A SlSTER Of MR~. KELLER. 1 S WALKED FROM MR. CHASE'S HOME JN
NEWCOMB TO LONG LAKE, ONE M~RNING BEFORE. EATING ANY BREAKFAST AND
CARRJED A TEN QUART PAIL FULL Of BLACKBERRIE$, AFTER ·SHE WAS SIXTY -133-
YEARS OLD.
lT WAS NO UNCOMMON SIGHT 1N THE WINTER TO SEE TWO WOMEN CARRYING
A CHILD~ FOOTING tT ON THE tiE FROM KELLER 1 S TO CARRY 1 S ON LONG
LAKE, A o;sTANCE Of FOUR MILES, THROUGH EIGHT OR.. TEN INCHES OF SNOW, MlXED WITH WATER UNDER.THE SNOW; AND lN SUMMER THEY WERE AS MUCH A~
EXPERT AS A MAN ~N HANDL;NG THE OARS, FISHING OR KILLlNG A DEER
AND ONE OF THEM ACTtfALlY. LOOK.t.9· A.N OLD BEAR WITH T.WO CUBS OUT OF
C O U N T E N A N C E A S S H E W A f> G O L N G T H R O U G H A W O O D S ·s Y A P A T H T O V I S I T O N E
OF THE NtlGHBORS. THE WOMEN PLANTED AND HOE~J REAPED_AND BOUND GRAIMJ
~PtlN ALL THEIR CLOT~, EVEN MAKING THE DRESSES Of THEIR GJRLS, AS WELL·
A S MA K 1 N G C LOT H E S . f OR T H E I R .H ·ij_S BA N D S AN D S O N S •
T H E R E · WAS ON E W OM A N T HAT S P U N O V E R F OR T Y Y' Asf.oa:.ii' 0 f f L A N N E L ON A
LITTLE ~LAX SPINNiNG WH£EL~ CARDING THE WOOL HERSELF TO SP1N 1NTO
FLANNELo
S UC H BUS Y WOM E N HA p NO T I ME T O GOSS J P , CR I MP T HE l R H A,1iJf~ ...: ·o R F l X ON
HOOPS. OR BUSTLES.
. . THE MEN ALSO HAVE A SH~RE IN THE SUfFERlNG, .INCIDENT TO THE OPEN-
!~G Of A NEW COUNTRYo
;N THE FIRST FEW YEARS THERE WAS LITTLE OPPORTUNJTY OFFE~EDJ
If' THERE WAS.NO WORK TO BE HADJ A FEW DOLLARS WERE EARNED ON THE ROAD,
TRAPPING WAS QUlTE GOOp BUT FUR WAS SO CHEAP AS TP HARDLY PAY FOR
CATCH~NG, DEER AND FISH WERE PLENTIFUL BUT IN SPRING AND EARLY SUMMER,
WHEN WORK AND PROVISIONS WERE THE SCARCEST, VEN ISO~ WAS POOR • AFTER
. THE IRON WORKS BEGAN TO BE OF VALUE., IN THE WAY OF WAGES, THEY HAD TO
.. ~~ TRAVEL A D!STANCE CF T,HIRTY MILESo BUT IT WAS THERE THE NEAREST WORK
COULD BE O~TAINED AND IT WAS THERE THEY WENT; THEY COULD. GO OUT THER£
ONE SUNDAY AND BACK HOME THE NEXT, WITH A PACK ON THEIR BACKS, WITH
THEIR WEEKiS EARNiNG IN FLOUR, PORK OR SALT., AS THE CASE REQ~IREO.
~ H E N L A T E R T H E R E WAS 8 0 ME WOR K ., I N .& SM A LL WA Y , T O B E HAD AT .NEW C OM B •
THOSE THAT L!VED ~N THE PENDLETON END OF TOWN HAD BEEN THERE LONG ---134-
E:N·•o·UG'H·:: TO GET A LITTLE ST~RT, GIVING EMPLOYMENT IN SPKl:NGJG AND SUMMER
T O S OM E Q f :'~T---·H--·E, 0 T H E R S • \
MR. I.B.C. ROBINSON, THEN IN HIS PRIME, USED TO LAY STONE WALLS
FOR MR. CHASE AND, AS QfTEN AS ONCE A WEEK, TOOK HIS ~ACK FULL OF
PRov,stONS AND CARRIED fT HOME TO HfS fAMILY. T~is H.E DlD NOT DO
OCCASIONLY BUT, AS A RULE. AND ONCE YOUNG SHAW, WHEN HE WAS SlXTEEN,
T O OK A BUS .H EL Olf' R Y E ON H l S BACK . I N T HE MOR N I NG AT LONG . LA K E , CARR I ED
lT TO NEWCOMB, A D1STANCE OF THIRTEEN MlLES, HAD.lT GR0U~D, AND
CARRIED IT BACK AGAIN THE SAME DAY~AND WHEN HE ro•K fltS StiPPER, OF
BlSCUJTS MAO.E OF THt$ FLOUR, DECLARES NOW lT WAS SWEETER TMAN ANY
TH1NG THE BEST COOK K0W MAKES.
A FEW YEARS LATER, .:PERHAPS THRE'E, HE WAS W.ORKINS FOR ..MR.· CHASE
~ JN· HAYtN~. THE D~Y HAO BEEN A GOOD ONE, WtTH A THRE~TENtNG SHOWER
NOW AND THEN DURING THE AFTERN86N.~ so·THE DAY HAD BEEN. A BUSY, HOT
DAY, WtTH HURRYING TO GET lN THJS LOAD BEFORE THE SHOW ER• Bur NI G'HT
CAME At LAST AND. WHEN Tli.E SON WAS HALf .AN HOUR --HIGH WORR WAS ABANDONED
YOUNG 5·HAW WALKED TWO MJ LES. DOWN TOWN., BOUGHT FORTY-Ff VE PO~N:DS O.F
FLO-UR_,--SLUN-G fT ON HIS BACK, WALt HIS LOAD, SO .H.15 PE·OPLE COULD HAVE BREAD FOR BREAKFASTJ TWlCE HE LAIC DOWN ON THE· ROAD TO REST AND TOOK A SLEEP, REACHING HOME AFTER MIDNIGHT. ANOTHER INSTANCE WAS THAT OF A FAMILY ENTIRELY DESTITUTE OF F0OB. OF ANY KIND •. THE FATHER TRAVELLED THE ENTIRE DAY., LOOKl'NG ,FOR SOME PROVl$10NSJ HE ONLY FOUND ONE PLACE WHERE THERE. WAS ANTHJNG MORE THAN WAS "NEEDED FOR THEIR QWN IMMEt>lATE USE. THAT ,MAN HAD P.p.TATOES TO SELL, B~T T0LO THE DESTITUif ONE THAT HE WOULD NOT LET.HlM HAVE A -- POTATO· TO SAVE HlS LtFE. HE WENT HOME TO HlS HUNGRY WIFE AND CHILDREN / OMLY TO TELL THEM ME COULD NOT EVEN GET A POTATOE FOR THElR BREADFAST AND RELATED THE HEARTLESS TALK OF THE UNFEELING NEIGHBOR. WHEN THE FATHER ~KNELT IN PRAYER THAT NJGHT H.E TO-LD THE· .. Loio ABOUT HIS Nf;Eps; -135- PRAYING THAT THE DEAR CHILDREN SHOULD NOT GO HUNDRY LONG; TELLING Goo ~ow HE CAUSED ELIJAH TO BE FED AND PLEADING PROMiSE AFTER PROMlSE, AS if TALKlNG FACE TO FACE WITH Goo. A YOUNG FELLOW IN THE FAMILY FELT THE lNSPIRJNG DETERMlNATION TO BE THE CARRIER OF PROVlSlONS fo THAT FAMILY, ERE THEY SHOULD NEED BREADFAST. As SOON AS THERE WAS THE LEAST LIGHT lN THE EASTERN.SKY A STEALTHY STEP WAS HEARD IN THE HOUSE. THE DOOR OPENED AND SHUT AND TWENTY-FIVE ~Nil~ LATER A BOAT LANDED ON THE BEACH TWENTY RODS FROM THE BARN lN.WHICH WERE_THE POTATOES THE MAN.REFUSED TO SELL. As STEPS APPROACHED THE THE BARN .FROM.THE WATER'S SIDE, A GROWL WAS HEARD lNSlDE THE BARN. THE TRUTH .FLASHED INTO.THE MIND OF T~E APPROACHING FORM, THAT THE MAN 1 S CROSS DOG WAS lN THE BARN .TO GUARD lTS CONTENTS. THE DOG USED_ TO.PLAY WlTH ITS MASTER 1 S CHILDREN, IN COMPANY WlTH TH'S FELLOW AS THElR "PLAYMATE, SO AS SOON AS THE DOG H~ARD THE FELLOW 1 S VOlCE HE CEASED HlS GROWLJNG AND SEEMED GLAD TO SEE HIM, SEEMtNGLY SAYING THAT HE WAS WELCOME TO AS MANY POTATOES AS HE COULD CARRY~ . WHEN THE.FAMILE AROSE THERE WAS A BAG OF POTATOES INSIDE THE DOOR. Goo HAD SENT HIS MESSENGER lN ANSWER TO THE PRAYER OF THE PREVIOUS EVENING. As THERE lS ALWAYS A .TURNING POINT IO ALL T_HINGS, SO THIS WAS THE EXTREME CRlSlS IN THE HISTORY OF THE FAMILY. ~ FEW YEARS LATER THERE CAME A CRISIS IN THE HOME OF THE HEART LESS MANo THE W•FE, IN GIVING BlRTH TO A CHILD, PUT THEM lN NEED AND IN THEIR .NEED HELP WAS FOUND HlM WHO HAD BEEN CRUELLY TREATED AND SO SHAMEFULLY INJUREDo HIS WIFE DIED AND THE BOY WHO BORROWED THE BAG OF POTATOES RAN ERRANDS FOR HIM FOR TWO DAYS, GOING AS FAR AS NEWCOMB ON ONE ERRAND. So EVEN .IN THAT INSTANCE Of WRATH, Goo RESTRAINED IT, AND WHEN.~HE FAMILY TURNED NURSES AND MESSENGERS TO / _ THOSE WHO HAD SO SPITEFULLY USEB TMEM .HE CAUSED THAT WRATH TO-PRAISE Goo AND THE MAN H!MSELF FELT THE REBUKE. AFTER A FEW YEARS THE SHADOW LIFTED AND TO THE REPUBLlCANS' -136- SCENES OF PROSPERtTY. MR. w. J. Ausr1~, WHO HAD BUILT A SAW MJLL ~NA CENTRAL PLACE AND PUT 'NA SMALL RUN OF STONE AND A BLOT TO MAKE PLANS. 1HtS WAS TH£ GREAT EVENT OF THE TtMES.- THE OLD MILL AT THE HEAD or THE LAKE HAD BECOME USELESS, NOT HAVING BEEN WELL BUtLTJ THE GRtaT MtLL AT NEWCOMB HAD BE_EN CARRIED AWAY BY A FLOOD, WH1CH CAUSED MUCH or THE DESTITUTION OF BOTH PLACES. WHE~ THE LITTLE RUN OF BUR STONES WERE SET IN NOTI.N IT WAS A L!GHl Ot MdRE THAN U$UAL BRlLL1ANCY. RYE FLOUR BECOME THE STAPLE s·READ OE' THE PLACE AND, AS THE WR I r•·REFLECTS UPON THAT EVENT, SOME TH1NG Of." THE Ol.b TIME J'.OY C__ M,ES BACK TO HIS MIND AS HE RETASTES THE FLAVOR or THE 1 RYEBR[AD, BAKED BY SOME or TH.E EXPERTS OF THAT DA~. THE VOMAN VHO DRAWS THE PRIZE WA~ ~NOLD DUTCK WOMAN, BY THE NAME OF MRS. SHUNK, WHO, LlKE ALL HER RAC~, HA~ PECULIARITIES, EXPEClALLY MER OWN, AND BAK t NG RYE BiEAD WAS ONE OF THE,. S·o WHEN THE BI-LL· OF FARE CAME UP TO POTATOES, BOILfD OR -ROASTED (IN THE ASHES) RYE BREAD, FtSH OR VENlSON ANB BUTTER tN SUMMER, TEA_ FOR BREAKFAST THEN CONTEN MENT, FOLLOWED BY l~DUSTRY, SEEMED EVERYWHERE TO BE THE RULE~ BUT AS THE BRIGHTEST DAY ts OFTEN SUCCEEDED BY ~a.LOO.\f(l~ AND STORM FLOOD OR ~HIRLWIND, SO THE PROSPEROUS TtMES WERE SUDDENLY CHECKED. BY A FRESHET THAT DESTROYED THE MILL DAM, PUTTING AN END, FOR THE TJME, TO THE GRlNDi~G OF CORN, OR RYE OR E~EN THE INDJAN BUCKWHEAT THAT HA O COM E T O BE Q U I T E A ST AP L E cnfo~' .. Now COME~ THE CAP, OR KNOB, OF THE NARRATIVE. ~ill CAME, NO MILL HAD BE Er PUT I N WO R K I NG OR D E R A ND T HE P E O.P L E WE R E AG A J N CON F i_&l NT I N-G .,. A PANIC. No MilL NEARER THAN FIFTY MILES Al4D ROADS WERE SURE TO BE I MP&;JSAB.LE AS SOON AS THE DE£·.P SNOW BE GAN TO COME WHt CH, IN THOSE . TIMES, COMMENCED, USUALLY., THE FlRST OF NOVEMEBER. ONE FALL s~ow FELL THt TENTH OF OCTOBER AND NO BARE GROUND WAS SEEN UNTIL APRll ONLY AS THEY SHOVELED THE SNOW OFF OF THE GROUND, IN ORDER TO DlG POTATOES AND TURNIPS FOR DAlLY-USE. -137- WHAT WAS TO BE DONE? THAT WAS THE COMMON TOPIC AS THE NEIGHBORS METo IN THOSE DAYS WHOEV~R USED PEPPER ON THEIR FOOD HAD TO HAVE A PEPPER M!LL TO GRIND THE PEPPER lN. SOME ONE, MORE INVENTIVE THAN THE REST, OR PERHAPS DRIVEN BY N.ECESS1TY, TRIED THE EXPERIMENT OF GR!NDlNG CORN tN A PEPPER MILL AND MAKtNG A HOE CAKE Of THE MEAL. THIS LED TO THE UNIVERSAL PRACTICE AND THOS~ WHO HAD NO MILL BOUGHT THE LARGEST ONE THEY COULD FIND, THUS, INSTEAD OF ONE MILL THERE WERE MANY RUNNING ALL OVER THE SETTLEMENT AND THE MAN WHO HAD A FEW BUSH~LS Of CORN, RYE OR BUCKWHEA~ CONTENTED HIMSELF IN OPERATJNG THE MlLL AND TH£ fAMiLY LOOKED UPON THE FACT AS A FORTUNATE ONE AND ATE THE1R COARSE BREAD WITH RELISH. fOR FEAR THE READER MAY NOT GET.THE JDEA, J MUST GIVE HIM A DESCRlP'TtON OF THE BUCKWHEAT BREAD MANUFACTURE FIRST. THE GRAIN WAS INDlAN BUCKWHEAT, WHlCH HAS A TOUGH, YELLOW INS1DE LIN.NG TO THE HULL THIS HULLtS BITTER AND WHEN DRY, SO AS TQ BE GROUND IN THE PEPPER Mtll WOULD GRIND UP FINE AND WHEN SIFTED THE FLOUR WOULD LOOK YELLOW AND WHEN MABE INTO BREAD OR PANCAKES WOULD BE BOTH YELLOW AND BtTTER; YET IT WAS EATEN, IN MOST INSTANCES, WITH AS MUCH RELlSH AS A GOOD JOHNNY CAKE IS EATEN NOW. THiS CLOUD HUNG LlKE A PALL OVER THE PLACE FOR ABOUT TWO YEARS. WHEN MRo GEORGE-SHAW BOUGHT THE OLD MILL AND, TOGBTHER WITH HJS SON, ROBERT, THEN JUST STARTUNG OUT FOR HIMSELF, THEY PUT IN A NEW DAM, THE PEOPLE Of THE SETTLE~ENT ALL HELPING ON THE WORK, AFTER WHICH THE COFFEE MILLS WENT OUT Of fASHIONo THtS TIME THE CLOUD, THAT HAD CAST , SO DEEP A SH~DOW, LlFTEP NEYER TO SETTLE AGAIN OVER THE BR&AD DEST&NY Of THE PLACE. THIS MAY BE SAID TO BE THE LAST DISTRESSJNG EVENT EffECT!NG THE WHOLE PLACE, CASTING ITS PALL lN THE SHAPE Or A WOLF AT THE DOORo BUT OTHER CLOUDS HAVE ALSO CAST A SHADOW AND CAUSED GLOOM, Of WHICH MORE WILL BE SAJD HEREAFTER. -138- MITCHELL SABATTIS. M;TCHELL 5ABATT}S, THE SON OF OLD CAPTAIN PETER, MENTIONED !NA FORMER CHAP~ER, WAS, AT THE TlME OF THE BEG1NNING Of OUR NARRA- T3VE, A MERE YOUTHJ BUT f.NSTEAD Of MOVING AROUND WITH HIS TRIBE (THE 5To F~ANCiS) AFTER THE SETTLEMENT Of LONG LAKE BEGAN, LINGERED iN AND AROUND IT UNTiL HE WAS QUITE GROWN UP AND MADE HIMSELF AGREE ABLE TO MOST Of THE PEOPLE WITH WHOM HE WAS ASSOCIATED~ PRESENTLY IT WAS OBSERVED THAT HE FREQUENTED THE HOUSE OF MR. DoRNBURGH AND AFTER A WHILE ONE ·or THE DAUGHTERS Of MR. DoRNBURGH SEEMINGLY, FAVORE~ THE YOUNG $ON 0~ ·THE FORtSTo SOON A STORM AROSE tM THE FAMILY. OLD DAME DORNBURGH STOUTLY PROTESTING AGAINST SUCH LALIGAGGING. nBY DE GODS Of HEBENS, THAT LOOKS NICE. l"o KISS A BULL BEFORE l'o KijSS THAT BLACK cuss. THAT'~ wtt~T I wouLo." ~-- Bur, AS USUAL UN SUCH CASES, THE CRIStS. CAME. MtTCHELL AND .BESSY - ANN WERE MARRIED IN SPtTE OF THE OLD LADY'S STORM AND SHE DID STORM. WHEN THE FIRST BORN CAME TO GREET THEM THE OLD WOMAN GAVE VENT TO HER FEELfNGS AND SA-ID SOME THtNGS WE DARE NOT PUT lN HEREo WE WlLL LET !T PASS BY SAYING THAT MITCHELL, ALTHOUGH AN IND1AN, BORE ALL THESE TAUNTS AND ABSUES LIKE A MAN AND IN AFTER LIFE, WHEN ·THE WOMAN BECAME OLD, MITCHELL SUPPORTED AND CARED FOR HER AND ALSO FOR HER HUSBAND, WH!LE THEY LIVED; BOTH OF THEM DYING IN HIS HOME, AFTER A LONG PERiOO OF fEEBLENESSo WITH THE EXCEPTION OF A FEW YEARS, DURING WHICH TIME HE LIVED AT NEWCOMB, HE HAS LJVED AT LONG LAKE, WHERE HE STILL RESIDES, NOW FAR ADVANCED IN LIFE, AND FEEBLE 1N HEALTH. HE HAS TAKEN AN ACTIVE PART IN ALL THE MATTERS OF THE TowN, THE SAME AS ANY OTHER CITIZEN AND _ts UNIVERSALLY RESPECTED, NO ONE / EVER POtNTJNG AT HIM AS BENEATH THEM. HE HAS BEEN A MEMBER OF THE WESLYAN METHODIST CHURCH FOR MORE THAN THIRTY ~EAmS, WAS ONE Of lTS CH~Ef OFFICERS AND DID A GREAT DEAL iN RAISISNG-~ONEY TO BUITLD THEIR -139- CHURCH AT LONG LAKE. THEIR FAMILY CON~ISTS OF FOUR GROWN UP SONS, ONE OF THEM DECEASED, ALL MARRiED, EXCE T THE YOUNGEST. ALSO FOUR GIRLS, ALL GROWN UP, TWO HAVE MARRIED, ONE OF THEM~ IS DEAD. As A HUNTER MITCHELL HAS HAD NO EQUAL. His KNOWLEDG=E Or 'THE FOREST, AND THE HABITS OF THE WILD ANIMALS THAT ABOUND THEREIN, IS F1RST CLASSo HE 1·s A CRACK SHOT AND USUALLY HITS HlS MARK, BRINGING iN, AS EVIDENCE OF HIS POWERS, MORE GAME THAN ANY OTHER HUNTER or· THE TIMES IN THE REGION OF TAE ADIRONDACK •. MANY OF HIS EXPLOITS ARE REALLY EXCITINGJ ONLY ONE IS HERE RELATEQ AS IT IS UNDERSTOOD THAT SOME PARTIES ARE ~R;TSNG UP HIS LIFE. ABOU~ THE TIME HE MOVED BACK TO LONG LAKE HE.STRUCK THE TRACKS OF A COUPLE OF PANTHERS. HE STARTED IN PURSUIT WITH HIS DOG, A RlFLE AND A SMALL LUNCHJ HE FO.LLOWED HlS GAMEi,, DRIVING THEM INTO A CAVERN IN T H E MO U NT A I N , HE WAS ST U,D Y I NG W H I C H -WAS T H E BEST WAY T O G.ET T HEM · OUT WHEN HE HEARD A SCRA~CHING AND GROWLING ON A SHELF OVER HIS HEAD. BACKING OUT Of WHERE HE WA~ HE CAREFULLY WENT AROUND TO WHERE HE COULD I LOOK INTO A FISSURE IN THE ROCK, ABOUT TWO FEET WIDEJ THERE HE SAW THE PAIR IN CLOSE QUARTERS; NOT MANY FEET FROM HIM. HIS DOG WAS NEAR HIM, CROUCH!NG AND MAKING A LOW WHINE. HE FIRST GOT A QUANTITY OF BIRCH BARK AND, STRIKING A MATCH, RADE A ftRE IN THE FISSURE IN HOPES Of SMOK!NG THEM OUT. BUT, FAILING lN THAT, HE LAID OFF HIS PACK AND SNOWSHOES, CRAWLED INTO THE FISSURE WHERE HE COULD GET A SHOT AT THE PANTHERS, AND, LYING FLAT ON Hts BELL~~ Hts EYE ON THE SIGHT Of HIS GUN, HE TOOK GOOD Al~.AT THE HEAD OF ONE Of THE BRUTES, AS THEY LAY CLOSELY SNUGGLED TOGETHERo As SOON AS THE GUN CRACKED THERE WAS A STIR !N THE PANTHERS' QUARTER AND, AS THE SMOKE PREVENTED HIM FROM SEEING ANYTHaNG, M,rcHELL MADE A START TO GET OUT. Bur AT THE SAME TJME THE . PANTHERS MADE A RUSH FOR MORE ROOM AND, !N THEil FRIGHT, BLINDED BY SMOKE AND MADDENED BY THE WOUNDS, THEY D~D NOT ST$~ OR NOTICE MITCHELL, WHOM THEY KNOCKED HEAD OVER HEELS DOWN THE ROCKS INTO THE SNOW, BEFORE -140- HE COULD GET OUT OF THEIR WAY, HE SOON RIGHTED HIMSELF, RELOADED HIS R!FLE AND TOOK AFTER THE FUGITIVES, WHICH WERE EASILY TRACKED BY BLOOD. THE HOUND, USED TO HIS GAME, SOON TREED ONE or THEM, THE OTHER BEi.NG WOUNDED SO BADLY THAT HE COULD NOT CLIMB •. THE HUNT WAS SOON OVER AND BOTH PANTHERS LAY DEAD AT HlS FEET. As A STILL HUNiER Of DEER, HE WAS AS GOOD AS THE BEST, KILLING AS MANY AS SEVEN IN ONE DAY. HE HAS ALSO DONE QUITE A GOOD DEAL OF LUMBERING AND FOLLOWED OTHER--PURSUITS, THE SAME AS OTHER MEN, SOMETIMES GETTING TOGETHER QU{TE A COMFORTABLE PROPERTY. Bur, LIKE MOST OF HIS OW N R A C E ., A ND ·L I KE MANY WHO B OAS T O F BET T E R AN C ES T ORS ., HE AT T J MES GOT TEMPORARILY RICH AND WHEN l~ THAT! STATE DlMISHED WHAT HE HAD A.ND WHEN Hes BOYS GREW UP THEY WERE GIVEN TO RECKLESS ATTEMPTS AT PROSPERITY, ENGAGINC.tN SOME SCHEME THAT LOOKED LlKE A GOOD ONE BUT WHEN EXPER· iMENTED UPON WAS A FAILURE, iSo, IN HIS OLD AGE, HE tS IN POOR CIR CUMSTANCES AND, ASIDE FROM Hts TREASURE IN HEAVEN, HAS NOTHING TO SHOW FOR T HE HARE> WOR K H E HAS D ON E • HE I S O NE O F T H E BEST KNOW N GU I" DE S I N T H;I REGiON AND ENQUIRED AFTER MORE THAN MOST OF THE OTHERS. ARCHITECTURE. ARCHITECTURE or THE EARLY RESIDENCES WAS Of A KIND PECULIAR AND ESP£C~ALLY GOTTEN UP FOR THE~PLACE AND TIMES. A LOG BODY WAS USUALLY ROLLED UP ABOUT 20x26 FEET SQUARE; AND SIX AND A HALF FEET BETWEEN FLOOR AND OVERWAYS WAS CONSIDERED A GGOD HEIGHT. GENERALLY TWO OR THREE LOGS HiGH ABOVE THE FLOOR THE RAFTERS. BARK WAS PEELED OfF Of THE SPRUCE TREES WHILE STANDING THE PEELER, WITH AXE IN HAND., REACHEC AS HiGH AS HE COULD CUT A K~OTCHED LlNE AROUND THE TREE, ALSO ~IR~LtNG ·11 DOWN CLOSE AT THE BASE; THEN SPLlTTING THE BARK LENGTH~ISE, PROCEEDED TO SPUD OFF THE BARK W!TH A WOODEN SPUD. THESE SHEETS OF LEATHER-LIKE SIDE OF BARK. WERE PLACE THE LOWER :END ON THt POLE~/ OR LAST LOG ON THE TOP Of HOUSE, WITH THE UPPER END RESTING ON ONE OF THE RiBS, ABOVE DESCR:BTED, EACH BARK LAPPING ONTO THE LAST LAlD; WHEN THE -141- COURSE WAS flNISHED, THEN OTHER COURSE WAS BEGUN, LAYING THE LOWER END Of THE BARK ON THE UPPER ENO Of THE FIRST COURSE. G~NERALCY TWO COURSES REACHED TO W!THIN A COUPLE OF F(IT OF THE RIDGE, ~WHEN BOTH DISES WERE THUS LAID, THEN ONE Ti{R, BENT OVER THE RtDGE POLE, LAPPED ONTO THE LAST COURSE AND THE JOB WAS COMPLETE. THE GABL~S WERE SOME~ TIMES CLOSED lN THE SAME MANNER. THE SUMMER SUN ~HRUNK AND CRACKED THE BARK SO THAT ON CLEAR, COLD NIGHTS THE LOFT SLEEPERS AMµSEO THEMSELVES BY COUNTING THE STARS AND WATCHING THE MAN IN. THE MOON AS HE RODE, TR I UMP HANT LY i N H I S EXALT ED .;.S U' LV.ER T I PP ED CH AR t OT • lT WAS NOT AN UNCOMMON THlNG TO STEP INTO THE SN~W, WHEN GETTING OUT OF BED ~N THE MORNlNG AFTER A SNOWY NlGHT. FtRE PLAtES WERE THEN· FASHIONABLE BUT FOR MANY YEARS HAVE GONE OUT Of USE, AS WELL AS OUT OF POSSES!ON, UNTIL LATELY THERE SEEMS TO BE A DEStRE FO~ THEM BY SdME ' OF THE IMPROVED TYPE OF MODERN k~G-HOUSE BUILDERS, WHO, Jf THEY HAD ENJOYED THE PRIMITIVE WOULD HAVE NO DESIRE FOR MODERN Fl~EPLACES. BUT THE DESCRIPTION; ftRST, AT ONE END OT THE HOUSE THE HEARTH . CONSISTED Of GROUND, WITH ONE OR TWO STONES fO.R ANDIRONS; A BROAD CHiMNEY, WlDE AT THE BASE AND NARROW AT THE TOP, WITH HOLES BURNED lN HERE AND THERE TO ADMIT THE FRESH AtR. THEY HAD A FRESH AlR FLUE l~ ,. THOSE DAYS w,ERE THE FIRE WAS BUILTJ A LARGE LOG, THREE FEET LONG AND AS LARGE AS ONE OR TWO MEN COULD HANDLE, WAS LAID AT THE BACK, THEN SMALLER WOOD LAtD ON THE STONES UNTIL ONE-EIGHT OF A C~RD WAS CRACKING AND SNAPPlNG, S£NDING SHOWERS OF SPARKS UP THE CHIMNEY AND GLA~E AND HEAT OUT INTO THE ROOM BELOW. OVER SUCH A FIRE THE GOOD "HOUSE WtfE COOKED HER MEALS, BAKED BREAD, HEATED FLAT lRONS, BOt~ED HER WASHING AND AT NlGHT, BY ITS L!GHT, MENDED OR MADE, AS OCCASION REQUIRED. THE POOREST HOUS£ IN TOWN NOW IS BETTER THAN THE BEST WAS THEN. TELLING IT DOES NOT, IN THE LEAST, CONVEY AN ADEQUATE IDEA. 0F THE REALt-'TY.• \ THE MISERABLE HUTS WERE FORGOTTEN, FOR THE TIME BEING, BY T·HE MEN -142- WHEN AT THEtR OUTDOOR WORK OR ON THE CHASE; BUT THE POOR WOMAN AND [fTTLE CHILDREN WERE KEPT IN MEMORY OF THE BENEFIT Of SMOKE AND ASHES WHEN WINDY, AND fREEZlNG ONE SIDE WH[LE THEY TURNED THE OTHER TO THE FtRE TO WA~Mo !N THE SUMMER BLACK FLIES, MOSQUITOES, KNATS AND DEER fL;ES KEPT UP SUCH A CONSTANT BOMBARDMENT THAT SMOKE, TO SUFFOCATE . THEM, HAD TO BE ENDURED SO THAT LIFE COULD BE MADE BEARABLE. AFTER TWO OR THREE YEARS OF SUCH TREATMENT THE INSIDE OF THE HOUSE WAS MUCH BETTER LOOKING SMOKE HOUSE THAN A DECENT ~WELLtNG FOR PEOPLE TO LtVE • I N • SOM E R EA D E R MA Y ASK "W HT D I D 1 H E Y N OT W H IT E WASH T HE I NS l DE O f .. THE~R HOUSES? 11 FOR THE REASON THAT THEY CORKED THE CRACKS BETWEEN THE LOGS WlTH MOSS, THAT 4S TO SAY, THEY HAD NO L1ME AND tT WOULD HAVE BEEN HEAVY STUFF TO CARRY IN PACKS FOR SUCH HOUSES AND tN THE· DEAO OF WlN~ TER, TOO, CHILDREN WERE BORN AND THE AoJRONDACKONtANS WERE RAtSED AND A f T E R A W H I L E CAM E T O GET BET T ER FAR E UN T. l L ON L Y '.' T H E t MP RO V I DEM T S EE M TO BE DEST~TUTE OF THE NECESSARIES OF LIFE. CHURCHES. IN THE SUMMER OF 1843 REv. JOHN loDD, D.D.-oF P1TTSftELO, MAss., WHILE EXPLORtNG THE WILDERNESS IN COMPANY WtTH A MR. ------~ Of ELIZABETHTOWN, AS GUIDE, PREACHED THE FtRST SERMON TO THE PEOPLE OF LONG LAKE SETTLEMENT •. ·HE RETURNED THE NEXT SEASON, PREACHED AGAtN AND ORGAffl1ZED A CHUR~ij, ARRANGED TO BUILD A CHURCH EDIFICE AND WHEN HE WENT HOME HE COLLECTED A GOOD CHURCH LIBRARY AND A SABBAT~- SCHOOL .AND YOUNG PEOPLES' LIBRARY AND SENT tT TO THE PLACE, fREE OF CHARGE. 'HE ALSO SENT THEM A MINISTER, ONLY ASKING THE "PEOPLE TO HEAR HI~. EACH B OOK WAS LA B E L E D ~r F l RS T CO NGR E GA T I ON AL CH UR C H OF LO NG LA K E • " THE PEOPLE DID NOT GET UP THE FRAME FOR THE HOUSE AND IT NEVER WAS BU!LT, WH~CH WAS A GREAT GRIEF TO THE DOCTOR. AFTER DR~ Tooots / EFFORTS CEASED TH~RE WAS NO CHURCH OR RELIGIOUS SERVICES IN THE PLACE UNTIL THE AUTUMN Of 1855. Wo W. ALDEN, A 'L t CENT I AT. E, A~ D JOHN LAPEL L, AND EXHORTER I N THE -143- WESLEYAN METHODIST CHURCH, CAME AND COMMENCED HOLDING PROTRKCTED MEETINGS, ON THEIR OWN MOTION. THEIR MOTION, BEtNG A PRACTICAL ONE, Goo SECONDED IT BY A VERY MAN I FEST OUTPOUR 1 NG Of Hl:S SP.I RlT. A CHURCH WAS SOON ORGANIZED AND OFFICERS ELECTED-, AND THE FIRE ~AS NEVER GONE OUT ON THIS ALTER. A GOOD HOUSE OF WORSHIP WAS BUILT IN 1863-4. - EVERY MAN IN TowN,"AT THAT TIME, EXCEPT ONE, CONTRIBUTED TO THE BUILD~ ING FUND, SUMS FRQM SEVENTY-FIVE CENTS TO AS MANY DOLLARS. LYSANDER HALL, THE SMALLEST CONTRIBUTOR, ROBERT SHAW THE LARGEST AND WILLIAM F u_ R G U~ 0 N N OT PA Y I NG A NY T H I NG • Mo ST. 0 F T HE FUN DS WE R E RA l S E D BY OUT - SIDE DONATIONS, DR. Tooo BEING ONE OF THE LARGEST CONTRIBUTORS. A CLOCK-~ NOW ON DUTY IN THE CHURCH, BEARS HIS NAME~ IT BEING A ~IFT FROM FROM HIS MISSION SUNDAY SCHOOL. COLLECTIONS WERE MADE IN NEW YORK, PHILADELPHIA ANO IN ALMOST EVERY CITY OF NOTE lN THE EAST, AND THE HOUSE WAS BUILT AND DEDICATED FREE or CHARGE. MANY·or THE EMINZNT DIVINES OF ALL THE CITIES CONTRIBUTING TO ITS ERECTION HAVE PREACHIN THE HOUSE. IT HAS BEEN AND STILL 1S A POWER FOR GOOD TO THE PLACE AND I IN SUMMER IT CAN NOT COMFORTABILY SEAT THOSE IN ATTENDANCE, ESPECIALLY WHEN SUCH P8EACHERS AS DR. Du~YEA, DR. BUSHNELL, DR. KEMPS~ALL, DR. CATTELL AND MANY OTHERS or THE SAME KIND, HAVE _CHARGE or THE MEETINGS ' . AND WHO, ALSOST EVERY SEASON, SPEND SOME TIME AT OR NEAR THE PLACE. D. DURYEA AND DR. CATTELL HAVE EACH a SPLENDID CAMP, WITH NECESSARY OUT BUILDINGS, ON THE LAKE AND HAVE THE CONFIDENCE AND RESPECT Or THE PEOPLE, OFTEN PREACHING IN THE LITTLE CHURCH ON THE HILL AND MIKGLING WITH THEM lN PICNICS ETC., GIVJNG COU~CIL AND SUCH ADVICE AS THEY THINK PROPER, AND WHETHER CORRECTION~ INSTRUCTION OR ADMONITION, IS GREATFULLY RECEIVED. WHEN THE CHURCH WAS FIRST ORGANIZED THERE W£RE ABOUT FORTY-SEVEN / MEMBERS; IT HAS NOT RISEN MUCH ABOVE THAT NOMBER. Mosr OF TH£ CHARTER MEMBERS ARE DEAD, SOME HAVE MOVED AWAY AND ONLY FOUR NOW RESIDEtl IN THE PLACE. THESE ARE ROBERT 5ijAW AND WIFE, AND JOHN LAPELL AND -144- WIFE. MosT OF THE PEOPLE RES10,NG HERE IN THE PAST HAVE BEEN AWAKENED AND HAVE BELONGED TO THE CHURCH AT SOME PERIOD SINCE IT ORGANIZATION. IT NOW HAS ABOUT THE ORIGINAL NUMBER, IT BEING THE ONLY CHURCH ORGAN IZATION IN THE TowN. POLITICALLY. POLITICALLY., THE TOWN WAS DEMOCRATIC FROM ITS FIRST ORGANIZATION UNTJL 1856. Ar THE BIRTH OF ·THE REPUBLICAN PARTY CYRUS H. KELLOGG WAS THE LEADING STAR OF THE DEMOCRATS AND STRUCK OUT IN THE FREMONT AND------CAMPAIGN TO DEFEAT THE NEW PARTY. ROBERT SHAW, UP TO THAT TIME) WAS ABOLITION IN HIS PRINCIPLES, BUT, LIKE MOST OF THAT STRIPE OF MEN, HAILED THE NEW PARTY AS OFFERING HALF A LOAF, WHICH THEY CONSIDERED BETTER THAN NO BREAD, ANO HAVING TAKEN A HAND IN POLITICS STRUtK OUT io·R fREMONT AND THE REPUBLICAN PARTY. AT PlCNICS . . AND OTHER GATHERINGS ABOUT HOUSES HE OFTEN HELD FORTH IN ~EFENSE OF T HE O P PR E S E D A ND T HE· CA US E 0 F T H E S L A V E A N D B E . I T SA I D , T O H l S .. C R E D I T , WHEN THE VOTES WERE COUNTED ON ELECTION NIGHT OREMONT WAS AHEAD. THE TOWN HAS NEVER FAILED TO RUN UP A LARGE REPUBLICAN MAJORITY SINCE THEN; ON THE ELECTION OF GENERAL GRAW~, THE SECOND Tl~E, THERE WAS NOT ONE DEMOCRATIC BALLOT FOR EITHER ELECTORIA~ OR STATE ~ICKET, AND, OWING, TO THE SAME ENERGY PUT FORTH, NO LICENSES WERE ISSUED TO SELL RU~. PEDDLERS AND OTHER VENDERS OF DRINK KEPT SHY Of ~R6B" SHAW., AS THEY CALLED HIM.· Bur TIMES WERE CHANGING. THE STRONGEST DOG HAS HIS DAY, THE RULE Of THE MONARCH WHO LIVES COMES TO AN END; THE STRONGEST GRASP HAS TO RELAX. A BRIEF RECOUNT OF HISTORY, QF THE CHANGES AND TH~~R CAUSE, WILL NOT BE AMISS HERE. SAGAMORE. lN 188 HENRY O0RNBURGH AND SoN, WtLL!AM, BEGAN TO PUT UP A I LARGE HOTEL ON., WHAT WAS THEN CALLED, BLUFF POINT, SITUATED ON- THE SOUTH EAST SHORE OF LONG~LAKE, AT THE L0WER_END Of THE UPPER BIG BAY. Bur, THEIR MEANS RUNNING SHORT, THE WORK D{D NOT PROGRESS VERY MUCH. -145- THEY AT LAST ENLISTED[. BUTLER, OF AMSTEDVILLE, IN THE ENTERPRISE AND F i NA L ~•Y SOL Q OUT TO H I M. MR • 8 UT LE R F I N I SHED THE HOUSE AND FURNISHED tT; RAN IT A FEW YEARS, UNTIL IT FINALLY BURNED DOWN. MR, BUTLER HAD INVESTED ALL IN THE HOUSE AND HE FELT THE LOSS SERVERLY THE LITTLE INSURANCE ONLY PAID THE LEIN ON THE PROPERTY AND MR. BUTLER WAS HELPLESS. HERE BEGAN THE FIRST SCHEME. TO EXTORT MONEY FROM THE TOWN FOR PERSONAL AGGRANDIZEMENT. MR. BUTLER, WHlLE HE RAN THE HOUSE, KEPT LIQUOR AND AT TIMES ALLOWED HtS PLACE TO BE TURNED ~NT0 A BROTHEL MR. S~AW, AS HAD BEEN HIS DESIRE~ TRIED TO PRESERVE THE REPUTATION Of THE TOWN F0~ SOBRIETY, TALKED WITH MR. BUTLER ABOUT THE MATTER. rtW E L l ./" MR • · BUT L E R W OU ~ D~ SA Y ~ n I D ON t- T l NT E ND E D T O HA VE S UC H .. W O R KS ., ( A.M S O R ~ Y , A N D I S HA L l HA V E N O M O R E O f I T • tt • THEN WHEN MR~ SHAW HAD GOME Ht WOULD NOD IN A WISE WAY TO THE BOYS AND SA_J. nl TOLD THE DOMlNIE A GOOD STORY, BOYS KEEP QUIET." ANO.THUS THINGS WEN1 ON UNTIL, IN A DRUNKEN ROW ON DECEMBER 28, 1891., THE ,··• HOUSE CAUGHT FIRE AND THE GANG PRESENT WERE UNFIT TO PUT 1T OUT. THE PROMISE TO SHAW BECAME A FACT., HE HELD UP. MR. BUTLER HAD- A ~L.\ - CLASS Of MEN WHO HAD BEEN T lPPL ING ·OVER HIS BAR AND WERE READY TO l. :s.· LISTEN TO HIS SUGGESTION TO HAVE THE TOWN VOTE HIM $12.,000 TO PUT tNTi A NEW HOUSE, ASSURlNG THEM IF HE COULD GET THAT MUCH HE COULD ~ET THE LUMBER HIMSELF AND $12,000 WOULD DO THE WORK Of BUILDING THE NEW HOUS THE SCHEME WAS LAUNCHED AT ONCE; REWARDS, PROMISES AND P0SPECTIVE· GAINS WERE ALL T"HE TALK UNTIL THE TowN MEETING. MR. SHAW, WHEN HIS ATTENT l ON WAS CALLED TO IT, S~_I D, "O, FUDGE, THAT WON1-T C~RRY; IT IS ILLEGAL· ANYWAY. THE TOWN HAS N0 M0 NE Y T O G I VE AW A Y A ND I F I T HA D I T W0 UL D B E ON A PA R R\. W I T H L 0 C A L LEGISLATION." MEANWHILE THE SCHEMERS WERE NOT IDLE AND WHEN THE TOWN MEETING WAS HELD VOTES TO BUILD A TOWN HALL WERE QUITE PLENTY BUT FAILED TO -146- BE THE REQUIRED NUMBER. NEVERTHELESS, THE SCHt~MERSWERE NOTT~ BE FO:LED. BUTLER, AS IS CUSTOMARY tN SUCH DEALS, BEGAN TO APPEAL TO THE SYMPATHY OF THE PE OP L E • 0 NE AFTER ANOTHER S l G·N ED A PET 1 T I ON T 0 THE LEG ! SLAT VRE, BUT FA l L l NG THE R. E ONLY ONE TT 1-i l NG SEEM E O TO OFFER AS A LAST RESORT. BUTLER HAD THE SUPERVISOR, MR. 0. [. BOYDEN, WON OVER TO HIS SIDE, FOR HE SAW A PROBABLE CHANCE TO MAKE A LlTTLE MONEY AND WAS READY TO DO WHAT HE COULD TO FAVOR 6Uft~~ 1 S CAUSE; PROVIDING THAT t~RTAIN PARTIES IN TowN WOULD ALSO CONSENT. IN KEEPING WITH THIS IDEA A PAPER WAS PASSED QUIETLY AROUND, PURPORTlNG TO BE A PETITlON ASK.NG THE SUPERVISOR TO CONVENE THE BOARD Of SUPPERVISORS OF ~HE COUNTY FOR THE PURPOSE Of BUILDING A TOWN HA(L, ETC. As lN THE PREVIOUS ATTEMPTS, THlS ALSO SEE~ TO HANG FIRE. l T D 1 D NOT ,WORK. THE .SUP~RVtStiR FOUND, BY TALKING TO MR. SHAW, THAT HE WAS THE MAN THAT WAS BLOCKING THEIR WAY ANO HAD DONE IT tNDlRECTLY AT BOTH TOWN ANO LEGISLATURE. MR. BOYDEN, AFTER GETTING THE SECRET, WENT TO BUTLER AND TOLD Of HIS DlSCOVERY. AFTER _A f EW DAYS 8 UT LE R, WHO 1 NT ENDED TO R I DE OVER· MR ~ SHAW:, ' W H O M H E . ·K N E W WA S O P P OS E D T O T H E S C H E M E :, C A~ E T O T HAT G. E N T L E Mi N :, CALLED HIM TO ONE SIDE AND C NFESSED WHAT HE THOUGHT SMAW DID NOT KNOW; BUT MR. SHAW SOON DISABUSED HIS MIND OF THE THINGS HE SUPPOSED WERE KNOWN ONLY TO HIMSELF. II n N Ow· ,,.n S A YS 8 UT L E R I A M H E R E T O AS K\'. Y OU I f Y O U C A N NOT H E L P ME ! N T H I S MATT ER :, T O: AT' . L E AST L ET GO OF I T • LET l T AL ONE , ·t-0 R _ I DO . KNOW THAT YOU HAVE AND CAN BLOCK IT~ . . THEN SUTLER PRODUCED THE PAPER ABOVE REFERRED TO, ON WHICH WERE THE NAMES OF THE MEN WHO HAD SIGNED FOR THE CALLING Of THE BOARD or SUPERVISORS TOGETHER, AND THE PURPOSE Of THE MEETING. MR. SHAW WAS t SURPRISED AND DlSGU~TED FOR THERE WERE NAMES Of MEN WHO HAD PRtTENDED TO BE UTTERLY ·oPPOSED TO THE THING. BUTLER AGAIN BEGGED SHAW TO TAKE HlS HANDS OFF or THE THING SAYING THAT f"HEN HE COULD WORK IT OUT ALL -,4,- RIGHT, MAKING OFFERS THAT, TO SOME MEN, WOULD HAVE BEEN CONSIDERED AN OBJECT. "WELL, MR. BUTLER, AM SURPRISED. I WILL SAY TO YOU RIGHT NOW, THAT YOU CAN NOT STIR ME ONE BIT BY OFFERS OF ANY KIND. LET ME HAVE TWENTY-FOUR HOURS TO INVESTIGA~E, THEN COME HERE TO ME AND J WILL TELL YOU WHETHER I W1 LL t::tT GO OF 1 T OR NOT. ( THANK YOU, MR •. BUT L ER , FOR YOUR FRANK ADMISSION ANO AM PLEASED THAT YOU RECOGNIZE ME ~SA LIV ING FACTO~.n THE TA L K WAS I N T HE FR E I G HT R O OM O F S H~ WS S T OR E AND R .AT HE R l AT E. I N T H E1 g~ENING. :SHAW SOON LOCKED UP THE ROOM AND WE~T TO BED, BUT SLEEP SEEM FAR FROM HIM. "I AM ALONE lN THIS MATTER. AND HAVE THOSE ME~ ACTUALLY SIGNED THAT PAPER?" HE THOUGHT OVER AND OVER AGAIN, AS HE TOSSED ON HIS BED~ Fl~ALLY HtS WIFE ASKED, "RoBE~T, WHAT IS THE MATTER?" I "NOTHING, ONLY I AM NO SLEEPY." THE NEXT DAY AS FAST AS A MAN APPEARED WHO$E NAME HE HAD SEEN ·oN THAT PAPER, HE CALLED THEM TO ONE SIDE, UNTIL HE SATISFIED HIMSELF lHAT THEY HAO ACTUALLY SIGNED THE PAPER. To SOME HE TQ~D WHAT HE THOUGHT OF THEM, OTHERS HE ONLY ASKED WHl~THEY HAD NOT TOLD HtM THAT THEY HAD CHANGtD THEIR MINDS. FINALLY HIS BROTHER WILLlAM CAME IN. HE HAD NOT s·1GNED BUT HE SOON CALLED... HIM INTO THE BACK ROOM. THAT }. GENTLEMAN.TOLD HIM MORE THAN BUTLER OR THE PAPER HAD REVEALED. "WHY," SAlD WILLIAM, "THEY ARE BLAMING YOU AS THE CAUSE Of THEIR NOT BE I NG ANY HOTEL IN TOWN ANO CURS I NG YOU FOR YOUR UNDERHANDED. WAY Of PREVE~T-ING THE SCHEME BEING CARRJED OUTJ AND IF I WERE YOU f WOULD NOW LET lT'GO., 'THEY WILL LEARN LATER ON." nyES, BUT TOO LATE," HE REPLIED. WHEN MR. ·SHAW OPENED THE STORE AFTER SUPPER HE FOUND MR. BUTLER ON THE STEPS WAITING. AFTER LIGHTtNG UP AND ATTENDiNG TO A f£W -148- CUSTOMERS HE CALLED MR. SHAW INTO THE BACK ROOM. SHAW'~ SPEECH TO BUTLER ON THAT OCCASlON lS NOT lN PRlNT. BUTLER MlGHT GIVE SKETCHES OF ~T BUT, WHEN. AT LAST SHAW SAlD., lN A TONE OF DEEP EMOTlON., 11 MR. BUTLER, TH!S IS THE FlRST TlME I EVER TOOK MY HANDS OFF OF ANY UNDERTAKlNGo l AM AFRAlD OF MY SANlTY; I AM DlSGUSTED AND AM COMMENCING TO BE RECKLESS. l DON 1 T CARE WHAT lS DONE; lF BOYDEN HAS ~OLD OUT AND WANTS TO TRY HlS HAND AT THIS KIND OF WORK-\ LET GO OF IT. ! WILL NOT LEND ANY AlD TO lT AND AM.OPPOSED .TO.THE WHOLE THlNG BUi~oo NOT CARE TO BE THE ONLY-MA~ IN TOWN AND GET CURSED AND BLAMED BY. THEM. No, ! AM DONE." MR. BUTLER, ALMOST lN TEARS, OFFERED SHAW HIS HAND, THANKING HIM FOR THE GREAT KlNDNESS. THE MEETING WAS CALLED, THE NECESSARY RESOLUTlONS PASSED AND THE TOWN BONDtD FOR .TWELVE .THOUSAND DOLLARS. ·BONDS SOLD AND THE HOUSE, BY REASON THEREOF, BEGAN TO GROW. THE SUMMER.OF 1890 WAS QUITE A .BUSY ONE ~lTH BUTLER AND HlS CARPENTERS lN GETTING UP THE FRAME AND GETTlNG iT COVERED AND EXCLOSED. TOWARDS FALL, HOWEVER, THERE BEGAN TO BE TALK t~AT BUTLER WAS GOlNG TO GET A LOAN AND MORTGAGE THE PROPERTY F O R M E A NS - T O F l N i S H T H E H O U S E • SE V ER A-L N O T E D M E N ., W H O H A D B E E N GU ES TS OF 80TLER'S PROMISED ASSISTANCE, SOME MORE, SOME LESS, AS THEY FELT THEY COULDo WHEN WlNTER CAME THE HOUSE HAD AN OUT SIDE BUT NO INSlDEo MRo BUTLER MADE SEVERAL TRIPS TO D!FFERENT PARTS AND WHEN HE RETURNED USUALLY ANSWERED !N VERY ENCOURAGlNG LANGUAGE, WHEN ASKED AS TO THE SUCCESS Of GETTlNG H!S LOANS PERFECTED, SAYlNG THE WORK WOULD START ~N THE SPRlNG, AS SOON AS ~TWAS WARM ENOUGH TO WORK.WITHOUT Fl RE. [ARLY iN MARCH IT WAS REPORTED THAT MR. BUTLER WAS AT HOME SlCK. DOCTORS WERE SENT FOR; THEY CAME AND WENT. MR. SUTLER DID NOT GET BETTER, THEY SAID HE WAS WORN OUT BY.THE lNCESSANT TOIL -Of THE PAST -14.g- THREE MONTHS, NERVOUS PROSTRATION, [TC. ETC. MR. SHAW, BEING A BUSY MAN, DID NOT GO TO SEE HIM FOR SOMETIME, BUT KEPT POSTED BY INQUIRY, BUT FINALLY ONE SABBATH AFTERNOON . HE WENT TO SEE HIM. HE HAD QUITE A TALK WITH HIM, S80KE ENCOURAGINGLY AND WHEN HE· LEFT MR. BUTLER THANKED HIM KINDLY AND ASKED HIM TO COME AGAIN. 11 COM E S O ~ E W E E K DA Y ., I W 0 UL D -~ ·t KE T 0 HA VE A TA L K W t T H Y O U • n THE NEXT TIME MR. SHAW WEijT THERE HE FOUND THE PRttST THERE, PRE PARlNG HIM FOR WHAT MIGHT COME. MR. BUTLER TRIED ·ro CQ~VEY TO SHAW THAT THERE WAS NO IMPORTANCE TO THE ATTACHED TO THE FACT THAT THE PRIEST HAD BEEN THERE ANYMORE THAN THAT HE HAD BEEN THERE. "THAT IS ALL WELL ENOUGH, BUT-" DR • 8 I R CH OF AMS T E D V l LL E W ~ S AL S O T HE f£ A ND ~'.ti T ~ E)~ f S S ON- I N-~ LAW .· THE SON-IN-LA¥ CALLEO SHA~ INTO ANOTHER PART OF THE ioUSE AND A CON SULTATION WAS HELD. THEY B0Ttt:TH0UGHT ~UTLER WAS N~RV0US F~OM HIS LONG TRIPS, ~LEEPLESS NIGHT~, CONSEQUENT TO SUCH WORK AS HE HAD BEEN DOING., E.TC. SH AW · H EAR D T H E M T HR OU G H T H E N l N A CAN D I D , P OS lT I V E MAN.NE. R SA l D ., n D'o C T OR , Y OU HA V E N l T G OT T H E W H OL E 0 F I T ; I T l S T R U E H E HA S SPENT THE FALL AND WlNTER AS YOU SAY, BUT THAT lS NOT THE CAUSE OF HIS PRESENT. SlCKNESS. I WILL WAGER YOU A HORSE THAT IF YOU ASSURE HIM THAT YOU KNOW WHERE HE CAN GET A LOAN OF FIFTEEN THOU$AND DOLLARS, WITH WHICH TO FINISH HIS HOUSE, HE WILL BE UP AND ABOUT THE HOUSE IN A WEEKo" "I THIN£$, MR. SHAW., YOU ARE RIGHT." "I KNOW f AM RIGHT. I DIAGNOSED THIS CASE THE FIRST TIME ( CAME TO SEE HIM." SH~W WENT HOME. WHEN MR. CRONAN CAME PAST HE CALLED SHAW TO THE DOOR SAYING, "BUTLER WANTS YOU~TO COME. AND SEE HIM AS SOON AS YOU CAN CON VENIENTLY DO so." -150- WHEN MR. SHAW AGAIN ENTERED THE ROOM WHERE BUTLER WAS, HE RAtSES UP IN BED, REACHED HiS HAND AND SHOOK IT HEARTILY, SAYING, nHAVE A SEAT." A CHAIR BEING AT THE HEAD OF THE BED SHAW TOOK IT AS .BUTLER MOTIONED TO IT. AFTER SOME REMARKS AS TO HtS CASE, CAUSES, TEC. MR. BUTLER BEGAN BY FINDING FAULT WITH SOME OF THE PARTlES FROM WHOM HE EXPECTED MONEY, OR INFLU~NCE tN GETTl~G MONEY TO FINISH HlS HOUSE AND FRANKLY, ~ FOR THE FIRST TlME, CONFESSED THAT HE HAD GlVEN UP ALL HOPE AND HAD NO PROSPECTS Of GETTING MONEY FROM ANY SOURCE WITH WHICH TO FlNlSH THE HOUSE •. "WELL REALLY, THAT IS TOO BAD, THERE 1S LOTS or MONEY IN.THE COUNTRY, SEEMS AS THOUGH YOU OUGHT TO FIND ENOUGH TO COMPLETE THIS HOUSE." "WELL, MR. SHAW, THE~OUGHT STRUCK ME THAT I HAD OVERLOOKED THE VERY MAN THAT COULD HELP M.E, AND THE ONE, WHO, IF HE SAID HE WOULD D O A L L H E C O UL D , I C O UL D D E P E ND . 0 N l T • NOW , MR • S HA·w , 1 F Y OU W1 L L TAKE HOLD OF THtS TffllNG ANO DO THE BEST YOU CAN, I BELIEVE IN MY HEART YOU WILL ACCOMPLISH IT. IF YOU WlLL TRY I SHALL BE GLAD. AND EVER REGARD YOU AS MY TRUE FRIEND. I ALMOST KNOW YOU CAN RAtSE THE MON E Y F O R ME I F Y O U W l L L T"R Y • ( WlLL PAY YOU FOR THE TlME AND EXPENSE WHETHER YOU ACCOMPLISH ANYTHING OR NOT; BUT I KNOW YOU WILL GET IT, I FEEL IT IN MY BONES. WILL YOU TRY?" • "WELL, MR. BUTLER, I SHOULD BE GLAD TO DO ANYTHl~G FOR YOU THAT I C0ULDo I WILL THINK OF IT FOR A DAY OR TWO AND WILL TBEN COME AND TALK WITH YOU AGAIN, WHEN YOU ARE A LITTLE STRONGER. HAVE GOOD I COURAGE AND GET ON YOUR FEET AND THEN I WILL SEE you AGAIN." !~ELL, MRo SHAW, I FEEL BETTER ALREADY, JUST FROM TAt&ING WITH 11 YOU. COME OFTEN •. Gooo BYE. THE NEXT TIME MR. SHAW SAW HlM HE WAS SITTING IN A ROCKING CHAIR IN HIS NIGHT c·LOTHES• OR BED ATTIRE, AND HE SAlD HE FELT A LITTLE -153- WENT HOME, SAYING TO HlMSELt, niF TH!S NEW SCHEME FALLS THR.0tlGH I AM DONE WtTH lT.n IT DlD FALL THROUGH AND FOR THE SAME REASON TMAT THE GLENS FALLS MEN REFUSED TO LOAN THElR MONEY. WHEN MR. BUTLER LEARNED OF HIS SECOND. FAILURE HE FAIRLY GROAkED AND lN A FEW ·oAYS IT COULD BE SEEN THAT H£ WAS GOING DOWN AGAIN. IN A FEW DAYS MR. BUTLER CAME INTO 5HAW 1 S STORE; SAYING. n MR • S HAW ~ i HA V E T H 0 U G HT OF ONE M OR E C. HA N t E A ND J. F E EL Q U I T E -n SURE THAT YOU WILL SUCCEED THERE~ "lr IS MR. HOE OF NEW YORK. HE HAS THE MOMEY AND l BELIEVE YOU~ ARE THE RiGHT MAN TO GET IT. HE KNOWS YOU AND HAS A GOOD OPlNtON or you." "WHAT COULD I DO t·N THE P·RESEMCE OF· S-UCH A. MERCHANT PR.l NCE A-S MR .. 8 UT L E R ·1 NS 1 S T E D ON T H 1 S ON E MOR E AT T EMPT' AND ·1 F J-t E FA I l ED lN THIS HE PROMtSED TO RELEASE HlM FROM FURTHER OBLIGATION. SHAW F l NA l L Y C ON & "El NT E D T 0 MAK E T H E AT T EMPT .• MR. SHAW ONCE M-ORE SET OUT FOR NEW YORK. HE HAD SEEN MR. HOE 0NL A COUPLE OF TtMES AND FOR HIM TO PRESENT H1MSELr TO MR. HoE, !N QUEST 0 f M O N E Y !J T O . T H E A M O UN T O F $1 5 , 000 'W t T H W H -l C H T O C OM PL E T E A S UM M E R RESORT JN AN OUT-Of-THE- WAY PLACE LtKE LONG LAKE, FORTY-TWO MlLES FROM A RAILROAD, SEEMED RATHER AN lMPOSlTlON AND HIS HOPES DIED OUT MORE THAN ONCE ON THE JOURNEY. BUT FINALLY HE STOOD ON THE APP~OACH TO.THE ENTRANCE OF 504 GRAND STREET, NEW YORK CITY. JT SEEMED HE HkD NEVER ENTERED SUCH A CON- SPICU0US BUStNESS PLACE, A.ND OH, HOW SMALL HE TELT~ HE CAME NEAR ,.,. / T UR N I NG . -~WAY BUT HA LT ED ., T HOUGH T , HE s:lT ATE D AND F IN.ALLY ENT ERE D • HE -~is SOON INFORMED THAT M~. HOE COULD NPT BE SEEN UNTIL TWO o'cLOCK , - IN THE A~TERN0ON. T. HE D JS A f:' PO I NT M ENT SE EM ED ~TO BE A R E L~LE F : l T GAVE -154- MORE TiME, !TWAS L!KE POSTPONING AN EXECUTION. ' Two P~M~ FOUND MR •. SHAW AGA!N BEFORE THE GREAT EDlF,cE, DREADING ~O ENTER., BUT WAS SOON SEATED BEFORE MR. HOE. AFTER A FEW COMMON-PLACE c;V!l~TlES_, MR. HOE ENQU!RED HIS BUS!°NESS. IN AS FEW WORDS AS HE COULD ~ HE HOLD MRo HOE THAT MR. BUTLER HAD GOTTEN HlS NEW HOTEL UP ANO ENCLOS- ED, UPON.THE SAME SlTE AS THE ONE THAT 8URNED A FEW VEAR BEFORE; THAT HE HAD A GOOD FRAME AND IT WAS ON A .GOOD FOUNDATION, BUT THAT HE WAS STUCK FOR LACK .OF MEANS;_ THAT HE HAD HAD BEEN DlSAPPOlNTED BY. SOME-.WHO .HAD EN CO UR AG E D H ~ M T O B t G ! N T H E S T R UC T U R E AND GO AS f AR AS H E . C OU L D AM D ,·T HEN .THEY :woULD HELP H~M.OUTJ.THAT MRo BUTLER HAD THE SJTE, COVERING THlRTY ACRES OF LAND, ON WH~CH THE HOUSE WAS SlTUATED, WHlCH1 WlTH THE BUlLDlNGS ALREADY ON IT, WAS WORTH AT LEAST.TEN THOUSAND DOLLARS; HE ALSO ~AD ANOTHER .FARM NEAR THE HOTEL WORWH A THOUSAND .D-OLLARS; ALSO SEVERAL HUNDRED ACRES OF ·wlLD LAND, ON .WHlCH HE WOULD GIVE A FIRST MORTGAGE-TO S E C UR· E MR ~ HO E F OR T H E MON E Y • · ME HO E L 1 S T E N E D UN T l L MR •. SH AW HAD F l N l S H·- ED TREN SA!D., "1 DO NOT CARE FOR SUCH INVESTMENTS~" "WELL," SAlD MRo SHAW, "I REALLY WISH YOU COULD DO IT• ·THE PLACE NEEDS THE HOUSE; lT WlLL BE A SOURCE Of PROFlT TO THE POOR PEOPLE TH£RE AS WELL AS RAiSlNG THE PRICE Of PROPERTY THERE, ANO YOU HAVE SOME PROPER TY THERE AND ARE ABLE TO HAVE MORE.n MR~HOE, AS if BEiNG PERSUADED, SAlD, nWHO SHALL I DO THIS TO PLEASE?n SH A~ ANSWER E D , "TO ·p LE AS E.. MQ.... -6 UT LE R o n H!S QU!CK R£PLY WAs,nl DON 1 T CARE FOR HIM" nTHEN DO IT TO PLEASE ME,"MR.SHAW ANSWERED. MR~HOE RANG A BELL AND A MESSENGER AT ONCE APP~ARED. CALL THE STENOGRAPHER AND HE SOQN APPEARED AND SAT, AWA!TING ORDERS. SOON MRo HOE BEGAN MAK!NG PROPOSlTlONS TO THE EFFECT· THAT MR. -155- SHAW WAS TO INVESTlGATE THE TITLES, CLOSE OFF ALL FORMER LIENS AND FURN!SH HlM W~TH A SEARCH ETC. AND WHEN HE WOULD COME SO ARMED AS TO CONVINCE MRo HOE THAT ALL WAS RIGHT, MR. SHAW BRINGING A MORTGAGE AND BOND ALL EXECUTED, MR. HOE WOULD G!VE HlM HIS CHECK FOR flVE THOUSAND DOLLARS AND WHEN MR. BUTLER HAD SPENT THAT SUM.ON THE ~OUSE TREN MR . . HOE WOULD SEND H!M ANOTHER Fi VE THOUSAND AND ALSO THE SAME lN .REGARD TO THE LAST FIVE THOUSAND. MR •. SHAW ACCEPTED THE PROPOSlTlON AND WHEN THREE C◊PlES OF THE PROPOSAL HAD BEEN.TYPEWR\TTEN MR. SHAW TOOK A COUPLE OF THEM AND THANKED MR. HOE HEARTlLY.- ·HASTENING TO-LONG LAKE HE AT ONCE . . SET ABOUi, flXlNG UP THE CONDlTONS OF THE PROPOSAL AND IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGAIN APPEARED BEFORE MR. HOE. THAT GENTLEMAN LOOKED OVER THE PAPERS, LAYING THEM BEFORE SOMEONE~ WHOM.MR •. SHAW CONCLUDED WAS HIS LEGAL ADVJSOR. MR. HOE, BEING SATISFIED AFTER LOQKING THEM OVER, TOOK THE PAPERS AND GAVE MR •. SHAW THE FIRST FIVE .THOUSAND DOLLAR CHECK AND AS PER PROPOSAL THE FOLLOWlNG OTHER TEN THOUSAND LATER. -THE HOTEL WAS FiNlSHED; THEN ANOTHER RUN HAD TO BE MADE TO FURN;SH lT, AND THE NEXT SEASON, WHEN THE HOUSE WAS READY. FOR BUSlNESS~ THERE.WAS THE DEBT OF $29,500v DRAWlNG INTEREST, BESIDES INSURANCE AND TAXES. CONSEQUENTLY.MR. BUTLER COULD PAY.NOTHING ON MR. HOE 1 S MORTGAGE, WHICH, lN .HIS EAGERNESS TO GET :THAD PROMISED TO MAKE QU\TE A PAYMENT TWlCE A YEA~. MR.BUTLER FAlLING TO DO TH1S, MR. HOE TURNED ON MR. $HAW AND SUSPECTED HIM OF DECEiVlNG H!Mo MR. SHAW PUTS !T lN THlS WAY; "i WAS NOT SUPPOSED TO SAY.TO MR. HOE, WHEN THAT GENTLEMAN Of BUS!NESS WANTED TO HAVE TWO PAYMENTS A YEAR, I DO NOT THlNK HE CAN .DO lT THE f!RST YEAR, "MR. BUTLER WAS INTENT UPON THE MONEY, TAKING HIS CHANCES AS TO PAYMENTS; lT WAS THE .MONEY HE WAS AFTER,. THE PAYMENTS I WERE NOT JUST THEN TROUBLING HIM. -MR.HOE SHOULD HAVE KNOWN THAT NO ONE, SlTUATED AS HE KNEW MR. BUTLER WAS, COULD MAKE PAYMENTS -156- AS PER THE CONDITIONS Of THE MORTGAGE. MR. BUTLER HAS NOTHING TO CHARGE MR. HOE WlTH; THAT GENTLEMAN HAS GIVEN HIM ALL LENlTY. Bur NO AMOUNT OF TIME WOULD DO MR. BUTLER ANY GdOD. Hts ENERGY, 11 BUS I NESS TACT AND CRED 1 T .. ARE ALL GONE. THE PROPERTY HAS CONSEQUENTLY PASSED OUT OF M~~ 8UTLER 1 S HANDS AND M. HOE HAS RENTED IT. FOR THE PAST THREE YEARS. THE FIRST YEAR . WAS A f A 1 L UR E , AS WA S A L S -0 T H E S E C ON D ; TH E T H I R D MA N F I L L E D T H E HOUSE DURING THE SEASON BUT WAS NOT ABLE TO HO~D HIS ~GUESTS DURING "THEIR lNTENDEO STAY. IT JS NOT KNOWN WHO WI ll RUN IT THE SEASON OF 1_899. T HJ;. _~ ~ ~~ I S. A.-~f IN E ST R UC T U R E , F t V E ST OR I E S H I G H ., 0 N .E . HUND R,£ D AND TWELVE FEET LONG, FIFTY FEEJ WIDE IN MAIN PART AND A WING NEARLY AS LARGE. IT COMMANDS A VIEW OF THE ~HOLE LAKE AND SURROUNDING cou~ NTRY, AND WH"EN WELL MANAGED WILL NOT HOLD ALL WHO WILL APPLY FOR ROOMS. PEOPLE ONCE GUESTS Of THE HOUSE SCARCELY EVER L~AVE, UNLESS THEY ARE NOT WELL USED. THERE JS NOT A PLACE lN At("THE,, AoiRONDACKS T HAT t S SO.. ATTRACT I VE OR HAS SUCH A BE AU T l f UL LAKE • THERE IS NOW A STATION ON· WHAT IS KNOWN AS WEBBS RAILROAD, ONLY NlNETEEN MILES DtSTANT BU~ THE WAGON ROAD TO lT IS THROUGH THE WOODS THE ENTIRE DISTANCE AND, AS IN THE CASE WITH ALL NEW ROADS THROUGH~ THE WOODS WHERE HEAVY FREIGHT lS HAULED, IT 15 VERY MUDDY WHEN WET, Bur IN A FEW YEARS IT Will BE A GOOD ROAD. THERE IS ALSO TALK OF A RAILROAD BEING BUILT FROM TUPPER LAKE Ju·NcTION UP THE RACKETT RtVER TO THE FOOT OF LONG LAKE, WHICH~ If BUILT, WILL OPEN UP THIS PLACE TO THE PUBLIC AND THERE Wlll BE NEED FOR SEVERAL HOTELS HERE, AS LARGE AS THE SAGAMORE (THAT BEING THE. NAME OF BUTLER HOUSE)., BESIDES CAMPS, OCCUPIED BY PARTIES, WHO_ C~90SE TO OWN THEIR OWN PLACES OF RESORT. THERE ARE NOW SEVERAL SUCH CAMPS. DR. CATTELL., OF PHt~ADE LPHIA., HOWARD STEPHENS OF BOSTON., DR. WOODARD Of 8U.RLINGTON., VT • ., MR. GEORGE TERRY OF HARFORD., CONN., U.S. SENATOR O.H. PLATT OF CONN., -157- THE DR. 0URZEA CAMP, ON BUCK Mr. POINT, AND THE HARPERS Of NEW YORK HAVE ONE NEAR THE FOOT OF THE LAKE. THESE ARE ALL TO SHOW THAT lN SPITE OF THE HARDSHIP THAT MUST BE ENDURED lN REACHING HERE PEOPLE DO COME-AND WHEN THEY ONCE COME ~EEP COMING. WHEN CONTRASTING THE PRESENT WITH THE PAST, IT IS MARVELOUS. THE LAKE IS JHE SAME AS or YO~E, THE HILLS AND MOUNTAINS AND ALSO THE . FOREST. To BE SURE THE SETTLERS HAVE BEEN CHO~-PING WOOD FOR SIXTY. YEARS, BUT Vl"EWING THE FORESTS FROM SOME PROMINENT PEAK THE FEW . . CLEARINGS ARE HA~DLY NOTICEABLE,_ AND AS FOR THE FOREST TIRES, THERE A ARE NOTH I NG TO BE ·SPOKEN. Of. THE "PEOPLE HAVE BEEN VERY CAREFUL NOT TO BURN THE~ AND SEVERAL CLEARINGS, FIRST MADE, ARE NOW GROWN UP TO . ' - AS PERFECT A FOREST AS TMEY WERE AT FlijSTJ OTHERS ARE FAST GROWING UP T-0 i:REES. THE WRITER'S OPINION OF tORESTRY~ MUCH HAS BEEN SAtD Ak.D W~ITTEN 1N REGARD io PRESERVING THE ~OR~ EST, ESPECA~LLY ADIRONDACK FORESTS~ I HAVE' NO OBJECTION TO THllR PRESERVAT l ON. But I HAVE OBJECT lON TO THE PRESENT POL lCY ADQPTED BY THE STATE. FIRST, THE PRESERVATlbN OF THE FOREST, AS SUCH, MOT A$ A ~EYENUE "~·•· TO JHE STATE BUT AS A NECtsstTY OF PREVENTING THE STREAMS FROM DYJNG UP IN MlD SUMMER, ASSERTING THAT THERE 1s· NOT AS MUCH WATER LATTERLY As f OR ME R L y O wH I L E I T I s T R tJ e. ·r H E C L E A R t NG s DO DR y up T H E s MA L L STREAMS AND THAT WILL OCCASION LESS IN THE LARGER STREAMS IN A DRY SEASON. THE N"EXT YEAR PROVES TO BE AS MUCH.WATER AS FORMALLY. I . 4'- ~.... REMEMBER TO HAVE HEARD FORTY-FIVE YEARS AGP~THAT THE WATER WAS SO LOW JN THE HUDSON THAT THE MILLS At.GLENS fALLS HAD SHUT DOWN FOR THE SUMMER; AND OF HEARING THAT LARGE BOATS COULD HARDLY GET UP TO TR-~ / AND WERE SOMETIMES STUCK. ONE REASON WHY THERE SEEMS TO BE SCARCITY OF WATER IN THOSE PLACES NOW, MORE TMAN )~ FORMER TIMES, IS THE FACT THAT THERE ARE MORE MILLS TO RUN, NEEDING MUCH MORE WATER TO RUN TH~M -158- LA R G·E R BO AT 5 NOW , N E E D l NG MOR E WAT E R T O f L OAT -T HE M., NOT 5 0 MU C H "LESS WATER" BUT MORE NEEDED. ANO~HE_~ THING OVERLOO~ED BY THE FOREST BOOMERS JS, THAT THERE I S MOR E LA~ C O VE R E D W t T H F OR EST · NOW T HA N F OR T Y . F 1 VE OR F 1 FT Y Y E AR S AGO ON THE.HUDSON, SCHROON AND SACNADAGA RIVERS ABOVE GLEN FALLS. fARM AFTER .FARM ON THOSE RlVERS, THAT FORTY OR FIFTY YEARS AGO WERE , BE{NG CULTIVATED, ~RE NOW DESERTED -AND WHERE CROPS TH~M GREW A FIRST CLASS FOREST NOW GROWS. HILLS AND RIDGES, THEN VOID OF TREES, ARE NOW THICKLY COVERED WITH A YOUNG FOREST; WHERE GOOD HAY WAS ONCE ..... CUT, HAVE NOW FtNE TREES, TWO AND THREE FEET THROU~H ON THE STUMP_ ON THEM. THERE IS A PLAtE IN THE TOWN OF NEWCOMB, \N 1843 THREE MILES LONG., THEN CALLED THE COMMON, THAT HAO BEEN CLEARED BY THE .FIRST SETTLERS AND ABAN_DONEDs WHERE~ AT THAT- TtME THE CATTLE OF THE .PLACE· WERE PASTURED; WHERE ONL~ NOW ANO THEN A FJNE SAPLING~ TEN TO FIF TEEN FEET HIGH., ;COULD BE SEEN; SOME OF THAT TERRITORY., AS LATE AS I • 1850., WAS PLOWED AND WM. HELBS FENCED tT AND RAISED OATS ON tT; NEAa . T HE R E WAS A B UR Y t N G· . GR 0. UN D • . I T l S ·AL L A D E N$. E f OR EST NOT .. IF OB- . S E R V l NG., . T HE T RAVE L E R CA N, AS H E · R I DES AL ONG T HE H 1 G HWA :r.. f R OM .CHEST ER TO POTTE~SVILLE; SEE RAIL FENCES WOVEN IN AMONG CEDAR TREES .AND STONE WALLS ALSO -WHERE WERE FlELQS OF GRAlN AND GRASS, NOT LONGER AGO THAN 18500 Ttt!S IS TO BE SEEN IN SCHROON, CHESTER, WARRENSBURGH., CALDWELL .. -~UZERNE, THUBMAN, JOHNSBURGH, MINERVA AND IN ALL THE TOWNS ON THE WATERWAYS Of THE UPPER HUDSON. WHY IS THIS Sb? I ANSWER FROM EXPERIENCE; MOST Of THESE LANDS ARE ON HILL SIDES. THEY, W.HEN FIRST CLEARED, J~ELD A FAR CROP Of GRASS UNTIL PLOWEDJ AS SOON AS PLOWED - . A ND C UL T 1 VAT E D T HE R A I NS WAS H O UT A L L T HE F I N E. S O.l- L A ND A L S O W I T H I T ALL THE FERTILIZING PROPERTIES Of THE LAND AND, AS IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO REPLACE SU Ff t· C l ENT MANURE TO KEEP I T UP~ 1 T I S LEFT f OR PAST UR I NG• • SOON lT IS NO GOOD -FOR EVEN PASTURING AND THE SAME HAND THAT FIRST -159- P L AN T E D t T P L A NT S l T O VE R • T HE P.LA N. T S AR E KE PT UP A WH l l E L 0 NG E R BUT THEY ARE MOST ALWAYS FINALLY GIVEN UP, AS MANURE 1S OUT OF THE QUESTl0N. Rows, WHERE CORN HILLS WERE THE LAST CULTIVATE CROP, CAN NOW BE SEEN. I ASSERT HER~' THAT IT IS NOT lN THE POWER Of MAN TO DESTR~Y THE ADIRONDACK FOREST, ONLY IN SMALL PATCHES AND FOR A SHORT TtME. LOOK AT ALL THE MOUNTAINS AND RIDGES THAT, FORTY YEARS AGO,· WERE BURNED OVER, BETWEEN SCHROON RIVER AND LAKE CHAMPLAIN, BURNED SO NUDE THAT NO GREEN TREE COULD BE SEEN 1N ANY DlRECTJ0N, EXCEPT lN WET SWAMPS; NEARLY ALL·THE MILL~, IN AN ERA OF COUNTRY FlfTEEN MILES WIDE AND TWENTY-FIVE MILES LONG, WERE DESTROYED, BESIDES LUMBER CAMPS~ DWELLINGS, BARNS, ETC. EVERYBODY SAID, "WHAT A PfTY, THOSE BARE ROCKS WILL NEVER BE COVERED UP AGAlN.n JUST TAKE A RIDE THROUGH THAT REGSON NOV AND MAKE YOURSELF BE LIEVE, IF YOU CAN, THAT ONLY THIRYT~FlVE YEARS AGO THOSE HILLS WERE AS BARE AS ROCKS COULD BE. So EVERYWHERE THE ADlRONDACK FOREST PREStSTS IN lTS RIGHT TO EX1$T AND lT lS USELESS TO FtGHT AGAINST NATURE AND NOT MUCH USE OF srENDING MONEY tN ASSISTING NAr~RE IN HER OWN WORK, ESPEClALLY lN THE MATTER Of FOREST$. ONE PATCH OF LAND THAT I CHOPPED IN THE 0RlGlNAL FOREST .AND CLEARED SINCE HE WA~ OF 61 TO 64, IS NOW COVERED THICKLY WlTH SPRUCE TREES~ TWENTY FEET HlGH. THE SAME lS TRUE :OF THE MiNERVA AND NEWCOMB TERRITORY, AS WELL AS 80REOUS. RIVER COUNTRY HAS BEEN BURN[D OVER AFTER BEiNG LUMBERED., SOME OF THEM THREE TTMES SINCE 1850 AND TODAY NEARLY ALL OF iT HAS A FINE YOUNG FOREST. IT IS A HUMBUG., DESTRUC- T!0N INDEED! SHOW WHERE THE FOREST IS BEING. DESTROYED~ NONSENSE! THE STATE Of NEW YORK IS ROBBING .HER· POOR lNHABiTANTS YEARLY, TO THE TUNE Of ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS A YEAR, WITHlN THE BOUNDS Or STATE LANDS, FOR CUTTING TIMBER FOR FUEL AND NECESSARY RE~AIRS UPON THEIR POOR DWELLINGS AND FENCES. TEN DOLLARS EACH TREE cur! THE COST Of THOSE SUITS INSTITUTED BY THE STATE AUTHORITIES OFTEN -160:... OFTEN AGGREGATE MORE THAN ANOTHER TEN DOLLARS l~PER TREE. 8UT WHY DO THEY PRESIST IN STEALING? THAT QUESTION MAY BE ASKED BY SOME o IN THE FIRST PLACE THEY DO NOT CALL 1 T STEAL I NG. IN THE S E C ON D P L A C E I T I S A N E C E S S I T Y ,, E V E N I f I T l S S T E A L 1 N G • TH E Y HA VE f'l7 LUMBER OR WOOD OF THEIR ~WN, THEY llVE IN THE AD~RONDACKS, HAVE NO OTHER HOME, HAVE ALWA~S RESIDED THERE, AND THtNK THEY CAN NOT GET A LlVlNG ELSE WHERE. IN THE THIRD PLACE IT ts NOT POSSIBLE TO L1VE J • HERE WITHOUT FIRE WOOD AND LUMeER TO MAKE AND REPAIR HOUSES. BE- SlDE·s, FROM TIME IMMEMORIAL., AJ..L.LANO OWNERS, ON THE WHOLE COAST or THE W ! L DERN ES S .., HAVE PERM I TT ED . THE PEOPLE, WHO L I VE HERE, TO CUT FOR DOMESTRlC USES ANY TJMBER THEY DEStREOJ AND IT HAS BEtN DONE AND THE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN CAREFUL ALONG LONG LAKE TO KEEP :FtRES o.uy·· THE FOREST. THAT IS THE REASON OF TH~ GRE~N FOREST SEEN HEREABOUTS ANO THE PLACE HAS BEEN SETTLED.FOR S1XTY YEARS. SucH HAS BEEN tHE PR l D E OF T HE PE O PL E t N T H E PA$ T. BUT , t N T H ~- F .UT UR E, UN D E R S T:'A T E LAV S THAT OP~RESS THE POOR., THE THING WILL BE OTHERWtSE. THIS DAY OF GRACE., 1898., ONE MILE FROM ~HERE THERE HAS BtEW\A SAW MILL FOR F~FTY YEARS, FOR LESS THAN A MflE THERE IS LAND THAT THE ORIGINAL TREES ARE YET STANDING. BETTER PROOf OF ECONO~Y, IN THE MATTER OF TAK?NG CARE OF THE FOREST, CAN NOT BE PRODUCED. Bur THE PAST FEW YE AR S THE PE O_P LE HAVE BEEN ROBBED BY ST ATE AGENTS., AND THE STATE IS NOT A CENT RICHER., AS THE OFFtCIALS KEEP WHAT THEY GET. THE PEOPLE FEEL THAT IT IS BLOOD MON~Y TAKEN FROM THEM, WlTH NO BENEFIT TO THE STATE AND THE[FOREST ~R BETTER PRESERVED. EVERY- BODY KNOWS THAT OLD TREES., lf NOT CUT OUT OF -THE FOREST., IN A FEW YEARS MATURE., THEN DIE. COULD tHOSE FIRST GROWTH TREES BE CUT AND TAKEN AWAY THERE REMOVAL WOULD LET IN THE SUNLIGHT AND THE YOUMG T R E E S ~ N T H E t. MM E ID .I. AI E N 'J' C l NT·it ~ DB L D V& I.All ! L".lJ P -A. T ·;. 0 ISi C E""-f AS D I N A SHORT TIME BE WORTH MORE THAN THAT OLD TREEJ WHlCH, JF LEFT STAND- ING, WOULD, IN A FEW YEARS., BRAKE A NUMBER OF YOUNG TREES IN FALLINGt -161- THERE ARE M:LLIONS OF SUCH TREES LYINQ tN THE FOREST, THAT HAVE DlED AND FALLEN iN THE PAST THIRYY YEARS. lT lS NOW WELL UNDERSTOOD THAT LANDS THAT WERE LUMBERED THIRTY YEARS AGO ARE WORTH MORE THAN THOSE THAT WERE NEV~R CUT. BESIDES, THE PRESENT CUTTING CAN BE DONE CHEAPER·THAN IN FORESTS THAT ARE NOW LUMBERED FOR THE FIRST TIME; FOR THE VERY SANE REASON THAT THOSE ORIGINAL TREES WERE REMOVED AND ARE NOT NOW LYING USELESS lN THE WAY OP SK~DlNG AND CUTTING WOOD. THE CRY ABOUT THE DESTRUCTtON OF THE FOREST ts All BOSH, SO FAR AS T H E R O UGH AD .f R ON DA C KS AR E CO NC ER NED • Jr NEVER ~AN BE ANYTHtNG BUT FOREST, FOR ANY LENGTH Of TIME • . T H E SAC R E Q R E VER E N C E HA D F OR T H l S f OR E ST AS NOW H E'L D, WOU L D S O .ON D1SAPPEAR, IF TBE MEN WITH SILK HAT~ AND KID GLOVES, APPOlNTED TO GO THROUGH THE ADIRONDACKS AS INVEiTIGATORS, WERE BANlSHED TO THIS DE- •· • • I LIGHTFUL COUNTRY FOR ONE TERM EACH OF FIVE YEARS, SUMMER AND WINTER, AND BE COMPELLED TO TRAVEL FIVE M!LES A DAY, THROUGH THE DELtGHTFUL FORESTS, AND CARRY A THlRTY P0UNQ PACK ON THElR BACKS. ,, : WHAT CAN A NATIVE OF NEW YORK _Ct TY KNOW Of THESE. FORESTS.,-. WHO HAS BEEN ESCORT~D THROUGH THEM ON THE BEST ROUTES, STOPPING AT THE BEST HOTELS AND DRlNK!NG GOOD ~HISKEY; NOT E~EN TAK I NG THE TROUBLE , TO STEP OFF THE TRAIL BETWEEN THE LAKES OR TAKE A HALF H0UR 1S WALK A AMID THE FACINATING WOODS OF THE ADIRONDACKS. Bur ! SUPPOSE SOME PEOPLE ARE TO KNOW FOR THEMSELVES AND BORN TO SETTLE OTHER PEOPLES AfFAIRSo A MAN LIVING iN NEW YORK CAN NOT BE A COMPETENT JUDGE OF THINGS HE NEVER SAW, EVEN SHOULD IT.PffFffAfN TO ADIRONDACK FORESTS~ THERE IS BEING BUILT, AT THE FOOT Of INDIAN LAKE tN HAMILTION ·, . / COUNTY, BY THE STATE, A DAM TO PRfSERVE WA!ERS IN THE SPRING; SO AVOIDiNG FRESHETS AND TO HAVE THIS SURPLUS WATER HELD BACK TO SUPPLY THE WATER IN D~Y TIMES TO THE LOWER HUDSON. THtS DAM WILL COST BE~ -162- TWEEN $200,000 AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS BEFORE COMPLETED; THEN tN THE COURSE OF TIME WILL DESTROY ANOTHER HALF MtLLfON; BEStDES THE LIVES THAT WILL BE LOST, AND THERE WILL BE SO LITTLE REALIZES FROM THE BENEFITS EXPECTED TO ACCRUE FROM IT THAT THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN T.AXED TO BUILD IT WILL HAVE GOOD REASON TO COMPLAIN. Bur, SO LONG AS THE PARTIES IN ~OWER HAVE DlSClPLES, Of COURSE, THEY MUST BE FED AND DRJNKED (DRUNK). As A HEALTH RESORT, FROM MY POINT OF VIEW, I HAVE THIS TO SAY; THERE ARE AS MANY OF THE RESIDENT PEOPLE-SICK HERE AS tN ANY GENER ALLY HEALTHY COMMUNITY TijAT I KNOW or. THERE ARE REASON WHY THtS IS so, BUT I NEED NOT G!VE HtM.· Bur AS A CHANGE OF CLIMATE, FOR THOSE LIVING lN LOWER COUNTRtES, IT IS, PERHAPS, AS GOOD AS ANY OTHER COUNTRY. BUT .PEOPLE COM~NG. HERE FOR HEALTH OR TO RECUPERATE WASTED V l T AL I T Y MUST TAK E CAR E .0 F' T H E MS E L VE S H E R E OR T H E R ES u·L T W I LL NOT BE SATISFACTORY. MosT OF ~HE PEOPLE COMING HERE THINK THEY KNOW ALL ABOUT HYGIEN ICS SCIENCE AND ATTEMPT TO STUFF THEMSELVES AS ONE WOULD A FATTING TURKEY FOR THANKSG!VING. THEY REMIND ME 1 or THE SlMPLETION WHO OWNED A VERY SMALL HORSE AND, WITH OTHER TEAMSTERS, WHO HAD LARGE HORSES, WERE HAULING FREIGHT OVER. A HILLY ROAD. HE LOADED H!S LlTTLE HORSE AS HEAVILY AS .THE OTHERS DID THEIR LARGER ONES. WHEN THE FIRST HILL WAS REACHED THE L;TTLE HORSE COULD NOT HAUL HIS LOAD UP IT. HE WHIPPED THE POOR, LITTLE, WEAK HORSE AND LIFTED AND PUSHED, BUT ALL lN VAlNo HE COULD NOT MAKE T~E HORSE PULL lT UPJ THE FACT WAS THE HORSE HAD MORE OF A LOAD THAN HE COULD DRAW. SOME Of HIS COMRADES SUGGESTED THAT HE TAKE OFF SOME Of THE LOAD, BUT HE SAID, RATHER INNOCENTLY, "You DO NOT TAKE OFF ANY OF YOUR LOADS." Bur THEY INS;TED THAT THEIR HORSES WERE LARGER ONES. "OcH, BEDAD, A HORSE IS A HORSE, AS A MAN 15 A MAN, AND A SMALL -163- MAN DOES AS MUCH WORK AS A LARGE ONE." !MONE SENSE Of THE WORD THAT MAY BE TRUE BUT ALL STOMACHS ARE NOT STRONG, AND WHEN OVERLOADED CAN NOT CLIMB THE HILL. DtGESTION, tlKE SMALL HORSES MUST BE ALLOWED A FAIR CHANCE, ACCORDING TO WHAT 1T CAN DO, NOT ACCORDING TO THE MAN OR HIS lDEA .Of FATTENING HlMS£Lf LJKE A TURKEY. No MAN, ESPEClALLY ONE IN POOR HEALTH, SHOULD tAT UNTiL HE.CAN TOUCH THE LAST HE EATS WlTH HlS flNGERS OR HE lS KEPT GULP!NG TO RID HJS STOMACH Of GAS CAUSED BY FERMENTING CABBAGE AND NOT BEiNG AN .. M~Do MY-OPlNlON WlLL NQT BE TAKEN FOR ~UCH AND MY A·ov&cE,.PERHAPS, DISREGARDED, VERY WELL, so BE lT. BETTER.MEN THAN ME.HAVt BEEN HUMlllATED BY HAVING BEEN SET AT NAUGHT ANO lT WAS SEEN AFiERWARDS THAT THEY ~ERE RIGHT AND HONORED. A NORMAL SYSTEM~. TO START IN LIFE, MUST.HAVE A FA4R .CHANCE lN ORDER TO CONTINUE TO GROW ANO.DEVELOP HEALTH •. CONCElVED IN.SlN .AND BROUGHT FORTH IN lNIQUlTY SELDOM LlVES VERY LONG 1 AND WHlLE lT.DOEa LiVE.HAS THElR TEETH SET ON EDGE FROM.THE SOUR GRAPES EATEN BY THEIR PARENTS. A.DlSEASED SC!ON CAN NOT BE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP lNTO A SOUND, fRUlT-BEARING BRANCH AND lT IS OF LITTLE USE TO TRY TO PATCH THEM, THINKiNG TO KEEP THEM ALIVE. iT! BEING A WELL KNOWN FACT, THAT ONLY A SMALL PER CENT OF SOUND P E O·p 'L"E AR E AB L E TO COMB A T SU C C ES S FU L LY WI TH TH E MANY EV I LS S TAN D I NG THICK THROUGH ALL THE EARTH TO HURRY MORTALS OUT OF THE WORLD. THE~E SEEMS TO BE ONLY A SLlM CHANCE FOR THE HEREDITARY iNVALlD. MY OBSERVAT!ONS, DURING A LONG LIFE, IN WHICH I HAVE HAD TO DO WITH.MEN. AND THINGS GENERALLY, LEADS ME TO SOME CONCLUSIONS, PECULIARLY MY OWN. F!RSTQ A- HEALTHY BODY SHOULD HAVE WHOLESOME FOOD, EATEN REGULAR- LY iN QUANTITIES SO TEMPERATE THAT GLUTTONY WOULD BE UNFED, -164- DESPENSiA NOT CR.EATED AND INDIGESTION NOT AROUSED. IN FACT, THE FOOD SHOULD BE SO SIMPLE AND NATURAL; MINUS ANY SEASONING, WITH THE EXCEPT!ON OF A LITTLE SALT, OR SOMETHING OF THAT KIND, NECESSARY FOR THE TASTE~ THAT THE STOMACH CAN READILY TRANSMIT THROUGH PROPER CHANNELS, AND THEY ARE ALL THERE UNTIL DERANGED BY US. THE SYSTEM HAS ONLY ONE RECEIVING DEPOSITORY AND ONE FEEDING PLACE. THE STOM- ACH }S THE HOPPER INTO WH!CH THESE FOODS ARE' PUT AND GROUND UP, FROM WHICH THE BLOOD DRAWS HEAVtLY. THE BRAIN HAS A SHARE, MUSCLES TAKE THEIR SHARE ANO BO·NE AND MARROW ARE MADE OUT OF CERTAIN lNGRE D!ENTS THEREFROM~ THEN THE KIDNEYS FILTER QUlTE A PORTION OP THE GENERAL SUPPLY, AFTERWARDS DEPOSlTS ARE MADE IN THE BLADDER AND THE TESTINES. THESE, IN BRIEF, ARE ALL PARTNERS AND MUST BE SUPPORTED FR OM T H E GE N ER AL F U N D , F O OD D E P OS I T ED l N T H E S·T OM A C H • AND 5 0 L ONG AS THERE IS A PROPER SUPPLY OF DEPOSITS AND EACH FUNCTION ENTITLED TO DRAW THEREFROM, DRAWS ONLY ITS PROPER SHARE., THERE WILL BE NO SC!SMS tN THE BODY. BUT LET THE DEPOSITS FALL SHORT OR BE COUNTER FEIT HOW SOON WILL SOME OF THE HEIRS BEGIN TO FtND FAULT. So THEN KEEP THE STOMACH IN GOOD ORDER. IF YOU DESIRE MANY DAYS ON THE EARTH AND GOOD HEALTH THEREWITHo ONCE MORE, THE TASTES AND HABITS HAVE MUCH TO DO, tF KEPT TRAIN ED, WITH THE MATTER OF HEA~THo 'MANY TASTES, BEING ?REVERTED BY HAB:T, BECOME PESTS THAT BREED DISEASES. BOARDS OF HEALTH PROWL ABOUT DIRTY PLACES LOOKING FOR POOLS WHERE DISEASES ARE BRED BUT FAiL TO WARN PEOPLE OF THE REAL DANGER. IN GILDED SALOONS AND DEtiS Of PROST!TUT:ON THEY VISi1 SOMETIMES, NOT TO WARN BUT TO ENJOY THEIR TASTESo Now, SEE HERE, LET THE BOWELS BECOME DISORDERED BY EATING TOO / HEARTY Of FRESH BEEF~ !TWILL DO IT AND A RUN OF DISENTARY SET tN. THEN HOW SOON ARE THE OTHER FUNCTlOKS ROBBEDo OR A TOO FREE USE OF ANY FUNCTION ·or THE s@DY, TO OVERDOING, THEN FOLLOWS THE PALE FACE, -165- 1 A C 0 UG H , A ND __ A P A t N I N T H E K I DN £ YS • 0 N E ME MB E R l S OV E RW O R K E D , I T SUFFERS AND ALL THE MEMBERS SUFFER WITH IT. CONSUNTlON IS FEARED AND A TRIP ABROAD IS ADVISED AND TAKEN AT THE SUGGESTION OF THE HOME PHYSICIAN, WHO HAS NOT THE NERVE TO TELL HIS PATlENTS TO STOP HIS EXCESSES AND GET WELL AT HOME, OR EVEN TE.LL HIM THAT IF HE WISHES TO GET WELL ANYWHERE tT WILL BE NECESSARY TO ABANDON THE CAUSE or HtS TROUBLE OR IT WILL BE USELESS TO TAKE MEDICtN·E OR CHANGE OF CLIMATE. THE BOY WHO CHEWS TABACC0 OR SMOKES, FROM THE TIME HE IS A MERE LAD., NEED NOT BE· SURPRISED, WHEN OLD., TO FIND THAT HE tS BElNG EATEN ' BY CANCERS OR TO FEEL DEVILISH CRAWLING SENSATIONS IN HlS ARMS AND MUSCLES OF THE HEART. So A(~o IF HE DRINKS THE WHISKEYS AND BEERS OF THE DAYJS MANUFACTURING. HE NEED NOT RECKON ON ANYTHING SHORT OF POOR HEALTH., DERANGEMENT THROUGHOUT, RESULTING IN DAMMATI0N AS A RESULT., NOT A REWARD. IN THJS WORLD THE ONE THING DtfFICULT TO FtND IS TRUTH. THERE ARE PLENTY OF PLACES WHERE THE FALSE AND WRONG ARE TO BE HAD AND ARE FORCED UPON YOU., BUT DEP-RAVED NATURE tS AWAY OFF; IT IS NOT TO 1 - B E T R US T ED ., E V E N I N Y O UR OW N -·s E HA L F" • IT WILL LIE AND MISLEAD. SUCH A MANtA JS THEREFORE SOMETHING FOR NOTHING THAT WE TAKE ALMOST ANY KJND Of A BAIT, If ONLY THE POINT OF THE HOOK lS COVERED. IT SHOULD NEVER BE FORGOTTEN THAT ETERNAL VJGtLENCE 15 THE PRICE PAID, IF WE SUCCEED IN FINDING THE FIELD ~0NTAINING THE PEARL. THEN IN SECURING THAT FIELD PRIZE DEMANDS VlGlLENT WATCH., LEST WHJLE WE ARE COMING ANO T H E R ST E PS l N BE f OR .R US • SEVERAL YEARS AGO ONE MR •. MURRAY CAME TO OUR VILLEGE HOTEL, KEPT AT THAT TIME BY C.H. KELLOGG. HE WAS VERY WEAK., AND EVERY LITTLE / NOISE DISTRUBED HIM. IN ORDER TO GIVE HIM A QUIET PLACE TO SLEEP MR. KELLOGG SECURED A ROOM AT MR. SHAw's, JUST ACROSS THE WAY. IN A COUPLE Of WEEKS MR. MURRAY WAS BETTER, BEGAN TO LOOK UP, HIS -166- APPETITE IMPROVED AND HE WAS GAINING STRENGTH. A PARTY AT THE HOTEL WERE STARTING OUT FOR .A WEEK 1 S CAMPING AT FORKED LAKE. MR. MURRY HAD BEEN lNFORMED THAT JUST AS SOON AS HE COULD HE MUST GO 'OUT CAMPING. PROBABLY HE HAD PAID HIS DOCTOR FOR THE PRESCRSPTION AND, OF COURSE, HE MUST TAKE THE DOSE. I FOUND OUT WHAT HE INTEND- ED TO DO AND I TOLD HlM THAT HE WAS DOlNG VERY NlCELY WHERE HE WAS AND THAT HE COULD NOT BE ~XPECTED TO.GAlN.MORE RAPIDLY. I ADVISED HIM .. TO STAY.WHERE.HE WAS FOR AT LEAST A MONTH AND THEN lF HE WAS IN A FJT CONDI TON lT WOULD BE TIME ENOUGH TO HARDEN UP FOR .WlNTER,TELL ING HIM THAT IF.HE.WENT THEN ANO HE SHOULD MEET WITH REVERSE.IT n M-IGMT PROVE FATAL. HE ASKED INDIGNANTLY, "W~AT REVERSE CAN I MEET?· :r151MPLY BY-OVE·RD--OlNG, GETTING TIRED OUT OR SHOULD A DRENCHING RA 1 N OVERTAKE YOU BEFORE YOU GET INTO. CAMP. QR EVEN A .HEAVY RAIN STO~M .WlTH COLD_WlND, AfTER YOU HAD CAMPED, WOULD MAKE lT SO DAMP THAT YOU WOULD TAKE A SEVERE COLD, AND If YOU DO GET A SET BACK YO UR C AS E I S HO P E L E S S n • H E WA S A L M0. S T P E R S UA- D E D . T O . G I V E l :T . UP . E3 ll T. THE PARTY INSISTED THAT HE GO WITH THEM, THEY WOULD TAKE CARE OF HIM, AS THEY HAD PLENTY Of WRAPS AND HE COULD NOT GET WET EVEN IF IT SHOULD RAIN, WHlCH WAS NOT LIKELY, lT WAS SUCH LOVELY WEATHER. HE WENT WITH THE~,~E REACHED THE CAMP lN SAFETY AND WAS GLAD THAT HE HAD GONEo THAT VERY NIGHT THE CAMP WAS AROUSED BY THE HERALDING OF THE STORM. A HEAVY STORM FOLLOWED lN A SHORT TIME, WETTING EVEN THE BED ON WHlCH THEY LAY AND PUTTlNG OUT THEIR FlRE. IT NEARLY SPOtLED THElR PROVISIONS AND RAINED NEARLY ALL THE NEXT • DAY BUT AT NlGHT THE RAIN CEASED. THE CAMP WAS WARMED AND DRIED OUT. NEXT MORNING MR. MURRY COULD EAT NO BREAKFAST; HIS CHEEKS WERE FLUSHED, HlS PULSE WAS QUlCK AND WiTH DIFFICUlTY HE.WAS BROUGHT BACK TO MY HOUSE. THE NEXT MORNING HE STARTED FOR ~IS HOME AND DlED IN A SHORT TIME THEREAFTER. BAD COUNSlL DID lT. -167- THE INVALID MAY STAY lN OPEN CAMPS IN FINE, WARM WEATHER BUT SHOULD RESORT TO A GOOD HOUSE IN CASE OF STORM. SOME GET lT lNTO THElR HEADS THAT FRESH AI.R MUST BE COLD AIR, WHlCH IS A GRAVE MISTAKE. A MAN SPENDING THE FALL ANO WlNTER HERE "UST AVOID THE COLD, RAW WlNDS OF AUTUMN. INSTEAD Of LYING ON.A COUCH OR lN A HAMMOCK, COVERED WlTH BLANKETS, A GOOD WARM ROOM, WELL VENTILATED HAS, THE PUREST AIR AND WHEN TAKEN lNTO OUR.L~NGS WlLL NOT CAUSE lRR-ITATION PRODUCING lNFLAMATION. NEW-YORK Ct TY. DOCTORS TELL THEM TO.KEEP OUT IN THE OPEN AlR AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE, NOT KNOWING THE. SEVERlTY Of THE AIR IN THIS REGION LATE lN.lHE FALL AND.WINTER. THt INVALlD, UNDERSTANDING THAT ONLY COLD AlR CAN.BE FRESH, TORTUR!S HIMSELF BY LYiNG IW AN -OPEN CAMP, W~EN.HE SHOULD BE lN, A WELL VENTILATED AND WARM .ROOM. THE COLD DRY AlR.KtRE HAS HEALTH lN lT TO ANY BUT WEAK LUNGS, THAT CANNOT ~OSSIBLT ENDURE SYDDEN.QRAFTS OF COLO AIR BREATHED lN AT A TlME TOO WHEN THE SYSTEM lS BELOW THE NORMAL ~EMPERATURE1 THE CHILLING EFFECT RESULTS IM SLOWING UP THE RUN .DOWN SYSTEM, WHEN lT REA~LY NEEDS STlMULATlNG, MODERATE AND EFFECTIVE EXERCISE OF BOTH BODY AND MlND ARE ESSENTIAL TO GOOD HEALTH, AS ALSO lS REGAlNING IT WHEN UNPAIRED. WAKE UP TO STUDY lNG YOUR OWN CASE, ~NOW YOURSELF, CONTROL YOURSELF~ OlSCIPLINE ~OURSELF, PRESCRIBE FOR YOURSELF, THEN TAK£ YOUR PRESCRIPTION AND GET WELL. THE SOONER YOU TAKE THIS ADVISE THE BETTER. If YOU CAN NOT DO .THESE NECESSARY THINGS WHEN THEY WILL BE OF BENlflT TO YOU, AND SAVE FROM PREMATURE DEATH, DON 1 T WHINE. UNTIL WlTHlN A .fEW YEARS-LONG LAKE HAS BEEN CONSIDERED AN OUT OF-TOWN RESORT AND FOR THAT REASON SUCH MEN AS SENATOR PLATT OF THE STATE Of CONNECTICUT, ONE OF THE HARPERS OF NEW YORK, G.E. T,ERRY OF HARTFORD CONN., DR. J.T.DURYEA DECEASED, DR.WOODWARD OF BURLINGTON \ AND SEVERA~· 9~HERS WITH ASSEMBLYMAN GREEN.OF NEW YORK, HAVE BUILT -168- AND OCCUPIED CAMPS ON THE-LAKE. IN THE SPRlNG OR NEXT SEASON MR. T~S~ WALKERS BUiLDS ON ROCK POND 1N THE PLACE.WHERE C~W~SHARPLESS HAD A CAMP TEN YEARS AGO ALSO REV •. W.H. (ATlLL HAS A CAMP NE.AR THE SAGAMORE, MR. TODD Of PHILADELPHIA OCCUPIED IT LAST SEASON.1898. THE OUT-Of-THE WAYS HAS BEEN REPLACED AND OVERLOOKED BY ALL ADVENTURERS, THE HONEST PEOPLE -OF THE TOWN.USED TO BE SOBER, ALL0W lNG NO LIQUOR TO BE SOLD lN TOWN AND USUALLY ELECTED THElR OWN TOWN OFFICERS BUT USURPERS HAVE GOBBLED UP ALL THE OFFICES AND A GOOD PART Of THE MEN. THERE AR£ BY AN.HONEST C-OUNT ABOUT 180 STRAl GHT VOTES* BUT. FOR. T_HE PAST 4 YEARS FROM. 40 TO 60 i RISH, FRENCH CANADIAN AND EVEN.INDlANS ARE TRANSPORTED AND WALKED UP T-0 THE POLLS AND THEIR.VOTES SWORN lN, LAST.YEAR .SOME OF THE ADJ0~NING COUNTY RESIDENTS WERE.IMPORTED AND VOTED LAST SPRING Affti l~ THE FALL VOTED AGAlN .WHERE THEY. BELONGED. (ROBERT $HAW 1899) L.ong Lake Village looking down from the Newcomb Road with the Wesleyan Methodist Ch~rch and Public School in the left background. The Sagamore Hotel on the right. Note how the land had been cleared.. (About 1895) The Town Jail was down the road on the right. Long Lake Village looking towards the Newcomb Road (About 1895) Houses from left to right ••• The Helms· and Smith Hotel, Barber Shopj Jim Cole's Store and· The Shaw· Homestead. On .the road is William Shaw, a brother of Roberti bringing in a load of freight from North.Creek~ Tpe Shaw Homestead~ Long take 9 New York. Mr. & Mrs. Robert Shaw in the foregroundo Long Lake Village, looking towards Deerland ( About 189$) Showing the Wesleyan 11ethodist Church on the Hill, next, the school. The building on the extreme lert=was th~ store of R. Shaw and Son. All of these Buildings. were destroyed by fire. On the hay rig, left to right; Ai Shaw, Robert Shaw, Michael Cashion~ Melvin Gillis~ and Kelvin Towns~ Ai Wesley Shaw in his store at Long Lake 9 New Yorko (About 1900) Interior of the Ro Shaw & Sones Store, Long Lake~ New York. (About 1900) Long Lake Village, New York. (About 1900) o From left to .right #2 Carrie Hanmer 1 #4 Ai Wesley Shawo LOiiG LAKE BY REVo JOHN TODD PITTSFIELD, MASS. E.P. LITTLE 1845 Copied from Rev. Todd's book now in the New York State Library, Albany, N~Yo . 9170475'2 - L84T H.I. Becker, Rexford, NoYo-1955 LONG LAKE By Rev. John Todd "And now she is planted in the Wilderness" ••• Ezekiel In the upper part or New York, between the ·st. Lawrence, the Mohawk, and Lake Champlain, is an almost unbroken wilderness of perhaps one hundred and fifty miles long, and one hundred wide. It is the region of mountains, several of which are but little inferior to the White Mountains in New Hampshire. As you pass aown Lake Champlain you find yourself turning from-the beauties around yqu, and throwing your eyes upon the outer row of these solltary dwellers, and trying to pie:rce their rich blue curtains to see what lies beyond them. These lofty points gather the clouds of course, which pour down their rains and make it the home of storms~ These·rains and snows demand reservoirs to hold their waters. And these, in the shape of a multitude of most beautiful lakes and ponds, the hand of God hath dug. Here is the birth-place of rivers and floods. The Hudson, -the Black, the Oswegatchie, the Beaver, the Racket, the Saranac, the Au.Sable, and the Bouquet, all rise here, high up among 1akes that are nearly 2,000 feet above Champlain.· Most of these·lakes are surrounded and fed by beautiful ponds~ The upper Saranac; for example, is surrounded by forty-two ponds, some of which are five or six miles in length. It will be recollected that it was on the banks of the Saranac, that our sweet daughters or song, the Davidsons ,. lived and sang. The First Visit - 1841. Early in the month of September, 1841, in company with a learned friend, whose accurate skill has measured these mountains and these waters, I rirs·t visited and became acquainted with this ·wilderness. Nearly in its centre, we came to a beautiful sheet of water-- the Long Lake-- which is about twenty miles long, and from half a mile to three miles wide. It is studded with islands, and surrounded by a heavy forest, and in the warm sky of summer, seems like a fairy land. Scattered along towards the head of the lake, we found a little community of eight or nine ramilies. They were here alone, shut out from the world. The hunter's axe alone had marked the trees when they came. They lived in their little log-houses and their little boats were their horses, and the lake their only path. If they wanted to call a physician, or to go to a store, or even to get a bushel of rye ground, they must follow a wild foot-path between forty and fifty miles to get out. A pocket compass was used as frequently as by the sailor. They were skilful in taking the. moose, the deer, and the salmon trout, and these were their world. But even here Death had followed and round them, and they had buried their flower, a 2. girl of sixteen or seventeen years of age, just before we got there. The mother pointed me to the spot where they had cut down the lofty trees, that· the sunlight might come in and rest upon the grave of the solitary sleeper. There was no lmell, and no minister, and no prayer at her funeral--for there was no one to speak for God. Men had gone there to survey lands, to buy and sell, to hunt and fi~h, but no one to care for the soul. It was Saturday when we arrived; and as soon as it was known that a minister had come, two of the young ladies sprang into a little boat, and rowed round to. let the families lmow of the event. The ladies there can row and manage a boat as well as they can·a horse in other places. ·rn thus calling on their neighbors, they must·have rowed twelve or fourteen miles. The Sabbath morning came, and no hounds were sent to chase.the deer. No fish were caught. The loons screamed unmolested. It was the first Sabbath that ·ever·broke upon the lake, and I was to preach the first sermon. We met-·-the little boats coming up, s·ome rowed by a father with all his family in it, some by·the sisters, and some by the little brothers; and one huge bark canoe, with an·old hunter who lived alone· many miles· further in. the wilderness. , We met· 1n a little log house, covered ·with hemlock barko Men, women, children, and dogs, were all there. We could not.sing, for none had learned the songs of Zion in a strange land. I preached the first sermon ·which tnat·wilderness ever heard. In the afternoon we met some four or five miles up the.lake, to accommodate one who was feeble. They were all there again. Our woodsman now recalled a half hunting tune or two and so we had singing. ·Ohl what a meeting was thatJ They hung on the lips. They wept and remembered the days and·-privileges they once enjoyed. '!'hey came around like children, and promised that if' I w-ould "come ·ihtt and stay with them, they would leave off hunting and fishing on the Sabbath and becom·e goodJ And wh·e·n we passed through the mighty forest, never yet· degraded by the axe, down to the little bay, and when we all shot out of that sweet little bay together, in our little boats, parted there, they broke out and sang,-- People of the living God, We have sought the world around, Paths of sin and sorrow trod, , Peace and comfort nowhere found. Now to you our spirit turns, Turns,·a fugitive unblest; Brethren, where your altar burns, Ohl receive us into rest. The sun was just going down, the lake was clear, smooth as a mirror, and beautiful beyond-,description. I had urged them to assemble on the· Sabbath, and read sermons, and keep up the forms of worship. ·But·they said there was no one who could read well enough except Mr. S., "and he swore so like the Evil One, they did not want 3. to hear him read sermons." I could not but weep-- for when would they meet again, when.would they hear another sermon, and who would care for these few sheep in the wilderness? I never expected to see them again. The Second Visit -- 1842 I had not heard from Long Lake for a whole year, and on the return of the annual vacation which my people kindly allow me, I felt an lIDS~~akable desire to see them again. About the middle of August, ·1842, I was accordingly once more penetrating the wilderness. Our course was from Lake Champlain west over the most "unsmooth'' mountain that I ever passed, for about fifty miles, when we struck the Saranac. Here we procured a little boat, such a one as-a man can carry on his head through the woods, from river to river, arid from lake· to lake-. Here, too, we left the habitations of men, and entered the wilderness •.our course was up the Saranac .waters, through its beautiful lakes, and passing th·e spot where was once a village of the red men·, we entere·d upon the ponds.which empty into the Racket river --near whose head is Long Lake. We must carry our provisions, and of course sleep upon the ground, sub dio. This did very well when it was· good weather; but when we had rain, day and night, for six days, we fotind it not quite so comfortable.· There were but three in our company·, and one of these wa-s sick, very sick, and we began to form plans·how we could carry him out on a rude bier, ·and even to ponder 6ver·the more gloomy picture of digging a grave in the wilderness. But after some days of anxiety, God graciously raised him up,· and we could go on. ·rt w·as Saturday again when we reached the lake. I had procured some tracts and a few books, as many as I could well manage to carry over the "carrying places", and now made ·them into as many little parcels as there were families on the lake. !·found they had now increased to eleven and almost sixty souls. While rrty friend who had been sick and our woodsman were gone to find a camping place for our home during the Sabbath, I got a little boy to row me up the lake; and the first little boat we met, was the boat of Mr. S., (the man who was so profane that they did not want to hear him read sermons,) containing his family, on their way to a Temperance meeting. It was then that I learned that there was need of this. I told them I could not conceive what need there could be for temperance societies away up in that wilderness. But they said that before they had a road, before they could get fl9ur or comfortable food, they used to get in whiskey by the barrell On the fourth of July, 1842, they formed a temperance society, and now, as I understood, all the little community belong to it, or act on its principles. I visited ·every family, having a little book and a small parcel of Tracts for each. Ohl how eagerly and joyfully and gratefully they received me and the little parce~l They had not seen a minister, nor heard a sermon since I was there last year. But the spirit\ of. God had 4. been there; and that Mr. S. who was so profane, had, it was hoped, without human instrumentality, been led to Christ. He had become a new creature, had ramily worship, and was ready to do good. Some who had been professors in other years, and in other places had been revived. They had establis~ed a Sabbath school, and in it was every child of suitable age, and around it all were clustering on the 3abbath1 In all things there was evident and striking improvement. Some new families had come in, and among them some professed Christians. The State too, is aiding to open a road to them, and shortly there will be a travelled road in and out, and then the beautiful lake will be filled up with inhabitants. I reached our,camp late in the 6ening, and the little boy who had rowed me at least twelve miles greatly prefered to have a book rather than money for his compensation. l gave him Abbot·ts Child at Home •. I found one woman, a mother of little children, very sick, without physician or· medicines,_ or nurse. But the neighbors, five miles off, were ready and prompt to watch with her, and do all in their power for her. There had been no death among them the last year, ·and no. one had gone to join the sleeper in her forest-circled graveyard. The Sabbath aga'in broke in silenc·e and beauty. At the appointed hour we were on our way to church--and swiftly along came the little boats, stopping here and the~e just long enough to drink at the spring which gushed out of the mountain at the edge of the lake, or to pluck the wild water-lily, instead of the rose, for a nosegay. They were all there except the sickone. How still and solemn, and appropriate their behaviorJ How eagrely they listened! How kindly they.received the Word, and hung around the door all day, not one going away for food during the intermission. And what an intermission was thatl I spent it in conversing with them, and trying to lay such plans as would be permanent. The Sabbath school was held in the mean time. In the afternoon there stood a bowl of water on the little stand by the ~ide of a small new Bible. What could I dof They were here alone. I knew of no church or minister within 60 or 80 miles, and knew it would be out of the question to get a council there. So I took upon myself the responsibility of going forward. There were eleven ready--five men and six females-- and so, at the close of the service, I organized them into a church of God, by the name of "The First Congregational Church on Long Lake. tt I baptised eight of·their children, including six little boys belonging to Mr. S., who, with his wife, was among those who wept for joy and trembled in weakness on this occasiono It was a most solemn occasion. It was the most solemn season I ever witnessed. And when in the name of my own church, and in the name·of the beloved churches of New England, I gave them the right hand, I felt safe in assuring them that we sh:>uld remember and sympathize with this yound and feeble sister, who was thus "now planted in the wilderness." I ventured to assure this little flock that we would not forget her; that we would pray for her, and would minister to her spiritual wants. They promised to have a weekly prayer meeting every Friday afternoon 9 to hold up the Sabbath by means of -~he Sabbath school, and to have sermons read on the Sabbath, as soon as they could get some that are suitable, and to pray that God would in his own time and way send them a pastor. When I reached home and told the story, the children of my Sabbath school jmmediately set about making a collection to send them a Sabbath School-Libraryo I am now wishing to send them books of a high order, and as soon as may be; and if any friend of Zion·shall commit money or books to me, thinking I shall refuse them, he will-find himself mistakeno I wish to supply them with good books, till the time comes when they can have a minister of the gospelo As soon as the road is open, population will roll in, and I may yet live to see the day when a church shall be erected on one of their beautiful islands~ and a hundred little boats lie moored around, while they keep holy timeo What a day will that beJ and how sweet will be the -notes of the church-going bell, as they float up and down and across these beautiful waters, and are echoed from the mountains which stand around and glass them selves in the lake? This little church is to be at the head of a great population1 May the handful of corn scattered upon the mountains, shake like Lebanono I left the little band feeling feeble, though they were not forsaken, and believing that a brighter·day is to come to themo Two little boys, whom I had baptized, rowed me down the lake very late Sabbath night, after the labors of the.day, to my camp, and after they had landed me, for a long time I could see their little forms• ip the boat, as they turned to go back to their homeo They rowed away in silence and 1n the darkness, but I knew they were under the eye of Him to whom they had been given that day, and· that they were safe. Though we were sick, and out for twenty days and nights without shelter, and in storms, I felt on my return, that it was all nothing in comparison with the joy of that Sabbath~ in which the little church was "planted in the wildernesso" The Third Visit-~ 1843 The fact is new and seems strange to many that there should be in the North Eastern part of New York a wilderness almost unbroken and u.nexplored 9 embracing a territory considerably larger than the whole State of Massachusetts; a territory exhibiting every variety of soil, from the bold mountain that lifts its head up far beyond the limit of vegetable life, to the most beautiful meadow land on which the eye ever restedo This territory, when as thickly inhabited as is Massachusetts, will contain over a million of inhabitants. It is for the most part pr.imitive soil, composed of ranges and groups of lofty mountains and deep valleys, with beautiful intervals along side of the rivers, which have been washed down from the sides of the mountainso When the day shall arrive in which these forests shall be cut down, and along the lakes and valleys and around the base of these glorious mountains there shall be a virtuous, industrious and Christian population, I have no doubt it will easily support a million of people. Here are forests almost interminable 9 timber of great beauty and abundance; iron ore in quality _very rich 9 and in quantity inexhaustible; water=· falls of great height·, yielding any amount of power and. in all directions. Say what we will about the fertility and the glories· of the everlasting flats of the West, the primitive soil is associated with what man loves and what makes meno It is connected with the blue mountains and the pure air which flows over themo It is associated with the leaping brook, the gushing waterfall, and the pure wat:,~rs which come rushing down from their mountain homej with manufactories and industryj thrifts health, a bracing climate, and a virtuous comm.unity. Who would feel that if New England could, at a word, exchange her hard hills, her granite mountains, and her severe climates for the rich, exuberant plains·and sunny climes of the south and west, that the exchange would not be most disastrous to the h~ppiness of the present and of future generationsf The grandeur and the.number of mountains in this wilderness is almost incredi~le; while the lakes defy any attempts at description. Of these there are more than two hundred whose names I know 9 and with whose location I became acquainted, counting none whose diameter is under about two milesg while some of them are fifteen, and eighteen, and twenty miles the longest wayo Most of these lakes are embosomed among mountains wh~ch seem to hang round them like rough, but stern guardians. The highest or these, Blue Mountain Lake, (or, as I · believe, now called Lake Emmons 9 in honor of that distinguished Geologist} is over eighteen hundred feet higher than Lake Champlain. It would take a man in vigorous health, using all the strength and diligence which he could possibly command 9 at least six months, to visit all these lakes so as to obtain any tolerably correct notions of themo My friend, The Revo Mro Allen, and myself 9 visited only twelve of them in four weeks of wilderness life, aided by a most intelligent guide, enduring a fatigue that was great indeedo The scenery on these lakes is grand and beautiful beyond any thing of which I ever conceivedo The lakes of Scotland have·been celebrated of old in story and in song; but the time will c·ome, I doubt not, when these lakes will become the most interesting resort to be found in this country, for the great, the rich, the curious and the fashionableo Most of them are surrounded by forests wh~_ch grow down to the water's edge, and glass themselves in mirrors which reflect every lead; most are studded with romantic islands covered with the mighty forests where the eagle finds a home unmolested 9 unless 9 peradventure, the hunter causes the smoke of his camp to curl up among the trees and scares him from his eyrieo The shores are a mixture of bold, iron-bound, and bays of sandy beach, like those of the Upper Saranac, Tupper 1 s Lake and Long·Lake; or they are rectangular, unique, majestic and indescrib able, like those of the Racket Lakeo Of all the sheets of water upon which my eyes ever rested--! say this after having passed through Lake George four times, and among the "thousand islands" of the Sto Lawrence twice, under the most favorable circumstances- none will compare with Racket Lake, for sublime and mysterious beautyo Two hunters have selected this spot as their permanent homej where they have built the hnnter's lodge of bark, and adorned it with the antlers of many an old stag~ and many a trophy of the art and skill of man. over the instincts of the forest; and if they have an eye to the grand or the beautiful, I did not wonder at their choiceo Suppose you follow the Racket river up south from Long Lake, now on its waters, and nbw carrying your boat and baggage for miles through the forest 1 wearied and ready to sink· down under the fatigue, yet at once you revive and forget it all 9 when you look forward for miles through what would seem to be an opening made by square and compass through the forest, while through that opening you see the Lake spreading out into space unknown at the time, with fairy-looking islands 9 that seem to float on the surface of these glorious waterso But Racket Lake is not alone in its power to create deep emotions of the soulo Suppose you are out on the Big Tupper's Lake in your little boat~ so frail and light that your guide can carry it on his head for miles· through the wildernesso You look up the lake and see islands extending•for mi'les in length, and then in the long distancej say ten miles off, you see the white pathway of the Bog River as he comes· out of his dark solitude, and tumbles headlong down the everlasting rocks, leaping into the lake and lost forever! Then your tiny boat floats under an island whose perpendicular height of s0·11d rock must be hundreds of feet 9 and which seems falling· on you, while you know that the dark waters beneath your boat are at least eighty feet morel Or suppose you come up Lake Champlain and propose to enter this wilderness as the Indians used to do, by following one branch of the Au Sable and going through "the Indian passott Your journey is wilder.and wilder till you reach the magnificent·gorge through which the Au Sable pours its mountain waters, and where the perpendicular rocks are one thousand feet high% Under these everlasting battlements you may stand and look upward in silent amazement; or you may go to the top and creep out and look off, shuddering and shivering, and feeling that you have hitherto known what emotion meant only by ·nameo Besides these spots which now occur to me 9 the hunters will te11·you of some vastly more marvellous~ but whichj not having seen, I dare not describeo On the blue Mountain Lakej however, you will find a great curiousity in the islands whose foundation is white limestone or marbleo Many of these rocks present beautiful arches 9 as regular and true as if chiseled out by manj and large enough to receive your boat and conceal it from the eye withouto These arches are formed by the action of the waterso The philosophy of its wearing in this particular shape I did not learno This wilderness is a vast foresto The most common trees are the sugar maple, white and Norway pines 9 spruce, hemlock, beach, some ashg and the white cedaro Perhaps the trees named first and last are the most comm.ono.. The white cedar grows· down to the water's edge around the lakes, forming a splendid fringe, while every few rods Bo the mountain ask (moose-mosse of the Indians) peeps out in its own peculiar lovelinesso The wild animals found here, are the moose, the deer, the panther, the fisher or the wild cat, several species of the wolf, the bear, the otter, the sable or martin, the muskrat, and perhaps a few of the beaver are left. Before the white man came, this was from time immemorial; the rich hunting ground of the Indians. Several tribes seem to have occ.upied parts of it, such as the St. Francois, the Sto Regis, the Caghnewaughna and the Mohawk. On this ground they sought their food, and furs, and fish, and often met in hostility, waylaying and destroying one another in the depth of the forest. The stories of their cunning encounters and stratagems are·deeply interesting. I learned some which would, in the right hands, furnish materials for a poor novel. On an enchanting~spot of ground between the waters of the Saranac and the Racket, the St. Francois tribe once had a flourishing village. They cleared it and planted their corn there; but they were destroyed by the Mohawkso* You can see where their houses once stood, and where the corn~waved. The tall pines, too, that now sigh over the lonely spot, bear the marks of the Indian boy's tomahawk. Just below where he girdled the young sapling it branched out into two ·partsj while the stem on which his hatchet fell, is still left· in its dead state, but bearing the marks of his strength. The· forest, too, has overgrown their little grave-yard at the lower· ,erid. of the lower- ·stony Pond east of Turtle Islando The loon raises his indescribably lonely notes near the spot, but no Indian will now pass the Island towards.the grave-yard. The red man is about gone. .__ from this wilderness. I met with some four or five only in all my wanderings. The white man next came in to hunt and still continues to come but the pioneer settler is on his way, and the race of hunters--a peculiar rac·e of men, having much in their character to admire, as well as much to condemn--is doomed to pass away. It is a study; and, did my limits allow, I should like to sketch their character. Possible I may hereafter attempt it O . I am frequently asked why this country has been overlooked and left unsettled? Many reasons may be assigned. One is, the extreme difficulty of getting into and out of it. If, as I have stated, these waters are from 1600 to 1800 feet above Lake Champlain, it follows that there must be many falls of water, sometimes extending for miles, around which you must carry every thing. No roads are cut, and the shoulders must carry all. Another reason is, it has been considered a cold, Alpine region, where, as the British soldier who wrote home concerning the New England climate, in revolutionary times, "they have six months of hard winter and six months of awfully cold weathero" How this may be after the forests sh~ll have been cleared off, I cannot tell; but at the present time, I am confident that the winters are colder, and the spring is later·than in Massachusetts. And a third is, t~at while the open, level, fertile vales of the West are so abundant and so cheap, the emigrant has every temptation to push on across the mountains. *See Appendix A. The townships are ten miles square 9 and are usually owned by men who live at a dist~nce, who open no roads~ and who too often entrust their busihess to agents who have not comprehension of mind enough to induce a thrifty population to enter the wilderness$ The lands 9 too 9 are held too high; for none but poor men can be induced to go in at first and endure the hardships of pioneer life, and such men ought not to pay much for their little wild farmso If you go in merely to see the lakes and mountains, you have a task before you and a fatigue which few can be willing to endure. You must have an experienced hunter for a guide and aid, or you are lost--a melancholy tale I have to tell on that pointo You must carry your boat and the etcaeteras consisting of·the axe, the kettle, frying pan, bread, flour, tea, blankets, tent, gnns,·hooks and line·s 9 and the likeo You sleep_on the ground, of course, and eat what you carry in-- and are shortly very glad to say little about the cookingo Your.boat must carry what is equivalent to four ·or five men, and yet not weigh over one hundred pounds. Then after·you are equipped, what with the fatigue, the sleeping on the groundj the gnats, the coming short of·provisions, the heavy rains which seem to come down in sheets, your lying down and rising up wet to t~e skin--the journey is a fearful one, and fatiguing beyond what language can describeo What must it be 9 then, to go in a settler, and make your home in these solitudes? About in the centre of the wilderness· ~s Long Lake 9 on which is a little community of fourteen familieso It was to see these that I have just made my third visit to the wilderness; and it is to describe this visit that I take my peno Would the reader like to know how to "camp out" in the heart of the wilderness 9 without a soul within scores of miles? How to cook, how to starve, and how to catch a deer to keep from starving? I can enlighten him on these pointso* On my return from the wilderness in 1842j I gave my own people and the public an account of the community on Long Lake, the little church planted in the wilderness, and the nature of their wantso In consequence of those statements, my Sabbath School contributed their little offerings and procured a library for the children of the forest at any expense of $420 Friends here and elsewhere also aidedj so that we also sent a library for the church well selected and in good ordero To these we added·a box of medicinesj carefully put up 9 with written direc tions, for using themo The whole were worth something over $2000 These were sent late in the fall 9 so that they reached the borders of the wilderness just before the great heavy snow in December. On hearing of their arrival 9 one man went out with a team after themo He was gone· nine days and as many nights, plunging in the snow and breaking his path; sleeping on the snow in the wilderness; yet he says "he was so joyful for the books that he thought nothing of all the resto" It was Saturday when the treasures arrivedo On the Sabbath the news spread, and the Wednesday ~See Appendix Bo lOo following was appointed for the community to meet and open the bookso BeI'ore that day arrived, however, a great ra~n fell, so that the water on the ice of the lake, their only road, was over shoes--cold ice waterJ and yet, in their own simple language-- ''Most all attendedo" s·ome had to come five.or six miles and carry their little ones in their arms, and wade in the water over shoes o "TNhen all got together, the libraries were opened and all had a view of the gifto The letters found in the boxes was read; prayers was attended, and a hymn sung; and then a Bible or Testament was presented to all who was destitute." Probably the two situations in which human nature is the most severely tried are~ the crowded, hurried life of a great city, and the pioneer life in the wilderness. The contrast between the two would be striking, but the results as to temptations would be found to be very similar. As you enter the forest for a home you are supposed to be pooro· You have no house. There are no saw-mills and so you must build your house of logs, perhaps without a floor. You have to live on what you carry in for the first year, and till you can cut down the forest, and raise your grain. But then you have no mill by which you can grind it. You have no gardens for several years; no fruit of any kind till the wild.raspberry grows up on your clearings. ·You have no schools ~or your children, no physician when you are sick, no society except as one and another comes in to find a similar homeo You are shut away from public opinion, you have no institutions of heaven there; you are pinched by poverty and hardly know how to procure food and clothing for your familyo You ~re as completely snut away from the world as if on the oceano The arrival of a stranger is a great event. My mind now recalls a circumstance which made a deep impression on me at the time. My friend and myself were alone on the sandy beach of the Blue Mountain Lake. An island lay in front of the little bay, and concealed the most of the lake from our view. Our experienced guide had gone up the mountain a mile or two on some errand, for foodo While alone, we heard the report of a gun repeated three times in succession, as fast as it could be loadedo We knew it· was the forest signal that some one was seeking uso We fired a gun in reply, as in duty bound. The signal gun was at a great distanceo In about half an hour it was repeated, end we repeated.the answer. It was now nearer, but the island concealed all from the sight. Who could it be seeking us in that lone spotf Had sickness or death overtaken our friends at home, a.nd had a.--messenger followed· us so far? Then came the clearj l.ong-dra.wn wh-o-o-p, wh-o-o-p, wh-o-o-pl By this time our guns had recalled our guide, who came bounding down the mountain as nimble as a deer, and with the strength of a buffalo. In a moment he shot off in the boat to meet the new comero How did our hearts beat while he was gone, lest he should bring us heavy tidings fro~ home! And how did we breathe easy when we found it a young Indian and his squaw, of the St. Regis tribe, who had come all the way from Canada in his bark canoe to seek a younger brotherJ 11. I return to the history of my third visit. We arrived on Saturday, and were welcomed with a smile and a warm greeting by all. On S~bbath morning, before we had eaten our simple break fast--for our humble tent was pitched, as usual, in a retired little bay--we were visited by thos~ who wished to tell their trials and their troubles and receive advice. At teno'clock, the little bo&ts came along down the lake, looming up in their peculiar atmosphere, and looking sometimes twice as large as they were, and sometimes looking double--one boat above the water and a second below it. We assembled in a little school-house, made of round logs·, with moss stuffed.between. It had but one roof which was compos·ed of spruce bark. Two very small windows admitted just light enough to show .that the house was entirely full. It was just a year since I had preached to them last, and in that time what had they and I pas.sed throughJ Before a word was said there were many tears shed. -Here were the little community all gathered in this school house, in a. s~all opening made by cutting down a few trees of the tall forest. ·r shed tears to meet this little flock, so lonely, so ·shepherdless, once more; and they wept that I should come so far to see them. At noon the rew members of the church met and· agre.ed· to have the Lord's Supper administered on the next Sabbath. Also, that we should return rrom a distant excursion and meet with them on Saturday, to lay plans for their good. It may seem a sma11 circumstance to mention, yet I- cannot he1p saying that I used written sermons a part of the time--to show them the difference--telling them the difference was like their rifles. Extempore preaching was like throwing in the charge in any manner, whi.le writing was like the same rifle with the charge accurately measured and carerully rammed down. On the Saturday morning following, we were between five and six miles from them, and a dense, blind forest lay between us and them. Yet so anxious were·they, that two of their·number c&me all the way after us, and then, taking our heavy packs, they_turned back and we·followed them, the longest and most wearisome walk ·r ever took. On·comirig together in the afternoon, it was apparent to all that they, small as they are, could never have things as they should be, until they can have a stated pastor. To this point we turned all our thoughts. Now it must be recollected that they are a regularly incorporated town; that they are mostly from New England, and that many of them left their homes and fled into this wilderness because they were b6coming inebriates, and wished to get away from temptation; for though they had virtue enough to see their danger·and strength enough to flee, yet they had not enough to resist. They had found themselves alone in the wilderness. When I first saw·them they had no Sabbath; it was the great day of ~unting, fishing, and games. Now they desired nothing so much as to have the Sabba~h, the institutions of religion, and especially a pastor. The first thing needed was a central and convenient place in which to worship. On examining this point, one of their number, whose lot happens to be the central lot in the town, offered to give an acre of ground, cleared and in good condition, 12. on a point which projects into the Lake; and where a meeting- house could be seen, looking up or down the Lake. This offer was accepted, and to encourage them, my friend and myself pro- mised that we would be accountable for some aid, while our woods man was so aroused, that, though he had not eaten since before day-light, and had been hard at work, yet he was thankful to be with them and pledged his $5 to help on the work. We next appointed a committee to write to the landholders and ask them if they·will not of their abundance give a lot or a part of a. lot of land, to be forever held by the church for· the use of the minister "for," said they, "though we have no moeny, yet if we had a farm and a minister, we could cultivate his land and make him comfortable for food." Then came the second and last Sabbath we could be with them. For the first time in the wilderness was the little table brought· out to be spread for the Lord's memorial. Knowing their situation, our ladies at home had put up two napkins, and sealed up a little bottle of wine· for the communion-table. Over a common plate and tumbler were these napkins spread. Four (two husbands and their wives) were added to the little church, and their four children baptized. It W!!.S a solemn and most affecting tin:e. The sigb.-t was never seen there ·before. They came with tears to the·table or the Lord. There were no officers, and so our woodsman, a professor of religion himself, was our deacon to hand round the simple and beautiful "emblems of a Saviour's l~ve." Small as was our number, we never expected all to meet again; and these poor sheep, when would they have bread broken to them again? I need hardly say that we promised that we should forget neither them nor their "little log meeting-house, thirty feet by twenty-eight." I hardly ever had feelings so.sad as when I left this flock in the deep wilderness--with no mills to give them food--no physician within sixty miles--no minister of education and judgment as near as that-~and no prosp~s that were cheering--what could I do more for theml There were doubtless hundreds of flocks in the wilder- ness equally destitute; but of them I knew nothing. But these I did know--soon to be the foundation of a great community, and to give shape and character to the population which shall one day fill this vast region. By the time I reached home, the children of my Sabbath School had collected another hand.some purse for the use of Long Lake- enough to support a missionary for six Sabbaths. Providence shortly sent us a young man, and we sent him in for us. He is·a well educated,_ balanced man, and they speak of him almost-as if he were an angel. As his six Sabbaths are out, I am trying to raise funds to keep him there longer, and the. prospect is so good that I ha.ve writ_ten to him to hold on for the present; but befqre he received this letter, he wrote me that he must and should stay longer 9 whether he received any compensation or not. He is just the man for the post. He preaches frequently, has organized a· 13 0 fine young ladies' Bible class, re-organized the Sabbath school, and put every wheel in motion there; is forming the adults into a Bible class, and is reviving and improving the singing. They have already got .so far that they think they had better have a framed meeting-house instead of the log one proposed, and they are praying that their minister may stay with them. I have received some donations towards aiding in building the church--one of which is from a Sabbath school in Philadelphia. It seems indeed as if the Star of Bethlehem was about to make this a bright spot, and as if the wilderness would bud and.blossom as the rose. Should any wish to aid my little plans by contributing either to put up the little church or to support the ministry among them, I should be very glad, and doubt not they will be abundantly rewarded by the Savior at the great day. I r.emarked that only one of the settlers had found a grave- that is still true; and yet there are two graves there.· The one containing the daughter then described; the other a brother of one of the settlers. He came. in to visit his brother. After being there some days he went out on the mountains west of the Lake--all of which are covered with mighty forests. He took a dog with him. The night came, and he returned not; the next day and no tidings of him. They then began to search for him,-- They fired guns, kindled fires, and searched, but to·no good end. At the close or the third day, the dog returned home, with his throat partly cut. They then understood the whole. The poor man was lost--was starving--and had tried to kill the dog for· food; but the dog was too strong for a starving man,·and had got away alive. They continued the search day after day, but with no success. The ice covered the Lake,· and the winter came on- went·past--and spring returned. Then they found the lost brother. He had wandered no one knows whither, and had just strength to drag himself down to the Lake, where he lay down and died of starvation. Nor is it strange.--Once lost in tha.t forest, I should have very little expectation of ever finding my way to the habitations of meno Even while we were in the·wilderness this summer, a man was lost and was dying of hunger, within fo·ur miles of us. Hla body has since been round. The reason is obvious. When you have once entered the wilderness there is no such thing as seeing any thing for·· thirty rods before you. A mountain might be just by you and i~ cciuld not be seen; and after you are once confused, there is n·o recovering self-possession. No one should venture beyond Long Lake without an experienced and trusty guide. I have no expectation of seeing the day when this great wilderness will have given way to cultivated farms, and to a teeming popula tiono But such an event will ere long be brought about, and if by any feeble efforts of mine the foundations of that society might be laid on the word of ·God, I should feel that it was not in v~in that a peculiar providence first led me there. The Fourth Visit -- l8l+4. The formation of the vast wilderness in the upper part of New York is so very peculiar that it cannot be understood by one or even two visit~. On what side soever you approach it, every thing is forbidding. The lofty and barren mountains frown on all sides. If you enter from Lake .Champlain, the bold peaks of the Keene mountains and the hard stony soil make you dread what is to come. If you enter on the west from Potsdam, you meet•with a frightful belt of land. The region seems like a porcupine, and the quills bristle in every direction. If you once get into the wilderness your first desire is to get at some Lake, and in a little boat follow the w~ters,.as this is the only way you can travel any distance. But the land around most of the Lakes, and next to them, is like the land lying next to Lake Champlain, rocky and stony, and forbidding. You must go back one tier of lots to find the good land. ~t has been intimated that there is but little good land in this immense forest. I wonder at the traveller who can say this. Did he ever fo11ow the R~cket River from Long Lake down to the Big Bogs, and see the valley it creates? Did he ever look at the two hundred acres.where the Indians once had corn on the short opposite the mouth of Stony Brook1 Did he ever pass through townships No. 24. or 25, where the river winds and is twenty-two miles in ad vancing teri? Did he ever view the land near Fish Creek on the Upper Saranac lake, and between that and the St. Regis? Did he ever see the land at Cold River, or the township which lies south of Great Tupper 1 s Lake, or the land on·the Racket Lake, or that which l•ies between Mud Lake and Handsome Pond? I think I might ask this question of at least twenty townships, each ten miles square, which we visited and pronounced among the most beautiful land we ever beheld. Let no man think· he can explore this wilderness in a few days or even weeks. ·The Rev. Mr. Allen and myself have spent two vacations in it, and very few men ever labored more severely. At our last visit we penetrated b~tween eighty and ninety miles after leaving the last habitation· of man. I believe out of the two hundred lakes which are already lmown, we visited only twenty-four in the two vis.its; and to do that, we worked early and late, camped where the night found us, and ate what we could obtain and when we could obtain it. We probably, including our return, travelled over three hundred miles in the forest at each visit. I think I speak advisedly, then, when I say that though it is an Alpine region, a country of mountains and rocks, of lakes and ponds, a region of storms and long winters, yet after all, there are immense tracts of as beautiful land as need be, and such as will not suffer by comparison with the best any where found. Much of it, --nay, most of it, --was never visited except by the hunter. Suppose you were to take a triangular board having the sides about equal. On this board you may throw balls of melted wax; throw them on any how and any where; if they fall one upon another, so much the better, only observing that you must have the most balls near the sides of your board. Now gently pour on water, till you have two hundred little ponds, and some twelve or fifteen rivers running from them. Then cover all, except the waters, with little trees--making one uninterrupted forest and you have this wilderness represented. The mountains are huge, lofty, piled up 15. in all shapes and run in no particular direction, and no one seems to have any_connexion or fellowship with his neighbor. But on the tableland, when you get fairly up into the wilderness, there is much to a·dmire o The highest table-land is probably nearly 2,000 feet higher than Champlain. -The irregular shape of the mountains, and the confusion in which they seem to stand, is one of the peculiarities w~ich strikes the beholder. If these were the very mountains which Milton says the angels plucked up and hurled at each other, we could hardly expect them to fall with a greater appearance of terror and confusion. Another peculiarity in this wilderness is its newness. I mean by this, that the lakes, the rivers and the forests, all seem as if they had been created within about eighty years. Every thing around the sho~es of the lakes is fresh and green. On the bottom is pure white sand, or. gravel and stone--very little mud, and where there is any, it is but a few inches deep. Instead of finding it severa_l feet deep~as in the ponds and -lakes in Massachusetts, you find it surprisingly shallow. You would suppose the .freshets would, in five years, fill up the lakes more, and give them an older appearance. If you leave the waters and go into the forests, you still have the same feeling. The trees are thrifty and young. They are of quick growth, and are less than a century old.~ Then there is no old, decaying timber-- no logs piled up in all manner of layers, as in the forests on the White Mountains in New Hampshire, or in the ancient forests of the Alleghanies in Pennsylvania. What is the reason? Where are the trees that have been centuries. in growingf Where are the former generations of trees? Why is it so that you might almost drive a team through all this forest, so far as the fallen trees and timber are concerned? Was there a great fire some eighty years ago, which burned all this over and consumed every thing--and if so, should we find no marks of fire on stumps, or on rocks? I do not know whether Professor Emmons, in his splendid work--the Geology of the State--has mentioned this peculiar feature--I had almost called it a phenomenon--in this region. But there is at every step such an appearance of newness that you are amazed and puzzled. You can account for it on the supposition that it has all been burned over at a recent period; and then, would there remain no marks of fire, and no traditions of it among the Indians? If this feature detracts from the awe which you .feel. on entering a wilderness where all is ancient and venerable, it nevertheless gives a .freshness to 1every view that is enchanting. You .feel surprised that you find even the traces of the Indian hunters in a region apparently but just created. It is emphatically the region of iron, and will undoubtedly, one day become the Sweden of our country. The mines are of easy access, profusely scattered, and exceedingly rich. You find beds of iron in the mountains, and also bog ore in almost every place you visit. When these mines are worked, and these forests used in smelting the ore, what an inex haustible amount of iron mavu be made here! 16. It is difficult to say what the climate will be after the forests are removedo Most suppose it will be colder than at present, inasmuch as the forests break and shut off the winds. If my own opinion is of any·value, I think it will be milder after the re moval of the trees·. At present the winter sets in suddenly, is long, very cold, and as suddenly pa_sses away. Then, in a few days, the ice breaks up and is gone. In the summer the weather is very warm during the day. When we were in, about the middle of Sept ember, the thermometer stood at 93 deg. in the shade in the day time. But the moment the sun goes down, even in mid-summer, the cold is decided and painful. You need a large camp-fire all night. The reason is, that the moment the sun passes below the horizon, all sources of heat are cut off. The ground, covered with a thick forest, does not become warm and continue warm all night, as it will, when the trees are removed, and as it does in an open country •. Hence, though the waters are warm, the ground is always cold, and during the warmest night in the summer, a large fire at your feet and a buff'alo robe around. you are most comfortable. But_when the sun shall be let in to warm the earth, and the warmth shall be returned to the atmosphere, is it not reasonable to suppose the climate will be softened and milder? The feelings awakened by the scenery of the forest are unlike any others. You sit down_ in a moonlight evening, after a day of hard fatigue, and look off. You are on a pine knoll some twenty five feet higher than th~ lake before you. That lake is now as calm and still and as bright as if molten.silver. Its surface is only broken, here and there, by the large trout or salmon as he throws out his fluked tail. The islands covered wi~h forests, loom up in the mirage, and seem to move and float; and all seems like a fairy land. The lof'ty mountains rise up all around and seem to stand in the majesty of solitude. They repose like monsters, too independent to emit a· single sound. Their sides are covered with the richest trees whose leaves are dyed, in the pure atmosphere of a11tumn, orange, straw, yellow, crimson, scarlet and carmine. They look as i.f a thousand _rainbows had fallen to ·pieces and dropped their glories upon them. Not .a sound is heard save the dis-.tant scream of' the lonely loon, or it may be the.howl of the wolf, or the peculiar who-ha-ho of "the laughing owl." The fishing-eagle has uttered his last scream for· the day, and the blue heron·has taken his misshapen form to the tall pine for the night. Your camp-fire sends its light far up among the magnificent trees around you, and makes them look like ~o many mighty pillars, sustaining a canopy of silver, while beyond the reach of your light, ·the forest seems a thousand times darker than common darkness~ At the head or at the foot of the lake is the heavy water-fall, now sending up its hourse roar as a part of nature's evening hymn. Perhaps, too, as was the case with us on one occasion, your tent is pitched close by a tree which has a large cross cut deep into its wood. Your guide tells you what it means. It is the monument of some Indian who lies buried in front of ·that cross. How far off, we know not. The Indians 17. would know, and go at once to the spot. But you only know that a son of the forest lies buried near by, and that the solitary grave contains one who will start up at the call of the archangel's trumpet. What griefs or joys or deeds were his, will not be lmown till that day. These graves are scattered through the wilderness, and the memorial will long remain, for the hunter is very far from being the man to cut down these trees. I hardly need add that they are probably the graves of the St. Francois Indians, who are Catholics, and who know little more about religion than to make the cross as the sign of salvation. When you are thus in the midst of a great forest, lmowing that you must go fifty or sixty miles ere you reach a human being--knowing that here man has not left the prints of his puny foot, --that God himself reigns here in solitude, you have a subdued ·reeling of dependence and insignificance that is new and peculiar. You feel that you might fall like one of-the leaves that is falling around you, and.the forest would stand, th~ mountains cast-their deep shadows and the lake mirror back the bright heavens, and the world move on just as if you ha·d never been. A writer; to whom I have already made allusion, thinks the wilderness is, of all others, the best place in which to renew health of body and vigor of mind. Before any one lays his plans to penetrate it far, let him make up his mind to endure fatigue beyond what he eve:r bef'o:re endured, to sleep whe?'ever night .finds him, and to· cpme as near ·starving as need be. It will do well · enough to talk about living on venison or moose; but it 1s·a1ways better to hunt the bear before you sell his oil.· It is obviously the best place in the worl_d to recruit the body--for you must work as hard as poss·ible, and change all your habits of ·a1et,&c. Then you are completely shut·out from the world, and know nothing of what is passing without~ So you may cease·to give yourself any trouble about it, and you thus leave ·the world behind, and the mind.is wholly unbent--an advantage which it can obtain nowhere else. All habits of mind and body are changed, and all are re cruited. But as·to the fatigue, I will mention an•incident to ·show what I mean. · It is only one among multitudes, and by no means the severest. When on the Upper Saranac, we undertook to carry out a favorite plan of ours. But in order to understand it, allow me to introduce the reader to Wilson's Lake. Wilson is our guide. For twenty years in succession he has been into this wilderness. At an early age he came in with an Ind-ian Chief,· for his heal th. After this he trapped and hunted here, I think, nine years. He is more completely at home in the wilderness than any·man I have ever seen. He has visited every lake,· pond and b~ook, and knows every part of it. On the middle branch of the St. Regis, near its head-waters, and near the grand mountain of that name, is a curious lake. The account which we obtained from different hunters was precisely the same. We had the testimony of independent witnesses. It is about a mile and a half in length, and is in the shape of the letter L. It has no 18. visible outlet or inletl Its waters rise and fall continually once in about ten minutesJ As nearly as we could learn, the rise and fall is from six· to twelve inches perpendicularly. On the sloping shore, it would seem much greater. We gave it the name of Wilson's Lake, because ·we believe he was the· first white hunter that ever discovered it. He was passing over it on the ice, and noticed that the ·1ce was broken and was chafing all around the edge, and that it was difficult to get on it, or off from it. This led him to examine it,· and to make the discovery of the phenomenon. 'l'he causes he could not discover. As it had no name, and as he was the discoverer~ we thought it right that his·name should be attached to it. This lake we wished to find. So we rowed up the Upper Saranac, some fifteen miles, to its head. This very beautiful lake is in the shape of the letter T. On reaching its head, we prepared for a journey in the wood·s to find Wilson's Lake. As near as we could judge, it might be ten miles to it in a straight line. But who· can follow a straight course where swamps and mountains and ponds are in his path? Leaving our little boat, our tent, blankets, &c. in order to go as light as possible, we set out. Now let us see if all is ready. "Wilson, have you the pack?" ''Yes." This conta:ined provisions, teakettle,&c. &c. "Have you got Tommy Peckit?'' ttyes." Tommy is a small hunter's axe. ttshall we carry 'Sleepy David'?" ''Yes". This was a sleepy looking rif::Le. "Must we also carry 'Sober Jerry'?'' "Yes; our lives may depend on them." •Sober Jerry' is Wilson's rifle, weighing nineteen three-fourths pounds J . Thus we set off. The day is cloudy, with a fine, drizzling rain. We lay our course, but have no pocket compass. The guide goes for wa~d, and·we follow. The woods are filled with "whistle-wood" and "witch hopple," which entangle you, wet you, and weary you. On you plod, over hill and dale. You come to a pond, and you must go round it. You can see no mountain, and no sun. You plod on and on, till you come to a lake about six miles in diameter. You halt and take some food. You now nndertake to go round this lake. You follow its whole length, and then leave it for your ~upposed course. Weary and faint, after dragging on for hours, you see light before you. It must be a lake! Ts it the right one? You hasten up to it, and pause. You have come back to the same lake from which you started, and are not an hundred years from the spot where you ate your dinner! ·It is now night, the winds blow from the lake, the thunders roar, the lightnings flash, and the rain comes down-in its strength. You build a fire, and without tent or blanket, covering or shelter, you lie down on the wet ground. You turn from one cold, wet side to the other, get up and rekindle the fire, and envy your companions who have taken off their boots for their pillow, placed their traveling caps over their eyes, and flat on their backs, are giving evi~ence of sleep so palpable, that you are tempted to awaken them, or roll them down the hill, for very envy. All the night it rains, and all the night they sleep, and all the night you keep awake. But the morning comes at last. And now what must we do? The guide acknowledges that for the first time in his life, his head is turned, and he cannot lead us to the Lake! We now think we shall be most happy if we can find the way back again. We set out, and go, and go, and after a long march, pop1 we are back again to the lake from which we startedl Our good natured and intelligent guide now looks pale, peaked, blue aboµt the mouth, and he eyes the trees as if he expected a catamount to spring out of each one. Again we wheel and drag onward, while "Sleepy David" and ''Sober Jerry11 have become intolerable burdens. By great care and much anxiety and more fatigue, we find our way back again to our boat, having probably walked near forty miles, been soaked in rains, and after all, did not find the lakel This was the sorest part of all -- a disap pointment hard to bear. Should any future explorers search for it, we hope they will be more fortunate, and will find and examine this curious sheet or water. We were too much exhausted to renew the search. The sensation of being lost in·a vast forest is horrific beyond description. No imagination can paint the bewilderment and terrific sensations which you feel when you are alone and fairly lost. I experienced those sensations once. I shall not attempt to describe them. It is probably as near derangement as can be, if there be any difference. We went·within a mile and a half of the spot where sleeps the man who, the last year, wandered away, and was lost, and starved, and lay down, and died. The hunters found him. Probably there are not a few such cases, which have ·never come to light~ But our guide told us of one which we have remembered. Shall I give his simple story of The Lost Man? Some years since, Wilson was trapping on the head waters of the Beaver River. The ice had broken up, so that his little bark canoe would float, though the waters were filled with frag ments of ice. Just at night, as he was pushing his canoe into a small pond, seeking for the signs of beaver, he heard something walking in the water. By the heavy splashing, he concluded it must be a moose. The rifle was carefully laid before him, and his noiseless paddle shot his_ light boat speedily forward. As he turned a point he saw two white legs. A few more oar strokes and the human form was seenl It was a man without any hat -- his clothes nearly gone -- his legs lacerated and naked, while 20. he kept striding on in the ice water. He was muttering to himself, As the silent boat shot on, it came up with him before Wilson spoke. The moment he spoke, the wild eye and the start shewed that the man was deranged. By the kindest tones of voice -- and few voices were ev·er softer than his -- he coaxed the poor emaciated creature to pause, and finally to get into the boat. Wilson then asked permission to camp in his company. The poor creature, as it afterwards appeared, had been out and lost thirteen days. He had gone out with his gun.and dog to hunt, near his father's h·ouse. He had got lost--had lost his gun-- had killed and eaten his dog, all--save a few bones, which he still had in his bosom, and which he had gnawed more or less. By great kindness and effort, he was made to reveal the place of his home. It was far down on tthe Black River. He was a young man, of liberal education, and fine promise. I. believe he had before had a turn of being mentally deranged. But on the morning of leaving his home, he was·perfectly sane. _With great skill, he was made to believe that our guide was going to the place where he lived, and, as a particular favor, desired his c'ompany. This the young man promised. So he ate, and camped, and travelled with his new friend. When he got near his father's house, he said -- "That is the house,'' and then put off at a speed almost too great to be followed. When he reached his ·home, and the mother saw himl how she rushed to him, and lifted up her voice and weptJ How she poured out a mother's heart, in thanksgiving, and praise, and tearsl It seemed there were fifty men in the wilderness seeking him, but they had not met them. What a picture for a painterJ The father, pale and haggard, was just dismounting, from a fruitless search --the emaciated son, in his- rags, --the mother, in her tears--and the hunter-guide, with his long unshaven beard, swarthy appearance, hunter's dress, but with a heart that made him weep for joy that he had saved a human life, and restored to his friends the son who was lost! He told the story with entire simplicity, as it it were nothing that he did; and he took no reward for his deed. He spoke of it .as a pleasant remembrance, and I tried not to let him see the tear I dropped into Tupper's Lake, as I sat paddling and listening to the story. Was I mistaken in supposing that the reader would thank me for preserving it? But should a man really get lost in this vast wilderness, what can he do -- is there any hope of his ever finding his way out? I reply, yes, if he can keep cool and collected, but not without. If he cannot find his company, let him go in a straight line till he comes to some pond or lake, or better still, let him go up some mountain, an.d fi:,r his eye on some lake·. Then let him find the outlet of that pon4 or lake. Let him follow the outlet, and it must eventually lead him to a river, and that river must lead to human habitations. Let no man feel confident that he shall not get lost. It is very easyo But no man would desire to repeat the experiment. Helplessness becomes nearly allied to distraction. 21. On the west side of Long Lake, about four miles from its head, is a charming bay, while directly opposite, swells out into the water, one of the most beautiful mountains ever admired. Our little company had· just landed in this bay, had pitched our tent, kindled our fire, collected wood for the Sabbath just approaching, when we noticed a little boat lying off in the lake, apparently seeking somebody. We were concealed by the thick forest. A few raps with an axe on a tree, turned the boat towards tis, and put the oars in motion. As I went down to the shore to receive our visitor, whose face was turned from me, I saw several Bibles and a flute lying in the stern, and I knew that the rower must be Mr. Parker, the missionary to the little settlement on Long Lake. More than a year since he had been commissioned by the children of my Sabbath School to come here in their name and at their charges, to labor for six Sabbaths. Aided by my church, by friends in Boston through the Hon. -s. H. Walley, and friends in many other places, he has·never left the spot since. When he first ''came in", as it is called, he travelled as far as any teams could carry him, and then took his things on his shoulder and travelled through the wilderness alone and on foot. As he came up to the Lake just at night, wearied beyond expression, he saw .a house on the opposite shore. But his voice could not reach it~ and he had no means of crossing. So he passed on till he came to the next house on the opposite shore, and again shouted, as he stepped out from among the trees. There was no one at home but a woman and her babe. But when did a.call for aid reach the ear of woman and die away unheeded? She laid her infant in the cradle., and left him alone, while the little boat shot rapidly across the Lake to receive the stranger. Great was her surprise to find in him a missionary come to teach them the way of life. She rowed him hurriedly across the waters and opened to him the doors of her humble dwelling -- which have never been closed against him since. The lonely settlement on the Lake we found had been increased by three families who have purchased and cleared land, and who were about to move in; so that the colony now consists of eighteen families and about one hundred souls. In some respects their situation and circumstances drew more deeply upon our sympathy than ever before. The road which the State is making in to them from Lake Champlain, advances very slow, and it made our faces grow long when they talked as if it would be two years more before it is done. We have strong hopes that it will not take so long. The post office is still half a hundred miles off, the nearest physician is sixty miles, and the nearest mill that deserves the name of a mill, is not much nearer. The same long, weary way lies between them and the nearest store. The saw-mill had not yet been put up; and in addition to all the rest, the winter preceding had been long and severe, their cattle had died of starvation in many cases, and the annual income of a few hundred dollars which they annually calculate to receive for working on the road, had been cut off. They had done the work, but by a process of which I am ignorant, they had no income. / 22. It is very easy for us, surrounded by all manner of appliances, to think how we would do this or that to mend our condition, were we placed in certain situationso But it is not so easy to work when you have no handles to your tools, and no tools to your handles; when your arms must be fifty miles long in order to reach any thing that will aid you. If there is nothing but wild land to be bought and you have nothing .. to buy with, and nothing to sell, no outlet and no inlet, you find yourself shut up to narrow quarters. Suppose you are a settler in the wilderness. You may find that in the winter when you wish to be clearing up your land, you are compelled to leave all and catch what furs will procure the year's clothing for your family. In the spring when you wish to be making your maple sugar, you are taking the last harvest of furs; and when you ought to be planting and getting your seed in the earth, the spring having come all at once, you are compelled to go off to sell your furs and buy_ the necessaries of life for your family, and perhaps you must stop to fish and hunt to keep from starving. To surmount the point which lies between poverty and thrift in· these circumstances, requires a perseverance and a resolution which few possess. How hard must it be for a poor man with a family to get along when his axe must cut down every tree that is cleared, and his hoe must put in every kernel of grain he raises, because he has neither a horse nor an ox. I never so fully realized the dirficulties or the situation or those who dwell in a new, cold, Alpine region, as I did during this visit. Very few either, have any adequate idea of the self-denial of the missionary who goes into such a wilderness to gather the sheep there found. It is very pleasant for us to go in, at a pleasant season of the year, while the zephyrs of summer fan the waters and the scenery is of the richest and most gorgeous dye, and stay a few dayso But the missionary is there alone, so far as the society to which he has been accustomed is concerned; he must traverse· the Lake in his little boat when the storm howls over him and the waters turn white as with terror beneath him; he must live from house to house in the small, rough log-house, perhaps built without the aid of a single board, and which contains but a single room; he must be without books and periodicals, and lmow nothing of what is passing in the world; he must have no place that he can call his study, and no place but the solitude of the forest where he can find retirement. But if there be such a thing as a warm corner in the humble dwelling, it shall be for him. If they have but one loaf of bread, he shall share it even to the last crust. All tha.t they have is most cheerfully shared with him, and he learns to love these hearts with a very strong affection. As a matter of money, scarce anything in the shape of dollars and cents would keep him there, and yet it would be very hard to break away and leave them._ Though there were some things of a temporal nature which made us enter into their circumstances with great interest, yet there was also much to cheer and animate us. Mr. Parker seemed to be the very man for the post -- a man who can conform to almost any circumstancesj and yet retain respect and love. He has preached in season and out of season. He;has every child that is old enough in the Sabbath Schoolo He has all the young women in the Bible class~ both under his own super·visiono And a most wonderful change had the Gospel wrought among that people since he went among themo The Sabbath has become holy time; the popu lation almost universally are constant in attending public worship. Several, as we hopej have passed from death unto life -- among whom, we have some reason to hope, ·is found the old hunter whom I have already mentioned, and whose solitary lodge is on the Beaver Lake, many, many miles from any other human beingo But what an advancement in intellect! I think I never saw such a growth in intellect in a single yearo By the light of their fires during the long winter evenings, they had reado The Bible-class has a library of eighty-four volum~s--the gift of Mro Delavan of Albany--and some of the girls had understandingly read every book through. They could understand preaching, and very seldom have I heard a Bible class recite bettero The whole community had learned the value of character 1 and were trying, with few excep tions, to gain ito The Sabbath has a peculiar stillness, and. profaneness, once so common, is now wholly done awayo The miss_ionary teaches them how to read, to write, to think; how to catch their fish, and how to make their rackets~ or snow-shoes. He is now teaching all the elder part of ·the youth in a week-day school as well as on the Sabbath. And I am happy to feel that there are some things very encouraging in future prospect. One of the most enterprising of the young men has been building a saw-mill this seasono I found him working on it all alone, having got together one of the noblest frames ever reared. He hopes to have it done this fall or early in the springo With that is to be connected a small mill 9 , which will do for the present to grind their grain. They can then make their families and houses more comfortable and conveniento But after spending a Sabbath and several days with them, and seeing them at their houses, I felt a deeper interest.in them than ever beforeo Mro Po accompanied us down some twenty or twenty-five miles on our way home, and when he came to leave us to return back I could see that his heart was sinking and·fullo All the way home we were musing in our hearts what we could do for those sheep in the wildernesso With a more heavy heart--heavy because I more fully understood the difficulties under which they labor--than r·ever before felt on leaving them, I turned back to my laborso But when I reached home, I found a letter from the land-holders, saying that if I would see a church put up there, they would contribute liberally in land for the support of the gospel! Another letter from Saratoga informed me that the ladies of that beautiful villa~e, through Mro C~ancellor Walworth, had raised a handsome sum ($60) to aid in erecting the little Church on Long Lakeo The peop~e are now at work in getting out the frame, and I trust it will be put up and finished as soon as the saw-mill will furnish materials. What we wis~ and expect is~ that if we aid them in putting up this church, the land=owners will give a lot of land containing two hundred acres which shall be forever kept for the support of the ministryo T~ey are organizing a legal society of worshippers in order to hold this lando It would delight the numerous friends of this mission to see how Mro Parker is the centre of their affections and their thoughtso Some of the pious told us that it "seems as if they could not live," if he were to leave themo* On my return, the ladies of my people immediately sent him such an expression of their esteem and confidence as will make him warm and comfortable during the coming wintero If he gets it before the winter shuts up the wildernessj we trust that it will be greatly to his comforto To secure this landj is to secure the means of making the gospel permanent among themo We wish by all means to keep Mr. P~ there till the church is built, the land selected and secured: we wish to fulfil our pledge to the land-holders, and put up a neat little Church and complete ito Then will the Sabbath be ever abiding there, and that settlement, now so remote and so lonely~ will become a blessed community--sanctifying all who will hereafter fill the regiono· When I was with them on the Sabbath--when I looked upon my young friend, Sabatas, a noble Indian young man, whose violin leads the music in public worship- when I saw how much they had improved in intellect, morality, and character 9 I felt that all that has been done for them will yet return in.blessings upon the friends who have done it. Nor do I believe it possible for any benevolent heart to visit these dwellers in the wilderness, without feeling an interest in them which is amazing even to himselfo The records of the Judgment - alone will reveal the trials which our missionary has had there; but he has met them like a good soldierj faithful to his trusto And I can truly say, that all that has been done for their temporal and spiritual good has cost nothing in proportion to its value •. ~See Appendix C A:ppendix Ac At times 9 t-he St o Franc is., the St o Reg is~ and the Mohawks occupied this wilderness as their hunting groW1do This occasioned jealousies 9 contentions and cost much bloodo I believe the Moh~wks considered it as their ground 9 and the others to be intruderso Among the many battles and scenes of blood=shed which took place 9 the following is one of the traditions of the Indianso The version is, of coursei from the Sto Francois~ and I give it just as related by an old gray=headed Indiano While the contests were going on between the Sto Francois, (who live in Canada;) and the Mohawks 9 the two tribes use to way-lay and murder one another by strategem and cunningo They all travelled in their bark canoes 9 --but every tribe has its own pattern for a canoe~ so that o~ seeing a canoe, you may know instantly to what tribe it belongso They are all made of white birch bark 9 and sewed by the small roots_ of the spruce o On one occasion, thirty :Mohawks in their canoes p~ssed through the wilderness into Lake Champlainj and so north towards Canada, in order to way-lay and intercept any of the Sto Francois who might be coming up to hunto In the Lakej just before you reach Sto Johns, there is a low, flat island, called Ash Island. Here the thirty Mohawks had come~ drawn up their canoes for the nightg had built their camp-fire, and were preparing to spend the night here. In the course of the day they had killed a noble Moose, and were now making a hearty supper upon his meato Just at this time there came a single canoe along containing one old chief and three hunters on their way to the.hunting groundso Noiselessly they moved their paddleso On seeing a fire on Ash Island, they landed on the shore oppositeo One of their best swimmers was then sent to examine the canoes and see who were the ownerso There were bushes between the canoes and the Mohawks who were busy in cooking their suppero The night way very darko Noiselessly the scout did.his errand, and returned and reported who they were and their numbero The old chief thought a few moments~ and his plans were laido Two of their number were directed to swim to the canoes, still as the nighto They were then to land, and with a sharp knife, slit the bark of every canoe from end to endo They went on their perilous errand=-landed==crept upj and found the canoes turned bottom upwardso They then cut them full of slitsg anq were just turning to swim backo At that moment, a Mohawk rose up with the huge thigh bone of the Moose in his handj which he had just been pickingo "I wish"j says he.9 "this might strike a Sto Francois on his heado" Be then gave it.a throw, and sure enough, it did strike one .. of the Sto Francois swimmers on the head, and stunned himo The other Indian saw it, and fearing that his companion would thrash the water or make a noise when he recovered from·the blow 9 very coolly dragged him under water and drowned himl This was all done noiselesslyo He then swam back, and reported to his chiefo The three entered their canoe and paddled towards the Islando When near enough, they fired at Appendix A (Continued) the Mohawks, but made no noiseo The Mohawks raised the war-whoop, and rushed fora their canoes, and shot out into the Lake. But now came the troubleo Their canoes at once filled with water, and the cunning St. Francois came upon them with their war~shouto The Mohawks were-stupid with amazemento They were all killed except one who was designedly saved aliveo What a victory for three menl In the morning the prisoner was brought forth, expecting to be tormented and slowly put to death. But their plans were different, though hardly less mercifulo They stripped the poor captivej cut off his ears, his nosej and his lips. "Now go home," said they, 0 go home and tell the Mohawks to send.more menl thirty men too few for three St. Francois men to whipl Tell Mohawks to send more men1" The poor, maimed creature reached his home and told his storyo The Mohawks were chagrined beyond expressiono Their hundreds of schemes to retaliate are not told. But many a· bold Indian lost his life in the contests which followed. Such are the feelings 1 the customs and the cruelties among men who have no fear of the Lord before them--that fear which is created by the Bible. In a country of twenty millions of people, and where the Sabbath and the Bible hold but a part under their direct influence, there are not as many cruel murders annually, probably~ as among a population of a few thousand savages, and men living in the state of nature. The first chapter of Romans describes the hum.an heart as it is without the Book of God; and the history of any heathen people is only a commentary on this chaptero Verily, "the dark places of the earth are full of the habitations of cruelty~" and mcist thankful ought the child to be, whose birth gives.him the Sabbath School, the Bible, and the means of cultivating his mind and his heart. We are all alike by nature 9 and in all respects in which we are better off than the savages, we owe it to the blessed Bible. Appendix Bo ~andy Knoll, on the Racket Rivero My Dear Boy -- You made me promise, when I left home, that I would tell you how we got any thing to eat in the wildernesso Well then, you must lmow that we never travel on the Sabbath; and then ;uncle Samuel was sick several days, and unable to moveo In the mean time we had eaten up all our provisions, and knew not what to do. Yesterday we went many miles in our little boat for some fish, but caught none. We heard a moose thrashing in the swamp, but saw nothing of him. On our return empty-handed, all our faces were long. We were weary and faint for the want of food. "We must have a deer tonight,~ says Wilson. So he went to work_at once, and with a huge knife and a pl·enty of birch bark, he made what is called a Jack-1 A piece of bark about fifteen inches long, is bent into_ half a circle, and tied at the top and bottom to semicircular pieces of wood. It is fastened to a stick about three feet long, and is made to stand up in the very bow of the boat. In this Jack a large candle is placed, and in the night, it sends a strong light forward, while all the boat is in total darkness. Wilson has got it all ~igged, the candle ·1n it, and about ten o'clock at night, he calls, and says ·"we must goo" We go down to the hoat in silence. Wilson sits down in the stern, with the paddle in his hand. I sit down .at the bow, just behind Jack 9 and as near to him as I can get. ''Did you ever shoot a deer, tt says Wilson in a whispero "No,I never saw one." ''Then you won't touch him." "Very· likely, but I am too hungry not.. to try~" Our candle is not.lighted, and we now go down the river in perfect silence. Wilson never takes his paddle out of the water, but by a peculiar twist, shoots the boat in any direction. He takes care not to let the paddle hit the boat, for the least noise will scare a deer. On we go, slow, still, and watchful. On one side a large duck plunges and quacks; on .the other a musk-rat lounges in, and yonder is the heavy plunge of the otter. The bats fly in all directions, and the different kinds of owls utter their night songs. One seems to laugh--¬her seems to spend his time in sneezing, and a third utters a roar that makes the forest echo. We now light our candle, and the cold fog rising from the river wraps us in a veil; the light is thrown upon the tr·ees that bend over the river, and turns them into cones and pyramids of silver. The forest seems like a solid breast-work of most curious workmanshipo Every creature seems now to be moving. The wild cat screams and the distant wolf howls, while the great bull-frogs utter their deep bass notes together. On we go, slow and still, listening if among all these noises, we c~nnot hear a deero Presently Wilson wiggles his body, shak~s the boat., and seems to say, "now look out,--I hear a deer." On the right of the river, round a point is a small cove filled with lily-pads. Around that point the boat slowly turns, and therel there stands what looks like the picture of a great white deer! The light falls upon him and his eye-balls Appendix B (Continued) 2·. look like globes of fire. He does not seem to be a deer, but such a picture of one as the magic lantern would make. The boat goes slowly towards him. He ra~ses his great branching head- that beautiful head and gazes at the. light. The rifle lies by me, but I forget it in my admiratiqn of the noble creature. I forget even our hunger. "~Nhy don't you shoot'l" whispers Wilson. My thoughts return, and r_raise the rifle. But a new difficulty. The forward sight is out in the light, but the back sight is in the dark, and the deer seems to be at least twenty rods off. What can I do? He is too far off, and I cannot see. I am in the dark. "Why don't you shoot?" --whispers Wilson again. Well, the case appears desperate, and_I draw up, and a stream of fire is poured out of the terrible rifle. The noble creature leaps for the sho~e and runs, it may be two rods, and drops. We now land, and the~e he lies. Two more deer are in sight, but we want no more. We will now go back to our camping place. So, early this morning, we went after our. deer. He will weigh two hundred; but how was pride rebuked, when I found by day-light, that instead of being twenty rods from me, he was not twenty feet, when I fired. And there he hangs. We have had a noble breakfast from him, and such eatingl We have got one deer. But I am satisfied that one acre of land cultivated like our garden, would give a better support, than five hundred thousand acres of wild land to be huntedJ This has led me to ask the question, whether our Fathers did right to come here and take the country of the Indians. It was all their hunting-ground fornerly. And I answer the question in this way. It is God's plQn and will that the earth should be tilled and thus yield food for man and for beast. Any people who will fall in with this plan, and till the earth shall prosper. Any people who will not, shall perish. The Indians would not fall in with this plan, and God brought in a race who would. And wh11e I cannot but mourn over the very many wrongs we have done to the poor Indians, I feel perfectly well satisfied that they were counteracting the designs of heaven in refusing to use the land for anything but hunting, and that therefore they were permitted to pass away ~nd be no more. So long as they resist this design, they must grow weaker and weaker. God is wise; and while the earth can be made to support three hundred to every square mile, it is not reasonable, that ten thousand acres shall be left in their wild state to support one man by hunting. But there is the deer, and if you ever come here, you shall see the very pine on whose limb he hangs. Could you catch a deer now? . - - Good bye. Appendix Co There is no charity more beautiful or more powerful than that of sending _the living preacher to our new settlements. If I had the means at my command, and wished to aid the dwellers in the wilderness in a temporary point of view, I am satisfied that I could do it in no way so effectually as to send them a devoted judicious preacher of the Gospel. Suppose I now tell you one of the every day stories in the history of Home Missions. Far up the Missouri river, th-0usands o:f miles in the wilder ness, there is a single log cabin builto The next year a second, and then the tide of emigration sets in fasto The mighty forest is cut dow-n, and the rude habitations of men rise in its placeo They are pioneer people--coming from all parts of the United States and also from various countries in Europeo They are beyond the reach of society, and become a. little community by themselves. Gathered from.all parts of the world, they have their own ·prejudices~ and notions, and habits. They are also very poor. Few of them own so much as a cow, and the land on which they have stopped is a part of the public domain. They have no schools for their children, and no means of instruction. The Sabbath sun sheds his beams over the forest--but they know the Sabbath only by name--not its use. For ten years they have thus lived between civilization and the savage state. Their number is gradually increasing--but there is no improvement in education or in morals. There is no elevation o:f character manifest. They are low in their taste~- pro:fane in language, and their sensibilities all seem blunted. At length a stranger comes among them. ·They gather round him to ask who he is, and what he comes there foro He tells them that he is a minister of the Gospel, who has been sent by those who love their souls, to live with them. They now understand what this man pro:fesses to be. By the very term Missionary, they understand him to profess--that he loves men-~that the ruling motive of his heart and life is love to men. He professes to love to that degree, that you cannot insult him so that he will resent it; you cannot abuse him so that he will not pray for you. In a word, unquenchable, unconquerable love, is the ruling motive of his life. They understand that he professes to have come not to seek for money. If he could acquire a fortune, by relinquishing his mission, he would not do ito Should great bargains tempt him, he will not meddle with themo If property changes hands, it will not fall into his hands. They understand him to profess not to have come to seek honors. Offices there will be to be filled, honors to be awarded, distinctions to be allowed, but none of these fall to him. Others will build up their families by wealth, by office, by honors; but his children must.be the children of a poor man, and a man who lives and dies without honorso They lmow that he professes to come to live and die with them-~for their good, and as their friend -- Appendix C (Continued) 2.-. the property of the poor manj as well as the rich. He has con secrated himself to the work of loving men-=of loving them though they may be poor, and lonely and ignorant~ and unholy. Nothing this side of the grave can quench this love. Such are the pro fessions which they understand this man to make. Now thenj w~at do they do? Give him their confidence at once1 No. \Vi thhold it all? No. But- they put him on trial. They let him live among them. They let him go to work to do his errand- but they watch him very closely~ to see if his life proves these professions to be sincere--to see if his life is a life moved by love. Gradually and slowly they are convinced that he is the man he professes to be--at the end of about two years, they are.con vinced that it is so. Now what do these people do? Why, they give this man their confidence--entire and unshaken. He may come· int·o their schools and instruct, or superintend the education of their children. He may gather them into the Sabbath-school, and put such books into their hands as he pleases. He is admitted into their houses at all times, and under all circumstances. He may gather the whole population together every week, and instruct them in religion, and in their duty to God and to man. They come to him for advice when they are in doubts. When in trouble and sorrow, they·send for him to sympathize with them, to com£ort and counsel them;· and when they come to lie on the bed of death~ they admit him when they will nobody else--they will open their hearts to him~ confide the secrets of their lives to him, and place in him the ·-l highest confidence which one human being can place in another. And now that man comes to live in their confidence and l9ve, and the poorest man loves him no less than the richest. You must recollect that the great majority of those who value the mission ary's labors are poor in this world's goods. They have nothing of splendor to exalt them-~nothing of brilliancy to which they can look forward. They are shut away from the noisy world by distance. Hence it is that the missi"onary is the all which the poor man can share equally with the rich. He loves to talk about his minister, -to think of him~ and he fills much of his thoughts; and where the man comes to have the love of Jesus shed abroad in his heart, he loves much. To give the Gospel to the rich is a precious boon; but when you give it to the poor man it is double char'ity; and the minister becomes the centre of all that is holy and pure in that man's thoughts. Said a man whose eyes God had opened--"When I felt my heart too full, and when the gushings of love were causing my eyes to weep, there stood up my minister before me--though I was hundreds of miles off.... '->and the first prayer I ever ·offered was, God bless that ma.nl" 'Ne have but faint ideas of the intense emotion which the poor may and often do have on the subject of religion, nor how full the heart may be of this subject, though empty of all other things. A poor Scotch girl went to her pastor's study t,o be examined for admission into the Church of Christo He put many questions to her in the kindest voice, relative to her hopes, her experience, and her knowledge of Jesus Christo To all this she answered--not a word. Her lips Appendix C (Continued) moved, but she could say nothingo After trying every way to sooth her, he says to herj "Perhaps you will feel more composed after a littl~ time, and then you can call again, and I will be most happy to see youon On rising to go, and reaching the door~ she turned round~ with.the tears running down her cheeks, the face as pale as marble 1 and with a kind of convulsive scream~ she forced her tongue to break silence~ "Ohl Sir 9 I canna speak for him 9 but I could die for himo" Here I say is the philosophy~ the strength~ and the glory of the missionary whom we send to those scattered in the wilderness and among the mountainso How many hearts have been thus gladdened! Some, because through it they have received the precious gift which Christ left the world at his ascension; some because they have thr.ough it had the opportunity to impart their charities; and some because through it they have been enabled to give themselves to this work of· loveo I have seen those who live far away in the wildernesso And I have known the young missionary as he girded on his harnessj to go to these scattered sheep, because he loved themo And where are our sisters in this work1 I will tell youo On a late visit to our la~gest manufacturing town, I was .told of the daughters of deceased clergymen--men of the first respectability~~who are now operatives in the ractories, toiling twelve or rourteen hours daily, with but fifteen minutes to sit down to dinnero Why do they do this? First, to help the·ir widowed mothers, and next to educate their younger brothers--to send them to college--to fit them for usefulness-~to be missionaries of the cross: and no'higher reward would those noble minded daughters wish in this life, than to see their brothers fitted to become missionaries of ·this Society; and to know tha·t they would go forth upon the mountains and in the wilderness; and that the wilderness and the solitary place should be glad for themo ·sECOND SECTION In the year of Our Lordj 1829s in County Donegal, Ireland1 in a house made o_f stones gathered f'rom the fields and hillsides and carried together on the back of his father who also laid up the walls, Robert Shaw was born the 24th day of April of that yearo Five years after the family set sail for America and were nine weeks ·on shipboard bef'ore landing in Quebeco They started across through the state or Ver~ mont on foot intending to take the canal:p3.cket at White Hall for their i~tended home in Ohio, where they had relativeso The weather was hoto The roads dusty and hardo The father with a heavy load gave out when within 40 miles of White Hallo It was soon discovered that the wayfarers had typhus feverQ His means soon ran shorto Short of money, sick with f~ver, there was no place for· the poor Irishman or his familyo The case became desperate, the father delirious, mother homesick, two childrens one five the other two years old crying and every no and then mother joined in the crying serviceo Oh, if they were only home again in old Irelando Finally, a Mro David Greenj a colored man, commonly called a Nigger 9 learning of' our sad condition, came and took the whole family into his own homeo He was the first good samaritan George Shaw had ever shared his hospi tali ty.o Before the father was able to resume his journey, the boy was taken down with the same fever the father hado Summer gone, money spent, not as yet very strongj not used to work in America$ the father also longed for old Irelando No doubt$ his friends in Ohio would have sent him money for the pass~ age, but he was too proud to let them know even where he wasc The black man with the white heartJ however, shared his cabin with him til springo He worked at such jobs as thrashing by hand, husking corn, etco, never rising above getting a frugal bite ror his familyo c:::, 1 c::, In December 1842 he took his family, consisting then of four children, to Long Lake~ in the state of New Yorko The reader may desire to know howj this being long before there were any wagon roads in the country, only one trail going ~hrough the west part of Minervaj crossing the Boreas River several miles below Aiden Lairo Thence over mountains striking the Hudson at what is now Lindsay's Hotelj with no house all the way til where Anderson's Hotel now is, so journeyed the Shaw family with a pair of horses right from the boneyard owned by a Mro VanValkenburg of of Long Lake and driven by his ~ather-in~law 9 Amos Hougho First day from Addison, Vto, they lodged with a Mro Hastings in Moriah, NoYo, 10 mileso Next night at RootYs Hotel 9 Schroon River, NoYo, 16 miles; third night at Squire West's, Minerva, 20 mileso Fourth night at Warren Bissell's, Newcomb 9 18 miles, not getting there til midnight and leaving all their load little less than half wayc Next day the team brought up the load and all stayed fifth night with Warren Bissell• starting early next morning and getting Charles Bissell ~ith his oxen to break road to the town line, lunching at Fishing Brook without fire or shelter~ About sundown they drove into a. little opening in the woods where stood a crude log building covered with spruce bark with strips of the same material on the gables or the roof' and length of boards la'id loose on the chamber otherways5 with a space or six feet on the west end with not any floor, a few rough boards stuck up for a chimney with a few cobblestones loosely laid up for a fireplacec The cha.~ber was full of snow, fireplace and hearth all snow, with over a foot of snow on the groundo The goods were unloaded outside in the snow and the family left to do the best they couldo Axes were found, a small green maple tree fallen and a few dry slivers hewed off the inside the logs composing the walls of the housec A fire started, and lo the smoke poured down in~ stead ·or up the chimney filling the housee "For myself'~ said Robert, nr thought it was fun until driven out by the smoke and finding Mother outside cryingc For :Mother it was her first but not her last er~" One cow, two steers two years old$ and three year old bull were tied to trees for the nighto Next day the bull was killed and dressed for meat during the wintero The boy found enough to do chopping wood and hauling it to supply the fire in the open fireplace; virtually a log heap was K ept burning day and night o Every morning i,rhen wi~dy, snow lay on the upper floor and often on the lower onec The boy, Robert, gettine up in the morning to re= kindle the fire could count his tracks from the ladder ~o the bed in snowo Winter passed and spring was wel~ corned by the Shaws as never beforeo Imagine an Irishman chopping down large trees and clearing land without any teamj the steers having died before sp:rzingo The cow also died as the·snow was nearly goneo The mother had another cry$ poor woroano No milk for her children, a thing unknown beforec Three years passed, dragging along the weary toils and severe hard~ ships of pioneer life in the Adirondack in those dayso No stores, no shops, no work for wages and no post office eveno Forty miles to post a lettere Scroon River fifty miles,the nearest village store at Chester, Warren County, NoYo Mro Shaw actually placed upon his back a pack of goods weighing over a hundr,ed pounds that required the opening of both doors of a store in 9hester and carried it all the wa~r to Long Lake o There was a grist mill at Newcomb in the early tim~s and tl:..e father Shaw and son Robert used to take rye on their· backs at Long Lake, carry it to Newcomb, a distance of 14 miles, get it ground, and ret~rn home the same day, the boy 16 years carrying a bushel 60 lbse In the fall of 1847s after the meager crop had been harvested, the last stock of rye having been put into the barn August 28, the barn burned down in the noon hour, no fire having been anywhere near ito Incindiaries were suspected, but all was gone, and the mother got her hand and arm badly burned while getting out a bag they were fillingo Both man and boy were away at work on the first bridge ever built across Big Brooko A few days after the fire, Father an.d 11other were talking over what they were to do now, .. their hopes bei~ swept away, no rye ~0 get ground, no hay to keep the cows, winter approayhing. 'The father said., "I see nothing to do but se:\l the:· cowsj the little stack of hay 3 and our potatoes, and go back to Vermonto" His wi.fe agreed to the suggestion, not that she was glad the barn had burned, but glad to be taken back to Addisono She had never become recon~ ciled t.o the new horneo Robert, the subject of this sketch, until then had said nothingo Seeing his time to speak had come he asked what they expected to do in Addisono "You left there because you had to work for thir= teen dollars a month seven months in the year, and ten dollars in the wintero No sir$ I shall not go to Ver monto ti "My dear boy, we canYt live here this wintero What do you expect we could do here?tt "Father, let me· tell you 1:vhat can be doneo I have had this t11ing all thought up for a week or raore" e "Well, let us hear ito" "Well, Father; listeno Sell the two cows and the stack of hay and I will go and chop cord wood at the Iron Worko Asa Kellogg has a wood lot there and I can 1--Jork there o " "A goodplan., my son.9 but you have never been f"rom home in your lifeo I suppose you don 1 t think you would be homesickQ" nPerhaps, but can 1 t homesickness be cured?" Next morning found Robert on his way to the Iron Worko As it was then styled 30 miles; nearly all the way a dense forest, afoot and alone 5 the boy reached the place nearly darko While standing near a large fireplace and oven, someone set fire to a string and fixed it to the skirt of his coato A laugh arose in the room but a clever young Irishman witnessed the act and the actor and de~ fended Roberto Needless to say, Robert revered the name of ijenry Pratt til his old ageo He went tu work chopping cord wood next dayj toiling from daylight til dark for two weekso Then it becai~e necessary to get cured of homesicknesso So bright and early Sunday morning, he set out for home on foot, arriving just as the ramily were sitting down to suppero Home had never looked so goodo A week and he retraced the road, worked another two weeks, took a second cure for homesickness, the second sight of home being fuli better than the firsto The cows and stack of hay were gone, also the old fireplace and board chimneyc A stove was in position, several cords of ·stove wood occupied the end of the house left a few weeks beforeo Robert remained a week at horae·, helped add to the stock of wood, and with his father, again set out for the chopping job at Adirondack, which was in full blast at that timej a furnace in operation, 3 forge fires, and a pudling furnacec The week was New Years in which the Shaws took little or no part, but every day chopped for dear life; after about three weeks, the father went home, but Robert had recovered from homesickness 9 the malady.leaving no symptoms of returno About this time William Helms opened up a wood job on the side of Lake Sandford some three or four miles from the villageo 0ur hero, not liking his enviromnentj joined the Helms camp agreeing to work for twelve dollars a month and to average two cords of wood per dayo The wages were less than he had been earning~ but surround ings were more pleasanto An Indian who Robert knew came to ca.mp about a couple of weeks after he hired to HeL~s and offered to take Robert into partnership cutting wood by the cordo "I can't cut wood with you", was the answero "Why?" asked the otherc "I arn not chopping good enoughe '} 'Pete gave a grunt, saying., nThat is my lookout, not yours~'! 11 All right.9 I will chop v.Jith you1' Accordingly, Monday morning, they set ino Robert took a 4! lbo ax his father had used and being plucky, pitched in to cut a·s much as Pete o After a day or two the heavy ax began to tell on the boy's nerveo Satur~ day night, Robert suggested they should quito After c:> 5 = getting into the road, the boy was unable to keep his side of .the track, asking Pete to steady himc That night he came near having a return of homesickness and told Peter ~e guessed he would not chop with him any longero Peter remonstrated telling him that he would get a new ax tomorrow, a lighter one, and he thought he would be all right by Mondayo "Try it another weeko" The lighter ax and Peter's calls for halts for rest during the week cured both nerve and muscle and Robert worked steadily on until April 1, 18480 The snow on the ridge near the lake was gone so they struck out for New~ comb some eight miles where there had been no road dur~ ing the winter, thinking they could make Aunt Polly's by noone The first ridge from the lake being passed, snow was two feet deep in swa..mps much deeper at the Newcomb farmc The people who had been there in the fall had moved awayo A search for something to eat resulted in finding 15 raw eggsj five apiece, no salt or other condi~ mento Pete stowed his five 9 .Rob ate his, Fighton Hough could eat only three, and Pete relieved him or the otherso From there to Newcomb the snow was deepo The trio took turns in going a.heado Hough gave auto 1Then Rob and Pete took turns and after dark pulled into Aunt Polly's as tired and hungry as possible and live, so it seemedo Next day brought our hero home once moreo A sur- . prise awaited himG nWhy, Mother! What is that?" As his mother rose to greet him., "Your youngest sister, my boyo Sure enough., three weeks oldo" nwell, by glory, you have done things up brown since you were sure you could not live through the winter at Long Lakeon "My dear good boy$ you can take all the·praise to yourself' for our being l1ereo You are a dear good boyo" "Where is P·J_ther?n was asked a.fter all had embraced and kissed brotharo "He has gone i-1i th some other men to pack in moose meat that they killed over behind Rock Pond Mountaino" Robert was so glad to be home he hardly asked for ne1... rs or 1;,-1hat had happened about to1-1no Baby took his time and careo Sunday afternoon his father asked if he did not want to walk down the road to Preston 9 so "Where does he live?" "Don't you remember that man that was here l3st fall, and cleared o~f a place for a house and let Franz~Smith a job to put up the body?n "Yes on "Well, he moved in the first or sleighing, finished up the house and is living in ito He has a nice girl about thirteen vears.., oldo" "What do I care ·for his girl?" Mro Edmond Preston was just the man needed in the settlement, and the man who first awoke the drowsy powers of· Robert Shawo The next summer Preston framed a barn for Mro Shawo The timber had to be felled, roped, lined, then hewed in the woods where it grewo Then hauled together and framed on the spot where it was to s.tando The hero of our sto"ry ate dinner quickly, ran to where Mro Preston had left his h·ewing to see if he could hew, but the ax had a crooked handle in it for a left handed man, and he was right handedo Nothing daunted, he changed the handle and when the men returned they found him hewing, and as he handed the ax to Preston, he remarked, "Why you have changed the handleo" His father very abruptly reproved the boyo "Never mind," said :t,,Iro Preston, "let hL.m hewo He has done well and Shaw, you and I will look up the tim ber and fell and line it for the scorerso It is need~ less to say the boy was delightedo He hewed the balance of the barn timbero This was Robert's initiation into carpentryo He watched the laying out of the work, alsoj asking such questions as would give light regarding the businesso He and his father boarded up the barn, shingled, and laid the floorso The lad really thought himself almost an experto Towards fall, all by hlmselfj he got out tim ber for a house, put it up and by the next spring the farnily moved into. it, 1-Jhere they lived until. 1868 when the old people b~oke up _and went to live with Roberto April 2L~, 1850, he i:nvited several of his near neighbors' girls to celebrate his majority birthday treat= ine; them to 1r1arrn maple sugaro .Li gala day, it was long rememberedo The Preston girl was not among themo Robert had somehow taker1 a dislike to lier, but in spite of him, his father hired her to teach schoolj she board~ ing at their homeo Bein~ thro~m into everyday life with her, the offence was fo1gottenj and before school was out, they were the best of friends and Robert had the pleasure of walking home with her and hired out to her father for a month., then took a. job of cutting .fallow .for the co:m.pany who were just comrnencine; to operate on the Township 20,:) Lying on the road leading from Long Lake to Newcomb Preston lived in a small house at Fishing Brook having a saw mill a short distance belowe Robert ran the up= and=down saw and the girl too~ the liberty to tell him 1..rhen dinner was ready, walking hand in hand to the road, just as they had. duri11g the scl1ool termo' After the rn.onth was up Robert put up a log can1p on the 12 acres of .fallow he had taken to cut, working away rain or shine hoping to finish cutting before deep snow should comeo About a week before Christrnas 5 a 11eavy .fall of snow put an end to choppingo The ca..:.~p shut up and Shaw and his party consisting of two of his chums left ror the holidays~ As they neared the Preston. home~ one of Robert!s chums sa i cl to the other, n~fuy don t t you stop and engage 'rhankful to go to the dance Christrnas?u · uHadn~t thougl1t ofi guess I 1-Jillon They all stoppedo The aspirant, watching his op= portunity~ asked the girl for her companyo She excused herself very politely~ ·whicr.L, ·when the fellow who proro.pted him learned, l1e deeming l1irnsel.f superior sor:1ehow, approached the girl in a dignified rn.anner say 7 "!1iss Prest or, I shall be most happy i.f you will be my partner to the Christrnas Ball next Saturday nighto 0 nr1r. Po o o, I should be pleased to gratify you, but as I told ·Mro Hough I did not care to attend the ball, it would not be doing right to accept your invitation now o tt 11 1\-lro Pooo turned suddenly, "Come , he said., "let us goo Come, Robno After they had gone, Rob started to followj going by the kitch~n dooro The girl stood in the door,putting says, nwhy in such a hurry?" "Oh, so as not to_go aloneo Why did you refuse their invitations?" "Because I did.not care to go with either of themo 11 _ nAnd you would serve me the same if I invite your company, I suppose?" "Perhapso Ask me and .find out?" The bargain was at once settled, and the hero or the day was to be after her Christmas D~y at 3:00 and she would be ready as the distance e·ight miles would consume three hours at leasto Prompt on the spct our hero drove up to the Preston home with a pair of horses, quilts and blankets sufficient to keep his lady warm during her first sleigh rideo Upon entering, there sat the girl in every day attireo After greetings, he said, nWhy are you not dressed for the dance?" Pointing to her mother she said, "Ask hero" He, turning, said, "Mrso Preston., have you any ob jection to me that you refuse to let Thankful go to the dance in my company?" noh no, I soon she shou_ld go with you as anybod7., but I don't want her to go to such places, Mro Shawe 1 "That·is not the way_she talked to meo" Her mother then made a remark that she did not care to let her go where such and such people wereo "Now,_ Mother, please don't lieo Tell :t-iro Shaw what you have me or I i,1illo" ... 9 <=> After a war of words between mother and daughter, the girl ·said, "I~lother says you are no~hing • but an un= cou th, no~mannered Irishman, and that you are not edu= cated, b.esides· being prof'ane and rougho n The you.ne; chap for the moment could say nothingo Finally, "All too true, Mrsc PrestonC> I could not help being Irishc I have had no chance for educationo As to being rough and prof'ane, really, I thought I was on ap:tr with your own boys and your husband., tooo" After more words in which mother indulged fiercely, the girl in a very excited tone of voice declared she should go with him to the danceo noh., no," said.our hero, "I am too mannerly to take a young girl to a dance against her mother's wisheson "I will go if you will take meo" "No, Thankful, don't be rasho" Rising to take his departure, she followed him out- side saying, "Let me go with you, pleas~o"· "No, my girlj that would not doo" "Shall you go to the dance?n nNot tonight, I have no girlo" nPlease don 1 tc" To say he mused, got hot, planned revenge, and much else would not be telling half that passed in our hero's mind on his was homeo Bu-t he stayed at home til the Monday after New Year's then left home to work for Mro Huntly 9 living on the Beede pJacec In passing the Preston ho~e_about eleven o'clock he saw a sleigh near the dooro Blankets, robes, etco, indicating that someone ·was about to go on a journey o Going into the house he found dinner nearly ready, Thankful dressed up and in a few minutes all sat down to eato Our hero refused the invitation, gave up his chair and stepped into the kitcheno = 10 c,, Presently, the girl opened the door and closed it behind her, sitting do-wn on the bench beside Hobo He asked what was Upo nr-iothA,., is sending me to Vern1ont to get rid o.f you-=" nSilly 1:Jomano n nindeed she is., Robert" "tve have no time to talko" "I don't want anyo But I will send you a letter by Bill Furgusono You write me as I shall tell you, and when I am old enough=~=-well, that is enoug~1 A rustle in the dining room warned them that time was up, so they rose to their feet, embraced and kissed each othero It proved their rirst and last kisso Young Shaw went to his worko Furguson returned from his tripG No letter was receivedo After a couple of weeks of suspense, he met Furgusono "Ado, Bill,-got backo" "How did the girl stand the ride?" rtFirst rateo" "Didn't .freeze tr.Leno" "Oh, noo" ttifuen did you get back2 Did Thankful send any word to me?n "No. n nDidn't send a letter?n nsaid nothing at all about me?" "Noo" Thunderstruck, disappointed and chagrined, he 1-1alked on confused and all at seao He did not even know her addresse A few weeks went past, and yound Shaw kept at work, un~il want of sleep at night, anxious speculation day times, was reducing strength and flesho Often finding himself lost and in regard to what he was doingo TT'lrJhat in thunder is the rnatter with me? I did not suppose I cared for the girl, but here I a.~ pouring overc Guess I a.~ going crazy or foolishly in loveo Fudge what a foo1l "viihen she got where she used to live she met those she loved and they have taken her attentiono Right enough, tooo" ~t there 1:..ras no getting rid of hero She was present all day, and haunted hL~ at night until he was about to give up his jobo . "You poor fool, lovesick sure as .fate, not by a d~-m sighto I don't care a cuss for her more than she for meo She can go to h=~l her mother with hero I'll let her see an Irishman is as good as Yankees~ She will never have me .for a son.... in-lawo" Being made -of iron siding as i..re·ll asI iron clad, he broke the spell and kept on working renewing his reso= lution when needing to, which was quite often until a month or so he was pretty well recoveredo Time passed on and no word of the girl or lettero The first of June young Shaw quit driving logso Call ing at a house in Newcomb he learned that she had passed on her way home a few days previouso lt stern resolve set all his powers to resist all former friendly greetings, and avoid her as much as possible, intending not to call at the home as he passedo· 1ru'hen 1..Ji thin about a mile of the Preston home 9 he was surprised to see her coming towards himo If .he had seen her first, he i-1ould have dodged, but she was looking at him when he saw hero She sat down on the bank and Robert walked bravely up, shook hands, pulled out a handkerchief, wiped off the perspira tion saying, nit was a· very warm day," and strode on., leaving her sittingo He called at the house for a drink of water, not thinking she could have walked the mile, but he met here as he came out of the housee A year and six months passed, and they had no-ac quaintance only a few meetings as per chance. She taught school in the Chase district at Newcomb. First season, E.H. Bissell was her escort. Next season Caleb Chase took care that she did not go home alone. In October of that year, 1852, Mrs. Joel Plumley died at Long Lake. A Mr. Wood of the firm then operating on Township 20 was at Newcomb. He came to Long Lake and conducted the funeral. · Thankful Preston was at home at Fishing Brook and got aboard the team and came to the funeral and went home with the Shaws after it was over. After supper she kep,t up an uneasy talk ~bout going home before dark, but did not start. Finally shadows began to tell that night was hard by. Still she did not go. Finally, the mother took Robert aside, said to him, "Why do you not ofrer to go home with Thankful?" "Has she as~ed you t-o let me go home with her?" "Why no, but she wants you to." "I don't want to go home with her." "Why, what ails you? You used to think everything or her." "Perhaps she will stay all night'', he said. "N·o, I havA asked her. Ha, mother is not at home and her rather w~nts her." "Why then did she riot go back the way she came?" he remarked. nQuit fooling and go home with her." "I am not f'ooling, Mother. I don't want to go with her and unless you send one of our girls to take away the curse, I won't go". Thus it was arranged, and the trio set out ror their four mile walk through the rorest, almost dark. Nothing of note, nothing remembered, was said on the journey, - 13 - until they were within call o:f her home, when she said, "Ther_e, I can go alone :from hereo Sit down on this log and rest· awhile be:fore starting back." She had held his sister by the hand, and seating her beside her they all s~t down. The little girl, tiredJ soon fell asleep and slid to the ground. Thankful laid her shawl over her, then straightening up stepped in front of Robert saying, "Mr. Shaw, I have .:finally got ycu where I have wanted to get you ever since I came back to town. Please tell me what I have done that you ~hould treat me so coolly?" "Have I not used you well? I have spoken to you when I have met youe" "No_, Robert, you have not used me well. What kind of a greeting did you meet me with on the road the :first time we met after I was home?" He excused himself the best he could. The girl pressed him to know the reason. "I must know.the truth. I know something unknown to me has caused your conduct." All was silent, save the heavy breathing of the child asleep. "Tell me," she demanded. "Thankful, why did you not send me the letter you said you wouldo" "I did send it." "You did?" "Yes, indeed I did." "I did not get it." "My Lordl" she exclaimed, "Is it possible?" "Indeed it is possibleo I waited a couple of weeks then asked him for it. He declared you had not sent any letter or even said a word about me." - 14 - Another silence. "I s-ee it all now o My mother got the letter and made Bill tell you that lie. Good Heavens, my mother do such a thing as thatl She said she should part us if she had to resort to :foul means to do it." Another pause. ·"I hear your clock striking. It must be ten-or eleven o'clock. We better go back." "No, not til this is settled." "It is settled,. I am sure. I know why I did not get the letter and you know why I have treated you so coolly as you say.n "Yes, but is there no forgiveness?" "You are forgiven, my girl, and I am sorry for what has transpired. It has caused much sorrow, and no doubt will cause more. I am afraid, Thankful, I can never love you as I have·loved you., Now we are talking, let me ·tell you that for a ·month or more I could not eat or sleep, neither could I work, fearing I should become unbalanced. I began to reason thus: •She is youngo She met with her school mates, perhaps a lover in childhood and it would not be any wonder that she forgot me and her letter.• If you had listened to your mother's advice you would not be where you are now. Further, yourmother has no love for meo Besides I suspect, my good girl, you are keeping company with Caleb Chase. He is a Yankee and acceptable to your mother, is he not?" "Robert, without answering your question let me say candidly that Caleb Chase is not in your way to nightcin "You mean only as your mother prefers him. No~ Thankful, let it rest where it is." Robert took his sister by the hand, said good-by, parting without kissing. Could he have understood then as he did in after years, that log, instead of being a reminder of what he foolishly let slip$ would have been·a hallowed spot where a noble heroic maiden did her best to win back her love. - 15 - She was married during the winter, he a year and six months a.ftero Now settled in life, this wonderful sel.f-made. b~ckwoods genius began the race of li.feo As the detailed account of nis many achievements would make a book too large for the purpose here intended, we think that to list the di.fferent lines of callings and work that he was engaged in with bits of history in each showing more clearly the ability of the man so far as mechanics went, he only claimed to be a carpenter and . 1. Carpenter and 2. Wheelwright 3. Blacksmith 4. s1•eigh maker 5o Ston& mason 6. Cobbler and harness repairer 7o Plasterer and chimney mason 80 Millwright 9. Farmer and lumberer In the professions he attained notoriety as a doctor, as a Thompsonian and in the use o.f herbs, roots as simple remedies, successfully. As a lawyer, some of the graduates .from law schools were beaten, and acknowledged his ability, sound sense and ready wito He himself never prided on being being called either doctor or lawyer, not allowing the terms as belonging to him. As ·.a preacher, people wondered how he ever became one 9 h°is every day life actually .forbidding the idea or the possibi.li_ty o.f study. The remarkable thing about him in this regard was that he could scarcely read a chapter in the Bible or a hymn correctly, neither could he sing a tune at allo One of his .firm friends who knew him best says this, t'He learned to read and sing as if by magic. I verily think inspiration lirted him - 16 - out of the. miry clay, established his feet upon the Rock, and put the new song into his mouth." He says further, "I verily_b~lieve he was called as was Levi". Let the reader ever bear in mind the fact: Necessity is the mother of invention. Could Mr. Shaw have obtained at shops or by skilled worlanen he would have employed others to do many things he had to do himself, but being inventive, a natural mechanic, in dustrious, with energy to push for the attainment of what he undertook. Especially, where no other way opened or was available. For instance, Mr. George Leavitt of somewhere outsidei came to Long Lake in the early spring 1855 with an old broken down pair of oxen and fooled Mro_George Shaw into a trade of oxen. Shaw had a pair of small oxen, young and well matched. Leavitt 1 s philosophy that the poor ox only needed rest, and next summer would come up and in the fall the poorest of his oxen would be worth both of Shaws. The old man took the bait and gave his note for 30 collars. One of the old oxen died shortly and in : due time Leavitt caught the old man in Newcomb and . sued him for the note.L -The old man was.terror stricken. He could not pay for it, and to let ·judgment be taken with cost only made it worse. What should be done. He did not so much as tell Robert his dilema as he had laughed at his father for making such a trade. Soon, however, everybody knew it. "What you going to do, Father?n "Better pay it, I supposeo It will be a dear bit of experience, but it may be worth all it cost some time." A rew days before the day or return of summons, Robert told his father to get ready to take his two oldest girls as witnesses,"and I will go along too as a witnesso "I .fear we would make a poor showing without a lawyer. I heard Leavitt is to have a lawyer from Elizabethtowno 11 "I presume he will, but it will cost him a pile to pay him and carry him both ways." ... 17 - The d~y arrivedo Shaw, his son and two daughters were on the ground and so was Leavitt and Judge Terrill 9 Squire Sut~on called the court o Shaw· and Terrill both respondedo ·The court asked Shaw if he was ready for trialo "As ready as I ever shall be, I supposeo" ttHave you counsel?" "No sir." "Can't Y-ou get som~one here to take care of' your side?" asked the court. "Don't know o" Robert,. until then silent., spoke, t'Your honor., I am his counselGu "Sure, all right., are you ready?" "Quite readyo If your honor please, we wish f'or a jury." Court, "You're entitled to a juryo" It took several hours to get the jury, the parties not objectingo The first that appeared were seatedo Complaint was read and answer filed. Father looked at the son in amazement as he objected to nearly every step, strenuously resisting and often putting the other side to their witso In order to prove the signature to the note, Leavitt put Father Shaw ·on the stand, just what Robert was working for as he could not put in the father as a witness. But the plaintiff putting him on gave Robert the cross-examination, one of the things he wanted. The plaintiff soon closed their part of the case and the defense openedo The girls each were sworn in and finally Robert put himself on the witness stand. After giving a telling testimony, underwent a rigid cross~ examination, he took his seat and declared his side of the case closed. - 18 c:> The old lawyer proposed to submit the case to the jury without argument. "No sir, I want to hear a lawyer speak once." "Very well.n The lawyer did not take much time, for the reason, he said_it was late. The young blood did not care how late it was. Father was under the load and he alone to get him out. He pictured an uHonesttt Arrierican driving an old pair or skinny oxen 30 miles taking nearly three days, punching them along at a mile an hour for no other purpose than to cheat an old silly Irishman out or a likely i:air of stagso He told the jury that Leavitt made his boast going home that that was what he went to Iong Lake ~or. He described the death or the old ox. The reed that he bought for him is proof, described the damage, also proven, dwelling largely upon fraud and ralse pretense, reading sections from Terrill's law book ror he had no books or his own. Shaw closed, the jury retired. "Come, coUilselorn, said Terrill~. "let us walk out into the open air·o" "Agreed, court, what time is· it?" "Twelve, just." After getting out the judge, taking Shaw's hand, said, "Mr. Shaw, how long have you been in the law practice?" ttwell, Judgej this ~s my .first attempt." "Is that so? By thunder, you' r 1 e a good one, a plucky little cuss. Well how is it going.?" "I shall get the case." "Do you think so?" "Yes." "Well, I am not sure but you will." After a·half mile walk and back, the jury was ready with the verdict, no cause of action. - 19 - Leavi_tt stormed, Shaw clapped his hands, Terrill and his client retired and when they came back, appealed the case to the county court. On the way home, the · rather said, nI rather been beaten here than had it gone to the county court. A case in county court will cost more than both teams were ·worth." "Don't be scared, Father. It won't pay Leavitt either to go to county court. Did you notice, he should paid the cost besides giving the justice two dollars ~or making out the appeal papers·. You wi 11 never be troubled about the appeal. He has enough new.~' . So it proved. Mr. Shaw grew·to liking the excitement connected with the law, and usually successful, found clients as his bills were very much lower than lawyers. There is one case he tried in justice court, appealed to the county court, then sent to the general term at Albany. The two superior courts sustained his judgment in the first court~ so his name-is on records at A1bany as attorney. Andrew Sims ·of Blue Mountain was arrested for house breaking and larceny by John Sault who kept hotel and store. Mr. Shaw was sent for to -defend Sims. Sault had two pettifogers and they were bound to send up their man. After raking and scraping far and near for something that would blacken Sims' character, ·but no direct proof, they turned the case ov~r to defendant. They had alleged that a large glass ha·d been broken out of a side window~ that goods had been taken from the window, that some girl had seen new goods at Sims and that others in the neighborhood had been seen wearing articles that must have come out of the store, etc. enough to hand a man according to the pettifoger. After looking over his minutes for a f~w moments, Mr. Shaw addressed the court somewhat like this, "I feel sorry for this client of mine, and if these two learned gentlement have any respect for Mr. Sault, they will soon be sorry for him. If you please, Mr. Court, it appears by their own showing that a large glass had been broken out of a window in Mr. Sault's store. I have been told that he broke it himselr. If need to, I shall prove it. Furthermore, the glass has been out more than - 20 - a month, presumably for a purpose. He sells rum close by and when met get drunk he turns them into the street and Mr. Sims has been so turned out and seen making his way past this·broken window as best he could towards home. Naw, your· honor, if there has been any housebreaking in this instance, Mr. Sault is the criminal. No other effort has been made to show any other, and if you let me judge, a man in the condition they tried to make out Mr. Sims to be in could have not have taken goods out of a window or much less, could he carry them. I move the discharge of the prisoner on the lack of evidence that any crime has been committed. Second, that this man Sims has not been shown to have had any part or lot in the matter. Third asappears £rom cross-examination Sault does not think Si~s took the goods, but harbored the man who had taken them who had disappeared." One or the other lawyers got up and made a splurge about Shaw's insinuations, asking the court to require an apo1ogy, but he did not and soon released the prisoner. Lawyers and Sault alike went at Shaw roughshod, even said he could be _prosecuted for slander.' By the way, it was only about a year after when Sault himself was arrested and sent for Shaw to help him. Shaw as a doctor: -- It may be proper to state that when yet living in Vermont, the elder Shaw worked for a Thompsonian doctor, who in critical cases took him with him to attend his sick as Shaw would go at. the work as at anything else, just as told, while others, not having faith in the new school of medicine, did not follow instructions. In this way, he came to be quite a nurse; and when he moved to Long Lake the doctor gave him some books, and he had gained the distinguished title of doctor long before the young man came upon the active scenes of life. One morning in early spring as Robert was sleeping in his chamber bed he was awankened by his mother. "Come Robert get up. Sister is worse and father has given her up to die." The lad, about 20 years old, came quickly at his mother 1 s call, saw'·that the girl was filling with phlegm, and was soon to choke unless relieved. The father had returned to another room, discouraged. The young man went at it as at anything that must be done and as was his nature, suf£ice to say, for twenty-four hours hardly sat down and surely did not sleep. Day was· creeping into the room the second morning, he having spent the night alone -21- with the sick sister. As he came in from the kitchen, he heard a -voice. Going to the bed he asked what she said. 11What·makes you keep trot, trot like a dog all the whole time?" asked the feeble voice, the first she had realized since the night before. Her case was an aggravated case of scarlet fever which was fast coming on. Having fallen into a water hole and wet herself nearly to her waist she took off her shoes and stockings and finished her ·mopping bare footed. But she got well and lives yet • . Mr. Shaw was the only doctor in Long Lake for thirty years and passed through two epidemics of diptheria and two scourges of typhoid fever. He did not lose a single one of his fever c~ses; not so with the diptheria. out of a family of seven that had it, three died; another o~ eight, three died. Measles, hooping cough, and several cases of scarlet fever were treated by him, and only one case proved fatal. It was learned that a boy 10 years old after taking medicine into his mouth held it until his mother turned her back, then spit it out. She, not thinking of his doing such a thing, ca11ed Mr. Shaw. He at once suspected the boy had not been well attended to and so accused his mother, and soon d.iscovered where the boy had spit the backside of his crib. One more case Mr. Shaw desir·es to be put on record. His father came to supper one night. The son asked, "How is Mr. Bayden?" "Not any better." "You think his bowels won•t work?n "He has.been days without a passage, with a lot of pain.n "Too bad. How much that man suffers, one way and another." As the father rose to go to his sick man, he said, "Robert, you better come up after you get your chores done.it "Yes I will." Bayden was vomiting and cramping terribly when he entered. Falling back on the bed Bayden declared he could not stand that long. Robert learned that after pills or other cathartic had been down a couple of hours, he would throw up and pitch and cramp till all strength was gone. The old ~ather says to the son, "What can be the matter?a He said he could not tell. -22- "But after he has rested awhile, I think I can give him some pills I have, and he will not throw them up." He qrdered some gruel with other nourishing things and they did him good; and when he thought proper began feeding him small doses of a little pill made fine in maple syrup, set a dish of snow water on the stand with a cloth and bade her bathe his face occasionally, and if he became· sick at his stomach to slosh on the cold water. But in spite of it all, he threw up as he had before. What ·to do was the problem. It was evident that there was a stricture in the bowels, reutictus no doubt, but not thought of then. Robert hied away for home returning with a surringe. "What you goi~g to do with that? 11 asked father. "I am going to force things upwards if I can't make a downward passage." "Do you know that if you sicken him enough to force him to vomit you can•t stop it and he will die he is so weak?" "Yes, if we can't stop it." "You are· taking a great risk. I should not dare to do it." "I admit it, Father, but the man is as sure to die as he is, as there is not a passage before many hours. Well, how is it, Mrs. Bayden2• nr don1 t know what to do." "Well, go and talk to him, and tell him what we are thinking to do and what may be the result." The injection was given three times. First two cleared all right, the second with tobacco in it stayed. Presently a hiccough, then more followed, then groans. Then, 11 ! am so sick. st All was anxiety until he began to vomit. After the first couple of times, he faiied in strength visibly. The young practitioner did everything he could do to arrest the vomiting, seemingly all to no purpose for a while, but he stopped vomiting. Then he began hiccoughing drawing long breaths, closing his eyes, falling limp into his wife's arms. She screamed and left the roam when Robert raised the dying man who seemed to be breathing his last. -23- "There he is gone," said the elder Shaw, at which Robert yanked Bayden by his arms one way then the other, finally held him up, blew into his open mouth and slapped him on the back a few times. He began to sigh, and soon to breather and came to; and when they went to find his wife, she could not believe that her husband was alive. The knot, as they termed the stricture, was loosened. At best it took long and careful tending to bring him up with no trained nurse either, but if everyone was as careful to obey a doctor's advice as Mrs. Bayden was, more would get well than do. Mr. Shaw was pretty scared and said, "I will quit doctoring." Shaw as a preacher: -- In the early part of September, 1856, Willard Alden and John La.pell or·crown Point, Essex Co., N.Y., took a trip as home missionaries arriving at Long Lake they began to hold evening meetings in private houses. Robert, who when only twelve years old had a remarkable experience and had for nearly 16 years been promising himself that the first chance that offered he would become a Christian. He heard of the meetings, wanted to go, yet held baek as is usual in such cases. He lived nearly two miles out of town, but he caught the news that people ,were coming to Christ and said, "That is just what I must do," but neglected to even go to the meetings. One afternoon he said to his wife, "If you want to go to the meeting tonight, gat ready and I will take you down once in the meeting." He felt ugly, with a bit of desire in his heart. He hardly heard a word the preacher said. He dodged the preacher and all who he thought would be likely to introduce religion as the subject. Going home his wife said, "Didn't that preacher talk good?" "I didn't think he was much of a preacher." Much of a preacher or not, it was late that night before he could get to sleep. The next day he moved about as one suffering mental depression. He took no comfort in what he was doing. At the request of his wife they were at the meeting again. Seekers were forward. Some seemed to get what they were seeking for. He was glad to see and hear them express themselves as being blessed. Still it did not strike him as he had anything to do or get. The meeting, whatever was the reason, seemed to him as being chilly, uncomfortable and awkward, and the last hymn announced. A charge to keep I have a soul to save. Terror took hold of him, jumping to his feet he fairly trembling said. 11 Don 1 t close yet! I dare not let this precious opportunity pass unimproved. I have been putting God off ~ltogether too long!" Like the rushing wind came bursting f'orth 1 Amens 1 and 'Bless God 1 all through the congregation. Shaw•s fetters were broke. The next meeting brought out the whole neighborhood. The news of Shaw•s coming out created much anxiety and speculation. Some said, "He is only showing off. He doesn't mean it." But it became evident at last that he had found Jesus and heard of him. Out of that revival the first Wesleyan Methodist Church of Long Lake was organized and at this writing is 49 years in successful operation, six of the charter members still living. They have had some reverses, up and down, also spiritually, but never disorganized, and no year without a preacher. Here again the necessity of having a preacher drew Mr. Shaw as other necessities put him forward in other ca1lings. The next summer the word had extended to Newcomb and the Long Lake supplied them every other Sunday, leaving Long Lake. without preaching. It was suggested that Shaw should occupy the vacant place. This was the opening. Shaw, poor fellow, has been surprised. Ere this, it had been suggested to him by some inward force that he must preach but he stoutly refused; and when the thing pressed upon him, he set against it. He believed in a spirit baptised Christian that they were in touch with and led by the power and force that first arrested them. He had been happy and satisfied in the months since he found Christ, his all sufficient Saviour, but this call to be a preacher astonished him and he bolted outright, saying to himself, "This is a trick of the devil, nothing else. I know I am a fool, and God knows itj too". The weeks that passed were not happy or peaceful, but struggle so he must with himself as unfit, necessity was laid upon him. He kept it to himself, hoping to get rid o~ it, for he shrunk from the thought of speaking to anyone about it. Arter prayer meeting one night, one of his brethren taking his hand, said, "What ails you, Brother Shaw?" 11 0, nothing much." "0 yes there is. You better give up, Let God have the right of way. What you may deem impossible with men some things seem impossible, but not with God 11 • -25- On Thursday afternoon, Mr. Shaw says that working at the barn, he was impressed to go to the woods for prayer. He had been praying in the barn but was in fear of being molested for he felt the subject to be one betwe~n Gqd and himself, so going to the woods did not stop at the ~dge and when out of hearing sat on a fallen tree, discussed the matter all over, as though the proprietor was beside him as he really seemed to be, but there seemed no change. If he was on the point of yielding, relief was experienced. So also, if deciding not to yield, darkness and a feeling of despair settled in upon him. He says now if this had been his first experience, he thinks he should have failed, but when only twelve, a mere boy, as he was raking hay one warm arternoon in July, near where a Methodist preaching meeting was being held, _door and windows being open and a gentle bre·eze wafting the sound towards him, hearing much of what the preacher said, he sat down and listened, hearing nearly all that he said. -Upon going to work, he observed how light his raking seemed to be. The hay was not only light to handle, but light to look at. Lifting his eyes, everything seemed filled with light and beauty. He opened and closed his eyes, pinched his hands to see whether he was not dreaming. Raking through to the fence, he dropped on his knees. He says, aor course, I prayed. My first prayer of Mother's embrace, so soothing. Such peace as filled my soul", he continues, "the next I recollect now is at the next meeting. It was there and then that I gave myself, soul and body to Christ, and there realized I was to be a minister of Jesus Christ, and as Paul exhorted. Finally to let no man despise his youth, he says, "I saw nothing but my duty and did it regardless of any.-" People of the adjoining school district came two and three miles to hear the Shaw boy pray and speak when they could. Many of the district were converted at those meetings. In the early winter, scarce five months after his conversion, on his way to school one morning, a Mr. Norton of the district, met him, took hold of his arm roughly, remarking, as he shook him, "You little carp, I heard you prayed for me the other night at meeting. You better pray for yourself and some others besides me. Now don't pray for me again. If you do I'll shake h--1 out of you.· You 1re too smart altogether. You'd better be seen more and heard less." "Poor me", he says, "I was frightened terribly, could do nothing all day but think it over. Yes, perhaps I am too fresh," I thought. "Perhaps I am pretty young yet. Well, when I am older, I will still preach-the Gospel." He withdrew from the public and soon lost his experience and power, and his father the next winter moved into -26- Long Lake where the environments forbid his progress in either religion or education. Is it any wonder he thought he was being mocked when called to-. preach. Is it any wonder he said, "Mr. Devil, you can't fool me that way. This time in li.fe, I know it is the seducing one for God knows better than to make such suggestions, but he is on his knees, away in the woods, alone with God, he hears the voice, is not now mistaken and like Paul, was not disobedient to the heavenly call. He says he dare not, but one thing he did dare to he .laid the whole matter before God and in the brief half hour he was alone with God in the woods, received greater light than he ever did in all his experience. Only the instrument, God the player, he to open his mouth, God to .fill it. Before he le.ft the place, he was the willing ·instrument, willing and ready for service. The next Sunday he was in the school house text: - 'Except your righteousness exceed that of the scribes and pharasees ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of Heaven.' Soon a£ter he began preaching, one warm day in August, as he was finishing reading his scripture lesson, a sportsman and wife and guid~s entered the house sitting in front of the desk. Shaw announced his hymn, read two verses, choked, and stopped reading, saying ''Sing without further reading." He was scared. He knew the people that had come in were educated people, if he was not a clergyman, and his courage failed, and had concluded to turn the exercise into a prayer and meeting. At the singing of the last verse, Shaw felt a tug. Looking around, Brother Keller, the class leader, stood at his side, whispered in his ear, "Stand your ground, Brother Shaw." Blessed words of cheer. How timely. While the collection was being taken, he became God, took God at his word. He opened his mouth and it was fflled. A few days after the people where the intruder stayed told Mr. Shaw that he inquired who he was and how long he had been preaching. ''Tell him for me, n said he, n I became very much interested in him, and will send him some books," which came in due time. "As I suspected, he was a preacher." -27- Twelve years later, this same man, in company with another m~nister, was driving through the Adirondacks for pleasure, stopped overnight at Widow Champney•s at Minerva. There he found out that Mr. Shaw was preaching about 33-miles from there decided to drive it, being out of their way, so as to hear him preach next Sunday. Of course, Shaw did not know him. After service and in class meeting, he was made known to them. His name was Bishop and he lived in Jamestown, N.Y. Both preachers told a neighbor of Mr. Shaw that sermon is a masterpiece. A man who is employed all the week in secular affairs, turning to his-companion said, "What would you give if you could preach like that without notes? Why he did not have as much as notes, not a thing." Mr. Shaw had never attended camp meetings. An old preacher persuaded.him to accompany him to one held on Saranac River, not far from Danamora Prison arriving so as to be at the noon prayer meeting. They dined with someone on the ground. The manager of the meeting asked Mr. Shaw whether he wished to preach in the forenoon, afternoon or evening. "Oh, I did not come to preach. I came to hear and see. I have never been to a camp mee_ting before. No please leave me out." 11 0h, no, -we could not do tha-t. But if you desire you may preach tomorrow forenoon. There are not as many people in the morning meeting as afternoon, or the evening." •rwell, if I must preach at all, let me have the morning." Next day, 10-1/2 o'clock found him in position with a shakey voice, before a good congregation, calling on his companion for the journey to lead in prayer. Hymn closed, our terrified backwoodsman rose~ with, "Woe to you scribes and pharisees, hypocrites, prefacing with these characters are her mentioned but the third includes the other two scribes. Pharisees two of the uppercrusts of the Jewish nation. Is -it any wonder they recoiled under such shots, no marvel they sought to get rid of him, but they soon learned that ridicule, threats and even stoneing proved unavailing and when officers were sent to take him, they returned without himo Why have you not brought him? We never heard such words out of ·any man's mouth as this man speaks. Ye poor simpletons, ye are accused. Have any of the scribes or pharisees believea on him. Ignoring their own prophets -28- scribes and patriarchs. This the only people having the oracles of ·Heaven every page thereof teeming with light and revolution, telling o~ the child that was to be born, his everlasting Fatherhood, Prince of Peace, of whose kingdom· there was to be no end, who had been a hundred years looking waiting and expecting his coming and when he came brought the best or evidence that he was that very person. Hosts of angels, heavenly quire, moving, going before those who were searching for him. Surely, my testimony agrees that they were an accused people who with the Christ of God in their midst, gathering throngs, crowded him everywhere every ailment cured. Everywhere relief of every kind afforded, none turned empty away. Coming to this his own the reflected all these evidences, both of scripture, and miracles, cures. The revelation of great truths that until then were not made known unto the children of men. When it was impossible to resist his Almighty searching truths, everyone of them, backed and enforced by scripture, of whom they themselves were the doctors. They opened their vile mouths, accusing him of doing by diabolical aid, what only could be done by almighty power. Is it any wonder he called them hypocrites. I so say also, so vile a people, so stubborn, casting aside all evidence and seeking to destroy him. Men and brethern beloved of God, I have a message today for you. I am not the Christ, neither a prophet, I am an ambassador of Christ as though God did beseech you, I pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God. I am not talking to the learned of this community, the lawyers, doctors, town clerks, justices of the peace, perhaps judges, and surely those who all their lives have listened to the preaching of this Christ of Galilee, whose houses have been stories of Bibles. Those who have seen the progress of ch.ristian civilization whose inmost beings have been stirred as the waters.are stirred by the wind that blow~th where it listeth ye have heard the sound thereof. But have been unable to tell whence it cometh or whither it go_eth.. Why were ye n.ot converted? Why did ye not consent to be lifted from the slime of superstition onto this Rock and by one manly effort let Christ take your hand lifting you to your feet. Why are you not singing that new song of praise, Hark to God Hark! I say Hark!l! do you hear what I hear. The echo. Why ye mortal men, Christ came to you his own. Ye are his redeemed people. Will ye reject Him. If you do, then are you better than the Jews of old. Will this camp meeting record another failure, will the summer pass away, the harvest end and any of this assembly have it to say, I am not saved. Surely, it must not be that Jesus has driven me out here against my will and through the manager of this meeting, I am on this stand a fool for Christ, testifying to his willingness and power to save. -29- Come, O come to Jesus. Please do not force me to testify in the final day against you. The cup of mercy is over flowing today. Hear Him calling. Ho! everyone that thirsteth come ye to the waters of salvation. They are free now •. O so free will ye come. We read of one man who fared well here but rejected Christ and afterwards could not get a drop of water at any prive. Now is the day of salvation. Now you may all be saved. I leave my message with you. I utter the solemn warning. Christ is here. He is at this instant urging you to let him in~ Will you? The people to whom my text was addressed had a later address. My master told them as he will tell you. Perhaps your house is left to you desolate all those mighty stones you have in your citadel of error and false religion will be torn down not one stone left upon the sandy foundation. Thus your house will be left desolate all because you did not perceive or know the time of your gracious visitation. Brethren, join with me in prayer. Holy father, the world has forgotten thee, they know thee not. But the son of God has manifest that sinners should be saved. My Lord, save sinners here and now. Let not thy work return void. Merciful Saviour, have it accomplish that for which it was sent. Thin the praise and glory .foreve·r. --- Amenn As soon as the meeting broke up, a well dressed middle-aged man made his way to the stand, addressing the manager of the meeting said, "What did you say this preacher's name was?n When introduced, he invited Mr. Shaw home with him for dinner. "Of course I accept, but I have a traveling comrade here who I promised his wife to take good care of.~ 11 All righ~, Mr. Shaw, bring him along and your team also if you have one." The team was put into the barn unharnessed and kept there till the meeting broke up. A man of importance in the county had been in the state assembly was then a justice of the peace from that time became a Christian. Several years after, Mr. Shaw was attending another conference some 13 miles from where this man lived. He sent his son and carriage to bring him to his home after conference, kept him overnight and next afternoon drove him to Plattsburgh to take steamboat for Port Henry. This was prior to rail road on west side Lake Champlain. The reader must bear in mind that Mr. Shaw at the beginning of his ministry was unlearned, even in common school training, could write little, had been through -30- the first four rules of arithmetic~,, did not know tunes apart, but in less than two years he often led singing in Sunday school, picnics and church. He worked every day in the week, preached Sundays somewhere most of the time for _several years he would come to the house from the field about eleven and pore over his books till dinner. Every spare moment found a book in his hand. He carried a small testament in his pocket reading during the day in the field. His covenant with God in the woods was ever fresh to him. He often entered the pulpit without a text, frequently if he had one in mind, he changed for another. He termed it following the spirit. Mr. Shaw held the office of supervisor, or town clerk and justice of the peace, for a long term of years. On one occasion he rode from Lake Pleasant where he had been attending the board of supervisors to Wells Sunday morning. The session adjourned at midnight. In the evening he preached in the M.E. Church. On entering the church, he noticed that the middle isle was vacant. "Queer", he thought, ttthat people choose to sit on the side of the church." While singing the last hymn fifteen or more men filed in and took seats in the middle isles directly before the pulpit. He saw at once why the vacancy, and the plot to surprise th~ preacher. Among the number were the county judge, the county clerk, county treasurer, in fact all the elect of Hamilton County. They had found out that Mr. Shaw-was to preach never having heard him and knowing he had been busy all the week with his duties in board meeting. They reasoned he was in poor trim for preaching and perhaps a crowded house with such august personages sitting directly in front of him, would stampede the preacher. He says he does not recollect the text he had selected to use on the occasion, but he does recollect the one he used. When he caught the idea or what was up he said Lord here is the very place you said, if I opened my mouth it should be filled. Collection being taken7 silence waited for the preacher. Text: Romans 8-7 "Because the carnal mind is emnity against God for it is not subject to the law of God, neither, indeed can be. Waiving preliminaries, I remark first carnality is of this world. Vho does not know this truth? What does our mind tend to. What is the trend of our conversation. What prompts our stand against religion and God. Why are we·not Christians, all these have but one solution. The carnal mind,- again. Why are we profane, vulgar, lawless, and full of envy. Whence come strife, and every evil device carnal sold Ullder sin. Why is carnality not subject to God. I man ask why is not Satan subject to God's law. Then you can all answer because he is the devil. -31-· 'Second, carnal heart is in us and like the tongue its element is sin, its purpose is to resist and reject the truth. This is where the condemnation lies. Truth is light and the carnal mind hates light. Because of evil doings again. There is no desire to have it other wise. It cannot be subject to God's law because of hatred to it. The man of a carnal mind and we all were there until changed by the work of the Holy Spirit when God by his spirit comes into the carnal mind, he changes it. You may ask, why then does he not do it. Are you not conscious of freedom of will, power of choice. Why did you come to church tonight? Because you chose to. Why ~ave you not been to church in ten years before? Because again you did not choose to. Then you are not Christians because you chose to remain carnal. The author of the ·test Gould and did clearly define the situation. Precious to conversion he said. I was sold under sin in and cries out in agony of soul who shall deliver me from the body of this death. Oh, I thank God, I shall be free through Jesus Christ my Lord. Do you my bearers seek freedom from the carnal mind? It may be had for the seeking. Do you not know that Christ Jesus came into this world to save sinners? Even the chief or sinners? Can you not divine what would be the state o~ society could the carnal mind be subj~ct ·to-God's law? Within half a mile of where we are assembled, there are these places open contrary to both human and divine law where the sons of the pious people here assembled are being trained in carnal things, deplorable indeed. Fellow citizens, accept kindly what I am about to say. If you county officers were men of God, do you think these things could exist? More, if they were men regarding their oaths of office, rum hol-es could not exist in town. It is not because you do not think it right, but because of the emnity of your hearts, not inclined to do your duty, asleep in carnal -security. Oh sleeper arise! Call upon thy God. Awake to righteousness. Learn to do well, have the good of community at heart so men, and mothers, too, will call you blessed. Again, I say awake and Christ shall give thee light, even the light of life." The meeting closed, the people in the middle pews riled out as they came and as the judge told Mr. Shaw a year after, not one of them spoke for several minutes. Then the judge asked the man by his side, "Jim, what took you to meeting tonight?n 111lell, judge, I do not know. I have never been in that church since I lived in town berore, only to funerals." -32- "Sam, how is it that you were at church tonight?" 11 I don't know, Judgeo It is more than ten years since I have heard a sermon. 11 The-judge told Mr. Shaw the next fall that he put the same question to the whole party and got nearly the same answers. Then one of them says, "Judge, how comes it that you went to church tonight?" "Well, sir,. I will tell you all I know a-oout it. My nephew drove to my house just at d·usk. • Grandfather, don't you want to go to church tonight!' I looked at the boy in surprise. "Why Walter?" "Mr. Shaw is go_ing to preach and Jim Moon, Bill Fray, Pat Crowie, etc., naming others are going, and they want you to go, too. They say to give Mr. Shaw a surprise. Now Mr. Shaw, do not think I was in on the plot for I was not. I had never heard you talk, and being the team was at the door, I went not all aware of the design 0£ the others. I could see, Mr. Shaw, that you was surprised and somewhat excited, but you soon gained your equillibrium and I am sure, Mr. Shaw,_ you went beyond yourself. We were the lads that got the surprise. No day since then that I have not thought or you and your sermon." The judge, taking his hand, said~ ar thank you for that sermon and I shall profit by it. Good-bye God bless you Mro Shaw.a No one of the others ever rererred to it. The judge died du.ring the year. In the fall of 1866, one of Mrs. Shaw's brothers arrested a neighbor for taking his boat from where he had left it on a small lake back in the woodso The neighbor came to Mr. Shaw. to help him out of the scrape, saying, "I did not mean to do any harm. I came where the boat was late so I took the boat to cross the lake on my way home intending to take it back next day." Mr. Shaw excused himself' that he was related to the other side, "and he will not like it if I take up against him. Besides I am to go to marry a couple at his house this evening." After learning that his brother~in-law had a counsel, he appeared for the neighbor and as usual found some hole by which the neighbor was cleared. When even ing came, Mr. Shaw with his wire went to her brother's to marry the·couple. The woman was a sister o.f the wire and the man who had had the man arrested. Her brother was so angry that he would not let Shaw into the house, -33- declaring he should not perform the ceremony. But his own children and everyone of the relatives present interced·ed and consent was finally given. After the knot was tied, Mr. Shaw and wire went homej leaving the company_tq finish up with him the balance of the entertainment. Next morning, Mr. Shaw left town to attend to his duties as supervisor at the county seat. The very day he left one of his brother-in-law's children was taken very sick anq died before his return and another came down with fever as also his wife. As soon as it was learned that Shaw had got home, a messenger came for him to come at once, as Mrs. K was very sick. He asked the man who was after him, if Mr. K had himself sent for him. Not being able_ to say definitely, Mr. Shaw said, 11 1 am only home half an hour. Go back, tell Mr. K to come himself and I will go.n Mr. K soon appeared and with tears entreated him to go to his assistance, which he did at once and for three weeks only went home for change of clothes. His wife and three daughters being under his immediate care all coming through to health. One day after all was over, Mr. Shaw called to see the family, not seeing the man of the house asked Mrs. K where David was. She said, "He is upstairs abed." "Has he too got the fever?" "No, I guess not. He mopes about, can't eat, does not sleep, says he is not sick." Mr. Shaw found his way upstairs, found he was in bed, covered up-head and all. 11You sick, David?" "No, guess not.~ 11 Well, what does ail you if not sick?" "Robert," throwing off the coverlids as he spoke, "I am a miserable man. After my abuse of you at sister's wedding, I never expected you would ever speak to me much less come into my house, and here you have spent these weeks day and night to doctoring and nursing my family. I am ashamed to look you in the face. Only for you my wife would in her grave and I don't know how many 0£ my children.· Forgive me, Robert, and may God reward you." Mr. Kellar was able to eat and sleep after that. In Mr. Shaw•s own language, "I gave that woman with my own hand everything that passed her lips into her mouth, and at intervals not needed in the sick room, retired to an outbuilding to pray God's blessing on my efforts." There is in Mr. Shaw•s makeup a firm opinion that he has been providently saved from death in at least three different cases. When a boy fourteen years old, he stole away from home one Sunday morning and going· to a Mr. Plnmley's spent a couple of hours playing with the children who were alone, about noon he started for home. On reaching the lake the wind had taken off the log canoe he came over in. He ran over the ridge down the lake to see if he could see the canoe. It was just passing the point at the sand beach, not haulting or stopping to consider the. danger. He ran to the water edge, stripped orr pants and shirt, all he had on, and plunged into the water which at the shore did not seem very rough and coming up with the canoe reached up to catch it, as a gust of wind took it feet away. Nothing daunt~d he swam on, came up to it again, and as if by magic, another gust took it out of reach again. He hesitated, but pushed on in pursuit, came to it the third time, only to find he could not reach high .enough to clasp the edge of the boat. By this time he'was out in the middle of the lake, and turning against the wind. A wave slapped his face and strangled him. The next he recollects, he was lying on his back on the bottom of the lake in fifteen feet of water, the bubbles rising from the air escaping from his lungs. About the same time a panorama of his life began to be displayed. One thing after another passed until, "Here I am drowning in Long Lake and on Sunday, too •. What will mother say?" He says, nr was energized, and inspired at the sight 0£ mother. All else had passed without effect." He clamored to his feet, thanking God that he was not dead yet and must get out. It seemed a long time before he got to the top of the water. When he did he struck out for shore until he found his strength failing, he began to sink. Resigning himself to what he could not avoid, he said to himself, "I will rest while going down. I have one more chance." When his feet reached bottom he bent his knees and kicked as hard as he could and was not long in coming to the surface. "Now", he thought, "I must make the shore for if not I am a gone chap.» Kicking on with all bis strength hopefully feeling for the bottom, until, lo, his power was gone, not another stroke could be made, "N--o u-s-e, Good-bye old earth, good-bye, mother. God have mercy.n -35- His feet resting on the bottom, he had life enough left to feel the wind and waves playing with the hair on top ·or his head. Struggling for a step, and took it, when all his head was above water, another then a third step until half his body was out of the water and he could walk no further, falling on hands and knees, crawled ashore, lying with his stomach across a ridge in the sand, lay there, letting the water run out of his mouth, as out of a jug, when his strength returned sufficiently, he dressed and found his way home, running to his mother, fell at her feet, weeping and saying, "My dear, precious mother." It was all he could say. Mother and the children began crying,· too, when Robert had cried out, and related what had transpired, then crying began in earnest. He was dead, but is alive. Was lost, but is found. Oh the richness, both of the mercy and g~odness of God. "God moves in a mysterious way, his wonders to perform. He rides upon the storm and calms the raging sea. He lifted me, so less than he did Peter, Amen.n Mr. Shaw says he experienced no sense of any strangling after he went down the first time, and does not know whether he breathed or not ~fter coming up. His only sensation was weakness, and after the water ran out of his mouth, and the air filled his lungs, he had a hard time to get his breath. Every time he drew in his breath, it set him to coughing and sneezing with a strange sensation in nose and head. On two different occasions afterwards he escaped being killed by a hairsbreadth. Those who were present declared had they been in his place nothing would have saved them. When the state first began to improve Racquette River Mr. Shaw took a job of putting in a pier on Racket Falls below Long Lake. The laying of the bottom log, a long hemlock tree, it was a dangerous spot, and needed courage and skill coupled with strength. There were only three of them. The big end of the log was to be placed on the very brink of the whirlpool and held in place while the other end had to be slid upon a skid to the top of a rock, then held as it was slid down the opposite side of the rock to the bed rock. Mr. Shaw took his stand on the edge of the chasm with iron bar to hold the big end _of the timber from getting out too far. The other two men at the small or top of the tree worked it up to the top or the rock. The water came furiously against the opposite side of the rock as also against the log when it should be let down. He says he saw what was likely to happen, so he motioned to the two men to hold it· as it was, (The load of water prevented talking) and he went to them. "I see," said he, "you are going to get ~e~. Are you afraid of water? If you are, you may take my place and I will let this end down." They replied, "I rather get wet than to take your plaee.n "Yes so would I, but see if you do not hold onto the timber till it strikes the bottom I shall be in greater danger still." "We'll hold it, never you rear." •All right boys, see you do.n Then going back took the bar, a heavy one, placing one foot near the edge of the chasm and the bar under and against the timber motioned to let it down. ill went well until nearly down when the water slapped the other men in the race and the log shifted from them and down it went. Water under the middle raised the end Mr. Shaw was holding, and it came down with force enough to strike the bar-from his grasp, striking across his right foot, tearing a heavy stoga shoe all to pieces so that it was never repaired. Mr. Shaw, of course, was moved in his position and instead of falling back he plunged forward, fell, and sprang again, then fell and was drawn ashore by his men. He spent a sleepless night, next day the men securing the stick of timber so it would not get away, helped him to the boat at the head of the falls, took him home. Both men blamed themselves for letting the log get away from them, saying, it is a wonder you was no·t knocked into the whirlpool.. "Another providence, he shall give his angels charge over thee." Mro Shaw's daring was mixed with recklessness. Scores of incidents could be given, that really it would seem a fool should have known better.· His companions often told him it was only bull head luck that saved him, not because he was smart they saido In company with James Keller, both about 19 or 20 years of age, they started out to set traps along the shore of Long Lake for mink. These traps, so called, were dead falls, made by cutting blocks out of a tree, drive one end in the ground. making a box open on one side. Cut a small tree, cut off a piece of it for a bedpiece in front of the open end, then lay the pole on top of it. Put a piece of fish or meat on a stick called -37- a spindle, stick the bate end into the box, cut a small stick 3 inches long, set the lower end on the bed piece. The upper end held up the spindleo The mink scenting the bait went in under the pole after it, his body between the st~c~s as soon as he pulled the spindle, the standard gave way and down came the pole and the poor mink is a gonero This particular November day the ice was about two inches thick, noon found them away down the lake on the North side of Mount Kempshallo They built a good fire on the shore, and prepared and ate their dinner, under dense cedar tree, emerging from the cover they found it was raining and very warmo It was decided to go home, as the ice would not stand much of a thaw; before night, holes were to be seen in the ice, and cracks were hard to get over, making it critical traveling. They had a trap in a bay below Old Oven Point where a brook came in, where they had·caught several mink. When they got opposite the·bay, it was observed that the ice looked black. They had talked of stopping at that place to see if there was a mink in it, but the blackness of the ice said caution. Shaw says, "I think I can run off where that high bank is and if I can't get back I will go up the shore to the landing." He had not go~e but a little ways, when Keller calledo nRob, come back, you will get in." But instead of taking the warning, he struck a trot on tiptoe thinking he could run off safely. Keller saw· how the ice was bending under him, called, "Hold on, Rob. It will not hold youon Shaw did not heed. The next he knew, he sank through the ice to his arms. He had an ax in one hand and small stick in the other that he used as .a cane. These prevented his going through the iceo Keller groaned to himself, 11 My God, he's lost. No one can come out of that thin ice. I can do him no good." When he looked Shaw was coming on his belly, hands as far apart as possible, ax in one the stick in the other and the water six inches deep all around himo In fact, he was swimming in water, with a little ice under it. Keller held his breath thinking he could not possibly long stay on top, but on he came until the ice no longer bent under himo Then he got on his feet, walked to where Keller stood. Keller reached to shake hands with hi.mo "No fooling here," said Shaw, "I am too cold for that." -38- "I am not fooling, Rob, I never expected to see you again aliveo How on earth did you get on top of that thin iceo" "~u~s the iceo I wasn't under ito If I had been I'd been there yeto You saw me drop througho I just made a hole big enough to fall ino I turned around at once put one foot out to the opposite side of the hole, and just pushed myself on the ice as I could in the meantime lying flat with both arms extended to cover as much ice as possible, but wasn't that ice thino It seemed as if I could see nothing but water under me as I looked through the iceo Come on, I am dried out now so I can walko Good thing it isn't coldo" "Yes it is fo_r your sakeo Rob, you have had to turn back once, if you never did beforeo You are altogether too·persistento I could not been hired to have undertaken that job, and if I had got in where you did I could not have gotten outo Don't think I should have triedo The idea, Rob of your hanging onto that ax." Rob says, laughing, "I wanted that for ballast. I have an ax nowo" Political Career Shaw was married to Gitty Margaret Keller July 9, 1854. In the fall of that year they went to housekeeping in a log house he had built the spring before, on a new piece of land on the 20th Township just opened ror settlemento He was twenty-five years old, and having had no experience in the world was rather a blockhead of a fellow so much so that Miss Keller's relatives rather sneered at her marrying the green Irishmano. The next town meeting, in March 1855, young Shaw put himself up for Town clerk and unexpectedly won outo A tickled boys he was town clerk several yearso Then he began to hanker after supervisor, but there was to be a fight for that officeo His wife had two brothers~in-law, the one ran one year and the other the next, or at most, every two yearso The Kellers were Dutch. They had most of the town as relatives and Shaw not being popular among them could not hope to rise by their help. Besides it was known he was a poor scholar and his brot~ers-in-law were good scholars. Now, then, a scheme had to be gotten upo Shaw looked here and there, but nothing offered. William Kellogg had moved into town and cleared up a farm near the mouth -39- of Big Brooko He had 3 sons already in town and one son-in-law besides his oldest son was a millwrite had never been in towno Cyrus Ho Kellogg, the millwrite, lost his wife and some way lost his property even to his tools_ and in the late fallj came to see his father at Long Lake. In a conversation with himj Shaw saw he was his man and at once formed a scheme by which he expected to form a new party put CoHo at the head of the ticket for two yearso Then it was agreed by them Shaw was to be the next man to head the ticket for two yearse Shaw, full of energy and hope worked up a caucus privately in the evening at a back place no one knowing of it, but the knowing ones made their nominations and also elected the entire nomination and also the second year, Shaw was the leader taking his horse to voters who he thr~ugh Kellogg might need to see. The third year Shaw was to be the candidate, but Kellogg to show his loyalty to him, rode about with him several days before ca~cuso Everything looked favorable. Caucus night arrived and the ballots being counted, Kellogg beat Shaw in votes. Shaw's scheme didn1 t hold water. It turned out that Kellogg told those he met that he was to run this time as Shaw was no man for supervisor. "Why he has not educationo Besides it is a critical time and it needs a competent man. this year." When it appeared what had been done, Shaw called the caucus to order and explained the mattero There came near being mutiny, but Shaw was afraid or a split and he knew what that would result in so he said, "You are at liberty so far as I am concerned to put. Kellogg at the. head of the ticket this time and I will stay with you in electing the ticketo I am youngo I can wait, but Mro Kellogg, you have dirtied your best hato I shall never trust you againo We shall never be in the same caucus after this, and I will do all I can to humble youo" The next town meeting Shaw was elected supervisor. Kellogg hated to have it so, but finding his pull was broken, turned in and helped Shawo Shaw's year passedo Politics having passed into a new channel, and Kellogg seeing a chance to break Shawas pull by putting up his brother Asa who had married into the Keller family. This was also worked on the sly. Shaw did not get hold of it until too late for the purpose of defeating it. The most of Shawis wife's relatives gladly aided Asa Kellogg. The Kellogg family also joined that party and Asa was elected, Shaw out a yearlingo No great number knew how sore he was, but it hurt him. During the few days that followed Town meeting, it turned out that C.H. not Asa was the supervisor, Asa failed to qualify, and it was kept clos~ until it was too late for a special town meetingo Then there was Kellers enough in office to appoint C.H •• Shaw, to say was mad, does not tell it all. He not only told Kellogg what he might look for but he also told the Keller tribe who they were, and that he would oppose them as a whole for any office any of them should ever seeko It was Irish against Dutchl it proved to be so. The next year Mr. Shaw was again e ected, as also the ensuing four years, r1mning against C.H. as well as all the old time nobility. After the four.years he held back for John E. Chase, his partner in business. Then, he took it ~our years more. Then set up a young man of the Keller family who had stood by him as soon as he became of age, Alonzo Mix, a son of one of Shaw•s brothers-in-law. Young Mix was a very exemplary young man and was a member of Mr. Shaw•s church, and when it was know that Mix was Shaw•s man, it angered the whole Kell_~r tribe. They said, "Yes, Shaw of course will stand baek.. If Mix is elected, might as well have Shaw," and the battle was surely set in array. Shaw said after the election, he never worked so hard to ,elect himself as he did to elect Mix, but he was elected. When the count was over and Mix was declared elected, Shaw looked roguishly to where a man sat who had said to him sometime during the day, you cannot elect Mix. When Shaw caught his eye, he ripped an oath about church members, intimating they had not voted as he expectedo Mr. Mix was elected the second termo The oppositon again tried C.H. About this time Long Lake had learned that money as well as other ·sorts of graft was being woven into politicso . An old man and his son-in-law were to have a suit. Shaw had been counseling them to settle and supposed that after town meeting the terms of settlement would be arrangedo Both men were friends of Shaw. C.H. found out that Shaw was counseling them to settle, got hold of the old man and told him Shaw was in favor of the other man, and only wished to delay till after town meeting so as to get his voteo •ooosaid to him he knows you can beat the son~in-law, but will go against you there, saying you and your boys vote form~ and I will take the case and win it for you and it w$1 cost you nothing. Shaw lost three votes but was elected al1 the same. The law suit took place, Shaw against CH Kellogg. The old man was beateno -41- Politics ran higho Each year the war ranged more fierceo Other factors working in and Shaw had been in the chair so long that he no longer cared for the honor o:f the office so long as he could be dictator. Some of the younger men who had stood by him wanted to be supervisor, especially David Helms. Shaw said to him, "Well, canvass the voters and if the chances are favorable I will stand in with youo I cannot hold votes for you as for myselfo As soon as it is certain that you are to run, there will be one or more candidates for supervisor. Now then before it is known, slip among the voters and learn how many will vote for you sureo Be sure.for I am not ready to let up on politics yet. If you are my man, I must elect you so don't make any mistake.n Two weeks be~ore town meeting, it got out that David Helms was going to run. Shaw had pulled off in his favor and a week later, it was understood that H.D. Kellogg and Vmo Dornburgh were in the fieldo Dornburgh was a merchant, and a certain class were in favor of him as debtors for 1£ they should vote against him he might put the hurry on them. As soon as Shaw learned how things were shaping, he called on David and learned what he thought of his case. I "I fear, David, you are aot a politician. You only hear with your ears what is said to you, not reading mental reservation at all. Now I.want you to go to Baguette Lake and back here before Saturday noon and come straight to my place and we will make plans." Helms was· on hand as arranged. Shaw listened to what he had to say, then questioned after this manner. "How many voters are there up there." "fwenty-twoo·" "And will they all come to vote? How many told you they would vote for youo" r1 Only one o n "Who?" "He is not likely to come at all Dave. He is too old." "Yes he said if he could .~ome. n. "Did you invite the Raquette boys to your house to dinner town meeting d.ay?" "Yes, I told them to come to Father's hotel and I would foot the billo" "Did you tell them you would send teams a~ter them?" "I offered to send my team for them, but they said I need noto There was teams enough on Raquette to bring them doWne" "Now, David, tell me your opiniono Those men are booked for HoDo Kellogg, and you will not get one of them. There are just so many voters in this part of town. Dornburgh can depend on just so manyo Kellogg will get the rest after the fifteen of us that intend to support you. Now I have it fine. Kellogg has not enough to elect him and you cannot get it with only fifteen. You must have at least·half of the Ra .. ~ Kellogg anA~;:Do.rnburgh were cousins and before long it was apparent t·hat blood was thicker than water. As soon as Kellogg had sworn into office and given his official bond, he waited on Mr. Shaw made a demand of books and paper in his hands belonging to the supervisor's office. Also demanded within ten days the twenty-two hundred dollars shown to be in his hands as supervisor of the towno 11 Come in Mro Kellogg." When seated, Mro Shaw produced six hundred dollars in money, and town paper. "There_, tp.at is all I have nowo The balance of this money,. I have loaned to town people. There is no claims outstanding against the town and I want one month to gather in another five hundred, a~d by the first of July, I will pay the balanceo" Mro Kellogg said that would be as soon as the money would be needed. "Yes, that will be all righto" Mr. Shaw tha~~ed him and felt real good toward the young mano But in a few days Kellogg met him and told him he had been notified in writing that he must get that money now, that Shaw was obligated to pay it over within ten days after his successor was elected and qualified. 11 That is so, Kellogg, and I have paid part and arranged with you to pay the balance and that is equivalent to payment. You are not disposed to go back on your agreement are you?" "Not as far as I am concerned," said he, "but they are compeiling me to collect ito"· "Who compells you, Henry? You are supervisor, and no man can compel you to do any such thingo You have money in your hands to pay any claims that may arise and ·there is no other power that has anything to do with it. There is no power than can compel you to sue meo" Shaw saw, however, that he was excited, and rather hinted that if he did not pay over at once, he would make him trouble, said kindly, 11 Henry, you are not going to be a cat 9 s paw for that monkey of a Dornburgh to put me to trouble after you agreeing to what you did.rt Speaking rather sharp, "They are compelling me to do it or I should noto" Shaw with sterness said, t•Mr. Kellogg, I made you supervisoro I am the man that beat Dornburgh and now you propose to let him dictate to you what you shall do. Don•t be so foolish, Henry." CD44- Kellogg then gave Mro Shaw to understand that he must pay over the balance of the money before a certain date or he should sue himo That was too much for Shaw. He stood a moment, then said again, "Mr. Kellogg, you sue me if you think best, but my word for it, you will never get· one dollar of that money into your hands as supervisor. I made you supervisor and hard as I worked, to do it, I will work harder to defeat you next year. I will hang your hyde on a pin to dryo It will be a yearling's hyde and if in my power, you will never be supervisor again. 11 Henry sued Shawo Of course, Dornburgh had him hypnotized and held him fasto The suit came off the next February. Judge was Shaw•s counsel and made a splendid effort showing that the money for which Shaw was sued was more·money than was belonging to that town as supervisor's money, that Mr. Shaw had produced vouchers for and settled all the town claims at the auditor's meeting and the judge was about to dismiss the case as the other side handed the judge the certificate of settlement of the auditing boardo Looking for a moment he said, "See here, Judge here is the certificate of the settlement and Mr. Shaw's name to it as chairman." I How is this?- Auible says, nThe facts still remain that the town of Long Lake did not, could not have any supervisor money, only what they voted to raise in open ·town meeting. The other members of the board were sitting with Mro Shaw and handed him the certificate to sign and he did so not suspecting any mistake." The judge then replied, nr hardly think Mr. Shaw is the man to sign such a paper unthinkingly. If his name was not there I should allow your motion," and was about to order judgement to be entered when Auible once more arrested the judge's attention saying, "Mr. Shaw settled this case once with Mro Kellogg, paid.one third of what is here adjudged to be owing, and stipulated for the balanceo Besides, Your Honor, the town at a special meeting, ordered this money to be laid out on the roads of the town, and by a large majority vote elected Robert Shaw a special com.missioner to oversee the work. If you wish~ Judge, I can show you the record of the work done and the voucher tbereforeo" After looking it over a moment, the judge remarked, "You have a way of your own of doing business up in Hamilton county." -45- That ended that trial for then. A little over a month later, town meeting came round. Mr. Shaw made good his saying Kellogg was a dead yearling. After the election, a few days, Mr. Shaw took the oath of office for the seventeenth time in twenty-five years. After a term·or· two years, he had the pleasure to swear into office ·one of his best friendso So in truth, not one dollar of the money Kellogg sued him for ever got into his hands. Mr. Shaw, if educated, and the way had opened, he like other men of small beginning, would no doubt have made his mark in the world. His was a master's mind. Energy without limit, ways and means at hand in an emergency, ingenious, with no end of speculation in a country where no opportunity offered to help one to begin life, or afford work for willing workers. Mr. Shaw, after he struck Long Lake at 14, helped chop and clear a stoney £arm, doing most of the chopping himself, staying with his father three s11mmers after he was twenty-one, working winters in lumber woods to pay for a hundred acres of land he had bought, paying for it and in the spring of 1854 put up a log house and July 9th, 1854 got married, cleared up the r-arm, bu~lt barn and horse shed an~ stable, sold out in the fall of 1860 so as to put two thousand dollars into a business with James Keller. After three years bought Keller out, took Asa Kellogg as a partnero In less than two years he · bought Kellogg out, sold out again where he had done business with both men, bought out James Mulholland on the south side of the village, built a good house and a year later, built a store 22 X 41 feet, 2 stories high and traded there over 30 years, and at one time one of his clerks, who knew more of his business than anyone but himsel£, took- trouble to get all his assets together, and read them over to him without letting him see the footing. "Is this all Mr. Shaw? Then, how much do you owe?" "Having got that, the clerk struck the balance a~d showed it to him, "Twenty-one thousand dollarsj say Hanmer, give me half that sum and I will go out of town." It may be noted here that about four thousand of this was in book accounts. Up to this time·Mr. Shaw had kept out of law doing his own business in his own crude fashion. About this time his son (adopted) came home from high school with a fairly good commercial education. It may -46- be said to Mr. Shaw's credit he was a true father to the boy spending between three and four hundred dollars on his education. He soon learned the boy had run into high notions and without any conversation with his father, took it for granted that it was time to do a little advertising. Accordingly he ordered a lot of billheads, letter·paper, and envelopes printed. 'R. Shaw and Son, Dealers in General Merchandise and Manufacturers of ·• Lumber, Rough and Dressedo 1 He also put up a sign over the store door in large letters, 'R. Shaw and Son.• When Mr. Shaw came home from conference he noticed the sign. "What on earth did you do that for?" was his first salute. The young man coloring asked, "Don't you like it?" "The workmanship is all right, but that makes us partners." "So it does, Father. That is what I have understood you to mean when you have said you took me to keep me with you so you would have someone to take care of you in your old age." "Surely, but I am not ready yet to make you a partner in law. That thing, ttpointing to the billheads," may cause me trouble hereafter." Which thing proved true in the suit that followed the settlement of the O.E. Boyden affair. OoEo Boyden was a young man of some parts not found in ordinary boys with no education and with ancestry against him. Mr. Shaw liked him from a boy, had him in Sunday school and at fifteen he was taken into the churcho This fact placed him more immediately under the watchful care of Mr. Shaw who at that time carried the church on his heart as well also in other ways. Boyden, scarcely out of his teens, married Miss Olive French, also young, and a member of the church. Mro Shaw employed Boyden in every way he could, thinking to aid him in getting a start in life, but there always appeared a balance on the wrong side and at the end of the year O.E. Boyden was behind. Among the things that Boyden tried his skill at while in Shaw's employ, was running the circular saw mill, and really at last seemed satisfied with the work. Something was out of place in the mill, and Boyden went and told Mr. Shaw, "I will be up after breakfast tomorrow and fix it up." When Boyden saw Mr. Shaw coming he went to the mill and saw there was a little water in the bottom of the flume, raised the gate to let it out then stooped and ·took hold of the saw to see if he could start it. The night before he could not get it to start with much more water in the flumeo In taking hold of the saw he stood.behind it, taking hold of the teeth and giving the saw a ·push. To his surprise the saw started and one of the teeth caught him in the hand pulling him onto the saw and over he wento The saw caught him on the inside of his thigh within a few inches of the groin and with his hand caught by a tooth over he was drawn and falling on the opposite side of the saw on the floor. The saw not having any force by reason of the water being exhausted hardly turned over and that fact alone saved his life, as if there had been a force sufficient to give power to the saw his leg_ would have been cut off, and no one would have seen him alive. But there he was mangled and helpless. Mr. Shaw procured a wide board and with the help of those first on the spot, carried him to hi~ home. There had just come to town a doctor who had lost his practice and nearly everything else. He was sent for. Neighbors flocked in, and all was confusion. When the doctor arrived, he assured us he could not sew it up. Mr. Shaw then decided that the presence of a doctor was of no particular good. It ·was learned that Dr. Hempstead had a needle and thread for such work. "Well Dr., get the tools and I will do as I always have. I'll try." The wound did not bleed much and it was hoped was not so bad as at first fearedo Boyden kept both hands locked under the thigh, and willing hands ministered to his wants. nEverybody keep cool and quiet while I run ho~e for a bottle of cordial I have and by the time the doctor gets back, I will be here. Then he will have to be moved to the table to be operated on,"' said Mro Shaw as he left the room.. He felt he must run, or rather fly, nr suppose I did walk fast on my way home, but come back slow and coolo" When he entered the house, the Doctor was showing his surgical outfit. "What use are they, Doctor if you can't use them?n "O, for somebody elseo" -48- Mr. Shaw at once drew out a full leaf table, let down both leaves made ready by pillows and rugs to lay th·e wounded man on it, four men places him in position • . uNow if I am head surgeon," said Shaw laughingly, "I wish everybody to leave this room except Dr. Hempstead and ·a couple to assist in holding the patient in position. His wife can stay in the room if she chooses." Mr. Shaw named the assistants, and with everything in readiness, he laid the well began mat and raising the other at the knee with a rest under the body. He says to Boyden, "there let go, I will take charge of the cut now." Mr. Shaw little knew what was before him. When Boyden removed his hands, the lower part of the flesh fell splash on the table. "My God -- it's -- (no use)", but did not speak the last two words so as to be heard. His hands falling to his sides, he stood dumbfounded. He trembled, turned pale. A Mr. Hanmer who stood outside the open window said afterwards that he was looking at Mr. Shaw when he said let go Boyden. "The change in Mr. Shaw•s face sent me back to a seat, and I came·near fainting." While Shaw stood there Boyden and his wife were locked in each others embrace and she was crying. convulsively. Nearly everybody in and outside the house were sharing in gloom which had crushed Mr. Shaw. Still he had not spoken only as above. He says he has no idea how long he stood there. Finally turning says, "Well, my dear boy, crying will not dress this wound," then turning again to the wound, he said, 11My good fellow, you must have floundered around on the mill floor considerable. See the bark, sticks and sawdust in the cut. The very first thing that must be done is to get that dirt out of·the wound. Not a speek must be left in the wound." He watched the men who wer~ clearing out the dirt and when one began to shake he gently pulled him aside and put another in his place. When it was thought everything was out, Mr. Shaw took a fine linen cloth, and turned the flesh out so he could see into every part of the wound, and took up every speck he saw then placed the ragged parts as near where they belonged as possible, taking fourteen stitches, that is tying the wounded cuts in fourteen places. The stitch next to the body in-live flesh caused him to groan and sometimes to scream out, but he stood the operation manfully, no drug of any kind.being taken. The Blacksmith E. Elliot -49- rendered valuable service. He did not suggest or talk m~ch, but if asked if he could do anything, he went at it and did it, too, staying by until the job was finished. When complete, Mr. Shaw lay down on a lounge a tired man, he _say$ he never before felt the need of rest as then., He also says since, he is not the strong nerved man he was.before. After an hour of rest, he spread plasters of a salve he makes called Adirondack salve and completely covered the wound all over leaving Mr. Elliot in charge of the patient. He went home to look after other matters. Upon learning that Dr. Hempstead could not do the sewing, they sent to Johnsbu.rgh for Dr. Logens to come without delay. He went to stay also so as to be there when he came. It was near three o'clo~k when Dr. Logens came. The plasters, bandages, and wraps were all taken off in order to let him see the work done. Dr. Hempstead answered most of his questions. After a minute inspection, he said, "Mr. Shaw that is well done. There is only one thing I rear you may have failed in. The wound must have been filled with dirt. If you cleaned it thoroughly, you have done a first class job. Now, 0 he says, "this wound being so large and the cut so deep, the stitches will begin to tear out after a few days for it will probably swell, and I will leave you_ some appliances to hold it in place. Keep him as quiet as possible and in a week or ten days it will begin to heal...q "Doctor, how long will I be on my back." ' "I am not able to tell you, Mr. Boyden. Good care has much to do with such matters.~ · Before leaving, the doctor took Mr. Shaw aside and said he, "Do you know that the big artery in the thigh is at the very edge of that wound?. It may be hurt and if so is liable to burst· any moment, and if it does, there is no saving his life. If it had been cut, he would been dead when you reached him." The doctor left a wash, or something to wet it with and departed, rather intimating that it would be better not to put the salve on it. With all difference to his advice, Mr. Shaw, after he was left in charge, put on the salve and once each day, by the assistance of Mr. Elliott, took them off and thoroughly washed the wound. And to the surprise of all the wound did not swell so as to burst the stitcheso The sore discharged in three or four places a thin watery substance and in three weeks Mr. Boyden began to help himself and dispensed with his nurses and finally went to work again. He clerked it for Mr. J.W. Cole and others, and worked some at carpentry. In June 18--- Mr. Shaw, wishing to set Mr. Boyden up in business, sold him his entire stock of goods, consisting of all kinds of groceries, dry goods, books and shoes, crockery, in fact everything usually kept in a country store, a total of ne~rly five thousand dollars, and rented him the store, making him a contract to pay a certain sum every month with a provision that if Boyden trusted out the goods or failed to make his payments as per contract, Mr. Shaw was -empowered to close him up and take the store from him. Mr. Boyden kept up the payments for two months then failed to come to him. When Shaw approached him on the subject, he told a plausible story and he let it go. On the third month, Mr. Sb.aw said, "You not only do not pay me, but I learn you are trusting out the goods and I shall be -Obligated to end the deal." "What will you take for this place and I will find a good man to back me.n Mr. Shaw named the price and was informed that it was satisfactory. Boyden says, "I have a bargain with Mr. F. Peck of Glens Falls that if you wi11 sell, and turn what you owe him:, he will pay you the balance I owe you and I am to mortgage to him •. " Mr. Shaw accepted the offer and it was stipulated then and there that within a month Mr. Peck should come to Long Lake and the transfer was then to be made. About this time, the first· of May 18--- Mr. Shaw was interested in negotiating a loan for Mr. E. Butler, then building the Sagamore Hotel and was going to New York for that purpose. He invited Mr. Boyden to go with him. Mr. Boyden was then supervisor of the town and had some business in the land affairs of the town and was going to see parties at Little Falls and arranged to ride with Mr. Shaw as far as North Creek and be companions in travel as far as Ballston. Then Boyden went west and Shaw east and then.ext Friday, Boyden was to meet him at Saratoga on their way home. When Shaw boarded the· car at Saratoga, no Boyden could he find. Thinking he might be a day earlier, he reaching North Creek could find nothing of him. Early in the evening he received a telegram that Boyden was under the doctor's care at Glens Falls, not to wait for him. Next day Mr. Shaw took the early train for Glen Falls, and sure enough Mr. Boyden was sick, and very sick, and so overjoyed to see Mro Shaw he could hardly contain -51- himself urging him to take charge of his sickness. "I can't. You are in charge of a regular physician, and if I should take charge of you, I could be prosecuted. Besides if you should die, I might be incarcerated in pri_son." "Die, he said quickly, "do you think it?n "O, no, only I was speculating." "All right, but don•t speculate that way. I am not ready to die." ' 1Why, I could not think of such a thing. n That day and. evening passed and Boyden grew worse and another doctor was ca~led. Next day evening, Mr. Shaw saw symptoms he did not lilt• and sent for the doctor in the early evening and he pointed out to the doctor what he considered dangerous, and the doctor changing medicine assured him that he would be better in the morning. But Mr. Shaw telegraphed to North Creek to Mr. Baker, a merchant there to send to Long Lake ior Boyden•s Wife and get her there so as to send her on the early train next morning. That n.ight after the q.octor ·had been gone a couple of hours, he noticed Mr. Boyden was out of his head. He sent a boy again for the doctor, who when he came showed signs of disappointment. He changed all the medicine, and shortly Mr. Boyden commenced to perspire freely and for a while seemed better. But in the morning he was no better. At noon, Mrs. Boyden came. Although delirious he recognized her, spread his hands and clasped her to him, but could not speak and in a few moments seemed not to know her. The doctor being sent for, assured her there was no immediate danger. Set at ease Mr. Shaw then left her for home, promising to return Monaay2 if she wanted himo Saturday she sent a telegram that her husband was dead. Mr. Shaw instead of going sent his brother and team to Glens Falls to get the remains, and bring Mrs. Boyden homeo Funeral being over, the several matters of finance and office had to be attended to. Mro Shaw went to the widow and offered to take charge of the store as the contract between himself and Mro Boyden authorized him to doo But meddlesome neighbors had been there before him, and Mrs. Boyden must be appointed the administratrix and she could not be interferred with ror a whole year. She was made to believe there was a good deal more in it ror her to take that cou.rsee After being appointed administratrix, she made her adopted son, a lad 18 years old, her agent, or business heado He in turn employed a lawyer and the fight begano For the sake of brevity, -52- the details of the fight for the year are omitted except a few incidentso One of which was: Mro Peck came on to look after his interest, besides a bill of goods bought just as Mr. Boyden was taken sick. Peck held Boyden•s note £or $18000 Mr. Peck prevailed on Mr. Shaw to lend him· his name on the maturing of Boyden1 s note saying he, Peck, was hard pressed for funds till he could get some thing out of Boyden's affairs at the end of the year assuring Mr. Shaw he would take care of the note at the end of each three months, paying interest and he, Mr. Shaw, would not be troubled only t_o sign the new note as sent to him and at end of the year he would end up the note business. Before the year was over half gone, Mr. Peck a·lso died. The first time the note became due after Mr. Peck's death, his son Walter came to Mr. Shaw as his father's representativeo Shaw at first objected to signing another renewal, but Walter fixed him up by saying, ttHaven 1 t we always done everything you asked of us. I have done business with you for father. The last time it was we that you gave the new note. You will get the same treatment at my hands as you did when father livedo 11 He was over persuaded and signed it. The Boyden estate in his wife and son's manageme.nt having !'ailed and after nearly two years they found:outthat they could only pay 32 -cents on the dollar of the debts. Mro Shaw during the first few months purchased the goods, as he thought it the only chance to get the $1,800 he had still in them. The goods as he bought them came to $643 more than what the concern owed him. When he offered to pay them, they would not take just the difference, but demanded the full amount he was to pay for the goods and prepared to pay him 32 cents on the dollar upon what they owed him. This Mro Shaw refused to doo Until this time Mr. Shaw had no thought of any collusion or trouble. He had the utmost ~onfidence in Mrse Boyden, not believing she could be influenced to do wrong. Again, for the sake of brevity, and to forget his misfortunes and leave a covering over his sorrow, he says, pass it overo Simply saying a two years war with lawyers cost him over four thousand dollars and the confidence of lawyers and some friends besideso "Truly, I am not sure of anybody when money is at stakeo 0! The almighty dollars." When the thing was over, Mr. Shaw had no home. His noble impulses, his goodness and sacrifice had proven his downfallo Put out of office and loss of property broke down his heretofore strong will and proverbial prosperity. Perhaps the reader has learned that Mro Shaw -53- had elected Mro Boyden the year previous .to the orfice or supervisor hoping thereby to help him on in the world, but the result proved a failure. When Mro Shaw became aware that he was likely to be victimized being told by the lawyers on both sides that ir the suit was run through to a judgement that it would cover and take everything he· had and the Emersons would come in ror the whole or their judgment on the Peck note as their judgment was first. It was rixed up by the lawyers to rorce Mr. Shaw to settle. First he said "No, i£ the law says I am wrong, go ahead. I think I am right and am going to try it through." This talk was·after the court adjourned ror the day. Next morning early~ Mr. Shaw1 s own lawyer's told him that· he said~ "You must settleon This with much more that they themselves said scared him, and he backed down and made them an offer, that he would deed his farm and home to them and they should buy up the Emerson judgment and cancel and release their claim and his lawyers fee's and they should give him one thousand dollars cash and he would vacate the place April first, next. Thia arrangement was carried out and Mz-o Shaw for the first time in his life had no homeo The result of his good nature, in attempting to help others.less favored than himself. The man, who six years before, was listed to be worth twenty thousand dollars reduced to about three thousand five hundred and no one the better except perhaps lawyerso It was Mro Shaw's purpose to leave towno But environments, seemed to favor his staying in his home and after a few months, he bought it back, paying some money, giving his note and putting mortgage or fifteen hundred dollars on the propertyo Some of Mro Shaw's personal friends say that he didn't learn any thing by this experience for it had not got cold before he was into another charity deal. At the time Mro Shaw bought the vacant church at Newcomb, giving his personal note for it, and occupying the pulpit for the next five years, during which time there was three revivals and a church organized or over forty members. A horse shed 70 feet long erected, new steeple, belfry and new bell, all the interior or the church repaired with new seats and pulpit outside painted and parsonage began and outside enclosedo In all over two thousand dollars raised and expended on the property and all left free of debt. John Anderson, Jr. just commencing to operate in Newcombe had a butcher in his employ, a large rough man~ who with his wife had just moved to ·Newcomb rrom Thurman -54- where they had been storekeepers and both members of the methodist churcho The wife seemed a devoted Christian, but her husband had given up to be a bum of the full fledged order, who oft~n swore at his wife because she went. to hear Mro Shaw preach, calling him an old foolo This man was seldom if ever sober and often too little so· to be affableo When Mro Shaw met him, he took notice or him inviting him to church. The man finally said he would come some time, but did noto In the fall, Mro Shaw was holding a protracted meeting with evangelist W.J. Houghton assistingo On the road to Newcomb Mro Shaw met the butcher who saluted him with, "Halo." "Yes," said Mro Shaw, "but you haven't been to church yet. We are having e~tra good meetings now every night. You '11 come won.1 t. you?" "Wel1--yes I willo Sure I willo" Sure enough in a few days he came in an excited frame or mind. As soon as opportunity presented, he rose, sa_ying, nr ~ave promised Mre Shaw I would come to church and he:re I beon Contrary to al.1 expectation he was redeemed and Mro Shaw became to him the best ot: men and he became· Mr. Shaw's right bower .,,,ai~ mano · When Anderson could not control him and work him as formerly on the Lord's day as any other, he dismissed him from his employo Nothing daunted, he took his ax and went to chopping t:allow for a neighboro In the spring there was no opening and he was talking of going to where he moved t:romo He did not like to go and Mro Shaw did not want him too Something must be done right nowe Learning that Mro Anderson would like him back to butcher and sell meat, Mro Shaw went to him and talked the matter over with regard to taking him backo After talking a long time, Mro Shaw saw that Mro Anderson was keeping back something as he thought said, nYou rather have Mro Stone I suppose as he was bef'ore he got religionc" "Well not that, Mr o Shav.r ~ I know the mano" ttYou don 11 t have no con.fidence in him or in his pietyo" "I:f I had, I would do as much as anyone to help himo 11 11 Well9 Mro Anderson, I believe his conversion is genuine and thorough and if you can't give him work, I shall. Religion does not disqualify a man for worko You say he is a good butcher and just the man you needo Put him at it. and when he fails will be time enough to decide his -55-- religion spoils him. He is very poor and if he works for you, you must help him and between you and me, we can help him up and you rather be in his debt next fall than to have him owe you as he did last fall and always would as.long as he drank whiskey." Mr. Shaw succeeded in making satisfactory arrangements for Mr. Stone to go to work for Mr. Anderson. Mr. Stone had been to the asylum a rew years before and has never been steady since. Whenever excited, he would get beside himself. The fellows who worked with him would plague and tease him on purpose to get him excited. Mr. Anderson tried his best to keep him quiet and the year of service came to an end. Mr. Anderson wanted him to work another year, but Mr. Stone did not like the place and concluded to leave, and try-something else. At first, he thought of returning to Thurman. Mr. Shaw was afraid he would not do as well there as he expected and thinking perhaps he might relapse into his former course, suggested that he come to Long Lake. This he did, and Mr. Shaw moved him there free of charge, let him. oeeup7 one of his houses £or a couple of months, then arranged with a Mr. Riee to let him have the farm sold to him.· About t~e first of May 1896, he'moved into the place·Mr. Shaw had left in the village the spring before, furnishing him with te~, seed, and provision, for the work. Next fall, Mr. Shaw let him take 4·oo markets of logs off the place and paid him £or them delivered at his mill. So in june when they settled his team and all equipment and living was all paid for, except about fifty dollars a·deal of over seven hundred dollars. Mr. Stone was on his ·reet. Up to this time, Mr. Shaw had not even charged-him rent. Soon after, Mr. Shaw persuaded a religious organization to loan him money and take a· mortgage on Stone's farm. Being in the village, building lots soon brought fabulous prices. In three years Stone sold off lots, and finally sold the house and built a new one, paid for his land, clearing the mortgage and had most of the farm left. During this Mr. Stone was a member of Mr. Shaw's church and several springs represented the church as delegate to the annual conference. He even took Mr. Stone to.their general conference at Fremont, Indiana. But all this was not sufficient to hold him. The first Mr. Shaw knew, he and his wife and daughter asked for a letter that they might be charter members of the new Methodist Episcopal church being then gotten together. Mr. Shaw was aware that disgruntied members of his church and a few others were ready for.such a move, but when Mr. Stone and wife -56- and daughter applied for their letter, he was more than surprised and again was wounded in the house of his friends. Such confidence as he had in Mr. Stone and even more in Mrs. Stone, who he had deemed the very embodiment of honor leaving all else to the ·fate that environments might bring to pass, he knew Mrs. Stone was pure gold. But when he learned that she had been the chief prognasticator of the plan to divide the church and had even lent herself in an attempt to scandalize himself, he says, "I nearly gave up the struggle", and in his heart doubted human integrity. At the time of their asking for a letter, Mr. Shaw put them off for two weeks so that time might do something, as then a regular quarterly meeting. session for the doing of business would then be held. When the proper time arrived Mr. Shaw called the matter up. Mr. Stone at once got on his feet and in a loud excited manner said, "Mr. Shaw I don't want any letter. I have changed my mind. I am going to stay where I am.· I am a Wesleyan and intend to remain one as long as I live. Mr. Shaw has been a rather to me. I shall not ·go back on him now.• Mr. Stone's speech caused much feeling and only a few weeks elapsed before he had a quarrel with his wife over the M.E. preacher and shortly he had another with the presidi~g elder. Such was the state of feeling that Mr. Stone lost his head altogether and raved as one nearly insane. ·It would not be proper to put into this narrative all that transpired during the year following. At last it became apparant that Mr. Stone was sick, went to the hospital at Albany, returning he seemed improved but in less than another year, was in his grave. Mro Stone returned to his senses and died in hope of eternal life, desiring Mr. Shaw to·officiate at his funeral, but his wife defeated that wish. Mr. Shaw had more respect for Mr. Stone than he did for those who opposed him, for which he sacrificed, much to his damage, both in his feelings and pocket. Mr. Stone was liberal, had a large heart, and did much for the church. Some of what he contributedq Mrs. Stone denied the church after his death by revoking the bequest. nThe man is beyond any of our power to harm and surely we do pray he may have escaped the turmoils and strifes of life safe to the haven where the weary are at rest, and you may record it here, I have little to say in praise of her who still survives him.n Political Intrigue Defeated In the fall of 1876, or 7, Mr. Shaw defeated a scheme to rob the county to build a road for Dr. F.Co Durant from Ceder River to Blue Mountain Lake. -57- A few days prior to election, Mr. Shaw received a letter from the doctoro In it was a free pass on his railroad from North Creek to Saratoga with other things to follow, in case he could be assured of help to develop the county. Besides he hinted that he should need an agent at Long Lake in the near future, adding, "I will see you at county seat at Board of Supervisors." As announced, Dr. Durant was there with two or more of his associates. Midnight suppers, free whiskey, and cigars were in vogue all the week, and not until Friday night could be learned what it all meant. Then a resolution was presented to the board of supervisors that they authorize the raising of four thousand dollars with which to construct a road from Cedar River to Blue Mountain Lake or so much thereof as should be necessary. There were eight towns in the county and it would need five to pass the bill. The doctor had some of the supervisors pledged beforehand and relying on the liberality of the week, was evidently certain that the road was a sure thing. Mr. Shaw was on the alert, and as soon as the scheme was launched set himself to defeat it. But in talking with members of the board found there, was no use trying ·to defeat it on a s.traight vote as al.1 but one be.sides himself were pledged to vote it. Th• doctor had even said to some of them that he expected Mr. Shaw would favor the plan. Friday passed and no vote reached on the road measure and no very urgent attempt was made till afternoon session. Then a united attempt was made to bring it to a vote. Mr. Shaw kept talking as long as he could, then nearly time to adjourn, it seemed as if the vote was to be taken, Mr. Shaw rose to a question of order and kept the floor until the chairman called our Adjourned by expiration of timeo At the supper table a free for all discussion of the point of order raised by Mr. Shaw was passed aroundo Seven o'clock found the board in session. When an attempt to get to a vote on the resolution was madeQ Mr. Shaw claimed•the floor and should persist in his right,6 but would waive his right in case the bqard would proceed to legitimate routine businesso ttWhich," said he, "will be necessary in ordar to finish before twelve oiclocko" The regular business was thus in order as twelve o 1 clock drew near. However, the road resolution party began to show signs of uneasiness. Th• work of the session being completed, the bill for road was brought forward. Mr. Shaw rose to finish his remarks on the point of order. He had not spoken but a few moments when someone rose and whispered in the chairman's ears and he soon asked Mr. Shaw how long he intended to talk. After a few words of crossfiring, Mr. Shaw was called to order and sat down, having gained his point after some more delay, the vote was taken and carried 6 to 2o The next thing was to elect three special coromisioners to lay out and build the road. This took time and when the men had been agreed upon, ballots were being prepared. Mr. Shaw moved back from the table, picking up his papers and books saying, 11 Gentlemen we are again adjourned by expiration of time. It is now twenty minutes past twelve. If the sheriff does his duty he will arrest us here and now.n Dr. Durant pulled out a huge gold watch, declared it was only fifteen minutes of twelve by city ·time. Mr. Shaw says, "Are you sure that is city time?" "Sure I am." "I don•t think so. That must be credit- Mohiler time, isn't it?-" But that ended business but they got up a scheme to adjourn until Monday to finish the election of these commissioners. As they were leaving the room they cried the adjournment t111 Monday 9 o'clock. Then Mr. Shaw, on the steps, gave.notice that he should not be there, and there ·could b_e no legal business .done at that time. Monday came. Only two of the board were on hand. The rest had followed Mr. Shaw•s advice and gone home. Some two weeks afterwards Mr. Shaw was served with a notice to be and attend a special board meeting at the hotel or William Pettitt in the village of Wells, Hamilton Co~, -N~Y. ·------On the 16th day of December, 1877, at ten o'clock in the forenoon to transact such unfinished business as was left from the last regular session of said board. Upon getting this notice, it was very apparent to Mr.· Shaw that the hardest of the battle was yet to be fought. He at once gave notice to the legal voters of his town to assemble at his place of business in said town on a given date, then and there to advise and instruct him as to public affairs~ then to be made known. It 1s needless to state that such a notice -brought out the voters in crowdso After being organized, Mro Shaw reported the matter as it stood at the close of the general session, then read the notice served on him for the ·new meeting, saying, "Gentlemen, I am your representative. I called you together to get instructions. Some of you accuse me of being headstrong and bound to have my own_way. Here is your opportunity to see whether I will carry out your directions. Understand me,_ I do not say I shall, but I do say I shall do my best endeavor in that direction." -59- After an hour of hubbub and confusion, Mr. Shaw again called for order, rtAttention, I hold in my hand what I want you to listen while I read. 'Resolved, that it is the sense of this meeting that Mr. Shaw, our supervisor, shall attend this special meeting of the board o~ supervisors to ·be held at 'Wells the 16th day of December inst. and do his best to defeat the proposed raising of four thousand dollars or any part thereof to build a road or any road as proposed by said notice or resolution." When the ayes were called, a roar, enough to deafen was the result. Nays being called, no response until after time, when one lone "no" was heard. "What? Do you want that to pass?" was asked. "I don't, I thought we ought to have one no." Mr. Shaw said, "I am for once disappointed. This is the first vote I ever took in town that was unanimous." •After the meeting was dismissed, one of Mr. Shaw's eronic opposers came close to where he stood. Mr. Shaw said, "Lamb how comes it you are with me tonight? This is the first time is it not." "Yes, it is _the first time I ever found you right, but I have no ·idea you can defeat Dr. Durant. He is an old fox. He ·has his eyes on the money and he is pretty sure to get it. Beat him and I have five dollars for you. A present, remember." . So anxious were the people at Long Lake to know just what wa·s doing at the special meeting that one of the residents went with Mr. Shaw to report the doings. It was understood that the meeting was to be held in the evening of the day designated. Mr. Shaw made sure to be there at noon so as to have time to work his plans which were to see members of the board alone and before they could be tampered with by the opposite partyo The first man he saw was one who represented the town of Hope. That town because of its remoteness had been left out of the tax to build the road. Mr. Shaw showed him the unjustness of his position in voting to tax Long Lake as that town was also beyond the road. Mr. Brownell acknowledged Mr. Shaw's argument and frankly told him if he, Mr. Shaw, would take hold of-the defeat of the resolution, he, Brownell, would vote just as Mr. Shaw did, 11But, said he, "you must let me alone. Don't talk to me at all after the others get here, and what is more, Mr. Shaw, I will get my nephew who was supervisor_ of another town and he will do the same, don't you fear." -60- Mr. Shaw was overjoyed, and thus armed, went to his room, opened his satchel, took out his books, looked up the several acts that related to special road acts~ got all in readiness. Seven o'clock the supervisors were in their plaeeso The same chairman called the meeting to order. After a pause a lawyer not at the other meeting rosa and addressed the chair, saying in effect that for lack of time_at the regular meeting, there was left unfinished business which was the object of this one to finish up, then presented the names of the men desired to be made commissioner. When the vote was about to be taken, Mr. Shaw called the attention of the chair to the fact that as the other meeting ran on past 12 o'clock Saturday night would it-not be better to reconsider the former vote and then pass it by a new vote and so get a solid legal basis. Some objected as though they were afraid to let up on what they had. Mr. Shaw rose once more. 11 There can be no loss of what has been done. I was in a hopeless minority at the last meeting, am here to kill the bill if I can, but I rather kill it after it is in shape tban have you fellows kill it yourselves. You can see --there can be no 'danger in reconsidering the vote for if_ you wish me, I wi11 help you on the direct vote when we get to it." Mr. Shaw then moved to a reconsideration of the former vote. Mr. Brownell seconded the motion. It was carried. Then a rustle of paper, but before any other motion could be brought forward, Mr. Shaw got up placed several books on the table, then addressing the chair, proceeded to state that there were only a few cases where roads could be built by special appropriations. •r have here the act of 18 which reads,------the act was again amended and reads------and lastly in chapter ~ws of 18 this specific statute now in force is the only one available and reads as follows. W'aere a town desires to open a new road or repair an old one, the commissioner of highways with the assessors shall make application to the supervisor of tl1eir town backed by a petition of 20 freeholders, and the supervisors shall by the petition before the board of &upervisors and the board of supervisors may pass upon it. Now Gentlemen, I know of no such law having been complied with. I know of no petitions from our town, I have heard of none from other towns. There has been none. Ve are here on Tom Fool's errand. We can pass no such bill, and if we did it would be good for nothing, as there is nothing before the house. I move we adjourn." - 'The motion was seconded and five ayes closed the meetingo There was a noisy confused assembly.· Shaw was cursed by the grabbers and cheered by the largest part of the people. The Doctor revoked Mr. Shaw's faux pas and told him that he had intended to promote him in business saying, st You're the biggest d----d fool I have ever met. No you don't know a little bit." Mr. Shaw says-that he was born in the waning of a full moono The Butter Cup Several years after the above, J.C. Durant made Henry Bradley of Minerva his agent to look up his wild lands to buy and sell as opportunity offered. A wag asked Mr. Shaw if Bradley had not been promoted in his stead, his only reply was, "Perhaps." Among other things he had a little camp called the Butter Cup on Raquette Lake which had been replaced by a larger and better one. (The rest of the manuscript has not been located.) H.I. Becker 2/8/1956 Rexford N.Y. -62-