Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Mass.) 1828-1830, 1828-04-22

Holm LEDYARD.


Gently been presented to the publick, and
.orks of the kind have been better received
! excited more general interest. The style
MS. narration is admirably simple and unaffected,
y inst and impartial exposition which it af-
& ' Of the character of Mr.. Ledyard reflects
!. credit on the biographer and his remarkable
Il All Americans who feel the pride of
brise. land who does not y will derive great
pction from the perusal of this volume. With
s. IMPRESSION, and presuming that there are
Of our readers into whose hands the book
s lot fall, we have taken some pains to abstract
4 n the following brief sketch of the prominent
les of Mr.. Ledyard's eyentful life hereafter
hall make extracts in further illustration of
s Xharacter -
1S.n Ledyard was born at Groton, in
''o., cticut, in the year 1851. He was
Sf aiken into the family of his grand
attended the grammar school in
I'D, was designed for the profession
law, and passed several months as
Dent in the office of Mr.. Thomas
bur, who in the meantime became
ardian, his grandfather having died.
||iS pursuit it was soon discovered was
ly at variance with the bent of young
fhrd's genius, and the romantic dispo-
Ii6n which gave celebrity to his after life.
/ Wheelock had then just established
! ihstitution at Hanover, N. H., which
became Dartmouth College,
y j his invitation Ledyard, in the spring
72, took up his residence at the new
~ of learning, with the intention of
flying himself to become missionary
hg the Indians. He had scarcely been
months at college when he suddenly
4 bpeared, and for more than three
oAt hs was absent, wandering to the bor-
Of Canada, and among the Six Ma
MS. When but about one year of his
aence at College had expired, he had
|sS doned the project Of becoming mis-
lazy, and began to grow weary of COL
az and fancying himself ill-treated, for
6e trifing cause, he resolved to escape,
aBh he did in a singular manner. He
rived to cut down one of the majestic
i trees which stood ON the margin of
Connecticut river, and with the aid of
a of his fellow students, succeeded in
ing canoe, fifty feet long and three
NJ which when completed was launch
pto the stream, equipped, and prepar-
for voyage. With a bearskin for a
5 FIRING, and his canoe well stocked with
isions, he yielded himself to the cur
and reached Hartford in safety, a
Rnce of more than one hundred and
: miles, notwithstanding his utter ig-
Rnce of the navigation of the river,
h of the way being through wilder
and in several places there were
ferrous falls and rapids.
Within month after mooring his ca
i at Hartford, Ledyard had formed the
Ign of studying divinity, and was soon
lduously employed in that pursuit, ac-
|Aioming himself to declaim in the woods,
q he might discipline his voice, and
pare himself for public speaking. His
sales IN theology were OF snort duration !;
vas disappointed in his application to
clergy for being approved as candi-
e, and, mortified and chagrined, he
andoned the scheme entirely. But a
" short time elapsed before he assumed
totally new character of sailor on
Rrd vessel bound to Gibraltar, and in
voyage he was occupied year. While
vessel was lying at Gibraltar, Ledyard
at once was missing, and it was some
be before any thing could be heard OF
n. His captain at last found him ar
ged in a British uniform, having enlisted
a soldier. The commanding officer
wing consented to his release, he return
on board and prosecuted the voyage.
this voyage he gained nothing but a
tie experience of the hardships of a sea
e. He was now twenty-five years Of
e, and dependent entirely on the bounty
his friends for support. He had often
ard his grandfather speak of his wealthy
nnexions in England, and the thought
w entered bis head of visiting and
inning alliance with them. .Elated with
e dreams which sprang from this sug-
stion of his fancy, he proceeded imme-
ately to New York, whence he took the
st vessel bound to England. He arriv-
at Plymouth, and landed, without mo-