The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1829-01-07

| Jun Int nilii " Ihe peIiOu WHen the In
dian lighted MS faggot here, and immolat-
ed his victim, whence it flies forward to a
more modern era, when their cruel exter-
minators either through reverence for the
3customs of the original possessors Of the
| SOL, or for the purpose of concilating their
enemies, roasted their meat during their la
bors In the meadow near the same rock that
rs 'blackened by the smoke, and surround
Led by the ashes of the Indians fire. A
piece of roast beef has been considered
more efficacious IN quoting the ghosts of
the original owners than the horse shoe.
days hung upon their doors to keep off the
witches.
There is one legend, connected with this
place, which well illustrates some of the
peculiar traits of the Indian character.
During the early settlement Of the town,
when the cultivation Of the soil had hardly
begun, the inhabitants were dependent on
some of the neighboring towns for many ar
tlcles of their consumption, particularly for
cider. The Indians, as well as the white
men, were fond of this beverage, and re-
sorted to the same place to obtain it.
transportation at that time was exceeding
ly difficult, both on account of the scarcity
Early in the month of December, in the
year 17l7, four Indians repaired to the town
of M, which was then noted for its
good orchards, in order to obtain a barrel
of cider, and transport it to their homes.
They purchased their cider, bnt how to get
it home they had not yet concluded. The
grcn nd was covered with snow to the depth
Of about one foot the roads were blocked
fhnyy
home, and must travel all the way through
an impenetrable forest. After much re-
Election, and many trials OF the Indians sa-
gacity, they concluded to tie their barrel
by withes to two poles, and lay it across
their shoulders, and thus they thought they
should be able to convey it home with safe
with barrel of cider on their backs, trudg-
ing along through the snow, would present,
the reader can well imagine. They, how
ever, pl oceeded for a while with as much
perseverance as the old man did with his
ass, until they came to RoastMeat Mead
ow, when the cold growing more intense,
the way more difficult, and, consequently,
the cider heavier, they concluded to stop
and rest. The Indian appetite could not
be restrained. They could not see the bal
ISl UelOIG lHell1, WlIHOul eHlOylHS It's COll-
tents and, reasoning in the spirit of true
philosophers, that no labor ought to go I'M
paid, they concluded to tap it, and, from the
contents, refresh their dropping spirits. But
the Indian appetite knows no restraint /;
like their spirit of revenge, it can never
cease till its object is destroyed. Once
having tasted the delicious beverage, they
lost all control over their reason, and con-
tinued to drink till the barrel was entirely
emptied. One of them, more greedy Or
more slender than the rest, fell victim to
his Unsuitable appetite. How soon his COM
panions would have shared the same fate,
had they not been rescued by their friends,
can well be imagined, when it is known
that they were found almost senseless upon
the snow, exposed to the cold blasts of win
ter According to custom, jury Of white
men was Immediately called to inquire into
the cause of the Indians death. Having
learnt all the circumstances, they reported
that he came to his death by intoXication.
This report, though true, did not please the
Indians. They considered it as an insult
to their tribe, and determined to remove
the disgrace by selecting such a jury of
their own men as would make a more ia
vorable, if not more true, report. After
much elaboration, they came to the con-
cuson that their brother did not die from
drinking too much cider, but from the freez-
ing of the water within him, which the dis
honest farmer had mingled with his cider.
ID.