Vandalia Whig and Illinois intelligencer. [volume] (Vandalia, Ill.) 1832-183?, 1833-10-30

tire Hunter; he roams these woods, and NJ
Y deer is so fleet, no bird is so swift of wing
but the tall rifle we saw leaning agains
the tree can reach him. The dog tina
e lay at his feet, did you mark how sle Mt
r even when strangers approached: yet Of
ten when lying, al night, by my fire on the
hills of the Bourbeuse, have heard hi
deep, death like howl, moaning in the
blast, from across the great father of wa
lters.'
RI However little known at the time Of
which we speak, the Spectre Hunter was
not long permitted TO pursue his favorite
employment of the chase in obscurIty.-
He soon became the theme of every idle
gossip, whether around the hearth of the
European, or the rude fire of the Week
wan. He had often been seen, but no
one dared approach him. He was univer-
sally represented as tall, straight figure,
of high and noble bearing; his long, black
locks, and beard that swept his bosom,
sPrinkled with premature age; his head
always uncovered. even when the storm
raved widest. From his shoulders to his
knees, hung robe of the coarsest sack
cloth, grded with belt of the skin of a
wildcat, from which were suspended IA
powder horn and knife Of fearful di.
mansions. His feet were always bare,
and their print frequently found in the
light snow. Often when the moon was
riding in her zenith, he was seen padding
bis canoe, with startling rapidly, over
''fhe Endless Rlver," and the bright flashes
that fell on the parted waters, and the
straight, unbending course he held against
the swift current, told that his oar was
welded by no mortal arm. Every beast
of the forest could snuff' him in the breeze,
and the fiercest bloodhound, at the sight
of the dog that followed him, uttered a
low, plaintlve whine, and crouched cow
ardly at his masters feet.
A hunter once crossed his path, and the
spectre motioned for him to recede. Att
every wave of his hand, he felt the blood
freeze in his veins. One night when the
ihunders we're racking the earth, and he
was supposed to be on the opposite side of
the Water, he was suddenly seen, by the
flashes of lightning, standing on the tallest
mound of Cahokia, his bosom bare, and
his hands appraised to the bolt. His dog
was still at his feet, and his long howl wa.
teasi between every pause Of the storm.
rear after year passed away, and still
the spectre hunter and his dog swept the
forest, and darted in the light canoe a.
cross the swift waters.
One day, in the summer of IVA, the
littte. shnf ,,E i-b tr.,1ar -,
81. Louis, was closed. At that early Pc
rod tEe Town gave no indications that it
Was destined 10 become, under free and
energetic government, the great empori
G!n OF the west. Every inhabitant was
known TO ali the rest, aud no unt ommon
incident occurred however trivial without
exciting universal attention. 1t was soon
rumored tuat the halt-opened door of d.
ego had admitted the venerable father
ICienunt, and that all who had called to
purchase the little commodities of the
shop had received repuise from the lit
lie grated window winch IN those times Of
Indian hostility, belonged to every dwell
ing. CURIOSITY Was everywhere excited
to ihe highest pitch; and many dark
surmises, untavoraDie 10 the character of
Diego, were whispered: but no one dared
to suspect That the aged priest would have
any CONNECTION with ii deed OF darkness.
Hin had forsaken all the rehnemepts and
comforts OF Europe, with the prospect Of
sleeping Tar IRON his kindred, Tor the only
purpose Of administering the consultations
oi religion 10 his humble brethren in the
distant land OF the pagan. Tho deeply
versed iii Tie lore OF the schools, he was
yet humble as a child. He had a word
OF hope and consolation for all: and deep
aud ranking, indeed, Was the thorn which
his pray ers and his tears could not extract.
Towards evening he lett the shop aud
slowly bent his way to the rude house of
prayer. A deep solemnity was seated on
his Countenauce, and his head was bent
almost 10 the crucltix that hung OH his
breast. Not one among the collected
groups he passed, dared to interrupt his
meditations. Soon, the bell, hung in the
forks OF an elm, tolled the signal that IA
fellow mortal had ceased to be numbered
with the living. That sound, even in the
gayest metropolis, is seldom heard without
emotion. In that lutte village, on the
confines of civilization, every knell sent
its deep and solemn tones to the heart
The knell was succeeded by the well
known summons to the house of prayer
No expensive toilet was known in that re
gion Of Arcadian simplicity; aud the vii
layers prompted alike by curiosity aud de
, votion, were soon collected. Presently
, a coffin of the rudest construction, borne
by four Indian servants, WAS deposited ii
, the middle OF the church. Every eye
r was turned towards il; the priest drew