Richmond Indiana palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1837-1839, 1838-07-21

rom sns AiooAy Arsus
BILL sOaSsOS. rnE LAKE DCCcANEcn.-
SCENES ON fmE rR0NTlEa.
The condition Of shs frontier and the events
lie attention and interest What may DO the fur-
ther designs Ut the maraaders, who seek either
to cmbroh the two governments, or to Crafty
their desire Of revenge their thirst for plum
der, unless arrested by tho strong arm Of both
governments, well and speedily put forth, may b
gathered from the following facts, which we de-
rive from authentic sources
Early in the spring party Of refugees made
a todgment on the thousand Islands, in the ST.
Lawrence. The leader Of this gang is William
Johnsoa-well known in all that region rs Bill
Johnson-and known also tho leader in the
recent destruction Of the Sir Robert Peel. He
Is a Canadian by birth, 10 about Sd years Of age,
OF powerful frame, and Of great fearless"ess
and energy Of character. He has four sous who
Partake, 10 u considerable degree, Of the charac-
ter Of the father. He was employed as q spy
in the American service during the last war; aud
ardOus exploits. He had at his command a six
cared barge, in which he roamed the lake and
the river, inscrcepting dispatches, attacking the
small craft, sciZinc property, aud harrassjng tIsc
Sc ttlements. On one occasion lie intercepted
dispatches twice in one day at Prcsque Isand.--
On another, his boat having been driv en- tho
british shore in q gale, and his crew captured, he
eluded his pursurers for fortnight, and finally
made has escape in a bark canoe, crossing the
lake. 36 miles in width, alone in that frail vessel.
and reached Sackctt's harbor in safety. Since
the war he has resided At French creek, in the
double capacity Of trader and smuggIer. IL .
said that he boasts Of having . force u0der his
immediate command Of $50 men; but this 10 prob
ably an exaggeratioo, although he has undoub,-
eddy moro than those who were with him IN the
capture Of the SIR Robert Peel, and could proba-
bly, command, il necessary, much greater num-
Der.
The principal rendezvous and head quarters Of
Johnson aud his marauders, is at fastness cal
led Fort Wallace, on an Island Mt the head Of
Wells Island, and and ,rithia The British territory.
1t is said to contain q forti6cation Of much
strength Of position; little is known, however, in
relation to it, as Johnson refuses to let any one
not belonging to tho gang visit it. lie boasts
much Of its strength and expresses the belief
that with a dozen men he could defend it against
the attack Of two hundred. He has a second
rendezvous on Able's Island, immediately below
Wells Island, and opposite Alexandria Bay
The Thousand Islands are said 10 number a
bout sew enteen hundred and to vary in sligo from
ten miles in length to'a single rock foot square.
Wells Island (from whence the attack was made
-.s- cue Size Raherf pooil a. sh> largsss Of she
group, and froms what is designated by the sail
ors the Upper Narrows--the passage bringing
vessels within pistol shot Of tho Island. They
occupy more that twenty-five miles in The river,
which in some places 10 more than ten miles
| wide. They are little else than rock, with occa-
sional patches of fertile land. Their sides are in
many parts perpendicular rocks, thirty feet in
height, with abrupt shores and grec, depth Of wa
ter.
johnson has several boats, every way adapted
to his design, one of which is forty feet long,
but of 50 light construction AZ to be easily carried
across the islands, and its speed is said to ex.
coed that Of the swittest boats the lake.
Shortly after the destruction Of the Sir Robert
Peel, he proceeded in his boat with few ii his
men up the lake, made a predatory incursion up
on island near the mouth Of the Bay Of Ouinta,
and plundered the Inhabitants returning on the
night Of the 18Th inst, to the Businesses Of 9Th.
Thousand Islands, 1t is not known that he has
been on the main land since the burning Of the
Sir Robert Peel. He has had occasional inter-
views with some Of our citizens since that event,
but they have taken place on the water. He
and those that attend him on these occasion are
we'll armed. His own appearance, with six pi--
tolls, n dirk, and bowie knife in his belt, is
sufficiently belli2erent, and he has with him,
it IL said invariably, the co!ors Of the Sir Rob.
ert Peel. He considers tho destruction Of iba,
vessel act Of piracy, and that bis life has be.
come thereby forfeited, and says he shall sell it al
{ the dearest rate.
Such j. the character Of tho Buccaneer Of tao
Lake sufficient surely, with the natural and ord.
nary progress Of exaggeration, 10 lie subject O
alarm to the border inhabitants. An alarm mol
altogether gronne.less, from the fact that the lar
ger islands al this numerous group are inhabited
bv q Iawi,ss race Of half banditti; who wonie
scaiceIv scruple to pin in nearly any enserprz.
for plumber; who have perhaps one hundred boat
and whose number has been enlarged consider
> bly, by refugee accessioos Ii is supposed tina
there arc at least one thousaod refugees aud o
: Their persons on these Islands, under the contro
|. and at the command Of Johnson, and severs
Thousands Of refugees, between Niagara and o.
= densburg.
1t is not to be imagined that the local mi litia
or the local authorities, however well disposed I
!, cooperate with the officers Of the government j
measures to repel and prevent these iucursion
; and to detect and punish the marauders, are add
: quatc to the emergency. Tho commerce Of II
z river and the lake, the national character, m
the lives and the property Of our citizens, r.
qure . government force sufficient t. exPtos
> the Islands and cxpel the marauders; cnnside
able military post at several points on the fro'
tier; and the employment Of an armed steal
vessel or revenue cutter.
e These matters, We understand, have bean tn
ID ~ represented by governor Marcy 70 the eonss
J. GRAFTON Of the general governmsnt, and l"ds'o
from recent movements, We do soa doubt that d
irequirements of the case will receive oil the .
D sen.;<s., vks~h aRa limited Stfon9th Of tho am