Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1838-07-12

| " Heei} 10 The largest Of tho Croupe, an,
,I'ms what ~ designated by the sailors III,
upper Narrows-The.p passage bringing YES
se's within pistol shot of the island. They
occupy more than twenty FIVE miles in The
river, which in some places rs more than IC
miles wide. They arc little else than rock
Win occasional patches of fertile land
Their sides are in many parts perpendicular
rocks, thirty feel in heig hi, with abrupt shore
and great depth of water. They are geoer.
any covered with dense forests and thick un.
derorush; and the passages between them
afe>oarrow, winding, and often rocky. Ills
scarcely possible 10 conceive OF 4 place bet,
Ter formed by nature TO afford secure re.
treat Tor ireebooters than this cluster of is
lands.
johnson has several boats, every way a.
dap'ed TO his designs, one OF which is forty
feet in length, bui OF SO light construction
as 10 be easily carried across the islands. and
lis speed is said TO exceed that OF the swift
est boats on the lake. Shortly after the des>
Tuc'.on OF the Sir Robt Peel, he proceeded
m this boat with few of his men I'D the
lake made predatory incursion upon an is
iand near the mouth OF the bay Of Quinia,
anu a.. piuhaered The inhabitants, returning on
the night of the 9Th inst TO the tastness of
The Thousand Islands," Ii is moi known
That he has been on the main land since the
burning oil the S. r. p. He has had occa
slonal interviews with some OF our citizens
since mat event, but they have taken place
on The water. He and those that attend him
on these occasions are well armed. His
own appearance, with six pistols, dirk and
bowie knife In his belt, is su Efficiently beIl,-
gerent; and he has with him, i: is said inya.
riably the colors of The Sir Il. p. He CON
slders the destruction OF that vessel as nm act
OF piracy, and that his life has become there.
by forfeited, and says he shall sell il al the
dearest rate.
Such is the character of the Buccaneer Of
.he lake. suihclent surely, with the natural
anu PRIMARY progress ofexaggeration, TO be
suoJec' OF alarm TO the border inhabitants.
H -, a'srn not altogether groundless, from
.ne 'act that the !aIggsff aa iD by a la less race
f'half banditti; who would scarcely scrupIe
10 join IN nearly any enterprise for plunder
who have perhaps one hundred boats. and
whose number has been enlarged censdera,
oiy oy refugee accessions. II is supposed
ina! mere are at least one thousand refugees
ana other persons on these islands, under the
control and at the command of johnson and
several thousands Of refugees, between Nj
agara and Ogdensburg.
Is noi 10 be Unsigned that the local mi-
iitia, or The local authorities, how ever we'll
disposeo 10 cooperate with the officers of
government IN measures 10 repel and pre-
vent these incursions and 10 detect and nuo
ish the marauders, are adequate to the emer-
gency. The commerce OF the river and The
lake, the national character, and the lives
ard property OF our citizens. require sov>
eminent force sufficien, TO explore the islands
and expel the marauders considerable
military force al several points on the from.
tier, and The employment of an armed steam
vessel or revenue cutter.
These matters, we understand, have been
fully presented by Gov. Marcy to the con.
sideratlon OF the general government, and
Judging from recent movements we do not
douot thai the requirements of the case will,
receive all the attention which the limited
strength of the army will in any manner al
low.