Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1847-05-26
|eainst much .ofthe way. On arriving at (
Stanwix, (now Rome) they were weari- {

FAIuCH olsthS Wdys 81 "a arriving
Stanwix, (now Rome) they were wear
y Nth fatigue, and 4 discouraging prospec
~ fhrown over their further progress -
y "A 7n1Ia angK0Iy accident occurreii here, on
] ofthe hands fell over board and was drown
d ed This sad accident seemed to increas'
the general dependency. ~
] Their contemplated route was up Lake
Oneida, and following the chain of lake.
to the Reserves. Il AT Fort Stanwix the boats
and goods were drawn about q mile and q
half by teams into Wood Creek, small
stream emptying into Lake Oneida.
AT the time the party set out, jays treaty
had not been ratified by the American Con.
gress, and the greatest danger of the party
now was, in not being able to pass Fort
Oswego, which was then garrisoned by the
British. At Fort Stanwix they had the
good fortune to be oyertaken by Captain
Cozzens, who had been sent by the British
minister, Mr.. Bond, with open dispatches
to all his Majesty's officers and subjects,
declaring the ratification ofJay's treaty on
the part Of the two Governments, and the
navigation of the Lakes to be free to Ameri-
can vessels, and commanding all his majes-
ty's officers to be governed accordingly.
Captain Cozzens was accompanied by a
Mr.. Peters, brother-in-law to the Governor
Of Upper Canada. These gentlemen ac-
cepted the invitation of the Agent to take
passage on board his boat down the lake.
With the influence Of the dignitaries in their
favor, and the nature Of Mr.. Cozzen's des-
patches, the party had dismissed all their
fears as to the danger of passing the Fort.
They proceeded down the Lake and the
Oswego river, and when they arrived with.
in l2 miles of the Fort, the boats were
anchored near the shore, and the Agent
with Capt Cozzens and Mr.. Peters proceed
ed by land to the Fort. The Agent was
politely received by the officers command
ing. But contrary to his reasonable ex-
pectations permit to pass with the boats
was danied to him. The officer being a
subordinate, justified his strange refusal on
the ground Of its being a violation Of his
Instructions. No permit could be granted
excepted by the consent ofthe commanding
officer on the frontier, who was then at
Niagara. Entreaties were Of no avail and
the Agent returned sadly disappointed.
The instructions of the company to their
Agent were not in any event to run by the
fort, but if permission was not granted, to
lay by till further instructions could be
received from them. The prospect Of two
or three weeks delay for this purpose in a
sickly country, was no way promising.
The men were extremely impatient under
the prospect Of delay. They had heard
that nearly all the troops composing the
garrison were on the sick list and this in
creased their fears, they were in multitude
ofdoubts as to the course to be pursued.
II they attempted to run by the fort it
would be against the express orders of the
company, and if the attempt should prove
unsuccessful the enterprise would be defeat
ed, and thus fearful weight Of responsible
ty be thrown upon the Agent. @
( Nor was the other alternatives free from
difficulties and danger. The unhealthy
climate might produce as general sickness
among the men as it had among the soldiers
of the garrison, and SO disable their force
as 10 oblige them to return. ...-.,-
After mature delberation it was nearly a
unanimous resolve to attempt the passage
In the execution Of this plan, great skill and
prudence was required. The boats are
doated down to within miles of the fort
where they were hauled into small bay,
and secreted among the bushes. One. of
the boats was then relieved of the greater
part Of its cargo, manned with double oars
and with the Agent on board rowed down to
the fort. Supposing that the boat was
destined to Ft. Niagara for the purpose ol
getting permit for the rest of the boats, he
was suffered to pass. In the dead Of the
night, the garrison being put off their guard
by this stratagem, the others passed un'
observed and safely by the fort. T,al
Their greeting with the, waters of Lake
Ontario was hearty and welcome noe
The men sent up shouts Of rejoicing thai
might have been heard at the fort, even
over the noisy din ofthe elements. Never
did men feel better after relieved from o
perilous situation than they felt.
The first boat had proceeded on to Sodus
where the little feet intended to make %
harbor. A sudden storm arose which over
took the boats before they reached Sodus
tnd before they had finished their rejoicings
The storm was very violent and the dark
ness ofthe night made it imminenlly peril
Ious. The crew which had landed at Sodus
built beacon fires that the other boats
might be directed to the harbor. But the
storm had suddenly increased in violence
! and ii was impossible for either of the
boats to make the harbor. sira 5sy
4 The situation Of the agent at this momen
was intensely painful. His companion
we're in aperilous situation, and it was ou
of his power to afford them. the least relief
i They were off but q short DISTANCE from