The northern tribune. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1847-1855, 1847-11-20

man voice or not. But he saw nothing but
sno,o, (although he stood within twenty rods
of fifty mortal enemies) and SO returned
Resuming his drinking and his conversation,
the depredator continued to detail the mon
strous villainies he had perpetrated, and to
speak of what he intended to do on the down.
ward route. He feared no assault-not he
He was strong enough to repel any handful OF
half-starved, skulking outlaws. 1t he caught
any of the fellows, he would hang them to
their own trees, and manure the soil with the
blood of their women.
John had crept to the door by degrees, and
now stood with his left hand upon the raised
latchet. He applauded the officer story, and
was willing, he said, to aid him in the perform
ance of the deeds he then contemplated
John proposed toast, and filling tin cup
with liquor said in loud voice, 'Hurrah for
General Washington, and down with the red
coats The liquor was dashed in NJ Pher-
sons face, and John vanished from the hut
Simultaneous with his departure, Nick sum-
moned his men by repetition of the toast,
and the fifty hillocks of snow were changed,
as by the wand of Harlequin, into as many
armed and furious rebels
Before the tories could recover from the mo-
mentary surprise into which these curious in
cidents had thrown them, volley OF powder
and shot had been fired through the apertures.
Dashing, like frightened hare into the open
air. M'Pherson beheld his assailants. His
fears magnifed their numbers, and conceiving
there was no hope in fight. he summoned his
men to follow him in flight. They madly
rushed after him, and forcing themselves
through the dry limbs or brush that stuck up
the skeletons of vegetation-on the banks
of the stream gained the frozen surface
IL I'LL lad <oGo hto
course, while the rest had either fallen victims
to the first fire, or taken to their heels towards
the main road at the other side.
"Fire on 'em. Load as fast as you can
give 'em thunder" shouted Nick, as he fol-
lowed his own advice.
Suddenly there was report louder than
that of a musket; it was accompanied by a
splash, and concord of unearthly screams
The ice had broken, and dead Mans Lake .
was accomplishing victory for the handful OF
American patriots who stood upon the banks.
The result was that over twenty OF the to-
ries were taken and sent to headquarters.
Only half q dozen were killed by firearms.
"Dead Mans Lake was examined at sunrise.
and fifteen bodies were drawn from Its re-
morseless bosom. The remainder, NJ Pherson
among them, had escaped.
Nick had named the water as above, in con-
sequence of finding the body OF one man, mu-
tilated and murdered by the loyalsts. After
this event we have rudely sketched. he chang
ed the title to "Dead Mans Lake." ltis now
called "Willow Hole and no man in the vi
cinity knows aught of its former designation,
so far as we can judge, we having lived near
it nearly two years without hearing any one
else speak of it.
As these little episodes in the drama of the
revolution were frequent, they have not, it
seems, been considered of sufficient import.
ance to be generally preserved, even in the In
dian style-by tradition.
Nick died in the Jersey prison ship.