The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1847-08-28
VOL IL, No, 6, Whole No. 526,


and by selecting a spot remote from the from
tier settlements, sought to avoid the royal
spies, who did not hesitate 10 pursue their
victims amid the businesses of their adopted
home. With his wife, whose gentle spirit
sustained him amid all his msfortunes, and
his only child,-a boy of golden PROMISE
he strove TO forget the vicissitndes ofhis eur
lier life, in the peaceful pursuits ofagriculture
and the stirring excitement of the chase.
Among the rude children the forest who
sought his cottage, the one most strong in
his attachment WINS COcHORUA; somewhat
famous brave, or warrior.ofthe Pequuwkets,
who dwelt in the beautiful valley ofthe Saco.
The noble spirit OF Campbell won the conf
dence ofthe Indian, and he often manifested
his attachment by presents of game, or some
of the simple treasures of his native forest.
Campbell, in his turn, taught the grateful
savage many of the arts ofcvilized life, and,
above all strove TO instiIl the principles of his
faith into the mind of his swarthy pupil.
At this period, the eastern Indians were
much under the control of the celebrated
Jesuit Of Norridgewock, Sebastian Rale.
lie was their spiritual father, and, as tradi-
ton reports, did not hesitate to make use of
his power to resist the oncroachments Of the
English. Campbell, from his growing IN
tiueuCe with the SHco Indians, and especial
y his hereto faith, loundau impIacable enc
my in the crafty priest; and il was not long
before an occasion offered itselfto wreak his
vengeance upon the unsuspeclng settler.
Cochorua had n grand child whom he had
often entrusted 70 Mrs. Campbell when on
his hunting excursions. While upon such a
visit, the child found some poison, which had
been prepared for fox, OF which il ate, and
died. This circumstance was seized upon
by the willy Rae, who succeeded in conviu-
cling COchorua that the death Of the child
was premcdiated. The Indian love of ven
geance took entire possession Of the savage,
and, during ClmpLe!Ps absence from home,
he fred his cottage. having first basely muir
dercd his wife and Child, consuming their
bodies in the flames Of their dwelling.
Horror struck at behoIding the wreck of
all his hopes. Campbell, with the assistance
of one or Two chosen associates, pursued
Cochorua, whom he was well aware was the
perpetrator ofthc deed. and whom he found
concealed near the top Of the mountain
which, to this day, bears his name
Not wishing to destroy his victim, whom he
had now fully in his pOwer, with the burden
Of his uncuntcsscd crime upon his head,
Gamp51H allowed him few moments to
prepare himself for the death winch awalreu
him. The Indian improved the time allot-
ted 10 him, in pronouucing the famous curse
upon the superstitous people around the
base of the mountain. Standing upon the
verge ofthe cliff. he pronounced a curse upon
the region troddeu by the feet of his fathers
and upon the locks aud herds that might
feed upon the soil wresed from the red man.
Betnre &c impreca;ion was ended, the rifle
81 Campbell put an end to his existence, and
falling with the curse yet upon his.lips into
one OF the chasms upon the mountain side.
his body was never found.
Certain it is that for many years after the
cattle around the base of the mountain were
cut off 10y disease ascribcd by the country
people to the spell laid upon them by the dy-
ing savage; and to this day they fancy they
hear the curse repeated, especially during the
violent snow storms which sweep around the
mountain with terrific violence.
The thrcatGniugs Ola thunder cloud, which
rose darklv behind one Of the mountains in
the west, hurried sam 10 the conclusion of
his narrative. and drove me from farther
view ofthe delicious prospect.
We chose for our descent a less dangerous
though far moro cjrcuitOus route, \ spur
of the mountain takes a south westerly d-
rection, and its sides aud crest are clothed
with a growth OF gigantic frs, which, shield
ing the,enornous masses of rock from the
action of the weather, allow the abundant
production OfmoSses and dwarf shrlibbery.
The broken nature ofthe mountain side,
though equally abrubt, Is thus concealed from
view. Jumping from tree to tree, tand letting
ourselves down the decvities by penduIous
branches, we made n safe, although extreme
ly slow progress, AMI arrIvedat comfortable
night quarters Mt nine o'clock in the evening,
after seventeen hours ofexcessive labor, fully
resolved to caurion all unwary sight seers, to
be content with viewing Cochorua ut safe
distance. TRAVELLER.