Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1848-12-28

Gbr UroutIer,
For the Green Mountain Freeman.
Pencil Sketches Of d Western Trip
From A TRAVELLING CoRREsPoNDENT.

HIONEERS-A 'DPECImh'N AOOAD WIN "A DH'
CR1PTloN OF JAUNT ON IT BY NIGHT.
STEAMBOAT SoUTHERNER; I I
Lake Erie, August z, l84S.
Once more find myself on the broad bosom of Erie,
beneath whose surface repOse, in the arms of DEATH
MANY youth and maiden, man and woman, entomb-
ed by the angry surges of the Lake, dashed into fury
by the driving storm, or by the still more relentless
fury Of man amid the heat of battle, in the deadly
charge of the point the bayonet Or before the can
mons mouth A Lake of about $4,000 square miles
in extent it would if drained, make state equal in
size to some of the most powerful kingdoms of the Eu
ropean continent And yet this is only one of these
immense inland seas which, if compared with Lake
Superior another of the chan only about one fourth
its size A man, it is said, does not know
when he is "half seas over" and this might be literal
ly true in crossing this mighty flood Of inland waters
unless guided by some suror criterion than his own
unaided estimates. The lakes, the rivers the noun
tans the forests and the prarios Of the western world
on q scale commensurate with each other and for
size and ma gnicenCe, far o.sooad those of Europe.
The "Southerner" is a substantial fine looking new
boat Of the largest size, good fnsh and neatly kept
It's accommodations, especially those of the table and
cabin, are excellent and somewhat enhanced by the
afablo and obliging demeanor of the Captain, A. D.
PERKINS. Much credit is due also to the Clerk Mr..
E. Y. Morton and to Mr.. John George the Steward,
for the uncXceptionabe manner in which their duties
are performed. As am enjoying, by the polite
ness of Capt Perkins and the Steward, the use of an
elegant State room, will continue my sketches from
the date of my last number, on the 9th of July at
Montpelier, Ohio.
Much excitement prevailed on this and the previous
day among the settlers, and many of them had been
rushing to Bryan the county seat of WINS county,
to listen to the trial of one John Taylor for "Tyer'
some call him. a conjuror fortune teller, for the
murder of sprightly innocent boy of four years Of
age. 1t appears that Taylor made tool of larger
boy, a simpeton who entced the smaller boy into the
woods the Sabbath in the absence of its parents,
and then induced him to swallow portion prepared
by Taylor containing poison, from the effects of which
the boy died in short time.
Taylor by his nominations had previously predict.
ed the death Of the boy and when the parents and
neghborho1d had become alarmed at the boys alb.
sence, they turned out enmaSSe and for long time
Intellectually sought the missing one; he then describ
ed with accuracy the very spot where the corpse was
found buried or concealed under treel The prison
er was indicted for r,Ydor, iod and verdict or
GUILTY" rendered by the Jury, to which he appeared
to be perfectly Indifferent and unmoyed He was
sentenced to be hung, think, in February
In travelling over this new country I have been
amused at the ignorance sometimes manifested by the
inhabitants in regard to the soil and situation Of
tons but short distance from their locations.-
AS an instance in point had occasion 10 visit the
southwest corner Of Springfield township and took &C.
casion to enquire frequently of those met but few
miles from the place the proper road to take and the
situation of that part of Springfield They told me, if
| ever succeeded in getting there, should find low
wet swampy bog covering the whole Of that part Of
the town, on which neither beasI could i've
Determined not to return until after personal exam
inaton of this spot lying under such severe condemn
ation exerted myself and arrived there in the early
part of the evening. agreeably surprised in
finding, instead of swampy morass, fine timbered
country with soil the component parts of which were
: clay, sand and muck well combined and capable Of
producing any crop in abundance. But | was no
left to doubt respecting this for behed all arount
me cearngs and thrifty settlers within half mile
or less of each other snug well built school house
with about thirty scholars also presented Usef The
= The hospitable man with whom I spent the night
! John Fields by name, with his amiabe family, have
resided in the very northwest corner of section 81 70
thirteen years past. His fruit trees and crop o
II wheat corn and oats appear fine and in good order
s. Mr. f. informs that he has several lots cultivated
s. for Is years, on which not particle Of manure ha
Is ever been applied He says that although the crop
T. always good they have been better for the las
q few years than at first an indispuable evidence
10 the strength and richness of the soil. So much 70
II the reports Of settlers about neghboring and dstar
st locations.
n There are, however, two classes of settlers, yer
distinct and marked in their character The first, al
I'd ready alluded to- When they once make pitch" nev
OF er think of quitting it or even of enqurng whcthe
to they can better their condition elsewhere They kno
r. nothing Of the country five miles or more distant lex
lis cept by rumor, for years and perhaps for their lii
IT. time. The other Glass; uneasy restless mortas kno
D. every thing go every where, and are conented nj
tohere! met one of this class to-day, 1.-THE 29th)
es said he first settled in Michigan where he lived f
or years with no neghbor nearer than 30 miles of hin
tn AT length the country became settled when he "pulle
* up stakes" and "ocated" here twelve years ago. whe
there were no other locations near him. He has now
re large well cultivated farm, but is seeking chance
Ter sell 1t in order to emigrate to what he calls ne
nd country, where to use his language he can hay
"ebow-room." His present aspirations are for Ore
he gon and "nothing short!"
all Bryan contains 80 to 40 families, two stores an
tDVnrns n bOuen nd ion
Die miles distant, through which passed to-day, is
as very pleasant little village on Bean creek surounde
by rich country and is about the same size as Br7
~ an.
al little beyond Evansport on the north, is the Loci
port Turnpike, and diverging from it on the right