The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1850-04-13


ln TO tho creation Of tho parupei would have
fhuc0 uunoHced by the Invading sBenies
howeyer quietly lhey we're gliding along IN
their bark canoes The rock extends % fsel
along on Iho narrow neck of lhe Lake, and
here tho very uArroweht part, with Eve lmef
sufficient depth Of water lo moor the lHrg-
esI 81 the Lake steamers closely aud cOnye-
nienIly for loading Or unloading as ~ lho
wharf The distance ~ the bold opposite
shore, n scarcely sufficient for two ordinary
Steamers abreast, the surihco Of the rock ilni,
inclined NJ an Anglc ofo6 degrees, tho low
er edge seven feet nl,Sye the wafer.
Such wHa the position chosen hy Pur IA
y hend the cnamy Ia this scout, now that he
hus not yet mel Them. in lho whole range
OF lhs northern county there was no olhar
point possessing equal advantages for a sur
prise, not even through the whole length of
the Lake or the kichelieu, have called IL
the neck Of The lnke--it was the very Jaws
at death, this narrow pass and the grave Of
the dead.
while erecting the parhpet, Durkee, with
( five men we'll chosen for their eBplu sight, was
watching a few rods beyond NJ lhe coDflu-
onco Of tie Like with Soulh Bnyi and had,
, IN fact made ambush there fuptho purpose,
/ la c,.=o the number Of the enemy should not
exceed !. scout party of 20 French of lnd-
ans, fnt,neklng ibom as they might enter the
bay. But Ibis service ol lieui. Durkcr WIS
more especinlly to Pi,c notice 10 the main ar
my Of lO should The French appear N great
numbers.
Ills bnrricndo, now completed, consisted
ofn wall ofrOcks 4 feet thick about the same
height, aud extending along the Lake, almost
ihe extent ofthe rock, gultc sufficient for 'el-
bow ROOM M lac termed II, and 10 shicld
every on. of his party. In front be nrrnng.
ed dwarrtr trees, sI,rubhery, small pines, moss
,o cover the bare rock, strowing some old
leaves aud small brush, 30 M To disguise ~
every way, aud give to Ihc imWrhiuin front
view Ofhp military works, the most ruut,
tive jind unsuspicious appearance. Indeed
ho had here set his trup with al! tie care
which had been lis prnciice in hoyicod or
the willy fox, and NOW lay Ia wait for ms
fHjbe--llOro thNn once while himself Rhd
ndroii fellows were surveying It, the novelty
aud perfection OF the Arrangement, aud their
dissertation OF the probable surprise of the
Indians, then known 10 hc IN numbers with
tho French, caused outright laughter.
when they come Fnys Durkce, you mny
: laugh ION llio 0lhcr corner Of your mouth
IVORY WELL enyE Put, 'then | will bat we
will enjoy the present while we can, aud,
moreover, We will have oao good shot NJ
them any way, even Il ,herc is ten thousand.
but won't that moss coming down 20 the
edge Of lho rock, aud the dirty water We
have thrown ontwlich had stnned the prcc-
ipice part ofihe roek,l make them think 'is
lust after rain, aud cheat them most woehll-
lyH There could be no answer to that qur--
tinn, the whole doinRs being 20 deceptive
no iurPlcr could lnYc hcucr fnlsllgl lhc
primlIive look of ihc place.
fs' It was Vet by no means certain lIol a."
enemy would pass this wny rather thau iLc
route up tho, Bay, ns both were considered
practicable, and oitcu depended on circum-
suurcs, nj the time. Ofcour-c the prohn-
hll,tcs all favored the route zap Wood Creek
M every day convinced more strongly tlnt
the Frcuch would ootuc in considerable
strength, with honls to cnnhlc them to return
the plundcr which was their purpose 10 OBJ
tain itu,n ,he immense trains now going for
ward hy wny of Saratoga auG nc GREAT car
ryiug place. to the head Of Lake George
The train belonging to that division of the
army under the nrmy's ftvotito Lord Howe,
extended five miles nlong the narrow roud--
Ilte other portion undeE AhGrcrnnIhiG lad al.
ready gone forward aud wns still lower II
was n great object Of capture
Nuw lhs morning OF ln, i,,iiu, daY .; ;y,l
watching their fish, Dippcr, one OF their nnuS
her, reporting poor luck irom the Falls, Pul-
nnin resolved ON uu extra lunch 10y the cap.
tutc of the deer ia the immediate VCultS OF
tho Falls lie knew lhrir pnihs, tlfvr l,ns--
cs ron the hill rslug Iust hHck of tie she of
the present village of Whitehall, aud hud
Nntchc,! hut few minutes before his true
Hir, brought down one of the finest bucks. -
Their camp fire, cook, fisherman and kilcl-
en- had been all the while ut the Fails, for
the purpose Of Cluding amy attraction 10y ihe
smnkc, aud here lho buck wHs served up al, .
So DufkCc now FCN0uCt IN rejUrUrnUr rhu
rrurrrttirtE was not according To the usual
custom or orders o! the scout, nut the hiniof
rcred that tho noise of the Fni'S would pre-
vent their hearing the report OF hIs rllic, ana
if they do, snid hc, so much the better, for
we tire m waiting for them. They took their |.
venisou brollod, and it il doubtful 10 ,h,s day I,
whether the guests of tho Irving or Asfor /
llufisc hnvo ever enjoyed o more rolisbuulo /
dish orvcnison.
The incidents of the day wero few. but the |
Haunc arrangement was continued, for the Z
nmbush nt the mouth of South Bay and Dur |
kee, with the dusk OF eve, was II, hts hiding
with the faithful FIVE, The distance from
Putranl to DnrAec, ns any common obscrY- /
er may see, rendered their quiet wa,ch.word /
or note ufulnrm and recognition perfectly |
clear to ench other. Each prncticed in imi- !
taiing the innocent and melancholy notes OF |
the night bird, they arranged Tint The slow |
whistle of the Whip,poor.ioiH. ". repeated five |
tines, should be the sign of alarm. Night |
brought unusual slluess, for there was .
scarcely breath of wind to move the leaves
or wave branch on ting highest tree topsi /
and ttrc clouds, al The rising of tic moon at
9 o'clock, entirely disappeared, nnd hy 10 re-
vealed the glossy surface OF the Lake for
miles from the ambush of Dnrkee. And now
tho first wave of the wnter was Visible, re-
flccting tho brightness OF tho moon, while at
the same instant she revealed lho red enemy /
Ia aaf