Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1851-07-03
M(tGteIlaneolls.
A LEGEND OF LAKE CHAMPLAIN.
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Peabody's Leap.

| A LEGEND OF LAKE CHAMPLAIN.
Many are the places, scattered over the face
of our beautiful country whose wild picturesque
scenery is worthy Of the painters pencil, or the
poets pen. Some of them which were once Gel
ebrated for their rich stories of "legendary lore"
are now only sought to view their natural scene
ry, while the traditions which formerly gave
them celebrity, are buried in oblivion. Such is
the scene of the following adventure-a roman.
tic glen bounded oil the north side by high
and rocky hill, which stretches itself some dis
tance into the lake, terminating in precipice
some thirty feet in height, and once known by
the name of Peabody's Leap"
At the time of this adventure, Timothy Pea
body was the only white man that lived within
fifty miles of this place, and his was the daring
spirit which achieved it. In an attack on one of
the frontier settlements, his family had all been
massacred by merciless savages, and he had
sworn that their death should be revenged. The
better to accomplish this dread purpose, he had
removed to this solitary place, and constructed
the rude shelter in which he dwelt, till the blasts
of winter drove him to the homes of his fellow
men, again to renew the contest when the spring
had awakened nature into life and beauty. He
was a man who possessed much shrewd cunning,
combined with thorough knowledge of Indian
habits, by which he had always been enabled to
avoid the snares of his subtle enemies. Often,
when they had come with party to take him,
he escaped their lures, and after destroying his
hut, on their return homeward, some of their no.
blest warriors were picked off by unerring aim
or, on arriving at their town, they learned
that one Of their swiftest hunters had been am
pushed BY him and fallen victim to mis- deadly
rife He had lived in this way for several years,
and had SO often bafled them, that they had at
last become weary of their pursuit. and for some
time had left him unmoested.
About this time, party Of Indians made
descent on one Of the small settlements, and
had taken three men prisoners, whom they were
carrying home, to sacrifice for the same number
of men that had been shot by Peabody. 1t was
towards the close of the day they passed his
abode, most of the party in advance of the pris-
oners, who, with their hands tied, and escorted
by five or six indians, were almost wearied out
by their long march, and but just able to crawl
along, He had observed this advance guard,
and suspecting there were prisoners in their
rear, let them pass unmolested, intending to
try some Yankee trick" to effect their res
cue. He accordingly followed on the trail of
the party, keeping among the thick trees which
on either side skirted the path. He had proceed
ed but short distance, before he heard the sharp
report of rifle, apparently very near him, and
which he knew must be one of the Indians who
had stroled from the main body to procure some
game for their evening meal
From his acquaintance with their habits and
language, he only needed disguise, to enable
him to join with the party if necessary, and aided
J by the darkness which was fast approaching with
but little danger of detection. The resolution
was quickly formed, and as quickly put in oper-
alton, to kill this Indian and procure his dress.
cred his intended victim, who had just finished
loading his rife. To stand forth and boldly
confront him, would give the savage an equal
chance and if Tim shot best, the party, hearing
the report of two rifles at once, would be alarm
ed, and commence pursuit. The chance was
therefore two to one against him, and he was
obliged to contrive a way to make the Indian
fire first. Planting himself behind large tree,
he took off his fox skin cap, and placing it on
the end of his rife, began to move it to and fro
The Indian quickly discovered it, and was not
at loss to recollect the owner by the cap
Knowing how often he had eluded them, he re.
solved to despatch HIM at once, and without Civ
ing notice of his dangerous proximity he in.
stantly raised his rifle, and its contents were
whizzing through the air. The ball Just touch
ed the bark of the tree, and pierced the cap,
which rose suddenly, like the death spring of
the beaver, and fell amid the bushes. The In,
dian, like true sportsman thinking himself sure
of his victim, did not go to pick up his game till
| he reloaded his piece, and dropping it on the
ground, he was calmly proceeding in his opera
ton, when Timothy, as calmly stepping from
his hiding, place, exclaimed =" Now, you talnal
kritter say yer prayers as fast as ever you can"
! This was short notice for the poor Indian
) Before him, and scarcely ten PAGES distant, stood
the tall form of Peabody motioness as a statue
his rifle at his shoulder, his finger on the trigger
, and his deadly aim fixed upon him. He was
about to run, but he had not time to turn round
ere the swift winged messenger had taken his
fight his first moment was his last-the ball
pierced his sde-he sprung six feet in the air,
; and fell lifeless on the ground
No time was to be lost. He Immediately pro-
4 ceeded to strip tho dead body, and to array him
self in the accoutrements, consisting Of a hunt
ing shirt, pair of moccasins or leggins, and
wampum belt and knife A little of the blood
besmeared on his sun-burnt countenance, served
for the red paint, and it would have taken keen
eye in the gray twilight and thick gloom of the
surrounding forest, to have detected the coun-