Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1851-07-24
SELECT TALE.
-fs- From the Parthenon
THE LAKE GUN.
BY JAMES FrSNIMoRE COOPER.

Ing Jew and the Lake Gun ne nrst Is q
tree SO balanced that when its roots are clear
Of. the bottom it floats with its broken and
pointed trunk few feet above the surface Of
the water, driving before the winds, or follow
ing in the cnurse Of the currents. At times
the Wandering Jew is seen off Jefferson,
near the head Of this beautiful sheet and next
it will appear anchored, as it might be, in the
shallow water near the outlet. For more than
half a century has this remnant of the forest
foated about from point to point, its bald head
whitening with time, until its features have
become familiar to all the older inhabitants Of
that region of the country. The great depth
of,he Seneca prevents it from freezing; and
summer and winter, spring time and autumn,
is this wanderer to be observed occasionally
battling with ice that makes shurt distance
from the shore, now pursuing its quiet way be-
fore a mild southern air in June, or, anchored,
by its roots touching the bottom, as il passes
poiat, or comes in contact with fats. II has
been known to remain year or two at time
IN view of the village of Geneva, until, accus-
toned to its sig ht, the people began 10 think
that it was never TO move again from its berth
any more but fresh northerly breeze chang
es all this the Jew swings to the gale, and
like ship unmooring. drags clear of the hot
tom, and goes of to the southward, with its
head just high enough above water to be visi-
BILE. Ii would seem really that his wander
ings are not to cease SO long as wood will
float
No white maa can give the history of this
Jew He was found having his sides in the
pure waters of the Seneca by the earliest set
tiers, and it may have been ages since his wan-
deriaes oo~meaeed. When they are to cease
is a secret in the womb Of time
The Lake Gaa' is a mystery 1t is a
saGnd resembling the explosion of heavy
piece of artillery, that can be accounted for BY
aone Of the known laws of nature. The report
is deep, hollow, distant and imposing The
lake seems 10 be speaking to the surrounding
hills, which send back the echoes of It's voice
in accurate reply. No satisfactory theory has
ever been broacaed 10 explain these noises
and the escape of compressed air by the sudden
admission of water; but all this is talking at
rands@, and has probably no foundatiea so
truth. The most thz can he said is, that such
sounds are heard, though at ieas intervals and
that no one as yet has succeeded 10 asces1aining
their cause
1t Is sa many ius,rums since curiosity in-
duced an idier, traveller, and one possessed
of much attainment derived f1om lourneys in
distant lands, first to inqaire closely into all
the tradi,6ans connected with these two pecu-
liarities Of the Seneca. and, having thus OBJ
tsinet all he could, to lead him to make the
tour Of the entire lake, in the hope of learning
more by actual personal observation. He went
np and down in the steamboat was much graf
flied with his trip, bnt could not see or hear
anything to help him in his investigation
The Gun had not been heard in a long time
and no one could tell him what had become of
the Wandering Jew In vain did his eyes
roam over. the broad expanse Of water; they
could discover nothing to reward their search
There was old man in the boat BY the name
of Peter, who had passed his life the Sene-
ca, and 10 him was our traveller referred, as
the person most likely to graufy his curiosity.
Fuller (for so we shall call the stranger for the
sake of convenence) was not slow To profit BY
this hint, and was soon in smcable relations
with The tough old fresh-water mariner. A
half-eaele opportunelv bestowed opened all the
stores Of Peters lore; and he professed him
self ready to undertake cruise, even, for the
especial purpose of hunting mp the Jew
: Il haven't seen that ere cr,,er now'-Pe-
ter alway spoke of the tree as if it had animal
life for three years. We think i, don't like
the steamboats,. The very last time seed the
old chap he was a-goin' up afore smart nor
wester, and we was a comm down with the
wind in our teeth, when made out the "Jewr
about mile, or, at the most, mile and half
ahead of US. and right in our track. remem-
Der that said to myself, SAYS l, old fellow,
we'll get sight of your countenance this time
Isuppose you know sir, that the Jew has
face just like human.' .. -t .---.t.
the tree.'
s'Tree!' answered Peter, shaking his head
'why, we can't cut tree down in the woods.
saw it and carve it as we WILL and make it las,
hundred years. What became of the tree
whv, as soon as the Jew saw we was comm
30 straight upon him, what does the old chap
do bot shift his helm, and make for the west
shore. Yon never saw a steamer leave sirh
wake, or make sch time. If he went half
knot, he went twenty au.r.
This lIttle episode rather shook Fuler's faith
inhis accuracy; but it did not prevent his ma
king an arrangement by which he and the old
man were to make cruise in quest Of the tree,
after having fruitlessly endeavored to discover
IN what part Of the lake it was just then to be
seeh' r35I sH-rS . = rsH.@
Some folks pretend he's gone down., said
Peter, in continuation Of discourse upon the
subject. as he fia,tened in the sheets of very
comfortable and rather spacious sail boat, on
quitting the wharf Of Geneva, and will never
come up agin', But they may just as well tell
that the sky is comm down, and that thew NAV
SEA about picking up the larks. The Jew, will
no more sink than . welLeorked bottle will
sjUk.s -g'd itsfrN .ils'i'sA III tis eiIris,
fhh sss The opinion Of Peter. FuHsr cared
=