Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1857-09-30

of the \ Norridgewock, and built up in the great
wilderness temple to the true God. There,
| too, he perished in the dark onslaught of the
| Colonists--pershed with many wounds at the
very foot of the Cross which his own hands
had planted. And there the NoIridgewocks
fell, one after another, in the stern and un-
compromising pride, neither asking or giving
| quarter, as they resisted the white spoiler up
on the threshold Of their consccrated place of
worship, and in view of their wives and chill
| dren.
| The following is one among many legends,
of the strange encounters of the White Man
and the Indian, which are yet preserved in the
ancient records and traditions Of Maine. The
simple and unvarnished narrative is only
givcn:-
''It was sultry evening toward the last of
June, 1922, that Captain Hermon and the Eas-
tern Rangers urged their canoes up the Ken
nebec river in pursuit of their enemies. -Four
hours they toled diligently al the oar. The
last trace of civilization was left behind, and
the long shadows of the skirting forests met
and blended in the middle of the broad stream
which wound darkly through them. At every
wing of some night bird, or the footsteps of
some wild beast-the dash Of the sus-
pended, and the rangers grasp was frightened
upon his rifle. All knew the peril of the en-
tcrprSc and that silence which is natural of
jeopardy. settled like a cloud upon the mid
| night advcnturers.
''Hush, softly men! - said the watchful Her
mon, in 4 voice which scarcely rose above
hOarse whisper, as the canoe swept around
rugged promontory, .'thcre is light ahead -
All eyes were bent towards the shore. A
tall Indian fire CLEANED up amidst the great
oaks, casting red and strong light upon the
dark waters. For single and LreathlcsS mo-
ment the operation of the oar was suspended,
and every ear listened with painful earnest
ness to catch the well known sounds, which
seldom failed to indicate the propinquity OF
the savages. But all was now silent. With
slow and faint movement of the oar, the ca
| noes gradually approached the suspected spot.
The landing was effected in silence. After
moving cautiously for considerable distance
in the dark shadow, the party at length ven
tured within the broad circle of the light
which at first attracted their attention. Her
mon was at their head, with eye and hand
| quick as those of the savage enemy whom he
| sought. The body of fallen tree lay across
the path As the rangers were on the point of
| lcaping over it, the coarse whisper of Hcrmon
again broke the silence:
| ssGod of Hcavcn.'' he exclaimed, pointing
to the fallen tree. ssSce here! tits the work
| of the cursed red skins -
| a smothered curse growled upon the lips of
the rangers, as they bent grimly forward in the
direction pointed out by their commander.
| Blood was sprinkled on the rank grass and the
hand of white man lay on the Bloody log -
| There was not word spoken, but every coun.
| tenance worked with terrible emotion. Had
| the rangers followed their own desperate in
clination, they would have hurried rccklessly
onward to the work of vengeance; but the ex-
ample of the leader, who had regained his
| usual calmness and self-command. prepared
them for less speedy, but a more certain tri
umph. Cautiously passing over the fearful
| obstacle in the pathway, and closely followed
by his companions, he advanced stealthily and
cautiously upon the light, hiding himself and
his party as much as possible behind the thick
trees. In few moments they obtained full
view of the object of their search. Stretched
| at their length around huge fire, but at a
| convenient distance from it, lay the painted
and half-naked forms of twenty savages! 1t
was evident, from their appearance, that they
had passed the day in one of their horiid rev.
els, and that they were suffering under
the effects of intoxication. Occasionally a
grim warrior among them started half upright,
grasping the tomahawk as if to combat some
vision of his distorted brain, but unable to
shake off the stupor from his senses, uniform
| ly fell back into his former position.
The rangers crept nearer. As they bent
their keen eyes along their well tried rifles,
each felt perfectly sure OF his aim. They wait
ed for the signal of Hermon who was endeav-
oring to bring his musket to bear upon the
head of the most distant of the sayages.
s.Fire!'' he at length exclaimed, as the sight
of his piece interposed full and distinct be-
tween his eye and the wild scaip-lock OF the
Indian. sFire! and rush on -
The sharp vsice of thirty rifles thrilled thro'
the heart of the forest. There was a groan-
a smothcred cry-a wild and convusive move
ment among the sleeping Indians; and all
was again silent.
The rangers sprung forward with their club
bod muskets and hunting knives; but their
work was done. The Red Men had gone TO
their last audit before the Great Spirit, and no
sound was heard among them save the gurg-
ling of the hot blood from their lifeiess bosoms.
They were left unburied on the place OF rev
.r 70 tho fonl birds of the air, and