The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1857-04-22
A LEGEND OF NEW ENGLAND.
sY JOHN O. WHITTIER.

oue nunuteu years aso'-'He nuHtot VIM
ranged the hills and forests oil New England,
fought against o,her enemies than the brown
bear and the panther. The husban1 1map, as
he toiled on the plain, or the nanow clearing,
KEEP, closely a, his side loaded weapon, and
wrought diligently and firmly Ia The mids, of
peril. The frequsnt crack OF the Indians ri.
ie was heard in the still depths OF the fores,
tho death knelI OF The unwary hunter and
ever and anon, the fame of some devoted
farm house, whose dwellefs had been slaugh-
tered BY some merciless foe, rose redly upon
I the darkness of night time. The wild fiery
eyes of the healhen cleaned through the
thick underwood oil the forest, upon the pass.
ing Of the worshippers of the only true God:
aud the war whoop rang shrill and loud un.
der the very walls of the sanctuary of prayer.
Perhaps no part of New England affords a
wider field for the researches Of legendry,
than that portion of Massachusetts Bay, for.
mery known as the province Of Maine
There the ferocious Norridgewock held his
stern councils, and there the iribes of Penob-
scot went forth with song and dance 10 do
battle upon tho white man. There, the ro-
mantle and chivalrous Casline immured him
self in the forest solitudes, and there the high
hearted Ralle-the mnd-siIled Jssuit--gath-
cred together the broken strength Of the Nor
rdsewock, and built up in the great wilder
ness a temple of the true God. There, too,
he perished in the dark onslaught of the Col
onists-pershed with many wounds, nt the
very foot of the Cross, which his own hands
had planted. Aud there the Norridgewocks
fel-one after another, asking nor giving
quarter, as they resisted tho whlle spoiler up
on the Threshold at their consecraled place
Of worship, and in view Of their wives and
children.
The following is one among the many le-
gends Of the strange encounters Of the White
Man aud the Indian, which are yet preserved
in The ancient, records and traditions OF Maine
The simple anl unvarnished narrative is only
given
II was Il sultry evening towards the last OF
June, 1922, that Capt. Hermon and the East
ern Rangers, urged their canoes up the Ken.
nebec river in pursuit.! Of their enemies. Four
hours they toled diligently at the oar. The
last trace of civilization was left behind, and
the long shadows of the skir,ing forest me,
and blended in the middle Of the stream,
which wound darkly through hem. A, ev-
cry sound from the adjacent sho-es-lhe rust
ling wing of some night bird, or the quick
footsteps of some wild beasl--lhe dash of the
oar was suspended, the rangers grasp tight.
ened OH his rife. All knew the peril Of the
enterprise and lha, silence which is natural
Of jeopardy settled like cloud upon the mid
night adventures.
"Hush-sofily, menp said The wachiul
Hermon, in voice which scarcely rose above
hoarse whisper, as the canoe swept around
rugged promontory,i "there is light a.
headw
All eyes were bent towards the shore. A
tall Indian figure CLEANED up amidst grea,
oaks, casting red and strong ligh, upon The
dark waters. For single and brealhess
moment the operation OF the oar was sus-
pended, and every ear listened with painful
earnestness 10 catch the we'll known sounds
which seldom failed TO indicate the propin-
iquily of the savages. But all was now ST.
lent. With slow and faint movement Of the
oar, the canoe gradually approached the sus
pecied spot. The landing was effected in
silence. After moving cautiously for cou-
siderable distance in the dark shadow, the
party at length ventured within the broad
circle of The light, which at first attracted their
attention. Hermon was at the head, with an
eye and hand as quick as those of the say.
age enemy whom he sought.
The body of fallen tree lay across the
path. AS the rangers were on the point OF
leaping over 1.-The coarse whisper OF Hermon
again broke The silence:
"God of heaven p' he exclaimed, pointing
10 the tree. "Ses here dis The work OF the
cursed red skinsm
A smotbered curse growled or the lips oil
the rangers, as they bent grimy forward in
The direction pointed ont by Their command
er. Blood was spnnkled on The rank grass
and The hand of a white man lay on the bloody
log.
There was not words poken, but every
counienance worked with terrible emotion.
Had the rangers followed their own desperate
inclination, they would have ho'ried reck-
lessly onward TO the work oil vengeance, bul
the example of the leader, VINO had regained
his usual calmness and sclfcommand, pre-
pared them for less speedy, but more eer-
tam triumph. Cautiously passing over the
fearful obstacle in the pathway, aud closely
followed by his companions, he advanced
sleal,hily and cautiously upon The light, hi
ding himself aud his parry as much as POS
sible behind the trees. IN few moments
they obtained full view of the ohjee, OF
their search. stretched s their length around
huge fire, buta convenient distance from
it, lay the painted and half naked forms OF
twenty savages. 1t was evident from their
appearance that they had passed tho day in
ono OF their horrid revels, and that 'hey were
now suffering under the effects Of in'oxiea-
,iou. Occasionally grim warrior among