The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1859-06-25

return in three moons from that day. 10 de-
liver himself up 10 the offended justice n
his tribe. The request was unhesitaiingly
granted, and the young Indian Departed
Days and weeks passed, and at length arriy-
ed the day Of sacrifice. The chiefs met af
the appointed hour, and punolually ~ the
time appointed the young Ted'rstp stalksa
quietly into the circle lie had Kept his
word. IL would be pleasant 10 record that
he was pardonsd, but the laws Of Draeo were
not more sanguinay than the Indian Code,
and he fell willing victim 10 he require
ments.
Hut my present story relates TO one Of a
later period, and a different race, The prin-
eipal actor in the scene I shall describe. was
white man and smuggler, and the time
Of action was In the year 1919.
In that year, az every sehoolboy Ia aware.
occurred the laat war with England, and Of
course large bodies Of soldiers were stationed
on the frontiers Of the United States and
Canada.
A. before lutlmated, thv dividing line
between the rival powers crossed the lake
about lls southern third, running through an
island now known a. Province Island. Near
the latter are sevsfal other ttfdant pots
separated, but not far from the main land.
each Of them named after some natural pc
euliarity, or from some event which had oe-
CURED In connection with Il. or this hitter
elias, Is Skinnera Island, which l. situated
near thu rHEtrru shur- immediately -oppnAile
the Great Owls Head Mountain singular
oonical shaped emibenoe which rises boldly
from the lake TO a height Of nearly three
thousand feet, !ts bold, eraggy top forming a
distinguishing feature In the haze and land
seape.
Al the troubled period TO which reference
has been made, smuggling from Vermont in
20 Canada, and vice versa, was carried on 10
an enormous extent. despite the vigilance
which was exercised by both the belligerent
parties. The Yankees in their swim boats
conveyed To the British troops tobacco and
various other articles, for which they recey-
ed In exchange any tradabe article whatey-
er, Canada whisky especially, for ths-e vas
wv AAHllN hN w AHN1N lhlht anu AilN lthI ~
Neal Dow WAG before the eyes Of none. Il
was, obviously, TO tho interest Of the armies
on both sides Of the line to put down thih H.
liei traffic for more reasons than one. Among
them, the fact that Smugglen wefe likely
enough to be apieS, WaA fally rScogai1ed---
Vigorous muusurrs wrru accordingly taken,
and before many months had elapsed, the lake
was all but cleared Of those enterprislng gen
tlcmen, who under the cover Of darkness
carried on briak but hazardous business.
An but cleared,-for one bold bueeoncer
of tho lake, Uriah Skinner by name, drRed
all attempts TO capture him. This Skinner
waS-pou left uione in hiS glory. lie was
big, burly fellow, as savage in appearance "a
he was in reality, and daring beyond meas
ure. lie was in fact, the very beau ideal OF
a Smuggier-eraftyi ieaTless, aud needs
were. cruel. Continual su6eess. too, had
made him reekless--but II he ever did get
into dangerous corner, he had cunning
enough to slip out Of il. Many and many
a time had his boat been chased by the Gus
tom House officers, but in such cases he in
variably made tor a certain island and mys-,l
teriously disappeared. This fac, was repeat.
ed SO often, thot II ia little wonder some Of
the most superSttouS Of his hunters believed
him to be in league with a certain dark com
plexioned gentlemen, who is popularly sup
posed to reside in place where the temper
Nture is unplessantly warm. Night amer
night would Skinner leave the wharf at New.
port, glide fearlessy under the lake shores,
and deposit his cargo in some appointed spot
on the Canada side, taking away With him
articles which by prearrangement had been
left for him IN the. same place. SO matters
went on for mohIh1, until at length large
reward was offered for Skinnory 6pprshen-
sion, and the pursuit OF the smuggler grew
hotter than ever
The pitcher may ohen 90 to the we'll, yet
get broken at last. This trite Adage had its
accomplishment in the fate of the daring
of Lake Memphrcmagog-but I
win not anticipate.
-
At the time Of the present writing there
'tSnds at the base OF the owl's Head Noun
lain, an excellent Hotel, well known to Tou-
lists as the Mountain House--but at the
late Of my story, the spur OF rock which
uts out into the lake, on which Jennings
wharf i' now built was covered with pines,
oeeehes, hemloeks, and The like. In feet, il
was wilderness. One evening, about time
'f the new moon, some fifteen or sixteen
sturdy custom house officers and their assist
'nts were carefully embarked among these
rees. which grew from high rock that slop-
I'd toward the water, and commanded view
If the lake in all direction. Every man was
we'll armed, and with eyes and ears open, they
'at watching and waiting for glimpse of
Skinners boat, they having received positive
Information that the smuggler would that
hight leave Newport with rich cargo for
he Canadians. Stimulated by the large