The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1860-10-24
Correspondence Of the Lancaster Ledger.

In my letter from Burlington, indicated
that one of the purposes of my visit TO
that city, was ride on Lake Champaign
| The Lake lies North and South--is about
| l3O miles long, varying III width from half
| mile ard sometimes less to thirteen miles
| Ii divides New York and Vermont White.
! hall is at the Southern eXtremity-the ex-
IRENE Northern part lies in Canada 1t is
connected with the St. Lawrence River
through the St. Johns Rivera canal ia
miles long connects it with the Hudson
| 1t takes its name from Samuel Champlain,
who discovered it in 1909; he was the toun.
| der of Quebec and the Canada settlements
around at the time of the discovery he
was on an expedition agan1t tho lroquois
lGdi"as, who dwelt on Lake Champlain
and also Lake George. Although not 80
large, still Lake Champlain possesses as
much If not mere of interest than any Cf
the American Lakes, on account of its beam
| titul scenery and historical assoc;ations-
| On the Nermont side are the Green Noun
talns and OH the New York the Adirondack
range. Here are bold hradlands running
into the water and almost overlooking the
steamer as she gIides along-therc Il con-
tiuuous range with lofty peaks stretching
far away in the distance, interspersed with
villages, dotted over aith neat fa.m houses
aud well cultivated farms. From the steam
! er too may be seen several towns and vii
| lagos on the shore and in the distance,
whilst the Lake is studded with many small
Islands. After looking and feasting the nat
ural eve with the magnificent and ap parent
| iy faullless scenery, with the aid Of the
| Marine glasses yOn can almost bring up
the objects within speaking distance. On
| the day OF my passage We had 10 run against
| strong head wind so much so, that the
| bow Of the boat was uncomfortable, this
| caused the passengers TO seek the stern
where we were closely, but not uncomfor-
| taby packed. 1t was my luck to be seated
! near party who had travelled extensively,
| not only in the States and Canada but al
40 on the Rhine, over the Alps, in Italy and
| Europe, generally. lie and hIs laGy were
| good takers. in their comparisons aud crit.
| cIsms on scenery, in some instances, they
! gave the preference TO this scenery, over
that which they had seen elsewhere This
Lake is one Of the great thoruughIares of
| travel from Montreal, Canada. Vermont and
| New York State, to the City of New York
Three line Steamers constitute the regular
| line which run in connection with the Rail
Roads. The captain was polite and com
munieative, pointing out tke places Of in
terest to tbs stranger" Split rock was
! pointed out as u natural curiosity, II is u
| bout 30 feet above the level Of the wa'er
covers probably half uu acre with Il chan
| ne! Of II or 10 feet separating il. Some
! suppose the chasm was u uonvulsioH of ma
ture, others that it was filled with a soft
material which has washed out The wa
ter flows through the gorge when the Lake
Is high, but when low the passage is nearly
| dry.
Fort Cassia il where the fleet Of Com
modore Macdonough was fitted ont and
with which he gained has victory over
the British in 1914 of Pittsburgh. At
| Port Henry on the west side are the eXten-
sive iron works of the Port Henry Iron
Company. The hills and mountains around
ah0rdIng Inexhaustible supplies Of ore. AT
| Crown point on the same side and not far
| South, was the first settlement made by the
| French in 1871, here they built FCrt and
continued IN possession of 1t until surTen.
dered 10 the British in 1850. They CONS
menced new Fort little distance from
| the old one, but never finished it. 1t WAS
taken by the Americans in l775-portions
! Of The barracks arc We! TO be seen. Pro.
| ceeding South the boat soon reaches old
| Fort TicOnderoga, here passengers for and
from Lake George leave, and are taken on.
The Lakes are connected here by small
stream four miles long. Fort TicOnderosa
was built BY the French in 1856 and Was
called Carlton. Tconderoga is an Indian
name and signifies NOISY" so called from
the noise Of the Falls on the stream which
connects the Lakes. II was attacked by
the British in 1893 under Abercombie, who
was driven back with great loss Of life
| among the killed was Lord Howe. The
next year 1t was taken by the British under
General Amherst, and remained in their
possession until the 10th May, 1878, when
1t was surprised and taken by Genl. Ethan
Allen, with 80 green mOuntain boys" Al.
len and his men, under the guidance of
boy who was familiar with the location,
was conducted TO the gate which was open,
he cut down the sentinel, rushed in and
aroused the sleeping gnrrison with de-
maDd tor ~ instant surrender. The officer
N command not realizing the state Of af.
fairs, demanded Of Allen by what authority
he ordered n n surrender. "ln the name of
the Great Jehovah and the Continental
Congress" was the prompt answ er Of A len
IL vas good authority and soon tie garri
son consisting of about fifty persons were
prisoners with all the punitioDs Of w.r-
1t was the first fort taken by the Americans
""N fNp'"''SN W Po'ocoN'Oh uhti -
when it was taken by Gen. Burgoync, who
had succeeded in erecting battery 90
Mount Defence, high hill near and which
Oyerlooks aud commanded the fort Gen
ST Clair who was in command Of the fort
supposed it would be impossible to convey
cannon to the top, and seeing it was accom-.
pished, abandoned the fort, knowing it
would be reduced Portions OF the walls
are still standing. 1t occurred to me the
location was not as favorable rs either
Mount Independence on the Vermont side
or Mount Defiance on tie same side Of the
Lake. Both are very high hills, in fact
mountains, and overlook the Fort and Lake,
tho Lake here being very narrow. In yam
keedom, economy is the prevailing senti.
ment, this peculiarly was observable 10 pro-
nOuncing the Eame of Fort TiconderOga
For short it was callec "Fort H." "oId III"
"here we are at Ii"
From Fort "Ti" to White Hall, (the
southern endD the lake is quite narrow, not
far from the latter place, during the French
war, Gen. Putnam, it is said, escaped from
tha Indiana nv nlnDuiUo hi, hnrs. into tl.