New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1860-02-13
z From Chambers Journal
THE DOOMED SKATER.

l ~ & +
| From Chambers Journal
| THE DOOMED SKATER.
We had cast our lot, my twin-brother and my
| self, in the toughest township of Upper Canada
Twenty years are in their grave since then-twentJ
years, rung out and rung in by the clang of the
wo0dman's ax-and still that township lies in the
heart Of its primeyal forest. Clotted woods over
hang the solitary village, composed Of few log.
huts, nightly drenched, as with a death-sweat
from the malaria Of the swamp. But we came young
and impressionable, from the Old Country, on
yenturous quest after fortune in the bush and the
disheyeled wilderness of thickets had its charms
for US.
river reft the huge tangle Of the woods With
its dark sluggish waters, which crept and oozed in
among decaying trees on either side. Banks there
were none, and the bleached skeletons of the rot
ten trees alone marked off the channel of the river
from the dark fen, fetid with myriad impurities.
Such was the aspect of the melancholy Scueoe.
Our village was by no means large one. The
| scattered huts which made it up had been knocked
together by sprinkling of hardy pioneers, ON
solitary bluff which repealed the river from its base
and gave to fearless settlers ground of advan
tage over the surrounding swamp. There was
not, however, much cleared ground-nay, very
little; everywhere we were hemmed in by battal-
lion after battalion of menotonous trees. Not all
the pioneer chivalry Of the world could cut an
open way through their ranks. Like brave hearts
on battlefield, when one serried line fell, 10
another had risen in their place. As for our fell
low-settlers, we found them of piece with the
country-rongh and hardy as they had need to
be, who, twenty years ago, colonized the Scugog.
We were twins, Jack and /, but otherwise I'M
like. He was fine fellow; acknowledged his
supremacy, and rejoiced in his bold, free spirit.
From his childhood he had been the most mpulsive
creature that ever pointed moral for headlong
youth Ever in scrapes and difficulties, but never
to his dishonor, Jack fought one-half his acquant-
ance into loving him, which the rest did Of their
free will and my heart still warns Involuntary
W iTfnn hnt xr-ifl ht. Il
strong soul all agog for mischief.
Il confess was somewhat dismayed by the as
pect OF our new country; fresh from the sunny
lanes Of Kent, and loved circle at home, could it
be otherwise? But as for Jack, he was in raptures
with everything that disquieted me. Nothing was
more charmingly romantic than our hut on the
bluff and no river could equalthe brown, bankless,
melancholy Scugog.
We did not settle down to the regulaton-life of a
settler all at once; we determined to sip the nee
tar of life on the Scugog, it, indeed, there was any
OF the ambrosial draught to be drained in the
township. The fascination of the swift canoe kept
us almost constantly on the dark mysterious river
and, in truth, there scarcely any other outlet
from our dwelling save on its waters; by day we
hshed, and we shot from our frail skiffs and by
night. when the moon was up, we would paddle
them in her silyery wake.
have said that few rough settlers formed our
society on the Scugog among them were some
half -breeds-a species Of degenerate Indian--who
had sunk from the dignity Of forest life to the
were lazy, good-for-nothing fellows, except in the
matter of fishing or shooting, wherein they were
profcients. We found them useful in giving in
struction in the canoefe of our home. Ipreferred,
for my own part, to go pretty much by myself on
our waterexcursions. Jack, however, had no
such idea of placid enjoyment, and speedily leav-
ing me to my aquatic reveries he hired hang
dog looking scoundrel named Olier, to assist him
in the management of his canoe. / am no great
disciple of Layater, but never liked that half
breed. All these dregs of Indian nobility are sal
low, blear-eyed creatures, with world of cunning,
but this fellow chief of them all for every re-
pulsive trait. Of course Jack ridieuled my senti-
ments about his new seryitor; lie was match for
half dozen, twenty fellows like 0lier, he said !;
and it was all right, and was not to bother my
head about him.
It was getting late in the fall; the Indian sum
mer-that beautiful dream of loveliness-had re-
stored to us the evanescent beauty, the glories of
Canadian autumn. The forests were as gay with
color as herald's tabard, and the air was yet
balmy with the lingering sweetness of summer.
One exquisite evening, born of one of these lovely
days, i was listlessly smoking as l lay on the top
of the bluff, vacantly sketching home-landscapes
in the dark Scngog rolling beneath A canoe shot
round the bend Of the river below the village; it
was padded by solitary figure, who turned out
to be Jack. l knew he had gone down the Seugog
to fish along with 0lier; but now no half-breed
squatted in the opposite end of the. canoe. A
vague dread seized upon me as Jack, running his
little bark sheer up the bank shouldered his pad
die, and marched up to me.
" How now, Jack? what have you done with
your charming companion?n inquired, Disgusting
my conjectural fear.
" Cad don't know replied my brother, sit
ting down, Oriental fashion, beside me.
" Not know?o
"Not bit,n was his answer. How should
be acquainted with all the ms and outs of that
Bower?" Here he indicated as much
forest with his arm as would have made a few
of the Bower in question.
Oh perceive; he's gone tracking deer, or
of that sort. said l. immensely relieved
by jacks manner. There was slight pause. My
Well,n said Jack, "I'll tell You; don't see
why there need be any secret about it. You were
quite right about that olier-you were. He's a
fellow, and quite coolly refused
down the river bit further than usual.'
And you ?p#
~ ran the canoe upon yard of bank-whether
an island or not, i cannot tell-gaye the insolent
rascal good bastinado with the paddle, and set
him ashoren
GOOD Heayens." / exclaimed with horror,
Z don'tyou know, Jack--hayen't you sense enough
10 understand-that these Indian fellows are vim
1ictiye to the last degree-that they will never
forget or forgive bloW!"
"Pooh!i' said he, getting up quite merrily and
marching homeward, saying over his shoulder,
!. Oh don't you bother yourself! olier will be down
On his marrow bones to.morrow-see If he isn't,
Besides, / owe him half a dolar.u
Tomorrow came, unfruitful with the half-breed's
submission. The story got abroad amon9the huts,
md the old settlers, who knew their man, shook
heir heads ominouslY, and BODIED no good to my
mpuisiye brother. However, two days passed
during which Jack and ished and shot
ogether. Olier had not reappeared, and began
o breathe more freely. Doubtless, he had left the
district. He was an unsettled fellow at any rate,
md had no property or tie in the village to tempt
lis stay.
Twenty miles below the village, the dark Sou
sog whitens into rapids, and is hurled with gigantic
,ower over lofty precipice. l had often wished
o see the falls but it had been hitherto impossible
o accomplish the distance by my single arm. At
asst my wish was to be gratified. shooting party
vas made up by some of the villagers, and, at my
Urgent request ] was included. The arrangement
vas to spend night at the falls, camping out on
he bank. and return on the following day. Instead
,ottomed boat, termed in Canadian parlance,
Cow. Strange to say, Jack did not care about
,eing, saying that he would enjoy himself more in
lis own canoe; and, as we were already crowded
or room, we did not press him to change his reso-
ution.
Our expedition had little in it noteworthy. The
liver for twenty miles sail remained the same
melancholy Scugog, never varying
or the space of hand. Not vestige of clear
.nce was there between our village and the falls
lot glimpse Of bank. The trees lined the waters
ike a wall, and, save the wild game, no one ever
red to force way through their close-knit ranks,
rooted at the base by a tangle of unwholesome
1erdure. This aspect had stern reason for re-
nembering The emily bright thing was the patch
If cloudless blue sky at the extremity of this
ong reach Of wood and water. Over all breoded
he intensest silence. No bird triled us single