The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1866-05-09

by is reminded of some tableau in the
melodrama, too beautiful and unexpected
to be real.
In pursuit of Ingram; we explored
every islet of this region. We found
hundred traces of him, for he was forever
fitting to and fro-now the embers of his
fire, now the echo of his rifle, now the
report of some alarmed fisherman, whom
the fugitive had passed like an apparition.
One day at sunset we saw him upon
rock scarcely larger than a mans hand,
with waters churning around him, and
his batcau at his feet. lie was sharply
outlined against the red sky, and he stood
in an attitude Of despair, leaning warily
upon his rifle. thought Of the Wander
ing Jew, or the last Indian Of his race,
halting on the brink of the pacific. Sud
denly he beheld us; gnashing his teeth
and lifting his cenched hand, he leaped
into his vessel ami sculed away like the
wind we lost him in the darkness, and
saw him no more for many days.
Two weeks had now been consumed
in this singular pursuit. At last, Balla-
gan became troubled and doubtful. 1t
was possible for Ingram, changing his
position every night, to lead us upon a
wild-goose chase for a year. lie could
plunder barns and river-craft for nourish-
ment, and fish and game were plentiful.
| Desperate, in view of the penalty of his
offense, we knew that rowing among these
green islands was consonant with his ad-
venturous nature. Fresh from five years
entombmcnt in thejail, and hopeful of gull
ty gain, he would leave no artifce untried
to retain his liberty; and Ballagan feared
that he would surrender himself to the
Canadian authorities, when the device of
Mr. Pepin Petit might be manifest One
day, at Alexandria Bay, we received a
dispatch from station far down the river I;
Jules Ingram had been seen near the
head of the First Rapid he had foled
us, and, with long start,.was making
his way vigorously toward the Gulf of
St. Lawrence. Every stroke of the oars
was new hope to him; in ten hours he
would pass the American boundary-lne,
and then our difficulties would be multi
piled ten-fold Ballagan acted with his
usual decision; we took the first express
steamer, and pushed on with all the ener-
gy of current and steam. 1t was midnight
when we reached the head of the rapids,
and as it was forbidden to descend them
in the darkness, the vessel halted at a
quay, and waited for the morning. Ii
was grand steamer-''a floating palace
and having walked with Ballagan up
and down the cold promenade deck, lis
tening to the roar of the waters | wearled
of bis impatience, and retired to my
sumptuous state-room. l was soundly
dreaming; my heart was back among
the Thousand Isles, and our wild search
was all forgotten, when raps upon my
chamber door brought me to my feet.
1t was Balagan, and knew by his
blank sphinx-like countenance that some-
thing was to ensue.
"Come out at once" he said, in deep,
unimpassioned monotone "Help me to
launch the boat you are to 90 on the
water with me. No hinching or, by the
Great American Eagle, your life isn't
| WOTlu ~ TuSilliSli'
A premonition of danger crept coldly
upon me l knew that he saw me iater,
but did not speak. | marked in the
gray dawn from the windy deck the awful
surging of the rapids, tossing their toamy
hairs into the sky, blending their sprays
IN white cataracts Of mist, and dashing
upon black rocks, impcrfectly revealed,
as if nearing to wrest them from their
everlasting bases. The whole wide St
Lawrence was fierce tumultuous torrent,
boiling, and churning and clamoring.
The boles of some huge trees were passing
down the current, and | marveled to
mark them tossed aloft like reeds, the
waters catching them as they fell again,
and hurling them high into the air, till,
passing from cascade to cascade, they
emerged at last mile below, bruised,
and scared, and broken. OF what adeati-
tage would be mans strength struggling
with such an element ? Pharaoh and
his host, with all Egypt at their back,
might have gone down in twinkling
there. Traditions existed of Indian hun
ters whose skilled hands had guided the
canoe through this same food, but no lv-
ing man had dared the experiment. Huge
steamers went down shivering, and some
had been torn into splinters, while sailing
craft of all descriptions made the detour
by canal.
''Do You see something stealing along
the margin yonder ?" said Ballagan tc
me. 81 have remarked it for an hour. "
took his proffered glass, and recog-
nized distinctly an approaching bateau,
and wild figure in gray coat sculing
in the stern. 1t was Jules Ingram. He
was making encrgetically for the Canada
shore, for he seemed to have an intuition
of his proximity to the rapids; and ever
an1 anon, as he advanced, his face was
turned to regard the steamer distruStfully.
"Crouch here by the gunwale," ;" said Bal
lagan; ''when give the word, run out
the lines of the bateau. shall have the
oars take you my rifle in the bow BE
cool and steady, and obey my orders"
No soul was astir on the vessel; we
watched the guilty man with our hearts
in our eyes. 1t required no effort of hl'
TO drive the bateau towards us, for the