Litchfield enquirer., 1867-08-15
WOODBURY.

William Cothren Esq. of this place met with severe accident on Friday at the Nonnewaug Falls. While assisting a lady over fallen tree at the top of the second 1 cascade, his foot slipped, and he Was pre- clpitated down the rocks into the basin be- low, disIocating his shoulder, besides being otherwise much bruised i'll the fall. It is most remarkable that this accident hap pened at nearly the same point at which Womoqui, a favorite Indian hero of Mir. Cothrens, met his fate It would have been a sad coincidence, indeed, had the author of the history of Ancient Woodbury lost his own life at the exact place and in the exact manner that he SO beautifully describes:
 Nonnewaug Falls were incidentally noticed in the opening chapter but their romantic situation, and exceeding loveilness. together with legend connected wIEh them, demand reculre nee to them. The stream on which they situated Is not large, but when swollen with the spring floods large flood of water passes over them. They are enyeloped and shaded by vigorous growth Of evergreens. They consist of three cascades at a short distance from each other. The water which
 
 deep and smooth channel for its passage. At the foot of each cascade Is beautiful basln forty or fifty feet ill diameter surrounded by high cliffs or walls of rocks surmounted by lofty trees; viewed as whole 1t IS wild and romantic place as can anywhere be found i'll country. ''Ihe legend referred to is only i'll the memory or the aged. The active, surSlnS population of to- day takes little note of such matters. The story is brief Womoqui, an aged Sagamore residing at the wigWams located at these falls, averse to the sale and did not sign the conveyance of the North Purchace. This sale included the Nome wang village; and the old Sagamore, having roam- ed these forests, ill entire freedom, before the whites appeared in the territory, could not now, in the evening of his days bear the thought of liv ing ill his former pleasant abode at the sutfsrance of the ''pae face" Accordingly one day he crawl ed forth from his cabin and seated himself the table rock at the head of the upper cascade of the falls, sung, in feeble tones, his own requiem, and cast himself into the flood below While mu- sing on the legend few years ago, the author i'm agined that lament to be:
 "F From my wel-beoved cabin the sunlight is gone; The day long since closed i'll the far distant west And WOmoqui now, in this wide world alone,
 Composcs himself for his deep, silent rest '' His braves are all scattered like leaves in the
 wind:
 Departed the valor that inspired them of yore While he still is left in his sadness behind,
 And earnestly looks for the spirit-lands shore.
 
 My brothers long gone, lie sulnberng near Scarce trace of the red man is now to be found
 And few of my race still lingering here. Farewell my tired spirit pants to be free
 Farewell! ye who stay on earth's sullen shore! Farewell for your faces longer see
 Farewell! faithful friends, I'm with you no more. ''The chief had ceased and his spirit fled. The chief of the hoary hair; grave near the falls his people made And buried the chieftain there.''
 It would seem peculiarly appropriate that the upper of thecascades should here after be known as the Womoqui Fall, and the second as the Cothren Fall. Has not each fairly earned the distinction?
 Our only fear is, that T. M Thompson, Esq. would be tempted to jump down the Mird Fall, so that his name might go down to all posterity in connection with that of his friend Cothren.-ED.1