Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1871-03-04
THE SCOUTS REVENGE.
STORY or WHITEHALL IN tTS EARLY
DAYS.

A STORY OF WHITEHALL IN tTs EARLY
Few people who inhabit, and fewer yet
who visit our thriving village, have any
idea how many exciting scenes, bloody
tragedies, and hard fought battles with
the aboriginos and their scarcely less saw.
age allies the Tories of which Whitehall
and its surroundings have been the theater,
in "the timc that tried mems souls" Yet,
80 it is; aud there arc plenty Of incidents,
where they dug from the dark mines Of
the past, to furnish material for many a
story, as exciting, and far more truthful,
than those whose plots are laid among the
snow capped Sicrras, or on the plains Of
the far West.
The incidents Of the following story
were related to ME when small boy, by
that good and kind old mau, the favoritc
Of all children aud tho story teller Of the
nrighborhood, Israel Warner he having
received it from his father, who was one
of tho actors in many of the startling Incl.
dents which go to make up the early his.
tory of Whitehall, Colonel Seth Warner
There are people living among US, who
cau remember when the marsh at the
northern extremity Of our village, was Of
sufficient depth to allow the slo 'ps and
schooners, or any sailing craft whose draft
Of water was not more than ten feet, to
deliver their freight at the very place
where now the laundering locomotive,
with u shrek like that Of 6end, dives
into the earth at the foot Of Church street.
Atthe time Of which write, this marsh,
as we'll as the ones on the east of our bar.
Dor, formed with the new narrow channel
Of Lake Ckamplain, one vast bay, or har.
Dor. Those sand.b bars, upon which arc
now piled millions Of feet Of lumber, and
occupied by saw and steam planning mills,
Offices and dwellings, were known as
Cookies Island; and Cookies Island was
In truth an island at all times of the year
aud it is with this island that my story is
connected. Reader, upon this spot hap.
pened one Of the most bloody tragedies in
the unwritteu history of those early set.
tiers.
On this Island, the carly settlers had
built small wood fort, or block house,
and from which cause, tho island was
named Block House Island. It was sur
rounded by high wall, but close to the
waters edge, on all sides except the west,
this being protected by . perpendicular
cliff some forty or City feet in height, which
vas washed at the base by the waters Of
the Lake.
This place was selected by them on &C.
count of its natural Notifications, aud be.
cause it commanded . view Of the whole
harbor, as place Of safety for the women
and children of the settlement, to which
they fed at the time of danger.
Now the war Of the Revolution had be.
gan and this place was garrisoued by a
small force, who, at the approach of the
enemy was reinforced by the settlers, who
removed the most valuable parts Of their
psoparty to the fort.
The armament vss small consisting Of
four old brass six Founders.
There may still be seen upon the sum.
init Of this island, remains Of that old fort,
which are just ~ fresh today AZ they
were twenty years ago, while other places
of like nature, in our vaciuity, have been
ploughed up or built over. and every YES.
tige of their existence destroyed. But
here (thauks to tho veneration Of its pres
ent proprietor, w. W. Cooke, for every
Landmark of that time when the young
American Eagle plumed its wings, aud
whot its beak and claws for its great strug-
gle with the British Lion,) 20 one has
dared to deface OF destroy those old re.
mains which point with . silent though
eloquent finger to the daring deeds Of the
past. Aud who can tell but the spirits Of
those patriots who died upon that island.
in defence Of colonial liberty, joined their
spirit hands and danced around the flag
staff which was erected by Mr.. Cooke ia
the center Of those old works during the
late rebellion, when our starry h,nncr m