The Republican journal., 1873-03-20
''BisseIrs Camp"


Every one OF late years in driving down
the old Mammoth turnpike through Derry
who has turned aside upon u road leading
through deep forest in the eastern part
of Windham, remembers in the midst of
the wood, large, thoroughly built log
cabin, the interior of which was finished
with choice mahogany, and still bears
evidence of its original finish and elegance
The cabin is known far and wide in that
section, as ''Bissell's Camp"
Early on a clear June day, some forty
years ago, Il young man, the only child Of
Il rich East India merchant, left Salem,
Mass, with some half dozen boon COM
panions and servants, and having travelled
on horseback during the day, encamped
Just at sundown, in the centre of Wind
ham woods, nearly Il mile from the old
Mammoth road from which they had di-
verged. During the night the adjacent
farmers wondered what the bugle notes
echoing from the forest could mean, while
the younger lads were reminded OF the
stories Of the red coats told them by their
fathers. In the morning curiosity led Il
number of the boys to search out the causo
and on approaching the camp, We're hailed
by the leader, who told them 10 90 home
and bring all the nice poultry and eggs
they could obtain, for which he would pay
them handsomely.
The leader Of this quaint loray into the
Wmdham forest was at this time an
orphan, under the guardianship Of stephen
White, afterwards murdered by the Crown
ingshields at Salem. He mad passed the
most of his boyh0od in East Indian voy-
ages, and was reckless, generous and
prodigal. By his fathers will an annual
income Of $50 900 was at his disposal,
and having no relish tor city life, he left
Salem with the fanciful idea of building a
rude but costly retreat in some solitary
locality where he could pass his time in
hunting and spending his annuity The
forest where they had encamped suited
his fancy, and Il company of workmen
were forthwith employed to build Il cabin
of rude exterior; but the interior OF which
had Il superb finish, and was provided
with every convenience and luxury of city
life. Suitable outhouses were built, and
as Young BisseIl had an intense passion
for hunting, a large pair of trained hounds
We're procured and provided tor in OLD
English style The farmers and mechanics
Of the vicinity Were highly gIatified AS
the forest landlord made a constant de-
mand for labor and provisions, and paid
them hountifully. When his hounds made
depredationS upon the sheep-tlocks in the
vicinity, and the owners complained, he
paid s. for every missing one Finding
that some evil-minded ones cheated him,
he demanded that the heads should be
brought, and as this did not prevent inn
position, he refused to paw under any cir
cumstances. "Bissel's Camp" was pro
vided with an extensive hunting appara-
tus, and its owner was an unerring marks
man. Passing by farm yard, if the
esprit moved" he shot down the finest
turkey or the biggest rooster with as much
sang troid as he would draw his rifle upon
a wild partridge. But the neighbors had
learned to understand him, and not a
word was said on either side until some
days after he would ride up and blandly
give information of the act to the house
wife by placing in her hand fourfold the
value of the fowl. His experiments AS
Il marksman, however, were not always
so tav0rably regarded. He had taken
with him an Englishman, a regular bred
cook, a very necessary parsonage in this
sylvan bachelor retreat. One day the
Englishman was drawing water from the
spring, when he was startled by The sharp
report of rifle and q twinge about the
crown Of his hat. Taking it off, he found
it perforated with ball, and rushing into
the cabin, informed Bissell, who was
holding the rifle al a window, that the ball
bad passed through the crown Of his hat.
''Just what | intended" said the I'M
perturbablc marksman
G1y N. tIUp aft thn rpolr 4.alt a,1t I,or
bali pass through his hat crown, and with
fear rs we'll as rage, depicted in his coun-
tenance, informed Bissel that he should
submit 70 that kind Of courtesy no longer.
Bissell was not the fellow to make pledges
of any sort and the Englishman, really
alarmed for his safety, LETT the camp forth
with.
During the second year of rural life at
BlsscIPs Camp, IN event occurred which
put 81 sudden end to the owners tarry in
that neighborhood. Bssell's leading pc
culiarty was a tendency to freaks, and
nothing gave him such mortal oftenSc as
u suspicion OF his pecuhiary integrity
He had quite a number Of workmen em-
ploved, when he left the camp for a ten
days recreation on the seaboard Fifteen
days passed away and no return. when n
timil workman raised the alarm that the
proprietor's means had failed, and he had
taken final leave of Windham forest The
panic became general, and all the work
men, in imitation OF the first ularmist,
made haste to attach the premises. The
SheriH'S notice was hardly nailed to the
cabin when Bissell returned His rage
knew no bounds. Fiourishing :: huge lot
OF bank notes in the faces OF the work
men, he made oathS that he would leave
the premises in payment, and taking Il few
ketp-sakrs, left before night, for Vermont,
where he Immediately selected Il wood
itud nome IN " tshinGtVu county, where,
we are informed, he is stil residing.
''BiSseli's Camp" has never been visited
by him but once since. About seven
Years after his sudden departure, while
jouTnevng to Boston, he turned aside to
survey the premises now becoming dilap-
idated, and said that his only regret was
that he chad not pnt a keg of powder
under the camp and blown it sky high"
For quite number of years after, it
was occupied by Mr.. Ashmun, an English
man, and at the present time we believe
has no occupant
A better illustration of Bissel's pecul-
aritics can hardly he given, than the fol
lowing
During his stay at Wndham, it was his
habit in summer to dine in the open air.
One day he had Just sat down to superb
dinner, when he espied passing by, one Of
those vagrants which occasionally traverse
our farming towns, and used to be called
by the children ''old slragglers." Even
tor one of his class he was most shabbi.y
attired, and gave indubitable evidence
that neither his person OF his wardrobe
had for weeks experienced the visitation
of Soap and water Bissell ordered him
to come to the table, and the vagrant,
though unwilling, dared not disohey the
authnritive tone of his host. BY COM
mand he took Il seat opposite, and was
bountitnlly served with every dish on the
sideboard, the imperious tone of his host
him to devour twice what he
needed. Dinner over, Bissell told the ser
want to bring a gallon of soap, and the
party adjourned to a pond near by. when
the guest, having been compelled to divest
himself OF every tattered rag, and being
thoroughly overlaid with soap, was or
dered to give himself a most faithful scrub
- x,l1 Al.