The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1876-06-16

their silent watch, continually scanning
the river and conversing only in the
lowest whispers. The tedious hours
wore slowly away, midnight drew near
and still they waited and watched.
ats about time the critter was
comm, if he's a goin' to-" Whispered
Ben. :" He generally appears near the
shadder o. that tree leanin' over the
water"
The words had scSl ccly left his lips
when the waters near the position indi-
Gated were violently agitated, and
huge, hairy form in human resemblance
rose out of the waters, its two horns
cleaning ghostly white in the moonlight,
and gave vent to a screeching roar that
rolled over the waters like the shrek of
a fiend, and was echoed and re-echoed
among the surrounding cliffs with
demoniacal and startling intensity. The
next instant the strange creature,
whether man, beast, or devil, sank from
sight beneath the troubled waters of the
Gold stream.
The trio seemed rivited to the spot by
strange fascination, and it was not
until the revibrating echoes had died
away, that they ventured to breathe
freely; when Ben said, with a sarcastic
ring in his voice.
What do you call that, / wonder ~
Knowland's strained nerves relaxed at
the sound of Ben's voice, and he an
swered, in strangely puzzled and waver-
ing tones:
. That is the most wonderful phenom-
enon / ever beheld."
It's not a spirit, though, reckon ?"
said Ben. with sheer.
No, | can't believe that it is. 1t
may be some Aquatic animal of which
we have never heard, or more probably
some miner who has found a rich lead
endeavoring to brighten and prevent any,
/ one from approaching his claim. ~-ss-u.a-y
90 mout knowed you wosrfdn-t be-
lieve what you seed yourself. The next
/ thing you'll be sayin' it was an optical
| delusion, and we didn't hear any noise at
all. ] tell you believe it's the Ole Boy
hisself, and we'd better git away from
I his section if we want to save our lair.
The Injun's cali it Devils Island, and
are as afeered of it as death, an they do
say that whoever goes near that island
never get away alive
Il don't care what the Indians say
about it," replied Knowland; "Pm not
going to leave these parts until solve this
mystery We can't do anything more
tonight, so we'll have to wait till to-
morrow night. Have you canoe about
here?'
Ben replied that he had a good one
near their camp.
Well, that will do; tomorrow night
am going beneath the shadow of that
tree. II you will go with me. well and
good if not, l shall go alone"
Nothing of importance occurring, we
xr-ill raSS ha time nm
til the following night, when we find our
friends nearing the haunted island in a
large Indian canoe.
Finding their leader obstinate and set
in his purpose of unveiling the mystery,
the trappers resolved to accompany him,
though it would lead them into the very
jaws of death. AT little earlier hour
than on the preceding night, in order to
avoid discovery, they cautiously APP
preached the island, and while a dark
cloud drifted across the face of the moon,
vailing the river IN a shadow, they 81
lently propelled themselves beneath the
shadows of the overhanging tree. They
had evidently come prepared for any
emergency; for they had brought with
them, besides their usual weapons, an AK
and a strong lasso.
Here they lay quietly, scarcely speak
ing q word, until near midnight, the hour
at which the monster was expected, when
one of the trappers grasped paddle, the
other rife, while Knowland seated him
self in the bow with the lasso in his
hand, coiled ready for use.
They had not long TO wait. Soon air
bubbles began to rise slowly to the sur
| face, when suddenly the waters were vio-
lextly disturbed, and the hairy monster
rose into full view, with horrid shrek
upon his lips, and scarcely ten feet from
the boat. Quick as the lightning flash the
strong coil of lasso shot from the hands
of the young man and settled upon the
shoulders of the strange creature, when,
with a strong jerk, il was drawn taut and
the monster lay struggling upon the wa
ter. A few strokes of the paddle brought
them alongside, and the writhing form,
which proved to be that of a man, was
lifted within the canoe. He struggled
desperately, but the trappers, finding
they had only flesh and blood to deal
with, dashed him fast and stifed his cries
with a gag.
They now padded with all their
might, and the canoe soon grated upon
the shore opposite their camp, and their
prisoner, who had now ceased his strug-
giles, was borne to their fire. As soon as
he was released and the gag removed, he
opened his lips to give vent TO a shrek,
but Black Ben grasped him firmly by
the shoulders, and the poor fellow cowed
down in speeches. terror 1t was then
seen that he was gibbering maniac;
doubtless some trapper who had become
insane. and made the island his abode.
The low, busy island was carefully ex-
amined the next day, and commOdious
cave found, the entrance to which was
close to the waters edge, and hidden by
the tangled masses of overhangiDg vines.
Here the maniac trapper had made his
home, remaining secret during the day,
and going forth upon his nocturnal ex-
cursions in the silent watches of the
night. The horns which presented 50
ghostly an appearance were the Orna-
ments of sort of cap which he wore,
and which was formed from the skin of
some wild animal. He was entirely
harmless, but hopelessly insane, and was
conveyed by his captors to the insane
asylum of California, where he was well
cared for and kindly treated.
This episode occurred many years ago,
yet the fat, bushy isle is still known as