The Cecil Whig., 1878-03-02

Historical Researches that Qnilp Made
as Bohemian.
CHAPTER XVIII.
GEORGE TALBOT AND HIS CAVE.

Without any mishap Talbot and his
friends reached Susquehanna Manor in
safety. This happened in the early pal t
of February, 1855, and few days after
the authorities of Maryland for the sur
render of the fugitive. and the Council of
Maryland made great show of trying to
arrest him, and if WE can believe the chron-
cles of the times the air resounded from one
side Of New Ireland to the other with the
''hue and cry" that was raised. Proca-
nations were made and every means wee
| exhausted to effect the arrest of the fugi-
tive, but without success. Why the Couu-
ell were now SO anxious to secure the arrest
OF their former president, when they, few
months before had protested so energeti
cally against his retention in Virginia, is
one of the many strange things we meet
with in history, but we have no doubt that
they acted wisely and as cirCumspectly as
circumstances permitted them, and under
all this show of obedience and submission
to the representative of royalty in Virginia,
we believe there was concealed determine
Lion to shield rather than capture the fugi
tive. Talbot was provided with tlaxen
wig and other means of disguise and kept
himself well informed of the whereabouts
OF the officers of the law, any one of whom
would probably have given him timely
warning of their approach and aided him
in effecting his escape, if they could have
done so without jeopardizing themselves.
1t was at this critical time in his life that
Talbot took refuge in the cave that, while
it was in existence, was called by his name.
This cave was a short distance below Port
Deposit, on the east side Of the Susque-
hanna river, close by the waters edge and
Immediately above the mouth of Herring
run. One hundred and ninety two years
ago the place and it's surroundings were
quite different from what they are to-day;
then the waters of the river were seldom
disturbed save by the fragile canoes of the
savages as they came from the regions of
the great lakes and pine covered mountains
of the far north to exchange their peltries
for the trinkets that the white man kept
for that purpose at Palmer's Island, few
miles further down the river.
Mount Ararat, whose base on the north
ern side is washed by the limpid waters OF
the boisterOuS little stream, then, as now,
stood silent and alone in the magniiicenct
of its grandeur and beauty: but the busy,
busting town, whose commerce and indus
try now wakes the echoes among its granite
hills, was not dreamed of by the anxious
fugitive as he stretched his weary body on
his lonely couch to seek, in the sweet OBJ
livion of sleep, the rest that troubled
mind prevented him from obtaining while
awake.
Talbot's cave was natural formation in
the granite bluff, and was about twelve feet
wide and extended back from the river into
the rock about eighteen feet; it was about
ten feet high. and was in good state Of
preservation sixty years ago, and traces of
it remained distinctly visible till much
more recent period; but about thirty years
this utiltarian age destroyed all trace of it,
and the granite rocks that sheltered the
Lord of Susquehanna Manor now lie sub
merged in Chesapeake bay, where they
were placed to effect an improvement upon
its navigation in the vicinity of the Rip
Raps" many years ago.
Tradition, with its usual inaccuracy, says
that Talbot dwelt in this cave for a long
hawks with him, by means of which be
obtained his substance, his falcous CATCH
ing the wild fowl on the river. This is not
at all probable, for there is evidence ex
tant to prove that he was seen and recog-
nized by Robert kemble while at the house
of George Odfield, in Elk Neck, whittier
he had gone in his sballop, which was
beating about in Elk river during the brief
period he was snjourning at the house of
his friend. This Robert kemble is one of
the witnesses of Augustine Iermau's will,
and probably resided in Elk Neck or on
Bohemia Manor. We know but little moIe
of him; but he probably was a man of some
distinction, though nearly every trace of
him has been lost and the tide of oblivion
has nearly covered and concealed his mem
ory.
After fleeing from place to place, now
hiding for awhile in the cave, and anon ly-
ing concealed in the houses of his friends.
the courageous lrishman, probably to save
his friends further trouble and anxiety on
his behalf, voluntarily surrendered himself
to the authorities of Maryland and was
committed fer trial in the provincial court;
whereupon the arrogant Howard renewed
his demand that the culprit be sent to Nir-
ginia in order to be tried there. The Coun-
Gil of Maryland were in no haste to reply
to this demand, and it was not till after
the lapse of several weeks that they made
any reply to it. The news of the acces-
sion of James the Second had reached their
ears a short time before. and he being of the
same faith of Lord Baltimore, they had rea-
son to hope that his influence with the king
might mitigate or neutraize the dispea>ure
of their new sovereign, which they feared
he might otherwise visit upon them. They
probably never would have surrendered
Talbot had not the Lord Proprietary writ
ten to Them under date of July so, 1856,
81 10, ,tl tI,a