Connecticut western news., 1882-04-05

night they returned toward Caughna- waga, which they burnt to the ground, and took all the men prisoners, and then retracing their steps to Johnstown, took up their quarters at the old hall which was the homestead of Sir John.
 Here the fine figure and handsome face of Thomas Sammons attracted the attention of Sir Johns daughter, 8 young lady 80 gentle and amiable, that it was matter of surprise how she could have been born of such a father. She immediately eontrived plan for hls escape; interceding with all the eloquence and persuasion of which she was mis- tress. on behalf of two or three persons to whom she had been under obligations for safe conduct, and finally obtained an order for their release, she managed to smuggle Thomas Sammons in among them, and with kind words and look which stirred new and strange emotions in his heart, he was permitted to re- turn.
 The next morning old MT. Sammons requested an interview with the com- mander, when he reproached him for his treacherous conduct, briefly reviewed the various acts of kindness which had been bestowed in the past, and asked if this was the fitting return. His remon- strances produced such an effect that an order for his release was signed, but all efforts on behalf of his sons proved un- availing.
 Jacob and Frederick were therefore taken to the fortress of Chamblee, just within Canada, between Lake Cham plain and the St. Lawrence.
 At the post there were about seventy prisoners, and not a very strong gar rison; so that the first thing to which the young Sammons's made up their minds was an escape. Finding, how ever, their fellow captives indisposed to do anything for themselves, Jacob and Frederick determined to act without the rest, and accordingly, the first time they were taken out of the fort together, to assist in some common service, they sprung from the ranks, at concerted signal, and ''put," as the phrase is in the west. The guards started, but less fleet of foot could not catch them and though Jacob fell and sprained his ankle, he managed under cover of the smoke produced by the gun shots made at them, to hide himself in clump of bushes, which his pursurers did not think of searching. It had been agreed previously between the brothers, in case of separation, they were to meet at 8 known spot at 10 o'clock at night.
 Jacob, the lame one, mistook the hour, and having gone to the spot and not finding his brother there. he left it with the intention of getting as far from the fort as possible before daylight, his accident making time especially im- portant to him. He accordingly pushed up the western bank of the Sorel River toward Lake Champlain, intending to swim just below the lake and then find his way toward the eastern shore. Various events, however, occurred to prevent his doing this; but after rum ming great risk by putting himself in the power of a tory, whose chief ex- cellence seems to have been the possession of kind and fearless wife, he waso so lucky as to find canoe, of which he took charge, and in which he made good headway toward home until, in one of the narrow passes of the Champlain, the British Notifications, on both sides, forced him to leave the
 vessel and take to the woods again.
 At this time he was without shoes,
 food or gun, and had to find his way tc
 Albany through an unknown wilder.
 ness along the Vermont shores. Flo,
 four days he lived entirely on birch
 bark; he then managed to catch a few
 fish and duck, which he ate raw; thus
 he labored on for ten days. His feet
 meantime, had become terribly cut
 and were bleeding every step, so tha
 he could hardly crawl, and if he stopped
 to rest one moment, swarms O
 mosquitoes settled upon him and stuns
 him into madness.
 ) While thus reduced to the extremes misery, making his way the best h. could on his hands and knees, nearl, blind from swelling and inflammation aud surrounded by voraoious insects eager for their prey, he heard the shar] l missing sound which indicated tn 3 presence of still more deadly enemy 8 @ rattlesnake. There was no possibilit 8 of escape; closed in on every side, unabl . to move, he saw the glittering eye of hi :. scaly pursuer fasten itself upon hir !, without the power to save himself fro1 D it's fangs. A moment and its shar - teeth were buried deep into the shudde1 e ing flesh, and it had coiled il a venomous form round his leg. Anothe d and his jack knife has dispatched tE r reptile, laid open the veins in his linn
 and cut out the parts which its poiso 'f had penetrated; then, with the instin, IS of heroism, turning to account u J. most frightful accident of his position a he cut out the heart which he ate, an n felt strengthened and somewhat r n animated.
 e For day or two, then, he lay besit T. log in the forest, in 8 condition whie o it would seem few men could surv1v. 's worn to skeleton, his feet torn d pieces, suffering from terrible woun l. he still managed to collect little d h fungus, and cooked and ate part of u g rattlesnake, until his strength was e y tirely exhausted, and he was unable