Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1884-01-05

LOOK at the numerous Water-cOurSes
through which they waded, were suf
i"itnt to determine his path and re.
love his greatest difficulties. In the
meantime, the forest began to change
its hues, losing that lively green which
had embsllished its arches, in the
graver light which is the usual pre-
cursor of the close of day.
While the eyes of the sisters were
endeavoring to catch glimpses through
the trees of the food of golden glory
which formed a glittering halo around
the sun, tlnging here and there with
ruby streaks, or bordering with mar
row edgings of shining yellow, mass
Of clouds that lay piled at no great
distance above the western hills,
Hawk-eye turned suddenly, and point
ing upwards towards the gorgeous
heavens, he spoke.
"Yonder is the signal given to man
te seek his food and his natural rest,
he said "better and wiser would it be,
if he could understand the signs of
nature, and take a lesson from the
fowls of the air and the beasts of the
field! Our night, however, will soon
be over; for, with the moon, we must
be up and moving again. remember
to have fou't the Maquas, hereaways,
in the first war in which l ever drew
blood from man and we threw up a
work of blocks to keep the ravenous
varments from handling our scalps.
If my marks do not fail me, we shall
find the place few rods further to our
left"
Without waiting for an assent, or,
indeed, for any reply, the sturdy hunt
err moved boldly into dense thicket
of young chestnuts, showing aside the
branches of exuberant shoots, which
nearly covered the ground, like man
who expected, at each step, to discover
some object he had formerly known.
The recollection of the scout did not
deceive him. After penetrating
through the brush, matted as it was
with briers, for few hundred feet, he
entered an open space that surround
ed low, green hillock, crowned by
the decayed blockhouse in question.
This rude and neglected building was
one of those deserted works, which
having been thrown up on an emer-
gency, had been abandoned with the
disappearance of danger, and was now
quietly crumbling in the solitude of
the forest, neglected and nearly for
gotten, like the circumstances which
had caused it to be reared. Such
memorials of the passage and struggles
of man arc yet frequent throughout
the broad barrier of wilderness, which
once separated the hostile provinces,
and form a species of ruins that are
intimately associated with the reeollec-
tons of colonial history, and which are
in appropriate keeping with the gloomy
character of the surrounding scenery
The roof of bark had long since fallen,
and mingled with the soil; but the
huge logs Of pine, which lad been
hastily thrown together, still preserved
their relative positions, though one
angle of the work had given way
under the pressure, and threatened q
speedy downfall to the remainder OF
the rustic edifce. While Hayward
and his companions hesitated to ap.
proach building so decayed, Hawk,
eye and the Indians entered within
the low walls, not only without fear
but with obvious interest. While the
former surveyed the ruins, both in,
ternally and externally, with the curios,
ity of one whose recollections were
reviving at each moment, Chingach-
cook related to his son, in the Ian,
guage of the Delawares, and with the
pride of conqueror, the brief history
of the skirmish which had been fought
i'll his youth, in that secluded spot. a
strain Of melancholy, however, blend
ed with his triumph, rendering his
voice, as usual, soft and musical.
In the meantime the sisters gladly
dismounted, and prepared to enjoy
their halt in the GOODNESS ST the even
ing. and in " security which tiey be
lieved nothing but the beasts Of til,
forest could invade.
Would not our resting place have
been more retired, my worthy friend,
demanded the more vieiiant Duncan
perceiving that the scout had already
finished his short survey had we
chosen a spo. less known, and one
more rarely visited than this p
"Few live who know the block,
/ house was ever raised,' was the SLOW
and musing answer; "'tis not Otter
that books are made, and narrative;
written, Of such skrimmage as wa,