Cheyenne transporter. [volume] (Darlington, Indian Terr.) 1879-1886, 1885-02-15
OLD TICNODEROGA.


pretty village of TiconGeroga, up the
outlet of Lake George, where one finds
good hotels and all the amenities
Lake George is three miles away on
the south, and Lake Champlain two
miles on the east, while at the door in
the falls of the outlet is almost every
variety of form that falling water can
assume. This outlet as it leaves Lake
George, is u considerable mill-stream
of clear, cold water, sparkling and
murmuring among meadows until,
reaching the village, it falls 250 feet
in rs many yards, covering almost at
leap the difference in level between
the two lakes. In its natural state
the cataract must have been romantic
picture, but its waters are now SO OBJ
stuctcd by dams and vcXed by mill
wheels that much of their beauty has
vanished.
The great feature of interest, how
ever, is old Fort tTicondcroga. AS one
glides from the outlet into the lake he
sees over q marsh on the left a gaunt,
craggy promontory rising abruptly
out of the water, and stretching back
into the forest well-delincd wall or
trap 100 feet above the level of the
lake. The railway coming up from
Whitehall pierces the barrier by Il tun-
mel On the right, in the curve of the
bay, formed partly by this promontory,
is the dock where the large steamers
land their passengers for lake George.
This promontOry is Ticonderoga, one
of the most historic spots in America.
Clambering up its lodges to the sum-
NIT, one finds u green, slightly-rolling
plateau, with black rocks outcrOpping
here and there among the grass, and
in the center gaunt and ragged walls
of masonry. In some of them
cmbasurcs still cape, and beside
them moat and sally-pOrt, north and
west bastiOns, parade and barracks,
are still traceablc A little further
east, where the cliff projects over
the water, may be defined the outlines
of redoubt Sheep are feeding now
among the grim ruins, and one may
linger all day without being disturbed
by any chance passer. 1t is a strange,
eventful history that of this rock.
When the French engineers of Baron
Dieskau first selected il, and raised
here the walls of their Fort Carlton,
they did it to command the great high
the south and their own dominion OF
Canada, highway which, making use
of the Hudson and the two lakes
George and Champlain-gave almost
uninterrupted water communication
between the st. La Hrence and the At
lantic at New York. And 50 it came
about that all the wars between these
French and English colonies resolved
themselves into struggle for the po-
session OF this commanding rock. In
like manner it became the first point
aimed at and won by the American
colonies in their later struggle witt
England for their independence
Strange memories cluster about the
gray old ruin, which Il dreamy Octo
Der day is apt to reviyify. First, one
thousand gay Frenchmen in blue coats
and half as many Iroquois in war-pain
and feathers, march away up the out
let toward Lake George, bound on The
cOngenial errand of a midnight as
sault on some unguardcd fortress o
sleeoing settlement. But in a few
days, como streaming back, broken
defeated. They have met johnson
and the prOvinciais at Fort William
Henry, at the head of the lake. Next
Vaudreul comes on the same errand
wading through the March SHOWS, bu
is broken on the same sturdy barrier
But the Frcnchmen will persist, an
five months later Montcalm, wit
pennons waving over eight thousan
men in aims, comes up the lake, boun
to sweep the English from George
He does it, but the year is hardly on
ere Ambercrombic, with fifteen thouS