The Hartford herald., 1885-08-26
AMERICAN LANDMARKS.
A Midnight Search for the Hidden
Treasure of Isle Royal

OGDENSBURG, n. Y, Aug. 4, 1880.
Editor Herald:
cold, disagreeable rain has beeI
falling since morning. Thro' the old
fashioned window of my eosey littl,
room l can look out across the foamy
water of the st. Lawrence and see tn,
old stone wind mill, which was occu
pied by the Polish exile, Van Shultz
during the battle of "Wind Mill Point
in the Patriot war of 1898.
A CHEEKY fire of hickory wood i:
burning in the quaint old fireplace, and
nothing save the crackle of the ember.
and the rapid strokes of two pens break
the dreamy silence of our pleasant quar-.
ters.
Seated at "A table near my own is a
young man busily engaged in writing,
only raising his eyes occasionally from
lfis Nj. ). to look out upon the white
capped Wages of the river that are
dashed up against the small dock be-
meath our very windows. He Is indeed
n very singular young man, aud In in-
Producing him to my readers it is my
purpose only to state such facts regard
ing his past history as is necessary To
give him the appearance ia tangible
reality instead Of presenting him in the
garb Of IA being of fiction. Since my
earliest remembrance he has followed
me like a shadow. His existence began
at so nearly the same time as my own
that We have never been able to decide
which one of us was the senior. What
eyer have done he has attempted.
And now as | travel from place to place
in my present wark, | am not surpris-
ed to still find him my comp0qnOn de
Uoydge.
Isle Royal, or Chimney Island" as
1t is more commonly called, lies about
five miles below this place, in the St.
Lawrence riyer, and on the American
side of the boundary line. During the
occupation of Canada by the French it
was strongly fortified, aud the high em-
bankments and walls of the forts may
still be seen from the decks of passing
steamers.
In the month of August, 1860, it was he.
seiged and taken by Gen. Putnam. On
the night before the capitulation a large
amount of government treasure held
by the French cOmmandant was buried
here and at the present time it is no
uncommon thing in visiting the place
in the morning, to find large excava>
tiOns that have been made during the
night by some fanciful adven-
turer in the hope of becoming the
possessor of the rich treasure which in
all probability actually lies hidden be,
meath the ruins of this desolate old spot.
The many tales which are told of tlis
place rrau a. f..,-.o.faf attrartfoa
mon; so much so that despite my per.
suasiOns to the contrary, he set out at
an early hour yesterday with the pur-
pose of visiting the island.
During period Of his early boyhood
Simon was so unfortunate as TO fall a
victim to severe attack of cholera
morbus, which very unhappily went
to his brain, or more definitely, to his
imagination, and since that time,o the
annual return of the cucumber season,
he is afflicted with serious
flights, and of the fancy to such
n degree, that the inspiration
of such place rs he was now Wis.,
iting is liable to work sad havoc with
his entire intellectual apparatus. 1t was
for this reason that my apprehensions
were not i'm the least consoling, when
rs it began to grow dark, he did not
return. l despatched a searching par.
ty to the island, but no traces of him
were found, and not until the sun wa.
far up in the heavens on the following
day, did he make his appearance
On his return he declined all inquiries
regarding his nocturnal experiences
and set himself at once about writing
the following NJ. s.:
81 set foot Oh Isle Royal believing in
the things of this earth, which | had
seen, and trusting in God and the An
gels, which l had not seen. LEFT
it, believing In the spirits which | saw
and doubling whether had ever seer
any earth at all.
In consequence of much travelling
about among the ruins of the fort, wa
exceeding weary, and about the hou
of noon | laid myself down beneath
large tree to rest. l soon fell into
drowsy state akin to sleep, and yet, no
sleep, and as l continued in this state
an aged man approached me, dressed il
strange costume, and singing as he
came,
Child OF earth there is no sleep
In our palace meath the deep,
Where thro' days of endless pleasure
Seek we for the hidden treasure.
Iarose and followed him. He lie,
the way into the old building. which i
| the best preserved, and approaching tn
old fireplace, laid his hands against TIN
walls, which swung out AS door, re
vealing cavernous archway whicl
led downward for great distance, an,
at the end of which | discerned al
exceedingly spacious and brilliantl.
lighted room. The walls of the fire
place closed heavily behind us, and w
, hastened downard. AS we neared tn
dazzling apartment below, which
now became more distinct, l hear
q a chorus OF most melodious voices sing
: ing:
Far beneath the restless waters,
Deep below the islands crest,
Is the home of happy spirits,
Where to toll Is but To rest.
g We soon entered this subterraneal
E Dalace. where "A mOst wonderful Sigh