The Portland daily press., 1894-05-24
LEGEND OF RIoAMoND,s ISLAND 10,
The Fate of Black William of Nahant,
Commemorated in Verse by Hon.
Fabius Nj. Ray-The Spectre that ap-
pears to Mariners off the Cape.

In recent number of Home and Coun-
| try valuable family magazine published
| in New York, is poem by Hon. f. M. Ray,
| of Westbrook, entitled Black William of
| Nahant.' 1t has touch of local interest.
the scene being laid within the limits of
the town of Cape Elizabeth. Manatahqua
called also Black William, was a sachem,
and proprietor of Nahant. He was a great
friend of the whites, but his friendship was
repaid as was that of many others of that
and even later times. There was a man
named Walter Bagnall, nick-named "Great
Wot," who had much wronged the Indians,
killed near the mouth of the Saco River.
AS some vessels were upon the eastern coast
| in search of pirates they put In at Rich
mond's Island, where they fell in with Black
William. This was the place where Bagnal]
had been killed about two years before, but
whether he had anything to do with it does
not appear. On the contrary, it was partic-
ularly mentioned that Bagnall was killed
by Squidrayset and his men, some Indians
belonging to that part of the country. Upon
this legend Mr. Ray has founded his poem,
of which portions follow:
Of swarthy cheek and deep-set eye,
And statue tall and gaunt,
But he doth hold his head full high,
Black William, of Nahant.
And he will fish by Spurwink's mouth,
Or hunt the grouse and tern,
Till brant and goose have fitted south,
And Wlntry winds return.
On Richmond's Isle, across whose bar
The ebb-tide means at night,
And wakes betimes in forests far,
Ine hollow notes of fright,
Upon the greensward is spot
That evermore is red
Twas there the Indians slew Great Wot,"
A tWelyemonth now that's sped.
And ever since upon the beach,
The gruesome corpse hath lain
BY vultures rent, and left to bleach
In sunshine and in rain.
But on his broad lands at Nahant.
Full thirty leagues away,
Will and his trusty braves did plant
The yellow make that day;
And knew not of the deed of blood
That dyed the emerald turf
Beside the shore where Casco's flood
Still pours the yeasty surf
High Ger the seas full-rigged craft
Is bearing toward the land,
Armed men on deck, and standing aft .
Is one that has command.
And there be faces Will well knows,
And oft hath seen before,
Where Shawmut's crystal fountain flows
BY BlaxtOn's friendly door.
And SO he waves them greeting gay,
And waits upon the beach,
For he hath heard meek Eliot pray
In that same English speech.
But with surprise he standeth mute
When they have come to land,
For rough men bind Will hand and foot
Upon that peaceful strand.
And though he Graves them why they thus
A helpless man entreat,
And bows his giant TO m in dust
Before his captors feet,
Their only answer is a moose
:, Quick thrust about his neck
No precious moment they will lose
10 bring him to the deck,
And hang him from the ships yard-arm,
The sea that like Hebrew psalm.
Now resteth peacefully.
But ere he dies the Indian brave
Hath to his murd 'rers given
look that Will outlast the grave,
And blast the peace of heaven.
A look of such unearthly hate.
Such bitter, burning rage,
AS on their heads Or soon or late,
Dire vengeance doth pressage
WlLuln lue SOMDre night That wraps
The shores where wild waves Groom
| watch the white sprays beaded caps
Uplifted toward the moon
And as l bid my fancy range
On light and airy wing,
Behold sight more weirdly strange
Than any earthly thing!
A figure tall and gaunt and grim
Walks forth upon the beach.
what time fqll.rligged ship doth trim
Her sails in hailing reach
Upon the deck in silence stand
The captain and his crew,
Meanwhile the shape, with feshless hand
Doth beckon them anew.
And then it laughs bitter laugh,
That echoes DER the main,
And they will hang it from he gaff,
And fix the moose again;
When suddenly from out the sea,
Three blazing points appear
And mortals who the portent see
Are blanched with deadly fear.
For Neptune with his trident splits
The whole crew on its prongs,
And so, though late, in manner fit
Avenges Black Wills wrongs.