The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1907-03-21
THE LOST LAKE AND COPPER
COMET.
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There was good landing IN little
cove ~ The foot ~ steep path up the
rocks, where they landed. and, after
looking over the surroundings, con
eluded 10 make this their headquarters,
fof a whllo 8; least. The boats were
ran into the cove and the goods carried
up 10 the blockhouse, which was very
old aud made Of cedar logs hewe,l
square and doveiailed together Ai the
corners; The roof. which was IN fair
repair. was made Of split cedar three
inches thick and double laid, while the
roof and the sides Of the house were
covered with four inches Of fire-clay
which baked hard IN the sun, forming
reddish substance as hard as brick
There was an abundance OF this clay,
and il appeared that much Of that which
was used came from large fissure in
the rocks under the house which cx.
tended down 10 the lake, where il made
blind outlet behind the rocks guard
ing the cove, which was not visible
from the lake outside. In this under
ground passage were side drifts. in one
Of which was clear, cool spring of
pure water and along the sides were
the remains OF provisions and utensils
OF hundred 10 two hundred years ago
There were old muskets with flint locks,
bows and arrows, cutlasses and toma-
hawks, kettles, skillets. etc, evidently
placed there for safe keeping. Two
small brass cannon were in the block
house front above. These had been
spiked with iron rods which were easily
withdrawn with pincers but could not
be pulled out with the fingers or teeth.
Evidently the occupants of hundreds of
years ago had left intending to return.
The blockhouse was 40xl00 feet and
20 feet high and two stories, with cross
beams overhead and splt-cedar floor
both above and below, and was divided |
INTO several rooms, and big fre-plaees
both above and below, with huge chin
neys, gave means 10 heat all the rooms.
One room up stairs, about 20x40 feet, |
was fitted up rs Roman Catholic |
chapel with all the altar paraphernalia
in position, and rude seats of the split |
pine lumber, hewn smooth, were in
place; but there were no records show
ing when or by whom it was built.
CHAPTER II.
BY night the goods had been slowed,
the boats hauled up and turned bottom
up, big fire in one of the many fire.
places cracked and snapped, and good
supper soon smoked on table made
of some goods boxes on which the fly
of tent was spread, and all ate heart
lily, for they were at their journeys
end for while. The Indians had never
been 10 this lake, but had heard ths..-
fatners nna grHnufntn-rs tcfi of iost
lake where the evil spirits lived; lake
where burning mountains and hot and
cold water united and where, many
hundred moons ago, a whole tribe of
Indians and many Frenchmen were
killed in a single night by fire from
heaven, fire from the earth, boiling
water, lightning and the solid earth
opening and swallowing them up; only |
one Indian escaping, and he was SO
scared he shook ever afterwards. His
teeth and hair fell out and he became
blind, and soon died. His story was
in memory and was consid-
cred as a warning for all Indians to
keep away from the lost lake. That
irst night of our prospectors at this
AXE shut in early, and mutterings of
,hunder told them that storm was
coming and about nine O'Clock it broke
n full force. The wind blew sixty
niles an hour from the northeast, and
he rain came in sheets; the lightning
lshed continuously, and the sharp,
,uick reports of thunder told that it
vas near by. The west door of the
,loekhouse was open and across the
AXE on the shore opposite, about mile |
listant. a rocky ledge seemed alive with
ightning as the bolts came from the
clouds and leaped back from the rocks
o the clouds. The noise was deafen-
ng for an hour, then a bright light,
urning night into day, was seen in the
,ast. The rain and wind had ceased,
md the lightning was playing away
arther southwest. The men had all
rome out doors, save the Indians. who
ay, face down, bowling their death
.hant. ia the old fort. This light soon
into large meteor, or
llnall comet. which came roaring
through the dark sky, turning il light,
.ursed downward and struck the rocks
IN the west side OF the lake about two
niles south of the old blockhouse. The
rash was awful, 1t famed up and
aud roared like city ON fire,
md lighted up the whole surroundings.
The Indians honled and shrieked aud |
,roancd, and rushed out Of the house
lown to the lake, jumped into their old
iugout canoe and pulled north at n
stroke, and were never
Iecn there again; but their old canoe
vas found years afterwards smashed I
md drifted onto n rock far north. {