The Republican journal., 1908-02-20
ALONG ARNOLD'S TRAIL
FROM MAINE TO CANADA.
BY FRANK w. GOWEN.
No, III.

north. AS the weather was fine we de-
cided to walk and after making arrang,
ments to have our swift cases forwarded
nv stage later in the day we started OH
leisurely. There was hardly a cloud in
the sky, and but little breeze stirring
when we left the hotel, but soon after
a good breeze Sprang up when was
laden with the sweet perfume OF WHO
flowers and clover blossoms and the
birds were singing sweetly. From my
earliest recollection l have loved the
song of birds, and their sweet melody
touched my heart with tenderness:
"We listen to the fiutter of their wings
The strains each JOY full songster t1ings,
Upon the fragrant, deWy ar,
And feel like bowling down to Goa IN prayer
For such orchestras, grand and rare.
For some distance after leaving the
hotel the road ran along near the Dank
of the river, which is not SO VIDE as the
Kennehec but very deep and flows
along with hardly ripple. So slowly
had we walked that it was over three
hours before we neared the village OF
Flagstaff. We crossed the bridge
which spanned the river and walked
down the hill past the little cemetery,
where lies a descendant of the famous
Capt. Miles Standish, and reached the
hotel at about 1890 a. m.- This is Flag
staff. where General Arnold encamped
his army for some time and erected
flagstaff and flung to the Wlntry breeze
our national banner 1t is now quite
thriving village, with extensive novelty
works. and entertains a good many
summer people | heard more stories
and legends of Arnold's march at THIS
place than at any place Oh the Ioute.
One old man, whose hair was white as
snow. pointed out to me with his cane
the exact spot, as he claimed, where
General Arnold raised his flagstaff.
my father, who was one of the earliest
settlers in this region and hunter ana
trapper told me So" said the old man
as he lighted his T. D. pipe, land l
reckon it is true" ''When | was a
small boy" he continued as he pulled
away, Il could detect traces of the
encampment here, such as few grass
grown ridges where the soldiers had
dug trenches around their camps, and
there were many long stretches OF
open spaces from the Carrying Place to
lower Dead River which noticed while
hunting with my father in my younger
days. These roads or open spaces vera
cleared by Arnold's soldiers, and my
father told me once, said the Old man
as he took his pipe from his mouth and
dug the ashes out of the bowl with his
jacknife, that many OF the soldiers
carried whistles formed from the bone
of deer legs, and When they had occa-
sion to blow a blast on them their
shril notes could be head a long dis
lance. He also told me that woman
accompanied the army of invasion, and
hot no lto ia of
Captain Daniel Morgan's company.
He died from exposure and llaIdships
between here and the Chaudiere river.
Before his brave wife covered his body
from the wolves she strapped his pow
der horn and pouch to her person,
shouldered lis rifle and set out again on
the weary march to Canada" ''She
must have been very determined
woman" | said. eyes SIR said the
old man, ''s'pose she was determined
that her husbands arms should go to
Quebec if he couldn't
The army suffered many privations
and hardships while encamped here,
the old man continued, but Arnold's
courage and patriotism enthused his
followers and they were ready to suffer
and die for liberty" eyes, Arnold
and his soldiers were brave men," | re-
piled, ''apd it is said that many wore on
their hats or caps the motto Liberty
OF Death" "What pity" said the old
man, chat a brave man like Arnold
should later turn traitor Yes, re-
piled, sit was great shame. Had his
eventful life only terminated with this
invasion, or a few years later on the
field of Saratoga, how different would
have been his place in history. AL
though Arnold was traitor, and per-
hapS one of the blacklist since the days
of Judas, and | shall ever condemn
him for his treason, yet believe that
his treason partOOk more OF treachery,
and in the light of his wrongs by the
Continental Congress and the acts of
the cowardly and unprincipled Gates
and other enemies, there should in
these times be some pity for the brave
leader of this invasion and the hero of
Saratoga"
Il believe you," said the old man, as
he brought his cane down on the ground
with firmness, "How my father hated
the name of General Gates, who SO
uniustly deprived Arnold of his com
mand. H and General Lee were trail
tors as we'll as Arnold"
just then my friend, who had been
down to the novelty factory looking
around, came along and l introduced
him to the old gentleman and he also
engaged him in conversation in regard
to Arnold's expedition. We remained
over the day and night at Flagstaff, and
the following morning after a late
breakfast we made the same arrange
ment as on the previous day about
having our suit cases forwarded to
Eustis, some five or six miles further
north, and started out afoot. The
morning was beautiful and we enjoyed
every moment of our walk. Eustis
is the terminus of the main travelled
highway and beyond this little village
there is nothing but rough tote road,
winding along the Dead River through
the wilderness to Canada.
After dinner at the hotel we engaged
a guide with his strong Canadian horse
and buckboar to take US in the MORN
ing through the wilderness to the Law
renee and Page farm some ten or twelve
miles beyond Eustls.
The next morning we rose early and
after breakfast found our guide on
hand for the journey. He strapped our
suit cases securely to the blackboard
and tucked light lunch under our seat
and small bag of grain for his horse
under his own, and jumping aboard we
babe good bye to civilization. The
scenery above Eustis along the Dead
river * wild and grand. SteeD hills and