Connecticut western news., 1908-04-09
THE INDIAN LEGEND
 OF NUDGE POND
"PONTOOsUc" SAVED BOYS LIFE

"PONT0OSUC" SAVED BOYS LIFE Slave Owner Would not Permit his Man
 to Attempt a Rescue-Indian De-
 cIined to Accept a Reward-"When
 you see Poor Indian, Give Him a
 Bite.
 About the year 1756 near the village of Sharon, in the state of Connecticut, by the side of the Nudge" pond, says the Chatham, (N. Y.) Courier" an ex- cited number of white men and one colored man, a slave, were vainly trying to prevail upon the owner of the slave and try to rescue two boys who had just fallen into the water. The lads, Jacob, 12 years old and John, eight, were the sons of one, Ephraim Grlswold, who built up clothing works, consisting of a fulling mill, dyehouse, etc. Griswold offered the man $1 ,000 to let his colored man bring the boys out, dead or alive, and the slave said he could save them both and was anxious to try. But he refused and sent the man home, frantic with grief and excitement. None had noticed the approach of a young Indian until he suddenly threw down a bundle he was carrying and his blanket and plunged into the clear water of the pond. Grasping lad by each hand he brought them ont. Ready hands took Jacob and tried to bring him to, but the Indian kept hold of the smaller boy and soon had the water expelled from his lungs and he revived. But Jacob was dead
 It was we'll for the owner of the slave that he had gone to his house and kept himself out of sight of the villagers until after the burial of the drowned boy. Tenderly the Indian carried the dead body to the house, while the father took the little one and neighbor carried the Indians gun, blanket and bundle along to the house of sorrow. The parents of the children and the neighbors all ex- pressed their gratitude to the Indian, and Griswold told him to name any re- ward even if it took all he had. But he would accept nothing only his, dinner, saying, "When you see poor Indian, give him bite. Sorry did not get here sooner," meaning that both the boys lives would have been saved. Then he said he was on his way to hunt beaver near Lake Champlain and would stop on his return and sure enough, towards spring late one night coming to the door was joyfullY bade to come in. He had large pack of furs, mostly beaver pelts. He said he had had noth- ing to eat for the past two days. A deep snow had fallen since he started on his several streams. His gun he had thrown away having become useless. (All northern New York at that time was a wilderness except in places along the
 
 was given him, then he rolled his blanket around him and laid down on the floor with his feet towards the old fireplace refusing to sleep ill a good bed. He was placed good gun, powder horn, bullets and shot pouch, with a pair of snow shoes and some bread and meat in a package on his bundle of furs and re- tired. In the morning "Pontoosuc" was gone. But he had left two fine beaver skins (which in that early time were valuable) and he had placed little Johns boots on the skins he left thus signify ing they were for little John.
 His wigwam (home) was near the Connecticut river. Although he was, as he said, a Mohegan, the name "Pon- toosuc'' was given hin after the Revo- Iutionary war by some white men be- cause he lived for many years near a small lake by that name ill western Massachusetts. His proper Indian name meant "Strong Oak" For several years every spring ana Tall PontoOsuc would come to the GriswoId home in Sharon, caress little John, bring him money, Indian trinkets, and i'll the spring always leave him valuable furs, only accepting food or some necessary garment in return. As John grew to manhood, a warm attachment developed between him and "Pontoosuc, who pur chased a mill privilege with some ten acres of land at Spencertown, N. Y. of one, Abner Hawley and built up a full ng mill and dyehouse and soon had all the work he could do at his trade among the people who were coming to the place from Connecticut and proposed beyond his most ardent hopes.