Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1909-03-18

ferent spellings OF me same root,
Irocosia, indicating a country oc.
cupied by the 1roquols.
Probably few people at the present
time would recognize what was
meant X one were to refer to Mo-
hawk Rock" yet this famous landmark
once had greater significance as a
boundary mark than any iron shaft
that locates the invisible line separ-
ating the United States from Canada.
w. r.. II. Murray, more familiarly
known as Adirondack Murray be-
cause he discovered the beauties OF
that sportsman's paradise Indicated
for a host OF tourists. has written in
his usual happy vein Of Mohawk
Rock in his fascinating book on
Lake Champlain and It's Shores"
Mr.. Murray said:
"Men call it Rock Dunder. a mean
ingless name gotten from a silly ira
dition, too silly to mention. This Is a
monumental stone standing here In
| Burlington Bay. n memorial shaft,
older than the column of Trajan, old
err than the Agora OF the Greeks. The
fame OF this rock was continental
Centuries upon centuries before the
white man came. it was known to
every Indian warrior from Cape Bre-
| ton to Lake Erie and from Labrador
to Florida. Among all the red ma
| tions 1t was known and named win
awe. It was a landmark to half the
continent, a landmark of nationality
and empire. a pillar OF authority. a
symbol of sovereignty sustained by a
thousand battles during years innum
erable. For, from LAX Huron run
ming east even to this rock in Bur-
linston bay, came the boundary line
bet tween the %1roquois and the Algon-
quins, the two great ndian races
which held the continent east OF the
Mississippi, as modern men OF differ
ent and hostile races hold their coun-
| tries WHOSe III WYNN
which for either party to cross means
war. OF the Five Nations, each fierce
as a hunting eagle, the Mohawk'
stood in war preeminent. unmatchet
and invincible. What of this? Much
This rock in Burlington bay, In tina
former time. was Mohawk Rock tn
landmark of their northern boundar,
their mute and savag challenge IL
all the great tribes Of the North Il
come beyond it southwark, II the!
dared. Away then with the sill!
name that local ignorance has givei
to this historic stone, this monumen
of ancient times. old with unnumber
ed centuries when Champlain cam
and gave back to It that signifcan
and noble name by which the re
races knew it. when by them 1t was
in peace and war, treaty and tribute
mentioned in honor or in e. a
Mohawk Rock"
Mr.. Murray then INDUCES In
flight Of Imagination and exclaim'
What might not this old stone tel
us IL it might speak Of old-time war
and peace, of treaties made an
broken by the old-time warriors. VIII
gathered in solemn councils withil
sight Of 1t, Toasted their friends an
tortured their captive foes beneat
the mighty pines which lined
those far days with a forest wall tn
shores OF Burlington bay"
The late Hon. l.. f. Chittenden wrot
a scratching review OF Mr.. Murray's ref
erence to Rock Dunder as marking tn
boundary. between the lands of tn
T ~Iroquois and the A~lgonau!ns. ridicul
ing the famous Adirondack writer
history and showing how we'll estat
= lished was the name Of Rock Dunds
So good an authority as the LAT
= Rowland f. Robinson claimed. how
ever. that according to the oldest 8
Francis Indians Rock Dunder was W.
{ Ja-nOSe, or tne foTDluuer. III
I would seem to carry out the claim
D Adirondack Murray that beyond tn
stalwart rock neither Algonquin n,
%Iroquois might pass.
In this year of 1909, when the pc
Pile OF the Champlain valley are
. commemorate the great service
Samuel De Champlain, it will be fl
, ting to carry out the suggestion
Adirondack" Murray and re-christt
and henceforth call this histor