Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-10-07

Alexandria BAY. N. Y. Oct. 7.-Gi-
bert X. chesterton in his talk on the
ignorance OF the educated might have
used the Thousand Islands as an apt
illustration Of his text: "Ignorance is
not 80 much what people don't know
as It Is their knowing so many things
that aren't So"
/ Thousand Islands are to most peo-
pie a group of approximately 1000
dots Of land IN the st. Lawrence River
A native of this place who has lived
in or near the islands all her life
says that there are exactly 900
islands in the group" And her tone
implied II you doubt It. count 'em
/ yourself.
Yet the fact IL that the Thousand
Islands numbers close Co 500. The
early French explorers sailed through
the maze OF islands and dubbed them
the name they still carry Thous.
and Islands is euphonlous name.
suggestive Of romance, and the history
Of the islands has run accordingly.
The romance Of the French days
was Indian tradition. The Iroquois
had picturesque tale 70 account for
the origin Of this long stretch Of
islands IN the 81. Lawrence.
The Great Spirit. they said. wanted
peace on earth. So he gave to the
ST. Lawrence region as a sign ar
island shaped like a peace pipe. This
island, called Calumet, Is still pointed
out near Clayton. Somewhere neal
there was the garden Of the Grea'
Spirit.
But when his people ignored tn,
peace pipe and brought war into m,
7 land, the Great Spirit In disappoint
I ment seized his garden up in 4 bIanke
10 leave the place. The blanket tore
and the garden, falling into the -
Lawrence River, broke into thou
! sand islands that lay on the surfac
Of the water. This origin. the stor
says. accounts for the beauty Of IN
. islands.
? Tho region, too, is claimed by som
students Of Indian lore as the seen
: Of the Hiawatha story. as it actual
n occurred in Indian history. Hiawaths
n according to these authorities, was tn
: Onondaga hero. Michabou. Great Har,
n whose wisdom and prowess set hir
forever in Indian affairs as the grea
y leader and example.
z. Today, Indian souvenirs IN the shor
are the only signs left to remind tn
II people who dart about the waters
e motor boats Of the Tins when India
# canoes dotted the st. Lawrence.
/; The romance for today is supple
n by modern stories. Just across froi
i; Alexandria Bay. for instance, is Hea
II Island with it's novel history beal
v. tiful castle stands on this island,
) typical millionaire's residence. Bi
a the windows are shuttered. The dOoi
"a are boarded.
Eighteen years ago. they tell yo
" a millionaire planned this castle for n
wife. There were 80 rooms and
~ baths, and other details on the san
~ scale. An underground passage 10 Il
10 castle from the dock was constructs
70 for freight. Even the power hou
) down on the waters edge was bui
y like cluster Of towers. A millie
- dollars was put into the building, ar
. unlimited enthusiasm and affectio
:. Hearts were painted into the decor
!, tions on the ceiling and out in Il
= carvings Of the stone.
"a But before IL was finished the mi
tress OF the castle died. The mi
= lionaire ordered work suspended
= once. Crates OF furniture were le
~ : standing unpacked in the rooms.
Later, visitors 70 the islands we
permitted by the caretakers TO see 4