A PAST INDUSTRY. 201
reled for sale in tlie county to bo inspected and })randed and
the size of barrels and qui ntity of salt to ]»e used were pre-
scribed. In 1823, April 13, another law relating to this sub-
ject was passed ; March
appointed, and April 15, 1835, the inspection of fish was dis-
continued. Calvin Lincoln was appointed inspector .June II.
1817, M Evan.s, March 11), 1818, and Benjamin T. Bliss on
Point Salul)rious afterwards. The early laws were disregarded,
but the latter strictly enforced, yet the restriction was always
considered odious by the tishermen who sought many ways of
evasion and finally procured their removal.
By far the most successful fishing in Chaumont hay li.is
l)een with the pound-net. This method of fishing was intro-
duced in the spring of 1859 ]>y Ralph II. Rogers, the sun of a
Revolutionary soldier who was one of three brothers in the
P>unker Hill engagement, and himself a veteran of the war of
1.S12. He set a i)0und-net off the shoiv of Point Peiiinsuhi,
and about the middle of October another was set by 0. II.
Kirtland, Lucius P. Inghrara, and D. W. Clark, who came on
from Saybrook, Connecticut, for the pur|)Ost'. The yields were
enormous foi" the next two or three years, and it was sometimes
impossible to care for the fish which were caught.
The average size of the pound-net is 30 feet square, and it
is usually set in about 30 feet of water, although nets to fish in
4t) feet were not unusual. This is securely fastened to four
stakes driven fii'mly into the bottom, witii the ui)[»er I'uds two
oi' three feet out of water. From tiiis pound oi- rcc('i\c)-.
towanls tiio shore, is a large heart-shaped net, witii the ajtcx
terminating in the i)oun(l. From the base of the heart a
leader is run back to the shore, and fastened to stakes a liun-
dred feet apart; the average length of the leaih r is thirteen
hundred feet, and the stakes, as in the other instant-e, ai'e lirndy
202 A PAST INDUSTRY.
driven into the bottom of the bay. The fish meet this long line
of netting, follow it down into the heart, and work towards the
apex, because of its peculiar shape. At the apex is a large fun-
nel, with a large passage out of the heart, and a smaller one at
the outer end, which terminates in the pound or receiver. After
the fish have once passed through the funnel into the large
square pound — reaching from the surface of the water to the
bottom of the bay, — the chances of escape are very small.
From a net of this kind a hundred barrels of fish have been
taken at one time. They are now little used except for taking
spawn for the state hatcheries.
Three Links.
Over the signature of " A Link in the Chain," Mr. Solon
Massey of Watertown, contributed many entertaining anec-
dotes of the earlier settlers which were published in the
Jeffersonian, 1851-52. The three following are selected for
this volume :
LOST IN thp: woods.
To any person who realizes what a dense howling wilder-
ness this country was at the time of its first occupation by our
fathers, it will not be surpri?»iing that there were instances
I'ather frequent, of persons being lost in the woixls.
The natural divisions of hill and dale, orui)land and low-
land, in this comparative level country, afforded but few-
landmarks to the unlucky wight who hapi)ened to get at fault
in his reckonings, and even those who were best acquainted
with the natural scenery of the trackless forest, immediately
surrounding our settlement, were sometimes compelled to ex-
perience the startling reality of being lost in the woods ; which
was indicated by finding themselves following a circle — connng
round and round and round again, to the same starting point,
in spite of all their etlbrts to follow out a continuous straight
course.
This liability to be lost was eu well un*lcrstood, that
-^^4 THREE LINKS.
whenever any member of the family was longer away in the
forest than was expected, the alarm was given, and a rally
made of all the men and boys in the different settlements in
the vicinity, and a general and systematic search instituted
with preconcerted signals.
And yet even the liability to get lost did not deter or pre-
vent frequent intercourse with the woods. The forest was the
" long pasture" where the cows lived in summer, and where
they had to be hunted over long ranges of upland, or of swale
and beaver meadow, as their fancy or necessity led them to
forage for themselves. It was the botanic garden where a long
list of medicinal plants were found, which were relied upon as
preventives of the diseases that were incident to our new
country, or as a sovereign balm for everv wound with which
we might be afflicted for the time being. It was the place for
berrying for a great variety of fruits and berries in their season
the great range from which we hunted out our natural-crook
scythe snaths, our crotched trees for harrows and cart tongues,
our ax halves, ox yoke and ox-bow timber, broom sticks^
etc.; and finally, it was the great hunting ground for a variety
of wild game, with which to supply our tables with meat, in
the absence of domestic animals for food. Woods was the rule,
clearings the exception.
One incident among a great many others, connected with
being lost in the woods, may be transcribed from the earliest
traditional history of Watertovvn, and which is .somethincr as
follows : ^
(Japt. James Parker owned and occupied a large body of
land (now a farm) on the Brownville road, at present occupied
m part by his son James. He had a large family of sturdy
boys, the oldest of whom, at the time our tradition dates, was
fourteen to eixteon years of age. The old gentleman, like
THRKK LINKS. 205
many others of our enterprising settlers, was clearing up a
large farm, and. for the purjxjse of making the most out of Ins
ashes, had a small potash works, where he worked them into
potash or black salts.
In the process of manufacture, it seems he wanted some
hemlock gum, and at the same time wanted some groceries
from the little place yclepted a store here in the village. So
handing the hero of our story a silver dollar, he hid him take
his ax and a bag, and on his way to or from the store to pro-
cure some gum. With this errand and equipment he started,
after dinner, on his way to the place ; he proceeded as far as
the foot of the Folts Hill (H. H. Coffeen's late residence,)
where, stretching away to the south was an abundance of
hemlock timber, and intent on performing the hardest and
most difficult part of his task first, and not wishing to risk
losing his dollar, he struck his ax into a large tree and loosen-
ing a chip he carefully deposited tlu' coin in the cavity
between the loosened chip and the Ixxly of the tree for safe
keeping, intending to come l)ack to tliat starting point with
his ax and bag, and leave them there in tlieir turn, while he
ran u]) to the store and back.
Well, after a while he found himself sufficiently |)r()vided
with gum, and started off a kind of Indian lope for tlu' i)lace
where he had left the dollar, passing in his way a sj.ring of
water, upon the surface of which was a thick yellow .^cuu), re-
sembling iron rust. On, on, on he traveled, sweating under
his load, and with tlic lurking suspicion that something was
wrong, he didn't know what. After a good while, however,
and when he knew lie must have traveled more than any
distance that could possibly have been between the last gum
tree and the one containing his dollar, he made a full halt for
the purpose. of a. reckoning. ()ne thing was very certain — that
206 THREE LINKS.
he had traveled faster coming back than when going, and had
been longer about it. That had a bad look ! then he thought
it curious there should have been three of those iron ore
springs, looking so nearly alike ! And finally, the more he
soliloquized the more he satisfied himself that he was lo.st.
What added not a little to his perplexity was, that twilight
was already spreading her mantle upon the forest. It would
therefore be necessary for him to select where he would spend
the night, so far as there was any choice of a sheltered place in
the woods. He was not long in finding a large standii\g tree
that afforded just the nook he wanted, between two roots that
stood well out on either side, and having ensconced himself in
a sitting posture, with his back against the tree, and the ax
between his knees, he prepared to face any danger that might
offer, and to sleep away the long hours of the night. He
would have telegraphed the folks at home that he was safe, if
he could. He hoped they would not be much alarmed. But
they were though, and after sunset the old gentleman got un-
easy and started out the way that he should come, just to meet
him — if he was safe — but with a kind of presentment, to succor
him if in trouble. He kept on, occasionally stopping to listen,
and sweating with his apprehension, and imagining a whole
catalogue of mishaps that might have befallen him — whether
he had lost his way — or had maimed himself with the ax —
oi- a tree had fallen upon him — or, what was certainly possible,
some ravenous wild beast had devoured him — all was a matter
of painful doubt, fear, an uncertainty.
Tt was not, however, until after he had reached the vil-
lage, and found by enquiry that his boy had not been there,
that his fearful foi-el)odings of some horrible evil were con-
firmed.
Giving the alarm here, and begging of the good people to
tiii;kk links. 207
rally quickly and meet such j)crsoiis as he slioiiM succeed in
obtainino- fVom IJrownville, he hastened home in such a state
of mind as can he hcttei- imagined than dcscrihcd
Tntil his arrival home, the family had not partaken very
much of his own alaiMi. hut now. what a sad and sorrowful
company are they, as hurriedly tiny make the neces.sary
preparation, with jnne knots and biicli hark for torches, horn.s
and guns for signals, and refreshments for tiie missing i)ov if
he should be found, and for the kind neighbors who were in
all probability to be in the woods all night.
In due time, a large company of men and boys were as-
sembled, and having organized into bands, with preconcerted
signals, they struck oft' into the forest, wdiile the mother and
sisters of the missing l)oy sat in the open door of their lonely
tenement to await the slow and tedious result, and so as to be
in a situation to catch the first sound of any signal guns an-
nouncing the fate of him they loved.
Thus passed the first half of the night. The hunt pro-
ceeded with great fidelity, so that every rod of the ground
was inspected, the horns sounding at regular intei\als of time,
so as to })reserve the line of march, or to catch the car of the
boy if {)readventure he was alive.
The party had proceeded on carefiiliy. until within a few
rods of where the hero of the play ke|)l his ni
his dreams were disturbed and he sufficiently awake to know
that it was for his benefit that the horns were sounded ; but
wdien faii'ly awake, he was not long in vacating his «|uiet re-
treat, and arresting the further progress of the search, by
presenting himself in {)ropria pei'soiKc, with his ax on fiis
shoakler and gum bag under his arm. before the satisfied
cavalcade.
]>ang! bang! bang! rang out in (piick succession upon
208 THREE LINKS.
the night air, reverberating to each extremity of the long line
of weary hunters, the preconcerted signal which notified the
quick ear of the listening mother and sisters that Ellick was
safe. There was more joy manifested tliat night over the
boy that was found than over all tliem that went not astrav.
A MAN SHOT BY HIS FRIEND.
In the fall of 1801, there was a man, whose name was
Dayton, who obtained a contract for a piece of land lying
south of the road to Brownville, as you climb the Folts Hill.
He built a small log house in the woods, near the present road,
and was keeping bachelor's hall, through the months of Sep-
tember and October of that year, with no other companion
than a young man who was a brother to his wife. He was
intending to remove his family here in the spring, but, as it
turned out, he lacked the fortitude and courage which were
requisite for pioneer life.
While thus living, an event occurred, which, for the time
being, quickened the pulses of the entire community, and
which seemed more like tragedy than any previous occurrence
in our brief history.
There was a project for a squirrel hunt, among the scat-
tered inhabitants of the several neighborhoods, and Dayton
and his brother-in-law were expecting to particii)ate in the
general war against the squirrels and other vermin, who were
likely to get more than a fair proportion of the first corn crop
ever cultivated in these wilds — though they themselves had no
cornfields. And here we remark by the way, how unselfish
TIIRKK LlxNKS. 209
men become, as soon as they get beyond the old settlements.
Mutual dependence soon exerts a softening influence upon the
human heart, and tlie sympathies flow out without stint as
often as the sulferings present themselves for aid or sympathy.
This, probably, is the clue to that proverbial hai)piness, which
in all ages and in all countries, dates back to the pioneer set-
tlements in a new country.
With the purpose of having his gun in n>adiness for the
approaching hunt, Mr. Dayton took it down one evening, from
its place over-head, and sitting down before the blazing tire,
laid it across his knees, preparatory to taking off the lock and
oiling its pillions, so as to insure a smart motion of the hammer
spring. He was not aware that it contained a full charge of
powder and shot, or that it was loaded at all ; but carelessly
held the muzzle towards his friend, who was sitting in the
other corner of the tire-place, keeping up a cheerful light, by
timely contributions of light, dry combustibles, to tne open
fire. It is probable that he pulled the trigger without thought
or motive ; but what was his horror and amazement when his
piece discharged with a report that was almost deafening,
filling the room with smoke, and then lie heard his (•omi)anion
fall to the floor, exclaiming " I am shot I 1 am shot I ""
They had no light but the open liiv. ;iiid tlu' smoke was
so thick and suffocating that no examination could be made.
It was all uncertain, what the extent of the injury might be :
Init knowing that Doctor Isaiah Massey had recently arrived
from Vermont to share our fortunes with ns. niid that he was
boarding at our village tavern, it was agreed that Dayton
sliouM fmd his wiv tlirougli the d;ii-k |)ine woods which in-
tei'veiied, and bring the doctor.
My fatiier had some coimi collecle(l iVoiii iiis Held, and with
the male members of his familv— kind men and boarders—
210 THREE LINKS.
doctor included, was in the house (log barn,) husking ; and
my mother was keeping her night vigils alone in the house,
when her ear detected the quick, hurried step of Mr. Dayton,
as he rushed into the door, exclaiming, " I have killed my
brother, and want the doctor ! " As soon as he was sufficiently
composed to state his case understandingly, he was directed to
the husking party, for the doctor, while my mother, as if by
instinct, sot herself about preparing some clean linen rags,
for bandages and lint, and some tallow candles for lights, with
which our young Esculapius was soon on his way, on horse-
back and alone, to answer to the first case of surgery and
gun shot wounds which had presented itself in his pioneer
practice.
He was evidently a good deal flurried, as he struck into
the woods in advance of his guide, to endeavor to thread his
dubious way ; and he was frecjuently heard to say, after-
wards, that it was the greatest trial his nerves had ever
endured.
For aught he knew (and in the circumstances of the
case, as narrated by the affrighted Dayton, a thing quite
probable), his patient was already dead, and stiffened in
his gore, an object frightful enough, to be visited alone, by
broad daylight; how much more, in the dim light of any
embers which might be left in that lonely house in the woods.
His near approach to the house, whicli he after awhile
succeeded in finding, did not alleviate his feelings mucli ; for
now, the case must be met, whatever may be its develo]>ments.
The idea of stumbling over a dead man, in his efforts to strike
a light, or of groping about the room in search of a mutilated
human being, was all his nerves would bear, and he trembled
in his stirru])S.
He however grew ashamed of his fear, and after listening
TIIKKK [.INKS. "211
a moment at the door, tai)ped gently for admission; (here \va.>^
no answer. He lifted the latch and pressed his weight
against the door, but it was fastened on the insidi-. He
knocked again. " Who is there? " said the young man. " Tln'
doctor." "Wait a minute and I will open the door," said he,
as he crawled off his coucli and proceeded to take away the
barricade with which he had fastened the door. He apologized
for the delay by saying tliat he had heard that wolves were
attracted by the smell of blood, and that hufling himself
bleeding pretty profusely, he had thought it prudent to fasten
himself in.
It proved to be a case of no imminent danger, after all.
The charge of shot from the gun had penetrate(l the lleshy
part of the thigh of the young man, and after a projiei' dicss-
ing, for which the forethought of my mother had amply
provided them, the young doctor mounted his horse and re-
turned to the village, where lie soon succeeded in allaying the
fears of the community, by his professional opinion lliat he
would recover, with proper care.
A WOLF STORY OK K.VIU.Y TIMKS.
In the brief history that 1 wroti' out for your paper tw.
or three weeks ago, IV(im the early traditions of our town,
describing a scene, whieli was almost a tragedy, between Mr.
Dayton and his brother-in-law, at the foot of the F<.lts Hill,
on the Hi'owiiville road, I stated, that tlie wounde.l man had
taken the precaution to fasten his door on the inside, so as to
212 THREE LINKS.
prevent the ingress of wolves that might be attracted by the
smell of blood, while Mr. Dayton was after the doctor.
I know it is somewhat difhcnlt for the present generation
to comprehend "the situation of peril in whicli scattering
families were placed at that early day, or that there was any
real and positive danger of molestation by the wolves ; and
therefore, I shall transcribe another incident, in the tra-
ditions of early man and early times, which will tend to
correct any doubts upon that subject.
The late Hon. Jotham Ives was among the early
emigrants into this town. He arrived here in 1801, and
located his home, where he lived to amass a large landed
property, and where he died, recently, near the place called
Field Settlement.
In the fall of 1802, he had a number of hogs fattened,
and at killing time he employed a Mr. Knowlton, an old,
white-haired man of sixty years or more, who was somewhat
skilled in butchering, to assist him. Knowlton lived about
three-fourths of a mile from Mr. Ives, in the near neighbor-
hood of the present residence of Mr. James Brintnall, where
he had a little clearing, or what was perhaps more ap-
propriately called, in backwoods phrase, a chopping, and
which was surrounded by a temporary brush fence. Between
himself and Mr. Ives there was no road ; and nothing but a
line of marked trees to designate the little footpath which
meandered through the deep, dark, and in many places
tangled forest, which stretched off almost interminably on
either hand.
The butchering over, and supper disposed of. it was
agreed that tliere was time to cut up the ])ork, and Mr.
Knowlton consented to stay and assist in doing so. At a late
liour, the whole work was finally completed, and Mr.
THREE LINKS. -21:)
Knowlton was generously compensated for his valued services
in addition to which he was made welcome to a couple of
hogs' plucks to carry home to his family.
But as he was about to leave for home, Mrs. Ives sug-
gested the hazard of pas.sing through the woods at that late
hour, with the smell of blood uj)()n his clothes, and invited
him to stay all night : to which Knowlton answered that he
could not think of being away from his family all night as
they would be alarmed for his safety, being unable to account
for his absence ; that, as for the wolves, though they might
prowl around his path they would not dare to molest him.
Now Mr. Ives was a man of great nniscular ]iower and
would not fear a regiment of wolves himself, ami though he
assured Mr. Knowlton that he might stay in welcome, yet he
scouted the idea of danger from the sneaking cowardly wolves,
and advised him, however, that in case he should be followed
by them to leave the plucks for them to quarrel over while he
should hurry on home.
The colloquy being ended, Knowlton linully took his
leave with a |)luck in each hand and struck into the woods to
endeavor to follow out his little foot path, lie had not j»ro-
ceeded, far, however, before a sharp and stai'tling sound, a lear-
ful howl, rang out upon the night air evidently betokening the
near neighborhood of a prowling wolf on his right, which was
answered from another quarter, and then another in (piick
succession, until the j)ath, tliat he had traveled but a moment
before seemed to be alive with hungry seekers after blood.
lie had yet no fears for his ])ersonal safety and ha
thouglit of cowardice, but yet he confessed that tlu-re was
something dismal in the thought of being alone and entirely
unarmed at such a time in such a place groping and feeling
his dubious way in such close proximity to a pack of ravenous
214 thrick links.
wild beasts, and he soon found himself quickening his pace,
while ever and anon he instinctively cast a wistful eye over
his shoulder and into the recesses of the thick woods on either
hand.
It was not long, however, that any doubt remained about
his lieing the object of their pursuit, as his quick ear detected
the galloping movement of a troop of pattering feet on his
track, and it was becoming more and more a question of in-
terest with him how the chase would terminate.
He hoped wdien he reflected that he was nearing his own
habitation every moment and his path was becoming plainer,
and he was able to make better progress. But the odds was
with them for they were lighter of foot and could see a great
deal better than he could in the gloom of the forest, but, more
than all, they were so many and were mad with hunger and
were becoming more and more desperate every moment. On,
on, on, the old man strode resolutely and with a strengtli and
speed which would have surprised him at any other time,
even by daylight, but which seemed slow enough now in the
time of his extremity.
If he could but keep them at bay a little longer and until
he could clear the dark woods and get the benefit of the com-
])aratively open light of his chopping, or lay his hand u[)on a
strong hand spike, sled stake or billet of wood, he miglit still
liope to defend liimself successfully or escape from their hun-
gry jaws. Straining every nerve he bounded onward with
such agility as only desperation and love of life afforded ; but
the distance between him and his pursuers was not lessened
l)y all his efforts, and before he reached the brush fence that
surrounded his })eaceful home he felt that his time had nearly
come, when he bethought himself of the parting advice of his
friend Ives.
TIIKEK IJXKS. '21. â– )
He acted u})on the suggestion and immediately linrl(Ml one
of the plucks into their midst ; in tlie next moment he was on
the home side of his brush fence and they were fighting over
the paltry price with which he had purchased his own safety.
It may be safely assumed that he did not wait to witness the
result of the civil war which he had occasioned, hut that as
soon as possible he found himself on the inside of liis I'ude
domicile, with the door fastened on the inside.
Mr. Knowlton lived many years after the event which I
hav^e narrated and died a natural death, and the woods which
were the scene of our story have long since been cleared away
and the wolves are only known as figuring in the history of
the olden time.
A Bit of Topography.
The foregoing ingenious chart was prepared by Mr.
Frederick Campbell of Lowville, and was accompanied by the
following interesting data :
The topography of the country traversed between Utica
and the Thousand Islands is to most people entirely unknown.