Bedford inquirer. [volume], May 21, 1858, Image 1

About Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884

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BY DAYID OYER,
AGRICULTURAL _
_ - '• ■ . -
Experiments ami Observations
vi'os toe •
mmu Mm cixb. i
V>Y JOSEPH • LOVERtNCJ.
[Concluded.)
FIFTH EXPERIMENT.
, iu'ist now mention that the last expert- !
cut was intended to have boon on a eossttlsr- j
•lv iareer scale than those prafkro; Btlb f
<i v's work was, however, kept separate and
distinct tYcia 'he others, thus enabling me to
determine it at any point.
Having thus proceeded to, and finished the
c! riSeatun if the lib parcel, (Nov. Sth.) and
•he weather continuing very warm, I observed
a very sadden an 1 unfavorable change in the
working of the jaic. Instead of clarifying
' -rfecuv and with groat facility, as at first,
the d cstation w.s liffiealr, the color many
-ju ie<= darker, the juice gradually fell off in
I Us from full 10 deg. B. to 9 deg. I>., and
n quired 10 feet of granulated black to bring
it to the same color as that nude six days pre
y's uly with 5 feet black. I however proceed
ed (keeping this separate) to the crystalliza
tion.
B ,'ed it to 24*2 deg. P., when it produced
good, hard, sharp crystals; but finding-the
rJ unliv, by "nifasur ;tuent, had decreased very
considerably, 1 took ijo further note on that
!•, ;,.J, but g.vo it white liquor unt l it was neat,
.bout the usual quantity,) and produced the
• Me, (sample No. 5,) being white stigir,di
v,.-o;ly from the e n•, without refining or re
medting.
SIXTH EXPERIMENT.
Sine? the caues for the t'h and most sue- j
cos.-ful experiment were cut, on the oth inst., ,
the iveu.her has been very changeable. We;
have b* d woi.u Indiiu summer weath?r, with
heavy ruins, also very coid weather, making iee
two inches in thickness—thermometer having
varied from 10 degs. to 00 degs. l\> try the
effect <>f th'-se eh I cut 1-100 part ot
an .ere, which produced 11 15-1G gallons of
juiee only, instead of 19 or 20 gallons, as be
fore. It had, however, r gained its former
weight of full 10 deg. 8., but was much more
acid, rank and dark-colored than previously
It clarified without difficulty, but raised a
much thicker and denser scum, and, when con - j
d utnvd, was very dark aud taolnssra-Hk; it,
however, prod tied good, hard, sharp crystals,
but the quantity being much reduced, there
was no inducement to pursue it farther. Th s
experiment proves, however, that (his cane
w 11 wit; stand very great vicissitudes of wca
•: ,r. without the entire destruction of its sae
churiue pjepet i"us.
SI.Vt.NTH EXPERIMENT.
Took the proceeds of the experiments that
were considered failures, viz., all the 3d atid
the poorest portion of the 2<l, vz: 34 lbs.
very indifferent sugar—refined.it in the open
kettle, by the old process, and produced 15 lbs
ioaf sugar, which is a very lull yield for the
quality used.
The foregoing are all actual results prodn
-1 by myself, with no object iu view but the
,-utb, and a desire to contribute whatever use
ful information I could toward the solution ol
this interesting and important question. They
are, I think, sufficiently flattering in them
selves to warrant renewed exertions on the
part of our agriculturists of the northern and
middle States especially, and perhaps those of
the South also, in the pursuit of this promising
iicli of industry, to the full and profitable
development of which it is certaiuly capable,
aud which it. is d -stined ultimately to attain—
(as before mentioned tby have been accom- l
tilished without the advantages of the powerful I
-ugar mill—the vacuum pan and the many j
other improved implements and apparatus now
a. general use in Louisiana and elsewhere) and ;
they are also important and interesting in in iny
respects, not apparent to those unacquainted !
with the subject;' it may not therefore be su- j
;>■ .fluoua to make some further explanatory re- !
marks:
Ist. The mill used aud the power employed 1
in these experiments were much less efficient |
t!i n tiioga iu general use on sugar plantations,
■i! the waste proportionally greater —the loss
■ m which causes I estimate at net less than
'0 per cent.
2i. It is well known to all who arc nc-;
quaioted with sugar aud saccharine solutions, j
mat by frequent beatings and coolings, a con
siderable portion of the crystullizablc, is cou-!
rted into aocrysfallituble sugar, and is con
A Weesly Paper, Devoted to Literature, Politics, the Arts, Sciences, &c., &e---Terms: One Dollar and Fifty Cents in Advance.
sequently lost as sugar—in these experiments j
every pr.rcel was from necessity heated aud re- j
j heated from 8 to 12 different times.
3d. It is itupoi sible to produce as good re- ]
1 subs, whether as regards quantity or quality '
from small, as fr >tn large quantities.
This sugar is quite day, and will lose com- j
para lively nothing by drainage; the yield !
would be considerably greater, if it contained '
the usual quautity of footing that is contained '
I iu the hogshead when sold at the plantation-- i
one el which being weighed there aud re-weigh
■ i d in Philadelphia, in the mouth of July, will
j be found to Lmve lost by drainage from 100 to
j ioO lbs., or from 10 to 15 per rent.
Further, it wilt be observed that n;y acre
produced but 1847 gallons of juiee—I have,
| however, seen published accounts of far great*
jcr yield ilnu this—one for instance in this i
coti'.ly, an part ally well authctietUod, reaching !
6,800 gallons per acre, which, according to my
ocfuui rest:its, would produce 4499 lbs. of su
gar, and 274 gallons mola-scs—an-i aveordreg i
to tue foregoing probable results, would yield j
5389 lbs. sugar, and 274 gallons to the acre, j
Ido net pronounce such yield of'juice itnpos- !
sible, but it will certainly bo of rare occur- j
rence a mean between this and my yield <
would be a large return.
Another subject worthy of notice, is the na
ture of the season. My impression is, that j
owing to the lateness and coldness of the i
sp' iog, and tlie continued wet weather, the last
h;s been quite tut unfavorable season for the
ripening aud development of iho sugar in the*'
juice, to which cause I thiuk a deficiency in
the yield of at least 10 per cent, may be at
tributed, which would further increase the •
quantify to 1,612 lbs. of sugar, and 81 8-10
gallons molasses, a yield vefy nearly corres
ponding with that of the best conducted plan
tations of Loutsian >, as will bo seen by the I
following figures, which I have collated from .
minute statement furnished ta me by the eu- j
terprising proprietor of one of the most eoiu
. .Oy I.j rlw *
: (.it being furnished with vacuum pit;?, and ail j
' the most approved machinery of latter times, j
aud conducted under Lis own personal super- j
! vision.) of tho actual product of one of s.is i
plantations of 2G6 acres, for tight consecutive j
years. These figures will also furnish useful '
data for the estimation of the cost of proluc- '
tiou here, v'z:
Aggregate yield of juiee from 266 acres for 8
consecutive years, 4,757,700 gals, j
Aggregate yield of sugar, 3,026,425 lbs. ;
'• " molasses, 217,585 gats. |
Those details have been extended to a much j
greater extent tbau was at first intended, but j
i perhaps not beyond a useful limit for those in- j
terested. To the working farmer they may j
appear formidable and prolix, but he may, uev- j
erthcless, gain some grains of useful know- j
ledge from them to repay for (heir pciusnl.—-
The couolusiot s to be drawn from them will be
seen by the following
SYNOPSIs.
Ist. That it is obvious that there is a culuii- j
natitig point in the deveiopmeut of the sugar |
in the cane, which is the best time for sugar i
making. This point or season I consider to be, y
when most if not all the seed? are ripe, and I
after several frosts, say when the temperature j
falls to 25 deg. or 30 degs. F.
2d. That frost, or even bard freezing, does '
not injure the juice nor the sugar, but. that I
warm Indian summer weather, after the frost j
and hard freezing, does injure them very ma- ,
tonally, atri reduces both quantity and quali- i
ty.
3d. That if the cane is cut and housed, or j
shocked ia tho field when in its most favorable !
condition, it will probably keep unchanged for j
a long time.
4 It. That when the juice is obtained the i
process should, proceed continuously and with- 1
out delay.
sth. That the clarification .-hould be as per* j
feet as possible by the time the density readies !
15 degt. Beautne, the syrup having the ap- !
pearancc of good brandy.
Gth. That although eggs were used in llte.se I
i small experiments, on account of their cotive
• nience, bullock's blood, if to be bad, is equally
! good, and the milk of lime ulona will answer
the purpose; in the latter case, however, more
| constant and prolonged skimming will bo re
i quired to produce a perfect clarification, which
j is highly important.
i 7th. That the concentration, or boiling down
. j
after clarification, should ba as rapid as pos*i- j
ble without scorching—shallow evaporators bo
! ing the beat.
With these conditions secured, it is about as
easy to make good sugar from the Chinese cane
as to make a pot of good mush, and much ea
sier than to make a kettle of good applebuttcr.
Sharp—Tho chap who suggests tbit there ia
, reason to believe that one of the descendants
of Aarcji, the High Priest, was a native of
Ohio. 4eo Kara, VII, 4, which reads, "The
son of Zcrahiah, the sou of Uezi, the son of
(at flukki."
BEDFORD, PA., PR 1 DAY. MAY 21, 1878.
| THE PERILS OF THE BORDER
i While reading recently an account of ihc
j frightful masacrc of several white families by
l the lilick-foot Indians, we were reminded of a
j thrilling event which occurred iu the "Wild
j West/' a short time subsequent to the lievo
! luiion, in which a highly accomplished young
; lady, the daughter of a distinguished officer of
I the American Army, played au important part,
i The atory feeing of a most thrilling nature, and
; exhibiting in a striking luaunci the "Perils of
| the Bord;r," vvc have concluded to give an ex
tract from i', as originally published, as fol
low.-:
The angle on the right bank of tiic Great
K mawha, formed by its junction with the Ohio
is called Point Pleasant, and is a place of bis
; torical note. Ilerc, on the 10th oi October,
: 1774, during what is k.u'6wu as Lord Dinmore"s
\\ ar, was fought 0:10 of the fiercest and most
•!v.psrat(j battles that evei took place between
tie Virgin Las and their forest foes.
A;*: r the battle iu question, iu which tic
: Indiana were defeated with great loss, a fort
i was hero oivo.e !by the victors, w'-k i became j
j a post of groat importance Uitougfeoat the xar.-q
I guinary scene.s of strife which almost ,
j atidy followed, and which in this section of the
! country were continued for many years after
I that establishment of peace which acknowledg
j ed tLe United Colonies of America a free and
i independent nation.
! At the landiug of the forr, on the day our
| story opens, was fastened a flat-boat of tlis kiud
| used by the early navigators of the Western
'rivers.
i Upou the deck of this boat, at ihc moaiei.t
jwo present the scene to the reader, stood Ave
individuals, alike engaged iu watching a group
of persons, mostly female*, who wore slowly
approaching ihc iur.diug. Of these five, one
was a stout, sleek negro, ID partial livery : ami
evidently a house or body servant; three wv, e
beat man and borderers, as indicated by their
rough, bronzed visages end co.ll.se unite; hul
; the iil.!i was a young man,some two-arid-twen
ty years of ago, of a fine commanding person,
, ami a clear, open, intelligent counter nut; and j
j in the lofty carriage of hi? head -in the gleam
of ids large, bright, base! oye—th }rs .VYUS<3JUU:-
; is i.-.r.r*Sri"h <t •.,*' .*'•. '-f tiijSSVIJi .UTu i t oli
! as we shall luve occasion in the course of our
narrative to fully set forth who and what Eu- J
| gene Fairfax was, we will leave htm for the
1 present, and turn o the approaching group,
1 whom he seemed to be regarding with lively
I interest.
j Of this group, composed of a middled-aged
I man and four females, with a black female ser
i vant fallowing some Ave or six pac' sin the rear
| there w,is one whom the mot casual eye would
1 have singled out and rested upon with pleasure.
■ The lady in question, was apparently about
, twenty of age, of a slender and graceful
! figure, and of that peculiar cast :>f feature,
; which, besides being beautiful in every linea
ment, rarely fails to effect the beholder with
i something like a charm.
| Her traveling coftume— a fine 1 rowri h 1 bit, |
j h'gh iu the neck, buttoned closely over the j
| bosom and coming down to ficr small pretty '
1 feet, without trailing on the ground— was both
uoat and becoming; and with her riding-cap and j
its waving ostrich plume, set gaily above her
flowing curls, her appearance contrasted forci- j
boy with the rough, unpolished looks of those !
of her sex beside her, with their Knsey be 1-
I gowns, scarlet flannel petticoat*, an! bli :ched j
j linen caps.
"Ob, Blanche," said one of the more vener
] able of her female companions, pursuit) 1 a con- !
I versa lion wiiioh had been m mtaiucd since quit- j
; ieg the open fort behind them, "I cannot bear
jto let you go; for it just seems to m> as if I
I something were going to happen to you, and !
' when I feel that way, something generally does :
' happen."
"Well aunt," returned Blanche, with a light
1 nigh, "I do not doubt in the least that seine- ;
i thing will happen—for 1 expect one of these
I days to reach my dear father and blessc 1 moth
j er, au i give them HUJIi nu embrace as is due
1 Iroui a dutiful daughter to her parents —and
: tint will be something that has not happened
I for two long years at least."
"But 1 don't mean that, Blanche," returned
! the otfier, somewhat petulantly; "and you just
j laugh like a gu and thoughtless girl, when
i you ought to be serious. Because you have
| come safe thus far, through a partially settled
country, you think, perhaps, your own pretty
i face via ward off danger ir. the tnote perilous
i wilderness—but I warn you that a " fearful
journey is before you! Scarcely a boat d seen Is
the Ohio, that, does uot encounter more or lets
peril from the savages, ihat piyv i along either
shore; and soiuoof them that go down freighted
with human life, ere heard of no more, and
none ever return to tell the talc."
"But why repeat thia to me, dear aunt," re
turned Blanche, with a more serious air, "when
you know it is my destiny, either good or bud,
to attempt the voyage? My parents have sent
for me to join them in their new home, and it
is my duty to go to them, be the peril what it
may."
"You never did kuow what it was to fear?"—
! pursued the good woman, rather p. udly. "No,"
1 aho repeated, turuiug to the others, "Blanche
I Bertram! never did know what it was to fear, 1
believe!'
"Just like her father!" joined iu the Lus
baud of the matron, the brother of Blanche's
mother, the commander of the station, aod the
middle-aged gentleman mentioned as one of the
party; "a true daughter of a true soldier. Her
lather, Colonel Philip Bertram 4 , God bless him
for a true heart! never did seem to kuow what
it was to fear—and Blancbo is like bun."
By this time the parties had reached the boat,
and tho young man already described—Eugene
1 Fairfax, the secretary of Blanche's father—at
<%co stepped forward, and, ha polite and def
'*tt' ial maimer, offered his hand to the different
rbcialos, to assist lL<un on board. The hand
>u Blanche was the last to touch his—and then
b§t slightly, as she sprung quickly a;nd tight- j
iy to Tho deck—but a close observer might
have detected the slight flush which mantled j
his noble, expressive features, as bis oye for a ;
single instant met hers. She might herself have
seen it—perhaps she did—but there was nc>'
cor responding glow on her own bright, pretty !
free, as alio inquired, in the calm,dignified tone ■
i one having the right to ps:t the question, and
who might also have been aware of the iaequol- j
ity of position between herself and hint she ad- i
dressed:
"Eugene, is everything prepared fqr v.r dt- {
pa: Jure? It wilt not do for our boat to spring a 1
leak again, as ;t did coming down the Kanawha j
—for it will uot be safe for us lam toid, to j
touch either >bors between the diffcrenent forts :
aod trading-posts ou our route, 'his side of our :
dwstinatioa, — the fails of the Ohio."
"No, indeed! ' rejoined her aunt, quickly; j
"it will be as much as your lives are worth to '
venture a toot from die main current -of the
■Ohio— lor news reached us only the other day, i
tho; many boats had been attacked this spring, j
uffd - .vera! ln S r, with all eti board."
i 1 "N cue feeis more concerned about the safe |
: n-i-sare of M ss Bcriroud than myself," replied
, Eugene, iu a deferential tone; "and since our
:a ivtl here, 1 have left nothing undone that I j
ttugi.i might possibly add to her security and j
cohtfott."
*-i hat is true, to my personal knowledge," [
j joifle i in ihe unelo of Blanche; "and I thank I
you, Mr. I'airfax, iu behalf of my fair kinswo
man. There will, perhaps," he pursued, "be j
no iy Cat danger, so long as you keep iu the cur- i
r fit.; but your watch must not be neglected !
:or ■ single moment, either night or day; and
do not, 1 most sulemly charge and warn you, !
uflf-er atty oirenmstattces, or on any pretence
whatsoever, suffer yourselves to be decoyed to '
'i'Jtcr -I.ore!"
~.'-1 hope we understand odr duty letter, ;
Girl 1, ' said one of the men, respectfully." j
",i doubt it no",' replied the cetumiudcr of j
l 'tc Fijintj ''l believe you arc all faithful and !
true UICD; or you would not have been selected I
I by the agent of Colonel Bertrand, for taking j
more precious freight than you ever cat- i
tied 00:. re; but s ill the wisest and the best of j
jJK I.st appeals St i'/\ r Ju.ici2 I
stand wii.it I mean? White men, apparency in J
! Ihe greatest distress, will bail your boat, rep- j
i resent themselves as having just escaped from I
! the ludians, and beg of you, for the lore of !
t God, iu the most piteous tones, to come to t'-eir
' 1 bef; but turn a deaf cur to theru—to 0 ch and
ail of them—even should you know-the pload
erto be of your own kin: fit in such a ca*e
: your own brother might deceive 4fi ;—not wil
• ally and voluntarily, perhaps—but because cf
being goaded on by the savages, themselves
mule 1. Y , such things have been known
- ■ n ft ietid being thus used to lure another
hi* 4 -t,•notion; and so be cautious, vigilant,
i brave and true, and mat' the good God keep
. you ail from bant;!"
As 'no finished speaking, Blanche procec ■ 1
,to take an affectionate leave of all. receiving
I many -a tender message for her parents front
' those who held .them in love and veneration ;
i and the boat swung out, and began to float
jdoivu with the current, now fairly entered up
-lon the most dangerous portion of a long and
j per lems journey.
Tito father of Blanch,Colonc-l Philip B rt rand
j was a native of Virginia, and a descendant of
j one u. the Hugaeuot refugees, who fled front
! :!\e'i' native land after the revocation of the
!ed lof Naniz in IGGS. lie had been an offi
' err of some note during the Itevolutioh—a
j warm political and personal friend of the au
i ihor of the Dee.aration of Independence—and
| u geutlemau who itad always stood high in the
| c.tem of his associates and eotemporariea.
Tiictigh at one tintn a uiauof wealth, Celohcl
' Bertram.! had lost much, and suffered much,
1 through British invasion; and when, shortly uf
i tor the close of the war, ha had met wi;h •■. f w.
move serious reverses, he had beau f- tc ac
cept a graut of land, near t!;e Falls of the Ohi>, j
now Louisville, loadc-red him by , which
then held jurisuietion over the entire territory
uow const it uiing the State of Kentucky.
The grunt itud decided the Colon. ! upon '
seckiDg his no w possessions and building up a j
now home in tho theu Far West, and as his i
wile had iosisted upou accompanying hiui on ,
his first tour, he had assented to her desire, on j
coudition that Blancbo should bo left among
Iter frieods, till such time as a place could be ;
prepared which might iu some degree be con- ■
side-red a lit abode for one so carefully aud ten- 1
Jeriy reared.
Blanche would gladly have gone whit her ;
parents, but ou this point her father had been I
inexorable—declaring that she would have to
remain at the East till he should see proper to
eetid for her, aud as he vfas a man of positive
character, and u rigid disciplinarian, the mat
ter had been settled without urgumcut.
When (lolonel Bertram! removed to the
West, Eugene Fairfax, as we have seen, accom
panied bum and coming of -gc shortly after,
he had accepted the liberal offer of his noble
benefactor, to remain with hitu in the capacity
of private secretary and confidential agent. —
Oil taking posessiou of his grant, tho Colonel
had almost immediately erected a fort, aud of
fered such inducements to settlers as to speedily
collect around him quite a little community—
of which, as a matter i f course, he became the
head aud chief, and to supply the wants of his
own family and others, and increase his gains
in a legitimate way, he hid opened a store, and
filled it with goods from the Eastern marts,
which goods were transported by laud over the
mountains to the Kanawha, and thence by wat
er to the Falls of the Ohio, whence their remo
val to Fort Bart rami became an easy matter.
To put chase and ship these goods, and deliver
a package of letters to friend? it> the East, Eu-
gene had been thrice dispatched—his third
commis-sion also extending to the escorting of
the beautiful heiress, with her servants, to her
new home. This last commission hid been so
j far executed at the time choen for the opening
| of our story, as to bring the different patties
j to the mouth of the great Kanawha, whence
! tliSSreader has seen them slowly floating off up-
J ou the s'ill, glassy bosom of "the belle of riv
i ers."
| The day, which was au auspicious one, pas
' sed without anything occuring worthy of note,
■ until near four o'clock, when, as Blanche was
j standing ou the fore put of the deck gazing at
; tho lovely scene which surrounded her, she saw
j a scetuingiy flying body suddenly leave a limb |
! of a gigantic tree, Lvboso mighty branches er
j leu led i :>• over the river, and nes? which the
j boat was thai wiyed by the action of tlw cur
| rent,} and alight with a crash upon .lie deck of
i the boat, not more than eight feet from her.—
: One glance sufficed to show her what the ob
ject wa.-, and to freeze the blood ip her trains.
■ The glowing eyes of a huge panther met her
gaze. The suddenness of the shock which tbi*
discovery give her was overpowering. With a j
I deafening shriek she fell upon her knees and
clasped her hands before her hi east. The pan - j
! titer crouched for bis deadly leap, but ere ho j
| sprang, the hunting knife of Eugene Fairfax [
(who, wiih-the steersman, was the only person 1
on deck besides Blanche,) was buried to the
hilt in his side, inflicting a severe but not fatal
! wound. The infuriated beast at onCe turned up- j
: on Eugene, and a deadly struggle ensued.- -'
But it was a short one. The polished blade of
; the knife played back and forth like lightning j
flashes, ami at every plunge it was buried to j
i the hiit hi the panther's body, who soon fell to j
: tlte deck, dragging the dauntless Eueeue with I
; htm. ' On seeing her protector fail, Blanche ut- j
iered another shriek aud rushed to his aid; but |
! assistance from stouter arms was at baud. The i
J boatmen gathered round, aud :he savage ttioii
| ster was literally backed in pieces with their
j knives ami hatchet?, aud Eugene, covered with
; blood, was dragged from under his carcass.
| Supposing him to be dead or tuortalij wounded
; Blanche threw her arms arouud his neck and
gave way to a passiouate burst of grief. But
I iie was uot dead—die was not even hurt, with
;1 he exception of a few slight scratches. The
; blood with which he was Covrrei was the pau
thcr'i,, not bis own. But B'anche's embrace
! was hv-:--.:i priceless t.casurc—-so tudes of her
| color his whale fu:are life, ns wi'l be seen in j
| 'he progress of our story.
Slow',- and silett-ly, save the occasional :
I creak, dip, and pbsit of the steersman's oar, j
the boat of our voyagers was boroe along up
on the bosom of the current, on the third nigh' ,
of tbC voyage. The hour was waxing late,
an i Eugene, the only one astir except the
watch, va* suddenly >:artied, by a rough hand
bring placed upon hi> shoulder, accompanied
by the words, ra the gruff voice of the boat
! man:
"I say, Caput, here's trouble!" .
"What is it, Dick ?" inquired Eugene, start
ing to his feet.
"Don't you see tlnr's a heavy fog rising,
that'll sou a kiver ua up so thick that ve wbu't j
be able to ted a while maa from a nigger?" re
plied the boatman —Dick Winter by riatue—a
tall, bony, muscular, athletic specimen of his |
c!a a S.
"Guod heaven !so there is exclaimed Eu
grOC, !o(>k:ng olf upon the already misty wa
ter:;. "It mast have gathered very suddenly,
for ail was clear a minute ago. What Is to 1c
done now ? This is something I was ot pre
pared for, ou such a night this."
"It looks troublous, Cap'u, I'll allow," ro- .
turned Dick but we're in for't, that's siruu, j
and I s'pose we'il have to make the best j
ou't."
"But what is to be doue ?—what do you ad- •
vise?" askedEugeae, iu a quick, excited tone, i
that indicated some degree of alarm.
"Why, ef you war'nt so skeered about the j
young lady, and it War'ur so dead agiu tho or- j
dt-rs Iron) headquarters, tuy plait would bo a
cl'ar and easy one—l'd just run over to the
•'■•■•t'-l: shore, and ticup."
i "No, no," said Kttgen . positively; "that
' will never do, Dick—that will never do! I
j would not think of such a thing for a moment!
We must keep in the current, by alt n: ass !"
"Ef you can," rejoined the boatman ; "but
I when it gits so dark as we cau't tell one thing
j from t'other, it'll be powerful hard to do: ami
1 of we don't run agin a bar or bank afore moro
; ing, in spite of the host o' us, it'li be the luek
! icst go that ever 1 had a hand iu. See, Cup'u
| —it's thickening up fast; we caut see eytiter
j batik at all, nor the water nytiter; the stars is j
] getliu' dim, and it looks as if lbar war a cloud j
1 all round us."
"I see ! I see !" returned Eugene, excited- j
1 ly. "Merciful lleaven! I hope no accident j
will befall u* hero—aud yet my heart almost
misgives tuo ! —for this, I believe, is the most
dangerous part of our journey—tho vicinity
where most of our boats have been captured by
the savages."
Saying this, Eugeno hastened below, where
he found tho other boatmen sleeping so sound
ly as to require considerable effort, on !iis part,
to wake them. Ai last, getting them fairly
roused, he informed them, .-•liiiost iu a whisper,
for he did uot care to disturb tbo others, that
a heavy fog had suddculy arisen, and ho wish
ed their presence on deck, immediately.
"A fog, Cap's ?" exclaimed o: e, in a tone
which iitdwatid that he comprehended the per
il with the word.
"Hush!" returned Eugene ; ".here is ho ne
cessity for waking the others, and having a
scene. Up! and follow me without 1 word !"
He glide! back to this drek,au.l was almost
immediately joined by .the boatman, to whom
he briefly made known his hopes and fears.
They thought, like their companion, that
(fee boat would be safest if tnada fast to an
j overhanging limb of tho Kentucky shore ; but
frankly admitted that this could not now be
VOL. 31, NO. 21.
p done without difficult? and danger, arid that
there was n possibility of keeping the current.
"Then wake teat possibility a certainty, and
it shall be the best nigbv's work you ever per
formed !" rejoined Eugene in a quick, excited
tone.
"We'll do the best we can, Cup'o," was the
! response' "but no man can be sanin of the
I current of this here crooked stream in a foggy
night."
A Lug silence followed—the voyagers dowdy
drif'ing down through a misty darkness, im
penetriblj to the eye —when, suddenly, run
young eoumnnder, who was standing near the
bow, fell the extcuded branch of an ovcrbang
i iog limb sileufly brush his face. He started,
' with an vxclauiitioa of alarm, and at the same
| moment the bondman on the right called out:
"Quick, here, boys ! we're agin the shore.
| as sure as death'"
Tbon followed a scene of hurriei and anx
ious confusion, the voices of the three boatmen
i cdngling together in load, quick, excited
I tones.
"Push off the bow !" cried one.
"Quick ! altogether, now! over with her !'*
j shouted apotber.
' The le'il'a in it! she's running aground
; here on n muddy bottom !" almost yelled *
; third.
Meantime the laden boat was brushing
along against projecting bushes and overcach
mg limps, and every moment getting .more and
i more entangled: while the long poles and
sweeps of the boatmen, as they attempted to
push hei off, were often plunged, without
touching bottom, into what appeared to be a
soft, clayey mud, from. which they were only
extricated by such au outlay of strength as
tended still more to draw the clumsy craft upon
the bunk they wished to avoid. At length,
scarctkiy more th;a a minute from the first
alarm, there wis a kind of settling together, as
it were, and the bout became fast and imm via
ble.
The fact was announced by Dick Winter,
in his characteristic mauuer • who added, with
au oath, that it was just what be expected.
For a moment or two a dead silence followed,
1 as if each comprehended that the matter wis
one to bo viewed in a very serious light.
"I'll get over the bow, and try to rrit the
! lay of the land wiih toy feet," s uid Tom Har
ris; and forthwith he set about the not very
i ideasu nt u.atl--'-'
- i •_ j:vu
uouuecd by a voice that seldom failed to exe'te
a peculiar emotion iu his breast, aaJ now sent
a struuge thrill though every nerve ; and hast
ening be'iow, he found Blanch*, fully dressed,
with a light in her hand, standing just outside
; of her cabin, in the regular passage which led
lengthwise through the ccuter of the boar.
"I have heard somothiog, Eugene," she
said "enough to know that we have met with an
accident, tut uot sufficient to fully comprehend
its nature."
"Unfortunately, about two hours ago," re
plied Eugene, "we suddenly become involve I
in a dense fog , and in spite of our every pre
caution aad cure, we have run aground—it may
be against the Ohio shore—it may be against
au island —it is so dark wc can't tell. Hat be
not alarmed, Miss Blanche," he hurriedly ad
ded ; "I trust we shall soon be afloat again :
though iu any event, the darkness is sufficient
to conceal us from the savages, even .were they
in the vicinity."
"I know little of Indian--," returned Blanche,
"but 1 have always understood that they
are somewhat remarkable for their cciueness
of hearing ; and if such is the case, there
would be no necessity of their being very near
to b*> nude acquainted with our locality,judging
from the load voices 1 heard a few miuutes
ago."
"1 fear we've been rather imprudent," slid
Eugeue, in a deprecating tone ; "but ir the
j excitement "
1 His words were suddenly cut short by
! several loud, voices of alarm from without, fd
j lowed by a quick and heavy trampling across
the deck ; and the next moment Seth Harper
and Dick Winter burst into the passage, the
former exclaiming .
"We've run plum into a rod nigger's nest,
Cap'n, and H' 0 " 1 Harris is already butchered
and scalped!"
And even as" he spoke, as if in confirmation
of his dreadful intelligence, there arose a series
of wild, perciug, demoniacal yells, followed by
a dead and ominous siicuee.
So fur we b ive followed the lovely heroine aad
her fiicnd in this adventure; hut the foregoing
is all that wo cau publish iu our columns. The
balance of the narrative can only be found ia
the New York Ledger, the great family paper,
which can be obtained at all the periodical
stores where papers are sold. Remember to
ask for the "Ledger," dated May '22 nd, and in
it you will get the continuation of the narrative
| from where it loaves off here. If there ate no
book-stores or news-offices convenient to where
you rceide, the publisher of the Ledger will
send you a copy by mail, if ycu will soud him
five cents iu a letter. Address, Robert Bon
ner, Office, 4i Ann street, Now York. This
j story is entitled, "Perils of the Border," and
i grows more and more interesting as it goes on.
A GOLDEN PRIZE.— A rnnnatr naggoi ot
! gold has boeu found at Kingower, ISO miles
i from Melbourne, by four years oM California,
i miners, named lichen and Jatuoe Ambrose,
1 and Samuel and Carles Napier. It is 3 foot 4
' laches in length, by 10 inches ia width at its
: widest point, and 8 inches thick at one end' and
4 inches thick at the other. Its weight 140 lbs.
! or 1743 oz. 13 dwts, and its value is about
' §34,860, American currency. The maggot
| was found in sand 15 feet below the surface.
' It is perfectly free from ox raucous matter.
! Tho owners are two pairs of brother*; one pair
> English and tho other Boston boys. Tuny
■ have been four years in the diggings, act! had
i quite a pile before striking the it Jp>rse.
; Ibej have the nugg tea exhibition, and intend
to exhibit it itplstMul •' and iu tho '•tMatee.