voyage of the paper canoe-第9章
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CHAPTER IV。 FROM LAKES GEORGE AND CHAMPLAIN TO THE HUDSON RIVER。
THE DISCOVERY OF LAKE GEORGE BY FATHER JOGUES。 A PEDESTRIAN JOURNEY。 THE HERMIT OF THE NARROWS。 CONVENT OF ST。 MARY'S OF THE LAKE。 THE PAULIST FATHERS。 CANAL…ROUTE FROM LAKE CHAMPLAIN TO ALBANY。 BODFISH RETURNS TO NEW JERSEY。 THE LITTLE FLEET IN ITS HAVEN OF REST。
In the last chapter I gave； from seemingly good authority； the appellation of the narrow terminal water of the southern end of Lake Champlain； 〃the tail of the lake。〃 Another authority； in describing Lake George； says： 〃The Indians named the lake； on account of the purity of its waters； Horicon； or 'silvery water；' they also called it Canderi…oit； or 'the tail of the lake；' on account of its connecting with Lake Champlain。〃 Cooper； in his 〃Last of the Mohicans；〃 says： 〃It occurred to me that the French name of the lake was too complicated； the American too commonplace； and the Indian too unpronounceable for either to be used familiarly in a work of fiction。〃 So he called it Horicon。
History furnishes us with the following facts in regard to the discovery of the lake。 While journeying up the St。 Lawrence in a fleet of twelve canoes； on a mission to the friendly Huron aborigines； Father Isaac Jogues and his two friends； donnes of the mission； Rene Goupil and Guillaume Couture； with another Frenchman； were captured at the western end of Lake of St。 Peter by a band of Iroquois； which was on a marauding expedition from the Mohawk River country； near what is now the city of Troy。 In the panic caused by the sudden onslaught of the Iroquois； the unconverted portion of the thirty…six Huron allies of the Frenchmen fled into the woods； while the christianized portion defended the white men for a while。 A reinforcement of the enemy soon scattered these also； but not until the Frenchmen and a few of the Hurons were made captive。 This was on the 2d of August； 1642。
According to Francis Parkman； the author of 〃The Jesuits in North America；〃 the savages tortured Jogues and his white companions； striping off their clothing； tearing out their fingernails with their teeth； and gnawing their fingers with the fury of beasts。 The seventy Iroquois returned southward； following the River Richelieu； Lake Champlain； and Lake George； en route for the Mohawk towns。 Meeting a war party of two hundred of their own nation on one of the islands of Champlain； the Indians formed two parallel lines between which the captives were forced to run for their lives； while the savages struck at them with thorny sticks and clubs。 Father Jogues fell exhausted to the ground； bathed in his own blood； when fire was applied to his body。 At night the young warriors tormented the poor captives by opening their wounds and tearing out their hair and beards。 The day following this night of torture the Indians and their mangled captives reached the promontory of Ticonderoga； along the base of which flowed the limpid waters； the outlet of Lake George。 Here the party made a portage through the primeval forests； carrying their canoes and cargoes on their backs； when suddenly there broke upon their view the dark blue waters of a beautiful lake； which Mr。 Parkman thus eloquently describes：
〃Like a fair naiad of the wilderness it slumbered between the guardian mountains that breathe from crag and forest the stern poetry of war。 But all then was solitude； and the clang of trumpets； the roar of cannon； and the deadly crack of the rifle had never as yet awakened their angry echoes。 Again the canoes were launched and the wild flotilla glided on its way； now in the shadow of the heights； now on the broad expanse； now among the devious channels of the Narrows； beset with woody islets where the hot air was redolent of the pine； the spruce； and the cedar； till they neared that tragic shore where； in the following century； New England rustics battled the soldiers of Dieskau； where Montcalm planted his batteries； where the red cross waved so long amid the smoke； and where； at length； the summer night was hideous with carnage； and an honored name was stained with a memory of blood。 The Indians landed at or near the future site of Fort William Henry； left their canoes； and with their prisoners began their march for the nearest Mohawk town。〃
Father Jogues lived among his captors until the fall of 1643； when he escaped in a vessel from the Dutch settlement of Rensselaerswyck （Albany）； to which place the Iroquois had gone to trade with the inhabitants。 He arrived at the Jesuit college of Rennes； France； in a most destitute condition； on the 5th of January； 1644； where he was joyfully received and kindly cared for。 When he appeared before Queen Anne of Austria； the woman who wore a diadem thought it a privilege to kiss his mutilated hands。 In the Roman Catholic church a deformed or mutilated priest cannot say mass； he must be a perfect man in body and mind before the Lord。 Father Jogues wished to return to his old missionary field； so； to restore to him his lost right of saying mass； the Pope granted his prayer by a special dispensation。 In the spring of 1643 he returned to the St。 Lawrence country to found a new mission； to be called the Mission of Martyrs。 His Superior at Montreal ordered him to proceed to the country of the Mohawks； and in company with Sieur Bourdon； a government engineer； and six Indians； he followed the Richelieu and Champlain； which the savages called 〃the doorway of the country；〃 until the little party stood on the northern end of Lake George； on the evening of Corpus Christi； and with the catholic spirit of the Jesuit missionary he christened it Lac St。 Sacrement； and this name it bore for a whole century。 On the 18th of October； 1646； the tomahawk of the savage ended the life of Father Jogues； who； after suffering many tortures and indignities from his Iroquois captors； died in their midst while working for their salvation in his field of Christian labor。
The right of a discoverer to name new lakes and rivers is old and unquestioned。 A missionary of the cross penetrated an unexplored wilderness and found this noblest gem of the lower Adirondacks； unknown to civilized man。 Impressed with this sublime work of his Creator； the martyred priest christened it St。 Sacrement。 One hundred years later came troops of soldiers with mouths filled with strange oaths； cursing their enemies。 What respect had they for the rights of discoverers or martyred missionaries？ So General Johnson； 〃an ambitious Irishman；〃 discarded the Christian name of the lake and replaced it with the English one of George。 He did not name it after St。 George； the patron saint of England； of whom history asserts that he 〃was identical with a native of either Cappadocia or Cilicia； who raised himself by flattery of the great from the meanest circumstances to be purveyor of bacon for the army； and who was put to death with two of his ministers by a mob； for peculations； A。 D。 361；〃 but he took that of a sensual king； George of England； in order to advance his own interests with that monarch。
For more than a century Lake George was the highway between Canada and the Hudson River。 Its pure waters were so much esteemed as to be taken regularly to Canada to be consecrated and used in the Roman Catholic churches in baptismal and other sacred rites。 The lake was frequently occupied by armies； and the forts George and William Henry； at the southern end； possess most interesting historical associations。 The novelist Cooper made Lake George a region of romance。 To the young generation of Americans who yearly visit its shores it is an El Dorado； and the very air breathes love as they glide in their light boats over its pellucid waters； adding to the picturesqueness of the scene； and supplying that need ever felt； no matter what the natural beauty； the presence of man。 I believe even the Garden of Eden itself could not have been perfect till among its shady groves fell the shadows of our first parents。 The cool retreats； the jutting promontories； the moss…covered rocks against which the waves softly break； if these had tongues； they would； like Tennyson's Brook； 〃go on forever；〃 for surely they would
