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By Ernest G. Cook
Theresa, Sept. 16
It was a happy fall that Robert Sixberry spent trapping on the Indian river with the Indians. Although he was but a youth, he was able to take an active part in all their work of trapping and showed his skill with the gun again and again. While he trapped some alone, yet mostly his work was with the two Indians who found him on the shores of Black River alone in that wilderness country. They seemed to adopt him as one of them and he certainly found in them two good and loyal friends.
Fur was plentiful and not hard to secure. Each day found their supply growing. Young Sixberry began to wonder what they were to do with it all. While he knew some would be needed for clothing to keep warm in winter, their supply was much too large for such needs.
White Man at Big River.
He asked them what they did with all their fur and he was told that at a certain time there would be a white man on an island in a big river far off who would buy the fur and that he could sell his fur there also. This was all news to Sixberry and he wondered what sort of a river it was and how the white man would come to be there. The Indians told him they went down their river for quite a ways and went into a lake. From there they crossed over to the big river, not far beyond and there go by water until they found the white man.
It all sounded quite like a dream to young Sixberry and he thought he must be living in a new and strange world. Anyway, it was a world where the hand of a stern mistress was not always turned against him. He wondered how matters were faring down on the rocky farm in the Catskill mountains and if they were still searching for him.
The leaves had been turning for sometime and were now fast leaving the trees and Robert Sixberry reminded his two Indian friends they had not yet shown him the many lakes they said were in that section of the country. So one morning they began to show him some of the lakes and among the others took him over the high hills to where Millsite lake is located. They seemed to think, or at least carry the idea, that this was the only lake in that section, and they returned to their camp.
Finds a New Lake.
A few days after Sixberry decided he would take time to go and explore around the banks of the lake they saw, which was over the hills from the river. Taking his time, he followed along the banks and then, marking the trees as he went, he walked on in the woods to see what the land might be like that was near the lakes. Suddenly, through the half bare trees, he saw in the afternoon sunlight a gleam of sparkling water. He was sure he had left the lake behind by quite a distance and he wondered what he had found. Going forward he discovered that hidden by rocky ledges which were covered with a screen of thick forest, was a smaller lake. Hidden in its deep bowl-like container, the lake could not be seen unless one was right at its bank. The Indians had probably seen it in other years and maybe knew about it, but hardly counted it, there being so many lakes to fish in.
Years after, when the white men had begun to settle in this country and Sixberry himself was located on lands near Evans Mills, he told how there was a small lake completely hidden by ledges and trees. Some of the explorers laughed at him and would jokingly refer to Sixberry's lost lake. But one day the hunter, it is said went with a company and, locating Millsite lake, followed his trail of years before and soon showed them the lake. From that time on it has been known as Sixberry lake and such is its name today.
Sell Their Furs.
There came a day late fall when the Indians said it was time to sell their fur. Quite a company assembled and under the direction of a leader, made ready for the expedition. Several canoes were loaded and the company started off in good spirits. They would soon reap the rewards for their days of toil.
They were probably four or five days making their trip with the fur, Sixberry thought. They camped the first night near quite a village of Indians and a couple more nights on the banks of the Indian river or Black lake. It took some time to make the carry over to get to the waters that flowed into the St. Lawrence.
Just what part of the St. Lawrence the white man who bought the fur was located Sixberry in after life said he couldn't quite remember. It was on the Canada side and he thought the man represented some fur company. He did a brisk business, at least took in much fur at a very small cost to the company.
The Indians were quite content to sell their fur in exchange for mostly trinkets of little value. They would secure a few blankets, but the great bulk of their fur was actually given away, for the trinkets they received were hardly worth carrying home, although prized highly by the Indians as the finest ornaments. Probably money would mean nothing to them.
When young sixberry came up to sell his fur he protested very much as to the value. He wanted money and he wanted powder and shots for his gun. Grudgingly the trader gave him the shots and the powder, but had no money to offer. Sixberry took largely in blankets, but was very much dissatisfied with the exchange. He told the Indians he could find a better place to sell his fur. He would take them down in the Mohawk valley and there he knew he could obtain much better returns. But the Indians were satisfied with their deal and the Mohawk was too far away to take all their loads of fur.
Goes to the Mohawk.
On the way back to the Indian river Sixberry was pondering over a plan of selling in the Mohawk valley. He would spend the winter with his Indian friends, but the next season he would save his fur and make the long overland trip through the wilderness to the Dutch settlements in the central part of the state.
Sixberry wintered in the lodge overlooking the Indian river where he first built his lodge with his Indian friends. The spring afforded plenty of water. There was a supply of dried fish and deer could be secured with little effort. One day was much like another and they lived quite comfortably in their little lodges with plenty of fuel for the evening fires. The Indians were good company and it was not bad at all living in thier community. The five families remained just above them on the point where the Indian river is about to make its bend.
With the coming of spring the Indians grew active, catching some fur, fishing much and planting some corn.
When fall came Sixberry didn't go to the fur trader on the big river but worked away on an Indian sled he was making that he proposed to carry his load of furs to the Mohawk.
The Indians helped him build the sled, which took many days to make it strong enough to hold for the long trip. He had spent a delightful second summer with them and was loath to part company. They seemed to feel bad that he was to leave them. Taking some supplies, plenty of blankets, Robert Sixberry started out one crisp, clear morning when snow covered the ground and ice locked every pond and river. He proposed to follow the Indians' trail south and thought he could surely make the journey in less than two weeks. He wondered how his Dutch friends were on the Mohawk and what they would say at his big load of rich furs. With a freindly wave of the hand to friends of two seasons he started out.
(To be continued.) |
