Sunday, August 17, 2014

The "Other" Rock!


   Mention "the Rock" and Alcatraz comes to
most people's minds.
   But there's another "Rock" that has its own
interesting story and we swung by to see it
this week.
    It's actually one of the islands in the
"Thousand Island" region on the Saint
Lawrence Seaway. It's know as "Devil's
Oven."
    It's getting a lot of attention this weekend
as area residents and visitors celebrate
"Pirate Week." That's because of Bill Johnson!
    Bill Johnston was a renegade after the Patriots
War, who blew up the British steamer, Sir Robert
Peel and, according to local legend, hid in a cave
at the base of the island while  authorities from
America and Canada searched for him. It's said
his daughter rowed to the small cavern with the
supplies he needed to survive.
     True or not boaters like my friends and I
like to check out the island which is just a short
distance off the town of Alexandria Bay.
     On a previous visit a few years back my
buddy joined the elite group of sailors who
climbed out of their vessel and onto the top of
Devil's Oven.
     Bill Johnson wouldn't be able to hid out
there these days. Authorities have come up
with an idea that might have stopped him.
 It stopped us!
     It's called a "No Trespassing Sign!"
     Guess they didn't have those back in 1838!    .
     I keep wondering though....did Johnson
leave any treasure inside the cave. And, is
"No Trespassing" the same as "Keep Out?"
     Hope no one beats me to it.....and that all
your NEWS is good!





     

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