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THE LAKE GUN
THE LAKE GUN JAMES FENIMORE COOPER {Introductory Note: The "Lake Gun" though based on
folklore about Seneca Lake in Central New York State (the
"Wandering Jew" and the "Lake Gun") and on a supposed
Seneca Indian legend is in fact political satire commenting
on American political demagogues in general and in
particular on the then (1850) Whig Senator from New York
State William Henry Seward (1801-1872) who had served
as Governor of New York (1838-1842) and would later
become Secretary of State (1861-1869) under Presidents
Lincoln and Johnson. By 1850 Cooper feared that
unscrupulous political extremists mobilizing public opinion
behind causes such as abolitionism were leading America
towards a disastrous Civil War. Cooper probably obtained
his local lore about Seneca Lake while visiting his son Paul
who attended Geneva College (now Hobart College) on
Lake Seneca from 1840-1844.}
The Lake Gun
by James Fenimore Cooper
The Seneca is remarkable for its "Wandering Jew" and the
"Lake Gun." The first is a tree so balanced that when its
roots are clear of the bottom it floats with its broken and
pointed trunk a few feet above the surface of the water
driving before the winds or following in the course of the
currents. At times the "Wandering Jew" is seen off
Jefferson near the head of this beautiful sheet; and next it
will appear anchored as it might be in the shallow water
near the outlet.
{"Wandering Jew" = The medieval legend of Ahasueras
who mocked Christ on his way to the cross and was
condemned to live until Judgment Day is widespread
throughout Europe though he was only identified as a
"Jew" in the 17th century--students at Geneva College
(now Hobart College) applied the name to a supposedly
unsinkable floating log in Lake Seneca identified as the
legendary "Chief Agayentha"; Jefferson = I have been
unable to locate any "Jefferson" on Lake Seneca}
For more than half a century has this remnant of the forest
floated about from point to point its bald head whitening
with time until its features have become familiar to all the
older inhabitants of that region of country. The great depth
of the Seneca prevents it from freezing; and summer and
winter springtime and autumn is this wanderer to be
observed; occasionally battling with the ice that makes a
short distance from the shore now pursuing its quiet way
before a mild southern air in June or again anchored by
its roots touching the bottom as it passes a point or
comes in contact with the flats. It has been known to
remain a year or two at a time in view of the village of
Geneva until accustomed to its sight the people began to
think that it was never to move from its berth any more;
but a fresh northerly breeze changes all this; the "Jew"
swings to the gale and like a ship unmooring drags clear
of the bottom and goes off to the southward with its head
just high enough above water to be visible. It would seem
really that his wanderings are not to cease as long as wood
will float.
{village of Geneva = now the City of Geneva at the
northern end of Lake Seneca}
No white man can give the history of this "Jew." He was
found laving his sides in the pure waters of the Seneca by
the earliest settlers and it may have been ages since his
wanderings commenced. When they are to cease is a
secret in the womb of time.
The "Lake Gun" is a mystery. It is a sound resembling the
explosion of a heavy piece of artillery that can be
accounted for by none of the known laws of nature. The
report is deep hollow distant and imposing. The lake
seems to be speaking to the surrounding hills which send
back the echoes of its voice in accurate reply. No
satisfactory theory has ever been broached to explain
these noises. Conjectures have been hazarded about
chasms and the escape of compressed air by the sudden
admission of water; but all this is talking at random and
has probably no foundation in truth. The most that can be
said is that such sounds are heard though at long
intervals and that no one as yet has succeeded in
ascertaining their cause.
{"The Lake Gun" = The "Lake Gun" or "Lake Drum" is a
mysterious booming sound occasionally heard on Lake
Seneca (and on neighboring Lake Cayuga) which has been
given a variety of scientific literary and legendary
interpretations.}
It is not many lustrums since curiosity induced an idler a
traveler and one possessed of much attainment derived
from journeys in distant lands first to inquire closely into
all the traditions connected with these two peculiarities of
the Seneca and having thus obtained all he could to lead
him to make the tour of the entire lake in the hope of
learning more by actual personal observation. He went up
and down in the steamboat; was much gratified with his
trip but could see or hear nothing to help him in his
investigation. The "Gun" had not been heard in a long
time and no one could tell him what had become of the
"Wandering Jew." In vain did his eyes roam over the broad
expanse of water; they could discover nothing to reward
their search. There was an old man in the boat of the
name of Peter who had passed his life on the Seneca and
to him was our traveler referred as the person most likely
to gratify his curiosity. Fuller (for so we shall call the
stranger for the sake of convenience) was not slow to
profit by this hint and was soon in amicable relations with
the tough old fresh-water mariner. A half-eagle
opportunely bestowed opened all the stores of Peter's lore;
and he professed himself ready to undertake a cruise
even for the especial purpose of hunting up the "Jew."
{lustrum = a period of five years; half eagle = a U.S. gold
coin worth $5.00}
"I haven't seen that ere crittur now"--Peter always spoke
of the tree as if it had animal life--"these three years. We
think he doesn't like the steamboats. The very last time I
seed the old chap he was a-goin' up afore a smart
norwester and we was a-comin' down with the wind in our
teeth when I made out the 'Jew' about a mile or at
most a mile and a half ahead of us and right in our track.
I remember that I said to myself says I 'Old fellow we'll
get a sight of your countenance this time.' I suppose you
know sir that the 'Jew' has a face just like a human?"
"I did not know that; but what became of the tree?"
"Tree" answered Peter shaking his head "why can't we
cut a tree down in the woods saw it and carve it as we
will and make it last a hundred years? What become of
the tree sir;--why as soon as the 'Jew' saw we was a-
comin' so straight upon him what does the old chap do but
shift his helm and make for the west shore. You never
seed a steamer leave sich a wake or make sich time. If he
went half a knot he went twenty!"
This little episode rather shook Fuller's faith in Peter's
accuracy; but it did not prevent his making an
arrangement by which he and the old man were to take a
cruise in quest of the tree after having fruitlessly
endeavored to discover in what part of the lake it was just
then to be seen.
"Some folks pretend he's gone down" said Peter in
continuation of a discourse on the subject as he flattened
in the sheets of a very comfortable and rather spacious
sailboat on quitting the wharf of Geneva "and will never
come up ag'in. But they may just as well tell me that the
sky is coming down and that we may set about picking up
the larks. That 'Jew' will no more sink than a well-corked
bottle will sink."
{picking up the larks = "When the sky falls we shall catch
larks" is an old proverb meaning that an idea or
suggestion is ridiculous}
This was the opinion of Peter. Fuller cared but little for it
though he still fancied he might make his companion useful
in hunting up the object of his search. These two
strangely-assorted companions cruised up and down the
Seneca for a week vainly endeavoring to find the
"Wandering Jew." Various were the accounts they gleaned
from the different boatmen. One had heard he was to be
met with off this point; another in that bay: all believed
he might be found though no one had seen him lately--
some said in many years.
"He'll turn up" said Peter positively "or the Seneca would
go down bows foremost. We shall light on the old chap
when we least expect it."
It must be confessed that Peter had many sufficient
reasons for entertaining these encouraging hopes. He was
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