Camp Cachalot Alumni Association Forums

[rockfall13]

Something I've always wondered about is the tales spun around the campfire. Who remembers "Three-finger Willy" or "The Flaming Hand"? These were two of the legendary creatures of Cachalot I grew up with. Are there any others out there? How about from Noquochoke? I remember one of my first campouts as a Webelos Scout (1980-1), going to Noquochoke and there being an abandoned building they called a haunted house and a cemetery.
_________________
May the Spirit of Scouting rest with us,
May the blessing of God remain with us,
To each of us the message true,
Scouting will stand or fall by you.

- From The Gilwell Camp Fire Book

[Dennis Wilkinson]

"Three Fingered Willy" I remember, although I'm pretty sure there are as many versions of that story as there are people who remember it! Don't remember how he lost those fingers, though -- Dining Hall accident? Slipped with a bow saw? I actually remember some Scouts trying to convince new campers that the old pump-house off the lagoon was "Willy's" cabin.

I don't remember the "Flaming Hand", though. Care to refresh our memories?

Then there's always that infestation of snipes, an always dangerous critter...

The "Three Fingered Willy/Willie" story isn't unique to Cachalot. Just for giggles, I did a quick search on Google and turned up a few hits from other camps. Never too much detail, unfortunately. It'd be interesting to know where that one got its start.
_________________
Dennis
Minister of Propaganda, Webmaestro, and Chief Bottle Washer

"Everything that passes unattempted is impossible." - Stephen R. Donaldson

[rockfall13]

I don't know where "The Flaming Hand" started, but it was one of our Troop favorites. It was always told at Abner's at the concrete foundation there. Most of the details are smothered by the cobwebs of time, but it ran along the lines of:

There used to be a cabin here, and it was used by an old ranger who still came back to help from time to time. One year, he came to spend his usual weekend in the woods. ...(fuzzy)... Troop in camp/boys playing around... There was a fire that night and screams for help, noone went to help. The next morning, the only thing that could be found of him was his right hand. Now, every year on the anniversary, The Flaming Hand of that old ranger comes out looking for revenge on Scouts who aren't careful with fire.

One year it was even accompanied by screams and rustling in the brush, thanks to our SPL.
_________________
May the Spirit of Scouting rest with us,
May the blessing of God remain with us,
To each of us the message true,
Scouting will stand or fall by you.

- From The Gilwell Camp Fire Book

[brianking]

I heard of Three Fingered Willy, but the one that we mentioned the most was 'Red Eyes' . I think Red Eyes was some crazy Indian ghost that would scare little cubbies and tenderfoots in the night

[Peter Ashworth]

I seem to remember stories of wild dogs in the woods of Cachalot. They were pets abandoned by camper in the state forest. Or was I the only one?
What about the tanks burning at Otis?

[Dennis Wilkinson]

[rmonast]

There's really no way that particular legend will ever be forgotten (BTW, I'm still waiting for my truck to come back from the shop).

[Peter Ashworth]

Maybe that was too specific a "legend". Or maybe the person hearing the story was the true legend.

[eTh!nk]

I was a Boy Scout in Troop 21 and 42 in Somerset MA in the 1960s.
Many of my troop's overnights were at Camp Noquochoke.

I remember the "Three Finger Willie" stories from as early as 1964!

Interesting as to what survives over time on a purely informal basis.
I wonder how the Three Finger Willie stories have evolved over 40 years?
_________________
Steve
Troop 125, Wilton, CT
Connecticut Yankee Council

[BrianB]

As far as I can tell from visiting one other scout camp (Chesterfeild Scout Res. in western Mass.) Three Fingered Willie is a widespread figure. That makes sense since he was angered by the scouts mocking him with the Scout Sign.

But do you know where the cheer Whadatandchu comes froms?

Brian

[Peter Ashworth]

Would a snipe be a legend? I don't think anyone ever caught one on a snipe hunt.

[Dennis Wilkinson]

Way back when, before I came over to Troop 46 in '84 and was still with Troop 12, our senior patrol took the whole troop on a snipe hunt out by the bogs (with a wink and a nod from Al LeBlanc, our Scoutmaster.) They put on quite a show, actually.

They started by talking up just how dangerous snipes are -- little, poisonous, toothy(!) birds that rustle through the undergrowth, and how it was our job to try and flush one out so our Senior Patrol Leader, Alan "A.J." Eaton, could catch it in a burlap bag. Then, off for a moonlight hike down to the snipe "nesting grounds" down by the bogs, to scare up a few snipes.

As it turns out, they had headed out to the bogs earlier and rigged up a few things on strings that could be yanked on to make it look like something was rushing through the brush. When we started rustling the undergrowth, someone started yanking on strings, and then things got chaotic. Heard some loud squeals from some of the younger kids, then A.J. dropped to the ground clutching (OK, squirting a ketchup packet onto) his leg, screaming "it bit me, it bit me." The rest of the seniors had us rig up a stretcher, and we took turns carrying A.J. back to the campsite.

What amazed me was just how long A.J. kept up the act. He had someone give him a hand walking for the rest of the weekend, of course, but then he showed up on crutches and with a bandaged leg for the next six weeks! It wouldn't surprise me if some of the youngest kids still think they actually saw snipes that night.

Not to depress everyone, but A.J., unfortunately, is no longer with us. He was working as a police officer for the town of Acushnet, and on a weekend motorcycle ride, off-duty, had a fatal accident.

One thing I always took away from that little snipe hunt was that if something is worth doing, it's worth overdoing -- always worked for summer camp program!
_________________
Dennis
Minister of Propaganda, Webmaestro, and Chief Bottle Washer

"Everything that passes unattempted is impossible." - Stephen R. Donaldson

[Dave G]

I have heard that when the pond freezes that he is trying to get out. That's why it makes noise and creaks all the time. Of course throwing rocks out there when you are tellng the story lends some credence to the myth....

[mvaller00]

I remember being in troop 170 in Dartmouth back in mid to late 80's and hearing of 3 fingered Willie. All I remember is during this time we planted a huge amount of new trees in cachalot due to the fire that happened many years before and hearing how 3 fingered Willie was a scout I beleive who was burned in that fire where his hand were fused together to make an awkward 3 fingers. The rest is vague...

This is going to sound aweful there was a ranger around this time or someone who walked with a limp due to a war injury(not sure if that's true) unfortunately many called him swival hips (which is so degrading) does anyone remember his real name? I've always wondered andre can't remember...

Mike

[Dennis Wilkinson]

The ranger you're thinking of is Arthur Churchill. He was the ranger until early 1991. Volunteers, including myself, filled the gap until the fall of 1991 when Rai Smale took over as ranger.

I have no idea what the origins of Art's nervous tics were, but he was a veteran.
_________________
Dennis
Minister of Propaganda, Webmaestro, and Chief Bottle Washer

"Everything that passes unattempted is impossible." - Stephen R. Donaldson