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and banks of the River. The marsh has but a small depth, and lies on a bed of sand. Some fragments of Indian manufacture, and other articles, have been thrown up in ditching the marsh.

On the land of William Woodward, and a few rods west of his barn, is a rock of Greenstone, resting in a few places, over a cavity, upon a ridge of Sandstone. The under side of the rock is very smooth. Its mean height is about five feet and a half, and its length and breadth is about eight feet. The top of it is flat. There is no other rock of the kind in that neighborhood. Is this rock of Celtic origin ?Its size and peculiar position resembles that of other rocks in this country which have been the subjects of scientific speculation.

Another rock, of Sandstone, somewhat similar to the other, not so high, but having a longer table, is on a hill of considerable elevation, west of Bridge Swamp. It originally rested on the apex, like an inverted cone, but now reclines towards the South. From this situation there is a charming view of the Sound and the surrounding country.

The great burying place of the Indian Tribes in this Town and vicinity, is on the north end of the hill on which the Fort stands, which, anciently, in allusion to this place, was called Grave Hill. Some of the graves have been levelled by the plow, but many of them are yet visible. In the year 1822, I examined three of these graves. At the depth of about three feet and a half the sand stone appears, on which the bodies were laid, without any appearance of a wrapper or enclosure. They all lay in the direction of south-west and north-east-the head towards the west. Of two of them, the arms lay by the side; the other had the arms across the body, after the manner of the white people. The large bones and teeth were in a sound state. The thigh bones of one measured 19 inches in length, the leg bone 18, and the arm from the elbow to the shoulder 13. By measuring the skeleton as it lay, it was concluded to be that of a man of six and a half feet high. No article of any description appeared with the bones. It is said, that about 50 or 60 years ago some of these graves were opened, and a number of Indian implements, of the kitchen and of war, were found in them. Few Indians have been buried there within a century past.

The Indians had a Fort on the hill in the burying ground, and from that circumstance it was called Fort Hill. It is

also a tradition that they had another on the hill north of Daniel Hughes' house, and near the old ferry road. The appearance of shells shows that they had a village on that spot: The same indications appear in the woods of Southend Neck, west of the sluice. Great quantities of oyster shells are collected ainong the rocks and in the little vallies, and on the banks of the River, showing the places where their weekwams stood.

It was stated in the first chapter of this history that Thomas Gregson, who settled at Solitary Cove, and several others, on a voyage to England, were lost at sea. That affair

is noticed by Dr. Mather, in his Magnalia, with an account of the apparition of a ship, contained in a letter to him from the Rev. James Pierpont, Pastor of the Church at New-Haven, successor to Mr. Street, and who was settled there 2d July, 1685. As the loss of Mr. Gregson was a calamity to the early settlement of East-Haven, I conclude that this account may be introduced into this work with propriety. It is a singular affair, and will be amusing to most of the readers. I insert it without any comment, leaving every reader to make what speculations he pleases concerning it. Behold, a fourth colony of New-English Christians, in a manner stolen into the world, and a colony, indeed, constellated with many stars of the first magnitude. The colony was under the conduct of as holy, and as prudent and as genteel men, as most that ever visited these nooks of America: and yet these too were tried with very humbling cir

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cumstances.

t

Being Londoners, or merchants and men of traffic and business, their design was in a manner wholly to apply themselves unto trade; but the design failing, they found their great estates sink so fast, that they must quickly do something. Whereupon, in the year 1646, gathering together almost all the strength which was left them, they built one ship more, which they freighted for England, with the best part of their tradeable estates: and sundry of their eminent persons embarked themselves in her for the voyage. But, alas, the ship was never after heard of!-She foundered at sea; and in her were lost, not only the hopes of their future trade, but also the lives of several excellent persons, as well as divers manuscripts of some great men in the country, sent over for the service of the Church, which were now buried in the ocean. The fuller story of that grievous matter, let the reader with a just astonishment accept from

the pen of the Reverend person, who is now the Pastor of New-Haven. I wrote unto him for it, and was thus answered.

Reverend and Dear Sir

the

"In compliance with your desires, I now give you relation of that apparition of a ship in the air, which I have received from the most credible, judicious, and curious surviving observers of it.

"In the year 1647, besides much other lading, a far more rich treasure of passengers (five or six of which were persons of chief note and worth in New-Haven,) put themselves on board a new ship, built at Rhode-Island, of about 150 tons; but so watty, [crank,] that the master (Lamberton) often said she would prove their grave. In the month of January, cutting their way through much ice, on which they were accompanied with the Rev. Mr. Davenport, besides many other friends, with many fears, as well as prayers and tears, they set sail. Mr. Davenport, in prayer, with an observable emphasis, used these words, Lord, if it be thy pleasure to bury these dear friends in the bottom of the sea, they are thine, save them!" The spring following, no tidings of these friends arrived with the ships from England; New-Haven's heart began to fail her; this put the godly people on much prayer, both public and private, that the Lord would (if it was his pleasure) let them hear what he had done with their our friends, and prepare them with a suitable submission to his Holy Will. In June next ensuing, a great thunder storm arose out of the north-west; after which, (the hemisphere being serene) about an hour before sun-set, a SHIP, of like dimensions with the aforesaid, with her canvass and colours abroad, (though the wind northerly,) appeared in the air, coming up from our harbour's mouth, which lyes southward of the Towne, seemingly with her sails filled under a fresh gale, holding her course north, and continuing under observation, sailing against the wind, for the space of half an hour.

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Many were drawn to behold this great work of God; yea, the very children cryed out, There's a brave ship!At length, crouding up as far as there is usually water sufficient for such a vessel, and so near some of the spectators as that they imagined a man might hurl a stone on board her, her main top seemed to be blown off, but left hanging in the shrouds; then her missen top; then all her masting seemed blown away by the board; quickly after the hulk

brought unto a careen, she overset, and so vanished into a smoaky cloud, which in some time dissipated, leaving, as every where else, a clear air. The admiring spectators could distinguish the several colours of each part, the principal rigging, and such proportions, as caused not only the generality of persons to say, This was the mould of their ship, and thus was her tragic end; but Mr. Davenport also in public declared to this effect, That God had condescended, for the quieting of their afflicted spirits, this extraordinary account of his sovereign disposal of those for whom so many fervent prayers were made continually.

Thus I am, Sir, Your humble servant,

JAMES PIERPONT."

CHAP. X.

Roads and Public Lands.

WHEN Thomas Morris, in 1671, bought the little Neck, a four rod road was reserved, in his deed, "from the Cove to Fowler's Creek, in the way to Southend."

In 1673, the Southend men and George Pardee, paid the Indian George, Sagamore, twelve shillings for a road of one rod from the Cove to the country road.

In 1692, "On Motion made by the Southend men in reference to the highway through the Indian land, it was voted, that Thomas Trowbridge, sergt. Winstone, John Potter and sergt. Cooper, or any three of them, be a Committee to state out and settle the way formerly used, as described by the Town's former order. And they are to inform themselves by such as know how the way went in times past, or ought to go, and make return to the Town of what they do; also that they treat with the Indians, to settle matters lovingly with them." This vote was executed as follows:

"NEW-HAVEN, 10th June, 1692. "Whereas there was a former agreement between NewHaven Towne and the Indians, for a highway through the Indian field to George Pardee's land, yet for peace sake with the Inhabitants of Southend, and George Pardee have given to George the Sagamore, twelve shillings in money, for which, I the underwritten do ratify and confirm the same

and do grant the same highway to be on record, beginning at the dirty Swamp by the Iron worke path, which was Mr. Gregson's land, for which I do further engage that there shall be but two pare of barrs or gates throughout my land to George Pardee's, which I the foresaid Sagamore George will make and maintaine forever, and do further engage myself, my heirs, to secure the same highway to them, their heirs and assigns forever from me, my assigns, or any from or under me. As witness my hand and seal-dated as

above.

his

INDIAN GEORGE.

mark.

Testors UMBESA,

HASOMAUG,

JOHN POTTER,

JOHN COOPER."

In December, 1727, "It was voted that the two rod high way laid out through the new Indian field on the east side, and running through the same, and established by the Committee to dispose of said land, one rod whereof was purchased by the Southend people of the Indians, be and remain an highway forever,"-Pro. Records.]

27th December, 1686. And the road or way to the Ferry through the Neck to continue where it now is, and from the Ferry on the East side, the way to be continued where it is, four rods wide to Stoney River, and the end of our bounds Branfordward.”—[Pro. Record.]

"And the Highway to be continued where it was, and that is from Old Ferry Point at the place called the Stables, four rods wide. And from the way that leadeth to Stoney River Farmes the highway to be continued where or near where it is as may be, leading to the sea at Solitary Cove, lying between the sea and the proprietors there, and so to go on where it doth over the little or Morris' Neck unto Southend Farmes."

"And also a road or highway from Stoney River Farmes to the Bogmine plaine, where it is, or lately was, when Bogmine was carted to the Iron workes, and from the said Bogmine plain, onwards upon the plaines, near where it lieth to the end of our Town Bounds towards Wallingford."

"Also a highway from the last mentioned highway begin ning at the Southernmost run of water that runs into Mr. Davenport's Cove, to be continued unto the River near the

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