rest shocks are felt as far N. Easterly as Boston, and as far S. West as New York, and there noticed as earthquakes. In 1816 and 1817, in the night, these noises were more than usually violent. A person was on Mount Tom about 15 years since, at the time these noises were heard. It appeared to this person as though a stone or large body fell underneath the ground directly under his feet, and grated down to a considerable distance in the depths below. The cause of these noises is explained by some to be mineral or chemical combinations, exploding at a depth of many thousand feet beneath the surface of the earth. The jar is similar to that of exploded gun powder.

Upwards of a mile north of the Landing, is the ancient burying ground, which is situated about 40 rods south easterly from Salmon river. It is now abandoned, and a forest has grown up among the monuments, giving the place a very unusual and gloomy aspect. The following is copied from a moss covered tabular monument:

Under this tomb stone lyeth interr'd the body of the Rev. Stephen Hosmer, the first pastor of the First Church of Christ in East Haddam, who departed this life the 18th day of June, A. D. 1749, and in the 70th year of his age. And at his right hand lyeth Mrs. Sarah Hosmer, his beloved consort, who departed this life Sept. ye 30th, A. D. 1749, and in the 67th year of her age.

Sweet souls, we leave you to your rest;

Enjoy your Jesus and your God,
Till we from bands of clay releas'd,

Spring out and climb the shining road.

The following is from the 7th vol. of the Medical Repository, published in New York, extracted from a letter written in East Haddam. "For 10 or 12 years prior to 1797," says the writer, "a disease prevailed among the cattle in East Haddam, and in the neighboring places to a great extent, vulgarly called a mortification. It was most destructive to cattle under three years; sometimes attacking cows over that period, but never oxen. Calves were most generally destroyed by it in autumn, and yearlings in May and June. Its commencement was indicated by a sudden listlessness, numbness, and disposition to rest, attended with small soft swellings on the legs, shoulders, flank, side, but more usually in the back near the kidneys, and it produced death with feeble expressions of pain, within 6, 12 and 24 hours. Immediately upon death, the carcass became intolerably offensive, so that the hide was often left to rot with it; where it was taken off, the swellings were found to consist of jelly and black blood. After tanning, the hide was often rotted over the swellings, and holes were made of their size and dimensions." The cause of this disease was never satisfactorily ascertained, and the remedies which were applied, rarely, if ever succeeded.*

From the Connecticut Gazette, (New London,) Aug. 20, 1790, No. 1397.

East Haddam, Aug. 5, 1790.

The town of East Haddam was formerly much noted for earthquakes-from which it obtained its ancient Indian name, Moodus; which in their language, it is said, signifies a great noise. They were supposed to take their rise near Salmon river, which runs between this town and Chatham. Several years ago, they were said to be very loud and frequent, and that they shook the earth for several miles round; and it has been reported, that the ground has been opened in several places, and trees torn up by the roots, and carried to some distance, near the above mentioned river:-and that some persons were under fearful apprehensions that the town would sooner or later be sunk. Various have been the conjectures concerning the cause of these earthquakes

* Field's Statist. Hist. of County of Middlesex.

or Moodus Noises, as they are called. The following account has gained credit with many persons. It is reported, that between 20 and 30 years ago, a transient person came to this town, who called himself Doct. Steel, from Great Britain, who having had information respecting those noises, made critical observation at different times and in different places, till at length he dug up two pearls of great value, which he called Carbuncles, near Salmon river:-and that he told people the noises would be discontinued for many years, as he had taken away their cause: but as he had discovered others in miniature, they would be again heard in process of time. The best evidence of the authenticity of this story is, that it has happened agreeably to his prophecy. The noises did cease for many years, and have again been heard for two or three years past, and they increase-three shocks have been felt in a short space, one of which according to a late paper, was felt at New London, though it was by the account much more considerable in this and the adjacent towns.

KILLINGWORTH.

IN October, 1663, the legislature of Connecticut resolved that there should be a town at Hammonnasset, (the Indian name applied, to the tract now constituting Killingworth,) and the same month twelve plantters moved into it. These were joined by sixteen others in the course of two or three years; and the town was divided into 30 rights, one right being reserved for the first minister that should be settled there, and another for the support of the ministry forever. "The plantation in this town was called the plantation of Hammonnassett, and the plantation between Guilford and Saybrook, until May, 1667. At that time the place was named Kenilworth, after a town in the county of Warwick, in England, from which according to tradition some of the settlers at first emigrated. The name is thus spelt in the early records of the town and colony, but by corrupt spelling or pronunciation, the present name was finally adopted."

The township of Killingworth is of an oblong shape, being about 13 miles in length from north to south, and has a mean breadth of more than three miles. It is bounded northerly by Durham and Haddam, W. by Hammonnasset river dividing it from Madison, E. by Saybrook and Chester, and S. by Long Island Sound. It comprises two parishes, viz. Killingworth, and North Killingworth. The central part of

Killingworth is 38 miles south east from Hartford, 25 miles east New Haven and 27 west from New London. The south, particularly the southwestern section of Killingworth parish is level, having a soil formed of loam, sand, and occasionally of gravel, which, by good husbandry, is rendered very productive. Upon the border of the Sound, there are large tracts of alluvial or salt marsh, comprising, as has been estimated, 1000 acres. North Killingworth is rough and stony, and the soil better adapted for grazing, than for grain and corn.

There is one harbor in the town, about a mile below Killingworth street, which is safe from winds, and has good anchorage; but a bar lies at its entrance, on which there is only 7 or 8 feet of water at common tides. Ship building was begun in this town about the beginning of the last century, by Robert Carter; aud for many years this has been a leading branch of business. Three yards are improved, all

of which are on Indian river, a small stream which enters the harbor. There are, perhaps, five vessels built yearly, upon an average. One of upwards of 400 tons, was built in this place. The village of Killingworth is quite pleasant. The principal street is a mile and a half in length, and six rods wide, and is crossed about midway by Indian river. There are, perhaps, about 150 dwelling houses within a mile from the Congregational church, which is situated in the central part of the place : there is also in the village a Methodist and Baptist church. Killingworth has a healthful, interesting, and prospective situation, and has during the summer months, a salubrious sea air.

"The Indians were very numerous in the southern part of this town, on the banks of Hammonnasset and Indian rivers, and about the harbor. Immense masses of mouldering shells still point out the places where they dwelt. Most of their lands were sold to Col. Fenwick, while he lived at Saybrook. On the 20th of Nov. 1669, Uncas, sachem of Mohegan, with Joshua his son, sold to the inhabitants of Killingworth all the lands in the township, which he had not sold before to George Fenwick, Esq. excepting six acres on the big hammock, (which lay on the eastern shore of the harbor,) reserving, however, free liberty to hunt in the woods, and fish in the rivers, and to use any trees for canoes, and rushes and flags for mats." "The Indians lived in this town in great numbers until 1730 or 40."

West view of Killingworth, (central part.)

The above is a view (looking eastward) of the central part of the principal street in Killingworth, showing the place where the road crosses Indian river, with part of the ship yards upon its banks. The Congregational church seen in the center of the print, stands upon a small elevation called meeting house hill: the academy is seen at the east end of the church: from this place the observer has a pleasant view of the harbor and sound. The prospect from the steeple is more extensive and beautiful. On the right is seen, between the trees opposite the church, a house upwards of an hundred years old. This house was the residence of the Rev. Jared Elliot, D. D. who was highly distinguished as a divine, physician, and scholar. He was the

grandson of the celebrated John Elliot of Roxbury, Massachusetts, the "Apostle to the Indians." As a divine, Mr. Elliot possessed enlarged views of the system of religion contained in the Bible. "In his preaching he was plain and familiar, happy in allusions to Scripture, and abounding in original and laconic expressions. As a physician his reputation was such, that he was sometimes called out of the colony. In history, natural philosophy, botany and mineralogy, he excelled. By several small treatises, he labored to improve the agriculture of his country. Some considerations had led him to believe that the black sand, which appears originally on the beach of the sound, might be wrought into iron. He made an experiment upon it in the year 1761, and succeeded. For this discovery he was honored with a medal, by the society instituted in London for the encouragement of arts, manufactures and commerce. He died in 1763, aged seventy eight years."

A short distance northward of the church seen in the engraving, is the burying ground. The following inscription is copied from one of the monuments.

"In memory of Doct. Benjamin Gale, who, after a life of usefulness in his profession, and a laborious study of the Prophesies, fell asleep May 6th, A. D. 1790, Æt. 75, fully expecting to rise again under the Messiah, and to reign with him on earth........... I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth, and mine eyes shall behold him."

It appears by this inscription, that Dr. Gale was a believer in the ancient doctrine of Millenarians, a name given to those who believe that the second coming of Christ will precede the Millennium, and that there will be a literal resurrection of the saints, who will reign with Christ on earth a thousand years. This appears to have been the belief of pious persons at the time of the first settlement of New England: even as late as the great earthquake, many Christians were looking for, and expecting the second coming of Christ.

Abel Buell, an uncommonly ingenious mechanic, was a native of this town: he was apprenticed to Ebenezer Chittenden, a gold and silver smith in this place, previous to the Revolution. Buell was married at the age of nineteen years, and at the age of twenty, altered a five shilling colony note to five pounds. His neighbors had suspected that something was going on in his house which was wrong, as a light had been seen at unusual hours, in his chamber at night. He was discovered by some person, who, mounting a ladder looked in at the window and saw him in the act of altering the bills. So ingeniously was it done, that it could only be discovered by comparing the stumps of the letters with those left in the book from which all the colony bills were issued.* Matthew Griswold, the king's attorney, afterwards governor, conducted the prosecution against Buell. As it was his first offence, and otherwise sustaining a good character, Mr. Griswold granted him every indulgence which he could consistently with his duty as a public officer. Buell's punishment appears to have consisted of imprisonment, cropping, and branding. The tip only of Buell's ear was cropped off: it was held on his tongue to keep it warm till it was put on the ear again, where it grew on. He was branded on the forehead as high up as possible. This was usually done by a hot iron in the form of a letter designating the crime, which was held on the forehead of the criminal till he could say the words

"God save the king"

Mr. Buell was at the first imprisoned at Norwich; afterwards, through the influence of his family and friends, he was removed back to Killingworth. About this time he constructed a lapidary machine, the first, it is believed, that was used in this country.

* It appears from this that all the bills which were issued by the colony were originally bound together in the form of a book, and were cut out as they were wanted, leaving some part of the printed matter in the book.

With this he was enabled to make a very curious ring; a large, beautiful stone being set in the center, surrounded by those of a smaller size, all of which were wrought in a curious and workmanlike manner. This ring he presented to Mr. Griswold, the king's attorney, and through his influence a pardon was obtained. Afterwards, about the year 1770, Mr. Buell removed to New Haven. About this period Bernard Romans was constructing a map of North America. As the coast of Pensacola was but little known, Buell was employed by him to make a survey of the coast. While at Pensacola, a person knowing him to be an ingenious man, enquired if he could break the governor's seal, and open a letter and seal it up again, so that it could not be discovered that the letter had been opened. Mr. Buell was able to show his employer that it could be done in a perfect manner. He was, however, arrested for making the attempt, although it is believed that the governor employed the person who came to Buell. He was confined to the Island, but he soon found means to escape by a boat of his construction: he was accompanied by a boy who wished to leave the place; they put out into the open sea, and were three days out of sight of land. They however were able to get into some of our southern ports, and from thence Buell returned home.

The map mentioned above, was published during the Revolutionary war, and it is believed to be the first map engraved and published in this country. In engraving it Mr. Buell was assisted by Mr. Amos Doolittle, of New Haven. During the Revolution it was extremely difficult to procure types for printing, except French type. Mr. Buell, turning his attention to this subject, soon constructed a type foundery, and employed 15 or 20 boys in making type. The building used for the foundery, was the Sandemanian meeting house, situated in Gregson street. The legislature of the state, impressed with a sense of the service he rendered the public, restored to him his civil rights. Upon the conclusion of the Revolutionary war, Mr. Buell and some others were employed by the state in coining coppers. Mr. Buell constructed all the apparatus for this purpose, and to such perfection did he bring it, that he was able to coin 120 in one minute. Soon after he went to England for the ostensible purpose of procuring copper for coining, but in reality to gain some knowledge of the machinery used for the manufacturing of cloths of various kinds.

While in England he was passing through a town where they were constructing an iron bridge: through some error or defect in the construction, the builders could not make their bridge answer any useful purpose. Such was Mr. Buell's knowledge and ingenuity on subjects of this nature, that he was able in a short time to direct them how to construct their bridge in a proper manner. So highly were his services considered, he was presented with a hundred guineas. Mr. Buell returned to this country and brought a Scotchman by the name of M'Intosh. They erected a cotton factory in Westville, in New Haven, one of the first erected in this country. He afterwards removed to Hartford, and from thence to Stockbridge, Mass. where he made a profession of religion after he was seventy years of age. About the year 1825, he returned to New Haven, where he died in the Alms house soon after his return.

SAYBROOK.

SAYBROOK is one of the most ancient towns in the state. Lord Say and Seal, Lord Brook, and other gentlemen of distinction, dissatisfied with the civil and religious state of things in England, in the time of Charles I, contemplated a removal to America: accordingly in 1632, they procured of Robert, Earl of Warwick, a patent of all that territory "which lies west from Narragansett river, a hundred and twenty miles on the sea coast; and from thence in latitude and breadth aforesaid, to the South Sea." In July, 1635, they appointed John Winthrop, son of the governor of Massachusetts, then in England, their agent, to build a fort at Connecticut river, and constituted him governor of the place and the places adjoining, for the space of one year from his arrival there. On his arrival at Boston in October, he found that a company had just gone from Massachusetts and settled upon Connecticut river, within the patent held by their lordships. Winthrop however dispatched carpen