It is remarkable that immediately after y fall of y⚫ Snow y• an infinite multitude of Sparrows made their Appear ance, but then, after a short continuance, all disappeared.

It is incredible how much damage is done to y* Orchards, For the Snow freezing to a Crust, as high as the boughs of y trees, anon split ym to pieces. The Cattel also, walking on y crusted Snow a dozen foot from y ground, so fed upon y Trees as very much to damnify them. The Ocean was in a prodigious Ferment, an after it was over, vast heaps of little shells were driven ashore, where they were never seen before. Mighty shoals of Porpoises also kept a play-day in the disturbed waves of our Harbours. The odd Accidents befalling many poor people, whose Cottages were totally covered with y Snow, & not ye very tops of their chimneys to be seen, would afford a Story. But there not being any relation to philosophy in them, I forbear them.

And now Satis Terris Nivis. And there is enough of my Winter Tale. If it serve to no other purpose, yett it will give me an opportunity to tell you That nine months ago I did a thousand times wish myself with you in Gresham Colledge, which is never so horribly snow'd upon. But instead of so great a Satisfaction, all I can attain to is the pleasure of talking with you in this Epistolary way & subscribing myself

Syr Yours with an affection

that knows no Winter, COTTON MATHER.

29. Dark Days.

We find recorded in history, instances of extreme darkness in the daytime, and in some cases this obscurity has lasted for a number of days. The 19th of May, 1780, was distinguished by the phenomenon of a remarkable darkness over all the northern States, and is still called the Dark Day.*

At this time the legislature of Connecticut was in session in

The darkness commenced between the hours of ten and eleven, A. M., and continued to the middle of the next night. It was occasioned by a thick vapour, 01 cloud, tinged with a yellow colour, or faint red, and a thin coat of dust was deposited on white substances.*

The wind was in the south-west; and the darkness appeared to come on with clouds in that direction. Its extent was from Falmouth, Maine, to New-Jersey. The darkness appears to have been the greatest in the county of Essex, Mass., in the lower part of New-Hampshire, and Maine; it was also great in Rhode Island and Connecticut. In most parts of the country where the darkness prevailed, it was so great, that persons were unable to read common print, determine the time of day by their clocks or watches, dine, or manage their domestic business, without additional light; "candles were lighted up in their houses; the birds, having sung their evening songs, disappeared and became silent; the fowls retired to roost; the cocks were crowing all around, as at break of day; objects could be distinguished but a very little distance; and every thing bore the appearance and gloom of night."+

Besides this instance of uncommon darkness, there was one on the 21st of October, 1716; when "people were forced to light candles to eat their dinner by;" but the particulars of it are not preserved.‡

30. Northern Lights.

From the earliest times, we have some imperfect accounts of lights in the sky; and superstition has repre Hartford. A very general opinion prevailed, that the day of judgment was at hand. The House of Representatives, being unable to transact their business, adjourned. A proposal to adjourn the council was under consideration. When the opinion of Col. Davenport was asked, he answered, "I am against an adjournment. The day of judgment is either approaching, or it is not. If it is not, there is no cause for an adjournment; if it is, I choose to be found doing my duty. I wish therefore that candles may be brought."-Dwight's Travels, vol. 3. † Coll. Hist. Soc. 95-98.

* Webster.

Philosophical Trans. No. 423.

sented them as the forerunners of bloody wars and other calamities. Sometimes historians speak of them as troops of men armed and rushing to battle. For about three hundred years past, our accounts of northern lights are tolerably correct. There was a discontinuance of them eighty or ninety years, anterior to 1707, when a small light was seen by persons in Europe. But they did not re-appear, in full splendour, till the year 1716, when they were observed in England. Their first appearance in America was December 11, 1719, when they were remarkably bright, and as people in general had never heard of such a phenomenon, they were extremely alarmed with the apprehension of the approach of the final judgment. All amusements, all business, and even sleep, was interrupted, for want of a little knowledge of history. From 1719 to 1790, these lights were frequent, when they again disappeared for ten or twelve years.*

A beautiful phenomenon (connected as it is supposed with the Boreal Lights) was seen in the northern States, on the 28th of August, 1827. The following descrip- tion is taken from the American Journal of Science and Arts, vol. 14th, art. 16. "In this city (New-York) it was first observed at about half past nine, P. M., at which time the light, except as regards its whitish hue, resembled that produced by a fire at some distance. The light soon, however, became more intense, and its outline more distinctly defined, gradually assuming a columnar shape, and extending from about N. N. W. to a point in the opposite horizon, about E. N. E. In about 10 or 15 minutes from the time I first observed it, waves of light, in detached masses, but all in the line of the luminous arch, began to flow from the eastern towards the western part of its course, until the whole were blended, and the heavens were adorned with a beautiful arch, extending from the terminations above named to a point about 15 degrees north of the zenith. The greatest breadth of the arch, at its centre, was about 9 or 10 degrees, tapering from that point to the western

* Webster

extremity, (where the.ght was much bright an A to a point.... The whole arch moved with gradual motion towards the south, and passed the Lenith, presenting a broad bright band of wavy light. After it passed the zenith towards the south, its eastern limb became less distinct, while the western part became more exact in its outline, and was as well defined as a pencil of rays passed through a prism into a dark room. The colour was a bright white, and slowly faded, until about two hours from the time of its first appearance, when it was no longer visible." About 50 or 60 years since, similar appearances were observed in the northern States.

31. Gov. Fletcher and Capt. Wadsworth.

In 1692, Col. Fletcher arrived with the commission of governor of New-York, and was also vested with plenary powers of commanding the whole militia of Connecticut; and insisted on the exercise of that command. The legislature of Connecticut, knowing that authority to be expressly given to the colony by charter, would not submit to his requisition; but the colony, desirous of maintaining a good understanding with Gov. Fletcher, sent William Pitkin, Esq. to New York, to make terms with him respecting the militia, until his majesty's pleasure should be further known. No terms, however, could be made with the governor, short of an explicit submission of the militia to his command. On the 26th of October, 1693, he came to Hartford, while the assembly were sitting, and, in his majesty's name, demanded that submission. The assembly resolutely persisted in a refusal. After the requisitions had been repeatedly made, with plausible explanations and serious menaces, Fletcher ordered his commission and instructions to be read in audience of the trainbands of Hartford, which had been prudentially assembled, upon his order. Capt. Wadsworth, the senior officer, who was at that moment exercising the soldiers, instantly called

out, "Beat the drums," which in a moment overwhelmed every voice. Fletcher commanded silence. No sooner was a second attempt made to read, than Wadsworth vociferated, "Drum, drum, I say." The drummers instantly beat again with the greatest possible spirit. 'Silence, silence," exclaimed the governor. At the first moment of a pause, Wadsworth called out earnestly, " Drum, drum, I say," and turning to his excellency, said, “If I am interrupted again, I will make the sun shine through you in a moment." This decision produced its proper effect; and the governor and his suite soon re turned to New-York.*

32. War with the Tuscaroras.

In 1710, a large number of German emigrants arrived in this country, and settled in North Carolina. Two years after their arrival, the Tuscaroras, Corees, and other tribes of Indians, formed a deep conspiracy for the extermination of the English settlers. Having fortified the chief town in the Tuscarora nation, for the security of their own families, the different tribes met at this place, to the number of 1200 warriors, and laid the horrible plot, which was concerted and executed with stability and great secresy. From this place of rendezvous they sent out small parties, which entered the settlements by different roads, under the mask of friendship. When the night agreed on had arrived, they entered the houses of the settlers, and demanded provisions; and feigning displeasure, fell upon them, and murdered men, women, and children, without distinction. About Roanoke, 137 persons perished in the massacre. few persons escaping, gave the alarm to their neighbours the next morning, and thus prevented the entire destruction of the colony.

Α

Governor Craven, of South Carolina, as soon as he heard of this massacre, immediately sent Col. Barnwell,

Holmes' Annals.