contains about 5,000 volumes. The students are 260. Phillips Academy, at Andover, is one of the oldest and best endowed seminaries of its kind in the country. It was founded in 1778. The Theological Seminary, at Andover, was founded in 1807, and is liberally endowed; it has five professors, and a library of 13,000 volumes. There are a Baptist Theological Institution at Newton, and 56 incorporated academies in the State. The number of free schools is about 3,000, attended by 140,000 pupils. The annual expenditure for the support of these schools is 500,000 dollars. Two Normal schools, one for male teachers, at Barre, and one for females, at Lexington, afford gratuitous instruction.

14. Antiquities. At Berkley, on the west side of Taunton River, which runs into Narragansett Bay, are some curious inscriptions on a rock at the water's edge, called the Dighton rock, because it was formerly within the limits of that town. They consist of rude figures of men and animals intermixed with different unintelligible marks. Both their date and signification are utterly unknown. Some endeavors have been made to assign them a Transatlantic origin, but there appears no good reason for such conjectures. Some Mohawk Indians, who had seen the inscription, declared, that they were made to represent a great slaughter made among the people of the country by a wild beast.

15. History. When Sebastian Cabot discovered North America, in 1497, he sailed along the coast of Massachusetts, in his passage from Newfoundland to Florida. Verazzano, in 1524, made a similar visit to the coast; but the first proper discoveries in this State took place in 1602, when Bartholomew Gosnold explored Cape Cod and Buzzard's Bay. At the latter place, he built a fort, and traded with the Indians; he made, however, no permanent settlement. In 1614, Captain John Smith explored the whole coast of Maine and Massachusetts, as far as the southern extremity of the bay. The splendid accounts of the country which he transmitted to England, induced Prince Charles, afterwards King Charles the First, to give it the name of New England. Smith was not successful in his attempts to establish a colony. The Puritans, who were persecuted in England, resolved to emigrate to America for liberty of conscience, and, obtaining a grant of the land, they set sail on this memorable voyage, in September, 1620. They landed, built a settlement, and established a republican government at Plymouth, in December of the same year. Their hardships here were numerous, and their dangers formidable, yet their numbers were soon augmented by the arrival of other emigrants. Salem was founded in 1627, and Boston in 1630.

The colony of Massachusetts Bay and that of Plymouth, or the Old Colony, as it was called, were under distinct governments till 1692, when, by a royal charter, they were united. From this period, the governors of the colony were appointed by the king, and the power of annulling the colonial laws was assumed as a royal prerogative. This regulation continued until the Revolution, and the monarchical principle thus infused into the Massachusetts democracy, occasioned an almost perpetual struggle between the republican spirit of the people and the royal authority. Massachusetts stood ever foremost in opposition to the oppressive domination of the mother country, and the American Revolution began at Boston. The last remnant of British authority expired in Massachusetts on the 17th of March, 1776, when the British were driven from Boston by Washington, 156 years from the landing of the pilgrims at Plymouth. The colonial form of government continued till 1780, when a convention of delegates established the present constitution. This instrument underwent a revision in 1820, but the alterations were not material. In the interval between the close of the revolutionary war and the establishment of the federal government, there occurred an insurrection in the western counties of Massachusetts, which deserves particular notice here.

The public debt of the State at the close of the war, and the languishing condition of trade and industry, had brought a heavy burden of taxation upon the people. Several minor causes of discontent contributed to promote a disaffection toward the government, which at length, in the summer of 1786, assumed a serious character, in the counties of Hampshire and Berkshire, where the inhabitants conceived the taxation to have been apportioned unequally. Various inflammatory publications were issued, and, on the 22d of August, a convention of delegates from 50 towns in Hampshire, met at Hatfield, and drew up a specification of their grievances, in which they denounced the system of representation, the court of common pleas, the system of taxation, the management of the public finances, &c. Encouraged by this declaration, the people of the neighborhood took up arms, and assembled to the number of 1,500 at Northampton, where they took possession of the court-house, and prevented the court from sitting. Upon the news of this violence, Governor Bowdoin issued a proclamation, calling upon the citizens to aid

in suppressing the insurrection. This had no influence with the disaffected, and the rebellion soon spread into the counties of Worcester, Middlesex, Bristol, and Berkshire. In Worcester, the judges were driven from the court-house at the point of the bayonet. In Middlesex, a convention gave encouragement to the rebels; another in Berkshire produced a similar effect. The courts were prevented from sitting, and the jails were broken open. The government called out the militia, and a body of 600 men, under General Shepard, garrisoned the courthouse at Springfield. On the day appointed for the session, a body of 2,000 insurgents collected under the command of Daniel Shays, a leader whose name has always been coupled with the memory of this rebellion.

Shays had been a captain in the revolutionary army, and though a man of personal bravery, was an officer without conduct or capacity. He appears to have had little idea of giving any systematic movement to the rebellion, but acted merely as chance or local circumstances led him onward. His direct influence over the people was very slight, and he showed no genius for conducting a great enterprise. With his army at Springfield, he made a semblance of attacking the militia, whom he found in possession of the court-house, but at length filed off through the streets of the town without firing a shot, and in a few days his men dispersed. In November, the session of the court at Worcester was again interrupted by the insurgents. The sheriff of Middlesex, assisted by the militia, succeeded in arresting several of the leaders, and a body of cavalry at the same time entered the county of Worcester, where Shays had appeared again, at the head of 1,000 men.

The alarm had now pervaded the whole State, and fears were entertained of their marching upon Boston. The avenues to the capital were therefore guarded, and the people were in a high state of excitement. Shays, however, after remaining in Worcester till December, retreated to Rutland. His troops were half starved, and many perished from the cold. Late in December, he appeared again at Springfield, but by this time the militia of the maritime counties had assembled, with a determination on the part of the government to strike at once a decisive blow at the insurrection. The army consisted of 4,000 men, under the command of General Lincoln, and marched immediately into Worcester. Another body of militia in Hampshire had been placed under the command of General Shepard, who took post at the arsenal at Springfield, with about 1,000 men. The rebels amounted, at Springfield, to 2,000 men, commanded by Shays and two other leaders.

On the 25th of January, Shays advanced to attack the arsenal. A striking proof of his ignorance as a tactician, appears in the fact, that he led his men to the assault in a solid column. Shepard, who might have cut the whole body to pieces with his artillery, was desirous, at first, to avoid bloodshed, and therefore fired a few shots over their heads; but this only quickened. their approach. He then poured in upon them a destructive fire, which threw them at once into disorder. Shays attempted to display his column, but without effect, and the men fled precipitately. The other bodies of the rebels maintained their position; but the main army, under General Lincoln, coming up, they retreated. A corps of volunteers pushed forward, and captured at Middlefield a detachment of 60 rebels, with a quantity of stores. The remainder took a strong position upon the heights of Pelham, surrounded by deep snows.

Here Lincoln sent a flag to Shays, summoning him to surrender. The insurgent leader appears by this time to have been aware of his desperate situation, and offered to submit on con dition of a free pardon; but as Lincoln had no power to grant this, the summons was no further heeded. A petition to the general court was at the same time despatched to Boston, from Shays and other of the rebel officers, proposing to lay down their arms, on condition of a general amnesty; but the language of the petitioners not being deemed sufficiently submissive, the application was rejected. The insurgent army was now 2,000 strong, and appeared so important at Pelham, that another levy of 2,600 militia was made by the governor. But the affairs of the rebels were now rapidly declining. Early in February, one of their leaders came over to the government with a considerable body of men, and shortly after, the whole army abandoned their position at Pelham, and retreated to Petersham. Lincoln pursued them through a violent snow-storm, and against an intensely cold north wind. At Petersham, his advanced guard surprised the whole rebel corps, drove them out of the town, and completely dispersed them in the pursuit. Meantime a body of insurgents in Berkshire, who had assembled at West Stockbridge, were attacked and routed, and their leaders, with many others, were made pris

They afterwards rallied at Williamstown, but were again put to flight. Skirmishes took place with other small parties in different quarters. On the 26th of February, a body of

insurgents, who had fled into the State of New York, appeared again in force in Berkshire, and plundered the town of Stockbridge. They were attacked by a corps of militia at Sheffield, and a smart action ensued, in which the rebels were repulsed. Shays, meanwhile, had retreated from post to post, as fast as he was pursued, until driven out of the State. The rebels never made any effectual head, after their route at Petersham. One after another they laid down their arms. Tranquillity was soon restored, and at the end of the season the militia were disbanded. It is honorable to the character of the Massachusetts government, that not an individual fell upon the scaffold, in consequence of this rebellion. Shays himself received a pardon the following year

CHAPTER IX. RHODE ISLAND..

PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY.

1. Boundaries and Extent. Rhode Island is situated between 41° 15′ and 42° N. lat., and between 71° 8' and 71° 52′ W. lon. It is bounded on the N. and E. by Massachusetts; on the S. by the Atlantic; and on the W. by Connecticut. The average length of the State, from north to south, is about 42 miles; its mean breadth is about 29 miles, comprising an area of 1,225 square miles, including the waters of Narragansett Bay, which contain about 130 square miles. Rhode Island is the smallest State in the Union.

2. Rivers. There are no rivers of importance; the largest is the Pawtucket, which, at its entrance into Narragansett Bay, forms part of the harbor of Providence; it is but a mill-stream, and is occupied by numerous manufactories. The Pawtuxet, which flows into the Narragansett 5 miles below Providence, has also a large number of manufactories upon its waters. The Pawcatuck, in the southwestern extremity of the State, is navigable for 5 or 6 miles from its mouth.

3. Islands. Rhode Island, in Narragansett Bay, is 15 miles long from northeast to southwest, and has a mean breadth of 2 miles, 'containing about 37 square miles; it is a very beautiful island; the air is pure and salubrious, and the climate milder than on the continent, rendering it a very desirable residence for invalids in summer. The surface of the island is agreeably diversified, but it is destitute of trees, the whole island having been laid waste by the British in the revolutionary war. It affords excellent pasturage, and maintains a large number of sheep. The town of Newport is in the south part.

Conanicut is an island lying on the west side of Rhode Island; it is 8 miles long, and about

Ancient Fortification, Conanicut.

one in breadth. This is also a beautiful island, and has a fertile soil; it contains the town of Jamestown. At the southern extremity is a lighthouse. In the same part may be seen the ruins of an ancient circular fortification, which once defended the passage up the bay.

Prudence Island, further up Narragansett Bay, is 6 miles in length. Block Island lies 10 miles out at sea, and is 8 miles long, and from 2 to 4 broad; it has an uneven surface, but produces maize and other grain. A lighthouse stands upon it.

4. Bays and Harbors. Narragansett Bay extends more than 30 miles into the State, and affords great advantages for ship navigation; it has many excellent harbors, and contains 15 islands. It is about 10 miles wide at the lower part; but a large portion of this space is occupied by the islands already described. Ships ascend this bay to Providence, 36 miles above Point Judith. Newport Harbor, in the channel between Conanicut and Rhode Island, is one of the finest harbors in the world, being safe, deep, capacious,

and easily accessible. The entrance is defended by Fort Walcott, on Goat's Island, and Fort Adams, on Rhode Island; the latter is a large stone castle, of great strength.

5. Climate. This whole State enjoys a salubrious climate; the winter in the maritime parts is sensibly milder, and the seasons there are more uniform than in the rest of New England; the heat of summer is much alleviated by refreshing seabreezes. In other respects, the climate of Rhode Island resembles that of Connecticut and Massachusetts.

6. Soil. The soil is pretty uniform; on the continent, it is generally a gravelly loam, which is tolerably fertile, but difficult of cultivation. Upon the islands, the soil is slaty and productive. There are few pine plains in the State, and but very little alluvial land.

7. Geology. The continental part is primitive, but the islands in Narragansett Bay display a transition character. Granite abounds on the continent, and limestone occurs in the northeastern part. Slate and coal formations are exhibited in the islands, and on the mainland. 8. Natural Productions. There are no extensive forests; the trees are generally of the deciduous kind; oak, chestnut, and walnut are the most abundant; pine and cedar are more

rare.

9. Minerals. Anthracite coal is found in Rhode Island in extensive beds; these were wrought to a considerable degree some years since, but the discovery of the more valuable mines of Pennsylvania, has now rendered the Rhode Island coal of little estimation. Iron ore occurs in the northern parts, and there is a mine wrought at Cranston. There are quarries of limestone at Smithfield, and the same place affords excellent marble. Beds of serpentine are found at Newport. The mineral treasures of this State, as far as yet discovered, are not on the whole either extensive or valuable.

10. Face of the Country. There are no mountains in the State, nor any hilly tracts, yet the general face of the country is somewhat rough and rocky. There are some level districts upon the borders of Narragansett Bay, and some flats on the Atlantic shores. The aspect of the country, on the whole, is picturesque; the highest eminences are, Mount Hope, in Bristol; Hopkins's Hill, in West Greenwich; and Woonsocket Hill, in Smithfield; but they are not remarkable for elevation.

POLITICAL GEOGRAPHY.

1. Divisions and Population. Rhode Island contains 5 counties.

2. Canals and Railroads. A portion of Blackstone canal lies in Rhode Island. This has been already described. The Boston and Providence railroad terminates in this State, but lies principally in Massachusetts. The Providence and Stonington railroad, 47 miles in length, 's a continuation of this route to Long Island Sound, and enables travelers to escape the exposure to the swell of the sea off Point Judith.

3. Cities and Towns. Providence, the second city in New England for population, wealth, and business, stands at the head of Narragansett Bay, which, at this extremity, becomes narrowed to the width of a river. It is built on both sides of the river, the two parts being connected by a bridge. The new town, on the west side of the river, has all the bustle and liveliness, and displays the flourishing appearance, of a commercial city. The hill on the opposite side, or East Providence, is chiefly occupied by private mansions, beautifully situated, and adorned with gardens and court-yards. On the summit of a steep eminence stands the college, overlooking the city. The streets are irregular, but there are many beautiful situations and fine edifices in the town.

The Arcade, extending from Westminster Street to Weybosset Street, is the handsomest building of its kind in the country. It is 226 feet long, and three stories high, with 28 rooms on each floor. The front on each street consists of an Ionic portico, with granite pillars.

The Arcade.

View near Newport.

The Athenæum is a handsome granite building, and contains a public library of 5,000 volumes. Providence has numerous churches, a theatre, many cotton and woolen manufactories, founderies, tanneries, glassworks, paper-mills, dye-houses, &c. Its distance from the sea is 35 miles, but merchant ships of the largest size can come up to the wharves. Steamboats pass between Providence and New York, through Long Island Sound, during all the open season, and nearly the whole of the summer traveling from Boston to the south passes by this route. Providence was founded by Roger Williams in 1636. It retained the denomination and government of a town until 1831, when a city charter was adopted. Population 20,000.

Newport, at the mouth of Narragansett Bay, 5 miles from the sea, has a fine harbor and beautiful situation. It was formerly a place of much trade and consequence, and its fisheries are still important, but its commerce has been diverted to the neighboring cities of New York and Providence, and it has been until very lately on the decline. It contains a State house, a jail, an academy, a public library, 11 churches, and has manufactures of cordage, cotton, and lace. This town is much resorted to during summer, on account of the purity of its air; its market is celebrated for the excellence of its fish. Population 8,000.

Bristol, 15 miles north of Newport, on Narragansett Bay, is handsomely situated, and has a good harbor. The trade hence to the West Indies and Europe is considerable, and the whalefishery is prosecuted from this port. Population 3,000. Mount Hope, celebrated in the early history of New England as the residence of King Philip, is within the limits of Bristol; it is a conical-shaped hill, with a pointed summit, and exhibits a charming prospect.

Pawtucket, four miles northeast from Providence, has many large and flourishing manufactories of cotton, nails, screws, oil, ships, machinery, cabinet-ware, &c. The village is built upon the falls of the Pawtucket, on both sides of the river, and belongs half to this State, and half to Massachusetts. The Rhode Island portion is in the township of North Providence. The banks of the river here are high and steep. The turnpike from this town to Providence is one of the finest roads in the country. The whole population of the village is 8,000.

Warwick, 10 miles south of Providence is a flourishing manufacturing town, with some commerce. Population 5,600. Pawtuxet village is in this town.

4. Agriculture. The attention of husbandmen in Rhode Island, is chiefly directed to the dairy and grazing. The islands and shores of Narragansett Bay are celebrated for their fine cattle, their numerous flocks of sheep, and the excellence and abundance of their butter and cheese. Of the different kinds of grain, maize, barley, oats, and rye, are the most generally cultivated.

5. Commerce. The exports of this State do not differ materially from those of the neighboring parts of New England. The trade is chiefly confined to the ports of Newport and Providence. The foreign imports, in 1838, amounted to 656,613 dollars. The exports of domestic produce to 270,065 dollars, and the shipping to 44,660 tons.

6. Manufactures. Rhode Island, in addition to her own manufactures, furnishes the market to many of those in the adjoining parts of Massachusetts and Connecticut. Pawtucket has the