14th day of December, O. S. 1709, was supposed to be the coldest day that had then been known in America. In February, 1717, fell the greatest snow ever known in this, or perhaps any country. It covered the lower doors of houses, so that some people were obliged to step out of their chamber windows on snow shoes. There was also a terrible tempest. Eleven hundred sheep, belonging to one man, perished. One flock of a hundred, was dug out of a snow-drift on Fisher's Island, where they had been buried to the depth of sixteen feet. This was twenty-eight days after the storm, when two of them were found alive, having subsisted on the wool of the others, and they sustained no injury.

A memorable tempest is recorded to have happened on the 24th of February, 1723, which raised the tide several feet above the usual spring tides, and did incredible damage on the eastern shore of New-England. The winter of 1737-8 was extremely severe; but far less severe than that which closed the year 1740. A similar winter followed the summer of 1779, when all the rivers and bays, even the Chesopeak, were converted into bridges of ice. The severe cold was of three months duration, and the snow from three to four feet deep. Mild winters also occur frequently—as in 1755 and 6-1774-5-1794-5 and 1801-2, when there was little frost and snow.

Historians have mentioned many instances of extreme darkness, in the day time, and in some cases, this obscurity has lasted several days. Instances happened in Europe, in the years 252, 746, and 775. The first instance mentioned in our annals was on the 21st of October, 1716-the second on the 9th of August, 1732. A similar obscurity happened in Canada and on the Lakes, on the 19th of October, 1762; and on three different days in October, 1785. On the 19th of May, 1780, a memorable darkness was spread over all the northern states. The obscurity was occasioned by a thick vapor or cloud, tinged with a yellow color or faint red, and a thin coat of dust wes deposited on substances. In these in

stances, the obscurity was so great as to render candles or lamps necessary at noon-day. The darkness in Canada was followed by squalls of wind, severe thunder, and, in one instance, by a meteor or fire ball. So ignorant were some people of this phenomenon, that many were excessively frightened; although it had occurred three times at least within the period of sixty-five years.

From the earliest times, we have some imperfect accounts of lights in the sky; and superstition has represented them as the forerunners of bloody wars and other calamities. Sometimes historians speak of them as troops of men armed and rushing to battle. Such representations are the effusions of weak and timid minds; these lights and all others in the atmosphere proceeding from natural causes, are no more the harbingers of evil, than a shower of rain or a blast of wind. For about three hundred years past, our accounts of the 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 splendor, 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 judgement. 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.

The brutes have at times pestilential diseases which sweep them away in multitudes. A plague among cattle destroyed a great part of the species in Germany about the year 1800. The same happened in Italy and Germany, in 1713, among cattle and horses. A like mortality among cattle happened in Holland and some parts of England, in 1751. Fortunately, no similar plague among useful animals has

ever happened in America; although at times there has been considerable mortality among horses and cattle. In 1514, the cats in Europe perished by a pestilential disease, as they did in Europe and America, in 1797. In 1763, dogs, sheep, mules, poultry, swine and horses, in several countries in Europe, were swept away by unusual diseases. In 1764, the blue-fish all perished or abandoned the shores of Nantucket, where they had always been in great plenty. In 1775, the oysters at Welfleet, on Cape Cod, all perished, and have never since grown on the same banks. In 1788, the cod fish on the grand bank at Newfoundland were mostly thin and ill-flavored. In 1789, the haddock on the coast of Norway mostly or all died, and, floating on the surface, covered many leagues of water. In 1799, the small fish on the coast of North-Carolina shared a like fate. At times, oysters are found to be watery, sickly and ill-flavored; dogs, wolves and foxes are affected with madness-and the wild fowls perish by epidemic diseases.

SECTION IX.

CONTROVERSIES AND THEIR EFFECTS.

THE most fruitful source of public evils among the American colonies, was the want of union and concert of measures, proceeding from their jealousies and different views and interests. Each colony exercised a separate jurisdiction over a certain tract of land, and so jealous was each of its rights, that blood was shed in defending a claim to an exclusive trade in beaver on a particular river, when millions of that animal were to be found in the unoccupied wilderness. Uncertain boundaries also originated numerous controversies and litigations, which excited no small degree of animosity among the colonies, some of which lasted more than a hundred years. The antipathy between Rhode-Island and the other colonies, on account of differences in religious and civil matters, and in morals, had scarcely subsided at the revolution.

The ill effect of a want of union was first felt, in 1637, in the Pequot war. Three governments were to be consulted, and although all agreed in the necessity of reducing the Pequots, yet for want of unity of power and effort, the Connecticut forces arrived first at the field of action, and to prevent notice of their arrival from reaching the Indians, they were obliged to attack the fort alone; and although they succeeded beyond expectation, yet it was a desperate attempt, and might have been fatal to the assailants. Had the colonies. been under the same jurisdiction, the troops might have been assembled at the same time and acted with united force. In 1694, the commissioners of the united colonies declared war against Ninigrate, a Narraganset chief; and their forces were entrusted to the command of Major Willard, of Massachusetts, who marched into the enemy's country, but did nothing effectual, and returned on frivolous pretexts. It

was owing to the aversion of Massachusetts to the war that the plan of the colonies was frustrated. In 1676, during Philip's war, the colonies determined on subduing the Narragansets; but the people of Rhode-Island, who were most exposed, left their settlements to be defended by the troops of the other colonies, and did not join in the attack and reduction of the fort.

The united colonies, Massachusetts, Plymouth and Connecticut, were zealously engaged in one common cause, during the war with Philip and his associates. But the troops of each, acting often at a distance, under separate commanders, often failed to afford assistance to parties, forts or towns in distress, for want of a unity of councils and designs. Many whole towns and whole companies of men would probably have been saved, if one will had directed all their operations. Captain Lathrop and his company, who fell into an ambuscade between Deerfield and Hadley, and were cut to pieces, would have escaped, but for want of union and concert of measures; for two or three companies were within a few miles, marching to join them.

Although the union of the four infant settlements produced very good effects, by giving them harmony of councils, and strength of action, yet it was not sufficient to prevent jealousies, divisions, and the consequent evils. Springfield, when first settled, was supposed to be under the jurisdiction of Connecticut, but was afterwards claimed by Massachusetts, and until the divisional line was run, a controversy subsisted between the colonies on that account. But a more serious dispute arose on account of a duty which Connecticut imposed on goods, belonging to Springfield, exported from the river; which duty was applied to the maintenance of a fort at Say. brook, to protect the river settlements, especially against the Dutch. The question, concerning the right to lay the duty, agitated the colonies, and when the commissioners decided in favor of Connecticut, Massachusetts, by way of retaliation, laid a similar duty on goods, passing the fort in Boston harbor.