is perspicuous; his arrangement well delineated he traces events to their causes, with discriminating eye, and though sparing of his own reflections upon their issue, he skilfully collects and concentrates their rays upon the mind of his reader. He makes no ostentatious display of his moral and intellectual wealth, but gives you the key to the chambers containing them it is but opening the door, and treasures in profusion are before you. His selection of subjects was dictated by a vigorous judgment, and a well meditated sense of utility. The insurrections of the year 1786, form one of the most instructive periods in the history of our country. Occasions like that, elicit and display many of the virtues and vices, accomplishments and defects of publick bodies and private individuals, of constitutions and constituted authorities, which remain latent in times of cooler composure. The younger part of our fellow-citizens especially, will find themselves amply rewarded for any time and meditation bestowed upon that work. It will give them a deeper insight into the character of this people, a more extensive view of our social organization, and its internal operations at critical times, than they could obtain by years of personal observation. The progress of collisions in publick sentiment, until they kindle into civil war, in a country where publick sentiment is the final earthly arbiter of all publick measures, and where the efficacy of obedience is in ordinary times secured by the mildness of authority, there reveals a precious mine, to the search of contemplation. There a citizen of Massachusetts may learn not to despair of publick virtue, even when apparently extinguished by the violence of party, and the pressure of distress. There an American may be informed that our Constitutions have within them a principle of self-preservation, beyond the letter of the law, which can redeem them from dissolution even when apparently suffocated by the overwhelming torrents of faction.

"The revolution which separated these States from their connexion as Colonies with Great Britain, and their subsequent confederation, have taken from our local history some of its magnitude and moment. These events have expanded the circle, and increased the multitude of our

civil

civil relations. In forming the idea of our country, we are no longer bounded by the scanty dimensions of a petty province. The largest portion of this Continent is united under a social compact, which makes its inhabitants equal fellow-citizens of one great and growing empire. To preserve, to strengthen, to perpetuate this union, is the first political duty, as it ought to be the highest glory of every American. Since its establishment our history has become the history of the nation: and had it been consistent with the wise decrees of Providence to prolong the life of Mr. Minot, we might have hoped that the period which came within the compass of his observation, would have been transmitted to future times, with that simplicity and purity of style and manner, that zeal for the civil and religious liberties of man, that instinctive and reflected love of virtue and abhorrence of vice, which flowed spontaneously from his pen. But before he could commence upon this arduous task, there was a previous chasm in our history to be filled. It was a period of less general interest than those which preceded and followed it; less propitious therefore to the talents and reputation of its historian. But Mr. Minot's primary consideration was the publick utility, and not his own personal fame.It was a labour inadequate indeed to his powers, but necessary to connect the chain of our annals; and unless undertaken by him, it might have remained unaccomplished. Of this work, one volume is in possession of the publick. He was just closing the second, when the pen was wrested from his hand, by that king of terrours, whom the most elevated human capacity and the most perfect human virtues are alike impotent to resist."

Address to the Members of the Massachusetts Charitable Fire Society, May 28. 1802.

A DESCRIPTION OF THE EASTERN COAST OF THE COUNTY OF BARNSTABLE, FROM CAPE COD, OR RACE POINT, IN LATITUDE 42°. 5'. TO CAPE MALEBARRE, OR SANDY POINT OF CHATHAM, IN LATITUDE 41°. 33'. POINTING OUT THE SPOTS, ON WHICH THE TRUSTEES OF THE HUMANE SOCIETY HAVE ERECTED HUTS, AND OTHER PLACES WHERE SHIPWRECKED SEAMEN MAY

LOOK FOR SHELTER. OCTOBER, 1802.

THE

HE curvature of the shore, on the west side of Provincetown, and south of Race Point, is called Herring Cove; which is three miles in length. There is good anchoring ground here; and vessels may ride safely in four or five fathoms of water, when the wind is from north-east to south-east.

On Race Point stand about a dozen fishing huts, containing fire places and other conveniences. The distance from these huts to Provincetown, which lies on Cape Cod harbour, is three miles. The passage is over a sandy beach, without grass or any other vegetable growing on it, to the woods, through which is a winding road to the town. It would be difficult, if not impossible, for a stranger to find his way thither in the dark; and the woods are so full of ponds and entangling swamps, that if the road was missed, destruction would probably be the consequence of attempting to penetrate them in the night.

Not far from Race Point commences a ridge, which extends to the head of Stout's Creek. With the face to the east, on the left hand of the ridge is the sandy shore; on the right is a narrow, sandy valley; beyond which is naked sand, reaching to the hills and woods of Provincetown. This ridge is well covered with beach grass; and appears to owe its existence to that vegetable. Beach grass, during the spring and summer, grows about two feet and a half. If surrounded by naked beach, the storms of autumn and winter heap up the sand on all sides, and cause it to rise nearly to the top of the plant. In the ensuing spring the grass sprouts anew; is again covered with sand in the winter; and thus a hill or ridge continues to ascend, as long as there is a sufficient base to support it, or till the

circumscribing

circumscribing sand, being also covered with beach grass, will no longer yield to the force of the winds.

On this ridge, half way between Race Point and the head of Stout's Creek, the Trustees of the Humane Society have erected a hut. It stands a mile from Peaked Hill, a land-mark well known to seamen; and is about two miles and a half from Race Point. Seamen, cast away on this part of the coast, will find a shelter here; and in northeast storms, should they strike to the leeward of it, and be unable to turn their faces to the windward, by passing on to Race Point, they will soon come to the fishing huts before mentioned.

At the head of Stout's Creek the Trustees have built a second hut. Stout's Creek is a small branch of East Harbour in Truro. Many years ago there was a body of salt marsh on it; and it then deserved the name of a creek. But the marsh was long since destroyed; and the creek now scarcely exists, appearing only like a small depression in the sand, and being entirely dry at half tide. The creek runs from north-west to south-east, and is nearly parallel with the shore on the ocean, from which it is at no great distance. Not far from it the hills of Provincetown. terminate; and should not the hut be found, by walking round the head of the creek, with the face to the west, the hills on the right hand, and keeping close to the shore on the harbour, in less than an hour the shipwrecked seamen would come to Provincetown.

The Humane Society, several years ago, erected a hut at the head of Stout's Creek. But it was built in an improper manner, having a chimney in it and was placed on a spot where no beach grass grew. The strong winds blew the sand from its foundation, and the weight of the chimney brought it to the ground; so that in January of the present year it was entirely demolished. This event took place about six weeks before the Brutus was cast away. If it had remained, it is probable that the whole of the unfortunate crew of that ship would have been saved, as they gained the shore a few rods only from the spot where the hut had stood.

The hut now erected stands on a place covered with beach grass. To prevent any accident from happening to

it, or to the other hut near Peaked Hill, the Trustees have secured the attention of several gentlemen in the neighbourhood. Dr. Thaddeus Brown and Capt. Thomas Smalley of Provincetown have engaged to inspect both huts, to see that they are supplied with straw or hay in the autumn, that the doors and windows are kept shut, and that repairs are made, when necessary. The Rev. Mr. Damon of Truro has also promised to visit the hut at Stout's Creek twice or thrice in a year; and the Rev. Mr. Whitman of Wellfleet, distinguished through the county for his activity and benevolence, has undertaken, though remote from the place, the same charge.

By

From the head of Stout's Creek to the termination of the salt marsh, which lies on both sides and at the head of East Harbour river, the distance is about three miles and a half. A narrow beach separates this river from the ocean. It is not so regular a ridge as that before described, as there are on it one or two hills, which the neighbouring inhabitants call islands. It may without much difficulty be crossed every where, except over these elevations. these hills, even during the night, the beach may be distinguished from those hereafter to be mentioned. It lies from north-west to south-east; and is in most parts covered with beach grass. The hills have a few shrubs on the declivities next the river. At the end of the marsh the beach subsides a little; and there is an easy passage into a valley, in which are situated two or three dwelling houses. The first on the left hand, or south, is a few rods only from the ocean.

The shore, which extends from this valley to Race Point, is unquestionably the part of the coast the most exposed to shipwrecks. A north-east storm, the most violent, and fatal to seamen, as it is frequently accompanied with snow, blows directly on the land: a strong current sets along the shore add to which that ships, during the operation of such a storm, endeavour to work to the northward, that they may get into the bay. Should they be unable to weather Race Point, the wind drives them on the shore, and a shipwreck is inevitable. Accordingly, the strand is every where covered with the fragments of vessels. Huts therefore, placed within a mile of each other, have been thought