Hayward’s New England Gazetteer (1839), page 129

There is a cavern in the south part
of the town of some note. It is
entered by an aperture nearly 10
feet square, “ which opens into a
spacious room nine rods in length
and four wide. At the further end
of this apartment are two openings
which are about 30 feet apart. The
one on the right is three feet from
the floor, and is about 20 inches by
six feet in length. It leads to an
apartment 20 feet long, 12 wide and
12 high. From this room there is
an opening sufficient to admit a man
to pass through sideways about 20
feet, when it opens into a large hall
80 feet long and 30 wide. The
j other aperture from the first room
is about as large as a common door,
and leads to an apartment 12 feet
square, out of which is a passage to
another considerable room, in which
is a spring of water. This cavern
is said to have been explored 40 or
50 rods without arriving at the end.”
Dorset lies 26 miles N. from Ben-
nington and 91 S. S. W. from Mont-
pelier. Population, 1830, 1,507.

the oldest houses in the country.
It is in good repair, and has ever
remained in possession of Mr. Mi-
not’s lineal descendants. Mr. Mi-
not died December 24, 1671, aged
7S. This house is more celebrated
for the female heroism displayed
within its walls, than for its anti-
quity. A party of Narraganset In-
dians, hunting on the borders of Ne-
ponset river, stopped at elder Mi-
not’s house and demanded food and
drink. On being refused they
threatened vengeance, and the sa-
chem, or chief of the party, left an
Indian in ambush to watch an op-
portunity to effect it. Soon after,
in the absence of all the family, j
except a young woman and two
small children, the Indian attacked
the house and fired at the young
woman, but missed his mark. The
girl placed the children under two
brass kettles and bade them be si-
lent. She then loaded Mr. Minot’s
gun and shot the Indian in the
shoulder. He again attacked the
house, and in attempting to enter
the window, the girl threw a shovel
full of live coals into his face and
lodged them in his blanket. On
this the Indian fled. The next day
he was found dead in the woods.
The Indian’s name was Chicka-
taubut, but not the Narraganset sa-
chem of that name. The govern-
ment of Massachusetts bay present-
ed this brave young woman with a
silver wristband, on which her name
was engraved, with this motto,—
“ She slew the JVarrhaganset hun-
ter.”

Dorset, Vt.

Bennington co. This town was
first settled in 1768, and organized
the following year. Paulet and
Battenkill rivers rise in this town,
and, with the waters of Otter creek,
which pass the northern part, afford
some mill privileges,which are used
for manufacturing purposes. There
are two mountains partly in this
town, the Dorset and Equinox.

Worcester co. This town lies
47 miles W. S. W. from Boston, 17
S. E. from Worcester, and 21 N.
W. from Providence. Population,
1830, 1,742. Here is good mead-
ow land, iron ore, and valuable
water privileges on Mumford river.
In this town was manufactured, in
1836, $55,000 value of cotton goods;
hoots and shoes, $5,250; leather,
$1,500; and $116,400 of axes and
hatchets; besides large quantities
of hatchet handles and shoe lasts.
Incorporated, 1731.

Piscataquis co. Bounded N. by
Piscataquis river, S. by Garland,
W. by Sangerville and E. hy Atkin-
son. It lies 77 miles N. by E. from
Augusta, and about 35 miles N. W.
from Bangor. Incorporated, 1822.
Population, 1337, 1,042. Dover is
the shire town of this new county,