|
Clark’s Island and Saquish in its
bosom. Beyond these points opens
the great bay of Massachusetts,
bounded at the southern extremity
by the peninsula of Cape Cod,
which is distinctly visible, and
spreading boundless to the north-
east. On the N. appears the flour-
ishing village of Duxbury, shooting
into the bay, apd exhibiting a hand-
some conical hill, ever to be re-
membered as once the property and
residence of the gallant •Standish.
Between Duxbury and Plymouth,
is the harbor and pleasant village
of Kingston. Having taken a sur-
vey of this magnificent group, so
exceedingly endeared to the New
England antiquarian, and enjoyed a
spiritual vision of the Mayflower,
laden with men, women and chil-
dren, come as founders of a mighty
empire, we are next led to view a
scene of more solemn contempla-
tion. The whole extent of the hill
is covered with the symbols of mor-
tality* the sepulchres of our vener-
ated fathers. We tread on the ash-
es of some of those to whom we are
indebted, under Providence, for our
most precious earthly-enjoyments,
all that is valuable in life, much of
principle and example which are
consoling in death. With what so-
licitude do we search for a sepul-
chral stone bearing the names of
Carver, Bradford, and their glorious
associates.
The following are the most an-
cient monuments which ean be
traced within this enclosure :—
Here lies the body of Edward Gray,
Gent., aged about fifty-two' .years, and
departed this life the last of June,
1681.
Here lyes ye body of ye Honorable
Major William Bradford, who expired
February ye 20, 1703-4, aged 79 years.
He lived long, but still was
doing good,
And in his country’s service lost
much blood.
After a life well spent he’s now
at rest—
His very name and memory is blest.
2S* |
There are in Plymouth 3 cotton
mills, 3 nail factories, and manufac-
tures of vessels, cordage, boots,
shoes, leather, hats, straw bonnets,
chairs, tin aud cabinet wares:—the
value of which for the year ending
April 1,1337, was $503,932. Dur-
ing that year there were 4 vessels
engaged in the whale fishery, 45 in
the'^cod and mackerel fishery, and a
large number of vessels employed
in the merchant service and coast-
ing trade. Tonnage of the district,
in 1837, 26,635 tons. The product
of the fishery, the same year, was
$154,636.
The corner stone of Pilgrim
Hall was laid in this town on the
1st of September 1824. Thi3 edi-
fice is 70 by 40 feet, with walls of
unwrought split granite; the height
from the top of the foundation to
the eave cornice being about 33
feet, forms two stories. The low-
er room is about 10 feet in the clear
of the ceiling; and the upper to
the impost moulding about 20 feet,
to which being added the curve of
the ceiling is about 23 feet. It is
intended, as soon as the state of the
funds will justify, to form the front
by an addition of about 20 feet,
with a double tier of steps, having
entrance to. the upper room and by
descent to the lower. The front to
he finished with a Doric portico on 4
columns, of about 20 feet in height,
the base of which to be from 3 to
4 feet above the level of the
street. The situation presents a
frill view of. the river and outer
harbor.
An Anniversary Commemora-
tion of the landing of the/pilgriins
commenced in Plymouth on the
22d of December, 1769, and will,
we trust, be continued in Pilgrim
Hall, so long as the virtues, unpar-
alleled sufferings, and the conscien-
tious performance of the duties of
piely and benevolence of our pil-
grim fathers are held in veneration
by a grateful posterity. See Reg- |
