AN EARLY TOUR TO HANOVER

In 1795 the Reverend Paul Coffin, D.D., of Buxton, Maine, traveled from that town to Hanover with his son, Charles, to enter him as a freshman in Dartmouth College. He left a brief journal of his trip, which was published in the collections of the Maine Historical Society, Volume 4. As typical of the thought of the day, as well as of the route followed, a few selections from this journal are copied below. The boy entered on this occasion graduated in 1799, studied law, and practiced in New York City, Portland and various other places in Maine. He died at sea in 1851 on a voyage from New Orleans. The following; quotations are taken from the journal :

"October 6th. Rode from Rev. Little's to Rev. Haven's of Rochester. Slept at his house, were kindly entertained, he being absent at a meeting of ministers. That day rode through Durham Gore and part of Barnstead to Gilmanton. Lodged with Rev. Smith. He told a rare story of a boy, Will Parker, who lived at his father's, who set off to go home, and was tormented in the air by a number of witches and then left him in the crotch of. a tree, from whence, it is fact, he was taken down by the minister and deacon of the place. A man in Gilmanton lost a bar of iron and suspecting such a neighbor, a negro quack gave him directions to find it. These followed, tormented the suspected man, and his brother paid for the iron.

"October 9th. Rode through New Chester, Alexandria, Grafton, and put up at Major Jones of Canaan. Some pretty settlements at New Chester, Grafton and Canaan. Alexandria is pretty poor. No minister at New Chester. Alexandria had one, now dismissed. Grafton had only the fame (frame) of a meeting house. Canaan has a decent house and a candidate preaching. The height of land in Grafton has a tedious road over it of near two miles. This day's travel was rocky, hilly and wet.

"October 10 th, nth, 12th. Rode to Dartmouth—entered my son as a Freshman at college. Preached in the forenoon. Rev. Emerson of Georgetown preached in the afternoon. On the 12th rode homeward, turned to the right and went three miles to Enfield and lodged at Capt. Currier's. Three miles onward brings one to the road in which: I passed up.

"The situation of the College is agreeable, and the buildings belonging to that and the inhabitants, quite handsome.

"The President was absent. Professors Woodward and Smith, treated me with great politeness, as did also Tutor McFarland. Mr. Smith gave four anecdotes of a Mr. Clark, a Scots minister,' all belonging to his condition in preaching. 1. His observance of bad, good and indifferent songs. 2. Of the Devil walking about, etc. 3. Of St. P. doing, or being able to do all things. 4. Of keeping the Sabbath. This was uttered when preaching at the College.

"Rev. Emerson said a popish Bishop had long used the word mumpsimus after having received the Eucharist, thus dismissing the assembly, his son, having learned proper Latin, told him he should say sumpsimus, I will not give up my old mumps for your young sumps.

"The six miles which I rode through Enfield made my road rather shorter than that which is commonly travelled through Canaan. As you pass through Canaan you go over the river Mashamee (Mascoma) which passes through a pond of 2 miles by one. At the outlet of the pond, passing toward Connecticut river, is a fine place for various kinds of mills, which the inhabitants of Lebanon improve properly.

"The height of land contains many hills and valleys, and in passing them you are always going up and down over rocks, causeys or rather roads made of small timber, and though so near the moon, you will often think yourself in low land, the valleys are so surrounded by higher woods."