account of their exploits to the description we have given of their State. The following narrative is taken from "Williams' History of Vermont: "

The first steps for this object seem to have been taken by some gentlemen in Connecticut; and Messrs. Deane, Wooster, Parsons, and others engaged in the affair. The success depended on the secrecy with which the affair could be managed. Their first object was to obtain a sum of money to bear the necessary expenses. They procured this to the amount of about $1800, from the general assembly of Connecticut, by way of loan. Several of the militia captains pushed forward to Salisbury, the northwestern town in that colony; and after a little consultation concluded not to spend any time in raising men, but to procure a quantity of powder and ball, and set off immediately for Bennington, and engage Ethan Allen in the business. With his usual spirit of activity and enterprise, Allen undertook the management of the scheme; and set off to the northward, to raise and collect all the men that he could find. The Connecticut gentlemen having procured a small quantity of provisions, went on to Castleton; and were there joined by Allen, with the men that he had raised from the new settlements. The whole number that were assembled amounted to 270, of which 230 were raised on the New Hampshire grants, distinguished at that time by the name of Green Mountain Boys; so called from the Green Mountains, among which they resided. Sentries were immediately placed on all the roads, and the necessary measures taken to procure intelligence of the state of the works and garrison at Ticonderoga.

While Allen and his associates were collecting at Castleton, Colonel Arnold arrived, attended only by a servant. This officer belonged to New Haven, in Connecticut. As soon as the news arrived at that place that hostilities had commenced at Lexington, Arnold, then a captain, set out at the head of a volunteer company, and marched with the greatest expedition to Cambridge. The day after his arrival, he attended the Massachusetts committee of safety, and reported to them that the fort at Ticonderoga was in a ruinous condition; that it was garrisoned by about 40 men, and contained a large quantity of artillery and military stores; and might easily be captured. The committee wished to avail themselves of his information and activity; and on the 3d of May appointed him a colonel, and gave him directions to enlist 400 men, and march for the reduction of Ticonderoga. Under these orders, and with this design, he joined the men that were assembling at Castleton; but was unknown to any of them but a Mr. Blagden, one of the Connecticut officers. His commission being examined, it was agreed in a council that he should be admitted to join and act with them; but that Allen should also have the commission of a colonel, and have the command; and that Arnold should be considered as his assistant.

To procure intelligence, Captain Noah Phelps, one of the gentlemen from Connecticut, disguised himself in the habit of one of the poor settlers, and went into the fort, pretending he wanted to be shaved, and inquired for a barber. Affecting an awkward appearance, and asking many simple questions, he passed unsuspected, and had an opportunity to observe the state of everything within the walls. Returning to his party, he gave them the necessary information, and the same night they began their march to the fort.

With so much expedition and secrecy had the enterprise been conducted, that Colonel Allen arrived at Orwell, opposite to Ticonderoga, on the 9th of May, at

men.

night, with his 230 Green Mountain Boys, without any intelligence or apprehension on the part of the garrison. It was with difficulty that boats could be procured to pass the lake; a few, however, being collected, Allen and Arnold passed over, with 83 men, and landed near the works. Arnold now wished to assume the command, to lead on the men, and swore that he would go in himself the first. Allen swore that he should not, but that he himself would be the first man that should enter. The dispute beginning to run high, some of the gentlemen that were present interposed, and it was agreed that both should go in together, Allen on the right hand and Arnold on the left. On the 10th of May, in the gray of the morning, they both entered the port leading to the fort, followed by their The sentry snapped his fusee at Allen, and retreated through the covered way. The Americans followed the sentry, and immediately drew up on the parade. Captain De la Place commanded, but he was so little apprehensive of any danger or hostility, that he was surprised in his bed. As soon as he appeared, he was ordered to surrender the fort. "Upon what authority do you require it?" said De la Place. "I demand it," said Allen, "in the name of the great Jehovah and the Continental Congress.' Surrounded by the Americans, who were already in possession of the works, it was not in the power of the British captain to make any opposition, and he surrendered his garrison prisoners of war, without knowing by what authority Allen was acting, or that hostilities had commenced between Britain and the Colonies. After Allen had landed with his party, the boats were sent back for Colonel Seth Warner with the remainder of the men, who had been left under his command. Warner did not arrive till after the place had surrendered, but he took the command of a party who set off for Crown Point. At that place there were only a sergeant and 12 men to perform garrison duty. They surrendered upon the first summons, and Warner took possession of Crown Point on the same day that Ticonderoga was given up. Another party surprised Skeensborough, made a prisoner of Major Skeen, the son, took possession of a strong stone house which he had built, secured his dependents and domestics, and made themselves masters of that important harbor.

By these enterprises the Americans had captured a British captain, lieutenant, and 44 privates. In the forts they found above 200 pieces of cannon, some mortars, howitzers, and large quantities of ammunition and military stores; and a warehouse full of materials for carrying on the business of building boats. Having succeeded in their attempts against Ticonderoga and Crown Point, it was still necessary, in order to secure the command of Lake Champlain, to get possession of an armed sloop which lay at St. John's, at the north end of the lake. To effect this purpose, it was determined to man and arm a schooner, which lay at South Bay. Arnold had the command of the schooner, and Allen took the command of a number of batteaux, and both sailed for St. John's. The wind being fresh at the south, Arnold soon passed the lake, surprised and captured the armed sloop in the harbor of St. John's: in about an hour after he had taken her, the wind suddenly shifted to the north, and Arnold made sail with his prize, and met Allen with his batteaux at some distance from St. John's.

THE State of Massachusetts is situated (including its islands) between 41° 10′ and 42° 53′ N. latitude, and between 69° 50' and 73° 30′ W. longitude. It is bounded on the north by New Hampshire and Vermont, on the east by the Atlantic Ocean, on the south by the Atlantic, and the States of Rhode Island and Connecticut, and on the west by New York. It is very irregular in shape, its southeastern extremity extending far out into the ocean, and curving so as to almost enclose Cape Cod Bay. Its greatest length from east to west is about 145 miles. The eastern side is about 90 miles wide from north to south, and its western end about 48 miles broad.

TOPOGRAPHY.

The State has a considerable extent of sea coast, and possesses a number of excellent harbors.

Massachusetts Bay and Cape Cod Bay are really one and the same sheet of water, and comprise a large gulf, which indents the eastern coast of the State for about 25 miles in a southwest and 65 miles in a southeast direction. The upper, or northern part of this gulf is called Massachusetts Bay, and the lower part Cape Cod Bay. The latter is famous as having been the harbor in which the Mayflower cast anchor after her long and weary voyage from England, in 1620. The extreme eastern part of the State extends around Cape Cod Bay, enclosing it in a kind of semicircle. Plymouth is situated on the northwest side of this bay. Boston lies on the west side of Massachusetts Bay.

Buzzard's Bay, in the southeastern part of the State, extends inland in a northward direction for about 30 miles, and is about 7 miles. wide. The harbors of New Bedford, Fair Haven, and Rochester lie along this bay, which is separated from Vineyard Sound by the Elizabeth Islands.

Martha's Vineyard and the Elizabeth Islands lie in the Atlantic to the south of Barnstable county, and together form Duke's county. Martha's Vineyard is separated from Barnstable county, on the mainland, by Vineyard Sound, a sheet of water from 3 to 7 miles wide. The island is 21 miles long, and from 3 to 9 miles wide. Edgarton is the chief town. The Elizabeth Islands, 16 in number, lie between Buzzard's Bay and Vineyard Sound. Only 2 or 3 are inhabited. The people of Duke's county are engaged principally in fishing and navigation.

Nantucket is the name given to a large island in the Atlantic, about 30 miles south of Barnstable county. It is about 15 miles long, and from 3 to 4 miles wide. Several small islands lie immediately on its northern coast, and with it form the county of Nantucket. The chief town is Nantucket, on the northern part of the main island. This town was founded in 1659, and is one of the most thriving in the State. It is compactly and neatly built, has a library of several thousand volumes, 8 or 9 churches, a bank with a capital of $200,000, and several handsome buildings. The inhabitants are actively engaged in the fisheries, and, until the discovery of petroleum rendered this traffic of comparatively little importance, Nantucket was one of the principal depots of the whale trade. In 1863, 4407 tons of shipping were owned on the island. Steam communication is maintained with the mainland. In 1860, the population of the town was 5000, of the county 6064. In 1870, it was 4134. During the Revolution and the war of 1812-15, Nantucket sent out numerous privateers against the British commerce, and a Nantucket ship was the first to show the "Stars and Stripes" in the river Thames, after the recognition of our independence by Great Britain.

The surface of Massachusetts is generally uneven, and in the western part is broken into mountain ranges of a moderate elevation. The southeastern part is level and sandy, and the eastern and middle parts are broken and rugged. The Green Mountains pass across the western part of the State, from Vermont, and extend into Connecticut. They are about 20 or 30 miles west of the Connecticut River, and pursue a course parallel with it. Besides this range, there are several

isolated peaks in the State, the principal of which are Wachusetts Mountain, 2018 feet; in the north-central part of the State, Mount Tom, 1200 feet; and Mount Holyoke, 910 feet, near Northampton. These are considered outliers of the White Mountain range, of New Hampshire. The Green Mountains are divided into two ridges in Massachusetts. The eastern is the lowest, and is called the Hoosic Ridge; and the western is the most elevated, and is called the Tangkannic Range. Its highest peak is Mount Washington, 2264 feet, in the southwest corner of the State.

The Connecticut is the principal river of the State, flowing across it from north to south, and into the State of Connecticut. It is rendered navigable by means of canals, and furnishes excellent water-power. The Merrimac, which has already been described in the chapter on New Hampshire, turns the mills of Lowell and Lawrence. The tributaries of the former stream in this State are Miller's, the Chicoopee, Deerfield, and Westfield rivers; those of the latter, the Nashua and Concord. Taunton River furnishes excellent water-power, and supplies the factories of the cities of Taunton and Fall River. Charles River rises in the interior, and flows into Massachusetts Bay.

"Massachusetts abounds in picturesque scenery. This observation is especially true of the western part of the State, and the view of the Connecticut River and Valley from Mount Holyoke has long been celebrated. Though rather less than 1000 feet in height, the views it commands, and its easy ascent, being traversed to its summit by a good carriage road, have invited hither many tourists in the season for travelling. The spectator has below him the beautiful meandering Connecticut wending its way through the meadows and among the villages, while to the southwest, and at no great distance, is Mount Tom; and still farther in the same direction, Bald or Washington Mount, and in the northwest Saddle Mountain, the highest ground in the State; and turning to the east and northeast he has the peaks of Wachusetts in Massachusetts, and Monadnock in New Hampshire; the intermediate parts of the scene being filled up with a great variety of landscape, villages, hills, rivulets, and low mountains. There is a good hotel on the top of Mount Holyoke, and in the vicinity the beautiful village of Northampton, at which the tourist may take up his quarters and make his excursion from thence over the mountain. A yet more extensive view is obtained from Saddle Mountain, but it has hitherto lain more out of the line of travel, and been less visited, though of thrice the elevation of Mount Tom. It commands a view of the