or, as fight for his mistress, or hold a dignified peace when his enthusiastic praise gains the careless greeting, "The Connecticut? Oh yes, a pretty little stream;' once met the writer's amazed ears, "But you know, the water is so muddy." It is idle to combat the opinions of the contentedly nearsighted and ignorant. He who knows his river-love at its gay beginning in the mountains; its soberer path among the fair lands of Massachusetts; its varied and nobler valley in its own state; its broad, still entrance to the Sound, may listen with unconcern to the criticism of those who know not whereof they speak. Half way between Saybrook and Hartford, about the elm and willow fringed island where the long-passed Wangunks best loved to meet, lies the town of Haddam, the Plantation of Thirty Mile Island. In the days of its settlement it was described as stretching "six miles to the eastward and six miles to the westward come downe to lye about and amongst these plantations to annoy and destroy as they can catch." The advice was returned that the settlers "Due forthwith agree and come and gather in the two uppermost best garrisoned places in their town to assist and defend each other or agree to remove to some other plantation upon the river as they may best provide for themselves and their families." The "two best garrisoned places" seems to have proved sufficient defense, for the plantation was never deserted and no tale of massacre gives the touch of tragedy to the annals of these farming people. Fifty years ago, wretched remnants of the natives lived on the lonely and wooded road between Haddam Center and PonIn the soil of Thirty Mile Island set. Fron a unfinished pencil sketch by Wentworth the only portrait taken of the Thet JOHN G. C. BRAINARD. into the wilderness, from the great river." Four Indian kings and two queens gave the deed for the small township, and thirty coats, of one hundred dollars value, here bought as much of beauty perhaps as ever changed hands for so small a sum. The few acres at Pattaquonk to the southwest, and the Island, with the right to hunt and fish at will, were all that the natives reserved. During the Indian wars aid was asked of the court at Hartford because of "Sculking enemies that are have been found the bones of those who long ago left its beauty. In the fields, especially those by the river, the plow has turned up arrow heads, spear heads, hammers and chisels. Beaver Brook has surrendered the drinking cups long ago given to its keeping. On the "Neck" linger, in the name " Indian Hollow," the echoes of the last gatherings of the Wangunks. But the land that once knew their dark faces holds hardly more trace of them to-day than does the river of the reflection of last summer's clouds and leafage. It was in 1662 that twenty-eight young Englishmen came from Hartford to make their homes in the unopened lands of the Connecticut valley. In the records of 1668 is found the enactment "That the Plantation of Thirty Mile Island shall for the future be called Haddum & this court grants them the powers and preulige of a Plantation." The hearts of the colonists were turned toward this new world. Probably none were ever again to see the home beyond the ocean, but to the rough clearing in the woods they gave the name of Haddam |