JOURNEY THROUGH JERSEY 31 



which grew in the dryest places along the road, and 

 on these warm days, was the more perceptible. 



It was surprising, just at midsummer, to find every- 

 where in the woods leaves red or deadened, particularly 

 on the oaks. To be sure, towards the first of the 

 month (July) there had been a hoar-frost, seen on little 

 standing ponds and moist spots, on the mountain near 

 Middlebrook and elsewhere.* But this cold could 

 not so easily kill oak leaves, certainly not particular 

 oak leaves. Others, with as little probability gave 

 thunderstorms and lightning as the reason ; but the 

 best explanation was that the leaves had been killed by 

 a sort of grasshopper which comes every seventeen 

 years and just this year had been conducting operations. 



Rocky Hill once had the hope of being one of the rich- 

 est and most productive hills in America. Ignorant of its 

 value a countryman found a fragment of grey copper- 

 ore, of nearly 100 Ib. weight. This occurrence inspired 

 several people, who had informed themselves of the 

 worth of the copper discovered, to set about establish- 

 ing works in the liveliest spirit of enterprise. The 

 ground was leased, the mine to be opened was divided 

 into eight shares, miners were brought from England, 

 and everything necessary was undertaken with en- 

 thusiasm. When the first shaft was sunk they came 

 upon a rich stock-work of similar ore, but not quite so 

 pure. By this time the shares were selling at 1500 Pd. 

 Current. Through the manager's ignorance, or per- 

 haps with a set purpose to damage the owners, the ore 

 brought up was packed in barrels, and in less than four 



* At the same time we had several very cold days in York, 

 and one morning the thermometer sank to 42 Fahr. 



