192 History of Hingham. 



A few feet away from the above, was also cut the following : — 



" This Inscription- 

 was WROUGHT BY HOSEA Sl'RAGUE, 

 A NATIVE OF HlNGHAM, 

 WHO WAS A TRAVELLER HERE 



July 4th, 1828." 



It was regarded as a great curiosity, and would have been more 

 and more interesting as time passed on. But, unhappily, in the 

 year 1833 certain persons considered that the only value in the 

 great rock was the handful of dollars which it would bring for 

 building purposes, and it was blown to pieces and sold for a 

 pittance. 



As one mounts higher and higher upon this hill, or rather upon 

 this series of heights, the view in all directions grows more and 

 more beautiful, until, when the top of Turkey Hill is reached, it 

 mav be called sublime. 



Look at it now in this red October sunset ! To the east on the 

 horizon lies the deep blue line of the broad Atlantic, Avhich sweeps 

 round toward the north. North and northwest are the headlands 

 and islands of the bay. In the extreme distance in this last di- 

 rection the sun's rays flame upon the roofs and towers of the city. 

 In the nearer space they are reflected in golden light from the 

 placid waters of the harbor. Weir River shines between the 

 green meadows, almost at our feet, like a silver thread. The Blue 

 Hills are misty in the far west. Villages and houses speck the 

 landscape here and there. That great hill to the southeast is 

 Scituate Hill. 



Now turn southwards. There are brilliant woodlands in the 

 other directions, but what a glory of scarlet, yellow, and green 

 from the painted forests that stretch away to the southern hori- 

 zon's edge here ! This surpasses any other Hingham view. 



In the War of 1812 people came to this hill on a sorrowful June 

 day to see a famous naval duel. The British frigate " Shannon '' 

 had been cruising off Boston harbor, and the captain sent a chal- 

 lenge in to Captain Lawrence, who commanded the frigate " Chesa- 

 peake," then lying at the navy yard, her crew having been paid off. 

 The American officer gathered as good a crew as could be ob- 

 tained from the sailors in port, and hurriedly set sail to meet the 

 enemy. The encounter was off Scituate, and was very sanguin- 

 ary. In the midst of it the brave Lawrence fell, mortally 

 wounded. As they carried him below lie cried, " Don't give up 

 the ship ! " But with his fall, the Americans lost heart, and 

 after a hopeless struggle they were forced to surrender. A sad 

 and wretched pageant for the spectators on Turkey Hill and along 

 the shore ! 



Turkey Hill lies mostly in Hingham, but a part is in Cohasset. 

 Its name was bestowed on account of the early abundance of wild 

 turkevs there. 



