236 ' History of Hlngham. 



Under Captain Hobart's direction the three forts were erected, 

 the garrison houses provisioned, and the careful watch and strict 

 discipline maintained. The summer slipped away, the people 

 pursuing their usual vocations. The drum-beat at sunrise 

 relieved the weary sentinel, called to life the sleeping town, and 

 put in motion the industries of the field, the shop, and the home. 

 And while the men labored at their various vocations, the women 

 were equally industrious ; for not only were the children and the 

 homes and the dairies to be cared for, but the very clothes must 

 be woven and made in the kitchen of every house. Probably the 

 mill, the inns, and the malt-houses were favorite places of 

 gathering for the men during their leisure moments, while Mrs. 

 Hobart's shop formed the ladies' exchange of the period, and 

 many a confidence and bit of gossip were here whispered, only 

 to reach the goodman's ears a few hours later. 



On the Sabbath-day all attended meeting, and after the ser- 

 vices — probably several hours long — lingered around the porch 

 to exchange greetings and make inquiries about friends and 

 relations too scattered to visit during the week. 



An occasional sail whitened the placid bosom of the little cir- 

 cular harbor, whose outlet was nearly hidden by the three islands 

 with their dark cedar foliage. Grand old trees here mirrored 

 themselves, and again in the waters of the inner bay and the 

 beautiful pond, which belonged to Plymouth and Massachusetts 

 alike, while fields of maize ripened and yellowed on the hillsides. 

 The sharp stroke of the axe, the occasional report of a musket, 

 the voice of the plowman talking to his cattle, the grinding of 

 the mill wheels, the music of the anvil, the merry splash of the 

 bounding stream, the whir of the partridge, the not distant howl 

 of the wolf, the stamp of the startled deer, the crackling of dry 

 boughs beneath the foot of an Indian, whose swarthy form flitted 

 silently and ominously along the trail to the sister colony, — 

 these were the every-day sights and sounds of the summer 

 of 1075. 



The weeks following the attack on Swansea had seen the up- 

 rising of tribe after tribe, allies of Philip, the destruction of town 

 after town in various parts of the colony, and the ambuscade and 

 defeat of various bodies of troops under brave and able officers. 

 United action on the part of Plymouth, Massachusetts, and Con- 

 necticut became necessary. Governor Winslow was appointed 

 commander-in-chief, and additional companies were raised by the 

 three colonies. Among these was one commanded by Captain 

 Johnson, of Roxbury, already a distinguished officer, who had 

 led a company of Praying Indians in the earlier days of the con- 

 flict. He was known as the brave Captain Johnson, and in his 

 command it was the good fortune of a part of the men from 

 our town to serve. The following quaint report marks Hing- 

 ham's entry into the struggle, and indicates also the names of 

 those who served her in the field : — 



