20 LIFE OF BENJAMIN SILLIMAN. 



titter of his school-fellows, a punishment not soon for- 

 gotten. 



There was a fine fishing-ground at some distance from 

 the shore, and the long clams standing erect in the sand 

 afforded the requisite bait. Fishes also for the seine flowed 

 with the refluent waves into the narrow inlets in great num- 

 bers, especially at the head of Black Rock Harbor, among 

 which the striped bass were the most esteemed ; and sea- 

 fowl flitted across the spit or bar which ran out almost 

 a mile from Fairfield Beach, and at low water appeared 

 a naked rocky reef, resembling an artificial breakwater. 

 We boys loved to wander, when the tide was out, on the 

 hard flats, which were so firm that the human foot made 

 hardly any impression, and they were hardly marked by 

 the iron shoes of a horse, resounding to his tread. 



One afternoon, as Mr. Fowler who was our first male 

 teacher did not arrive with his usual punctuality, a rumor 

 was circulated among us that he was not coming, and that 

 we were then to have a holiday. " Quod volumus facile 

 credimus" and away we went under the leadership of some 

 master-spirit down the narrow lane * to Fairfield Bfeach. 

 Smooth shells and polished pebbles decorated the beach, 

 and there were numerous islets of hard sand peering above 

 the waves, but soon to be submerged again with the return- 

 ing tide. To one and another of these islets we wandered, 

 wading through the shallow channels by which they were 

 surrounded. Like thoughtless children, as we were, we did 

 not heed the rising tide until the channel became filled and 

 the water too deep for most of us to pass with safety ; and 

 few of us could swim. By the exertions of the taller 

 and stronger boys, however, the shorter and feebler were 

 helped over the strait, and glad were we to be once more 

 on terra firma. It was a moment of danger. The claim 



* By this lane the British army marched from their ships when they 

 burned Fairfield. 



