236 LIFE OF BENJAMIN SILLIMAN. 



when attending the Legislature at New Haven or at Hart- 

 ford, by a cavalcade of honor composed of large numbers of 

 citizens, both in carriages and on horseback, who met the 

 Governor some miles from town at some designated place, 

 I believe Woodbridge's tavern in East Hartford, ten 

 miles from Hartford, and Eastman's tavern in North Haven, 

 eight miles from New Haven. Salutations were inter- 

 changed, some refreshments taken, and the procession re- 

 turning was received with the ringing of bells arid other 

 demonstrations of joy. I remember, long before my mar- 

 riage, coming in from Eastman's, on one occasion, in Gov- 

 ernor Trumbull's retinue, when we were wrapt in a cloud 

 of dust so dense that we were all in uniform. I should 

 mention that the Governor usually entered the town on 

 horseback. Governor Trumbull told me the following an- 

 ecdote of a little occurence near Hartford. The cavalcade 

 had arrived at the ferry in East Hartford, opposite to the 

 city, and there being at that time no bridge, they were 

 waiting for the flat-boat to carry them over, when an old 

 salt a short, thick-set little man was pressing his way 

 among the crowd to obtain a sight of the Governor ; but 

 not finding, like Zaccheus of old, a friendly tree, he rose 

 on his toes and eagerly asked, " Which is the Governor ? " 

 Some one pointed out a small, genteel man mounted conspic- 

 uously on a fine horse, when the sailor exclaimed, " That 

 the Governor, why, he is not bigger than a cob ! " He 

 had associated official dignity with physical volume of per- 

 son. The Governor was much amused by Jack's surprise, 

 the expression of which he overheard. 



While the Legislature was in session he always, when he 

 appeared abroad, wore a three-cornered cocked hat, such 

 as was worn by officers in the Revolutionary army. There 

 was mounted upon it a handsome cockade, made of black 

 satin ribbon, elegantly and tastefully arranged, probably by 

 the hand of a daughter. He wore breeches and long boots 

 with white tops, and he always retained the sword as a 



