POPULAR SUPERSTITIONS— HOUSES. 285 



dragons, blackmen, and lobsters with terrible claws, who were said 

 to guard treasures of inestimable value in these and other abodes 

 of foxes and weasels. People told us of a large stone monument or 

 house about three miles inland said to have been built by parties 

 from a man-of-war who entered the harbor secretly, some years 

 since, by night, and proceeded inland for some mysterious pur- 

 pose. One man, I am told, declared solemnly, that they came for 

 " buried treasures, " and built this " stone house " to guard the 

 remainder until they should come for it. Undoubtedly it was 

 done by the sailors to excite this very superstition. They succeeded 

 admirably. 



Between the hill containing the fort and the opposite height west- 

 ward, is a most beautifully formed glacial ridge and slide. Seaward 

 it is more or less abrupt and precipitous though I should judge not 

 'over forty feet high. Towards the bay it slopes evenly and smoothly 

 to the water. On this slope the houses are built. They are like 

 other houses on the coast, with a single peculiarity in the shape of 

 the fireplace. This was a hearth of some iron piece, usually the 

 sides of an old iron stove, a back fireboard of a similar character, 

 while the remainder of the chimney was of wood and formed part 

 of the house proper. Why the blazing, roaring, crackling hearth fire 

 that I often saw did not burn the house down I cannot well see. 

 An iron frame, made like an old-fashioned steelyards, hung over the 

 fire, the hooks of which could be raised or lowered at will, with 

 two hooks (if I remember correctly) upon which were hung the 

 kettles — here all the cooking of the family was done. One house- 

 wife showed me with great exultation, how nicely the bread kettle 

 hung over the fire. I thought that if a modern mother was obliged 

 to bake the quantity of bread weekly that this mother did and in 

 such a primitive manner, she would show the arrangement with 

 anything but satisfaction. 



At one point in Temple bay I visited a mine of white mica that 

 was just opened. It was romantically situated about 150 feet above 

 the sea and by the side of a winding brook, that tumbled down 

 among the confusion of loose rocks below and abounded in trout. 



