104 



Leaving the Railroad Station at Rockport, the party proceeded to 

 the grounds selected for the meeting, about two miles distant, passing 

 through the village of Pigeon Cove, and along the New Atlantic 

 Avenue, recently built by Mr. E. B. Phillips ; this avenue leaves the 

 main road near the school house, and winds along in full view of the 

 ocean, to the Pine Groves at Halibut Point; it is quite level, and 

 graded up with coarse gravel, forming one of the finest drives upon 

 the Cape, and will doubtless, at no distant day, be occupied by dwelling 

 houses, and summer resorts. At this point a rocky promontory 

 overlooking the open sea and agreeably shaded by scrub oaks a com- 

 modious marquee had been put up, which was the headquarters for 

 the day, and in which the luncheon baskets were soon deposited, and 

 the company separated into small parties for exploration, as inclina- 

 tion dictated. Some made explorations into the interior in pursuit of 

 specimens,' while others rambled along the shore, or visited the 

 quarries to obtain geological specimens. A little further on, rising 

 above another grove on an eminence, is a rude observatory, from the 

 top of which an extensive view is obtained. " Still further on, are all 

 the attractions of a broken seashore, with shelving rocks and dashing 

 waves. The promontory commands an uninterrupted prospect of the 

 broad Atlantic, studded with passing sails; the distant fishing fleet 

 clustered together in the offing ; Portsmouth, Rye, the Isles of Shoals 

 far to the north, and the nearer shore's of Essex, and Newburyport, 

 in the same direction; Rockport, the white light of Cape Ann, and 

 the chimney like night beacons on Thatcher's Island. 



The most prominent features of the town were the frequent 

 quarries of granite, in most of which numbers of men and teams of 

 oxen were busily engaged in transporting stone to the coast, for the 

 purpose of forming breakwaters, in order to afford safe harborage for 

 vessels. 



At one o'clock the scattered forces were called in, and after partak- 

 ing of the repast, the meeting was called to order by the President. 

 The Secretary being absent, Mr. N. A. HORTON was requested to 

 act as Secretary for the day. Records were read; correspondence 

 and donations announce*. 



The PRESIDENT gave a brief sketch of the locality, and traced the 

 origin and growth of the Field Meetings ; he also alluded to the objects 

 of interest passed on the journey from Salem to Rockport, including 

 in his remarks the discovery of the Magnolia in the woods of Glouces- 

 ter. 



Dr. G. B. LORING, as chairman of the field committee, addressed 

 the audience, and remarked that he had great pleasure in reminding 

 the eminent men of science, then present, that they stood on the great 

 historic spot of Massachusetts, and almost the historic spot of the 



