by the expansive power of freezing Water, 137 



reviewer, not having a copy of Dr. Dwight's Travels at 

 hand. 



" Friday morning, Oct. 18th, says he, we rode to the 

 south end of the lake, accompanied by Mr. Whittlesey, to 

 examine a rock, of which a singular, not to say an incredi- 

 ble, opinion prevails in the vicinity. Our road for near 

 half a mile, lay on a natural causeway, about 30 feet in 

 breadth, which separated the lake into two parts, and was 

 formed of earth, probably washed up by its waves. The 

 rock which was the particular object of our curiosity, is 

 said, by the inhabitants long settled here, to have moved a 

 considerable distance from the spot where it anciently 

 stood, towards the south-western shore. You will not 

 suppose we considered this story as founded either in truth 

 or good sense. However, having long believed it to be 

 prudent, and made it a regular practice, whenever it was 

 convenient, to examine the foundation of reports credited 

 by sober men, I determined to investigate this, as I saw 

 that it was firmly believed by several discreet persons. — 

 One particularly, a man of unquestioned reputation, and 

 long resident near the spot, declared, that 40 years since, 

 the top of this rock, at the ordinary height of the water, 

 was at least two feet below its surface, and 15 or 20 rods 

 farther from the causeway than when we saw it. The 

 shore has unquestionably remained as it then was ; for the 

 trees and stumps standing on the causeway are older than 

 any man now living, and the space between them and the 

 lake is very narrow, scarcely extending fifteen feet from 

 the trees. 



" The top of the rock is now at least twoieet above the 

 water. This height, it is declared to have gained imper- 

 ceptibly, year by year, for many years, in consequence of 

 its advancing towards the shore, and standing continually 

 in water more and more shallow. The water is evidently 

 of the same depth now as formerly, as is proved by the ap- 

 pearance of the shore. 



" When we came up to the rock, which was standing 

 where the water was scarce knee-deep, we found a chan- 

 nel behind it, towards the deeper water, formed in the 

 earth, about fifteen rods in length, it was serpentine in its 

 form, and was sunk from two to three feet below the com- 

 mon level of the bottom on its borders. In the front of 

 Vol. IX.— No. 1. 13 



