The Locust. 



339. Certificate, 



There is a Locust post standing on the road side, about sixty yards from 

 Smith's Town River, and about one mile from Lon^ Island Sound, into which 

 that river empties, in the Township of Smith's Town, Suffolk County, Long 

 Island, and opposite to my door. This post is a quarter section of a Locust 

 trunk which must originally have been about eight inches in diameter. I 

 have been informed by my uncle, Joshua Smith, father of the present Judge 

 Smith, that this post was placed there by his father, Daniel Smith, grandson 

 of the patentee of Smith's Town, in the year 1709. The soil in which the post 

 stands is a black loam, and about sixteen feet above the surface of the river. 

 It is about two feet in the ground. On examining it about a year since, below 

 the surface of the ground, it was found perfectly and thoroughly sound in 

 every respect, Above the ground there is no appearance of decay or rot, and 

 no disfiguration whatever, except what has been caused by friction, or by its 

 long exposure to the weather. And all the effect of these causes has been 

 merely to roughen a little its surface. This post is alongside of a stone horse- 

 block, and was intended and is now used as a support to ascend the block. 

 Within a half-yard of this post there is also a flat red Cedar post, of about four 

 inches thickness, and which belonged to a trunk which must have been about 

 twelve inches in diameter. This post, which was set at the same time with 

 the Locust post, is not quite so sound below the surface as that. Above 

 ground it is also more decayed, and shows indications of having yielded more 

 to the influence of the weather than the Locust post in the same part." The 

 top, particularly, is crumbling. 



Richard Smith. 



340. To Mr. Cobbett. 



Sir, — At the request of my friend, Doctor Peter S. Townsend, I have given 

 the above Certificate with great pleasure, and hope it may answer the pur- 

 poses you have in view from it, as I stand pledged to vouch for its accuracy. 

 With much respect, 



I am. Sir, 



Your most obedient and most humble Servant 

 Richard Smith. 



