But we will not
vouch for the truth of this story. In the New Hampshire
Historical Collections for 1815 it says, "Some time after pewter
was found in the well, and an iron pot and trammel in the sand;
the latter are preserved." These were the traces of the white
trader. On the opposite bank, where it jutted over the stream
cape-wise, we picked up four arrow-heads and a small Indian tool
made of stone, as soon as we had climbed it, where plainly there
had once stood a wigwam of the Indians with whom Cromwell traded,
and who fished and hunted here before he came.
As usual the gossips have not been silent respecting Cromwell's
buried wealth, and it is said that some years ago a farmer's
plough, not far from here, slid over a flat stone which emitted a
hollow sound, and, on its being raised, a small hole six inches
in diameter was discovered, stoned about, from which a sum of
money was taken. The lock-man told us another similar story about
a farmer in a neighboring town, who had been a poor man, but who
suddenly bought a good farm, and was well to do in the world,
and, when he was questioned, did not give a satisfactory account
of the matter; how few, alas, could! This caused his hired man to
remember that one day, as they were ploughing together, the
plough struck something, and his employer, going back to look,
concluded not to go round again, saying that the sky looked
rather lowering, and so put up his team.
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