Page:The crater; or, Vulcan's peak.djvu/309

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on, VULCAN S PEAK. 69 they might be made useful, in a moderate degree, until their stouter substitutes could be reared. Carts and wa gons were provided in sufficient numbers. A good stock of iron in bars was laid in, in addition to that which was wrought into nails, and other useful articles. Several thousand dollars in coin were also provided, being princi pally in small pieces, including copper. But all the emi grants took more or less specie with them. A good deal of useful lumber was stowed in the lower hold, though the mill by this time furnished a pretty good home supply. The magazine was crammed with ammuni tion, and the governor had purchased four light field-guns, two three-pounders and two twelve-pound howitzers, with their equipments. He had also brought six long iron twelves, ship-guns, with their carriages &,c. The last he intended for his batteries, the carronades being too light for steady work, and throwing their shot too wild for a long range. The last could be mounted on board the dif ferent vessels. The Rancocus, also, had an entire new armament, having left all her old guns but two behind her. Two hundred muskets were laid in, with fifty brace of pistols. In a word, as many arms were provided as it was thought could, in any emergency, become necessary. But it was the human portion of his cargo that the governor, rightly enough, deemed to be of the greatest importance. Much care had been bestowed on the selec tion, which had given all concerned in it not a little trou ble. Morals were the first interest attended to. No one was received but those who bore perfectly good characters. The next thing was to make a proper division among the various trades and pursuits of life. There were carpen ters, masons, blacksmiths, tailors, shoemakers, &c., or, one of each, and sometimes more. Every man was married, the only exceptions being in the cases of younger brothers and sisters, of whom about a dozen were admitted along with their relatives. The whole of the ships betwixt decks was fitted up for the reception of these emigrants, who were two hundred and seven in number, besides chil dren. Of the last there were more than fifty, but they were principally of an age to allow of their being put into holes and corners.