“Dec. 16.  Coming home from Boston last night, overtook Indian Will.  He showed me a big iron tobacco-box nearly full of money—­silver, with two gold-pieces, one a Spanish piece, the other an English half guinea.  He got it for a lot of deer-skins in Boston.  Begged him not to drink it all up, which he said he would not do, but would give it to his squaw.  Did ask him to come home with me, which he refused, as he meant to go on to Neponset Village.

“Dec. 17.  The wind blowing these two days to the land made it very high water, coming nearly up to Governor Stoughton’s elm, and covering the road.

“Dec. 18.  A great gale last night—­much damage at sea, doubtless.  The water very high.

“Dec. 19.  Two men out in a boat found an old hat and blanket floating by the Point, said to belong to Indian Will:  no one has seen him since the 16th.  Likely he went to the tavern and got drunk, so missed his way and was drowned by the tide.

“Dec. 20, Last night Indian Will’s body came ashore, much beaten by the rocks, but known to be his by those who knew him.  The verdict was, ‘Drowned by the tide.’

“Feb. 11, 1786.  Doctor Haywood spent the evening at our house.  He has been more social of late, going a good deal among people, especially poor people, to help them.  Has never paid me the fifty dollars, but makes promises.  I was led on to speak of Indian Will.  The doctor said the night of the 16th he thought he heard some one cry out, but thought it some drunken person, and besides was busy with his studies, and so did not mind.  My wife asked him what he studied.  He said a good many different matters, but that he had given it all up now, and meant to practice.  Shortly after jumped up and went away very sudden.”

Here the journal came to an abrupt end.  The rest of the book was filled with accounts relating to the business of a milliner and dressmaker.  Slipped in between its leaves were two letters, written in a cramped, scratchy hand and rather irregular in spelling.  They were directed to Sophonisba T——­, Salem, Massachusetts, and seemed to be from a mother to her daughter: 

  “DORCHESTER, May 1, 1786.

“My Dear Child:  I take my pen in hand to let you knew that we are all in good health, and hope you are enjoying the same blessing.  James Sumner is married to Hannah Gardner.  Most people think she will have her hands full with his children.  Parson H——­ married them.  She wore a blue silk at two dollars the yard.  Hepsey Ball is dead.  She departed this life on the 29th of April, at half-past eight in the evening, being quite resigned and in good hope of her election to grace.  She had not much pain at the last.  Doctor Haywood called to see her in the morning, and she being then, as we thought, asleep, did start up and cry out that there was a black shadow, not his own, always following after him, which made me think her light-headed; but her