planted it with potatoes, cultivating them at noontimes and at evenings, after the labors of the day were over. He says, " I raised several bushels, and in the fall sold them, and got ten shillings in money, and went to a merchant in the neighborhood who dealt in New York, who promised me to get the book, and fulfilled his promise. But the book cost twelve shillings, and I was two shillings in debt, which gave me a great deal of uneasiness. By some means, I do not recollect how, I soon discharged it, but was obliged to return the seed to my father in the fall.

"What makes me pretty sure it happened when I was eleven years of age, is this: it was about one year after I planted the potatoes before I got the book, and I learned surveying that winter I was thirteen years of age, and when I learned that, I presume I was the best geographer of the world, that Connecticut could produce, according to Salmon, at that time. No question could be asked me of any nation, but I would tell their number, religion, their latitude and longitude, and turn at once to any town marked on the maps, which could not be acquired in less than in about one year, considering the small opportunities I had of studying, which was only in the intervals of hard labor and times for rest.

"My father never allowed me to go to school more than one month in a year, except that winter I was thirteen years of age, when he permitted me to go about five or six weeks. After I had got through with common arithmetic, my master told me in public school that he could learn me no farther in arithmetic, but, if I chose, he would learn me surveying. I so earnestly insisted on my father to indulge me in this, that he could not resist my entreaties, and went to Hartford and got a scale and a pair of dividers, and on his return I never felt a greater sense of gratitude to mortal man than I did to him at that time, and in two weeks learned what we called surveying in. New England. I knew no better, but thought myself perfect master, but learned nothing of logarithms, or of calculation by latitude and departure, only geometrically. As I had learned common arithmetic out of school by myself, I had but little to do while there, only to go through what I had really learned, except division, which took me about half a day to learn the different mode before I could be ready at it."

66

My father had meadow lands adjoining the governor of the colony. He frequently came under the shade with us in mowing time; and seeing me a little, forward boy, one day requested my father to let me go to carry the chain with him, to measure off some small parcels. His request was easily granted, as is common for poor men to exert themselves to oblige the great.

This

happened when I was about ten or eleven years of age. In this undertaking the governor was exceedingly familiar with me, and would consult me on the most minute part of the business as much as if I had been an able counsellor, and as if he knew nothing of the business himself. I was equally proud of his company, and as officious as I could be to render him every service."

"We could not finish the surveying that evening, but left, I believe, seven or eight acres when we quit. He left the chain, and gave me directions how to lay it off for sundry people; I being proud of the office, readily accepted it, and executed it faithfully. Some time after, the governor called at my father's house for the chain; I fetched it to him with the greatest expedition, and ex. pectation of some pennies, when he took it, put it in his saddle. bags, and rode off without saying a word! My mortification at this time was nearly equal to the usage I met with in extinguish. ing the fire in my father's house; yet I am persuaded the governor was an honest man, but concluded within himself that the honor would fully compensate me."

On leaving school. Fitch's whole time was devoted to the labors of the farm. His duties were so very severe, that he expresses an opinion that it "stunted him," and prevented his growth for several years. Independent of the severity of his father in thus keeping him so hard at work, he was subject to the tyranny of an elder brother, who sought every opportunity to oppress him and crush his spirits, cruelly compelling him to such an exertion in his labors that he was often "ready to faint," and speaking in such a manner as to put him in continual apprehension of a beating. For this treatment," says he, "I do not thank my unfeeling father and tyrant brother; and although I have not seen him for twenty years, would not go to the nearest neighbor's to see him, unless he was in distress. Could I be set into a Virginia field amongst their slaves, with the severest driver at my back, 1 would sooner engage in it than go through the same again."

In speaking of an almost miraculous escape from injury in falling from a tree which happened about this period, he observes, "it seems heaven designed me for some more cruel fate."

While on the farm, young Fitch was extremely desirous to study astronomy, and in vain solicited his father to procure the necessary works; but, in some degree from the severity of his duties, partly from the want of books, and having already attained a greater amount of learning than any of his neighbors, he continues, "I imperceptibly left my studies, and fell into the common practices of boys in our neighborhood, and devoted myself to play, when I could steal a minute, as much as I had before to my books.

This helped to sweeten life; and from the time I was thirteer and fourteen years of age until I went apprentice, I enjoyed my. self as well as most of the Virginia slaves, who have liberty to go. to a dance once a week."

"During that time there was nothing material happened to me. I seemed to be beloved both by old and young, as I could speak rationally to the old, and was always foremost among my play. fellows."

When about seventeen years of age, Fitch was anxious to learn some trade or go to sea, by which he "could make a living when he came to himself." He expressed these views to his father, at the same time representing that he was too small and weak to obtain a support by agricultural employments. His parent re luctantly consented. In the following September the steeple to the village church was raised. This was indeed a gala day, and the people from Hartford and the whole country round flocked to witness this then uncommon spectacle. Although, as he tells us, he had "a singular curiosity in witnessing mechanical operations," yet was determined to forego the pleasure, and borrowed a horse for the purpose of visiting Rocky Hill, a parish in Wethersfield, where there were a great number of coasters. The object of this visit was to engage a berth for a short voyage, to settle his opinion as to the propriety of learning a trade or becoming a seaman.

A place was first engaged on board of a sloop bound to New York, "under one Captain Abbott." This situation was found very disagreeable. The master treated him with brutality; and although there were plenty of empty berths, he was compelled by the mate Starr, to lie upon deck on a chest, much too short, and this, too, without any covering. Such usage was considered " extremely hard, after having been used to a comfortable bed at home."

An occasion offering a day or two subsequent, he left and went on board of a Providence sloop. Here things were found very comfortable, and although not in accordance to stipulation, Fitch evinced such zeal and industry that his master paid him wages, and he made a "saving voyage." "I returned home," says he, "neither enamoured with the sea nor resolved against it, and in as much of a quandary how to dispose of myself as ever."

Accident, however, soon threw him in the way of a neighboring clockmaker, who proposed to him to enter into his service. On expressing to his parents his desire to learn the business, they strenuously opposed his wishes, and this, too, without any regard to their son's welfare, but merely from a selfish unwillingness to dispense with his services on the farm, which had then become

quite valuable. Their opposition came near frustrating the plan. On mentioning his troubles to his sister and her husband, Mr. Timothy King, although poor, they offered to advance the necessary funds. Fitch says, "these two persons were the greatest ornament that ever adorned my father's family. My sister was the most mannerly, generous-spirited woman that I ever saw, not only to me, but to others, and probably might take it in some manner from her husband, as good wives endeavor to recommend themselves to their husbands by adopting their sentiments." Other obstacles were thrown in his way, but he successfully overcame them.

He describes the clockmaker as an eccentric man, and possess. ing some genius. According to agreement, Fitch was to work seven months in the year in the out-door concerns of his employer, -the remainder of the time to devote to the pursuit of the art and mysteries of wooden clock-making. But his master by no means acted in conformity to contract, keeping his apprentice almost continually in attendance upon his domestic concerns; and even during the small portion of the time he was employed in the shop, so neglected to instruct him, that at the expiration of two years and a half, Fitch left almost entirely ignorant of his profession.

This

After this he went to work with a brother of his former em. ployer, who was engaged in a similar business, and who united with the manufacture of clocks the repairing of watches. latter art it was especially stipulated should be taught his new ap. prentice; he not only omitted to do it, but took particular pains to prevent his learning, working himself in a distant part of the room, locking up his tools when absent, and forbidding Fitch ever to touch them. Fitch was a ways kept busy on some unimportant part, so that during the eight months he was in this person's service, he never even saw a watch taken to pieces or put together, and, in fact, had no opportunity of obtaining any insight of the subject whatever. Nor did oppression end here; "although," he observes, "I possessed a small appetite, I never was given sufficient to satisfy it, except on one occasion, when I managed to make a good, hearty meal on potatoes. Being an inferior, I was helped last at the table; the females would then discourse upon gluttony, and my master, hastily devouring his own food, would immediately return thanks for that which himself and others eat, as well as for that which his apprentice did not." Fitch was kept very hard and steady at work from before sunrise in winter until ten o'clock at night, and as many hours during the summer, with, however, one single exception,-this was on the ccasion of the sickness and death of his master's child, when

he was obliged to walk six miles for a physician. Shortly after his return the child died. "During the night," says he, “I watched with the corpse, with the privilege of as much water from the well as I desired, by way of refreshment."

On leaving his last employer, he dared not set up the business on his own account, or work as a journeyman, for fear of exhibit. ing his ignorance, but employed himself, as he tells us, "in doing small brass work." This was pursued by him with so much industry, that at the end of two years he found himself worth fifty pounds, which for him, considering the scarcity of money at the time, was viewed as "quite a treasure," and enabled him to pay off his debts, and have something" handsome left." Fitch after. wards entered into the potash business, but was unsuccessful in its prosecution, arising partially from the unfaithfulness of one of nis partners. While thus engaged, he married Miss Lucy Ro. berts, on 29th December, 1767; but owing to her unhappy temper and disposition, was compelled, in the course of a year or two, to abandon her, being thoroughly convinced that it was for the happiness of both that they should separate. This event occasioned him great affliction, from being obliged to leave a child whom he "loved as dear as himself." A misfortune subsequently happen. ing to her, he observes, "could I have foreseen it, I should never have abandoned her, but have endeavored to worry through life in her company as well as I might."

On forsaking the place of his nativity, Fitch went to Pittsfield, Mass., but not having constant employment there, visited Albany, yet with no better success. A short time after, we find him in New Jersey, in a destitute condition, endeavoring to find employ. ment on some farm as a common laborer, but his sickly appear. ance baffled all his efforts,-no one would employ him. Finally, he entered into the business of making buttons, which he pursued with tolerable success, first at New Brunswick, and afterwards at Trenton.

At the commencement of the revolution, Fitch espoused the popular cause, and during a portion of the time rendered himself very useful in repairing arms for the continental army. Subsequently he removed to Kentucky, where he received the appointment and practised as a surveyor. While at the West, and in navigating a river in a small boat, Fitch and his companions were taken prisoners and carried into captivity by the Indians, but after considerable hardship and suffering, were released. At a subse. quent period he became once more an inhabitant of one of the Atlantic states.

"In the month of April, 1785," says Fitch, in the manuscript