Norwich bulletin., 1915-04-27
MAsoN'S "PEQUoT WAR"
 SOLD FOR $1,o75.
First Edition Brought Next to Record Price at Philadelphia Book Sale.

A first edition of John Mason's "Pequot War" was purchased by Garrett W. F. Blanchfield at Hartford street antiquarian, for the next to book sale in Philadelphia MT. Blanch- field went to Philadelphia, especially to bid on the pamphlet. There was spirited bidding which steadily push ed the price up from the $500 at which it opened to the high purchase price.
 MT. Blanchfield made the pur- chase for a wealthy Hartford man interested in rare books but whose identity is withheld
 The pamphlet is extremely rare and contains only twenty-two pages, mak- to the price paid for it $48.s6. The work is a brief history of the memora- ble taking of the fort of the Pequot Indians at Mystic in 1887.
 It was written by one of the found CTS of Norwich, Major John Mason, commander-in-chie of the Connecti- cut forces, and published in 1736. Ma son, who came from Windsor, origin ally, was in command of the expedi- tion from the river towns of Hart ford, Windsor and Wethersfield. Some years, later, the town of Hartford ton tract of land in the north part of the city which was known as the Soldiers field.
 No Thirst on This Trip!
 The expedition sailed from Hart ford in three boats, Among the stores they took with them was hogshead of sack There was also command of about twenty men at Saybrook under the command of Lieutenant Lyon Gardner, who com manded the fort at Saybrook.
 STharn fun lxY1nxxy of this pamphlet in Connecticut in perfect condition. The other of these is in the library of the Con- necticut Historical society.
 The highest price paid for this pamphlet was for the copy in the sold for $1,S50. The copy belong ing to Wilberforce Flames, librarian of the Astor library, sold for $500. This copy, however, was imperfect.
 The Connecticut Historical so- ciety's copy is the finest known.
 Experts Opinion.
 Albert c. Bates, librarian of the His torical society said of the pamphlet:
 '"The first edition reprint of this book was made in 1769, in a volume relating to 8 controversy over the Mo hican lands. This volume is now as scarce as the original publication of the pamphlet. The fine copy own ed by the Historical society is the identical copy from which this reprint was made. It was again reprinted in Boston in 1887. and since that time has been reprinted twice"
 The last time it was reprinted several histories of the war were printed together with the accounts of Mason. Underhill, Vincent and Of the Gardner narrative Is in the possession of Trinity college. It is not, however. in the handwriting of Gardner, as it was commonly be- heved to be-"
 pr. Jordan of the Pennsylvania Historical society said in an inter view printed in the Philadelphia Record of April q, Tt is one of the most tempting morsels for the book lovers in American historical liter ature. The narrative is the main source for the facts concerning one of the most important episodes in early New England history, detailing the astounding attack of seventy seven Englishmen, led by Major Ma son, against 700 Pequot Indian war riors, strongly protected behind a palisade of tree trunks. Only five Indians escaped
 Tt was practically the end of the Pequot nation. This remarkable epi- sode removed the chief obstacle of the colonization of the Connecticut coast, and brought the inland settlements in- to an unimpeded communication with those on tidewater.'
 Schooling at f5 Cents Per Week.
 George R.. Sanders of Mechanis sive back in the last half century:
 Wilmington. July; 15. 1864.
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