of the wood in which they were interred."

At the time when this was written, there was a tradition to that effect.
But it is understood that, early in this century, an examination was
made of the spot, pointed out by the tradition upon which Bentley had
relied, and nothing was found to sustain it. It is apparent that this
tradition was, to some extent, incorrect, because it is quite certain
that three, and probably most, of the bodies were recovered by their
friends, at the time; but chiefly because it is believed, on sufficient
grounds, that the locality, indicated in the tradition that had reached
Doctor Bentley, was, in 1692, covered by the original forest. Of course,
a passage through woods, to a spot, even now, after the trees have been
wholly removed from the hill and all its sides, so very difficult of
access, would not have been encountered; neither can it be supposed that
an open area would have been elaborately prepared for the place of
execution, in the midst of a forest, entirely shut in from observation,
by surrounding trees, with their thick foliage, in that season of the
year. If seclusion had been the object, a wooded spot might have been
found, near at hand, on level areas, anywhere in the neighborhood of the
town. But it was not a secluded, but a conspicuous, place that was
sought; not only an elevated, but an open, theatre for the awe-inspiring
spectacle, displaying to the whole people and world--to use the language
employed by Mather, in the _Advice of the Ministers_ and in one of his
letters to Richards--the "Success" of the Court, in "extinguishing that
horrible witchcraft."

Another tradition, brought down through a family, ever since residing on
the same spot, in the neighborhood, and from the longevity of its
successive heads, passing through but few memories, and for that reason
highly deserving of credit, is, that its representative, at that time,
lent his aid in the removal of the bodies of the victims, in the night,
and secretly, across the river, in a boat. The recollections of the
transaction are preserved in considerable detail. From the locality, it
is quite certain that the bodies were brought to it from the southern
end of Witch-hill. From a recently-discovered letter of Dr. Holyoke,
mentioned in my book [_ii., 377_], it appears that the executions must
have taken place there. The earth is so thin, scattered between
projecting ledges of rock, which, indeed, cover much of the surface,