What does an alchemist, the King of England, and shiny gems have to do with each other? Come with me to find out!
Our East Haddam Mystery Tour map brings us to Icon #5 and the local legend of the Carbuncle. Back in the 1700s, our neighbors over in Moodus, Connecticut were having quite the time with all manner of mischief including witches, evil spirits, and the scary rumbling sounds emanating from the hills and earth around them.
This is where the legend gets a bit slippery in the mud banks, but such is the way of a tale.
I am a descendent of the Wampanoag tribes of Massachusetts. In our history, there is a man by the name of Hobbamock, a native who served Chief Massasoit of the Wampanoags. He was sent to live among the colonists to keep watch over relations between them and the natives. His name over time becomes affiliated with a great healing deity in native circles but a devil and evil spirit in colonist tales. One must remember the era. Natural phenomena were often attributed to one spiritual deity or another, depending on whose agenda was being served.
Our legend connects in Moodus when the great and terrible Moodus Noises became affiliated and blamed on the wrath of Hobomock the devil. Hobbamock's name went through many spelling variations in written and oral history but for the purpose of this legend, it lands as Hobomock.
Enter King George and his alchemist, Dr. Steale.
Via a letter written to the Connecticut Gazette in 1790, the author reports that an alchemist known as Dr. Steale is sent from England under the orders of perhaps King George himself, to investigate these noises, and while he is in visitation, he determines that the noises are being caused not by ancient devils or an angry Christian God, but by a fossil known as a Carbuncle. This magical glowing gem was extracted from a cave along the Moodus River in the area and Steale reported that if he did not remove it, it would continue to wreak havoc on the locals.
Some have twisted the legend to believe the carbuncle was buried deep in the hills Mount Tom, which today is known as the highest point of the Machimoodus State Park in Moodus, CT. Some believe there are still carbuncles to be found, as the noises have continued all these centuries, regardless of the alleged extraction done by Dr. Steale.
In the letter to the Gazette, the author tells us that the Carbuncle and Dr. Steale were lost at sea on their return to England. But legends rarely die. They adapt and shift and if we are lucky, continue down to current generations to ponder their mystery.
The Carbuncle legend continues today, out at sea, with seafaring folk stating that a red light has been seen over the years glowing beneath the waves, beaming up from its watery grave.
If you would like to go on your own geological tour to find those still buried carbuncles, find your way to Moodus River in Moodus, CT or up to Mount Tom in Machimoodus State Park at 128 Leesvilee Rd, Moodus, CT.
While you are there, keep an eye out for shiny gems in the river bed and please, tell ole' Hobomock we said hello.
Happy Legend Trekking!
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