Identify the marks on the trees to which the Devil points. What will happen to the trees?

The trees will be taken down upon the deaths of the men whose names they bear.

On the bark of the tree was scored the name of Deacon Peabody, an eminent man, who had waxed wealthy by driving shrewd bargains with the Indians. He now looked around,and found most of the tall trees marked with the name of some great man of the colony, and all more or less scored by the ax. The one on which he had been seated, and which had evidently just been hewn down, bore the name of Crowninshield; and he recollected a mighty rich man of that name, who made a vulgar display of wealth,
which it was whispered he had acquired by buccaneering.