CHAPTER XXV.

TOPOGRAPHICAL HISTORY.

Manchester.--Its boundaries and Natural History.--Rivers,--Merrimack, Piscataquog, and Cohas.--Lakes and Ponds,--Massabesic, Long, Little, Fort and Skenkers.--Brooks,--Sudden Pitcher, Kimball's Ray, Christian's, Mile, Amoskeag, Fort, Little Cohas, Heathhen, Mill-stone and Black.--Hills,--Oak, Bald, Heathhen, Bushnell's Middle, and Stark.--Rock Rimmon.--Villages,--Amoskeag, Piscataquog, Janesville, Towlesville, Hallsville and Moors.--Town Farms,--Old and New, Cemeteries.--North, Ray, Christian's Brook, Valley, Goff's Falls, centre, Forest, Merrill, Huse, Amoskeag, Piscataquog, Catholic and New.--Squares,--Concord, Merrimack, Tremont, Hanover, Reservoir, and Park.

The city of Manchester, is situated on both banks of the Merrimack, in the extreme eastern part of the county of Hillsborough, in latitude 42^o 58 north.

It is bounded on the north by Goffstown and Hooksett; East by Auburn and Londonderry; south by Londonderry, Litchfield, and Bedford, and on the west by Bedford and Goffstown. It is made up of territory originally parts of Chester, Londonderry, Bedford, Goffstown and two ungranted tracts of land along the east bank of the Merrimack, known as Harrytown and Henrysburg. In those parts of the city taken from incorporated towns, the original surveys and "lottings" have been preserved and are still recognized. As to the other tracts, very little regularity in surveys or lots has been preserved. Upon the charter of the town in 1751, that part of it not before incorporated, extending for eight miles along the Merrimack, by direction of the Masonian proprietors, was surveyed and divided into lots by Col. Joseph Blanchard, of Dunstable. The lots were mainly of 100 acres each, running from the river to the lines of Chester and Londonderry, in oblong squares, where, distance or position would admit of it, but leaving from the form of the territory, many lots of irregular shape and of less area. This plan of lots was returned to the Masonian proprietors, and December 6, 1751, the same were drawn by them. These lands having been occupied, at least most of them, for a number of years at this period, they were conveyed to the occupants usually for a small consideration, and they continuing their original bounds, rather than those upon the Blanchard plan, this surveying and "lotting" by the Masonian Proprietors, was of little use, and it is not known that a single line then established is recognized at the present time.

Manchester is a half shire, the County Courts alternating betwixt Manchester and Amherst. Its area comprises about 21,700 acres. Its surface is broken and uneven, yet affording some fine farms in almost every part of the town. Upon the west side of the Merrimack are some excellent interval lands, while upon the Cohas are some extensive low meadows. Hills and Valleys alternated in wild but pleasing variety in the north part of the city was originally covered with a heavy growth of oak, maple, ash and white pine, while the banks of the rivers and the south portion of the city, with the exception of the intervales, were covered with a heavy growth of yellow and white pine. These so extensive, gave the name of Cohas, (the pines) to the river of that name that discharges the waters of the Massabesic into the Merrimack. The intervales had a heavy growth of maple, elm, hemlock and white pine. In the swamps is found the magnificent Rose Bay (Rhododendron maximum) and the beautiful and sweet-scented azalea, while upon the hill sides is found in abundance the splendid spoonhuch (Kalmia Latifolia.) Extensive bogs and swamps occurred on the brooks leading into the Merrimack, Cohas and Massabesic. Some of these were composed of peat, affording a sickly growth of alders, spruce, maple and pine. Others composed of more compact soil, were composed of maple, birch and brown ash.

The peat bogs at Little Pond, on Ray Brook and Heathhen Brook, afford most excellent peat for burning, and occurring in vast quantities in either place, will hereafter afford a supply of fuel, to meet the demands of our people.

The face of the town being thus diversified, it was the haunt of the most noted beasts of the forest. The bear, catamount, moose, deer, wolf, wild cat, lynx, blackcat, fisher, beaver, otter, and other animals of common and less notoriety, were formerly often found within our limits. The bear, catamount, wildcat, lynx, and otter, have been found in this vicinity, within a few years. A catamount was seen in this neighborhood some two years since, which killed a number of dogs in the adjacent town of Goffstown. This doubtles [sic], was the same animal that was afterwards killed at Lee. It had probably strayed from the north and finding plenty of food, had its range along the Uncanoonucks, Saddle Back, Pawtuckaway, and other mountains in the south part of the state. The ferocious species of panther called by the Indians Luncasoux, was once found in this neighborhood. The hair of this animal is of a bluish color like that of the Maltese cat. It inhabits the deep forests of Canada, and is the terror of the Indians. A bear was killed in this town as late as 1810, upon the Island in the Amoskeag Falls. Of the smaller animals, not often found in other sections of this state, but found here, is the coney. This animal, somewhat larger than a hare, was formerly found here in abundance. In the lower part of the city and in Bedford, and Merrimack, they are now occasionally met with, particularly in the latter town. They burrow in the ground, and delight in the sandy, and gravelly soil of the pine bluffs. Of birds, the usual varieties are common, and the cock-of-the-woods or the great redheaded, black woodpecker, the quail, and the heathhen are sometimes seen. The heath-hen was formerly found on Heathhen Hill, in abundance. They are somewhat larger than the quail, have a grey plumage, and their head is crested somewhat in the manner of the pea-cock. Their flesh is said to be sweater [sic] that that of the quail or partridge.

Of reptiles, the rattle snake formerly was found in abundance, and occasionally one is now found in the north east part of the town. The copper head is also occasionally found. This snake is the same one familiar to our old inhabitants, as the poisonous, water-adder. It is the true copper head, as no adder has fangs. The horned or bearded snake, is also found in this section. This snake is usually when grown, some ten to fifteen inches in length, the back of a brown color, the belly white, and sometimes tinged with red, a white ring or band about its neck, and its tail tipped with a hard, hornlike point. This is its weapon of attack and defence, and it will strike it into an object with a good deal of force. It is not poisonous.

Of fish, the Salmon, Shad, Alewife and Lamprey, were abundant in our waters. The salmon is a sweet, lucious meated fish, of great strength, and superior as a swimmer. It "run" up the Merrimack in June to deposit its spawn, seeking the cold springy, shaded branches of the river for the purpose. Hence it frequented the Pemegewasset branch of the Merrimack river, and never was found in the Winnepesaukee. On the contrary, the shad, "running" at the same time and for the same purpose, sought the warm streams and ponds. Hence they went up the Winnepesaukee, and were never found in the Pemegewasset. How singular, that these fish, making their way up the Merrimack in company, should be led by instinct to part company at its forks, that they might better answer the laws of nature in producing their progeny; The alewife was of similar habits to the shad, but they preferred smaller streams and ponds for their haunts. The lamprey, made its way up the river for the same purpose, but deposited its spawn in any place in the river where it could find a pebbly bottom. It would deposit its spawn, and then for its protection, would construct over it a fortification of pebbles, from the size of a robin's egg, to that of an ostrich. These fortifications, or eel-beds, were usually a mound some foot or more in height, and two or three feet in diameter at the base. Each pebble was carried by the eel, and deposited in its proper position. The manner of transportation was thus: The eel, after viewing a pebble, and determining its fitness, would apply its mouth or sucker to the surface of the pebble, and becoming attached firmly to it, would remove it to its place and deposit it with the greatest care. It would then seek another pebble and then another, and so on through days of toil until the bed was completed. Upon the eggs or spawns hatching, the young Lampreys would readily find their way out through the interstices among the pebbles, and would as readily retreat within their fortifications upon the approach of danger. Meantime their parents would glide around their beds, and watch their young with apparent solicitude!

These eel beds were often so extensive on the Merrimack in certain positions about its islands, as to stop the canal boats for a time. When a boat struck upon an eel bed the boatman would stand in the bow of the boat, and commence rocking it to and fro; this movement would diminish the structure of pebbles and the boat would pass along, but the works and the hopes of the Lampreys were demolished with their ill-located beds.

Granitic gneiss, usually called granite, abounds in all sections of the town. The Clark, Ray, Wilson, Herrick, Bald Hill, Baker, Mitchel and Company's are well known ledges. The ledge at Bald Hill worked by Kimball & Co., produces some beautiful stone of fine color and even grain. The columns of the City Hall were obtained from boulders of variegated or strified gneiss found in the south east part of the city, near to the Morse farm. It is a stone entirely different from any in this region, beautiful and durable, and it would be interesting to know in what section of the country it is to be found in situ.

Slaty gneiss is found in small quantities at Amoskeag falls. In blasting the ledge for the canal, a kind of gneiss was found, intermixed with iron pyrites, which upon being blasted, and exposed to the atmosphere, crumbled to a loose sand. Carbonate of lime was found at the Company's ledge, opposite the Eddy, accompanying trap dikes.

In digging for the foundaton of the Print Works, a fin bed of silicious marl some five feet in thickness, was found. Specimens of Schorl and Garnet are frequently met with. Iron and copper pyrites is often found. Crystals of quartz, hornblende, epidote, and mica, are often seen. Clay occurs in large quantities on the banks of the Cohas, where it is worked extensively into brick. It is met with in the east and upper bank of the Merrimack, but contains too much sand for use in making brick. Iron ore is found in small quantities, in the shape of crystals imbedded in talcose slate. Bog ore is to be met with in the meadows around Little Pond, and upon the Great and Little Cohas; but in small quantities. It was found in Bedord, and was formerly worked by Col. Goffe, and also by Mr. James Martin. The latter worked it extensively, and furnished the government with cannon balls during the revolution.

A few feet below "the pulpit" in the Amoskeag Falls, is an appearance deserving notice, as it tends to demonstrate, that our rocks generally are not primitive, as they are often called, but that they are secondary and metamorphic, that is, made up of the ruinds of more ancient and primitive rocks, indurated by the action of heat, as brick are hardened in a kiln. In the solid mass of a course granite bed will be seen at the place referred to, two large granite boulders, of several cubic feet each in size, of fine grained granite, rounded apparently by the action of water, imbedded in the ledge like plums in a pudding, which it seems hardly possible to doubt, were consolidated and worn to their present form, and buried in the mass of materials which now forms the ledge, while it was yet in the state of a mere bed of mud or gravel.

Fruit was not cultivated extensively in former years; there are now however some fine orchards of apples, and plums are cultivated extensively. In fact, it is found that few places are better adapted to the cultivation of the various kinds of plums. Whether owing to the proximity to the river, or to the soil, it is found that most kinds of this fruit grow in the greatest profusion, and of superior size and quality.

THE MERRIMACK RIVER.

The most important natural feature connected with Manchester is the Merrimack. It ever has been, and is now the source of prosperity. When the Pennacook Sagamons had their royal residences at Namaoskeag, the Merrimack was the object of their attraction. When the Scotch Irish claimed this territory under their title from Col. Wheelwright, the fish of the Merrimack was the object that prompted their claim. The thrifty men of Derryfield and thriftless men of the same place, were equally indebted to the Merrimack, the former for their thrift and the latter for their living. And the people of Manchester derive all their importance from the same source. The Merrimack is the great aorta that supplies it with its life blood, its energy, enterprise and prosperity. The falls in this river are the cause of such results; in former times by presenting an obstacle to the free passage of fish, causing them to collect in immense schools in the eddies below the rapids, and thus becoming an easy prey to the fishermen; and latterly by a judicious and scientific application of their hydraulic power. These falls and the adjacent country have long been known by the name of "Namaoskeag." "Namaoskeag," or as called by the English, and now written, Amoskeag, has been a noted place for centuries. The terminals, oog, ook and uk, written by the English auke or ook, were used by the Indians to represet [sic] a place or spot of land or water; and eag, eeg and eek, written by the English, eag, eke and ic were the terminals used by the Indians, to represent long and extended places of water. Thus, Namaos means a fish, and compounded with eag, with the k thrown in for the sake of the sound, becomes the Indian derivative noun, Namaoskeag, a long or continued place of water for fish, was doubtless applied by the Indians to that part of the Merrimack river, consisting of falls, rapids, and rpipples, extending from the Souhegan in Merrimack, to Turkey Falls in Concord; for although as late as 1675, Gov. Leverett of Massachusetts, speaks of "the house of Lieut. T. Henchman at Naamkeake," thus locating "Namaoskeag" at Chelmsford, where Lieut. Henchman lived; yet the Rev. John Eliot, the Apostle to the Indians, and who was intimately acquainted with their language, and the geography of their country, says, in a letter under date of October 29, 1649, "in the way" from Pawtucket to "Namaske" and above "Nashaway" "he passed through a great people, called Sowahagen Indians, some of which had heard me at Pawtucket and Nashua¹, thus plainly showing that the "Namaoskeag" of Eliot's time, was above the Souhegan River, which empties into the Merrimack at the town of Merrimack. And within the last half century, the fishing ground embraced a portion of the same extent of water, say from the mouth of the Souhegan to the Amoskeag Falls. But as the country became settled, and fish scarce, the "Namaoskeag" became limited to the rapids in the immediate vicinity of the "Namaoskeag" falls. As is usual in such cases, the name of the place of water, became, in the parlance of the people, to be applied to the adjoining territory, and the "Amoskeage," of late years comprised the portions of Derryfield, Bedford and Goffstown, in the neighborhood of the falls. The ancient "Namaoskeag" is now shorn of its importance by the entire loss of its fish, and the absorption of a "spindle city," and claims only to give name to the falls, and a small village opposite to them, on the west side of the river, and almost its entire territory is swallowed up by the present city of Manchester.

But aside from their notoriety as a fishing place, the falls of Amoskeag were celebrated in early times, for their grandeur. The Indians told of their beauty and force, and the whites long talked of their "terror." In fact, two centuries since, when twice the volume of water passed in the Merrimack during the year, that does at present, the Falls of Amoskeag at any time in Spring or Fall, must have presented a grand spectacle, and might well have been called "hideous;" as the breaking upon, and tumbling over huge rocks and ledges, of so large a volume of water, through a distance of more than a quarter of a mile, is as much more "hideous" or grand, than a perpendicular fall of the same volume of water, as the foaming and dashing of the angry ocean waves upon a projecting and craggy ledge, is more grand and sublime than a mountain wave, rolling, and spending itself upon the unresisting bosom of the smooth, sandy beach.

Nor were their notoriety confined to this country, for an account of a curiosity still to be seen at these falls was publishe din the "Philosophical Transactions" in London, communicated in a letter from the celebrated Dr. Cotton Mather, thus: "At a place called Amnuskeage, a little above the hideous Falls of Merrimack River, there is a huge rock in the midst of the stream, on the top of which are a great number of pits, made exactly round, like barrels or hogsheads of different capacities, some so large as to hold several tons. The natives know nothing of the time they were made; but the neighboring Indians have been want to hide their provisions in them, in the wars with the Maquas; God had cut them out for that purpose for them. They seem plainly to be artificial." The untutored indian may be excused for his fancy as to the purpose of these pot holes, and how they were made, but a Doctor of Divinity and the Savans of a Philosophical Society, can hardly be excused, the one for calling them plainly artificial, and the others for endorsing such an opinion; as it requires no stretch of the imagination, were proofs wanting to establish the fact, to suppose them made by a stone, held upon the ledge by a whirlpool of waters, and forced round with such velocity, as in the lapse of time, to produce such a cavity in the ledge, as is to be seen at "Namaoskeag," and which so excited the wonders of Mather and his compeers in Europe. Such pits have ceased to excite wonder, as the mode of their formation is plainly illustrated at the Amoskeag Falls, where is to be seen, a section of an immense pit, the side and bottom of which has been worn away by the action of the current; and there suspended between the remaining walls of the pit, is still to be seen, one of the revolving stones, through whose partial agency the pit was formed, the main agent having long since passed into the current below.

The "Namaoskeag" fisheries were early an object of interest to the whites, and were often visited prior to 1700, during the fishing season. But their importance came more particularly into notice in 1719 and 20. The colony of "Scotch Irish," that commenced the settlement of Nutfield, (now Derry, Londonderry, Windham and a part of Manchester,) were, as has been suggested in a previous chapter, the first who took and claimed possession of the Falls and territory south and east of them upon the Merrimack.

FISHERIES AT AMOSKEAG.

From this time, the fisheries at the Falls began to assume importance, so much so, that the government of Massachusetts laid claim to them, and endeavored to control them by legislative enactments, thus: In 1733, when she granted three famrs to Thaxter, Dunbar and Turner, the fishery at "Namaoskeag" was reserved. Again in 1734, when the territory between Litchfield and Pembroke, and three miles in width on the east bank of the Merrimack, was granted under the name of Tingstown, to Ephraim Hildreth, John Sheply and others, the lands about "Namaoskeag" were reserved for catching and curing fish. About the same time "Narragansett township No. 4" was granted at "Namaoskeag," upon the west side of the Merrimack, comprising nearly the territory now known as Goffstown and so important were the fisheries of "Namaoskeag" considered that the Legislature of Massachusetts made the grant of a township six miles square "Reserving such quantity of land as the Court think proper, for fishery at Amoskeag Falls." And it was "Ordered, That John Blaisdell, Mr. Samuel Chandler, and Mr. Hutchins be a committee to repair to Amoskeag Falls, take a view of the lands and report what amount of land may be separated for the public and common benefit of His Majesty's subjects in taking, making and packing fish there." Two hundred acres were reserved for this purpose.

People of the present day, may smile at such votes of a legislative body, thinking that it was "much ado about nothin"; but they can form no proper estimate of the abundance of fish that swarmed in the Merrimack in those days. The rivers, rivulets and brooks were literally full of salmon, shad, alewives and eels. These fish were so plentiful, as to be used for manure for corn, both by the Indians and whites. Alewives ran up the small brooks, and were thrown out by women and children with shovels, and pieces of board and bark. The salmon and shad were taken by weirs extended across the river of branches of it, below the pools and basins.

At Amoskeag they had every facility for taking fish. Below the main pitch of the falls and upon the west side of the river is a large pool or basin of still water. Into that pool the fish collected of their own accord, or driven by the force of the current, as the myriads were struggling up the falls.

Here they were safe, as the aquedahcan or weir at the narrow pass or outlet at the bottom of the pool or basin, kept them from passing out. The Indians then, in the light birch canoes, glided upon the surface of the pool and took the entrapped fish with spear or dip net, as suited their convenience or fance. The fish taken were dressed by the esquaws and hung in the sun to dry, or upon the poles of their wigwams on the high bluff east of, and overlooking the "Namaoskeag," and which village was long the royal residence of the Pennacook Sagamons, during the fishing season.

The Whites took the fish with spears, scoop nets and seines, and in large quantities; so that people coming from the surrounding country with their wagons and carts, could get them filled sometimes for the carting the shad away, to make room for the salmon and always for a mere trifling price. Immense quantities of shad were taken at one haul or drag of the seine. The N.H. Gazette of May 23, 1760, has the following item under its editorial head:

"One day last week, was drawn by a net at one Draught, Two Thousand Five hundred odd Shad Fish, out of the River Merrimack near Bedford, in this Province, Thought Remarkable by some people."

After the country became settled about the Falls particular spots for fishing with the scoop net, and eel-hook, or for dragging seines, were claimed by individuals, and held by consent, and afterwards by possession. Many of these spots or "rights" upon the ledges of the falls, and upon the bank of the river, have been held until within a few years, when they were bought up by the "Amoskeag Manufacturing Company," or were abandoned for the want of fish.

These "rights" or localities for fishing, were known by various curious names, such as:

EEL FALLS--This was the head of the eastern channel and the highest place in the falls where eels could be taken. The eels caught here were poor, as it was a small channel and only the poor and weak eels frequented it, the large and fat eels passed up the large channels.

Just above the Eel Falls, was the old canal dam, and the top of the dam across the main channel, was covered with plank, fastened down to cross timbers, with wooden pins. John McCutchins was upon a raft in the river above, which had got within the current and out of his control, he jumped from the raft, but was too late and the water took him over the dam. As he went over the dam he seized upon the head of a wooden pin at the lower end of one of the planks, and clung to it. At the same time he could touch a rock in the boiling water below with his toes. In this position he could hold his mouth out of water, and keep from drowning. Capt. Israel Merrill, was in sight, and immediately went to his relief. He swam out to the dam to which McCutchins hung, got upon it, waded along upon the rocks to the imminent danger of his own life, seized him, and dragged him upon a large rock, where they remained until taken off by a boat. For this daring and humane act, Capt. Merrill received a gold medal from the Massachusetts Humane Society.

FIRE MILL.--This was the name of a fishing place about two rods from the Todd Gut, where eels were once caught in abundance. Its name was derived from the custom of building a fire upon the ledge above. The eels ceased passing the channel, and it was abandoned.

TODD GUT.--The Todd Gut was often called the Eel Gut. It was called the Todd Gut from the fact, that one John Todd, son of Andrew Todd, of Londonderry, was drowned there in 1759. Young Todd was fishing at the eel gut with his cousin John Bell of the same town. By some mishap, he lost his balance, and fell from the platform upon which he was standing, into the rushing water. The platform was fastened to the ledge and lay almost upon the surface of the water, which rushed through beneath with great impetuosity. Its force drew Todd immediately under the platform, not so quickly however, but Bell seized him by one of his limbs, and held him. Though a powerful man, such was the force of the current, he could not drag him from beneath the platform, and to let go his hold was to let him pass over the falls to his sure destruction. In this dilemma, he held on to the struggling man, and called for help. Help was obtained, but when dragged upon the platform, life was extinct, and no possible effort could resuscitate the body.

This fishing place was located just below the Amoskeag Falls Bridge, on the east side of the falls, and betwixt a ledge or rock that outcrops the water, and upon which stands a pier of the Amoskeag Falls bridge,and a large but lower rock some twelve or fourteen feet south of it, which is the first large rock in the dam above the guard gate:

It was fitted up in this wise. At low water, a stick of hewn timber was fitted to the rock, across the bottom of the channel, some eight or ten inches in height, and fastened to the ledge by iron bolts, thus forming a dam and fall of some three or four feet on the lower side. At high water the eels came up this channel in vast numbers. Coming to this dam, they were obstructed in their course, fastened themselves to the rocks and ledges, and in this position, were readily "hooked" by the fishermen standing upon the ledge above, or upon a staging below the dam. This was one of the most noted fishing places at the falls.

There were repeated accidents at this place; Leonard Rowell, now of Dunbarton, fell into this place one night, and passed down under the platform. His brothers, Joseph M. and John were present, and Mr. John Young. Young was fishing with a dip net, below the dam in the gut. When Rowell came down the gut, Young dexterously threw out his net, caught him, and dragged him on to the ledge.

A Mr. Underhill of Chester, was drowned just below the Todd Gut, in what was called the Near Gut. He had come over to "election," and hurried to the falls in advance of his companions. In passing across the Near Gut upon a plank, he fell off, and was drowned. His body was recovered some weeks afterwards against the Island below the falls. This place was claimed by Jonas Harvey, Ephraim Stevens, Daniel Hall, Lieut. John Stark, Samuel P. Kidder, and John Stark, Esq.

RUSS RAY'S HOOKING PLACE.--This was a place claimed by Mr. Russ Ray, and had the initials of his name cut in the rock. He fished in a peculiar way at this place, after an invention of his own, but was not successful. It was occupied by any one who first went upon it. It was upon the old Fire Mill place.

SOUTH GUT.--This was the channel next south of the Todd Gut. It was sometimes called the Near Gut. It was of but little account as a fishing place. A pot was sometimes placed there, and the ledge blasted away for that purpose, and some persons put a staging there; but as old Mr. Jesse Baker said of it, in his testimony as to the fishing places, "it ended in nothing."

THOMPSON PLACE.--This was below the Todd Gut, a rod or two. It was claimed by Messrs. Thompson of this town who removed to Maine. The Messrs. Dickey, afterwards claimed it, but the eels ceased to frequent it, and it was abandoned.

WATCHING FALLS.--This was a place blasted, and fitted up with a staging by Mr. Albert Stark. It was of no great account. It was just below the Near Gut.

LITTLE PULPIT.--This was quite a noted fishing place near the Thompson Place. Fishing there was called "fishing under the rock," as the eel-hook had to be run under the shelving rocks. The freshets carried off the large boulders that formed the sides of the channel, and the little pulpit was abandoned. It received its name from a curve in the rock having a fancied resemblance to a pulpit. It was on the north side of the Todd Gut, next below, the Hooking place.

MUDGET PLACE.--The Mudget Place received its name from the fact that a man by the name of Mudget, fell from this place into the water and was drowned. What was his given name, his place of residence, or the time of his death, I have not been able to discover. Jonas Kemp fell from the same place and was drowned. He lived in this neighborhood, having come from Townsend, Mass.

The Mudget Place was situated on the east side of the Pulpit Stream, and directly under the south side of the Amoskeag Falls Bridge.

SLASH HOLE.--The Slash Hole was a noted place. It was used by Mr. Peter Emerson, one of the most noted fishermen of the place. It was very expensive to build the stage at this place, taking a large and long stick of timber for the front side of it, and no one attempted to use it. Mr. Emerson, Capt. Wm. Perham and Messrs. Jonathan, Hezekiah, and Joseph Young, used to fish at the slash hole and were very successful at certain stages of the water.

The Slash Hole was on the east side of the Pulpit stream, just above the Point Rock.

POINT ROCK.--This was a famous place for salmon and shad. One man occupied the place, dipping his net until he caught a fish, when he left and another one took his place, he dipping his net until he caught a fish, and then leaving to make room for a third, and so on.

This was the law of the Point Rock, and if any one endeavored to fish out of his time, or threw off a boy, or weaker party, the rest interfered and righted the matter. Shad were caught in this place in abundance. In former times, whoever got on the Point Rock first, and kept upon it, he had it for the season.

People have gone to this place, upon snow shoes, to be first in possession. It afterwards became to be governed by the same rule as other shad paces, that each should occupy till he had netted a fish. The Point Rock was the extremity of the ledge, between the Pulpit Stream, and Todd Gut.

BLACK ROCK.--This was a famous place for salmon and shad. It was difficult of access, and was occupied only by expert fishermen. It was situated on the west side of the Pulpit Stream, nearly opposite the Mudget place, and nearly under the south side of the Amoskeag Falls Bridge.

Mathew McCurdy fell off Black Rock, about 1820. He was upon the rock fishing, and making a misstep fell into the Pulpit Stream. The water carried him down with great velocity. Capt. Israel Merrill, Israel Young, and Josiah Gillis were near by fishing, and saw McCurdy when he fell in. They all rushed down the bank as fast as possible. It so happened that the current carried McCurdy against a jam of logs, some 80 rods below Black Rock, and over against the Island opposite the Blodget house. Here he held on to a log, with all the desperation of a downing man. Capt. Merrill immediately plunged into the river, swam across and dragged him to the shore. The others came to his relief in a boat. Life seemed to be extinct in McCurdy, but they commenced rolling and rubbing the body, to no avail however. At length Merrill opened a vein in his arm with a penknife, and in a few minutes he shew sins of life and finally recovered. For this act, in connection with saving the life of McCutchins, he received a gold medal from the Massachusetts Humane Society.

SWINE'S BACK.--This rock was named from its fancied resemblance to a swine's back. It was used for catching salmon and shad, but was not a good fishing place. It was located just above the Black Rock.

Mr. Amos Kimball fell from the Swine's Back, into the river but lodged against the rocks and got out in safety.

SNAPPING PLACE.--This was a famous fishing place, claimed by Gen. Stark, the Messrs. Wilson of Londonderry, and the Messrs. McClarys of Goffstown. It was located on the west side of the Pulpit Stream, next north of the Pulpit and just south of the foot bridge, and where at low water, a spur from the ledge on that side is seen projecting out into the stream.

PULPIT.--This was a noted place, it was on the west side of the Pulpit Stream on the eastern channel and next below the Snapping Place, which was some feet below the large pot hole which is now such a curiosity; one half of it being worn away and the rock that has worn it, remaining suspended in it at the present time. This was such an object for the fishermen, that it was occupied for weeks before the fish began to run, and was watched even of nights to retain possession.

HACKET'S STAND.--This was another famous fishing place. To fish here required much strength and considerable dexterity, as a very long pole was required, and the current was rapid. It was divided into six shares. Among the shareholders, were Messrs. McMurphy of this town, Messrs. Hackett and Peterson, of Goffstown, and Messrs. Patten and Gardner of Bedford. Hacket's Stand received its name from Mr. Emery Hacket, and was situated next below the Pulpit.

SULLIVAN'S POINT.-- was once a good place for catching shad, but was abandoned. It was situated just below the Hacket Stand, and opposite the Point. It was called thus from the fact that a man by the name of Sullivan, fell from this point and was drowned.

CRACK IN THE ROCK.--This was on the west side of the Pulpit Stream, and nearly opposite the mouth of the Todd Gut, and was a noted place for eels. It was a large fissure in the ledge, into which the eels passed and were readily taken. It was owned by a Mr. Cheney of Goffstown, and Messrs. John Stark and Amos Kimball of this town.

BAT PLACE.--This was for eels and claimed by Lieut. John Stark of this town, and Matthew Kennedy of Goffstown. It was situated just below the Crack in the Rock. The scoop net was used at this place.

DALTON PLACE.--This was called from a man of that name. It was an excellent place for eels. It was situated on the west side of the east channel near the head of the Island.

PUPPY TRAP.--This was situated on the east side of the west channel, nearly opposite the Pollard mill. It was used by the proprietors of the Hackett Stand.

POT PLACE.--This was below the Puppy Trap, on the same channel.

PATTEN ROCK.--This was a right claimed by Messrs. Patten of Bedford. It had been occupied for a great length of time, and was a noted fishing place. It was situated on the west side of the west channel directly under the Island bridge.

SETTING PLACE.--This was a good fishing place, situated directly below the Patten Rock.

It was always claimed until the rule was established of taking turns in fishing.

MAPLE STUMP.--This place was named from a maple stump near to it. It was an excellent fishing place for salmon, and was claimed by the Messrs. Jones and Richards, of Goffstown.

It was situated about twenty rods below the Setting Place.

THE COLT.--This was of no great celebrity. It was situated just below the Maple Stump on the same side of the channel.

SALMON ROCK.--This was a noted place for salmon. It was situated on the west channe [sic] next to the Island and opposite the Maple Stump.

EEL TRAP.--This was a place on the Island and upon the channel that runs to the Bleachery.

SALMON GUT.--This was a small stream that in high water passed betwixt the western channel and the Island.

MAST ROCK.--This was a fishing place for eels and salmon near a large rock of that name situated in the west stream betwixt the old Island Factory, and the western bank, against which in olden time masts were often lodged and broken.

Some of these were owned by Companies of individuals living in the neighborhood, but many of them were claimed by no particular man or company of men; but the person who first occupied in the spring, held the place through the season, unless he was so unlucky as to get displaced. Some of the unclaimed fishing places were so valued, that individuals would take possession and occupy them for weeks before the "fish began to run!"

Mr. Jonas Harvey says that he "fished upon the rocks in the falls, twelve days and twelve nights without going off to eat or sleep!"

The rule, or law of the fishermen as to these unclaimed places, was that those who got on them first held them. But he must hold them continually. If he stepped off the stage long enough for another to turn the slabs or planks of the stage "'t'other side up, he lost possession." Such a rule, of course, was the occasion of a great deal of strife, as people were always upon the look out to gain possession of good places, and would make the attempt when ever there was the least prospect of success.

Mr. John Dickey got possession of the Todd Gut one spring, against the claim of some people who were earnest in their endeavors to get possession of it. They could not get him off and at length they threw slabs upon the stage around him, completely enclosing him as he lay upon it. After this they placed on the surrounding slabs a platform of planks, thus enclosing the persevering fisherman. They then got upon the platform and commenced fishing. The bystanders at length interfered, drove the intruders from their platform and released Dickey.

No person had a right to cover two fishing places with one stage. Mr. John Hall covered the Little Pulpit, and Todd Gut with one stage, and Mr. Jesse Baker, threw the slabs from the Little Pulpit into the stream. Upon this a most desperate fight ensued. Hall attempted to drive Baker off the ledge, but Baker throwing a slab on the ledge, quietly seated himself upon it. Hall then attempted to push Baker into the river and almost succeeded. The bystanders called upon Hall to desist, telling him he would drown Baker, but Hall replied. "his blood be upon his own head," and persisted in his attempt. At length, the bystanders interfered and drove Hall from the rock, and Baker retained possession of the place.

Then at various eddies, or places of smooth water, from the "Namaoskeag Falls, to Goffe's Falls," were "rights" for dragging seines. One of the best was at the "Great Eddy" at the foot of the "Namaoskeag Falls," at which was an aquedahcan, or weir of the Indians. Near the centre of this "Eddy" is an island of Sand, its cap covered with willows. This island was built or formed by Mr. Jonas Harvey, as a "landing" upon which to drag his seine of shad and salmon. He informed the writer that he had often dragged upon this island five hundred shad to a "haul!" This "right" was owned by Mr. Jonas Harvey and others. On the east side of the river, just below the "Granite Bridge,"at the foot cf "Merrill's Falls," was another "Seine Right" known as the "Merrill" or "Musquash Seine."

There was another "Seine Right," on the east side of the river opposite the mouth of the Piscataquog, owned by Mr. Jonas Harvey and others, known as the "Harvey Seine." Still lower down on the same side was the "Baker Seine," at the "Musquito Island," and still further down and at the head of "Griffin's Falls," was the "Griffin Right," where they "swept both sides of the river."

On the west side of the river, after leaving the "Eddy Seine" there was no ground fit for seine fishing until they got below the mouth of the Piscataquog. There was a good fishing right known as the "Piscataquog Seine." Still farther down and opposite the "Baker Seine" was the "Harvell Seine." And farther south yet, at the head of "Short Falls," was the "Patten Seine."

The Provincial Government early took measures to protect the fishing at this place, and people were restrained by statute, from fishing upon certain days; sluices were to be built in all dams upon certain rivers and rivulets emptying into the Merrimack, and up which alewives and shad passed; and in the "Cowas Brook," and in the Merrimack within sixty rods of the mouth of the "Cowas," people were forbidden to fish within a year at a time, such was the improvident destruction of shad and alewives at the "spawning time;" or to take fish at any time with "Seine, Fish Pot, or Were." thus interdicting the use of every kind of implement wherewith to take "fish except the Scoop Net."

MILLS AT AMOSKEAG.

Capt. John Stark built a mill at the falls somewhere about 1760. It stood on the north side of the Amoskeag Bridge, the large rock or ledge there running and forming a part of the western side of the canal being the foundation of the west side of the mill. The water from this mill passed through the Todd Gut. It was in this mill that Capt. Stark received the news of the battle of Lexington. During the Revolution it became decayed and worthless from want of use and repair. A few years subsequent, Gen. Stark and Hon. Samuel Blodgett built a mill upon the same side of the river, and operated it in company.

This mill was purchased by Judge Blodget and the privilege flowed out, in forming the pool or pond for his Canal and for his 'Great Mill, the Industry," which was located upon the river's bank, a few rods below the "Guard Locks" of the Amoskeag Manufacturing Company. His son William owned another mill just above the Industry.

At this time there was, or had been, a saw-mill on the west side of the Falls, in Goffstown, owned if not built by a Mr. Patterson, and known as the Patterson mill. This mill probably stood upon the same place where afterwards was built the Pollard or Harvey Mill.

A man by the name of Whittaker built the fourth mill erected at these Falls, long known as the Whittaker saw mill, which stood just below where the Old Blodget House, now stands. He sold it to Judge Blodget.

Judge Blodget ever had in view, in all of his extensive operations at these Falls, their great hydraulic power; and with this object in view, he secured a title to the lands adjoining the Falls. And while talking of his canal and its great advantages, he ever kept in view its vast water-power, as one of its greatest advantages. "For," he would say, "as the country increases in population, we must have manufactories. and here at my canal will be a manufacturing town--the Manchester of America!"

People then called him an enthusiast, insane, and the like, but he heeded none of their remarks; but kept onward in his improvements, and trying to enlist the monied men in his enterprise up to the day of his death.