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Description of Saugus (Lynn) Masschusetts
Written by William Wood in 1633
(Taken from the book; History of Lynn, Essex Co., Massachusetts)
The following description of ancient Saugus and Nahant is extracted from "Nevv Englands Prospect," written this year by William Wood of Lynn, and which he says was undertaken, "because there hath been many scandalous and false reports past upon the country, even from the sulphurous breath of every base ballad monger." "The next plantation is Saugus, sixe miles northeast from Winnesimet. This Towne is pleasant for situation, seated in the bottom of a Bay, which is made on one side with the surrounding shore, and on the other with a long, sandy Beach. This sandy beach is two miles long at the end, whereon is a necke of land called Nahant. It is sixe miles in circumference, well wooded with Oakes, Pines and Cedars. It is beside, well watered, having beside the fresh Springs, a great Pond in the middle, before which is a spacious Marsh. In this necke is store of good ground, fit for the Plow; but for the present it is only used for to put young Cattle in, and weather Goates, and Swine, to secure them from the Woolues; a few posts and rayles, from the low water markes to the shore, keepes out the Woolves, and keepes in the Cattle. One Blacke William, an Indian Duke, out of his generosity, gave this place in generall to this plantation of Saugus, so that no other can appropriate it to himselfe.
"Vpon the South side of the Sandy Beach, the Sea beateth, which is a true prognostication to presage stormes and foule weather, and the breaking up of the Frost. For when a storme hath been, or is likely to be, it will roare like Thunder, being heard sixe miles; and after stormes casts up great stores of great Clammes, which the Indians, taking out of their shels, carry home in baskets. On the North side of this Bay is two great Marshes, which are made two by a pleasant River, which runnes between them. Northward up this river goes great store of Alewives, of which they make good Red Herrings; insomuch that they have been at charges to make them a wayre, and a Herring house to dry these Herrings in; the last year were dried some 4 or 5 Last [150 barrels] for an experiment, which proved very good; this is like to prove a great inrichment to the land, being a staple commodity in other Countries, for there be such innumerable companies in every river, that I have seen ten thousand taken in two houres, by two men, without any weire at all saving a few stones to stop their passage up the river. There likewise come store of Basse, which the English and Indians catch with hooke and line, some fifty or three score at a tide. At the mouth of this river runnes up a great Creeke into that great Marsh, which is called Rumney Marsh, which is 4 miles long, and 2 miles broad, halfe of it being Marsh ground, and halfe upland grasse, without tree or bush; this Marsh is crossed with divers creekes, wherein lye great store of Geese and Duckes. There be convenient Ponds, for the planting of Duck coyes. Here is likewise belonging to this place, divers fresh Meddowes, which afford good grasse; and foure spacious Ponds, like little Lakes, wherein is good store of fresh Fish, within a mile of the Towne; out of which runnes a curious fresh Broocke, that is seldom frozen, by reason of the warmnesse of the water; upon this stream is built a water Milne, and up this river come Smelts and frost fish, much bigger than a Gudgeon. For wood there is no want, there being store of good Oakes, Wallnut, Cedar, Aspe, Elme. The ground is very good, in many places without trees, and fit for the plough. In this place is more English tillage than in all New England and Virginia besides; which proved as well as could be expected; the corn being very good, especially the Barley, Rye and Oates.
"The land affordeth to the inhabitants as many varieties as any place else, and the sea more; the Basse continuing from the middle of April to Michaelmas [Sept. 29,] which stayes not half that time in the Bay [Boston Harbor;] besides, here is a great deal of Rock cod and Macrill, insomuch that shoales of Bass have driven up shoales of Macrill, from one end of the sandy Beach to the other; which the inhabitants have gathered up in wheelbarrows. The Bay which lyeth before the Towne, at a lowe spring tyde will be all flatts for two miles together; upon which is great store of Muscle Banckes, and Clam banckes, and Lobsters amongst the rockes and grassie holes. These flatts make it unnavigable for shippes; yet at high water, great Boates, Loiters, [lighters] and Pinnaces of 20 and 30 tun, may saile up to the plantation; but they neede have a skilful Pilote, because of many dangerous rockes and foaming breakers, that lye at the mouth of that Bay. The very aspect of the place is fortification enough to keepe of an unknowne enemie; yet it may be fortified at little charge, being but few landing places thereabout, and those obscure."
Of the health of Lynn, Mr. Wood remarks: "Out of that Towne, from whence I came, in three years and a half, there died but three; to make good which losses, I have seene foure children Baptized at one time." Prefixed to his book is the following address, written by some one in England, who signs himself S. W. [Can the S. W. mean Samuel Whiting, the eminent divine, who came over in 1636, and soon settled as minister of the church at Lynn--a man famed for his piety, learning, and affability? It is possible that Mr. Wood's book induced his emigration; and if so, it was the occasion of great good to the infant plantation. The Puritan clergy were much prone to bestow their encomiums in numbers, after this style.]
Thanks to thy travel and thyself, who hast Much knowledge in so small room comptly placed, And thine experience thus a mound dost make, From whence we may New England's prospect take, Though many thousands distant; therefore thou Thyself shall sit upon mount praise her brow. For if the man who shall the short cut find Unto the Indies, shall for that be shrined, Sure thou deservest then no small praise who So short cut to New England here dost shew; And if than this small thanks thou get'st no more Of thanks, I then will say, the world 's grown poor.
The "curious fresh broocke" which Mr. Wood notices, is Strawberry brook, which is kept warm by the numerous springs beneath the pond in which it originates, and by its constant flowing for the supply of several mills. Mr. Robert Mansfield, who lived near its source, told me that he had never seen it frozen for more than seventy years.
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