Atkinson, N. H., and Whitingham, Vt.

Tak, a slave, the captor of a British General,

Horrible butchery of a family,

Penobscot Indians,

"The Pool,"

A New England Clergyman of 1686,

Windham co. This town was first settled in 1781, and in 1782 it was incorporated. It has some fine brooks, but no important mill streams. It lies about 15 miles N. of Newfane, and about 90 S. of Montpelier. Population 1830, 176.

Acton, Mass.

Middlesex co. This is a pleas

The

Plymouth co. This town is on the high land between Massachusetts and Narraganset bays. Three rivers rise here, two of which empty into the Taunton, the other into the North. It lies 19 miles S. S. E. from Boston, 22 N. W. from Plymouth, 18 N N. E. from Taunton, and 8 S. of Weymouth landing. ant farming town of good soil. This town is noted for its manufac- Assabet river passes through it. It tures of boots, shoes, and tacks. The | is 5 miles N. W. by W. of Concord, total value of its manufactures, in and 21 N. W. of Boston. Incorpoone year, was $847,294, of which rated 1735. Population 1837, 1071. the amount of $82,000 was for tacks, Acworth, N. H. and $746,794 for boots and shoes. There were 847 males and 470 females employed in the manufacture of the latter. Population, 1837, 3,057. This town was incorporated in 1712. Its Indian name was Manamooskeagin.

Acoakset River,

Rises on the border of the town of Fall River, and meets an arm of Buzzard's bay, at Westport, 12 miles S. W. of New Bedford, Mass.

The

Sullivan co. This town is chiefly agricultural in its pursuits. soil is generally good. Cold river, which rises from Cold pond in this town, affords some good mill seats. This town was formerly noted for the culture of flax, which was manufactured by some of the inhabitants into the finest linen, equal to any imported from Ireland. The town was settled in 1768, and incorporated in 1771. Population 1330, 1401.

It lies 13 miles S. of Newport, and 44 W. of Concord.

Adams, Mass.

Berkshire co. This is a flourishing agricultural and manufacturing township, comprising two villages, north and south, whose trade goes to New York. It is 40 miles E. of Troy, N. Y., 120 W. N. W. of Boston, 29 N. of Lenox, and 7 miles S. E. of Williamstown college. The Hoosack river passes through this town, and affords a great water power. There are in this town 19 cotton mills, 4 satinet factories, and 2 calico printing establishments. There are also in this town large machine shops, 4 taneries, 3 air and cupola furnaces, and manufactories of shovels, spades, hoes, forks, chairs and cabinet ware. The total value of the manufactures of this place in the year ending April 1, 1837, amounted to $1,045,417.

Between the years 1746 and 1756, this town was the scene of much Indian warfare. Traces of old Fort Massachusetts are still found. Saddle Mountain, the summit of which is called Gray lock,the highest of Massachusetts mountains, lies chiefly in this town, and, although it is 3,600 feet above the level of the sea, is of easy ascent. A view from Gray lock probably gives "an idea of vastness and even of immensity" better than any other landscape in New England, Mt. Washington, in N. H. excepted. The natural bridge on Hudson's Brook, in this town, is a curiosity worthy the notice of travellers. The waters of this brook have worn a fissure from 30 to 60 feet deep and 30 rods in length, through a body of white marble, or limestone, and formed a bridge of that material, 50 feet above the surface of the water. There is a cavern in this town, 30 feet long, 20 high, and 20 wide. Incorporated 1778. Population 1820 1,836-1830, 2,648-1834, 3,000and in 1837, 4,191

Addison, Me.

Washington co. This town was incorporated in 1797. Population, 1837, 901. It lies 14 miles W. by from Augusta. Addison lies beS. from Machias, and 135 E.by N. tween Pleasant and Indian rivers, and near the south entrance into Mispecky reach. Addison Point, or Cape Split, jutting out into the sea, off which are several small islands, is the principal harbor and place of trade.

Addison County, Vt.,

Middlebury is the chief town. This county is bounded on the N. by Chittenden county; E. by Washington and Orange counties, and a part of Windsor county; S. by Rutland county, and W. by Lake Champlain. It was incorporated in 1787, and contains about 700 square miles. Large quantities of white and beautifully variegated marble, which receives a fine polish, is found in this county, and large quantities of it are quarried and transported to various markets.This county is admirably well watered by Otter Creek, which rises near its southern boundary, and extends nearly through its centre;by Mad and White rivers; and by Lake Champlain, which affords it many navigable privileges. The soil is good, particularly in those towns below the mountains, and bordering the lake and rivers. This county contains 22 towns. Population, 1820, 20,469-1830, 24,940. Inhabitants to a square mile, 35.

Addison, Vt.

Addison co. This is supposed to be the first place settled by the whites, in this state, west of the mountains. The town is pleasantly located on the east side of lake Champlain, and nearly opposite to Crown Point, in the state of NewYork. At this place the lake is about 3 miles broad. The French,

it is said, commenced a settlement | mill privileges.
here in 1731; the same year that
they erected a fort at Crown Point.
The English came here about 1770.
Otter Creek passes into the town,
but affords no important mill site
The surface of the town is low and
level. Mill and Pike rivers, are
small streams, which fall into the
lake opposite to Crown Point. This
town lies about 12 miles W. N. W.
from Middlebury, and 40 W. S. W.
from Montpelier. Population 1830,
1,306.

Agamenticus Mountain,

So called, being three elevations of land in York, Me., about 4 miles from the sea, and a noted land mark for those on the coast to the northward and eastward of Portsmouth harbor. The highest summit is 673 feet above the ocean. It is said that Saint Aspinquid died on this mountain, in 1682, and that his funeral was celebrated by the Indians, by the sacrifice of 6711 wild animals.

Agawam, Mass.

The Indian name of a river in Wareham, and of a part of Westfield river; and the name of a village on Westfield river, 2 miles S. W. from Springfield.

Albany, Me. Oxford co. This town was incorporated in 1803. It lies about 17 miles W. by N. from Paris, and 58 W. from Augusta. It is the source of Crooked river, which empties into Sebago Lake. Population, 1837, 598.

Albany, N. H.,

These streams

were once the residence of numbers of the beaver, otter, &c.There are several lofty hills and mountains in this town, the highest of which is called Chocorua, and is visible from a great extent of country. It received its name from Chocorua, an Indian, who was killed on the summit by a party of hunters in time of peace, before the settlement of the place. The predominant rock of these hills is granite-a soft, decomposing variety, in which the crystals and grains of feldspar are very large. The soil is fertile, being a sandy loam, mixed occasionally with coarse gravel. There are some fertile intervale lands on the borders of Swift river. This town has been considerably retarded by a peculiar disease which afflicts neat cattle. Young cattle cannot be reared, nor can cows or oxen be kept here for a series of years, without being attacked by a singular and fatal distemper. commences with a loss of appetite -the animals refuse hay, grain and salt-become emaciated; an obstinate costiveness attends, but the abdomen becomes smaller than in health, and is diminished to one third its original bulk. After these symptoms have continued for an indefinite period, a brisk scouring comes on, and the animals fall away and die. Though superstition may have found a reason in the dying curse of the murdered Chocorua, philosophy has not yet ascertained a satisfactory cause for the disease. It is probably owing to the properties contained in the waters. This town was granted Nov. 6, 1766, to Clement March, Joseph Senter and others, and until the 2d July, 1833, it bore the name of Burton. Population in 1830, 325.

Albany, Vt.

It

Strafford co., lies 60 miles N. by E. from Concord, and 67 N. N. W. from Dover. The principal river in Albany, is Swift river, which passes from W. to E. into the Saco, at Conway. There are several Orleans co. This town was grantsmall streams in different parts of ed in the year 1781, by the name the town, furnishing convenient of Lutterloh; in 1815 it was chang

ed to its present name. It is water- | person gained his wealth in a man

ed by a number of ponds, and by Black river and its branches. Albany lies 34 miles N. from Montpelier, and 9 S. of Irasburgh. Population, 1830, 683.

Albion, Me.

Kennebec co. This fine farming town lies on the stage road from Augusta to Bangor; 24 miles N. E. from the former, and 44 S. W. from the latter. Population, 1837, 1609. This town produced 10,728 bushels of wheat, in 1837.

Alburgh, Vt.

Grand Isle co. Settlements commenced here by emigrants from Canada, in 1782. This town lies at the N. W. corner of the state and of New England; 10 miles N. from North Hero, and 79 miles N. W. from Montpelier. It is bounded by the waters of Lake Champlain, except on the north, where it meets the Canada line, in north latitude 45°. The soil is good and finely timbered. It has a mineral spring, of some repute in scrofulous cases. Population, 1830, 1,239.

Alexander, Me.

ner which illustrates the antiquity of the propensity of the inhabitants of this state to the once honored, yet now despised employment of peddling, we will give the reader a short notice of his history. He came from Scotland, with a great number of other emigrants, in a ship which was to land them at Boston. Just before leaving the ship he discovered a gold ring upon deck, for which he could find no owner. Thus fortunately provided, after his arrival he pawned the gold ring for small articles of trade, which he peddled in Boston and Roxbury. He was very prosperous, and finally became able to redeem the author of his success, and pursue his business without em.barrassment. After a few years of constant activity, he acquired sufficient property to purchase a plantation of 3,500 acres in Killingly. The gold ring was transmitted as a sort of talisman, to his only son Nell, who transferred it to his only son Nell; who is now living at an advanced age, and has already placed it in the hands of his grandson Nell; and so it will doubtless continue from Nell to Nell, agreeably to the request of the first Nell, until the "last knell of the race is tolled!"

Washington co. About 25 miles N. by W. from Machias, and S. of Baileyville, and Baring, which border on the river St. Croix. In this A singular tradition has been town are some ponds, which, with handed down to us by the aborithe large pond in Baring and Alex-gines concerning the origin of this ander, produce a large stream which empties into Cobscook bay. Population, 1837, 457.

Alexander's Lake.

This beautiful sheet of water, of about a mile in length and half a mile in breadth, lies in the town of Killingly, Ct., and was formerly known to the Indians by the name of Mashapaug. Its present name is derived from Nell Alexander, a man who settled at Killingly in 1720, and became proprietor of a large portion of the town. As this

lake.

In ancient times, when the red men of this quarter had long enjoyed prosperity, that is, when they had found plenty of game in the woods,and fish in the ponds and rivers,they at length fixed a time for a general pow wow, a sort of festival for eating, drinking, smoking, singing and dancing, The spot chosen for this purpose was a sandy hill, or mountain, covered with tall pines, occupying the situation where the lake now lies. The pow wow lasted four days in succession, and was to