Subject: Ancient Saugus & Nahant from "New Englands Prospect" by William Wood of Lynn 1633 Source: History of Lynn, Mass., by Alonzo Lewis & James R. Newhall. Boston, 1865 p.143 The following description of ancient Saugus and Nahant is extracted from "New Englands Prospect," written this year 1633, by William Wood of Lynn, and which he says was under- taken, "because there hath been many scandalous and false reports past upon the country, even from the sulphurous breath of every base ballad monger." p.144 "The next plantation is Saugus, sixe miles northeast from Winnesimet. This towne is pleasant for situation, seated in the bottom of the 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 neck 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 the 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 wolves; a few posts and rayles, from the low water markes to the shore, keepes out the wolves 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. "Upon 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 shells, 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 four or five 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 four miles long and two 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 a good store of fresh fish, within a mile of the towne; out of which runnes a curious fresh brooke 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 and elme. The ground is very good, in many places without trees, and fit or 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; 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 a 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 bankes and clam bankes and lobsters amongst the rockes and grassie holes. "These flatts make it unnavigable for shippes; yet at high water, great boates, loiters, (lighters) and pinaces of 20 and 30 ton, may saile up to the plantation; but they need 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 off an unknown enemie; yet it may be fortified at little charge, being but few landing places thereabout, and those, obscure." Transcribed by Janice Farnsworth Note: The coast road from Salem to Boston bypassing Lynn makes a lovely trip for a summer afternoon and be sure to bring your camera. My daughter Elizabeth and I made the trip last summer and hope to do it again this year. The seafood restaurants along the way are marvelous. I had lobster. Liz had scallops. Mmmmmm!