Rambles about Portsmouth. Sketches of persons, localities, and incidents of two centuries: principally from tradition and unpublished documents. By Charles W. Brewster.

36 RAMBLES ABOUT PORTSMOUTH.
mouth in 1657, and probably then resided there; but of this
we are not certain. He gave name to the Point. Councillor Jotham Odiorne, who died in 1748, at the age of 73,
was the son of John.
ODIORNE'S POINT should be respected as our Plymouth
Rock. Here, in 1623, the little band landed, who were
commissioned by the Laconia Company in England to found
a plantation. In a ramble to the Point a week or two
since, we found enough of tradition in the occupant, and
visible remains left, to locate the spot where the first house,
called Mason's Hall or the Manor House, was erected,-to
designate also the locality of the first smith's shop. The
well of the Manor Htouse is yet to be seen in the fieldand the cool, fresh water running from beneath the ledge
on the shore, scarcely above the tide water, flows as freely
now as when Tomson, the Hiltons and their companions
quenched their thirst at it two hundred and forty-six years
ago. Perhaps this inviting spring decided to them the site
of their habitation.
The present proprietor of the ancient Manor does honor
to his ancestors in presenting well cultivated land and a
handsome farm residence. He seems however not much to
pride himself upon his ancestry or the externals of his locality. So little of inquiry has been made of late years,
that even the "garrison field" and "fish flake field" are
spoken of as names that were formerly used.
Just before reaching the house, on the opposite side of
the road, is a lane which leads nearly to the beach. The
site of the old smith's shop was on the north side of this
lane, on the highest point of land. Pieces of iron are now
occasionally turned up in ploughing there. It is near the
end of this lane on the beach that the spring flows. Here
in former times, when the memory of the spot was more
regarded, might be seen the Sheafes, the Pickerings and
others, enjoying a social remembrance pic-nic and drawing