The Merrimack River: its source and its tributaries. Embracing a history of manufactures, and of the towns along its course; their geography, topography, and products, with a description of the magnificent natural scenery about its upper waters./ By J. W. Meader.

THE' ME~RIitACI1 7IVE7EP;
throu,ghl a long stretch of shlady forests, afforded those cold waters,
lilpplcs, pluliging torrents, dark pools, and wild whirling eddies, in
which this magnificent fish so much delighted, and where they found
their favorite spawning-grounds. Shad, as peculiar and unanimous
in their tastes, preferring warmer and more quiet waters, took to the
AVinnipesaukee, and through that river passed into the lake in
countless myriads, where there was ample room and favorable opportunities for the development of the millions of eggs that were required to supply the waste of the original stock, constantly depleted
by ravenous fish, and a still more insatiate enemy, the red-skin.
Ahquedaukenash" signifies, literally, a dam, or stopping-place,
and was constructed in this wise: Large granite boulders were placed
in an irre,gular line across the river, the boulders representing the
angles of a crooked rail-fence, and at a proper distance below the
falls. Wbherever it was praeticable, strong sapling stakes were driven
into tlhe bed of the river, and used for the same purpose, or took the
place of rocks; but at the outlet of the Winnipesaukee this was impracticablle, owing, to the solid character of the river-bed. Having
thus prepared the foundation, the rocks being some ten or twelve
feet apart, a netting was then woven of twigs and tough and pliable
bark, with meshes sufficiently close to prevent the fish escaping.
This was strung entirely across the river, above and against the
rocks, excepting a space between one or two of the rocks or stakes,
these being left open for the fish to pass through in their progress up
the river; through these openings the whole force of the fish must
and did pass.
As few of them scaled the falls until after repeated efforts, and the
rapidly advancing' school " crowded steadily through the opening, it
follows that the pen, or ahquedaukenash, was soon full. Now was the
timne for the Indian shad-catcher. Expert fishermen, and such others
as were selected and appointed for the purpose, mnanned the canoes
and pushed bol(lly out among thie pent-up prisoners, and with spear
anod dip-net lost no time in filling the canoe, in this regard illustrating the old maxim,:'lake hay while the sun shines." Returning
fi'eilghted heavily, they handed them to the squaws, who stood ready,
knife in hand, to split the fish, and hang them up to smoke for witter on the centre-pole of the wigwam, or laid them out to dry in the
sun oin improvised flakes.
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