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.

ITS SOURCE AND ITS TPRIBUTARIES.
length becoming an unendurable and odious monopoly, complaint
was made that it was a serious grievance, and the charter was
finally revoked.
Previous to the explorations of Captain Smith an expedition was
organized at Bristol, which was put under the command of Captain
Pring. It consisted of two small vessels,- the Speedwell and Discoverer,- and about fifty men, which sailed on the 10th of April,
1603, and sailed along the coast of Maine, as far as the Piscataqua
River, which, it is said, he explored. He, however, seems fo have
confined his explorations principally to the coast of Maine, and thus
this expedition seems to have thrown little or no light on the dark and
unknown wilderness of New Hampshire, and contributed no information or, kinowledge concerning its inhabitants, topography, resources,
or extent. The name of New England, which this territory has
retained, is by no means the only appellation which it has received;
among other names by which from time to time it has been known
are New Spain, New France, New Holland, Acadia, etc.
In 1603, Pierre du Guast, Sieur de Ments, obtained an exclusive
patent of the country called New France, from the fortieth to the
forty-sixth parallel, under the name of Acadia; De Mlents having
been joined by De Champlain, a navigator of considerab)le ability,
who had already come out with an expedition which sailed up the
St. Lawrence, and selected Quebec as the site for a strong fortification, and learnedl much of the disposition, character, and numbers of
the native population as well as something of the topography of the
country. The expedition sailed from I-Iavre, MAarchl, 1604., consisting of four vessels. Arriving in these waters the vessels parted
company for various destinations and purposes. Champlain with
others, in 1605, proceeded to explore the coast as far south as Cape
Cod, with a view to locating settlements; but the natives appeared
so numerous and unfriendly that they were deterred from completing this design.
De Champlain entered and surveyed the harbor at the mouth of
the Piscata(lua, and when near the Isles of Shoals he discovered
some natives on the opposite shore. Wishing to obtain what information he could, he proceeded toward them to seek an interview,
when they met him in a canoe; after making them presents of bread
and some impl)lements, which they received with manifestations of
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