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 TRIBUTARIES.
received this name from the fact that it was a large village,- the
place where all the Indians collected together. This was literally
true in the spring and autumn, as the Pawtucket Falls near by were
one of the most noted fishing-places in New England, where the
Indians from far and near gathered together in April and May to
catch and dry their year's stock of shad and salmon.
Wamesit was embraced nearly in the present limits of Lowell,
in Middlesex County, MIass."
The Concord River, which unites with the Merrimack at Lowell,
is an historical as well as an important stream. Its source is claimed
by two towns, and, as the claim of either seems to be well founded,
it is but fair to say that it has properly two principal sources. One
of the branches of its head-waters rises in a pond in Westhoro', and
the other in Hopkinton. Uniting, they form an inconsiderable river,
which, having its course through a very level country, checks the
progress of its current, and thus maintaining full banks gives it
the appearance of supplyingc, a much larger quota of water to swell
the already plethoric tide of the Merrimack than the fact will war
rant.
Tile Concord is fifty miles in extreme length, and for most of its
career it has more the appearance and characteristics of a lake, extensive to be sure, in one direction. Its immobility is unparalleled
by any other tributary to the Merrimack; it is dark, sullen, and
sluggish, making out into considerable lagoons in places, producing
the plants, flowers, fish, and reptiles of the most stag,nant and miry
ponds, and nothing more. Previous to the invasion and appropriation of these thloroughfares by dams and locks, shad, alewives, and
eels, soft fish of the warm-water type, took naturally to this stream;
nobler varieties, such as the salmon, avoiding its turbid and uncon
genial waters.
Before the advent of the pale-faces this stream was known to the
squatter sovereigns along its course by the name of Musketaquid, or
Meadow River; the eminent appropriateness of the original name
being more distinctly apparent as time rolls on.
In 1635, the town of Concordc was settled by English, and the
river as well as the town thenceforward took the same name. The
year 1775 witnessed scenes here on the very margin of this stream
which illustrate the spirit of'76, and g:lve a direction and impetus
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