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 TRIIBUTARIES.
wearying declivity just ascended, the neat village of white cottages
nestles on the broad green lawn which stretches away to the river,
meandering like a wavy belt of silver, with its picturesque, covered
bridge. Just beyond, and parallel with the river, the handsome
dwellings, built along the hill-side, terraced and hedged and ornamented with fruit and shade trees; to the left is the hill and dale
down to Plymouth and the Pemigewasset valley; a little farther left
the peaks of the grim and bare Sandwich, and the grand and densely
wooded Squam MAountains; to the right, Stinson's Pond, a loug,
narrow stretch of water, with hills to shut it in from the west, while
turning to the north is seen a promiscuous assembly of mountains,
rising high and still hi,ghler,- Moosilauke towering above his fellows, Lafayette in the distance, and Mt. Washington in the rear
rank, looking cool and pure over all other heads.
There are grand(er views than this, more extensive, a-ffordiing a
greater amount and variety of land and water scenery; but for unpretending loveliness, for a combination peculiar and rare, giving,
the whole vista an indescribable charm. there are few places to equal
this, none to excel.
Still further up the river is WVentworth. There being a fall of
twenty feet, the river here affords good water-power.
Moosilauke Mountain is the highest elevation west of the WVhite
and Franconiz ralg,es. The north peak is four thousand seven
hundred feet high, and is a conspicuous object from all the country
round, far into Vermont. There are inexhaustible quarries of limestone here, and along Baker's River and about the Moosilauke,
minerals in great variety abound. Plumbago, tin, galeina, lead,
iron, tremolite, black blende, and crystallized epidote, are found.
The beautiful Pemigewasset, having received at Plymouth the
addition to its steadily increasing volume of Baker's River, sweeps
along the eastern boundary of Bridgewater, receiving, as it passes the
succeeding towns, the copious additions of Newfound and Smith's
Rivers. firom the west or right bank, and Squam on the east or left.
Squam River has its source in Squam Lakes (Great and Little),
which extend into several towns to the east of the Pemigewasset and
near the unsettled territory.
Newfound River has its source in the large lake of the same
11
81