scouring purposes, and until superseded by modern invention, for the finish of plastered walls. Chase remarks that these beaches were much prized as places for bleaching the fine Irish linen woven by the early settlers. Several years since, perhaps fifty or more, a glass factory was built at Suncook and sand drawn from the Massabesic for the manufacture of window glass, and I remember well how astonished we academy scholars were to see the distended cheek of the blowers and the

molten globes of red hot glass swinging over their heads This was probably not a paying venture and was soon discontinued.

Connecting the beaches rocky shores extend, piled high with boulders indicative of old-time storms and winds, echoes of which to this day greet the luckless voyager who happens to be out in his frail canoe or cranky sailboat. Wooded slopes

run down to the water's edge; luxuriant vines cluster on fine old trees; the scent of the wild grape perfumes the autumn groves. The bear found his favorite high blueberry in sheltered dells; wild geese rested here in their long fights hither and yon, and great flocks of ducks found free ports of entry in many a safe retreat. Deer browsed in the surrounding forests; the lordly loon trumpeted his defiance in the lee of his chosen islands or disappeared with lightning celerity at the crack of the rifle. Acres of flooded marshlands furnished

feeding grounds for pickerel or perch. Alewives crowded in shoals up the Cohas in the season, and suckers abounded when the winter snows moved off.

There are numerous islands, but only one of any great value. The largest, Deer island, seventy acres in extent, was sold to Joseph Brown of Auburn by the late Judge Samuel D. Bell in 1820, and until the present year was owned by Dr. James F.

Brown of this city. Judge Bell claimed ownership of the pond and its beaches to high-water mark. The claim was found not to be good in law, but to avoid litigation the city, by its water board, paid $2,000 for whatever right Judge Bell had. An Indian tribe is said to have lived on the island and left marks of occupation visible fifty years since (Bell, History of Chester). In the middle of the last century or thereabout valuable pine lumber was drawn by sled across the lake in winter to await the opening of navigation on the Merrimack.

Opposite Deer island is a triangular piece of land of considerable extent called in early times Papoose island, later known as Fletcher's. It was, however, a part of the main land, but when the water commission built a dam at the outlet of the lake, the low lands about were so flooded that it had to be reached by a bridge. This bridge was built by the brothers Fletcher, who also built a carriage way from the Proctor road. and fitted the grounds for pleasure resorts.

The larger of the two sheets comprising the lake contains 1,370 acres, and the smaller 1,130. In depth it is rather shallow, and is said on no particular authority to measure 50 feet off Battery point. The sources of supply to so large a body of water are not at first sight visible. It will be noticed, however, that the surrounding territory is of considerable height. The lake, according the Hitchcock's survey, being 256 feet above the level of the sea, and at Maple falls mill dam in Candia, 407, and in other affluents in Manchester and Hooksett still higher. More recent surveys by the United States goyernment make this estimate seven or eight feet too high.

The watershed line runs through Northwood to Saddleback mountain, south of west through Deerfield to Allenstown line. near Shingle ponds, then on a course through southwest part of Candia to Patten's hill. According to the survey in Eaton's history of Candia and the map prepared by the late ex-Governor Weston and Joseph B. Sawyer, C. E., the visible sources are as follows: One stream rises at summit on the dis