THE HISTORY OF NEW-HAMPSHIRE, CONTAINING A GEOGRAPHICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE By JEREMY BELKNAP, 4. M. MEMBER OF THE AMERICAN PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY HELD AT SCIENCES IN MASSACHUSETTS. DOVER, N. H. PRINTED FOR O. CROSBY AND J. VARNEY, BY 1812. PUBLIC PREFACE. THE materials of which this part of the Hiftory of New-Hampshire is compofed, were chiefly collected during a refidence of twenty-two years in the eastern part of the State; from obfervations made in various places, and particularly in feveral journies to the northern and western parts; from original furveys of many townships and tracts of the Country; from the converfation of many perfons who have been employed in furveying, masting, hunting and fcouting; as well as in hufbandry, manufactures, merchandise, navigation and fifhery. The public offices have also been repeatedly fearched, and the obliging attention of the officers of government, both in New-Hampshire and Massachusetts, is again thankfully acknowledged. But that no fource of information might be left unexplored, a printed circular letter was addreffed to the feveral Clergymen, and other gentlemen of public character, in all parts of the State, requesting their communications on various heads of inquiry. The answers to these letters have not been fo numerous, and in fome instances, not fo particular as would have been agreeable; but from those which have been received (and for which the Author requests the feveral writers to accept his thanks) he has been enabled to render his account more complete than it could have been without this af fistance. |