USA > New Hampshire > The history of New-Hampshire. Comprehending the events of one complete century and seventy-five years from the discovery of the River Pascataqua to the year one thousand seven hundred and ninety, Vol 3 > Part 5
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The expenfe of making and keeping roads in re- pair, is generally borne by the proprietors and in- habitants of the towns through which they pafs ; though, in fome inftances, new roads have been ex- plored and laid out, at the public expenfe. In each incorporated town, the law requires that furveyors of highways be annually chofen, whofe bufinefs it is, to prevent or remove obftructions ; to keep roads and bridges in repair ; and to call upon the inhab- itants for their refpective quotas of labor or expenfe. Thefe officers are invefted with fufficient power to anfwer the beneficial end of their appointment ; and in cafe of failure, they, or the towns are liable to be prefented by the grand inqueft of the county. It was formerly the cuftom, for thofe who were at work on the highways, to invite paffengers to drink,
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and expect a gratuity in return ; but this beggarly practice is almoft entirely abolifhed.
Horfes are the only beafts ufed for riding ; though, in the mountainous parts of the country, mules, might be more ferviceable, if the breeding of them were introduced.
In travelling the roads along Connecticut river, which are, in many places, both ftecp and clayey, it is ufual, at all feafons, if the weather be wet, to have the fhoes of horfes turned with fharp points. This is univerfally practifed in winter, when the earth is covered with ice and fnow. Oxen are alfo then thod in the fame manner. When a deep fnow has obftructed the roads, they are in fome places opened by an inftrument called a fnow plough. It is made of planks, in a triangular form, with two fide boards to turn the fnow out on either hand. This inftrument is drawn by a large number of oxen, and loaded with as many people as can ftand on it, whofe weight makes a hard and level path. When fuch an inftrument is not at hand, a fled turned upfide down anfwers the purpofe, though not fo effectually. Thefe operations are conducted by the furveyors of highways who direct the fnow path to be made either in the common road, or through fields and other inclofures, as neceffity re- quires.
In travelling through New-Hampfhire, there are now few places fo remote from public houfes, or hofpicable inhabitants, as to oblige the traveller to lodge in the woods ; but when this happens, either by neceffity or choice, a temporary hut may be con- ftructed, in an hour, by a perfon furnifhed with an axe. For this purpofe a dry fituation is chofen, as near as may be to running water. The bark of hemlock or fpruce is peeled, in pieces of three or four feet long, and flatted ; two or three upright crotchets are fet in the ground, on which a pole is
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Axed horizontally ; from the pole are laid other fticks, in a floping pofition, to the ground ; on thefe are laid the flatted pieces of bark, each lapped over the other, in the form of fhingles : Under this fhed, other pieces of bark are laid on the ground, for a floor, on which are ftrewed fmall twigs for a carpet. Be- fore the open fide of the hut, is made a large fire, toward which the traveller places his feet, and being wrapped in a blanket, he paffes the night very com- fortably, though, if the wind be unfavorable, he may be fomewhat incommoded by fmoke. He is in no danger from wild beafts, who never venture to approach a fire. People who are ufed to the woods, do not always give themfelves the trouble to build a hut ; but lie wrapped in their blanket by a fire ; or, in foul weather, fpread their blanket on flicks, and lie under it.
Within thefe laft twenty years, the country has been much improved in refpect to roads ; and the communication between the diftant parts of it is be- come, in a great meafure, cafy and commodious. Much, however, remains to be done, efpecially in the weftern and northern parts of the State. Con- necticut river is fo nearly parallel to the caftern coaft of New-England, as to preferve almoft the fame diftance from the fea, which is generally from eighty to one hundred miles. The towns fituate on that river communicate with the maritime towns, by different roads. Thofe in the fouthweftern quarter of the State generally carry their produce to Bof- ton. Roads have been opened from Dartmouth College, and the lower Cohos, to Portimouth ; ard the eftablifhment of a communication, by water car- riage, acrofs Winipifeogee lake, has been contem- plated.
The towns above the lower Cohos, have as yet no convenient roads, directly to the fea coaft. The
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immenfe mountains between the rivers Saco and Connecticut, are, in moft places, inacceffible ; and where a communication is opened, tranfportation i neceffarily very difficult. The people on the upper branches of Saco river, find their neareft market a Portland, in Cafco bay ; and thither the inhabitants of the towns of the upper Cohos have reforted. Bu from a furvey made in 1782, by Dummer Sewall Efq. it was found, that a road from Northumber land, on Connecticut river, to the head of naviga tion in Kennebec river, is very practicable. The diftance is between eighty and ninety miles ; and for a third part of that diftance from Kennebec there are already roads and fettlements.
The line which divides the northern part of New- Hampfhire, from the eaftern counties of Maffachu- fetts, York and Cumberland, is an abfurd and un- natural boundary. The eftablifhment of it orignat- ed in a narrow, felfith policy ; but as the true in- tereft of the country is now better underftood, and more liberal fentiments prevail, it appears to many attentive obfervers, that the whole extent of territo- ry, between the upper part of Connecticut river on the welt, and the Atlantic ocean as far as Kennebec on the eaft, and as far northward as the limits of the United States, is formed by nature, to have a connexion and dependence, which may be rendered mutually beneficial to the maritime and inland parts. How far the benefit may be promoted, by an union of jurifdiction, deferves to be confidered.
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CH A P. VII.
Monuments and relicts of the Indians.
IN defcribing any country, it is natur- al to make fome inquiry concerning the veftiges of its ancient inhabitants. It is well known that the original natives of this part of America, were not ambitious of perpetuating their fame by durable monuments. Their invention was chiefly employ- ed either in providing for their fubfiftence, by hunt- ing, fishing and planting, or in guarding againft and furprifing their enemies. Their houfes and canoes were conftructed of light and perifhable materials. Their mode of travelling was to take all poffible ad- vantage of water carriage, and to fhorten diftances, by tranfporting their birchen canoes acrofs the necks of land which were convenient for the pur- pofe. Their manner of taking fith was either by entangling them in wears, or dipping for them in fcoopnets, or ftriking them with fpears. They took quadrupeds in traps or pit-falls, or fhot them, as well as birds, with arrows. For the conftruction of their canoes and houfes they ufed hatchets, chif- fels, and gouges of ftone. To cook their meat, they either broiled it on coals, or on a wooden grate, or roafted it on a forked ftick, or boiled it in kettles of ftone. Their corn was pounded in mortars of wood, with peftles of ftone. Their bread was either baked on flat ftones fet before a fire, or in green leaves laid under hot athes. Clam-fhells ferved them for fpoons, and their fingers for knives and forks. They had no fharper inftruments than could be formed of ftones, fhells and bones. Of thefe the two laft are perifhable by age ; but of the firft.
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relics are frequently found in the places of thei former refidence, generally in the neighbourhood of water falls, and other convenient fithing places The manner of finding them is by plowing or dig ging. The moft of thofe which have been difcov- ered, have come to light by accident, and a few only are fo perfect as to merit prefervation.
The hatchet is a hard ftone, eight or ten inches in length and three or four in breadth, of an oval form, flatted and rubbed to an edge at one end ; near the other end is a groove in which the handle was faftened ; and their procefs to do it was this : When the ftone was prepared, they chofe a very young fapling, and, fplitting it near the ground, they forced the hatchet into it, as far as the groove, and left nature to complete the work by the growth of the wood, fo as to fill the groove and adhere firmly to the ftone. They then cut off the fapling above and below, and the hatchet was fit for ufe.
The chiffel is about fix inches long and two inch- es wide, flatted and rubbed tharp at one end. It was ufed only by the hand, for it would not bear to be driven. The gouge differs from the chiffel only in being hollow at the edge. With thefe in- ftruments they felled trees, cut them into proper lengths, fcooped them out hollow for canoes, trays, or mortars, and fafhioned them to any fhape which they pleafed. To save labor, they made ufe of fire, to foften thofe parts of the wood which were to be cut with thefe imperfect tools ; and by a proper application of wet earth or clay, they could circumferibe the operation of the fire at their pleafure .*
* ' I have seen a nati e (says Roger Williams) go into the woods with his hatchet, ' carrying only a basket of corne, and stones to strike fire. When he hath felled his tree ' (either a chesnut or pine) he maketh him a little hut or shed of the bark of it. He ' puts fire, and follows the burning of it in the midst, in many places. His corne he ' boils, and bath the brooke by him, and sometimes angles for a little fish. So he conti- ' nueth burning and howing, until he hath, in ten or twelve days, finished, and getting " hands, launched his boat '
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Their peftles are long, cylindrical or conical ftones, of the heavieft kind ; fome of which have figures, rudely wrought, at the end of the handle.
Their kettle is nothing more than a hole, either natural or artificial, in a large ftone ; but their mode of boiling in it would not readily occur to a perfon who had feen a kettle ufed no other way than with a fire under it. Their fire was made by the fide of the kettle, and a number of fmall ftones were heated. The kettle being filled with water, and the food placed in it, the hot ftones were put in, one af- ter another, and by a dextrous repetition of this pro- cefs, the meat or fith was boiled.
Of arrow-heads, there is found a greater num . ber than of any other inftrument; and they are of all fizes from one to five inches in length ; pointed and jagged, with a notch on each fide, at the lower end, to bind them to the. fhaft, the end of which was fplit to let in the head. Children were carly taught the ufe of the bow, and many of the arrow- heads which are found feem to have been fit only for their ufe.
Another implement of ftone is found, the ufe of which is to us undetermined. , It is fhaped like a pear, with a neck, and was probably fufpended by a ftring. Some fuppofe it was hung to a net, and that many of them placed at the lower edge ferved the purpofe of weights to fink it.
Some fpecimens of fculpture have been found, but they are not common. In the mufeum of the Academy of Arts and Sciences, there is an imitation of the head of a ferpent, at the end of a long ftone peftle, found at Wells, in the county of York. There is, in the poffeffion of a gentleman in New-Hamp- fhire, a piece of bone, on which is engraven the buft of a man, apparently in the agonies of death. The countenance is favage, and the work is well execut- I
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ed. This bone with the figure on it, was found at the fhore of the little bay, in the river Pafcataqua.
In the places of their habitations are fometimes found circular hearths of flat ftones, which were laid in the middle of their wigwams. Their mode of lodging was with their feet to the fire. This cuf- tom is adopted by people who lie abroad in the woods, and by others at home. It is accounted both a preventative and a remedy for a cold.
The cellars in which they preferved their corn, are fometimes difcovered in the new fettlements, and their graves are frequently feen. Moft of the fkeletons appear to be in a fitting pofture, and fome remains of the inftruments which were fuppofed neceffary to their fubfiftence, ornament or defence in the "country of fouls," are found with them; particularly the ftone pipe for fmoking tobacco, of which there are feveral varieties. In a piece of in- tervale land near the Offapy pond, is a tumulus or mound of earth, overgrown with pine, in which, at the depth of two feet, feveral fkeletons have been difcovered, buried with the face downward .* At Exeter, about two years ago, the remains of an in- fant ikeleton were dug up. It was in a perpendicu- lar pofition, and had been inclofed with a hollow log. Some ftrings of wampum were found near it, and feveral fpoons, apparently of European manu- facture.
The remains of their fields are ftill vifible in ma- ny places ; thefe were not extenfive, and the hills which they made about their corn ftalks were fmall. Some pieces of baked earthen ware have been found at Sanborn-town and Goff's-town, from which it is fuppofed that the Indians had learned the potter's art ; but of what antiquity thefe remnants are, and whether manufactured by them or not, is uncertain.
* MS. letter of Wentworth Cheswell, Esq.
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The paths which ferved them for carrying places between rivers, or different parts of the fame river, are frequently difcovered, in the cutting of roads, or laying out of new townfhips. Probably fome hints might be taken from this circumftance, to expedite and facilitate our inland navigation.
In their capital fifhing places, particularly in great Offapy and Winipifeogee rivers, are the remains of their wears, conftructed with very large ftones. At Sanborntown there is the appearance of a fortref's con- fifting of five diftinct walls, one within the other, and at Hinfdale there is fomething of the fame kind ; but thefe are vaftly inferior, both in defign and execu- tion to the military works found in the country of the Senekas and in the neighbourhood of the Ohio.
I have heard of two fpecimens of an Indian Ga- zette, found in New-Hampfhire. One was a pine tree, on the fhore of Winipifcogee river, on which was depicted a canoe, with two men in it. This is fup- pofed to have been a mark of direction to thofe who might come after .* The other was a tree in Moul- tonborough, ftanding by a carrying place, between two ponds. On this tree was carved the hiftory of one of their expeditions. The number of the kill- ed and prifoners, was reprefented by fo many hu- man figures; the former were marked with the ftroke of a knife, acrofs their throats, and even the diftinction between the males and females, was pre- ferved.+
Some of their modes and cuftoms have been learn- ed by our own people, and are ftill retained. In the river Pafcataqua, lobfters and flat fifh are ftruck with a fpear ; and the beft time for this kind of fifhing is the night. A lighted pitch-knot is placed on the outfide of a canoe, which not only at- tracts the fifh, but gives the fifhermen direction
* Woodman's MS. letter.
+ Shaw's M$. letter.
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where to ftrike. The river is fometimes illuminated by a multitude of thefe floating lights. The Indian fcoop-net is fhaped like a pocket ; the edge of which is faftened to a wooden bow, at the end of a long pole. With thefe are caught falmon, fhad, alewives, finelts and lampreys. Froft-fifh are taken with wooden tongs, and black eels in cylindrical bafkets, with a hole, refembling moufe traps made of wire.
The culbeag or log-trap, is ufed for taking wolves, bears and martins. Its fize varies, according to the bulk or ftrength of the animal. It is a forceps, com- pofed of two long flicks, one lying on the other, connected at one end, and open at the other. Near the open end is made a femicircular, covered en- clofure, with fhort ftakes, driven into the ground on one fide of the logs, which are firmly fecured by another ftake, on the oppofite fide. In this enclof- ure is placed the bait, faftened to a round flick, which lies acrofs the lower log, the upper log reft- ing on the end of a perpendicular pointed ftick, the other end of which is fet on the round flick. The animal having fcented the bait, finds no way to come at it, but by putting his head between the logs. As foon as he touches the bait, the round ftick, on which it is faftened, rolls ; the perpendicu- lar gives way ; the upper log falls, and cruthes him to death in an inftant, without injuring his fkin.
To take martins, the hunters make a great num- ber of thefe traps, at the diftance of about a quarter or half a mile from each other ; they fcent the whole fpace between the traps, by drawing a piece of raw flefh on the ground ; this fcent guides the animal to the trap, which is baited with the fame. The hunters vifit the traps once in a day, and retire to their camp with the prey. There are two feafons for this fpecies of hunting, namely, in December and March.
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Beavers are taken in iron fpring traps. The In- dians have learned to ufe thefe traps, in preference to their own.
'The ufe of fnow-fhoes was learned at firft from them. The shape and conftruction of them are well known. The flick which projects behind acts as a fpring, and fets the man forward at every ftep ; by which means, one who is ufed to this mode of trav- elling, can walk on the fnow, more expeditioufly than on the ground.
We are indebted to them, for the method of pre- ferving the flefh of animals in fnow. This is ve- ry ufeful to people who raife or buy large quanti- ties of poultry for the market. They fill the hollow parts, and pack them in a cafk with fnow ; which, whilft it remains undiffolved, preferves the fleth in its original fweetnefs. The Indians had another way of preferving flefh, by cutting it from the bone, and drying it in fmoke ; but this is now fel- dom ufed, unlefs the meat has been previoufly cur- ed with falt, the ufe of which, was unknown to the favages.
Their mode of catching ducks, is ftill ufed in thofe places where this fpecies of game abounds. In the month of Auguft, the old ducks fhed their feathers, and the young, being unfledged, are not able to fly. During this period they fwim on the water, and may be driven into fmall creeks, whence they cannot efcape. They are then eafily caught in great numbers, and preferved for winter by falt or fioke.
We have alfo learned from the natives, to drefs leather with the brains and fat of the animal, which render it extremely foft and pliable *. They have
* A lather is made of the brains and the soft fat or marrow in which the skin is sonk+ ed ; it is then dried in smoke ; afterward washed and scaked in warm water, till the grain is open then wrung out, dried by a slow fire, rubbed and stretched as long as any moisture remains in it. It is then scraped with a circular knife, and becomes very soff and delicate. Hearne.
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an art of dying hair in various colors, which are bright and permanent. I know not whether they have communicated this knowledge.
Some of their modes of cookery have been adopt- ed, and are retained. Their roafted and boiled ears of green corn, their famp and bemony, which confift of corn bruifed and foaked or boiled, their nokebike, which is corn parched and pounded, their fuckatafb, which is a mixture of corn and beans boil- ed, are much ufed, and very palatable. One of the moft delicate of their dithes was the upaquontop, or the head of a bai's boiled, and the broth thickened with homony. The lip of a moofe, and the tail of a beaver, prepared in this manner, were among their greateft luxuries. They prepared a very agreea- ble liquor by infufing the meal of parched corn in warm water and fweetening it with the fugar of maple.
Their cultivation was extremely imperfect. The only objects of it were corn, beans, pumpkins and fquafhes, which were planted by their women, with the aid of no inftruments but ftones and clam-fhells; and fio manure but fith. Yet, their judgment of the proper feafon for planting, cannot be amended. It was when the leaves of the white oak are as big as the ear of a moufe. Their method of girdling trees to kill them, that the land might be opened for planting, is ufed by fome people in their firft effays of hufbandry. It is not only a lazy fafhion and quite inexcufeable where axes may be had, but the ground needs clearing as often as the trees or branches are broken off by the wind.
The virtues of many herbs, roots and barks, with which the country abounds, were well known to the natives, and fome traditionary knowledge of this kind has been preferved, though much is loft for want of a more certain mode of prefervation
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than human memory. Some of their medicinal operations are ftill practifed ; but moft of them are difufed, being fuperfeded by profeffional improve- ments. They raifed a blifter by burning punk or touchwood on the fkin. They applied roots, boiled foft, in the form of a poultice to the throat or other parts, when fwelled or inflamed. They relieved a perfon chilled with cold, by pouring warm water down the throat. They attempted the cure of fevers by fweating in a covered hat, with the fteam of water poured on hot ftones, and then plunging into
cold water. For pains in the limbs they had anoth- er mode of fweating. A number of fods were heat- ed, and the patient, wrapped in a mat, was laid on fome and covered with others, till the heat of the turf was fuppofed to have extracted the pain. The offices of phyfician and prieft were united in the fame perfon, and a variety of myfterious rites ac- companied his operations.
They had a knowledge of poifons and antidotes, and could fo prepare themfelves, that the moft ven- omous ferpents would avoid them, or prove harm- lefs in their hands. This knowledge has feldom been communicated, and is always treated as myfte- rious.
I wifh it could not be faid, that fome of their fu- perftitious notions have been transferred and propa- gated. The idea that lonely mountains and rocks are inhabited by departed fpirits, and other invifi- ble and imaginary beings, is not yet worn out. Cer- tain charms and fpells, which are fuppofed to be effectual prefervatives, or cures in cafes of witch- craft, are ftill in ufe among the vulgar ; though per- haps fome of thefe traditions may owe their origin to the fuperftition of our European anceftors, de- fcended from the remoter favages of Britain, Ire- land and Germany. Thefe notions, however pitied
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by fome, and ridiculed by others, are ftill deeply engraven on the minds of many, and are maintain- ed with an inflexibility which would do them honor if the caufe were worthy of defence. So ftrong are thefe impreffions, that the fame perfons, whofe in- trepidity in fcenes of real danger is unqueftionable, often render themfelves miferable by the apprehen- fion of evils, which exift only in their imagination.
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CHA P. VIII.
Forest-trees, and other vegetable productions.
FEW perfons in this country, have fludi- ed natural hiftory as a fcience, and of thofe who have a tafte for inquiries of this kind, none have had leif- ure to perfue them, to the extent which is defireable. In the defcription of an American State, it would be unpardonable not to take notice of its natural productions. With much diffidence I enter on this part of my work, fenfible that my knowledge of the fubject is imperfect, yet, defirous of contributing fomething, to promote a branch of fcience, now in its infancy ; but for which there is an ample field of inquiry .*
Elm (ulmus americana. ) Of this tree there is but one fpecies, of which there are two varieties, the white and the red. The inner rind of both is ftringy and tough, and is frequently ufed for the bottoms of chairs, and for bed-cords. The wood is not eafi- ly fplit and therefore ferves for the naves of wheels. The bark of the white elm is ufed medicinally for the gravel. The European elm ( ulmus campeftris ) is fo far naturalized as to propagate itfelf in copfes.
Saffafras (laurus Jaffafras ) is commonly found in moift land. It does not, in this State, grow to a large fize. Its root, bark and leaves have an aro- matic fmell. It affords a valuable ingredient for beer as well as for medicinal purpofes. The wood makes handfome bedfteads, and it is faid that bugs
* For the arrangement of the several articles in the botanical and zoological chapters, for their generic and specific names, and for some of the observations on their nature and properties, I am indebted to the friendly assistance of the Rev. Dr. Manasseh Cntler, .. Ipswich, and Mr, William Dandridge Peck, of Kittery.
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will not be found in thein for feveral years. The Spice-wood (laurus bensoin ) or as it is commonly called Fever-buth, is another fpecies of the laurus, common in New-Hampthire. It is more aromatic than the faffifras. In the weftern country, its fruit and bark are ufed as a fubftitute for pimento.
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