53 



North street were larger house-lots, also running back 

 from that river. Essex street was probably a way that 

 came gradually into use along the ends of these lots ; 

 and, as they were all of the same depth from the river, 

 this street acquired, and has retained the same curves that 

 the rivers originally had. 



Between Elm street and Central street was the ancient 

 burying ground ; and on the corner of Elm and Essex 

 streets lived Wm. Allen, one of the old Planters. 



We do not think, however, that the Old Planters all 

 lived close together, for we tind Wm. Traske locating 

 himself at the head of the Xorth River, Richard Xorman 

 at the foot of the rocky hill since called by his name ; 

 Thomas Gardner near Dean street, and John Woodbury, 

 Roger Conant and Peter Palfrey on the north side of 

 Essex, and between Washington and St. Peter streets. 



If we may indulge in conjecture as to the place of the 

 first landing, all the probabilities seem to point to the cove 

 which then existed at the foot of Elm street. Nothing 

 could have been more inviting to those early colonists, 

 after leaving the bleak and rocky Cape Ann, than this 

 inlet of the sea, protected from the main harbor by Jeg- 

 gles Island, and beautiful as it must then have appeared 

 surrounded by pine groves and gently sloping shores, 

 plentifully provided with '' divers good springs hard by 

 the sea side." 



Gov. Winthrop, describing his arrival here in 1630, 

 says, June 12th, we "came to an anchor a little within 

 the islands." June 14th, "in the morning we weighed 

 anchor, and the wind being against us, and the channel 

 so narrow as we could not well turn in, we Avarped in 

 our ship and came to an anchor in the inward harbour." 

 And in a sketch which he made at the time of the shore, 

 while Collins Cove and Winter Island are hardl}' distin- 

 guishable, the South River is fully delineated. 



