138 



Merlin. January 7, 1776, a contemporary private jour- 

 nal says, "Trees on Cat Island cut down last night — 

 supposed by the Merlin." 



Its shores are for the most part steep and rock}^ ; its 

 average elevation of surface being perhaps twenty or 

 twenty-five feet. It is at present without a tree or shrub, 

 and fommands an uninterrupted view towards the ocean, 

 which is unsurpassed, as well as on the land side, the 

 green slopes of the Xorth Shore, Salem Xeck, and Xaugus 

 Head. 



The first mention vre find of the island is contained in 

 the Colonial Records for 1655.^ It was then ijranted to 

 Governor Endicott on his own request. May 23, and is 

 there described as ^'tlie Hand called Calta lland^ being 

 about a two acres, lijing iieere to Marble Ilead.^^ In point 

 of fact, it has an area of about sixteen acres of upland. 

 Felt, following Dr. Bcntley, who seems to have been in 

 error, slates the area at "al)out nine acres." Dr. Bentley 

 wrote in his Descri[)tion of Salem in 1800, "the extent 

 of the soil is 2,167 links, about N. W. and S. E. ; but 

 the rocks being included, the island is above 28 chains. 

 At the northw^est end is a high beach which forms a point 

 directly opposite Marblehead. The shore is irregular 

 and rocky. There are springs on the S. E. end which 

 terminates in a high, rocky head." 



Gov. Jolm Endicott,^ in a Vv'ill which took effect upon 

 his death in 1665, left the island to his wife for life, and 

 aftei', to his "two sons John and Zerobabel, or the 

 longest liver of them." John died first without issue, 

 and Zerobabel on his decease, 1684, gave the island to 

 his fiv^e daughters. 



1 See Colonial Records of Maspai'huf ctts, Vol. Ill, p. 3S3. 2 Gov. John Endicott 

 died March 25, 1W)5. See " The Endicott Family," by C. M. Endicott, X. E. Hist. 

 Gen. Reg., ^'ol. I. p. 335. 



