62 WINTER FIELD MEETING. 



and ill their progress through the caniils to the elevator. 

 Ill their distribution in the packing houses, some guidance 

 is required from men who stand ])y with stout boat-hooks 

 in hniid. 



At noon the sleighs w^ere refilled and the party driven 

 to the Chebacco Ponds, leaving the opal ice-masses glit- 

 tering in the snow behind them. 



Arrived at Whipple's Hotel at Chebacco Ponds the 

 company were soon seated at a comfortable dinner, after 

 rising from which they met in the adjoining hall and were 

 called to order by the President of the Institute, Dr. 

 Wheatland, who opened the afternoon session at about 

 3 o'clock with some historical account of the locality, al- 

 luding to the old, unpainted, provincial farm-house, with 

 lean-to roof and little window-glass, which the hotel had 

 replaced, and to the Knowlton and Burchstead families, 

 which had owned it. In his early scientific rambles he 

 had often been led there by botanical research, and re- 

 called the hospitality and kindliness with which, a half 

 century ago, an old matron of the place cooked the pick- 

 erel he and his young associates used to catch in the pond 

 and furnished from her dairy and cupboard the needful 

 accessories of a midday meal. 



He then introduced Mr. Robert S. Rantoul who said 

 that, twenty years ago, he had occasion to inform himself 

 very accurately and exactly a])out the nature of AYenham 

 Pond water, for he was taking a position in advocacy of 

 its introduction into Salem, wdiich position was thought 

 unbecoming by many excellent persons and severely criti- 

 cised by some of his best friends ; and it w^as necessary 

 for him to be very sure indeed that he w^as making no 

 mistake about its quality and abundance. He therefore 

 collected and collated all the printed and scientific evi- 

 dence he could find and then, by repeated visits and 



