178 History of H Ingham. 



rock, and the scarlet and yellow of the sumacs, and other wild 

 shrubs, form a fiery contrast to the deep olive green of the savins 

 here and there among - the ledges. At half-tide, the rusty under- 

 water coloring of the rocks of these islands, supplemented by the 

 dark, yellowish-russet tints of the rockweed, which only grows 

 submerged on the ledges, is very interesting in an artistic point 

 of view. 



East of this lies Sarah's (Sailor's, or Sayles's) Island. This 

 is also the summit of a great rocky ledge rising up from the 

 water, and clothed with sumacs and other shrubs. 



Towards the head of the harbor, hardly a mile south, lies 

 Button Island. This little heap of rock and gravel, bearing no 

 trees nor shrubs and but little grass, is not worth visiting. But 

 one other remains to be noticed, Langlee's Island (in early days 

 Ibrook's), which is a beautiful spot. Steep ledges surround it, 

 except for small intervals, where there are gravelly beaches, upon 

 one of which stands a line linden. Shrubs abound upon the 

 uplands. It will be, in a few years, yet more beautiful than 

 now, thanks to the enlightened taste of the gentleman who owns 

 it. He has planted many small trees, which will eventually cover 

 it with forest growth, as was originally the case when the country 

 was settled, and restore it to the condition in which all the islands 

 of Boston harbor should be. Had they been kept so for the past 

 two centuries, the forces of erosion would not have succeeded in 

 practically sweeping some of them from the face of the earth, and 

 destroying the contour of all. Richard Ibrook, who probably 

 owned this island very early, came in 1635. 



As we row ashore again, those few light clouds in the west are 

 taking upon themselves from the declining sunbeams colors yet 

 more gorgeous than those of the fall foliage, and we have a fine 

 opportunity of admiring one of those superb sunsets for which 

 Hingham harbor is justly celebrated. Glowing, as it does, over 

 the waters of the bay and across the western hills, it presents a 

 splendor which no locality in the world can surpass. 



Although twilight is short at this season, there is yet time for 

 a ride around the shore before the gloaming is upon us ; and 

 as we left our horses here, let us mount at once and follow the 

 road around the north side of Crow Point, and then the beach 

 along the foot of the fine hill next west of it, the bank of which 

 is bordered by a heavy growth of Lindens, Canoe Birches (very 

 rare hereabouts), and other trees. This is Pleasant Hill. Be- 

 yond it arc Planter's Fields, or Planils, and another of those 

 Damde Meddowes which our ancestors rescued from the inroads 

 of the sea wherever they could do so to advantage. Between the 

 southerly slopes of Crow Point and Pleasant Hill, and Walton's 

 Cove on the south, is a slight eminence called Tucker's or Tuck- 

 er's Hill. John Tucker was an early settler, coming in 1635. 



The beach west of Pleasant Hill is Gardner's or Garnett's 

 (Garner's) Beach. 



