THE CONQUEST OF PEG AN HILL. 119 



part of the east the river, its vivid green 

 meadows, and its ruddy maples led the eye 

 along. Natick and Sherborn, the one a grow- 

 ing town, the other a tract of farms and pleasant 

 glimpses of blue water, filled the west. To the 

 south the view was limited, being cut short 

 by several rocky ridges of unattractive outlines 

 and vegetation, which our map said were Clark 

 Hill and Pine Rock Hill. The centre of all 

 this country which our eyes delighted to rest 

 upon, so full was it of beautiful tints, was 

 marked plainly Pegan Hill. A bloodless vic- 

 tory ! We had sought the enemy with mighty 

 preparations, and behold he had kissed our feet, 

 and made himself our footstool. The ridge 

 which had attracted our eyes from Prospect Hill 

 we felt sure was Pine Rock Hill, equal in height 

 with Pegan, but covered with a sparse growth 

 of small deciduous trees promising neither birds, 

 flowers, nor other inducements for a climb. 



At the foot of the hill on the northern side we 

 found some charming spots on the borders of the 

 Charles. One was on the Needham side of the 

 river, where an extensive grove of stately old- 

 growth white pines overhung a sharp bend in the 

 stream, making its deep and swift current very 

 dark in contrast to a flat bit of meadow opposite, 

 which was radiant with tender green of newly 

 sprouted grass. A grouse rose from a cool brook 



