Reclaiming a Salt Meadow 



the street behind us across his meadow-lot Building a 



was too much for the gentleman who 



owned the place at the time it was made, 



and that he never recovered from the 



shock of having his estate thus divided 



and his house-lot spoiled. The enterprise 



was a formidable one, for it involved the 



construction of a great stone arch across 



the stream that drains the meadow, and 



the laying down of heavy plank rafts for 



the piers of the stone bridge to stand 



upon. For years the road would be built 



up to a good height every summer, and 



then would subside under the influence of 



the high tides in the autumn and spring, 



till it seemed as if it would never hold its 



own, and keep its head above water all 



the year round. 



But constant renewals of the layers of A good 

 gravel have at length made of it so sub- " 

 stantial a causeway, that nothing but the 

 very highest of spring -tides prevails 

 against it, and such water as finds itself 

 on our side forces itself rather under than 

 over it. 



Those of our neighbors who have re- 

 claimed land from the main meadow on 

 129 



