HISTORY OF DERRYFIELD. Ill 



The earliest map of the Merrimack river from its source to its 

 mouth is also the latest discovered, but is unfortunately without 

 dale. It is finely drawn and certainly the work of an "artist." 

 The " plot " gives the photography of the river, with lakes and 

 mountains on either side. It shows the islands, bends and falls ; 

 the Uncanoonucks, Massabesic Lake and Amoskeag Falls are 

 laid down, and the Suncook river is put where it belongs. The 

 work is of such a character that the whole valley from Dun- 

 stable to Penacook is seen to have been pictured from an actual 

 survey, probably the first undertaken by competent hands. 



We cannot now further prolong our researches in this field of 

 inquiry. We have purposely abandoned the beaten route hith- 

 erto followed by historians, and have hazarded an attempt to 

 revise some of their conclusions by methods of historical deduc- 

 tion. Wherever possible ascertained dates have been assigned, 

 and whenever by reasonable inference these were found to be 

 misleading the known facts have been compared and the logical 

 interpretation followed. In concluding our pictures of the past 

 we may be pardoned for renewing the suggestion that we claim 

 for them nothing not included in the title chosen, and that they 

 pretend to be no more than contributions. Should these serve 

 to awaken a new dawn of inquiry and rouse the spirit of research 

 the writer will be well contented. 



