io6 WITH THE WOODLANDERS. 



quit the spot at once, for no fish would he get 

 there. There are some still living who remember 

 how lawless men held sway in and about this dis- 

 trict until they were hunted down. Very reticent 

 men these were; and there are still some who re- 

 semble these in more ways than one. If they 

 give you in their own way to understand that they 

 " wun't hev no fishin' ; " well, let them alone, and go 

 somewhere else where things are different. 



Some of the old low houses, very solid structures, 

 standing just off the water's edge, have histories 

 of their own which would fill a volume ; but here 

 we have only to do with the wild things of the 

 woods, the fields, the hills, and the swamps. One 

 old mill which stands quite alone, having a tower 

 on one side of it, which might be that of a church, 

 but without a roof, will be remembered in this 

 locality for generations to come. A bad deed was 

 most providentially hindered from completion by 

 the miss-fire of a gun here. 



All these large ponds, we have been told, and I 

 believe the information was correct, were once ham- 

 mer - ponds in the iron time. Some of the best 

 edge-tool makers are still to be found about this 



