35 



though we can show who owned and occupied them back 

 to a very early date, we find no evidence that any of 

 them were ever owned by the Old Planters. 



Let us now see whether any of the descriptions by the 

 early writers will throw any light upon this question. 



In "New England's Plantation," written by Rev. Fran- 

 cis Higginson, and printed at London in 1630 (see Force's 

 Tracts, Vol. 1), the writer describes the soil as being 

 sandy "all about our Plantation at Salem, for so our 

 Towne is now named, Psal. 76, 2." "When we came 

 first to Neihum-kek, we found about halfe a score houses 

 and a faire house newly built for the Governour. We 

 found also abundance of corn planted by them very good 

 and well likeing." 



In Wm. Wood's "New England Prospect," p. 50, we 

 find, "Four miles north-east from Saugus lies Salem, 

 which stands on the middle of a neck of land very pleas- 

 antly, having a South River on the one side, and a North 

 River on the other side ; upon this neck where most of 

 the houses stand, is very bad and sandy ground, yet for 

 seven years together it hath brought forth exceeding good 

 corn, it being fished but every three years ; in some 

 places is very good ground, and good timber, and divers 

 springs hard by the sea side." 



Wm. Wood left New England, Aug. 15th, 1633, there- 

 fore corn had been planted on the sandy neck of land in 

 1626. His description would seem to apply to the central 

 portion of the present city. 



In "Planter's Plea," London, 'l630 (Force's Tracts, 

 Vol. 2), we find it stated that the first planters removed 

 from Cape Ann (Gloucester) "to Nahum-keike, about 

 foure or five leagues distant to the south-west from Cape 

 Anne." 



In the "History of New England" (Mass. Hist. Coll. 2 



