134 



memorable for its festive scenes, and will again invite the 

 same guests who once blessed it. 



Within the Islands, upon Beverly shore, and above 

 West Beach, is the farm long possessed by the venerable 

 Barnard, of Marblehead, whose praise is in all our 

 churches. Along the shores are to be seen the houses 

 raised on the same favorite spots which were chosen bv 

 the first planters of Salem, and near the central settle- 

 ments of Beverly, opposite to the bar from Salem Neck, 

 once the landing of the first ferry, is to be seen the place 

 of the palisadoes which were in the rear of Fort Derby, 

 of which the front is on the sea." 



Cat Island (now Lowell Island) was granted, in 1655, 

 by the General Court, to Gov. Endicott and his heirs. Its 

 proper designation was Cotta, probably from an early 

 inhabitant of that name, Robert Cotta, but it is also 

 called in some documents Catta, subsequently contracted 

 by the popular phrase to Cat. It was bequeathed in 1684, 

 by Zerubbabel Endicott, to his daughters, under the 

 name of Cotta. The grant to the Governor was as 

 follows : 



"1655 May 23. At the request of our present hon- 

 oured Gouernor, John Endecott, Esquire, the iland called 

 Catta Island, being about two acors, lying neere to Mar- 

 ble Head, shall & hereby is graunted to him & his heires 

 foreuer, provided it be not giuen to any towiie or person 

 already." 



The Misery Islands were early called Moultou's Misery, 

 from a disastrous shipwreck there. They appear under 

 that name in 1658-9, and probably earlier. 



House Island was so called from a rock on it resem- 

 bling a building. 



In 1660, May 31, the General Court Eecord reads : 



" In answer to ye petition of ye selectmen of Salem, 



