28 



Jan. 9. Y e mast team sat out. 



" 17. Prince with the yoke of oxen went into y e mast camp. 



" 18. Mr. Webster hauled his great mast at night. 



" 20. At night Prince returned from masting. 



Masting continued to be a business of considerable impor- 

 tance for many years. A locality where masts were collected 

 and rolled into the Contoocook river, in the north-westerly sec- 

 tion of Pennycook, is still designated "The Mast Yard," and 

 has given its name to the station of the Boston & Maine Rail- 

 road established there. 



This paper embraces the period of our two last French and 

 Indian wars and of the Revolutionary War (1 726-1 782). 

 While New Hampshire was a province of England she was 

 called upon to participate in the hostilities between the mother 

 country and France. 



The questions at issue in the first of these wars was that of 

 the Austrian succession, a question in which New Hampshire 

 had about as much real interest as in that on which side of the 

 undetermined line between her territory and Canada the wood- 

 chucks in that vicinity ought to burrow. 



The long peace which followed the treaty of Utrecht (April, 

 1 713) proved but little more than an armed truce, and in 1744 

 war again broke out between England and France. This pre- 

 cipitated upon the northern frontier of New Hampshire the 

 horrible succession of Indian barbarities which the Canadian 

 French were wont to instigate and reward. In anticipation of 

 their advent the people of Pennycook built garrisons for their 

 protection. 



In the first minister's diary for 1746 may be found many 

 entries significant of the exposure of himself and people at this 

 time. 



Jan. 28. Began to haul fort timber. 



This was for the grooved posts and tenoned timbers which 

 formed the garrison walls to be built about his house and three 

 or four others of a temporary character, in close proximity 

 thereto, erected for the accommodation of such families as, 

 assigned to his care, could not be sheltered within his own. 



