19 



-our own plants was far superior, in general, to that of the 

 European. Neither cou.ld Europe vie with us for variety 

 and diversity of vegetation. The whole number of species 

 of native trees, of all kinds, now to be found in Great Brit- 

 ain, was not as great as the number of oaks alone described 



-as belonging to the United States. 



Jacob W. Reed of Groveland, author of a genealogical 

 history of the Reed family, gave a synopsis of the facts and 

 speculations to which he has given much attention, as to the 

 topographical history of the Merrimac River. The abrupt 

 angle by which the stream turns, a little above Lowell, from, 

 its nearly southerly course, to one almost northeast, has oc- 

 casioned much thought among those interested in such 

 changes. " Now the fact is," said he, " that from this bend 

 a valley extends southward, in very nearly the primary di- 

 rection of the river, and terminates in Boston harbor. Had 

 the river been stopped back by obstructions across its pres- 

 ent bed at Lowell, it would have continued on through this 

 valley and flowed into Boston harbor instead of where it 

 now does." He thought this was anciently the case, and 

 thus the Merrimac has lent its aid in the formation of 

 that harbor. But this natural dam having once given way, 

 the waters turned northeasterly until some other and simi- 

 lar stoppage took place, sending the current southward 

 ^again. This seems to have happened several times and in 

 one instance the stream had its outlet in the harbor at Sa- 

 lem. At a point near "Rocks Bridge" the latest obstacle 

 seems to have existed. The Lidians formerly had a tradi- 

 tion, that the mouth of the Merrimac was near that of Par- 

 kev River, thus leaving Newbury on the northern side. 



Mr. R. further gave some interesting statements as to the 

 Indian remains found at "Ridge Hill" before spoken of. 



