6 NORTH SHORE BREEZE and Reminder 
are such splendid drives or walks. 
Of all the charms of Ipswich, the beautiful river, 
named for the town, stands foremost. It rises, a slug- 
cish, narrow stream in Topsfield meadows, and _ steals 
down through the countryside until it reaches the Bay of 
Agawam. ‘There are four picturesque bridges which 
span the Ipswich River within the limits of “the town, 
one of which (the Choate Bridge) was the first stone arch 
bridge to be built in America. The upper part of the 
river is quiet, limpid, beautiful. The Falls, as Norwood’s 
Dam is sometimes called, help to form a rare bit of land- 
scape, and above the dam, may be found exquisite water 
lilies in abundance. A half-day spent here is well worth 
the time it costs to assimilate a little of the peace and 
stillness of such a spot. 
The banks of the upper river are beautifully wooded 
to the very edge of the dark water, which mirrors the 
shore and the blue sky above so faithfully that “one thinks 
a bit of Heaven lies on this earth below.” ‘The river 
winds along so quietly that it seems motionless, and every 
leaf, and every blossom on the banks above is duplicated 
with mirror-like faithfulness. Amid the darker trees, so- 
ciable groups of slender, graceful white birches shine, some- 
times shly drawing back into the foliage of their neighbors, 
oftentimes leaning far out over the still waters as if to see 
tlreir own beauty in the reflection below. It is the love- 
liest sight anywhere “on the banks of winding Ipswich 
River, 
O’er the lovely, curving, winding river.” 
unexpected glimpse of a group of these birches, hold- 
An 
ing out their slim, white arms in welcome will remain in 
the memory long after scenes of grander beauty are for- 
gotten. 
It seems strange that these picturesque banks were 
unoccupied for many years, until 1693, in fact, except by 
Samuel Ordway (or Ardway), a blacksmith. In 1692 
the town granted a number of lots along the river with 
the provisions that the owners make the banks strong 
“to y® low water mark and no further into River,’ 
that this be done. within twelve months. 
and 
‘There were 
other rigorous conditions so discouraging to the settlers 
sales and reversions to the town. 
as to result in irany 
From the town landing the river widens and finds its — 
way through low salt marshes and little islands, winding — 
down to Ipswich Bay. The progress of the river is brok- 
en by many little creeks, or as they are called, “cricks,” 
such as ‘T'readwell’s, Fox, and Labor-in-vain Creeks. On 
a still day, the river drifts along lazily, but when the 
sirong winds come, it becomes an unruly child of tts | 
mother ocean and angry, little whitecaps arise to beat 
against the shores. 
_ The tip of the Island, as Little ‘Neck (Jeffries’) 
usually known, looks over an extent of beauty, sunsur- 
passed even from “Meetin’ House Hill,” or from its 
sister, Heartbreak. The view from this point at sunrise 
is worth many a morning’s walk. At times there appears 
over the Bay and the Ocean, illuminating Cape Ann, a 
weird light not unlike the ‘ ‘false dawn” the Eastern poets 
have sung about. It is a halo, or glory, produced by cer- 
tain atmospheric conditions. 
Just before twilight, however, is the time to get the 
best effect from the headland. At your feet stretches the 
Bay of Agawam with the sea wailing over treacherous 
Ipswich Bar, where the pirate ghost of Harry Main is 
coiling his never-ending rope of sand, and if the wind is 
noisy, you may be sure the old wives of the village would 
tell you that “Harry Main in grumbling at his work to- 
day.” <A little at your right lies Plum Island and its 
neighbor, Grape Island, and, out beyond, the Isles of 
Shoals. Broad Parker River may be seen near New- 
huryport on the North , and, if the afternoon be fair and 
ciear, blue Agamenticus and the New Hampshire hills 
appear. 
Castle Hill, and, as the dusk descends, one by one, shine 
out the lights of Lanesville. 
Truly, “ I love to think of Ipswich town, 
Old Ipswich in the East countree, 
Whence on the tide you can float down 
Through the long, salt grass to the wailing sea, 
And lie all day on the glassy beach, 
And learn the lesson the green waves teach, 
Till at sunset fron surf and seaweed brown, 
You are pulling back to Ipswich town.” 
VIEW OF IPSWICH FROM TOWN HILL IN 
WINTER 
July 301915. 
Just across the river gleam the sallow sands of — 
