Page:History of Barrington, Rhode Island (Bicknell).djvu/60

36 Sowamset Neck was the same as Sowams.

Between the two branches of the Sowams River, now known as the Palmer's and Barrington Rivers, lies the tract of land called Chachacust by the Indians, and New Meadow Neck by the whites. This latter name it received as early as 1653, for in an agreement between the delegates of Rehoboth and the proprietors of "Sowams and Parts Adjacent," I find the following record, dated the 29th June, 1653: "The Towne of Rehoboth shall make suffiscient Fence to keepe horses and cattle from rangeing into the neck of land called the New Meadow Neck and maintaine the same." This neck has an average width of one, and a length of three miles.

The western neck of land now occupied by a portion of the town of Barrington, lies between the Barrington and Warren Rivers on the East, Narragansett Bay on the South, and Providence River on the West, of irregular shape and containing about nine square miles. The Indian name was Popanomscut, or Peebee's Neck, with the exception of the northwestern part, which was called Wannamoisett. In the Proprietors' Records as early as the 5th of March, 1679, I find reference made to Popanomscut, under the name of "Phebe's Neck," so called from a sachem under Philip, named Peebee.

The southeasterly part of Popanomscut was known by the Indian name of Chachapacassett, or Little Neck. At the upper end of this neck is a noted spring called Scamscammuck Spring. This neck of land was called Rumstick as early as 1697. Why or by whom so named is unknown, Norse scholars regard the word of Norse origin and proof that the Northmen traversed the waters and named the lands on Narragansett Bay. Tradition tries to solve the mystery of so curious and equivocal a title, by saying that a barrel of rum floated high and dry upon the beach, and the treasure was considered of such great value that the event was celebrated by so free a distribution of the contents that the term high and dry could be truthfully applied for several days to all the dwellers thereabouts.