Page:The Granite Monthly Volume 10.djvu/104

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��Lisbon^ N. H.

��one with emotions of awe and admi- ration. By the early settlers this bod}' of water was called Bear pond, because bruin himself "staid here," and his kinfolks were numerous in the outlying forests ; neither were they extinct at a much later date. In the year 1841 farmers living in the vicinity found havoc made among their flocks of sheep, and, knowing too well the cause, made known the facts to D. G. Goodall, a well known citizen of the village, and withal a Nimrod of high repute. He took ■with him Samuel Dailey, and other experienced hunters, all eager for the sport. They proceeded to the neigh- borhood of the pond, Mr. Goodall taking along with him his dog, Beaver, a powerful mastiff, always a companion in hunting expeditions. After entering the woods, the men separated, agreeing to come together as soon as possible at the report of a gun. But a short time elapsed when Mr. Goodall came upon a female bear and two half grown cubs. Be- ing a fearless man, he fired upon them, killing one of the cubs and wounding the dam. In a moment the enraged animal sprang upon him, and with equal celerity Beaver grap- pled with the common foe. Mr. Goodall disengaged himself from the bear and leaped upon a stump near at hand, and loaded his gun with all possible haste. The contest between the bear and the dog was of short duration. Quicker than the story is told the latter was rendered helpless, bleeding from fearful wounds, and bruin again went for the master. Just as her head peered above the edge of the stump, the gun was dis- charged, and the contents were lodged

��in her brain. The other hunters soon came up, pursued the other cub, and dispatched it. Thus ended the bear tragedy. The poor dog was six weeks recovering from his wounds, and ever afterwards was a privileged character. After larger game became scarce thereabouts, it was discovered that mink did congregate in these waters, and many people came here to hunt them for their fur ; so in course of time Bear pond gave place to a name having a more practical application — Mink pond.

In the summer of 1854 some fisher- men here discovered in clam shells substances which the imagination easily manufactured into pearls. Furthermore, it was stated for truth that True Page found a pearl which he sold for $30. The report went abroad, and quickly all the loafer class in Lisbon village, with a retinue of boys and a small percentage of re- spectable people, rushed pell-mell to Mink pond. For days there might have been seen from fifty to seventy- five people, knee-deep in water, hunt- ing for the hidden treasures. Clam shells accumulated in heaps, the scat- tered remnants of which are still to be seen. At length, finding no more pockets replenished, the bubble burst : hence the propriety, or the impro- priety, of the present name — Pearl lake.

The outlet of the lake is Garnet brook, so called from the garnets found imbedded in rocks along the upper course of the stream. The brook flows in a north-westerly direc- tion, and empties into the river near Henry pond. Four water-privileges have been used on this stream, but the buildings, as well as the dams,

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