Page:The Granite Monthly Volume 10.djvu/78

 74 Asquam Lake and its Environs.

cestrv in every feature of bis couute- Several long points reaching out into

nance. Mr. Shepard is full of auec- it diversify the scene, even while they

dote and reminiscence, and abounds prevent the visitor from taking in

in quaint sayings. He is a sou of the whole sweep of view. There are

Major William Shepard, who was also numerous large islands, — Potato,

general factotum to Hon. Samuel Merrill, Sturtevant, Perch, Dark,

Liverraore, and subsequently to his Deakes, Great or Long island, etc., —

son, Judge Arthur. He recollects which make the lake a perfect gem of

many thiugs about the Livermores, loveliness.

and says he can remember hearing Asquam or Squam lake was known

his father say that Henry Clay was and designated as Kusumpe on the

the handsomest man he ever saw in early colonial maps. In Jefferys's map

his life, and that Samuel Livermore of New Hampshire, published in 1755

was the next handsomest. May the for his royal highness the Prince of

old gentleman live long to retail his Wales, it is put down as Kusumpe

fund of anecdote and quaint, dry pond. The word pond is not used,

humor. however, in any belittling sense.

We are not yet on the lake, for we Lake Winnipesaukee is put down as

have to twist for something like half Wiunipissioket pond, Sunapee lake

a mile through the narrows, a strait as Sunape pond, and Ossipee lake

bordered by trees that seem to grow as Ossippa pond. In another map of

directly out of the water. Sailing Massachusetts and New Hampshire,

through this, we seem to be following published in 1767, Jefferys terms the

a serpentine, watery road through the lake Cusumpy. What Kusumpe or

woods. The water is clear as crys- Cusumpy may mean is the wonder,

tal, and here and there are little It is a pretty name, however, and

nooks and vistas that remind one of many still prefer it to Squam, The

scenes on the Assabet and the Con- latter is Indian for water. The name

cord. It is certainly very romantic appears to have been widely dis-

and pleasant, steaming through the tributed, as we find a Squam harbor

narrow waterway in the cool freshness down on the coast of Massachusetts,

of an August morning, with the bal- and Baker's river, which empties into

samic aroma of the woods scenting the Pemigewasset at Plymouth, was

the air. Here is a new aspect of the early known by the name of Asquam

picturesque. chemuke. Swamscot seems to have

Now the strait widens, and passing nearly the same meaning, and was

a miniature Hell Gate, we swing out almost as widely used. The Indian

into the lake, which, however, does name soon supplanted the other, and

not reveal its whole extent to the eye as early as the beginning of the cen-

at once. Squam lake is the third in tury Squam came into general use.

size of the lakes of New Hampshire, In ''Farmer and Moore's Gazeteer

being surpassed only by Winnepesau- of New Hampshire," published in

kee and Ilmbagog. It is about ten 1823, there is this description of the

miles in length, and any way from lake :"• Squam lake, lying on the bor-

half a mile to six miles in width, der of Holderness, Sandwich, Moul-

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