tude; being neither liable to the extreme of heat in the suminer, nor of cold in the winter. The springs of water on the island below a certain level have a peculiar taste, and are disagreeable to those unaccustomed to them. The dense and heavy fogs, which frequently rest upon the island, frustrated the attempts made here to manufacture salt by evaporation from sea water.

Nantucket Shoals stretch away to the southeast of the island, fortyfive miles in width to the distance of fifty miles, and are a dangerous place for vessels unacquainted with the coast. Very many vessels have been wrecked and lost on them in former years.

NORFOLK COUNTY.

TOWNS.

Bellingham occupies the western extremity

springs of water? Why was the manufacture of salt abandoned here? What is said of Nantucket Shoals?

General review of the County.

Draw the shape of Nantucket. How far is it from the main land of Barnstable County ? In what part of the island is the town of Nantucket? Where is Sandy Point light? What is the chief employment of the people of Nantucket? Into what seas do they make their whaling voyages? How long are their longest voyages? How is the land of the island owned ?

How is Bellingham situated? How are many of its in

of Norfolk County. Many of its inhabitants find employment in two cotton and woollen factories, whose united capital is 550,000 dollars, and whose works are moved by the water power of Charles River. Population

1034.

Braintree is an ancient town and once included the still older settlement at Quincy. It contains an iron and machine factory with a capital of 100,000 dollars, and 1466 inhabit

ants.

Brookline before its incorporation belonged to Boston, from which it was separated by a bay formed by Charles River. A direct communication with the city has been opened within a few years by means of the Western Avenue, an immense mill dam, a mile and a half in length and 100 feet wide, built with walls of stone filled up compactly with gravel and other materials at an enormous expense.

This town contains some of the most beautiful country seats and best managed lands in the highly cultivated and adorned environs of Boston. Lying on ground rising from the water, it exhibits its beauties with great effect to

habitants employed? What is said of the factories in the town? Mention its population.

What is said of the antiquity of Braintree? What factory has it? How many inhabitants ?

To what town did Brookline once belong, and how was it separated from it? How is it now connected with Boston? What is said of the buildings and the land at Brookline?

the spectator on the east. The town contains 900 inhabitants.

Canton. In this town are several ponds, which discharge their waters by tributary streams into Neponset River. In 1820 there were 1268 inhabitants in Canton and one manufactory with a capital of fifty thousand dollars. Since that time large manufacturing establishments have been incorporated, and a great deal of business has been carried on. Recently the general depression of trade and manufactures has been sensibly felt here.

Cohasset. Cohasset is separated from the other towns of Norfolk County by Hingham of Plymouth County. It is a small rough township whose inhabitants are chiefly engaged in the fisheries. Its harbor is safe though difficult of access. Dangerous ledges partly sunken lie adjacent to this town, and are called Cohasset Rocks. They have proved fatal to many vessels on the coast in rough weather. The salubrity of the air of this town has gained it a high reputation among the places of fashionable resort in the summer season. Population 1099.

Of its situation? How many inhabitants does it contain? What is said of the ponds in Canton? How many inhabitants did it contain in 1820? What was its importance as a manufacturing town? What change has it since met with ? What has been its condition recently?

How is Cohasset situated? How are its inhabitants employed? What is said of its harbor? Of the rocks near the town? What reputation does Cohasset enjoy? What is its population?

Dedham is the shire town of Norfolk County, and contains a newspaper press, a bank, a jail, and a beautiful stone court house. It is a well built town; the principal settlement lies in the north part of the township, on Charles River. Three manufacturing companies have been incorporated here with an aggregate capital of $650,000, for the production of cotton and woollen cloths. In this town occurs a very singular natural curiosity. The waters of Charles River, after increasing by small tributaries continually in their course to Dedham, here divide; two thirds pursue their way in one direction to Boston harbor; the other third passing off in another direction, under the name of Mother Brook, falls into Neponset River, three and one half miles from the separation. Some years since the proprietors of certain factories on Neponset River, for the purpose of procuring more water for their works, caused the mouth of Mother Brook, where it leaves Charles River, to be enlarged. This materially lessened the supply for moving the large amount of machinery on Charles River and produced considerable excitement. Application was made to the Legislature, who after an investigation of the matter, decided in favor of the Charles River

What is the importance of the town of Dedham ? Where is the principal settlement? What is said of its manufacturing companies? What curiosity is there in the town?

proprietors, and caused an artificial mouth to be constructed of the size of the natural one before it was enlarged. Population 2492.

Dorchester was settled next after Quincy, Salem, and Charlestown, in the old Massachusetts Colony. The land was fairly bought of the Indians who were well disposed towards the whites. The township was once very large and embraced the territory now included within its own limits and those of Milton, Canton, Stoughton, Sharon, and Foxborough. Its eastern extremity is washed by Boston harbor, and its fertile hills present beautiful building sites, which command a view of the islands and waters at the head of Massachusetts Bay. Two islands belong to the town one of which is inhabited.

Dorchester contains an iron and cotton factory and several paper and other mills, on Neponset River, which has here five dams over it. The northeast part of the town is settled with considerable compactness, and includes Savin Hill, a place of resort from Boston during the summer season. There are many country mansions and well cultivated farms, which greatly increase the natural beauty of the town.

To what difficulty has it given rise? What is the population of Dedham ?

When was Dorchester settled? How was the land obtained? What was once the size of the town? What is said of the eastern extremity of the town? What mills and factories are there in the town? Which part of the