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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