of the lake of that name.. The de-
scent of this branch-from the lake to
its junction with the Pemigewasset,
is 232 feet. The confluent stream
bears the name of Merrimack, and
pursues a S. course, 78 miles, to
Chelmsford, Mass.; thence an E.
course, 35 miles, to the sea at New-
buryport. On the N. line of Con-
cord, the Contoocook discharges its
waters into the Merrimack. The
Soucook becomes a tributary in
Pembroke, and/tbe Suncook be-
tween Pembroke and Allenstown.
The PiscataquOg unites in Bedford;
the Souhegan,in Merrimack, and a
beautiful rivdr called Nashua in
Nashua. ThA principal tributaries
are on tbe W\ side of the river,
mostly rising in the highlands be-
tween the Connecticut and Merri-
mack. There are numerous falls
in this river, tbe most noted of
which are Garven’s, in Concord,
the falls in Hooksett, and Amos-
keag in Goffstown and Manchester.
These falls are all rendered passa-
ble by locks, and boat navigation
has for several years been extended
as far as Concord. There are sev-
eral bridges over the Merrimack,
and its principal branches, besides
a number of ferries. The Merri-
mack, whose fountains are nearly
on a level with the Connecticut,
being much shorter in its course,
has a far more rapid descent to the
sea than the latter river. Hence the
intervales on its borders are less ex-
tensive, and the scenery less beau-
tiful, than on the Connecticut. It
is, however, a majestic river; its
waters are generally pure and heal-
thy ; and on its borders are situated
some of the most flourishing towns
in the state. The name of this riv-
er was originally written Merra-
macke and Monnomake, which in
the Indian language signified a
sturgeon. Its width varies from 50
to 120 rods; and at its mouth it pre-
sents a beautiful sheet of half a
mile in width.

Merrimack: County, IV. H.

Concord is the county town.
The county of Merrimack is bound-
ed N. E. by the" county of Straf-
ford, S. E. by the- county of Rock-
ingham, S. W. by the county of
Hillsborough, and N. W. by the
counties of Sullivan and Grafton.

Its greatest length is 38 miles;
its breadth at the broadest part is
26 miles. It contains an area of

506,000 acres. The surface is un-
even, and in some parts rugged
and mountainous; but its general
fertility, is perhaps equal to either
of the other counties in the state.
In the towns of Hopkinton, Henni-
ker, Boscawen, Salisbury, Canter-
bury, Concord, &c., are seen many
extensive and well cultivated farms.
The northerly part of the county is
rough and mountainous. Kearsarge
is the highest mountain, its summit
being 2,461 feet above the level of
the sea. It is composed of a range
of hills, running north and south
about six miles ; its general aspect
is rugged and craggy, excepting
when its roughness is shaded by
the woody covering that darkens its
sides. The Ragged mountains, so
called, from their appearance, lie
northeast of Kearsarge, and be-
tween Andover and Hill. These
are nearly 2,000 feet high at the
north points of the range. Bear’s
Hill, in Northfield, Sunapee moun-
tain, in Newbury, Catamount, in
Pittsfield, and the peak in Hook-
sett, are the other most considerable
elevations. A part of lake Suna-
pee lies in Newbury; and there
are numerous ponds interspersed
throughout the whole territory.

The Merrimack river meanders
through nearly the centre of the
county, and forms the boundary
some distance at the northeastern
part. It receives from tbe west the
Blackwater and Contoocook rivers,
and from the east, Soucook and Sun-
cook, and other smaller streams.