594    RIVERS    IN    NEW-HAMPSHIRE.

Henniker and north-westerly part of Deering, whence it passes east-
erly and southerly, through Weare, into Goffstown, where it receives
a considerable tributary coming from Lyndehorough and Frances-
town, through New Boston ; thence it pursues a south-easterly
course, and joins the Merrimack iu the south-westerly part of Man-
chester, at a point formerly called Piscataquog village. It is a rap-
id stream, and affords some valuable water power.

Rowow River takes its principal source in Great and County
ponds, in Kingston, and passes over the south-west part of East
Kingston iuto South Hampton, thence into Amesbury, Massachu-
setts, and falls into the Merrimack betweeen Salisbury and Ames-
bury. It furnishes some valuable water power at Amesbury Mills.

Red Hill River has its source in a pond in the town of Sandwich,
thence running southerly it falls into the Winnipiseogee lake, in
Moultonborough.

Saco River ranks as one of the largest in New-England, but its
rapid descent from the Mountains to the Ocean, renders it not nav-
igable to any extent. It springs from three sources in the White
Mountains ; the branch issuing from the south-west side of the
mountains, near the old Crawford House, and passing through the
notch, is considered the main stream. The Saco at the Crawford
House, is nearly 1,903 feet above tide water at Biddeford, Maine.
Next to this is the middle or Rocky Branch, and beyond is the
branch called Ellis’ River. These two branches join the main
branch (or Saco) in Bartlett; thence it pursues a southerly course
to the western part of Conway, thence easterly through the town,
and passes into Maine, thence south-easterly through Maine, and
discharges its waters into Saco Bay, after a course of 160 miles. It
receives the waters of Swift River, coming from Waterville, through
Albany to Conway, and Ossipee River, flowing from Ossipee Lake
nto Maine, near Hiram. As it passes out of the State, it is from
ten to twelve rods wide, with a rapid current. Owing to the rapid
rush of waters down the mountain steeps, in time of heavy rain
storms this river, in Conway, has been known to rise thirty feet in
twenty-four hours. It drains a basin of nearly 380,000 acres, which
flows from the who e or part of fifteen towns and locations.

Smith's River rises from several ponds in Grafton and Orange;
thence pursuing an easterly course through Danbury, the southern
part of Alexandria and passes into the Pemigewasset, between Bris-
tol and Hill.