Place Names

In the Middlesex folls some good old colonial names are preserved, liko Jinglejerry liill aud Sbülyshally brook. Spot pond was nunied by Governor Winthrop, wlio diseovered it iu tbo winter, because of the many rocks that ] gliowed throngli the ice and spotted tbo surface. Powderborn hill in Chelsea is said to have been boughfc frorn the Indiaus for a liorui'ul of powder. The fact of raisfortuno to divers imknown persous - wbetfaer trivial or great does not aijpear - finds a record in Bad Lnck brook and gwamp in Rehoboth, Bad Luck rnountain iu Granville and Bad Luck pond in Douglas. ïhere niay I be sorae associatiou between Burncoat brook and pond in Leicester and Spencer and Burnsbirt river, likewisein Worcester county. Drinkwater river ia a felicitóos name for a strearu of good water. It is in Hanover, and possibly there may bave been a faniily of that name in the neighborhood. Strong Water brook in Tewksbury has quite different associatious. Sought For pond, iu Westford, suggests a long and baffled quest for tho spot through tbo wilderness in the olden days. One of the Jeast euphonious of names is Skug river in Essex and Middlesex counties. It is worthy a placo among sucb lïnglish names as Wormwood Scrubs, a pirk in Loudon. The legend abont tho names of the group of islands on the sonth coasc presents au instance of how fanoied resem - blances give ri.=o to stories.' It is related that these islands once belonged to a man with four danghters. To Nancy, the oldeet, the father gave tbe first choice, and the fact that "Nan took it" is recorded iu the name of Niiutucket, the island she selected. Nautncket, of conrse, is in reality au Indias name. Martha's Vineyard aud the Elizabetb islands went to Martha and Elizabeth, respectively, whilefor thefourth daughter, whose name has been lost to memory, there was uotliing leftbuttiie most remóte and undesirable of the group, which was aalled No Mau's Laud, beoause its owner was a woruan. The Elizabeth islands, iu fact, were named for Queen Elizabeth by Bartholomew Gosnold, their discov irer, wbose uarne bas been eiven to ' town that, prises theni.