. The New England magazine. beautiful island. Atthe point where the main buildings arelocated, the land is sixty-five feetabove mean high water. In NathanielBradstreet Shurtleffs Topographicaland Historical Description of Bostonis this quaint description of the island: On the southwest side is (was) asalt water pond of several acres, intowhich once flowed a creek that in an-cient times was dignified by the nameof river. Thompsons Island Bar,which projects towards Squantum, haslong been a noted locality for its deli-cious clams. The form of the island asshown on the charts is very much likethat
. The New England magazine. beautiful island. Atthe point where the main buildings arelocated, the land is sixty-five feetabove mean high water. In NathanielBradstreet Shurtleffs Topographicaland Historical Description of Bostonis this quaint description of the island: On the southwest side is (was) asalt water pond of several acres, intowhich once flowed a creek that in an-cient times was dignified by the nameof river. Thompsons Island Bar,which projects towards Squantum, haslong been a noted locality for its deli-cious clams. The form of the island asshown on the charts is very much likethat of a young unfledged chicken,looking towards the east, the northeastpart representing the head and bill ofthe bird and the bar, which extendstowards Squantum, the legs and feet;the portion of the island where thewharf is situated forms the back. Bykeeping this fanciful form in mind thefigure of the island will be remem-bered. Deep water lies to the northand west, shoal water to the east andsouth. io6 A GOVERNMENT OF INDIAN RELICS FOUND BY THE BOYS ON THOMPSON S ISLAND. The pond to which the historianrefers has now been reclaimed from thesea by means of a dike, along with someother low parts of the island, drained,and converted into grass land. Shurt-leff goes on to say that the first men-tion of this island is found in theColonial Records of Massachusetts of1634-5, in these words: TompsonsIsland is graunted to the inhabitantsof Dorchestr to enjoy to them, theirheires & successors wch shall inhabitethere, foreuer,payeing the yearelyrentof xij d to the tresurer for the timebeing. Dorchester, says Shurtlefr,voted, May 20, 1639, tnat a rent OItwenty pounds a year should becharged for the island, to be paid bythe tenants towards the maintenanceof a school, in Dorchester, this rentto be pajy to such a schoolemaster asshall vndertake to teach English, Lat-ine and other tongues, and also writ-ing. The schoolmaster was to bechosen from time to time by the free-men, but it was le
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