The history of Lynn - Lynn Massachusetts Genealogy Project

HISTOTIY OF LYNN, 237several fine meadows of peat, both fibrous and compact.Thisis a formation of the stems, leaves, and roots of vegetables,more or less decomposed, and intermixed with earth. Themeadows where it is formed, were formerly ponds. It is dugby a kind of long spade, which cuts it into regular solids,about three inches square, and two feet in length. It is thenpiled and dried for fuel, and produces a constant and intenseheat. The cavities whence it is taken are soon filled withwater, and in a series of years, are again stocked with a newformation of peat. A meadow between Orange and Chathamstreets, contains an alluvial deposite of rich, black soil, morethan twelve feet deep. In digging to the depth of three feet,the trunk of a large oak was found ; and at the depth of sixfeet, a stratum of leaves and burnt wood was discovered.The northern part of the town abounds with rocky hills.The principal rocks are porphyry, greenstone, and sienite.Porphyry commences at' Red Rock, near the Long Beach,and passing through the town in a gentle curve, towards thenorthwest, forms a range of hills, including High Rock,Lover's Leap, and Sadler's Rock, andcontinues though Saugus.It is composed of petrosilex, feldspar, and quartz. Itscolor is commonly reddish, in some instances quite red, and inothers brownish or gray. The term, porphyry, is derivedfrom a Greek word, signifying purple. It gives fire with steel,and is susceptible of a high polish. The best specimens areequal in beauty to the porphyry of the ancients. The porphyryof Nahant is of darker color, approaching to black.Specimens of clinkstone porphyry are found, which, whenstruck, give out a metallic sound.Greenstone composes hillsin the eastern part of the town, and is separated from porphyryby Stacey's Brook. It is of a greenish color, composed ofhornblende and feldspar. Sienite is found in the northern partof the town, in Lynnfield, and on Nahant. It is composed offeldspar, hornblende, and quartz, and its color is gray, or reddishwhite. It has its name from Siena, a city of Egypt,whence it was obtained by the ancients, for the purposes of31