dangerous but unendurable.

After a ride up hill and down over a winding road skirted by forest
trees on either hand, we were left in the woods at the foot of a steep
hill. The remainder of our way was by a path of the most primitive
nature, something, we should judge, like that of the native Pawtuckets,
with the exception of the rapid ascent, for the natives were wiser than
we in laying out their highways, for they avoided both hills and swamps.
Shortly we found ourselves in the immediate vicinity of Dungeon Rock,
which is situated on the summit of a granite-capped eminence overlooking
the surrounding country. Quite a concourse of people had assembled on
this occasion, apparently to spend the day and have a "good time"
generally. We should have said before that this is considered a kind of
Mecca for those who hold to the Spiritual faith. There are several
buildings which seem to have been dropped down without much order, and a
large platform furnished with plank seats. An entertainment had been
furnished, though for what purpose or by whom we knew not. There was
some fine singing, in solos, duets, and quartettes, and a slender little
girl showed a good lip, large lungs, and nimble fingers on a silver
cornet, out of which she fired repeated volleys of sputtering jigs at
the overelated spectators.

Lynn's first historian, who dealt somewhat in tradition, among other
things, says, in substance, "early in 1658, on a pleasant evening, a
little after sunset, a small vessel was seen to anchor near the mouth of
the Saugus River. A boat was presently lowered from her side, into which
four men descended and moved up the river a considerable distance, when
they landed and proceeded directly into the woods. They had been noticed
by only a few individuals; but in those early times, when the people
were surrounded by danger and easily susceptible of alarm, such an