White Mountains, New Hampshire
These mountains are situated in the county of Coos, in the north part of the state. They extend about 20 miles from S.W. to N.E., and are the more elevated parts of a range extending many miles in that direction. Their base is about 10 miles broad and their central latitude is 44° 15' N., and 71° 20' W. longitude.
The Indian name of thse mountains, according to Dr. Belknap, is Agiocochook. An ancient tradition prevailed among the savages, that a deluge once overspread the land, and destroyed every human being, except a single powow and his wife, who sheltered themselves in these elevated regions, and thus preserved the race from extermination. The fancy of the natives peopled this mountain with beings of a superior rank, who were invisible to the human eye, but sometimes indicated their presence by tempests, which they were believed to control by absolute authority. The savages, therefore, never attempted to ascend the summit, deeming the attempt perilous and success impossible. But they frequented the defiles and environs of the mountain, and of course propagated many extravagant descriptions of its appearance; declaring, among other things equally credible, that they had seen carbuncles at immense heights, which, in the darkness of night, shone with the most brilliant and dazzling splendor.
President Alden states, that the White mountains were called by one of the eastern tribes Waumbekketmethna: Waumbekket signifies white, and methna, mountains.
