[Illustration: Map of DORCHESTER, BOSTON and CHARLESTOWN, the Three Peninsulas, showing their Bays and Coves, Castle Island, Roxbury and Cambridge.] I. TOPOGRAPHY OF BOSTON. THE ORIGINAL PENINSULA. There is a line of Cowper to the effect that "God made the country, and man made the town;" and there is probably no more striking evidence of the truthfulness of the axiom than is to be found in the history and growth of Boston, between the years 1630 and 1880, confirming in a remarkable manner Capt. Wood's prophecy concerning the town, in 1650: viz., "whose continuall inlargement presages some sumptuous city." The original territory which has formed the basis, so to speak, of Boston proper, was a peninsula, and appeared like two islands, or, by the continued operation of the sea, was likely to become so. Its distinguishing feature was to be found in its three prominent hills, or, perhaps, its two hills and its three-peaked mountain. These were her jewels: they have since represented her fame, her history, her sentiments; for these were all wrapped around them. The peninsula was a point of land projected into the harbor, with a narrow neck connecting it with the mainland, and another narrow place in the vicinity of what is now Dock Square, which was once quite open to the harbor. In length from the south line at Roxbury, it was something less than three miles (two and three-fourths and two hundred and thirty-eight yards). Its width at the widest point, between Wheelwright's wharf (afterwards Rowe's, and now Foster's) to Barton's Point, Leverett Street, was something over one mile, and its circumference about four miles. CURIOUS EARLY DESCRIPTIONS. The first impression of the "island" which has been recorded is that of Anne Pollard, who died in Boston, Dec. 6, 1725, at the age of 105 years, and left over one hundred descendants. She always said that she came over from Charlestown, in 1630, in the first boat that crossed with Gov. Winthrop's party, and, being what might now be called a romping girl for those times, ten years of age, was "the first to jump ashore;" and she afterwards described the place "as being at that time very uneven, abounding in small hollows and swamp, and covered with blueberry and other bushes." We do not think there is any one inclined to dispute this statement, or question its truthfulness.