William Wood's Description of Salem (Naumkeag), circa 1629-1630.

Four miles northeast from Saugus lieth Salem, which stands on the middle of a neck of land very pleasantly, having a south river on the one side and a north river on the other side. Upon this neck where the most of the houses stand is very bad and sandy ground, yet for seven years together it hath brought forth exceeding good corn by being fished but every third year; in some places is very good ground, and good timber, and diverse springs hard by the seaside. Here likewise is store of fish, as basses, eels, lobsters, clams, etc. Although their land be none of the best, yet beyond these rivers is a very good soil, where they have taken farms and get their hay and plant their corn. There they cross these rivers with small canoes which are made of whole pine trees, being about two foot and a half over, and twenty foot long. In these likewise they go afowling, sometimes two leagues to sea. There be more canoes in this town than in all the whole patent, every household having a water horse or two. This town wants an alewife river, which is a great inconvenience. It hath two good harbors, the one being called Winter, and the other Summer Harbors, which lieth within Derby's Fort, which place if it were well fortified might keep ships from landing of forces in any of those two places.