August Belmont’s engineer found quicksand in the borings when he began
his survey. He was about to write a report to his boss and recommend
that he save his money. But another engineer whose heart was in the
Canal dream argued warmly that the quicksand was confined to the
center and not over the entire bed of the proposed canal. A glacier
had ploughed its way into the waters of Cape Cod Bay, cutting a furrow
through the valley between Sandwich and Buzzards Bay.
The quicksand came of this glacier, declared this authority, and he
added it was not general enough to be a serious detriment. His advice
was taken, he was proved correct, and Belmont’s engineer submitted a
report that was favorable.
On the south bank of the Canal, in Bourne, is a replica of the trading
post, “Aptucxet”, which rests on the very foundation stones that were
laid in 1627. Here the first business between New York and Eastern
Massachusetts was carried on by the Pilgrims who then were intent upon
getting money together to settle with their backers in London who had
financed their voyage to the New World.
Meanwhile, Governor Bradford was observing the Indians paddle their
canoes up Manomet River, then portage them over a stretch of land to
Scusset Creek and finally navigate on into Cape Cod Bay. It caused him
to think of the advantage of having a Cape Cod Canal.