THE CLAM FISHERIES. 585 



It follows, from the nature of the case, that along this northern coast, where foreigners are few, 

 and nearly everybody, however estimable or well to do, works with his hands and is largely con- 

 cerned in fishing and other marine industries, those who "go clamming" suffer no Jess of social 

 respect on account of their humble employment, nor do they deserve to by reason of any more 

 "shiftless" and loose behavior than characterizes the majority of their fellow citizens. I point 

 this out here, because as I advance down the coast into different conditions of society the reader 

 will find a great change in the morale of the clam-digging fraternity. 



4. SOFT-CLAM FISHERY OF MASSACHUSETTS. 



GENERAL REVIEW. Leaving Maine, all the coast of Massachusetts Bay is found to be a highly 

 productive region for soft clams, and an immense trade is supported, centering iu Boston. 



The abundance of clams was a matter of great solace and profit to the Puritan colonists, as 

 quaintly expressed chronicles bear witness. For example, it is recorded in the early annals of 

 Plymouth that a good man, in a time of scarcity of food, asked his pastor to dine on clams, and 

 returned thanks that they were permitted " to suck of the treasure hid in the mud." That was 

 surely being jolly under creditable circumstances. In his " New England Canaan," 1632, Thomas 

 Morton mentions among the riches of the New World certain fishes and inollusks, among which 

 our Mya is prominent.* 



The digging of clams is the winter occupation, whenever weather will permit, of all the people 

 who live along the shore and get their living from the sea wherever suitable flats are accessible, 

 and the business is quite as high in repute and remunerative as the fishing. It has changed but 

 little in its general features since described in "Peter Gott, the Cape Ann fisherman," as practiced 

 twenty-five years ago on the Ipswich Banks : 



"When the tide is out, on pleasant winter days, one will often see gangs of ten, twenty, or 

 fifty men and boys busily employed iu turning up the mud on the flats, and picking up the clams 

 into buckets. The implement which they use is a stout fork, with three flat prongs, each about an 

 inch wide and 10 or 12 inches long. The men go out on the flats in wherries, when the tide is 

 retiring, and push an oar into the mud and make fast the boat to it, and as soon as the water has 

 left the boat commence operations. When a bucket is filled it is emptied into the boat. They 

 continue their work until the tide comes in again sufficiently to float the boat, when they pull to 

 the wharf. 



" On many places on the shores of these flats there are groups of small huts, 10 or 12 feet 

 square, with stone chimneys running up on the outside, furnished within with a small stove and 

 two or three stools for seats. The clams are deposited in these huts, and in those parts of the day 

 when the tide is in, so that the men cannot work out on the flats, and in stormy weather they are 

 employed iu shocking them, as it is called, that is, iu opening the shell and taking out the clam, 

 which is done with a small, stout knife. As the clams are taken from the shell they are dropped 

 into a bucket; \vheu the bucket is filled they are emptied into a barrel. Around these huts it is 

 not uncommon to see heaps of clam shells larger than the huts themselves, the accumulations of 

 a winter's labor. The clam diggers sell the produce of their labor to traders, who send their 



*Morton says: Mnstles there are infinite store. I have often gon to Wassaguscus, where were excellent Mustles 

 to eate (for variety) the fish is so fat and large. 



( 'lames is a shell-fish, which I have scene sold iu Westminster for 12 pe. the skore. These our swine feede upon ; 

 and nf them there is no want, every shore is full, it makes the swine proove exceedingly, they will not faile at low 

 water to be with them. The Salvages are much taken with the delight of this fishe ; and are not cloyed (notwith- 

 standing the, plenty) lor our swine we finde it a good commodity. 



K'aser fishes then; are. 



Freeles there are, Cockles and Seal lopes and divers other sorts of Sholl-fishe, very good foode. 



