RHODE ISLAND: THE OYSTER INTERESTS. 289 



springs iii it, supplying constant fresh water. In Bullock's Cove 13 acres arc taken up by two 

 men; but the ground at Bullock's Point (239 acres) is held by twelve lessees. 



At Sabine's Point, just above, there is only one owner, whose tract of 04 acres lies in a crescent 

 between the light-house and the point. Just north, a single acre is let at Poniham Rocks; and 

 beyond, at Fuller's Rocks, 9 acres arc divided among four persons. This brings us to Field's Point, 

 on the western side, the northern limit of oyster-culture, and a scene of considerable operations, 23 

 acres being under lease to nine persons. South of Field's Point the river widens suddenly, but the 

 channel hugs the opposite (eastern) shore, leaving extensive shallows all along the western shore. 

 Southward from Field's Point to Starvegoat Island (familiarly condensed into Stargut Island) runs 

 a reef which is pretty nearly dry everywhere at lowest tide. This reef was among the earliest tracts 

 taken up by the veteran oystermau, Robert Pettis. When, about 1801, the starfishes were depop- 

 ulating the beds all over the bay, he alone was so situated that he could get at them at low tide 

 and destroy them, and his good luck was the occasion of great profit to him. At Starvegoat Island 

 the beds now operated are 27 acres in extent. 



There were formerly natural oysters growing abundantly all over this part of the river; but 

 the main deposit was just south of Starvegoat Island, in the center of the tract of 100 acres, now 

 known to oystermen as Great Bed. This in old times was the great scene of oyster-raking, and it 

 is more than thirty years since these beds were wholly exhausted. Once in a while then they used 

 to get a few enormous specimens from there, and peddle them about town at 10, 15, and 20 cents 

 each; but even these disappeared long ago. The owners on this bed arc no less than twenty-one 

 in number, and at Patuxeut 03 acres more are taken up by five men. 



At Gaspe Point, 10 acres, and at Cauimicut Point, GO acres, both being in a little salter and 

 deeper water than any of the rest, complete the list of plantations, except 1 acre in "Wickford Harbor 

 and another at Westerly. 



In former years beds grew naturally clear up to the city of Providence, and oysters were even 

 found in the "Cove," that pretty circle of water near the railway station, the banks of which have 

 been converted into a park. Now, however, any leasing of ground north of Field's and Kettle 

 Points is impracticable and prohibited, because of the large amount of impurities thrown into the 

 water by the city's drainage. The few beds up there Long Bed, West Bed, Diamond Bed, &c. 

 have, therefore, now been abandoned, and are not couuted, though a few leases have not quite yet 

 expired. 



At its January session, in 1878, the Rhode Island General Assembly passed a resolution enjoin 

 iug the commissioners to visit the Great Salt Pond (also known as Powaget Pond), in Charlestown. 

 It lies on the southern border of the State, and communicates with the open ocean by a narrow 

 inlet, which frequently becomes closed by the shifting of the sand in the autumnal storms. In this 

 pond the spawn of the oyster sets abundantly each year, and grows rapidly until the closing of the 

 breach connecting the pond with the ocean cuts off the daily supply of salt water, which causes 

 the oysters to die in immense quantities. If a permanent connection of this pond with the ocean 

 could be secured, the natural oysters, which are of excellent quality, could be grown with great 

 success, and large quantities of seed-oysters could be obtained for stocking the oyster-beds of Nar. 

 ragansett Bay. 



Such was the report of the examining committee, and such is the opinion of the people gen- 

 erally. Accordingly, the legislature appropriated 81,500 to defray the expense of constructing a 

 sort of riprap wall, in such a way that the currents and waves should help to keep the breach open, 

 instead of closing it, and so maintain a constant iuflux and efflux of sea- water. This work is not 

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