HISTOEICAL REFERENCES: MASSACHUSETTS. 695 



SALEM. 



EARLY HISTORY OF SALEM FISHERIES. The early history of the fisheries of this plan 1 , dating back to the 

 beginning of the seventeenth century, may bo best learned by a careful examination of various extracts bearing on 

 this subject, taken chiefly from the Essex Institute Historical Collections and from Kelt's History of Salem. 



First are given some remarks on the commerce of .Salem by Mr. Heorge F. rheevcr. These remarks apply to 

 Salem between 1626 and 1740. 



"The trade or commerce of Salem most probably dates back to, or even prior to, the settlement of the place. 

 Adventurers to this western coast, after fish and furs, may have traded with the Xaumkeags ere Couant and his asso- 

 ciates settled here [in 162(>]. To judge from the testimony of Brackenbury, Dixey, and Woodbcry (Salem Records, 

 Registry of Deeds, Vol. 5, pages 103 to 107), the early planters were on the best terms with the native Indians in Salem, 

 and thus had the opportunity of trading with them ; ami the Cape Ann settlement had boats, which were doubtless 

 used for fishing, aud very probably trading, along the coast. As that settlement was originally iutended as a plant- 

 ing, trading, and fishing one, it is most likely that lish and furs were both sought Irom Salem, as from the vicinity ; 

 the search for both these articles beiug then common to adventurers to this western coast. * 



" The Home Company begin their trade with Salem aud vicinity in Hi2S. They send over wilh Endicott certain 

 goods to traffic wiih the natives fo* beaver, otter, aud other furs, and in 1629 he is ordered to send home to the com- 

 pany, in London, two or three hundred firkins of sturgeon aud other h'sh. * 



"lu 1029 \ve find the Home Company sending into Salem sis ship-builders, of whom Robert Moulton is chief, 

 aud two coopers aud cleavers of timber, the last to prepare staves for return cargo, ai_d that they order three shal- 

 lops to be built in Salem, doubtless for fishing purposes. It is most probable that these shallops, if ever built, were 

 built upon the Neck, near or upon Winter Island, which was used for the fisheries and ship-building from the very 

 commencement of the town. Judging from what is said of the shallop in the New England Voyages, in the Mass. Hist. 

 Coll., of what Prince a-ud Bradford say, and the comparison Hutchiusou makes between the fishing shallops of 17 W 

 and the fishing schooners then employed, the shallop of New England was of;en a decked boat of from 10 to 20 

 tons. * * " 



"The early, the long continued, the staple trade of Salem, was the fisheries. We see indeed some of her sous from 

 ItiGO to 16C8 engaged in the beaver aud peltry trade, once valuable, but this was almost extinct iu 1688, aud at that 

 time the fisheries, whale aud other, were as productive as ever. The harbor aud rivers of Salem swarmed with fish, 

 among which cod aud bass were very plenty. So plentiful were they that they were used for manure up to 16:!ii, 

 when the general court forbid it. Great favor was early shown the fishcrmeu iu Massachusetts by law, such as 

 freedom from taxation on their stock and lish, aud from military duty while engaged in their occupation. The early 

 foreign trade, that is, imports of the colony, seems, during the first few years, to have been iu the hauds or power 

 either of the Home Company or the government of the colony, as representing either them or the colonists; but it is 

 doubtful if this policy ever extended over the fisheries, or, if so, it must have been for a very short period. The fish- 

 eries were considered so important that, as early as 10o5, the general court appoint a committee to impress men who 

 shall unload salt when it arrives. This is evidently, in a good pait, owing to the value of the salt for the fisheiics. 

 They were not hampered with the early restrictions imposed ou foreign imports, so far as we can find, aud soou 

 became profitable. After the colonists had built their houses, cleared their lauds, established their common rights, 

 raised enough to help support life, either in graiu or animals, and somewhat settled down; their attention was more 

 particularly devoted to the fisheries. [Massachusetts could not well have exported much graiu before 1640, whatever 

 she may have exported in fish, since iu 1637 there were only thirty-seven plows iu the whole colony, says Graham, 

 the most of them beiug iu Lynn.] It seems most probable that a certain class of men, however, devoted themselves 

 in Salem almost exclusively to this business [fisheries], and from the commencement of the town. Winter Island 

 was their headquarters. They obtained the use of certain lots on the island, and certain common rights adjacent, and 

 ibis island continued to be used by fishermen until and after a division of the common lauds, about 171-1. It was 

 then expressly reserved by the commoners for the fisheries, as it had ever been before. This reservation, moreover, 

 was of a great common right, viz, the free use of this island for fishing purposes ; since the fee seems, as a i.cueral 

 rule, never to have left the town like other Brants. Those who built houses, fish-houses, warehouses, and wharves on 

 i his island, only gaiued an usufructuary right for the time being. Yet this island has seen a busy fishing population 

 gathered upon it, aud as late as 17ol there were conveniences upon the Xi'ck, which, in all probability, means this 

 island, for forty vessels and their fares. All this is now a tale of the past. Indeed, just before 1700, this island was 

 a still busier scene iu all probability, as Salem scut out over sixty fishing ketches of from 20 to 40 tous, which evi- 

 dently discharged their cargoes in Salem, and most likely on the commou ground or land for the fishermen. In I'M) 

 Baker's and Misery Islands were both set apart by Ihe general court for the free use of fishermen, aud were' probably 

 intended to be especially used by the Salem, ai.d perhaps Marbleliead, fishermen. From the year 1629 to 1740, or 

 thereabouts, Winter Island seems to be the headquarters of the Salem fishing trade, aud that trade itself seems to 

 have been our staple trade down to a much later period, eveu to the American Revolution, and the great change of 

 trade consequeut upon it." ' 



From the annexed statement of Mr. G. C. Strcater may be gathered some idea of the luxuriance of the Salem 

 waters iu 16oO : 



"SATURDAY, JUNE 12, l(i::o. 



"Governor John Wiulhrop and his companions, on board the Arbella, aud with the noble lady Arbclla on board, ap- 

 proached Salem Harbor. * After a short sojourn, Governor Winthrop wrote home to his wife, who remained 



'Essex Institute Hist. Coll., vol. i, pp. 67-74. 



