Ill 



and, to secure shelter for themselves, they erected a house which they 

 called "Mason Hnll." The fishery and fur trade engaged their whole 

 attention to the exclusion of agriculture ; and, during the seven yeara 

 succeeding their arrival, they completed but three or tour buildings. 



Gorges and Mason soon became sole owners of Laconia; for their 

 associates, discouraged by the continual demands upon them without 

 returns ior the capital invested, relinquished their shares. But Gorges 

 and Mason did nothing to change the original designs of the first pat- 

 entees. They formed no government; they merely employed men to 

 fish and trade for them, without erecting any tribunals whatever to pro- 

 tect their own interests or the rights of others. 



Finally, Laconia was divided into two colonies. To Gorges was 

 assigned, in his own right, the region east of the Piscataqua, to which 

 he gave the name of Maine; and to Mason the territory on tlie west- 

 erly side of that river, which, in honor of the county in which he lived 

 in England, he called New Hampshire. 



Mason was bred a merchant, but became an officer in the British 

 navy, and in that capacity had resided at Newfoundland as one of tlie 

 governors of that island, of the description spoken of in the second part 

 of this report. He was, therefore, personally acquainted with the man- 

 agement of a fishery. In his sentiments he was so unlike the I'uritans 

 of the time as to anxiously desire the introduction of the feudal system 

 of lords and serfs into his domain of New Hampshire. This was his 

 darling plan, and he put his fortune at stake and sacrificed his all to 

 accomplish it. t^uch was the founder of Portsmouth, and of the State 

 of which it is the commercial capital.* 



The history of industry upon the sea, for the century and a half that 

 New Hampshire remained an English colony, is bri^f and without 

 events of particular interest. In 1632 Mason wrote from London to 

 his agent Gibbens, on the Piscataqua, that "the adventurers here have 

 been so discouraged by reason of John Gibbs's ill dealing in his fishing 

 voyage, as also by the small returns sent hither by Captain Neale, Mr. 

 Herbert, or any of their factors, as that they have no desire to proceed 

 any further until Captain Neale come hither to confer with thein, that, 

 by conference with him, they may settle things in better order." 

 Again, in the same letter he remarks that "we desire to have our fish- 

 ermen increased, whereof we have written to Mr. Godfrey." In July, 

 1G33, Gibbens said, in a communication to his employers, that '^for 

 your fishing you complain of Mr. Gibbs. A Londoner is not for fishing, 

 neither is there any amity betwixt the west-countryment and them. 

 Bristol or Barnstable is very convenient for your fishing ships. It is 

 not enough to fit out our ships to fish, but they must be sure (God will) 

 to be at their fishing place the beginning of February, and not come 

 to the land when other men have half their voyage." The last letter 

 is apparently a reply to the first, and both show that, after ten years' 

 experience, the fishery was managed without skill, and afforded no 

 profit, while the intimation of Gibbens, relative to the late arrival o 



* He died in 1635. In 1691 his heirs sold their rights to New Hampshire to Samuel Allen. 

 t West countrymen of England. Nearly aU the fishing vessels that came to America were 

 from the west counties. 



