112 



his employers' ships, mn}^ be construed to mean that Enghsh merchants 

 sent their vessels to our coast in mid-winier. 



The colony was indeed in an unpromising condition. For years 

 afterwards there was but little change for the belter. The colonists 

 neglected the soil, and the tliod necessary for their support was ob- 

 tnined in Virginia and England. "Piiscataway," said tlie noted John 

 Underbill, "is a desirable place, and lies in the heart of fishini; ;" and 

 such is the uniform account of the early chroniclers ; but yet, the cap- 

 ital invested there by the original patentees, and by Gorges and Mason, 

 was entirely lost. 



Wintlirop relates that in 1641 a shallop, with eight men, "though 

 forewarned," set sail on the "Lord's day" from Piscataqua, for Pema- 

 quid ; that, driven before a northwest gale, they were absent at sea 

 about fourteen days, but arrived finally at Monhegan, where four of 

 the men perished of cold, and where the smvivors were rescued by 

 a fisherra;in. 



The trade of Portsmouth was of slow gi'owth. The number of 

 vessels that entered the port in 16S1, was forty-nine; but some were of 

 the burden of ten tons, or mere boats, and none were larger than one 

 hundred and fifty tons; while the whole amount of impost or customs 

 collected was less than =£62. A pleasant anecdote of a worthy divine 

 of that town occurs in 1690, which may be here related. This cler- 

 gyman, in speaking of the depravity of the times, is represented to have 

 ihllen into the error of saying to his people, that "they had forsaken the 

 pious habits of their forefathers, who left the ease and comfort which they 

 possessed in their native land, and came to this howling wilderness to 

 enjoy, without molestation, the exercise of their pure principles ot" reli- 

 gion ;" when one of the congregation, interrupting him, rose and replied : 

 "Sir, you entirely mistake the matter; our ancestors did not come here on 

 accotint of their religion, hit to fish mid tradey The hearer, however 

 discourteous, was in the right as to the fact. 



In 171-5, Kittery, opposite to Portsmouth, in Maine, and the seat of an 

 extensive fishery, was made a port of entry in consequence of the im- 

 proper duties and exactions (as was alleged) which the government of 

 New Hampsliire demanded of the merchants and fishermen trading at 

 the towns on the Piscataqua. The difiicultics which caused this mea- 

 sure seem to have occasioned much excitement. Massachus( tts, to se- 

 cure respect to her authority, erected a breast-work northerly of Kittery 

 Point, and laid a platform sufficient to mount six guns; appiinted a 

 naval officer and notary ; and ordered the masters of fishmg and of 

 other vessels, as well as other persons transacting business on the river, 

 to pay into her treasuiy, imports, powder-monc}', and other duties, as 

 stipulated by her laws. 



An answer was framed to inquiries of the Lords of Trade and Plan- 

 tations, in 1730, which shows that the commerce of Portsmouth was 

 still small. The exports were stated to be "fish and lumber;" the num- 

 ber of vessels was only five, of about five hundred tons in the aggregate ; 

 and the tonnage of vessels trading there, owned elsewhere, even less. 

 "The province," it was said, "makes use; of cdl sorts of Bruish manu- 

 factures, amounting to about ^5,000 sterling annually, which are had 

 principally Irom Loston." "The trade to other plantations" was to 



