118 



famous preacher of that town, upon a common stock, together with 

 those that were cominij to make fish, send over sundry persons in 

 order to the carrying- on a plantation at Cape Ann, conceiving that 

 planting on the land might go on equally with fishing on the sea, in 

 those parts of America. j\Ir. John Tylly and Mr. Thomas Gardener 

 were emploj'ed as overseers of that whole business — the first with 

 reference to the fishing, the other with respect to the planting on the 

 main land," &c. 



Holmes, in his American Annals, states that, "the fame of the plan- 

 tation at Plymouth being spread in the west of England, Mr. White, a 

 celebrated minister of Dorchester, excited some merchants and other 

 gentlemen to attempt another settlement in New England. They 



company. Now, it was conceived that, the fishing being ended, the spare men that were above 

 their necessary sailors might be left behind, with provisions for a jcar; and when that ship 

 returned the next year they might assist them in fishing, as they had done the furmer year; 

 and, in the mean time, might employ themselves in building and planting com, which, with the 

 provisions offish, fowl, and venison that the land yudded, would afford them the chief of their 

 food. This proposition of theirs took so well, that it drew on divers persons to join with them 

 in this project; the rather because it was conceived that not only their own fishermen, but the 

 rest of our nation that went thither on the same errand, might be much advantaged, not only 

 by fresh victuals which that colony might spare them in time, but withal, and more, by the 

 benefit of their miui.sters' labors, which they might enjoy during the fishing season; whereas 

 otherwise, being usually upon those voyages nine or ten months in a year, they were left all 

 the while without any means of instruction at all. Compassion towards the fishermen, and 

 partly some expectation of gain, prevailed so far, that for the planting of a colony in New 

 England there was raised a stock of mure than £3,000, intended to be paid in in five years, 

 but afterwards disbursed in a shorter time." 



Such, then, was the oiiginal design. We next have an account of the operations and diasj- 

 ters of the contributors of this fund. "The first employment," continues the writer, "of this 

 new raised stock, was in buying a small ship of fifty tons, which was, with as much speed as 

 might be, despatched towards New England upon a fishing voyage. * * * Now, 



by rea.sou the voyage was undertaken too late, she came at least a month or six weeks later 

 than the rest of the fishing ships that went lor that coast ; and by that means wanting fish to 

 make up her lading, the master thought good to pass into Massachusetts bay, to try whether 

 that would yield him any, which he performed ; and speeding there better than he had reason 

 to expect, having left his spare men behind him in the country at Cape Ann, he returned to 

 a late, and consequently a bad market in Spain, and so home." The loss incurred in this 

 voyage was upwards of £600. 



The company, the next year, bought a "Flemish fly-boat'' of about one hundred and forty 

 tons, which, relates the writer. " being unfit for a fishing voyage, as being built merely for 

 burthen, and wanting lodging for the men which she needed for such an employment, they 

 added unto her another deck, (which seldom proves well with Flemish buildings,) by which 

 means she was carved so high that she proved wait, (craidv.) and unable to bear any sail; so 

 that before she could pass on upon her voyage, they were fain to shift her first, and put her 

 upon a better trim, and afterwards, that proving to little purpose, to unlade her, and take her 

 up and fur her. * * *f ,^u^l when she arrived in the country, being directed by 



the master of the smaller ship, upon the success of his former year's voyage, to fish at Cape 

 Ann, not far from Massachusetts bay, sped very ill, as did also the smaller ship that led her 

 thither, and found little fisli ; so that the greater shi]) returned with little more than a third 

 jiart : f her lading, and came l>ack (contrary to her order, liy whieh she was consigned to Bour- 

 deaux) directly for Hngland; so that the comi)any of adventurers was put to a new charge to 

 hire a small ship to carry that little quantity offish she brought home to market." These two 

 ships left behind them at Cape Ann thirty-two men. In Krio three vessels were employed, 

 but with ccmtinued loss. In ](v2(), the " adventurers were so far discouraged that they aban- 

 doned the further prosecution of this design, and took order for the dissolving of the company 

 on land, and sold away their sliipi)ing and other provisions." 



Most of the fishermen and otlier persons in the adventurers' eraplojTuent at Cape Ann re- 

 turned to England ; " but a few of the most honest and industrious resolved to stay behind, 

 and to take charg<> of the cattle sent over tlu^ year before, wljicii they performed accordingly. 

 And not liking their seat at Cape Ami, chosen especially li»r the supposed commodity of fish- 

 ins, they ir;uis|)orted themselves to Nakuin-Keike, [Salem,] about foui" or five leagues distant 

 to the southwest from Capo Ann." 



