130 



clearly before him, and he hearkened unto me, and was v^ise enovgh 

 to put. it in practice. He first sent a small cargo to Barba^does. 



" He soon found he increased his stock, built vessels, and sent the fish 

 to Europe, anci prospered in the trade to the enriching of himself; and 

 some oi' his fuiiily, by carrying on the trade, have arrived at large es- 

 tates. The moie promising young men of the town soon followed his 

 example; that now* we have between thirty and Ibrty ships, brigs, 

 snows, and topsail schooners, engaged in foreign trade. From so small 

 a beginning the town has risen into its present Hom"ishing circumstances, 

 and we need no foreigner to transport our fish, but are able ourselves 

 to send it all to the market/' He relates, also, that the "public ways 

 were vastly mended;" that the manners of the people haci greatly im- 

 proved; that "we have many gentlemanlike and polite families;" 

 and that " the very fishermen scorn the rudeness of the former genera- 

 tion." I may add, as the contribution of another pen, thai ^Ir. Barnard 

 .so zealously studied the " mystery" of naval architecture, as to acquire 

 great skill ; and that " several of his draughts, the amusement of 

 leisure hours, were commended by master ship-builders/' He was 

 faithful in the performance of his clerical duties ; and besides be- 

 stowing much in common charities, generally supported two boys at 

 school. He was eminent for his learning and piety; was distinguished 

 amonc; the divines of America of the last century; and in his ohl asje 

 was regarded " as the father of the churches." " His form was re- 

 markably erect, and he never bent under the infirmity of years. His 

 countenance was grand, his mien majestic, and there was dignity in his 

 whole deportment." The "north church" in Boston was built lor 

 him, and he preached the dedication sermon, expecting to be ordained, 

 in accordance with a mutual agreement; but he was supplanted by 

 another candidate, who possessed the favor of Cotton Mather. " Of this 

 transaction he could not speak with calmness to the day of his death." 

 He served the people of Marblehead upwards of fifty years, and de- 

 serves their kind remembrance in all coming time. Let our fishermen 

 everywhere take courage. With such benefactors in the past, there 

 must be hope in the future, cheerless to them as seems the present. 



We return to the year 1714, near which time the first vessel of the 

 class called schooner was built at Gloucester, by Andrew Robinson. 

 The account is well confirmed, and in substance is that having masted 

 and rigged a vessel in a manner unknown either in Europe or America, 

 and to his own fancy, a b3'standcr at the launch exclaimed, as she 

 started from the stocks, " Oh, how she scoonsT^ And that Robinson 

 replied, " A schooner let her he^ Thus recent is the appearance of this 

 description of vessel on the fishing grounds, and in the coasting trade. 



Of the perils attending the pursuit of the cod on the coasts frecjuented 

 by the people of Massachusetts during the period of French power, 

 and of warfare with the native tribes, a general view has been given 

 in the first part of this report, and a particular case of Indian hostility 

 has been recorded here.t We may now notice an occurrence in 172G, 



* This autobiography bears date at Marl)lohead, November 14, 1766, and is to be fouud in 

 the Collections oftlHs Massnchu.si'tts Historical Societ}'. 

 tXhe cayture of the twenty vessels in J 677, 



