40 THE FISHERIES OF THE UNITED STATES. 



A bed at Eam's island, on the sand, in three to five feet of water, "opened handsome," while only a few yards away 

 oysters on a muddy bottom were of poor quality and size. 



There have been about $17,000 invested in oyster-culture in this town, but I believe the whole matter could be 

 bought now for $10,000. Perhaps 5,000 bushels, aU told, have been disposed of annually for the last three or four 

 years, at $1 a bushel or gallon. 



Nattjeal beds in Sandwich. — Crossing over now to the eastern head of the bay (since there is nothing to 

 be noticed south of Marion on the west, except a little later at New Bedford), I have to report an extensive industry. 

 The Cohasset river divides the town of Wareham from the adjacent township of Sandwich, its neighbor on the 

 south and east. Flowing into Buzzard's bay from this Sandwich side are several rivers, and the shore is indented 

 with numerous inlets and shallow ponds. Nearly all of these inlets were found by the earliest colonists occui)ied by 

 beds of natural oysters, and most of these beds are still living and supplying seed for cultivation. That the Indians 

 used the oysters extensively is shown, not only by tradition and analogy, but by abundant traces of former feasts in 

 the shape of shell-heaps. Some account of the oysters of this region more recently, is accessible in a letter from 

 Dr. J. B. Forsyth, wiitten in 1840, to Dr. A. A. Gould, and printed in the first edition of the latter's Invertebrates 

 of Massachusetts. Dr. Forsyth says that the aged men of the vicinity assured him that oysters had never been 

 brought there from abroad up to that time (1840) ; that they grew so abundantly everywhere along the Sandwich 

 shores " that at low water you could at almost any point procure a bucketfnll of them from the rocks". Dr. Forsyth 

 also mentions Wareham as an oyster-locality. There was then a statute prohibiting a man from taking more than 

 two bushels at one time for his own use, and forbidding their being carried out of town. " The oysters," says the 

 writer, " are generally collected by a few men, who bring them to the village and dispose of them at 50 cents a bushel 

 for their trouble; and by selling half a bushel or a bushel to an individual the spirit of the statute is not violated. 

 This may be repeated every day, until the desired sup])ly is laid in. "VYhen placed in the cellar and fed fiom time to 

 time with a little meal and water, they will sometimes keep good for months." 



Culture and legislation on Monument river. — Buzzard's bay is the new name for the railway station 

 on the Old Colony line, known to all the people about there as Cohasset Narrows, because it is upon the narrowest 

 part of the neck of the iieninsula of Cape Cod. The river flowing down past Buzzard's bay station is the Monument, 

 a clear, broad stream, up and down which the tide rushes with great force. " Wild" native oysters inhabited this 

 stream, but had been pretty nearly exhausted by constant raking, when the attention of the town-authoi'ities of 

 Sandwich was called to the matter, a few years ago. They caused a survey of this and the various other oyster- waters 

 of the township, and divided them oft' into " grants " of different sizes, according to the character of the bottom, but 

 none less than about an acre and a half in extent. These grants could be taken by any citizen of the town, under 

 certain conditions, upon the jiayment of $2 50. If not improved within a year they reverted to the town. Each 

 grant, as soon as taken, and no matter what the value of the stock upora it, was taxed at a valuation of $50. 



The special state laws passed for the benefit of this new industry, were substantially as follows : 



March 26, 1834. Section 1. If any person sball hereafter take any oysters or other shellfish from their beds, or destroy them 

 therein, in the town of Sandwich, except as is hereinafter provided, he shall forfeit for every bushel of oysters so taken or destroyed, the 

 sum of iive dollars, and for every bushel of other shellfish so taken or destroyed, the sum of three dollars: Provided, however, That the 

 selectmen of said town may give permits in writing to any inhabitant to take shellfish at such times and for such uses as they shall think 

 reasonable and express in such permits, not exceeiling two bushels for one family : Provided, further, That any inhabitant of said town 

 may, without such permit, take one bushel of oysters or other shellfish per week from their beds in said town, for the use of his or her 

 family, from September 1 to June 1, annually. 



Sec. 2. If any boat, wagon, sleigh, or other vehicle, shall be found within the limits of said town with any oysters or other shellfish 

 on board, taken in said town contrary to the provisions of this act, any inhabitant may seize and detaiu the same, not exceeding forty- 

 eight hours, in order that the same, if need bo, may be attached by due process of law to answer the said fines and forfeitures, with costs 

 of suit : Provided, hou-ever, That as soon as the owner or master of any such vessel, boat or craft, cart, wagon, sleigh, or other vehicle, shall 

 pay said fines and forfeitures without suit to the treasurer of said town, such vehicle shall be discharged, with the effects therein. 



Sec. 3. If any person or persons, residing in Sandwich, shall assist any person belonging to any other town, in t.akiug any of the fish 

 aforesaid, or shall supply them therewith, he shall forfeit for every bushel of oysters so taken five dollars, and for every bushel of other 

 shellfish three dollars, and the purchaser or purchasers, knowing them to be unlawfully taken, shall be subject to the like forfeitures. 



Sec. 4. All persons not otherwise disqualified shall be competent witnesses in any prosecution upon this act. 



Sec. 5. All the forfeitures mentioned in this act, not herein otherwise appropriated, shall enure, one half to said town, and the 

 other half to the person or persons giving information, to be recovered by the treasurer of said town in an action of debt, before any 

 justice of the peace for said county of Barnstable, or any court proper to try the same. 



May 15, 18C7. Section 1. Whoever takes any tiysters from Monument river. Sandwich, previous to October 1, 18G8, shall forfeit 

 five dollars for each bu.shol so taken. 



Sec. 2. The inhabitants of the town of Sandwich, at a legal meeting held for the puri^ose, may make regulations concerning the 

 taking of oysters in said river after said first day of October; and whoever takes any oysters from said river contrary to the regulations 

 so made, shall be subject to the same penalties as are provided, in the preceding section.* 



* On Februarj- 26, 1873, a precisely similar regulation was made for Barlow river, Sandwich, to be in efl'ect subsequent to October 1, 

 1874. 



