46 THE FISHERIES OF THE UNITED STATES. 



southern shore, and in all parts of Narraganset. It is highly esteemed on account of its hardiness. Wonderful 

 stoiies are told of the cold and heat, drought and exposure, water too salt and water too fresh, which it has survived 

 and prospered under. There is no difficulty about selling to planters all that can be raised, and the present high 

 prices are due to the rivalry which has been brought about between buyers. The vessels which come to carry it 

 away are small sloops and schooners, of 30 or 40 tons, which carry from 300 to 1,000 bushels. JSTone, I think, is sent 

 anywhere by rail. Starfishes, nowadays, are few in Taunton river; but the borers, TIrosalpinx cinereus, are growing 

 more and more numerous and troublesome. 



Culture and protection in Swansea, Massachusetts. — After leaving Taunton river, therefore, pointing 

 westward, the first point at which oysters of any commercial consequence are met with, is in Coles river, which 

 flows into Mount Hope bay, almost on the boundary between Massachusetts and Ehode Island. It was known long 

 ago that oysters had inhabited this stream, and also Lee's river, near by, and immense dead shells are occasionally 

 brought to light, but it had almost been forgotten, until a few years ago, when there was suddenly discovered near 

 the mouth of the inlet a large bank of living oysters of fine quality. Everybody at once rushed to rake them up, 

 evading or discarding the special law enacted in 1867 for the protection of the oyster-beds in these very rivers, and 

 which I condense herewith : 



Section 1. Defines the scope of the act — Cole's and Lee's rivers, town of Swansea. 



Sec. 2. Penalties — fine of $5 to |50. 



Sec. 3. Any householder, an inhabitant of Swansea, may take for family use two bushels a month ; but selectmen may give a written 

 permit for a larger quantity. 



Sec. 4. The town of Swansea * * * shall have the exclusive right to and control of the residue of the oyster-fisheries in Cole's river 

 and in Lee's river, within its limits, and the selectmen « » * shall have the right, fi-om time to time, to sell to any person, at public or 

 private sale, for any term not exceeding five years, the privilege of taking oysters from their beds therein * * *, under such regulations as 

 they may in writing permit and designate. But at any legal meeting, called for the puriiose, the town may, by vote, direct the limit and 

 extent to which the selectmen shall thereafter exercise the powers herein conferred. 



Sec. 5. The town may recover treble damages against offenders under this act. 



Sec. 6. Any deputy-sheriff, constable or selectman may arrest and detain persons found offending. 



Sec. 7. Any boat or vehicle containing oysters from Cole's or Lee's river in violation of this act, may be seized awaiting regular 

 process of law (described in the context). 



Sec 8. Preserves the right to grant licenses for oyster-cultiure, and also Indians' rights. 



The result of this onslaught was, that two or three seasons of it nearly extirpated the colony, and the few to be 

 obtained now are only got by hard effort on the part of a few professional river-men, who peddle them in the 

 neighborhood, or take them to Fall Eiver. 



The extensive banks and tide-flats of this river, however, have long abounded in young oysters, which were 

 buried by the digging for clams, which is extensively carried on here, or frozen by the winter weather, so that few, 

 if any, survived, and none to speak of were gathered. Lately a large gravel-bank has been thrown up by the 

 changed currents against the pier of the railway-bridge, and the number of infant mollusks attached to the 

 IJcbbles here became so great as to attract the attention of Providence oystermen, who have created a demand for 

 this seed. It is therefore gathered and sold now, about 1,000 bushels, it is estimated, having been collected during 

 1879. Tliis is hardy, of good shape, and produces a round and remarkably fine oyster. Some attempts have been 

 made at Cole's river to plant and rear its own oysters, and the town granted areas for this purpose, but thej' have 

 not been successful thus far. Litigation has resulted, in several cases, from a clashing of alleged rights, and 

 anchor-frost and starfishes, or drifting sand, have done the rest. I fear it is not a favorable locality for this purjiose. 



Of Lee's river there is nothing to be said. 



Statistical recapitulation for Taunton and Cole's rivers: 



Number of planters (not counted elsewhere) 10 



Extent of producing area acres.. 13 



Number of men employed (a few days in spring) 400 



Value of shore property and ciiltch $5,000 



Number of boats employed 250 



Value of same $5,000 



Annual sales of native oysters bushels.. 52,000 



Value of same $23,000 



E. COASTS OF RHODE ISLAND. 



18. LEGAL EEGULATIONS OF EHODE ISLAND OYSTEEFISHEET. 



Origin and history of the oyster-law. — When the people of " The Colony of Ehode Island and the 

 Providence Plantations" felt themselves sure of future stability, they applied to the king, Charles II, to grant 

 them a charter, which he graciously did in the year 1683. This charter was a wonderful document for those days, 

 because of the well-nigh perfect liberty it embraced, and its hospitality to every conscientious belief, whatever the 

 name of the religious banner it rallied under. Among the pri\ileges and liberties it insisted upon was the right 



