172 History of Hingham. 



were either hauled up in the town dock or safely moored out of 

 the enemy's reach at Broad Cove. Owing to frequent excursion 

 parties from the enemy's cruisers, which lay just outside of Boston 

 Light, there was but little traffic between here and Boston by 

 water. Occasionally, however, when a favoring breeze offered, 

 one or two of our fast-sailing packets would accept these chances, 

 and they were always successful. The new sloop " Washington," 

 afterwards a packet, was hauled off the ways before being com- 

 pleted for fear of what might happen. She was taken up Wey- 

 mouth Back River after dark and concealed in one of its numerous 

 inlets. 



After the contention for " Free Trade and Sailors' Rights " with 

 the mother country had been satisfactorily adjusted, the fishing 

 business again received attention ; and from the fourteen vessels 

 employed here during the year 1815 the number was increased in 

 1830 to sixty-five. During the latter year, 45,876^- barrels of 

 mackerel were packed ; but in 1831, with sixty-one vessels, the 

 catch was 52,663^- barrels. From this time the business began 

 slowly to decline. The small high quarter-deck and pink stern 

 schooners with three sails, and carrying from eight to ten hands, 

 were gradually replaced by more modern-built vessels having five 

 or six sails, and crews of from twelve to sixteen men. This of 

 itself, however, had but little to do with the decline, which, it is 

 more than probable, resulted from the decease of those who had 

 for years been prominent in the business ; also from the larger 

 amount of capital required in comparison with former periods, 

 and from the greater risks and uncertainties attending the 

 pursuit. 



In 1836, fifty vessels, aggregating 2,984 tons, took 14,436 bar- 

 rels of mackerel and 2,900 quintals of codfish ; 450 men were 

 employed. For 1841, the catch of mackerel was 7,130 barrels. 

 In 1844, twenty-eight vessels, aggregating 1,639 tons and em- 

 ploying 311 men, packed 9,341 barrels of mackerel. Thirty-four 

 vessels were engaged in the pursuit in 1847, landing 19,931^ bar- 

 rels of mackerel. For 1852, thirty-seven vessels were employed. 

 In 1854, twenty vessels took of mackerel 5,415 barrels, and of 

 codfish 1,250 quintals ; the tonnage of these vessels was 1,495, 

 and the number of hands employed 264. In 1858, there was a 

 gain in the catch, 7,920f barrels having been packed at the 

 harbor. 



After 1814, and until the business was discontinued, the persons 

 and firms most prominently interested in the fisheries were, Beal 

 ■&, Thaxter ; Lincoln & Gardner ; Thomas Loring & Son ; Ensign 

 Barnes; Scarlet Hudson ; Gardner <fc Sprague; JohnBassett; Ezra 

 Whiton; Whiton & Fearing; Moses L.Humphrey; Whittemore & 

 Loring ; Lincoln & Souther ; Francis G. Ford ; E. & L. J. Barnes ; 

 L. J. <fc I. Barnes ; Lincoln & Whiton ; Ford, Bassctt, & Nve ; 

 H. & J. Nye; R. & C. Lane; Ford & Thomas; Ford, Thomas^ & 

 Hobart; George Lincoln; Nye, Beal, & Bassett ; Marsh & May- 



