246 History of Hingham. 



a short route for foot-passengers across Mansfield's Cove to the 

 road which Capt. Laban Hersey laid out at Barnes's Rocks, by 

 building a floating bridge and securing it to each shore. 



The wharf for which piles were driven could be approached 

 by carriages only by way of Martin's Lane, and foot passengers 

 would have to make quite a circuit to shorten the distance. The 

 owners of the land on the south side of the cove objected to hav- 

 ing the floating bridge secured to their land, and an entry in the 

 day-book of Capt. Laban Hersey, June 21, 1832, states that he 

 forbade anything being put across from his premises to Mr. 

 Burr's, " Capt. James Harris & Capt. Charles Shute, witnesses." 



The floating bridge was built, however, and secured as had been 

 proposed. A watch was kept over it night and day by employees 

 of the Steamboat Company, but it was cut adrift one night and 

 floated off near Pine Hill. Large quantities of pine wood used to 

 be piled on this wharf and up to the wind-mill near by, which was 

 used for pumping water. The " General Lincoln " used to take 

 in wood and water here. The floating bridge was never brought 

 back to connect this wharf with the passageway leading to 

 Barnes's Rocks. 



The " Mayflower " was built in New York expressly for this 

 company, and arrived in Hingham July 5, 1845, when she began 



her regular trips for the 

 season. Her commanders 

 were Capt. George Beal, 

 1845-50; Capt. Elijah 

 Beal, 1851-1855 : Capt, 

 Alfred L. Rouell, 1856. 

 Her average time in mak- 

 ing the trip to Boston was 

 an hour and a quarter. 

 The (Nahant) steamer " Nelly Baker," Capt. Rouell, took the 

 place of the " Mayflower " for a few days in June, 1854. 



The company having decided to build a new boat, the " May- 

 flower " was sold, to go to New York, and made her last trip from 

 Hingham Dec. 3, 1856. 



Capt. George Beal was pilot for the boats of the company for 

 many years after he ceased to be in command. His steamboat 

 service on Hingham boats dates from the days of the " Eagle " to 

 the "Rose Standish," a period of over fifty years. His reputation 

 as a pilot was so great that many passengers would have consid- 

 ered it unsafe to make the trip unless he was at the wheel. 



In 1846 a new pier was built on Beach Street on the same site 

 which has continued to be the steamboat-landing to the present 

 time (1893). 



In 1857 the " Nantasket " succeeded the " Mayflower," mak- 

 ing her first trip May 21, 1857. She was built for the company 

 in New York under the supervision of Capt. Alfred L. Rouell, 

 who commanded her while she ran here. Her average time on 



