J:4 F 1 V E A K E S T O O M U C II. 



in early days, according to unquestionable tradition, 

 the estate and property of an elderly gentleman who 

 was blessed with three daughters. On his death the 

 ladies are supposed to have divided the property 

 among them. The daughters names were Anna, 

 Martha, and Naomi, and their names appertain to 

 the islands still. The largest is called Martha s Yine- 

 yard, showing that Martha had the good sense to cul 

 tivate the luscious fruit, although the strict Puritan 

 customs of those times may have forbidden her en 

 joying its juice, except, perhaps, in the Puritan way 

 on the sly. Anna took the next largest island, which 

 from that day has been called Nantookit, or Kan- 

 tucket, the graceful Anna being vulgarized into the 

 familiar Nan. Naomi s land has since been convert 

 ed into Nomansland ; and w r ell it might, for no man 

 would have been contented with such a portion while 

 brothers carried off the broad acres of the neighbor 

 ing islands, and few women, except such submissive 

 creatures as Naomis and Cinderellas are popularly 

 supposed to be. 



Of this group, Nantucket was once nourishing and 

 populous, with a large tonnage of whalemen, and a 

 goodly population of whaling-men where money 

 was so plenty and morals so pure that theft was un 

 known and hackmen charged fair prices. This mod- 



