50 The Story of the New England Whalers 



ing. The women spun the wool of the sheep into 

 yarn that was woven as well as knitted, and some 

 of the skins of domestic animals were used for 

 clothing. 



It is noted in connection with the farm work 

 that loans of seed and animals were easily obtained 

 by all who needed such an accommodation because 

 such loans were held to be "debts of honor." 

 While all were farmers, none lived isolated. The 

 homes were in the village that was then called 

 Sherbourne. 1 The houses were built close to- 

 gether, too. While the man was away from home 

 it was a comfort to the wife to live with her neigh- 

 bors close at hand. 



Because they lived simply the men found that 

 they needed to give only a few days to their farms 

 to produce the necessities of life, and thus they 

 were free to give many days to the profitable open- 

 boat whaling. 



In the meantime the original plan of holding all 

 things in common in the whale fishery had failed 



1 In the earliest days the village stood some distance west 

 of its present location. It was moved because the people 

 needed the better harbor facility found at the present site. 



