Ill 



and, to secure shelter for themselves, they erected a house which llicy 

 called "Mason Hnll." The fishery and iur trade engaged their whole 

 attention to the exclnsinn of agriculture ; and, during the seven years 

 succeeding their arrival, they completed but three or four buildings. 



Gorges tmd Mason soon became sole owners of Laconiii ; for their 

 associates, discouraged b}' the continual demands upon th(-m without 

 returns for the capital invested, relinquished their shares. But Gorges 

 and Mason did nothing to change the original designs of the first pat- 

 entees. They formed no government; they merely employed men to 

 fish and trade for them, wlihoul cn-ecting any tribunals wliatever to pro- 

 tect their own interests or tlie rights of others. 



Finally, Laconia was divided into two colonics. To Gorges was 

 assigned, in his own right, the region east of the Piscataqua, to which 

 he gave the name of Maine ; and to Mason the territory on the west- 

 erly side of that river, which, in honor of the county in which he lived 

 in England, he called Ncir Hampshire. 



Mason was bred a merchant, but became an officer in the British 

 navy, and in that capacity had resided at Newfoundland as one of the 

 governors of that island, of the description spoken of in the second part 

 of this report. He was, therefore, personally acquainted with the man- 

 agement of a fishery. In his sentiments he was so unlike the l^uritans 

 of the time as to anxiously desire the introduction of the feudal system 

 of lords and serfs into his domain of New Hampshire. This was his 

 darling plan, and he put his fortune at stake and sacrificed his all to 

 accomplish it. Such was the founder of Portsmouth, and of the State 

 of which it is the commercial capital.* 



The history of industry upon the sea, for the century and a half that 

 New Hampshire remained an English colon}^, is bri'4" aiid without 

 events of particular interest. In 1632 Mason wrote from London to 

 his agent Gibbens, on the Piscataqua, that "the adventurers here have 

 been so discouraged by reason of John Gibbs's ill dealing in his fishing 

 vo\'^age, as also by the small returns sent hither by Captain Neale, Mr. 

 Herbert, or any of their factors, as that they have no desire to proceed 

 any further until Captain Neale come hither to confer with them, that, 

 by conference with him, they may settle things in better ord(>r." 

 Again, in the same letter he remarks that "we desire to have our lish- 

 ermcn increased, whereof we have written to Mr. CJodfrey." In July, 

 1G33, Gil)bens said, in a comnuniication to his employers, that "for 

 your fishing you com})lain f)f Mr. Gil)l)s. A Londoner is not tor iishing, 

 neither is tiiere any aujity betwixt the west-countr3-ment and them. 

 Bristol or Barnstable is very convenient for your fishing shijis. It is 

 not enough to fit out our shii)s to fisij, ])ut they must be sure (God will) 

 to be at their fishing place the beginning of Eei)ruary, and not come 

 to the land when other iihh have half their voyage." The last letter 

 is apparently a reply to tht; first, and both show that, after ten years' 

 experience, the fishery was managed without skill, and aliiiidcd no 

 profit, while the intimation of Gibbens, relative to the late arrival o 



*Hc (lied ill Id;!.'). Ill IC.'.U li'iH licii-K Kold their riuhfN t(i New Ilninpsliiro to Siiiniicl Allen. 

 tWe.st, cMuiiiniiiiii 111' Eiijjiiiiid. Nearly all llic iLsliing vc8«cls that caiuo to Aiuoric.i were 

 from tlic West fiiuiiiicti. 



