113 



the •'Carribbce islands, whither we send lumber and fish, and receive 

 in return rum, sugar, molasses, and cotton ; and as to trade to Europe, 

 it is to Spain or Portugal, from whence our vessels bring home salt." 

 This is a meagre account, after the lapse of more than a, ccMitury. 



There is nothing to add. The sea and the forest continued to sup- 

 ply tlie staple exports. A single distillery for the manufacture of New 

 England rum was erected, and two or three vessels were sent, annually, 

 to the Dutch and French West Indies to procure molasses for distilla- 

 tion, from the time, ])robably, tliat intercourse with these islands was 

 interdicied, down to the Revolution; and this illicit traiiic was the only 

 material change in the commerce of New Hampshire between 1730 

 and 1775. Certain it is, that until the fisheries and other maritime 

 pursuits were interrupted by the overthrow ot the royal government, 

 and the war that Ibllowed, agriculture was neglected. 



The colony f tunded by Gorges and Mason depended upon axes 

 and saws, sliallops and fisliing-lines, until necessity compelled a resort 

 to the plough. Its first exports of corn were mid the desolations of 

 the struijgle that resulted in sfivino: it the rank and blessings of an inde- 

 pendent State. 



ISLES OF SHOALS. 

 From 1614 to the Revolutionary Controvcisy. 



The cluster of eight islands that bear this name, may contain pos- 

 sibly six hundred acres. Strangely enough, they belong to two 

 States. Those named Haley's or Smutty-nose, Hog, Duck, Cedar, 

 and Malaga, were embraced in the charter obtained by Gorges of Kizig 

 Charles, in 1639, and are under the jurisdiction of Maine at the pres- 

 ent time ; while Star, White, and Londoner's islands are united to 

 New Hampshire. These islands were discovered in 1614, by the cel- 

 ebrated John Smith, and were named l)y him "Smith's Isles." This 

 name was changed previous to 1629, sincc^ in the deed of the Indian 

 Sagamores to Wheelwright and others, of that year, they are called 

 the "Isles of Shoals." Dreary and inhospitable in their appearance, 

 they would have remained without inhabitants to our own da}', proba- 

 bly, but ibr their advantageous situation for carrying on the fislieries. 

 Upon them all there are cliasms in the rocks several yards wide, 

 and from one to ten deep, occasioned, as some suppose, by a violent 

 eartli(jaake. 



In {)laces, acres of rock are partially or entirely severed, and through 

 the fissures thus formed, the s(*a at high tid(\s, and in some storms, 

 rushes in torrents. There is but one secure harbor, which is of great 

 importance, shcUeriiig not r>nly to the vessels of the resichnit fishermen 

 of the islands, but tlie merchant vessels coming upon tlie coast in dis- 

 tress. 



The Isles of Shoals were occupied at a very early date, and soon 

 became phices of not(^ and of great resort. In KUil, they were inhal>- 

 iled by upwards of forty fninihes. The fisheries were proseeuled with 

 vigor and success at that jx'riod, and siil)se<|uently, for (|uit<' a century. 

 Three or four ships were loaded there annually, as soon as the year 

 8 



