114 



1730, for BilboR, in Spain; and large quantities of fish were carried, 

 besides, to Portsmouth, to be shipped to the West Indies. Prior to 

 the Revohition, the dvn-Jish of these islands had attained universal ce- 

 lebrit}^ and were considered to be the best table-fish in the world. 



The population in 1775 was about six hundred. Fishing was the 

 only employment. The annual catch was between three and four 

 thousand quintals. The inhabitants owned a large fleet of boats and 

 shallops, and several vessels ; and fancied, as many fishermen still do, 

 that the fishing grounds were prolific in proportion to the distance from 

 home, and extended their adventures to Newfoundland accordingly. 

 It is of interest to remark, as showing the prosperous condition of these 

 islands, and the means of education in "the olden time," that gentle- 

 men of consideration, of some of the principal toAvns on the seacoast, 

 sent their sons there ibr literary instruction. 



The war ot the Revolution produced a disastrous change. It was 

 found by the whigs that their enemies extorted articles of sustenance 

 as well as recruits for their service, and they ordered the inhabitants to 

 abandon their homes. In obedience to the hard mandate, a large pro- 

 portion removed to towns on the main land, and never returned. A 

 single incident that occurred early in the contest will serve to illus- 

 trate the general situation of the islanders previous to their dispersion: 

 An aged woman, who lived on Star island, kept two cows, which fed 

 in winter on hay cut in summer among the rocks with a knife, and 

 with her own hands. These useful animals were always in excellent 

 order, and to her were invaluable. To her great sorroAv, though paid 

 for, they were taken by the British and slaughtered for beef. 



The fishermen of the Isles of Shoals, as a class, were moral and 

 exemplary men during the entu^e period embraced in our inquiries. 

 A place of worship was erected even before the year 1641, at which 

 time the Rev. Mr. Hull was their minister. They were disturbed, 

 however, in 1642, by Mr. Gibson, an Episcopal clergymian, who went 

 among them, performed services according to the rites of his church, 

 and created a disaffection towards the government of Massachusetts, 

 which then claimed to exercise jurisdiction over them. The Rev. John 

 Brock* commenced his pastoral labors about 1650, and remained 

 among them twelve years. He was an excellent man, and was suc- 

 ceeded by Mr. Belcher, who was equally worthy. JNIr. Moody followed, 

 in 1706, and continued their pastor upwards of twenty-five years. 

 His successor was the R#v. John Tucke, whose ministry terminated 

 only with his life, in 1773. Their last spiritual guide, previous to the 

 general dispersion, two or three years afterwards, was the Rev. Jere- 

 miah Shaw. Thus we have the remarkable fact that these lone 

 islanders maintained religious worship, with hardly an interval, for one 

 hundred and thirty-five years. Equally remarkable is the fact that 

 the salary of Mr. Tucke was regarded, at the time, as one of the most 

 valuable (his situation considered) in all New England. His stipend 

 w^as fixed at a quintal of merchantable winter-fish per man, and no 

 change was made for fifteen years. This quality of fish sold at a 



* Rev. John Brock was born in England, in 1620; came to America about the year 1637, 

 and died in 1688. 



