906 Deane Phillips 



pal matters which are exported among us is horses and pro- 

 visions " (90). 



In Connecticut, also, horses soon came to be a recognized commodity 

 of trade. From the towns on the upper Connecticut River, as late as 

 1680 many horses were being driven overland to Boston to be sold, 

 presumably for the export trade (91). The coast region of Connecti- 

 cut had before this time begun a direct trade with the West Indies, 

 In 1667 it is recorded that a vessel had bcQu sent out from New London 

 bound for the island of Nevis, from which twenty-six horses were lost 

 overboard in a storm (92). Such other evidence as is available indicates 

 that this was not an isolated shipment from New London. This port 

 was, in fact, so situated as to draw not only on a fairly well-adapted 

 livestock area in Connecticut, but also on the most important part of 

 the Rhode Island area, and with the development that continued to 

 take place it in time became the chief center for the exportation of 

 horses from New England. In the period before 1700, however, New 

 London had but made a beginning in this trade, and this was also the 

 condition of Newport, Providence, and the river towns of Connecticut. 



HORSE STEALING 



One further development took place during the period just described, 

 which casts an interesting side light on the extent of the export trade 

 in horses and its effect on the New England region. This was th5 grow- 

 ing prevalence of horse stealing throughout all the colonies. One of 

 the objects of the branding of horses and cattle, already described, 

 was to prevent this practice. The brander in most of the towns was a 

 dignitary of no small importance, and as a rule was required not only 

 1o brand each animal but also to keep a record of the operation in an 

 official book together with a description of all the natural and artificial 

 marks on the animal and the name and residence of the owner. In 

 Rhode Island (93) and in Connecticut (94) there were fixed severe 

 penalties for any person who took or attempted to take out of the town 

 any horses or cattle without first informing the official brander and 

 receiving his permission. 



Branding alone, however, did not provide a very effective check on 

 the stealing of horses and cattle. As the exportations grew in volume 

 and more and more ports were engaged in the trade, it became increas- 



