10 



plantation, the Dorchester company abandoned their design of 

 planting a permanent plantation or colony at Cape Ann. At 

 the end of their third year measures were taken for selling 

 their ships and breaking up their settlement, having lost almost 

 all the capital they had invested in the enterprise." 



" In planting colonies," says Mr. White, " the first stocks 

 employed that way are consumed, although they serve as a 

 foundation to the work." It was thus with the planting of the 

 ■colony at Cape Ann : the stock was consumed, but the foun- 

 dation work was laid, on which now rests a leading state, of 

 one of the greatest of nations. Roger Conant, with some of 

 the best men of this colony, remained until the following year, 

 when they moved to Naumkeag, now Salem. The crooked and 

 irregular path taken by the " kine," along by the seashore, 

 when driven to Naumkeag, tradition says, afterwards became 

 the travelled road between Salem and Gloucester, now occu- 

 pied by so many summer residences. 



Conaut remained at Naumkeag, locating in that portion 

 now Beverly, where his plantation had less rocks, no doubt, 

 with more congenial, though no better, soil than he had found 

 a,t Cape Ann. Here he died at the age of 86, after a long, 

 useful and honorable life, being one who " the lack of titles 

 will never take from his name the high and honorable place it 

 should hold in the annals of our Commonwealth, as one who 

 had always preferred the public good before private interests : 

 and this in his closing years he praised God that ho had 

 done." 



Through the encouragements and promises of Mr. White, 

 who has been called " the father of the Massachusetts Colony," 

 Conant and others had remained at Naumkeag, and they were 

 no doubt rejoiced on the 6th of September, 1628, when the 



