MASSACHUSETTS: PLYMOUTH DISTRICT. 219 



71. THE FISHERIES OF SCITUATE AND DUXBURY. 



SCITUATE. Scituate, a small village, situated 26 miles southeast from Boston, at one time 

 bad a fishing fleet, of which nothing now remains larger than the small sail-boats used in gather- 

 ing moss, taking lobsters, and shore-fishing. Mr. H. G. Reed, an old citizen, reports that prior 

 to 1840 some forty sail were engaged in the mackerel fishery, but that fishery has gradually 

 dwindled to nothing. A number of reasons are given for the entire abandonment of this industry, 

 the principal one being an open and shallow harbor, where there is but 9 feet of water at high tide. 

 The Government has in contemplation the building of a breakwater and the dredging of the harbor, 

 which it much needs, in order that it may be of some use as a harbor of refuge or for commercial 

 purposes. This the inhabitants most earnestly hope will be done. At present the small amount 

 of fishing is done by 23 men, having 20 small sail-boats engaged in near-shore fishing. Eighteen 

 men, with 1,200 lobster-pots and 18 dories, are engaged in taking lobsters. The fish and lobsters 

 taKen are used for home consumption, and for supplying the surrounding towns. Clams were 

 plentiful several years since, but are now about exhausted by fishermen from the islands in the 

 vicinity. Lobsters at one time were large and plenty, but from over-fishing they have decreased 

 in quantity and size. 



Irish moss (Chondrus crispus) is now the leading marine production. This is found in greater 

 or less abundance all along the Massachusetts coast, but more abundantly about the rocks of 

 Scituate. Prior to 1835 the small amount of that article used in this country was imported from 

 Europe, selling from $1 to $2 a pound. In that year the late Dr. J. V. C. Smith, post physician from 

 1826 to 1849, and late major of Boston, being stationed at Rainsford Island, a few miles away, made 

 it generally known that the moss which was so plenty was the same article that was being imported 

 and sold at such a high price. From that time we date the commencement of this industry. Mr. 

 Augustus Cole, of Scituate, was the first person to pay much attention to it at this place. Start- 

 ing in 18.13, he and his son, Charles A. Cole, have followed the business to the present time, having 

 seen its steady growth from its infancy. We are indebted to the latter gentleman for much valua- 

 ble information. With the increase of the business has followed a steady decrease in price, which 

 in 1835 was $1 a pound. In 1853 it was only 25 cents, and gradually fell to 10 cents, at which 

 price it remained for a number of years; the past ten years, ending with 1879, 3 to 3 cents a pound 

 has been paid for the crop. The average annual yield is 5,000 barrels of 90 pounds each. The past 

 season 4,500 barrels, or 405,000 pounds, has been gathered and disposed of. The crop is always 

 considered a sure one, and is never overworked or exhausted, since a clean glean of one year is 

 followed the next year with the usual bountiful supply. The season of gathering begins from the 

 1st to the 10th of June, and lasts until about the 1st of September. During this time 120 men, with 

 women and children, aggregating 300 hundred persons, are employed in gathering it. A barrel 

 a day is considered an average day's work for a man. 



The moss is gathered from the rocks, to which it grows to the tide level, at low water, by hand. 

 As the tide rises, all hands take to the fleet, consisting of one hundred dories and fifty small sail- 

 boats, using hands and a small rake, 7 inches wide, with 14 steel teeth 4J inches long. The 

 handle of this rake is 3 feet long. As the tide rises higher, a larger rake, 12 to 13 inches wide, with 

 20 to 22 steel teeth 6 inches long, and a handle 16 to 20 feet long, is used. These rakes are made 

 only at this place, and cost $1 each. They last for about one season. With these few and crude 

 tools the moss is torn from the rocks, thrown into the boats, and taken to the beach, where, a 

 gravelly bed having been prepared, it is spread to the depth of 2 inches. At this time it is of a 

 dark green color. If the weather is fair, the moss remains on the bench 24 hours; alter which it 



