734 GEOGRAPHICAL REVIEW OF THE FISHERIES. 



MABION. 



HISTORY OF MARION. The present town of Marion with the adjoining towns of Rochester, Mattapoisett, anil a 

 large part of Wareham were originally known as the Sippican territory, and purchased Jnly 22, 1679, from the Indian 

 chiefs Watnchpoo and Sampson, they receiving permission to sell the territory from King Phillip, the youngest sou of 

 Massasoit, the good, he being the king or chief ruler of the Wampanoag tribes. Phillip was his successor. 



Rochester was incorporated as a town on June 4, 1686, receiving its name from the ancient city of Rochester, 

 England, which was the early home of many of the first settlers. It is recorded in history that the oysters found on 

 those shores were celebrated by the Romans for their excellence ; and the pioneers to the Sippican territory, finding 

 an abundance and great variety of excellent fish, gave the name in memory of their old home. For a time Rochester 

 embraced the town of Marion. 



In the Collections of the Massachusetts Historical Society, 1815, vol. ii, 2d series, p. 259, is this statement regard- 

 ing Rochester : 



"The town doubtless takes its name from the ancient city of Rochester in Kent, England, a shire from whence 

 many of the first planters of Scituate (and of course Rochester) emigrated. That ancient city had the jurisdiction 

 of the oyster fishery, and it appears in history that these oysters were celebrated by the Romans for their excellence." 



And in volume iv, pp. 255, 256, is this description of the varieties of fish to be found there : 



" Fish. Tataug, scauppaug, eels are the most common fish near the shores, with alewives in their season. At 

 several places of resort oysters have become less common; the quahaug and lesser clam are found in the place. 

 Without the harbor, the bay affords a greater variety; but not the codfish, nearer than Gay Head." 



In volume x, page 31. is this statement, written in 1823: 



"The principal manufacture of this town is salt. This business is carried on on an extensive scale, and it is 

 believed that more salt is manufactured in this town than in any other town in the Commonwealth, aud it is the 

 most productive of any business here practiced." 



And on page 36 of the same special reference is made to the fish found in Assawamsett Pond and Mattapoisett 

 Rivet and Merry's Pond in these words : 



"A part of Assawamsett Pond lies on the north side of this town, and the line of the town crosses two islands of 

 considerable bigness in this pond. Assawamsett Pond is the largest collection of water in Massachusetts. * 

 In this pond is a vast quantity of iron ore, -which increases nearly as fast as it is dug. In the southerly part of this 

 pond are large quantities of fish, such as pickerel, -whitefish, perch, roaches, chubs, hornfish, and vast quantities of 

 sea or white perch are taken in the fall of the year, when the young alewives can bo had for bait, which is the only 

 bait which can be used with success. " * * On the right hand of the road from Rochester to Plymouth lies Merry's 

 Pond, a most beautiful sheet of water, and is nearly as round as a circle. In this pond are a few fish of the minor 

 species. There is no natural inlet or outlet to this pond, but a few years since the town, at the expense of $100, cut 

 a canal from it to Sippicau River, hoping to induce the alewives into the pond. No success attended the attempt. 

 * " * Mattapoisett River, though small, is of some consequence besides what results from the mills, namely, on 

 account of the alewife fishery. The privilege of taking said fish in paid river the inhabitants are by law authorized 

 to sell, which brings into the treasury about $400 annually. It would be mncb more productive if the taking the fish 

 illegally could be effectually prevented." 



On Jnly 22, 1879, the three towns Marion, Rochester, and Mattapoisett celebrated their bi-centennial anni- 

 versary, and among the guests -were some of the lineal descendants of the kings Massasoit and Sassacuss. A small 

 band of King Phillip's tribe yet remains in the adjoining town of Lakevillo, npon the Indian reserve lauds known 

 as Betty's Neck. The Indians there are fully civilized citizens, with their schools aud churches, a,nd are highly spoken 

 of by all who know them for their industry, intelligence, and temperance. 



NEW BEDFORD. 



THE ORIGINAL SETTLERS. This is a place of much historic interest. It was first discovered by Bartholomew 

 Gosnold, who, in company with thirty-one others (eight of them sailors), sailed from Falrnoutb, England, in the 

 small ship Concord, on March 26, 1602, with the intention of settling in Virginia. They discovered the group of 

 islands on the east side of Buzzard's Bay, and landed on May 24 at the outer island, now known asCuttyhunk. They 

 named the group the Elizabeth Islands, and the one on which they lauded and built a fort they called Elizabeth, in 

 honor of their queen. The group yet retains the name. The dariug explorer and discoverer has not been forgot- 

 ten, the islands baring the township name of Gosnold. 



On May 31, lb'03, while part of the men were building a fort, Captain Gosnold sailed across the buy, first 

 anchoring not far from Round Hills on the west and working east until he discovered the mouth of the river and the 

 west shore on which New Bedford is now built. The island of Cuttyhunk, ou which they built a fort, bore the Indian 

 name of Poocntohhunhunnoh. It contains about 516 acres of land. Finding the Indians friendly, they landed and 

 loaded their vessel with sassafrass root considered of great value for medicinal purposes cedar aud furs ; this last 

 they purchased of the Indians. Part of the company were to return to England with the cargo while the remainder 

 located a permanent settlement. These latter became dissatisfied for fear they would never see their share of the 

 valuable cargo, so they all embarked, and on the 15th of June of the same year made sail for England. Captain 

 Gosnold afterwards returned to Virginia where he died August 22, 1607. 



Thus the first attempt at a settlement here was maJa eighteen years before the landing of the Pilgrims on the 



