THE RENAISSANCE OF THE FISHERIES 145 



coast, whether they were farmers or fishermen. This at- 

 tenuated line of fishing hamlets, even in the early part 

 of the nineteenth century, had begun to have economic 

 importance. It is safe to say that in the half-century be- 

 tween 1830 and 1880 there was not a village bordering 

 on the sea from Kittery to Calais which did not have im- 

 portant fishing interests. 



The condition of the fisheries during the period now 

 under consideration shows that for several years before 

 Maine was admitted as a state the industry was pursued 

 generally by the coast towns. At Machias in 1793 between 

 seventy and eighty tons only were employed in the fisher- 

 ies, and not above five hundred quintals were exported. 1 

 About 1810, persons went to Gouldsboro to engage in the 

 whale fishery which was carried on in small boats from the 

 shore whenever whales were to be seen. 2 Deer Isle sent 

 a vessel to engage in the codfisheries in the Gulf of Saint 

 Lawrence as early as 1815; but in 1818 there were only 

 two vessels from that place with a tonnage greater than 

 forty tons burden, and twelve or fifteen Chebacco boats 

 from the island. Many of the residents were employed on 

 fishing vessels from Newburyport. Vinal Haven had about 

 the same number of Chebacco boats in 1817, ranging from 

 fifteen to thirty tons, the smaller ones fishing along the 

 shore while the larger ones went to Seal Island grounds 

 and to Brown's Bank. As early as 1800 the island of 

 Matinicus, always famous for its fisheries, was engaged 

 in the herring fishery in the Bay of Fundy. At the same 

 time Booth Bay sent a fleet of small vessels to the Bay 

 of Fundy and to Sable Island for cod. Shore fisheries 

 also were carried on. In 1817, large schooners were built 

 to engage in the Labrador trade, the Ruby, a schooner from 

 North Booth Bay being the first one sent out. Enough is 



1 Mass. Hist. Soc. Coll., VIII, p. 146. 



2 Goode, Sec. ii, p. 30. 



