148 THE ISLAND OF NANTUCKET. 



the fishing ground, where with the aid of a spy-glass 

 all his motions can be observed from the shore as he 

 pulls in his finny prizes. The return is more often 

 accompanied by danger than the departure, the boats 

 frequently capsizing, and boat, man, fish, lines, and 

 oars being tumbled over and over in the surf in inextri- 

 cable confusion. Yery few fatal accidents have ever 

 occurred here, the men usually getting out of the 

 scrape with a few bruises, and the loss sometimes of 

 all of their fish and lines, besides a badly used-up boat. 

 No salt codfish bring so high a price in the market as 

 those cured upon Nantucket. They are always dry and 

 clean and white. Every fish is thoroughly washed and 

 cleaned before it is salted, and the greatest of care is 

 taken in their drying or curing; consequently c< Nan- 

 tucket fish " command one or two cents a pound more 

 than "Block Island" or " ; George's Banks," and are 

 eagerly sought after by those who know a good thing. 



Friends, or Quakers. 

 {See Churches.) 



On Nantucket, the " Friends " — or " Quakers," as 

 they were contemptuously styled by their enemies — 

 were largely in the ascendancy as a religious body at a 

 very early period of its history, and their teachings 

 and precepts have always exerted a marked influence 

 upon its people. Some of the most illustrious men 

 and women whom the island has produced were 

 Friends. 



The compiler acknowledges his indebtedness to Mr. 

 Matthew Barney — for many years the faithful treas- 



