HISTORICAL SKETCHES. 175 



Keed, and Washing Ponds, — or in other words, at 

 Watercomet. 



New families continued to arrive, and in March, 

 1663, Mary Starbuck, the first white child, was born 

 (page 136). 



The little settlement grew and flourished. Of course 

 there were disputes among the colonists, and with the 

 Indians; but when the history of this colony is read 

 and compared with that of some others in New Eng- 

 land, it will be found that the settlers were exception- 

 ally blessed. Thus they went on from year to year, 

 building, planting, reaping, and continually gaining in 

 strength. All were busy, and each had his part to per- 

 form. The land was good, and bountiful crops re- 

 warded their exertions, and the sea yielded up its 

 abundance. As the colony grew, it became evident 

 that some form of government was necessary. A pe- 

 tition was accordingly presented to Governor Lovelace, 

 asking him to appoint a chief magistrate. The gov- 

 ernor requested that the names of two suitable persons 

 be forwarded to him, from which he would make a se- 

 lection. The names of Tristram Coffin and Thomas 

 Macy were accordingly sent, and he appointed Tristram 

 Coffin to be the first chief magistrate of the island of 

 Nantucket, his commission bearing date June 29, 1671. 

 Thomas Macy was the first town clerk. 



In 1665 the famous sachem, King Philip, paid a 

 visit to the island. It appears that he came with a 

 number of canoes and warriors, and that he was in 

 pursuit of a culprit by the name of John Gibbs. Ac- 

 cording to Macy's History, the inhabitants, from Phil- 

 ip's hostile appearance, were apprehensive that he 



