200 THE ISLAND OF NANTUCKET. 



The tonnage of shipping in 1775 was, according to 

 Macy, "about 14,867 tons"; one hundred and forty- 

 nine vessels were destroyed during the war, the total 

 tonnage of which was 12,476 tons, and of that more 

 than 10,000 tons fell into the hands of the enemy. 

 Many of these vessels had valuable cargoes, and it 

 would be impossible to estimate the loss to the island. 

 Of the crews, some perished in prison ships, lingering 

 in confinement for years; some entered the navy; oth- 

 ers returned home destitute to more destitute families. 

 To these considerations, if we add losses by plunder- 

 ers, the almost total stoppage of all business during 

 the war, the insufficiency of the soil to produce food 

 for the inhabitants, the almost constant blockading of 

 the harbor by the English or the refugees, it will not 

 be doubted that Nantucket paid as dearly for the inde- 

 pendence of our country as any place in the Union. 



At the commencement t)f the war, the island boasted 



of more than one hundred and fifty vessels ; and at 



its close only two or three old hulks remained. There 



were 202 widows and 242 orphan children ; but with 



that same indomitable spirit which had characterized 



the early settlers, they commenced anew the whale 



fishery, but under every difficulty. As this business 



was the great industry of the people, the interested 



reader is referred to the article on that subject on 



page 329. 



Settlement of Hudson, N. Y. 



In " Historical Sketches of Hudson," kindly loaned 

 the compiler by F. C. Sanford, Esq., we find the fol- 

 lowing: " In the year 1783, a considerable number of 

 the inhabitants of the island, desirous of bettering 



