202 THE ISLAND OF NANTUCKET. 



son." As the business of this book is with Kan tucket 

 alone, the above is given merely as an episode of the 

 Revolution, and Hudson is left to take care of herself 

 for the futer. 



War of 1812. 



As in the war of the Revolution, so in the war of 

 1812, the inhabitants of the island, a few months af- 

 ter its commencement, were reduced to great distress. 

 Nearly every ship was at sea when war was declared, 

 the greater part of which were not likely to return in 

 less than a year, and perhaps not in two. The British 

 cruisers were so numerous on the coast that it was 

 extremely hazardous for the little coasting vessels 

 which supplied the town with provisions to attempt 

 to bring here the necessaries of life. There was less 

 wood here than had been seen for many years, and 

 never since the Revolution had the people been re- 

 duced to such straits. 



In July, 1812, a whaling schooner belonging to the 

 island was captured and burned, her crew were made 

 prisoners, and for the second time the inhabitants be- 

 gan an experience of the horrors of war. Fears were 

 entertained of a hostile demonstration upon the town, 

 and the people were in a constant state of, dread and 

 alarm. From Macy's History we learn that " There 

 were at this time belonging to the island 43 ships, 47 

 sloops, 7 brigs, 19 schooners, total 116 vessels, whose 

 tonnage amounted to nearly 11,000 tons. ... At the 

 close of the war it was found that about one half of 

 the ships were left," several of which were not at sea 

 during the war, having been sent to neighboring ports 

 for safety. Of those that were left there remained 23, 



