HISTORICAL SKETCHES. 207 



not fatal in its nature necessarily, yet at one time 

 seemed as if it would depopulate the town. It was 

 called the " California fever." It had swept through 

 every State and crossed the water to Nantucket; and 

 every man on the island caught the disease, and was 

 mad to go to the land of gold. Nine vessels sailed for 

 San Francisco that year from this port, three from 

 Boston, and two from New York, which were owned 

 or officered by Kantucketers. The vessels which 

 sailed from Nantucket were the " Aurora," " Henry 

 Astor," " Montana," " Edward," " Joseph Butler" 

 Cbrig), " Sarah Parker," " Fanny," " Martha," and 

 "Citizen." These vessels were loaded with building 

 frames, lumber, naval stores, oil, candles, etc. A large 

 number of the passengers on these vessels never came 

 back. Many are still living in California, some of 

 whom have amassed a competencv; still others re- 

 turned with a little dust; and alas! far too many came 

 back poorer than they went. For the time being, or 

 for a year or so, business was quite at a standstill; but 

 in 1850 a little better feeling prevailed, and fourteen 

 ships were fitted for the whale fishery, although there 

 was a very great scarcity of officers and men. 



The Civil War. 

 Although the Friends were at a very early period, 

 and for many years after the settlement of the island, 

 in the ascendancy as a religious body, and deeply 

 imbued the people with their sentiments and teachings, 

 which are felt even to this day; although situated 

 in a time of war where no protection whatever was 

 afforded by the general government, and was even 



