244 THE ISLAND OF NANTUCKET. 



upper harbor, which takes the name of the village. 

 There are quite a number of dwellings and a school- 

 house here. The inhabitants depend chiefly upon 

 agriculture and fishing for their subsistence. Here is 

 situated the fine farm of F. C. Sanford, Esq., called 

 " Spottswood," after the old chief Spotsa, or Daniel 

 Spotsor, the latter being the name by which he was 

 known to the whites. Spotsa swamp also takes its 

 name from the same old Indian, who reigned sachem by 

 his wife near about forty years. One of the oldest 

 buildings on the island is still standing in the village ; 

 it was erected in 1704, by the father of the first white 

 male child born on the island. (See Old Buildings.) 



Poets and Poetry. 

 Among the many accomplishments which the sons 

 and daughters of Nantucket have possessed has been 

 the art of making poetry. Some of the island's poets 

 have attained much more than a local reputation. It 

 seems that at a very early period in the history of the 

 island, even as far back as 1676, one individual at least 

 made some pretension to rhyming, and this was no 

 less a personage than the great Peter Folger, who 

 appears to have been a universal genius. In order 

 that the reader may judge whether Mr. Folger is 

 worthy a place among classical poets, a few extracts 

 are here given from 



A Looking-Glass for the Times; or, The Former Spirit 

 of New England revived in this Generation. 



By Peter Folger. 



(There is one thing that is very certain, and that is, if 

 these lines are not poetry, there is good, square com- 



