260 THE ISLAND OF NANTUCKET. 



a passage through the dam, sweeping it entirely away, 

 and making that deep depression at the foot of North 

 Shore Hill. The innocent cause of all- this mischief 

 never revealed the secret until her death, which 

 occurred at a very advanced period of life. 



Population. 



The following facts in relation to the population of 

 the island have been gathered from Macy's History, 

 Dr. Ewer's map, and from John F. Brown, Esq., town 

 clerk: — 



According to the last census there were upon the isl- 

 and 1,049 families, having an aggregate of 3,726 persons. 



In 1800 there were 5,617 inhabitants. 



u 



1810 



u 



1820 



a 



1830 



a 



1840 



a 



1850 



a 



1860 



it 



1865 



a 



1870 



ci 



1875 



c< 



1880 



6,807 



a 



,7,266 



u 



7,202 



a 



9,712 



a 



8,779 



a 



6,094 



a 



4,830 



it 



4,123 



a 



3,201 



<< 



3,726 



(( 



By comparing the figures of 1880 with those of 1875, 

 it appears that the town has in five years gained up- 

 wards of five hundred; but such is not the fact, for the 

 town has steadily decreased in population since 1840. 

 The United States census taken in 1870 was doubtless 

 correct, but that taken in 1875 could not have been 

 correct, as it is well known that more people were liv- 



