124 



somuch that men might iTrequently pass from one island to another upon 

 the ice."* 



The aspect of affairs was soon changed. The arrivals of articles of 

 necessity from England, the opening of the soil to husbandry, and the 

 building of vessels, afforded the colonists ample relief in the course of 

 a few years. The " Blessing of the Bay," a little barque of thirty 

 tons, was launched as early as 1631. Her name indicates the feeling^ 

 of Governor Winthrop, who built her;t and relates in a word the story 

 of the pressing wants of his people.f This vessel proved the " bless- 

 ing" she was designed to be, Eind was the means of opening a com- 

 munication with the Dutch settlers in New York, as well as of main- 

 taining constant intercourse with various parts of Massachusetts. 



In 1633 a vessel was built at Boston, and called the " Trial :" three 

 years after, the "Desire," of one hundred and twenty tons, was 

 launched at Marblehead. Another, of three hundred tons, was built 

 at Salem in 1640 ; and the fifth in the colony, at the same place, in 

 1642. Meantime, the Dove, a pinnace of about fifty tons, had made a 

 voyage to Boston, laden with com, to barter away for fish, and what- 

 ever other commodities the colonists could spare. Such was the com- 

 mencement of the navigation and commerce of Massachusetts. 



Fish were exported from Boston, for the first time, I suppose, in 

 1633. The adventure was to a southern colony; and Governor Win- 

 throp appears to have been interested in the voyage. The vessel, 

 which was laden with furs as well as the products of the sea, was 

 wrecked on the outward passage when near the Capes of Virginia. 

 Another circumstance of interest occurred the same year, namely, thqt 

 conviction of "the first notorio7is theif in Massachusetts;" who, for steal-, 

 ing fish, corn, and clapboards, was sentenced to the forfeiture of his 

 estate, to be whipped, to be bound as a sei-vant for three years, and to 

 be aftei-wards at the disposal of the court. 



Mr. Cradock, though he never came to Massachusetts, established a 

 fishery at Mystick, and built a house at Marblehead, which was burned - 

 in 1634, "there being in it Mr. Al]erton|| and many fishermen whom 

 he employed'- that season." Thus we connect the first governor who 

 was appointed under the patent, and the first governor who resided in 

 the colony, with the fisheries of Massachusetts, a branch' of industry, 



* Eoger Clap, in his Memoirs, speaking of the scarcity of provisions in 1630, says: " Many 

 a time, if I could have filled my belly, though with mean victuals, it would have been sweet 

 unto me. Fish was a good help unto me and others." * * * * "Ohl the hunger that many 

 suffered, and saw no hope in an eye of reason to be supplied, only by clams, and muscles, and 

 fieh. We did quickly build boats, and some went a fishing." Again, he says : " Frost-fish, 

 muscles, and clams, were a relief to many." 



t It would appear from the instructions of the Massachusetts Company, in 1629, that a vessel 

 was built previously: "And if you send the ships to fish at the Bank," say they, " and expect 

 them not to return again to the plantation, that then you stnd our bark that is already buUt in 

 the country to bring back our fishermen, and such provisions as they had for fishing," &c., &c. 



t In 1633, the Eev. John Cotton, minister of Boston, the Eev. Thomas Hooker, the first 

 minister of Cambridge, and the Eev. Samuel Stone, one of the first ministers of Hartford, 

 came over to America in the same vessel. On their arrival, the people were told that their 

 three great necessities were now supplied, for they had Cotton for their clothing, Hoolcer for 

 their fishing, and Stone for their building." 



II The Plymouth Pilgrim who came over in the Mayflower. 



