ABUNDANCE OF FISH ON NEW ENGLAND COAST. 163 



ety of other fish : among which are the whale, killer or thrasher, hump- 

 back, finback, skrag, grampus, black fish, porpoise, (grey, bass, and 

 streaked,) snuffer, shark, (black, man-eating, and short-nosed,) skate, 

 dog-fish, sun-fish, goose-fish, cat-fish, and sculpion ; to which may be 

 added the horseshoe and squid. The cramp-fish has sometimes been 

 seen on the beach. This fish, which resembles a sting ray in size and 

 form, possesses the properties of the torpedo, being capable of giving a 

 smart electrical shock. The fishermen suppose, but whether with reason 

 or not the writer will not undertake to determine, that the oil extracted 

 from the liver of this fish is a cure for the rheumatism." 



A short Journal of the first settlement of the island of Nantucket, with some 

 of the most remarkable things that had happened since, to the present 

 time. By Zaccheus Macy. 



[Collections of the Massachusetts Historical Society for the year 1794, vol. III. Bos- 

 ton, 1810.] 



The natives of Nantucket were a kind people, and very friendly to 

 each other. There were no poor persons among them. For when any 

 of them grew old & helpless, and went to a neighbor's house, they 

 were made welcome to stay as long as they pleased. If the English en- 

 tered their houses whilst they were eating, they would offer them such 

 as they had, which sometimes would be very good. At their feasts 

 they had several sorts of good food, and very good strong beer. By 

 drinking rum their numbers were so much reduced that in the year 



1763, there were but three hundred & fifty-eight left on the island. In that 

 year an uncommon mortal distemper attacked them. It began the 16th 

 of the eighth month, 1763, and lasted till the 16th of the second month, 



1764. During that period two hundred and twenty-two died. Thirty- 

 four were sick and recovered. Thirty-six who lived among them, 

 escaped the disorder. Eight lived at the west end of the island, and did 

 not go among them : none of them caught the disease. Eighteen were 

 at sea. With the English lived forty, of whom none died. 



The Indians are now reduced to four males and sixteen females. 

 Before this period, and from the first coming of the English to Nan- 

 tucket, 1 a large fat fish, called the blue fish, thirty of which would fill a 

 barrel, was caught in great plenty all round the island, from the 1st of 

 the sixth month till the middle of the ninth month. But it is remarka- 

 ble, that iu the year 1764, the very year in which the sickness ended, 

 they all disappeared, and that noue have ever been taken since. This 

 has been a great loss to us. 



Extracts from a Petition from Neiv Shoreham (Block Island) for assistance 

 to make a, harbor there in 1773. 



Having stated many reasons why the island was suffering for want of 

 a good harbor, they say further : " That they also suffer greatly by the 

 loss of the cod-fishery, which formerly, while the channel was kept open 

 between the sea & a large salt pond on the west side of the island, 



1 Note by Theodore Lyman : 



In 1659. Therefore, the Blue Fsh were present at Nantucket, 1659-1764— 103 years 

 " " " " absent " 1764-1830—66 



" " " " present again, " 1830-1871—41 " 



