1832.] 
ISLAND OF SUMATRA. 
215 
Salem offered their friends of Boston the free use of their wharves 
and stores until the act should be repealed, or the dispute settled. 
Salem, with the neighbouring towns, Marblehead and Beverly, 
were foremost in taking out letters of marque and reprisal, and 
were wonderfully successful. The records of these early times 
show that the bravery of these hardy adventurers was a theme 
of praise throughout the colonies, and also among their enemies. 
When peace arrived, and our independence was acknowledged, 
the merchants of Salem, as has appeared in this chapter, were 
among the first to explore new channels of trade, disdaining to 
confine themselves to the narrow track of a colonial commerce, 
such as they had been restricted to when under Great Britain. 
With a few erroneous maps and charts, a sextant, and " Guthrie's 
Grammar," they swept round the Cape of Good Hope, exhausted 
the markets of the Isles of France and Bourbon, and pushing on- 
ward, entered the Straits of Babelmandel, and secured the trade 
of the Red Sea. They brought from Madras, Calcutta, and Bom- 
bay, the best of their staples, and had their choice of the products 
of Ceylon and Sumatra. 
They had also a double share of the Canton trade ; in fact, their 
ships were seen in every part of the Indian Seas, and were held 
in respect by all commercial nations. Much credit is due to the fore- 
most in these enterprises. Derby, Gray, Crowningshield, Peale, 
White, Forrester, and others, were followed by Thorndike, Pea- 
body, Pickman, West, Silsbee, the sons of the^ elder Derby and 
of Crowningshield, and many other enterprising merchants. 
While engaged in this profitable commerce, they were assidu- 
ous in gaining a knowledge of the countries they visited, and 
gathered many curiosities and antiquities of the east, of which 
they have formed a splendid museum for the benefit of science 
and the arts, and the gratification of the curious who visit their 
town. 
" The Salem East India Marine Society is composed of per- 
sons who have actually navigated the seas beyond the Cape of 
Good Hope or Cape Horn, as masters or supercargoes of vessels 
belonging to Salem. It was founded in October, seventeen hun- 
dred and ninety-nine, and obtained an act of incorporation in 
eighteen hundred and one. Two hundred and eighty-two members 
have been admitted, ninety-one have died, and seven have retired 
\ 
