Historic Nantucket
The Thomas Macy House on Upper Main Street A Recent Gift to the Nantucket Historical Association July, 1987 Published Quarterly by Nantucket Historical Association
NANTUCKET HISTORIC ASSOCIATION OFFICERS President: H.Flint Ranney Vice President: Reginald Levine Vice President:Mrs. Bracebridge Young Secretary: Mrs. Walker Groetzinger Treasurer: Donald E. Terry Honorary Chairman: Robert Congdon Honorary Vice Presidents Walter Beinecke, Jr Albert Brock Albert F. Egan, Jr. Alcon Chadwick Mrs. Bernard Grossman Mrs. R. Arthur Orleans Presidents Emeritus George W. Jones Leroy H. True Edouard A. Stackpole
COUNCIL MEMBERS Mrs. Kenneth Baird Mrs. Dwight Beman Max N. Berry Mrs. James F. Chase Mrs. Robert B. Clark John W. Eckman Mrs. H.Crowell Freeman
John Gilbert Mrs. Hamilton Heard, Jr. Mrs. John G.W. Husted Mrs. Arthur Jacobsen Charles A. Kilvert Nancy A. Martin Robert F. Mooney
Patricia A. Butler Charles Carpenter Mrs. Charles Carpenter Stuart P. Feld
Ronald W. Haase William A. Hance Mrs. Robert Hellman Andrew J. Leddy Mrs. Thomas Loring
Mrs Carl M. Mueller Mrs. Judith Powers Charles F. Sayle, Sr. Susan K. Spring Mrs. Jane D. Woodruff Robert A. Young
ADVISORY BOARD Mrs. Earle MacAusland William B. Macomber Paul Madden F. Blair Reeves
STAFF John N. Welch, Administrator Bruce A. Courson Victoria Taylor Hawkins Curator of Museums & Interpretation Curator of Collections Edouard A. Stackpole Jacqueline Kolle Haring Historian Curator of Research Materials Leroy H. True Louise R. Hussey Manager, Whaling Museum Librarian Wilson B. Fantom Elizabeth Tyrer Plant Manager Executive Secretary Elizabeth Little Peter S. MacGlashan Curator of Prehistoric Artifacts Registrar Gayl Michael Katherine Walker Asst. Curator of Collections Asst. Curator of Research Materials Richard P. Swain Thomas W. Dickson Miller Merchandise Manager Georgiann L. Phipps Director of Development Docents: Suzanne Beaupre, Alcon Chadwick, Tamar Chizewer, Marjorie Corey, Roscoe Corey, Margaret Crowell, Anita Dougan, Edward Dougan, Barbara Johnston, Jane Jones, Elsie Niles, Alfred Orpin, Frederick Richmond, Gerald Ryder, Dorothy Strong, Mary Witt * * * Historic Nantucket * * * Edouard A. Stackpole, Editor Merle T. Orleans, Assistant Editor
Historic Nantucket Published Q u a r t e r l y and d e v o t e d t o t h e p r e s e r v a t i o n of Nantucket's a n t i q u i t y , its f a m e d h e r i t a g e and its illustrious past a s a w h a l i n g port. Volume 35
July, 1987
No.l
CONTENTS
Nantucket Historical Association of Officers and Staff
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Editorial: On Preserving Nantucket's Outlying Land
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Search for Gold on Sunken Liner Obscures the Story of Passagers' Rescue
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My Sea-Faring Family - Chapter 3 By Nancy Grant Adams
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Bequests / Address Changes
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The Voyage of Captain Bartholomew Gosnold in 1602 to Cape Cod and the Vineyard by Captain John LaCouture
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'Sconset before World War I was a Special Place By Miss Alice Beer
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Historic Nantucket (USPS 246-160) is published quarterly at Nantucket, Massachusetts by the Nantucket Historical Association. It is sent to Association members and extra copies may be purchased for $3.00 each. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: Nantucket Historical Association, P.O. Box 1016, Nantucket, MA 02554. c. N.H.A. 1986 (USSN 0439-2248). Membership dues are: Individual $15., Family $25., Supporting $50., Contributing $100., Sponsor $250., Patron $500., Life Benefactor $2,500. Second-class postage paid at Nantucket, Massachusetts. Communications pertaining to the Publication should be addressed to the Editor, Historic Nantucket, Nantucket Historical Association, Nantucket, Massachusetts 02554
On Preserving Nantucket's Outlying Land DURING THE PAST decade the environs of the old town, and the open stretches of the outlying land, have been threatened by the growing trends to expand. If the scourge of the developers is allowed to continue the sections surrounding the town will be swallowed by suburban sprawl. What is clearly apparent is that historic preservation of the remaining places is endangered on several scores. The question before the community is how can this preservation be effectively handled. The recent attempt by off-island developers to gain control of the Wannacomet Water Company's land around old Washing and Maxcy's ponds, has brought to the fore the blatant efforts of some developers to manipulate the sale of the property. Whether they will suc ceed is in the hands of the authorities. It may well be asked: Why bother to preserve these outlying land sec tions, so vital to the island's future? What is there about these places that deserve a plan to halt the inevitable? The answer is in that Nan tucket is unique in its own right. It deserves the combined efforts of the humble citizen as well as those better established financially. The fact that the old town has been protected by the Historic Districts Act shows that this protection can be accomplished. There is an atmosphere of oldness that invades the consciousness of all who visit Nantucket. It is a natural quality which comes from a liv ing community as that compared to a contrived element that goes with restored places. The very simplicity of Nantucket has an instant appeal. Again, it is a natural inheritance. The first settlers deliberately chose this island for their future homes. The self reliance of these people; the development of the whaling; the arrangement which accommodated the islanders to adapt themselves to the new business of becoming a sum mer resort-all were carried out with an awareness that they must con tinue to preserve the oldness of the island life. The rolling heathland-the "commons" of old-all are a part of the preservation picture. The white sand beaches that bind the green of the land; the magestic roll of the blue sea surrounding all-these are the elements that serve to blend the whole. Over-building, and cluster developments, could so encrust this natural setting as to eventually obscure the remaining picture. - Edouard A. Stackpole
Search For Gold On Sunken Liner Obscures The Story Of Passengers' Rescue LAST MONTH, the last week in June, 1987, a 40 person salvage crew began work on an underwater operation, descending to the sunken wreck of the once sleek ocean liner, Republic, which sank after a collision with the liner, Florida, some 40 miles south of Nantucket. The salvage operator, Martin Bayerle, of Brooklyn, believes his operation will bring up millions in gold coin which has lain in the Republic's hold since she sank on January 23,1909, when the bow of the Florida rammed her amid ships. The story raced across the headlines of the mainland papers, and was covered by the local press with the details included. But, despite the lure of the gold, the real story of the tragic loss of the Republic was in the account of the rescue in the open sea, and the use of wireless to effect that rescue. It was the first celebrated use of wireless to save lives at sea, and it is a part of the Island's history. The Republic, a White Star liner, was a sister ship of the more famous Titanic, and had left New York City only a few hours before, bound for Europe with a group of prestigious passengers. She was 570 feet long and 68 feet across her beam. The Florida was bound into New York from Italy, with 830 immigrants on board. Five people on the Republic died in the collision, but there were no drownings in the ordeal which followed the tremendous impact of the collision. This was due to the alertness of the wireless operators at the 'Sconset station and the heroism of the solitary wireless operator on the Republic, whose name was Jack Binns. The story begins with an account by Jack Irwin, who wrote in the magazine Radio Broadcast in September, 1924; "It was a Friday night, January 23,1909, and I was assigned to the midnight to 8 a.m. watch. There was very little business in the air that night. Events proved that the Republic, due to leave New York at 10 a.m. did not depart until 3 p.m., and was not within range of the SC when I relieved the watch. I occasionally exchang ed messages or signals with the two or three vessels within my zone. There was the Baltic, inbound for New York; about two o'clock there was the Lorraine, 230 miles east of Nantucket...the steamer New York and Furnesia were also coming within range of 'Sconset." It was a bitter cold night. A small coal stove was going its full capaci ty. Irwin dozed and reminisced about his day in Nantucket town. He arose to put some more coal on the fire when he heard something com ing faintly into his head-phones. He listened intently, and suddenly the
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letters CQD CQD and then CQD _JMKCJdKC. It instantly dawned on Irwin the message was from a ship in distress. Throwing in his switch, he started the dynamo and answered. Faintly, but surely came the message. It was the Republic in distress, in a dense fog, rammed by an unknown ship, and sinking and in need of assistance. Jack Binns, the ship's operator, gave the ship's position, placing her approximately 45 miles south of Nantucket, and was soon in touch with Irwin at 'Sconset. The Nantucket operator immediately sent out a further call to ships in the vicinity. The Lorraine answered and placed her position 180 miles away. It was after 6 a.m. and the task looked hopeless. But Irwin also contacted the liner Baltic and the Furnesia. The Republic's messages were very weak, as Binns had to use a storage battery for power, the ship's dynamo being under water. The collision had occurred in dense fog, which added to the unusual aspects of the scene. The 'Sconset station soon had the Chief Operator A.H. Ginman, and operators E.T. Edwards and Jack Cowden on the scene. Woods Hole revenue cutter service was soon in communication with 'Sconset, but the cutter Acushnet was dispatched to another distress call, and could not respond to the Republic's call. Captain Sealby of the liner and Jack Binns sent further details of the stricken craft's position. Several hours had elapsed since the collision, and the Florida, han dicapped by her own situation, managed to grope through the fog and reached the sinking Republic, where she took off 1,400 of the passengers. Ultimately, the Baltic, New York, and the Furnesia managed to reach the sinking Republic, and the Florida, escorting the latter vessel safely into New York harbor. During the forty-eight hours between the collision and the rescue of the Republic's passengers, the little 'Sconset wireless station was delug ed with radiograms and telegrams. The news of the disaster brought hundreds of calls from newspapers, ship-owners and relatives of the passengers demanding the latest information. Jack Irwin stated the situation in these words: "During those three days we found we had handled 22,000 words in that small station. Not an inconsiderable amount of work for any telegraph of size, with greater facilities than ours." The entire episode of a few hours marked a period in which history was created. For the first time a ship in distress had made wireless a means to saving life at sea. Four years before the South Shoals Lightship had sent out a call for help and her crew was rescued by the cutter Azalea as the vessel sank while being towed. But, in this case, the Republic's story brought home to the world that wireless was a necessity. Congress passed a law in 1912 which made it mandatory for ocean-going ships to carry wireless sets on board. Jack Binns, the operator on the Republic,
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became world famous. But 'Sconset became known as an important wireless terminal center. The story of rescue by wireless made the world familiar with Nantucket.
The second wireless station in 'Sconset, where the "Republic's" call was heard, January 23,1909
"My Sea-Faring Family" By Nancy Grant Adams In this issue of Historic Nantucket we continue the story of Mrs. Nan cy Adams' "Sea-Faring Family", a remarkable story of a remarkable family, by a remarkable lady. MY SEA-FARING FAMILY: A true account of the whalemen: Charles Grant Nancy J. Grant Charles W. Grant George A. Grant
1814-1906 1823-1905 1850-1882 1857-1942
by Nancy Grant Adams 1887-1968 daughter of George A. Grant Dedicated to all the Descendants of Charles and Nancy Grant who were Sea-fares
CHAPTER III CABIN BOY ON THE SHIP JOHN JAY BEFORE THE MAST ON THE SHIP MARIA "0, to sail to sea in a ship To leave this steady, unendurable land, To leave the tiresome sameness of the Streets, the sidewalks and the houses; To leave you, 0 solid motionless land, To sail, and sail, and sail." From "Leaves of Grass", by Walt Whitman THE 365 - TON SHIP MARIA was built at Haddam, Conn., in 1822. Her maiden voyage was made in 1822 with Captain George W. Gardner as Master. Returning in 1825, he took her out again from 1825 -1828. Her next voyage was in 1828 - 1832 with Captain Benjamin Ray and it was then that Charles Grant made his second voyage. From 1832 -1836, Captain Alexander Ray was Master, followed by two voyages ending in 1842 with Captain Elisha Fisher, his second voyage being the biggest the ship ever made, bringing in 2413 bbls. of sperm and 21 bbls. of whale oil.
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On this voyage his agents, C. Mitchell & C., wrote a letter to Joseph Balch, Esq., Merchant's Ins. office, Boston, as follows: Sir: We have just received a letter from Captain Fisher, of the ship MARIA, dated Valparaiso, end of December, 1837, informing us that on the 25th of November, while cruising off the island of Juan Fernandes, he sent a boat ashore for the purpose of procuring some recruits. The boat was taken possession of by some armed men on shore, who obliged them to go on board the ship, when they took possession of her and obliged Captain Fisher to carry them to Valparaiso, alleging as an excuse for their piratical acts that they had been robbed by Peru vians a few days previous of everything and that they were in distress. Captain Fisher, finding remonstrance in vain, made the best of his way for the port, and suc ceeded in escaping the vigilance of the Peruvian Squadron, which was blockading the port, and, when within reach of the batteries, they commenced firing upon the ship. One shot only took effect, which stove one of his boats. Captain Fisher then went ashore and entered his pro test against such piratical conduct and with the assistance of the American Consul succeeded in obtain ing his release and a compensation of five hundred dollars, which was all he could obtain, together with liberty to proceed to sea immediately, which he would do on the day his letter was dated, and proceed to cruise for whales, of which he had procured 700 bbls. oil. The Governor's excuse for firing on the ship was that it was done by a subordinate officer in the absence of his superior. We shall communicate the above information to our government and urge it as reason for looking to them for more efficient protection. Very respectfully, Your obedient servants. From 1842 -1846 Captain Edward Jennings was Master and the next, from 1846 to 1850 was with Captain George A. Coffin in charge. On this voyage the crew all deserted in California; doubtless the "gold fever" was in their blood. In 1849 the Captain left the ship in Talcahuano, where he had become very sick. The ship was brought home by the 2nd Mate, Mr. Alley. She had taken only 898 bbls. of oil. On the 15th of Sept., 1850, she sailed again with Captain David Baker
MY SEA-FARING FAMILY
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as Master. He returned home early in the voyage, a very sick man, and the Mate, Mr. Perry, continued the voyage. She headed homeward but started to leak and he was obliged to put in at Rio de Janeiro, where she was finally condemned in Sept., 1854. In a Nantucket paper there appeared an article about the old ship as follows: "The ribs of the old ship MARIA lie in the port of Rio de Janeiro. When she went on her last voyage Captain Baker of Nantucket was Master of her and Captain William H. Perry went as his Mate. Captain Baker was taken ill and left the ship at Payta and Captain Perry took command and sailed her the rest of the voyage. On her homeward trip she sprang a leak and, as Rio was the nearest port, he ran her in there. When she started leaking there were seven men down with the small pox, the cook was dead, and the rest of the crew at work at the pumps night and day. Captain Perry condemned her and sent the oil home. We cannot find that she was ever raised." This ship is not to be confused with the old ship MARIA, which was built at Scituate, Mass., in 1782. Her owners also owned the ship BED FORD. Under command of Captain William Mooers this ship made many successful voyages. She had a remarkable career and was final ly lost on Vancouver's Island in 1872, being then 90 years old. When a ship is about to sail on a voyage the owners generally write their instructions to the Captain. The following letter is one that was written to another Captain of the MARIA, but was no doubt a repetition of what was written to Captain Benjamin Ray. Captain — Sir: Having appointed you to take command of the ship MARIA, we wish you to proceed to sea with all dispatch, and as the ship is furnish ed with everything necessary for you to proceed to the Pacific Ocean, we do not think it necessary for you to touch at any port this side of Cape Horn, unless you should be so fortunate as to get oil on your passage before passing the Western or Cape Verde islands, in which case you can touch at most convenient port of the islands which you are nearest to, and ship it home. Our friends in Boston are Josiah Bradlee & Son; in New York Josiah Macy & Son; to whom you will consign the oil which you may ship. On your arrival in the Pacific Ocean, you will consider to be at liber ty to cruise wherever you may think the prospect best for a cargo of oil. You are at liberty to go into port as often as it becomes necessary to recruit & refit your ship, but will not prolong your stay for social pur poses; and while cruising at sea you will suffer no visiting to interfere with the interests of the voyage. We have had much cause heretofore to complain of visiting and carous ing, and expect it will be avoided by you.
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When in port, do not suffer your men to sell their clothes to buy fruit and liquor, but rather give them fruit to be brought on board, at the ship's expense, where it is plenty, and at no rate suffer liquor to be brought on board, except in a very small quantity, and that for medicinal pur poses only. Serious losses have occurred by suffering the officers to neglect a part of their duty, which you must not allow; we mean the practice of leav ing the deck in care of boatsteerers, who are not paid for that service. And that you may not misunderstand us in this respect, we repeat that it is our desire that you require the mates to take their daily watch in the night-time while at sea, through the whole voyage. It will be no justification for them to omit part of their duty because it is not prac tised on board some other ship. We wish you to bear in mind that perfect order is to be maintained on board ship by you and that no quarrelling is to be allowed among your officers, nor between them and the crew, as the success of the voyage depends very much on the harmony and united exertion. If the means for recruiting the ship with which you are furnished should not be sufficient, you are at liberty to draw on the owners to supp ly the deficiency. You will remember to write the owners by every opportunity and keep them informed of the state of the ship and the progress of the voyage, and when you go into port and no direct opportunity offers to send let ters home, write and leave them in the care of the Consul or some other person who will take care to forward letters home, by the first conveyance. You have on board now, twenty-two men, including officers. You are at liberty, after getting round Cape Horn, to ship such men on fair and reasonable terms as will enable you to man the boats, provided you think it will be for the advancement of the voyage, always bearing in mind to discharge them as soon as the interests of the voyage do not require their further service. We have much cause of complaint that a ship's tools have not been properly cared for; we wish you, on your return to have a correct in ventory made of them and such as are not wanted properly packed in a cask and headed up. We also wish, immediately after sailing, to have the ship's spars branded. The bra; i for this purpose is now in the tool chest. On your return we wish a full inventory of the state of the spars, sails and rigging, belonging to the ship, as also all the craft and appurtenances. We also wish you to keep a record of all trading for, or on account of, the ship or owners. We have named no particular ground where we desire the ship to cruise. Our desire is to have you steer by your own
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compass, and after making up your judgement as to what is best, follow no man's lead because he is going on this or that grounds. You have our warmest wishes that your voyage may be prosperous and happy. George B. Upton For Owners of the ship MARIA Captain Benjamin Ray set his course on the MARIA for the Azores, after crossing the Gulf-Stream, which takes a day or two. In this case the owners had given him permission to stop to recruit fresh vegetables etc. as the ship sailed in a bad season for obtaining same from home. There are nine islands in the Azores group. The watch at the mast-head called out "land-ho" and there they were near Fayal. The health officers of the island inquired Where are you from?" and "How many days out?" If all is well the Captain is permit ted to send boats ashore. Here they obtained oranges, apples, wine, fowl and eggs for much cheaper prices than they could be purchased at home, so they stocked up. The Portuguese from these Islands make good sailors for the ship and many come to the United States and settle down and make exceptional ly good citizens. This is providing the young man, of this time, can escape military duty. The Master of the ship has absolute power, the officers having secon dary power. The Captain stands no watch. He takes daily observations and sets the course of the ship. He takes the sun at noon and works up the latitude by observations. He is the only one who finds the longitude by chronometer. The Mate keeps the dead reckoning and compares it with the Captain's observa tions, sometimes every day and sometimes once a week. The first Mate has the most arduous duty. He keeps the log, oversees the storing of supplies. When all hands are called he is at the fo'castle and with his watch sees that everything is ship-shape above the decks. The second Mate has the charge of the starboard watch which is sta tioned in the waist of the ship. The third Mate's duties are the same. The next rank is the boatsteerers, one for each boat. It is their duty to keep the boats clean and ready for action. Then the Cooper, Carpenter, Blacksmith, Cook and Steward. The Steward takes care of the ship's stores and distributes the provisions according to the orders from the Captain. "And so off-shore let the good ship fly, Little care I how the gusts may blow. In my fo'castle bunk in a jacket dryEight bells have struck, and my watch is below." At eight bells, which is eight o'clock, in the evening, all hands must disperse from gatherings and sky-larking. Some go to bed and some to deck duty.
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The watches are set for four hours at a time. At four bells the wheel and look-outs are relieved and, at eight bells, one half of the watch is through, the other half is called on deck. The watch is called from below with a call like this: "Starbo-o-ard watch ahoy!" or "Larbo-o-ard watch", whichever is to be called. The masthead is manned at daylight, the decks are scrubbed, and things made ship-shape. When the ship is cruising on the whaling grounds, there are six men at the masthead on the lookout for whales, from sun-up to sun-down, in two-hour shifts. In all kinds of weather the masthead must be mann ed. The watch at the top gallant masthead stands on two thin parallel boards, on the top gallant crosstrees, leaning against rings to hold him up. It is not a cozy duty at any time, especially when' it is cold and stor my. Their peajackets are never warm enough to keep out the biting cold winds. The ship sometimes rolling and pitching so that maintaining a foothold on the crosstrees is almost impossible. When the two hour watch is over, the man is only too glad to come down from his lofty perch and give over the watch to the next man. The watch is ordered "to keep your weather eye peeled and sing out every time you see a whale." The Captain often offers a bounty to give a little more incentive to keep looking. This would sometimes be an ex tra lot of tobacco, a gold piece or some special inducement to keep the look-out alert. When a man raises a whale he gives the cry, "Tha-a-a-a-a-blo-ows" in a long drawn-out cry. The Captain or Mate immediately replies, "Where away?" The direction is then called down from aloft, "two points off the lee bow", or "dead ahead". Action on deck begins at once. All hands are called to man the boats and they are off to harpoon the whale, if possible. Breakfast is at seven-thirty. After breakfast the carpenter, cooper and blacksmith all get to work on deck. The men on watch are kept busy - no idleness is allowed. The life on board, between catching whales, can be very dull. After all, four years in close proximity can be very monotonous. The same routine day in and day out. Sometimes the men get quarrelsome and sometimes get to hate each other. There are generally about 25 to 30 men on board, who are all shipped on the share basis. Every member of the ship's crew, from the Captain down to the "boy" receives his "lay", as it is called. In many cases a member of the crew uses up his entire lay before the voyage is over. He would buy clothing from the ship's "slop-chest" for which he was charged exhorbitant prices, and also tobacco and whatever else was available was purchased from the ship's stores. We have been told that outfitters supply a "greenie" with chest and contents for a four-year voyage. It is common knowledge that the out-
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fit, so called, is "made of bull's wool and dog's hair woven together by thunder and lightning". The supply might consist of two red or blue woolen shirts, two under-shirts, two pairs of drawers, one pair woolen pants, one round jacket, two pairs of thin pants, two "hickory" shirts, a sou'wester, two pairs of stockings and one pair of shoes. Also a jackknife, comb, looking-glass, paper of needles, one quarter pound of thread, five pounds of tobacco, a keg of oil soap, tin cup, pan and spoon, mattress and pillow and blankets. Seventy-five dollars for the lot. There is a story of one sailor being charged as follows, on the ship's records. "Flannell shirt. One you had, $2.50. One you didn't get, $2.50. One you are going to get, $2.50." Also the Captain would lend them some money on account when go ing ashore. The sailor's return home after a voyage would net him lit tle or nothing and he would then have to promptly ship out again in order to live. If at any time the ship becomes short-handed, through death, deser tion or accident, the Captain may ship men from any place where they might stop. Many times it would be Kanakas from the South Sea Islands. There is no log available for this voyage so we have to consider it was like any other voyage on any other ship. We have notes from a journal kept by theship's carpenter of the ship MARIA on the next voyage, 183236, with Captain Alexander Macy. "Sailed from Tarpaulin Cove Oct. 18, 1832" Built a hog house. I am twenty-one years old today. At Charles Island went to see the famous Governor who lives about three miles from the landing at a place called the lower spring. We walked up and stayed until sun-set, walked back and came aboard. We went after tortoises and got 40. Black Beach is a settlement nine miles from the landing, 40 or 50 houses built, about 100 inhabitants, houses built of sticks covered with straw, without doors or windows. The ground is very fertile. They raise corn, potatoes, pumpkins, watermelons in abundance. Acres and acres nothing but rock and thorns. Eleven months out they spoke the ship MARY, 22 out, 900 bbls. On her came Frederick Myrick, an old friend of mine. I gave him letters and papers. Her skipper was Captain David Paddock. In June 1833 they spoke the ship SWIFT, Captain Barzillai Coffin, and the BALTIC, Cap tain William Chadwick. Both Captains were about sixty and quite too old to be going Round the Horn a whaling. "Oh, my stars, if we had seen as many whales as ships we should have been filled now and bound home." He was sick in heart and sick at the stomach. In November spoke the OMEGA, Captain Phelan, 4% out, 100 bbls. Got letters from home. Anchored at Tumbez and shipped three Spaniards and a monkey, also a boy John that had been to Nantucket in the LOPER. At Paita in Sept. 1835 found the GEORGE & SUSAN, Captain Edward
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Gardner, 25 out; and the CHARLES & HENRY, Captain George Joy, 34 out. In November shipped Charles Chapman, about 16 years old, belonged in Connecticut, came out in theISAAC HOWLAND, ran away, but afterward taken, but not until Captain Swain had shipped another man to supply his place. He was given his choice of three evils: to go on board the HOWLAND and take a flogging or work six months on the roads at Talcahuana, or go on board the MARIA and go home.He, like a wise youth, chose the latter." There is no doubt but that the voyage of the MARIA on which Charles Grant was a member of the crew, had the same experiences as this carpenter of a subsequent voyage. It was to this sort of life that he was being educated. He found "fore the mast" not too simple or easy. He could climb the ratlines like a monkey and was learning to be a good man aloft, but the life onboard was very hard and he wished many times that he was home in a nice cozy chair by the fire. He had by this time nearly forgotten his very horrible experience on the JOHN JAY but he was not having it too easy with Captain Ray, as he, too, was a hard task master and one of the experiences Charles was to witness was pretty bad. It was a Sunday afternoon and one of the sailors was whistling. The Captain heard him and toldhim to tie up his whistle, and the Mate heard the sailor give a saucy answer under his breath. The Mate promptly reported this to the Captain, who promptly had the offender tied up to the pumps for flogging. He was struck once and the crew interfered and released the man. Then followeda big row. Cap tain Ray feared there would be violence, so he grabbed a cutting spade to defend himself. Joseph Porter, one of the sailors, rushed up to take the spade away from the Captain and scuffled for it, Porter at length getting a finger cut off by the sharp edge of the spade. This so enraged him that he wrestl ed with the Captain and took the spade away and threw him in the scuppers. All this time Charles was a silent spectator of the fray, takingno part in it. Ambrose Jordan, another seaman, now came up, seized the spade and was going to beat the Captain with it. John Williams, a darkey, who was regarded by all as a man of mean, ugly nature, did a good deed at this juncture. He stepped in and taking the spade away, hove it over board. The up-shot of the whole row was that they made the Captain promise not to flog the offending sailor and quiet was restored. Charles was not too happy over this occurrence, but it was a good thing it happened because it cleared the atmosphere for the remainder of the voyage all worked with a will, making a good catch. In later years Charles said this was the nearest to being a mutiny of any time he ever saw.
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The MARIA cruised Japan and the coast of Chili and Peru. Charles worked himself up to be boatsteerer during the voyage and, when the ship returned to port, he was proud to be classed a boatsteerer at the age of eighteen years. One of the experiences which Charles told many years later was about Wake Island. Nantucket whale ships had landed at Wake Island before 1851. It was on this voyage that Charles landed on this island in 1830. It was his recollection that the island lay along 19 degrees No. Lat. and 165 Long, east from Greenwich and says it was a small coral island with a lagoon on one side of it. Nothing but mangrove trees and snakes upon it. He walked across the island in less than half an hour. Another experience he told years later at the Pacific Club was that in 1829 on this same voyage that he landed at the port of San Francisco and found there a Nantucket chap and also Obed Swain, Henry Plaskett and David Hussey, all Nantucket boys who were there on different ships. They were all on liberty ashore and visited the Old Mission, which in 1888 was in the heart of the city. There were then in 1829 only a few adobe huts where great emporiums of the Pacific now hold sway. It was just 59 years later, in 1888, that this story was told as the old Captains sat around the stove in the "Captains Room". The MARIA arrived in port on the 24th day of April, 1832, with 1980 bbls. of sperm oil and 21 bbls. of whale oil, a very good voyage. Up to this time Charles had very little schooling and he was now eager to get some education, so he studied diligently for the next few months, going to school with other boys of his age and earnestly hoping he could fit himself to be a navigator, which was the height of his ambition and for which he had an instinctive urge. Thus ended Charles' second voyage whaling.
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The Voyage of Captain Bartholomew Gosnold In 1602 To Cape Cod and the Vineyard. by Captain John I^acouture THE VOYAGE OF CAPTAIN Bartholomew Gosnold in the bark Con from England and the Azores, in 1602 established the location of Cape Cod and Martha's Vineyard in May of this year. Whether, in his sail along the southern shores of Cape Cod, he did manage to sight Nan tucket is a question as it was a low shore well out to sea. In any event, he did discover the Vineyard and the Elizabeth Islands, and returned to England with the news, anchoring at Exmouth on July 23,1602. This was the beginninng of his subsequent voyaging with John Smith, a soldier of fortune, which led to further adventures. Mr. Lacouture's story follows: cord,
Bartholomew Gosnold, one of England's earliest explorers and in the words of Captain John Smith The "Pathfinder for New England" and the "Prime Mover of Virginia", has never received the acknowledge ment due him. He lies buried in an unknown and an unmarked grave in Jamestown, neglected by history. His role in the establishment of the first permanent English speaking settlement in America is even less remembered than his earlier attempt to plant a small English trading settlement in the New England area. Conversely, Capt. John Smith, well known for his leadership role during the first two critical years at Jamestown, is seldom mentioned for his exploration and naming of New England and for his continuous writings and efforts to encourage English colonization of New England. Bartholomew Gosnold was born in Suffolk County, England in 1571 or 1572. He grew up near the seacoast towns of Woodbridge and Ipswich, when tales of exploration and adventure at sea were being recorded and talked about. He could read about Drake's voyage around the world in 1577, about Verrazzano's voyage of exploration up the East Coast of North America in 1524, and about Sir Humphrey Gilbert's unsuccessful attempts of establish a colony in the New England area in 1583. The first record of Gosnold's early life is contained in the records of the Univer sity of Cambridge, showing him matriculating at Jesus College in 1587. After Cambridge, Gosnold attended New Inns to study law. In 1595 Gosnold married Mary Golding, from Bury St. Edmonds. This was a fortunate marriage for Gosnold since Martha Golding, Mary's mother, was the aunt of Sir Thomas Smythe. He was the leading merchant of London, governor of the Muscovy Company, founder and governor of the East India Company, and was to become the founder and head of the Virginia Company. For the next few years Gosnold apparently settl ed in Suffolk as a country squire where he started raising a family.
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During this period Gosnold through family connections met Captain Hayes, who had been captain of the Golden Hind , one of the ships in Sir Humphrey Gilbert's unsuccessful colonization attempt. He read with great interest Hayes' "Treatise", describing the flora and the fauna of the land later known as New England. He also undoubtedly met Richard Hakluyt, a famous geographer and England's greatest advocate of settlements in North America. As early as 1584 Hakluyt had presented his "Discourse of Western Planting" to Queen Elizabeth advocating Norumbega (an early name for New England) as a worthwhile place for English colonization. By 1602, at long last, Hakluyt had found a willing disciple, Gosnold, and the financial backing, the Earl of Southampton, to make the first attempt at settlement. Using Hayes' "Treatise" as a plan for his voyage, and Verrazzano's "Refugio" (Newport) as his destination, Bartholomew Gosnold sailed from Falmouth Harbor on 26 March, 1602, in the bark, Concord.
The Concord was a vessel of about 30 tons, in poor condition, because at sea she could not stand the press of full sail even in good weather, without much creaking of timbers and dangerous opening of the seams. The complement for the voyage totalled thirty-two persons, of which twelve were the ship's crew, under Captain Bartholomew Gilbert, and sailing master William Strete. The remainder under Gosnold were plan ning to remain and set up a trading post. Included in this group were two college friends from days at Cambridge, John Brereton and Gabriel Archer, both of whom kept narratives of the voyage. These have left us with detailed accounts of Gosnold's itinerary and what he saw and experienced. In preparing for his voyage Gosnold had studied the tracks used by British marines in voyages to the West Indies. They would sail first to the Azores and then using the prevailing southwesterly winds sail on a starboard track to the Indies. Gosnold figured that a long reach from the Azores on a port tack, using the same prevailing winds, would take him to the coast in the vicinity of his destination, (Newport). Consequent ly, Concord sailed first to the Azores and then came about on a wester ly course and headed directly for America. Previously no English cap tain had made this turn at the Azores. Archer's narrative log undoubted ly records the first direct trans-Atlantic crossing to the New England area. The Concord took departure from the Azores on 14 April and at 6 A.M. on 14 May, 1602, land was sighted at a place called by Archer Savage Rock. The name derived from their first sighting a great rock and from the fact that it was here they first encountered Indians. This location was probably what is now known as Cape Neddick near York, Maine.
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After a brief palaver with the Indians of Savage Rock, during which one of them sketched a crude map showing Cape Cod, Gosnold headed south for the latitude of his destination - "Refugio" - where he would search for the great bay opening to the south. The next morning they sighted the headlands of Provincetown and Truro and, thinking them part of an island, continued south until they reached the southern end of Cape Cod Bay. On encountering this barrier to further progress south, Gosnold first sailed east, hoping to get around the land obstructing his progress. On finding no opening he then sailed west, until opposite the entrance to what is now Barnstable Harbor. Here he anchored and put over his shallop to explore the inlet. Soon finding it merely a shallow bay and naming it Shoal Hope, Gosnold, with a few companions, beached the shallop and headed for the top of the hills they had seen from the deck of Concord, to look for an inland bay lying to the south of the hills. On reaching the top of the highest hill (Shoot Flying Hill) they were able to see Nantucket Sound, which hopefully was the great bay described by Verrazzano as "Refugio". They seemed to see several of the islands described by Verrazzano - both the highlands of Cape Pogue and Great Island appeared as islands from their viewing point. The nearer part of Martha's Vineyard ap peared to be part of the mainland, with the waters of Vineyard Sound at East Chop looking like the entrance to the River Dee. Looking nor thward, Gosnold realized that he must sail north around the tip of Cape Cod and follow the outer Coast southward until he came to the entrance to the bay described by Verrazzano. For the first time the unique peninsula named Cape Cod had been discovered and its geographic shape determined. Many before Gosnold had undoubtedly passed within sight of the outer Cape enroute to the fishing banks off Newfoundland, but because of the well reported ex tensive shoals to the east of Nantucket and the Cape had given it a wide berth. There is no previous record of any European's landing there before Gosnold nor of the previous awareness of Cape Cod Bay. Because of the numerous codfish found swimming in the water Gosnold named the peninsula Cape Cod. This name has endured to the present day, in spite of an attempt by Prince Charles (later Charles I) to change the name to Cape James in honour of his father. That same afternoon, Gosnold weighed anchor for a run around the northern tip of Cape Cod. The next day he coasted south along the east coast of Cape Cod, and then headed west along the south coast. It is pret ty well established that he did not turn in to Nantucket Sound past Monomoy, since he was looking for a bay opening to the south as describ ed by Verrazzano. Also Archer's account describes coasting along the south side of the "somewhat wooded" island which would be Tucker-
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nuck. They did encounter a few tense moments on the shoals extending out from the southwest tip of Muskeget, but managed to escape trouble and came to anchor south of Chappaquiddick. The next four days were spent at anchor, viewing the scene searching for landmarks described by Verrazzano. In spite of his failure to recognize any of these so-called places, Gosnold believed he had reach ed the general area of "Refugio" and Narragansett Bay. From the 21st of May until the 24th, Gosnold and his party explored the northern coast of Martha's Vineyard, then called Capawack by the Indians. It was at this time that he named the island Martha's Vineyard, the Martha part after his daughter and/or mother-in-law, the Vineyard part after the profusion of grapevines they found on the island. On the afternoon of the 24th the Concord sailed a short distance across the western entrance to Vineyard Sound, and anchored off the southwestern coast of Cuttyhunk. The next day they rounded the western end of Cuttyhunk and entered Buzzards Bay, which Archer described as "one of the stateliest sounds that ever I was in". The explorers nam ed this sound "Gosnold's Hope". "Hope", at that time was an old word, meaning "bay". They anchored off Cuttyhunk, which at that time was joined to what is now the separate island of Nashawena. Gosnold nam ed this then single island, Elizabeth's Isle, probably after Queen Elizabeth, or possibly after his sister. This name has also lasted to the present day, although now it has been extended to take in the entire string of islands stretching south-westerly from Woods Hole. It seems unfortunate that the name Gosnold's Hope did not last as the name of the sound now called Buzzards Bay. After exploring as far as Woods Hole, and along the eastern shore of Buzzards Bay, the settlers decided to establish their headquarters at Cuttyhunk. Here on an island located in the center of a fresh water lake, they began to build a large building, that would serve as a fort, living quarters and storage area. It was well located at the entrance of Buz zards Bay and Vineyard Sound, and protected by the lake as a natural moat. Ten men were put to work building the fort and had it completed in nineteen days. This was the first structure erected by Englishmen in the New England area. On the 31st of May, leaving a party behind to guard the fort, Gosnold departed on the Concord to explore Buzzards Bay. He visited two inlets at the head of the bay, one located where New Bedford now stands and the other at the present site of the town of Wareham, then the site of an Indian village called "Agawam". Gosnold visited with the Indians and was most favorably impressed with the mainland in this area.
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On return from this voyage Gosnold's fort was visited by several large friendly parties of Indians, including probably the Great Chief of the Pokonockets, Massasoit's father. They brought furs to barter and spent several days meeting and feasting. After they left, Gosnold started dividing the food supply on the Concord between the twenty settlers, who were staying, and the ship's crew, who would be sailing back to England to obtain more supplies. It soon became apparent that there would be sufficient food for only six weeks, for those remaining at Cuttyhunk, even though they were surrounded by all types of suitable food if they would only live on nature's bounty. On the 13th of June, five days after the shortage of provisions had been revealed, Archer notes that "beganne some of our companie that before vowed to stay make revolt". Eight of the twenty who had promised Gosnold they would remain with him in America now decided to return home. Therefore, Gosnold as Brereton puts it, "seeing his whole strength to consist of but twelve men, and they but meanly provided, determin ed to returne for England". On June 18th, loaded with furs, sassefras and cedar, they set sail for England anchoring in Exmouth on the 23rd of July 1602. Thus ended the first English attempt at permanent settlement in the New England area. Even if Gosnold had managed to start a trading col ony at Cuttyhunk, it probably would not have lasted through the tur bulent Indian wars of the next decade. As it turned out Gosnold's voyage had shown the way for a short direct crossing to the New England area. He made known to the English public through the publications of Brereton's "Relations" the healthfulness of the climate, the fertility of the soil and the sea, and the fact that the land had products that could be sold profitably in the English market. This report set up a destina tion of promise for future voyagers and kindled the desire on the part of many to begin colonization. Although Gosnold himself failed in his attempt to begin the colonization of New England, he provided an in spiration and valuable information for those who followed. More than any earlier venture, Gosnold's voyage made the English aware of the New England area and created a stimulus for the series of annual visits that followed.
'Sconset Before World War I Was A Special Place. By Miss Alice Beer JUST BEFORE HER PASSING, Miss Alice Beer wrote me some of her reminiscences of Old 'Sconset, and among these papers was the following graphic and nostalgic account. It was typical of Miss Beer's recollections, and many of our readers will enjoy her look back to yester-year. "In those years just before World War I the village of 'Sconset was more active socially. There were tennis matches with Town - for the Casino courts were popular. And there were good players from the Yacht Club in Town and we thought dazzling players among our young men. Snap shots show many of my friends in neat white skirts to the ankle and sailor blouses. Sunbonnets were fashionable for girls at that time and turn up in old photographs. It was in those pre-war years that a 'Sconset institution was founded. Miss Agnes Everett, a singer and actress, a lovable woman and great favorite, was inspired to take two ancient little houses, across the road from the Casino, attach them, decorate them, and open what in those days was called a "tea room". She called it The Chanticleer. I do not recall that at first anything elaborate in the way of food was attempted. Tea was served, and let me advise you that ladies and gentlemen and boys and girls in those far off days really drank tea, par ticularly if accompanied by delightful sandwiches and cakes. Probably Agnes served light lunches. But the important point is The Chanticleer was a success and continued to be so. One thing Agnes introduced was the ice cream cone. I have a clear memory of going there on a fine sum mer morning with my brother Tom and buying cones which we ate stroll ing along toward Pump Square. I guess this to be about 1908, for I have read a letter of that same brother in his first year at Yale, describing his first experience with that now so common and publicly absorbed delicacy. Of course the "Chanti" was handy to run over to from the Casino porch at an evening dance. And it soon became an institution. So the years rolled peacefully on - or so they seem in retrospect - un til 1914. We were still the happy, faraway land; still we barred the automobile. Still we read by lamp light in 'Sconset though certainly there were elec tric plants in a few homes and householders in Town had gas; hotels electricity.
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It is difficult to recall 'Sconset in those years between 1914 and 1917. One's memory focuses on the agitation in the cities, Washington, the War. But in October of 1916 my father died in our summer home in 'Sconset. In May of 1917 my brother Tom had enlisted and was soon in camp in Texas near San Antonio. Such changes in families were the experience of the War. The little yellow train that had served Nantucket so well was no more. There was a rumor the "rolling stock" had been sent to France. Dif ficult experiments in transportation had been made, none very suc cessful. In 1917 a petition was circulated among property holders, to drop the ban on the automobile. It was argued that the townspeople were suf fering hardships; it was difficult to get patients from 'Sconset to the hospital in Town, at times. So Pandora's box was opened. When, after the war, we began to come back to the island, we found the cottages creeping up the north bluff toward the light. Houses were springing up on the west side of our lane - Baxter Road. Houses were appearing on the rising land at the back of the village. And while the cars were now common, they were not as yet the inflic tion they are today. But to my dismay I found that the Town Fathers had allowed Broadway in 'Sconset to be the main road north for incom ing vehicles. So farewell grass walks, and peaceful little streets. And the Sightseeing busses were plying their trade and romanticizing parts of the innocent village as "the Actors Colony". What a pity! If they had looked ahead they might have planned a main entrance through a road constructed back of the village to connect with Atlantic Avenue. The ancient village of 'Sconset with the rare examples of architecture might have been saved for walkers and lovers of the an tique. But few communities in our country have had the foresight to pre vent desolating changes wrought by the increasing power of the gas engine! One afternoon I was loafing alone on the verandah of our house when Margaret Fawcett raced up the path and to the steps calling "Alice, Alice come look - bulldozers are tearing down all the brush on our Sunset Hill - They are rolling up the moors - how can we stop them?" It was true. There they were. It was the beginning of preparation for the new golf links. There was no stopping this change. Soon a handsome big club house crowned the highest hill - across from Sankaty Light - and the 18 hole course spread away along the Polpis Road. It was soon popular, with Nantucket golfers as well as 'Sconseters. But it seemed to me from that time on the rush to build on the north bluff increased. Houses appeared on Baxter Lane. Front lots were sought and filled, the open fields disappeared.
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The casual informality of life was disappearing too. With the car came more contact with Town. The little old meat market of Mr. Burgess had long since gone. Shops increased in Town and so, shopping there by 'Sconseters. A few Town shops did deliver in 'Sconset. Electricity ap peared in some of the 'Sconset houses. Social life was more organized; "events" at the Casino, or the golf club claimed more attention. Afternoon teas and evening bridge par ties, and big private dances at the Casino assumed importance in those pre-war years. There was one event of national significance that it seemed to be had more impact on 'Sconset life, than perhaps the introduction of the automobile: Prohibition. While I have no clear recollection of much drinking, before World War I, it seemed to me that defiance of the foolish law during and after the war became the fashion. The cocktail assum ed importance. Friends from Pennsylvania were popular because they could get "Apple-Jack" - which, if gin was not available, made a good drink. The afternoon cocktail party began to take over as the preferred form of entertainment. And as night follows day, the hip pocket flask and the reckless driver appeared as inevitable phenomena. In that period during and following World War I the character of life on the whole island changed. There were more people, more houses. In 'Sconset there was first one new hotel, The Beach House, then another, the Moby Dick. The old Ocean View had closed and been remoldelled as a home. Much of the old easy, casual life had gone. There is no doubt that the discovery of 'Sconset's charms by actors and the settlement among us of several members of that profession had enriched local life in many ways. Their presence had attracted the af filiated arts, writers, critics, musicians. For a short term of years in the twenties a focus of these interests was the Tavern on the Moors, con ducted by Fred Howe. Mr. Howe was a liberal, with acquaintances among writers, lecturers, "intellectuals" and people of the artistic world. He took over a large barn, the property of Charles Pitman, on sloping land toward the west side of 'Sconset, near the moors; at least they were within sight! On the first floor he created a restaurant of sorts. The second he made into a hall where meetings were held, lectures given. Living arrangements were provided nearby. The institution was a success of a sort and did undoubtedly attract writers and speakers and enlivened the local scene considerably. I have among letters from my brother Tom two written to Ernest Boyd, a New York critic and writer. In one, my brother invites Mr. Boyd to be his guest at the Tavern as the family was that summer temporarily hous ed in a very small, uncomfortable cottage. In a second very amusing letter to Boyd, after the latter's visit, my brother, Tom, mentions some of the special visitors to the Tavern.
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Of course by the period of the 20's travel to the Island was easier. The New York, New Haven and Hartford in summer ran a daily special the Cape Codder, with cars that were switched off at Providence for Woods Hole. One left the Grand Central Terminal at 42nd Street in New York at 9:30 in the morning and at Woods Hole caught the afternoon boat. Also there was the night Cape Codder on week-ends - the midnight to Boston with cars that were switched off at Providence for Woods Hole; so you caught a morning boat to the Island. People going in early spring to the Island, before these summer schedules, took the Owl to Boston, breakfasted in South Station, and boarded a comfortable morning train which ambled down the Cape to Wood Hole. Really, travel on the pre-aeroplane period was more comfortable! 'Sconset in the Twenties. Let these reminiscences stop there; before the airfield was established at Nobadeer, before the sound of practise guns from the Cape, before the onrush of the War to Save - what was it we were to save that time? Or end? 'Sconset in the twenties still had some of the happy, casual, peaceful air of the 90's - if one stayed close to the shore; the water, the sea, was still there, clean and sparkling, the air still fresh and salty. 'Sconset of the twenties still offered us stretches of moors untouched by wheels of cars - and Henry Coffin's sheep still grazed. Indeed in Nantucket of the 20's it was still possible to drive to an empty, clear stretch on many sections of beach along the south shore - without encountering a human soul, and dressing carefully in the shelter of brush or your vehicle, to swim in surf, and sun on clean sands - without the benefit of lifeguards. In 'Sconset of the twenties one walked out of the house, without lock ing door or window. In 'Sconset of the twenties, at least on the north bluff, nights were peaceful, the surf still murmured. And in September the air was rich with the scents so loved - the bay, fern, the wild pepper - and on many a trellis or porch hung the white trailing vines of clematis, whose scent evokes a time, a place, a peace now vanished.
