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HISTORY

BLOCK ISLAND

ITS DISCOVERY, IN 1514,

TO

THE PRESENT TIME, 1876,

Rev. S. T. LIVERMORE, A. M.

^^ Knowledges are as Pyramids, whereof History is iJie Basis.''''— V>hCoii.

HARTFORD, CONN.:

The Case, Lockwood & Brainard Co.

1877.

CorYRIGHTED, 1ST7, BY

s. T- li"\^e;riv[OR.e,

DEDICATION.

This volume, commenced as a Centennial Offering, by appointment of the Town Council of Block Island, in June, 1876, is respectfully

DEDICATED

To THE Memory of

The Early Settlers of the Island;

TO THAT OF

Their Departed Posterity,

AND TO

The Inhabitants now Living,

BY

THE AUTHOR.

CAAFF I rnnn t^.\/

PREFACE.

If any object to the title of this book on the ground of its containing the fads of history rather than history itself, our apology is that history is believed to be in the facts here presented, and that it will be better understood by those of limited culture than it would be if presented in the language of those who would fuse the facts into the philosophy of history. These facts have been gathered up hastily, and many of them snatched from the verge of oblivion, amid pressing duties of another character. They are here compiled for the pleasure and benefit of present readers, and for the use of some future historian who may pass them through his mental crucible, and bring out the golden current to the satisfaction of those who make the nice distinction between history and the facts of his- tory. But in the meantime, let not the mint despise the mineral or the miner.

As for style, the writer has aimed at one point, and endeavored to shun another. Though in doing the first he has sacrificed the ornate for the naked, this has been done with the conviction expressed by Bacon, thus : "This nakedness as once that of the body is the companion of innocence and simphcity." In doing the second he has hoped to shun what the same great philosopher calls '' the first distemper of learning, when men study words and not matter." Therefore those who read this book simply for the ornaments of language will be disappointed. Those who look for the waymarks of time on the extraor- dinary island here represented will be rewarded accord- 1*

PREFACE.

ing to their own estimate of the facts herein presented. Part of these facts may seem trivial to some, while to others they may be valuable. There was some wisdom in the cock that disregarded the diamonds, but greedily picked up the barley corns. Others picked up the jewels. Another has well said: "Without a detail of the most trifling facts in the early history of New England it will be impossible to understand the nature of their present religious and political estabhshments." So, future gene- rations will need a minute detail of our present condition.

In so small a work as this, covering a period of more than two centuries, nothing can be elaborate. And yet it is hoped there may be found here a sufiScient concatena- tion of incidents and events to entitle this book to the character of a history rather than to that of mere chroni- cles. In the biographical sketches the writer has sought chiefly the weal of the Islanders, hoping to awaken in them a deeper interest in their genealogical records. He has also endeavored to give some outlines of the various classes of characters — or at least a specimen of each class. Perhaps good may thus result from enabling some to see themselves as others see them.

In these sketches are elements of history. Each gene- ration, in a measure, transmits itself to posterity, and the people of to-day repeat the words, the acts, the feehngs, habits, and manners of those who lived centuries ago.

The writer's sources of information have been obscure, remote, and various. A colony so isolated from the main land, without printing press, with no mails for one hun- dred and seventy years, with a very meager written record of its own, has remained more than two centuries without a published history, while many very erroneous accounts of the Island, written by visitors, have been sent abroad. Dependent upon tradition, to a great extent, the Islanders have perpetuated legends that have come down to the pres-

PREFACE. 7

ent grotesque with fiction and superstition. A few of thorn are here presented, from only one of which — the Palatine^ has it seemed necessary to hft the lion skin. The task of gathering isolated fragments here and there upon the main land, and of classifying them with others found upon the Island, has been laborious and perplexing. Without ready access to public libraries, while on the Island, the writer has been favored with assistance from others. He acknowledges his indebtedness to the courteous Librarian of the Massachusetts Historical Society ; to the Boston Public Library; to Mr. James Hammond of the Redwood Library at Newport ; to Mr. Charles H. Dennison of San Francisco ; to Mr. Ambrose N. Rose, Town Clerk of Block Island ; to Hon. Nicholas Ball, of the' same place ; to the aged Islanders, and to others.

Errors, doubtless, will be discovered in this work, and for them the v/riter offers no apology, but simply asks for their discovery and correction, and that while the dross is condemned the genuine metal may be accepted at its true value. All information of its errors will be thankfully received by the author, and while asking no praise, and expecting no emoluments for his labor, he hopes to escape unmitigated censure from the professional critic for the presumption of making this humble offering to the pubhc.

S. T. LIVERMORE.

Bridgewater, Mass., March 22, 1877.

BLOCK ISLAND.

DISCOVERY.

"When Block Island was first seen by civilized navigators is only a matter of conjecture. When it was first inhab- ited by Indians will probably ever remain a mystery. The first account of it which we find was given in 1524, more than three and a half centuries ago. Its shores were then cursorily examined by the French navigator, Verrazzano, who gave a report of it to Francis I., king of France. He described its location as being about fifty leagues east from New York harbor, and as about three leagues from the main-land, and represented its form as similar to a triangle. He says, " It was full of hills, cov- ered wath trees, well-peopled, for we saw fires all along the coast." Evidently none of his crew landed to gain any knowledge of the inhabitants.

In 1614, ninety years after the French navigator passed its shores, the Dutch explorer and trader, Adrian Block, having been detained through the winter on Manhattan Island by the burning of his vessel and cargo of furs, built there a new one — a yacht, which he named the Un- rest^ of sixteen tons burthen, and with it explored the coasts of Long Island Sound, and from the fact of his giving his name to this Island it is more than probable that he landed on its shores, and from some particular liking gave it his own name. Those who admit this infer- ence to be sufficient evidence of his visit here will accord to the Unrest the honor of being the first vessel anchored within the waters of this Island, as a visitor, and to

10 HISTORY OF BLOCK ISLAND.

Adrian Block and his crew the distinction of being the first civilized men ever known to have come upon its soil. In 1636, twenty-two years after Block's discovery, a trader from Boston, by the name of John Oldham — accus- tomed to traffic with the Indians, came to this Island with a small sailing vessel to trade with the Manisseans who "came into his boat, and having got a full view of com- modities which gave them good content, consulted how they might destroy him and his company, to the end they might clothe their bloody flesh with his lawful garments." Their murder of Captain Oldham thoroughly advertised the Island in Boston, and doubtless gave to many in New England their first knowledge of its existence. The expe- dition which Massachusetts sent to the Island under the command of Col. John Endicott to punish the Indians here accomplished not only that object, but made a more thorough exploration of the Island than ever made before, and also established a claim to it by right of conquest. It was now considered fully discovered and explored, and its large and fertile plantations just disburdened of great crops of corn by the Indians, with heavily timbered for- ests, and splendid fishing-grounds, made it an inviting home for the pioneer settlers of the colonies.

ITS NAMES.

But few parts of the world, during the same period, can boast of more names than Block Island, and were we to predict which one of them would remain the longest we should say that its first name will be its last one to be spoken and written.

Manisses, was the first one known by the Indians who were its occupants when settled by the English. This name, according to the best interpretation vre have, had a religious as well as a local signification, meaning the "Little God," or the "Little God's Island," having refer-

ITS NAMES. 11

ence, probably, to its sachem, whom tradition represented as subordinate to the great Narragansett sachem on the main-land, and distinguishing him thus for his valor. Whittier, in his poem entitled "The Palatine," had good reason for choosing this euphonic, aboriginal name as the most poetic and desirable.

Claudia^ comes next on the list. This name was given by Verrazzano, in 1524, in honor of the mother of King Francis I. It did not adhere, however, and after a trial of a century, being of no special honor to that worthy mother, one more substantial and enduring became its successor.

^^Adrian^s Eyland,^' soon after 1614, was the name put down upon the Dutch maps, and this was the name most familiar to those then sailing past its shores on trading- expeditions to and from Manhattan. This name had the advantage of euphony and historic association with dis- tinguished persons and places of antiquity.

Block Islomd, virtually the same as the one last-men- tioned, was destined to be the name in 1876, and how long after none can say, by which the place was to be known most familiarly to the pubhc. It was made so by the early settlers of the colonies, and whether intended or not, there was a prophecy in the name that was ominous to sailors, for upon its shores a multitude of fair vessels have fatally stumbled.

New Shoreham, in 1672, when the Island received its town charter from the Rhode Island Assembly, was made an antecedent, or prefix of the name Block Island. In that charter, the name of the incorporation is repeatedly given as '-New Shoreham, otherwise Block Island." Whether the Islanders asked for this lumbersome name or not we cannot say. To some, at least, it is now sug- gestive of shores and blocks. The inhabitants, as is evi- dent from their records, considered the name too heavy,

I r-^O

f\n\f

12 HISTORY OF BLOCK ISLAND.

and frequently wrote it simply Shoreham, or ^' Shorwni.'^ The long word — "otherwise," to connect the old and new names in the charter, they reduced to alias^ and some- times wrote it ^'ales."

The reason for adopting the new name, in 1672, instead of being as newspaper correspondents have conjectured, is plainly stated in the charter, the authors of which were, perhaps, the committee consisting of Roger Williams, Thomas Olney, and Joseph Torrey, appointed in 1664 by the G-eneral Assembly "to draw up their thoughts to com- mit to the farther approbation or correcting, as commis- sionating them [Block Islanders] in point of preservation of his Majesty's peace there." The section alluded to in said charter reads as follows :

"And furthermore be it enacted, that the said town of Block Island, at the request and for the reasons by the inhabitants showed, and as sig?is of our unity and likeness to many parts of our native country^ the said Block Island shall be called New Shoreham, otherwise Block Island." The shores of the New World were here associated with those of the Old, and the final syllable, ham, signifying a house, or farm, or village, had reference to "many parts" of England whose names terminate with a ham. There is also a New Shoreham in Sussex Co., Eng., on the Adur River, three miles from its entrance into the English Channel.

By popular consent the Neio Shoreham part of the name is now generally omitted, and Block Island is deemed suf- ficient, and thus the first step is taken in going back to the name Manisses. In the early part of the 18th century the Island was known to some extent in Massachusetts by the name of ^^Ministerial Lands^'' from the appropriation of a part of it for the support of a minister.

POSSESSION. 13

POSSESSION.

The first possession of the Island of which we have any account was that maintained by the Narragansett Indians. How long they had held it before Captain Oldham's trad- ing expedition there in 163G, we are not informed. Judg- ing, however, from the strength of the Xarragansett tribe, they may be supposed to have owned it for centuries. It naturally belonged to them, from its location, as it now belongs to Rhode Island, lying, as it does, directly south of the middle of the southern boundary of said state, and twelve miles distant.

From the Indians it passed into the possession of Mas- sachusetts soon after the death of Captain Oldham, in

1636. It was acquired by the conquest of Colonel Endi- cott to punish the natives. Its transfer to that colony Yv^as acknowledged by Miantinomo, the great sachem of the Narragansetts, to Governor Yane, in 1637, and was stated then to be "by right of conquest." This transfer and possession were acknowledged by its former posses- sors as, in "January, ]638, the Indians of Block Island sent three men, with ten fathoms of wampum for part of their tribute," to the Massachusetts Colony.

In 1637, Gov. Winthrop said : "Miantinomo, the Xar- ragansett sachem, came to Boston. The governor, deputy, and treasurer treated with him, and they parted upon fair terms. He acknowledged that all the Pequod country and Block Island were ours, and promised that he Vv^ould not meddle with them but by our leave."

In a letter from Roger Williams to Gov. Winthrop in

1637, the former stated that the sachems of the Narra- gansetts had left the Block Island Indians to the gover- nor, at the time of Mr. Oldham's death, and "so have done since ; " that said sachems had sought the head of Audsah, the murderer of Oldham ; that the Block Island Indians had obligated themselves to pay to the Governor

14 HISTORY OF BLOCK ISLAND,

of Massachusetts 100 fathoms of beads annually, and that they were wholly said governor's subjects.

In 1658, the possession of Block Island was transferred from said colony to private individuals. The following account of this transfer is found in the Eccl. Hist, of New England : ''1672, Nov. 3d, Block Island, granted in 1658, by Massachusetts, to John Endicott, Richard Belling- ham, Daniel Dennison, and Wilham Hawthorne, is now incorporated by the R. I. Assembly under the name of New Shoreham" (Vol. II. 549). That state having received this Island from the Indians in consideration of the damage they had done in the Oldham affair, had acquired a genuine title, and accordingly transferred it to these gentlemen. Soon they transferred its possession again, an account of which we obtain from a most authen- tic source, the old town records of Block Island, entitled, —

''NEW SHOEEHAM TOWNE BOOKE MADE IN THE YEARE 1675.''

This book contains a copy of the original compact of the first settlers of Block Island. This copy was taken by the town clerk, in 1695, from the "old book of Records," of the existence of which we can gain no infor- mation.

In 1660, the last transfer of Block Island, as a whole, was made by Messrs. Endicott, Bellingham, Dennison, and Hawthorne, selling the same to a company of sixteen men, most of whom constituted its first settlers. The compact, purchase, and settlement were mainly as fol- lows : —

'^ RECORD OF THE PURCHASING AND SETTLEMENT OF BLOCK ISLAND."

" Memorandum in the year of our Lord 1660 ; as followeth : —

" Mr. John Alcock, physician in the town of Roxbury,

in the Colony of Massachusetts, being connected with Mr.

PURCHASE AND SETTLEMENT. 15

Thomas Faxun. Peter George, Thomas Terry, Richard Ellis, Samuel Bering, Simon Ray, all of Braintree, with sundry persons belonging to other towns :

" Mr. John Alcock acquainting them of an island that was to be sold, namely, Block Island, which might make a situation for about sixteen families, and also declaring the price to be four hundred pounds, and that if they would be concerned with him proportionably towards the erecting a plantation on Block Island, he the aforesaid John Alcock would then proceed in the purchase thereof, granting him for his trouble and pains five pounds for a sixteenth part, or twenty-five acres of land as an equiva- lent, and to be at equal proportion at payment for said purchase in manner and form as folio weth :

" Twenty-five pounds to be paid for every sixteenth part, the remainder of the payment for to be paid in country pay, such as the country afforded, and accordingly timely notice was given unto all those that might think convenient for to be concerned with the erecting the concerns afore- said for to make their personal appearance at the house of Mr. John Alcock, August the seventeenth 1660, then and there to confer about the premises above mentioned, and accordingly was forthwith attended by those hereunto subscribed :

"Mr. John Alcock, M. D. Simon Ray,

Thomas Faxon, Fehx Wharton,

Peter George, Hew Williams,

Thomas Terry, John Gluffer,

Richard Ellis. Edward Yorse,

Samuel Bering, John Rathbone.

''And according to the forementioned premises forthwith agreed with Mr. John Alcock for the paym-ent of said Island proportionably as above mentioned, and also a con- sultation which way for to proceed concerning the erecting

16 HISTORY OF BLOCK ISLAND.

a plantation on the -aforesaid Block Island considering the remoteness thereof both by land and sea and could not be settled without great charge, whereupon some of our company began for to decline ; still the remainder proceeded in the management thereof as voted all and every person that was concerned with land on Block Island should bear their equal proportion of all charges belonging unto the settlement thereof :

" Whereupon, for the premising and settlement of Block Island it was agreed upon that whose names here sub- scribed. Mr. John Alcock, Felix Wharton, Hew Williams, Thomas Terry, Samuel Bering, Simon Ray, all of them agreeing forthwith for to build a barque for the trans- porting of cattle to said Island for the settlement thereof, Thomas Terry, Samuel Bering, Simon Ray procuring the hull for to be built ; Mr. John Alcock, Felix Wharton, Hew Williams for to pro^dde the sails and rigging, and so accordingly proceeded in the management thereof. Further, for the better and quicker transporting of pas- sengers, considering that there was no harbor, Samuel Bering, Simon Ray built a shallop upon their own cost and charge for the promoting and settling of said Island, and by the end of the year 1660 the barque and shallop were finished for the same purpose before mentioned, and William Rose, first Master of the barque for the employ- ment that the barque was built for ; and William Ed- wards, and Samuel Staples undertaking to sail the shallop around the Cape, and for to meet the passengers at Taun- ton there to take them in and sail for Block Island.

"In the year 1661 the barque set sail from Braintree, in the beginning of April, for Block Island. The shallop received its passengers at Taunton, namely :

" Thomas Terry, Bun'can Williamson,

Samuel Bering, John Rathbone,

PURCHASE AND SETTLEMENT. 17

Simon Ray, Edward Yorse,

Wm. Tosh, Nicholas White,

Thormut Rose, William Billings,

Wm. Barker, Trustaram Dodge,

David Kimball, John Ackurs,

Wm. Cahoone, [Thomas Faxun had pre- ceded with the surveyor.]

'' Memorandum in the year of our Lord 1661. ^^ Further Settlement of the Plantation Block Island. "Notice was given unto all the proprietors for to assem- ble themselves at the house of Felix Wharton, in Boston, the first Tuesday in September 1661, there to consult and agree upon some able knowing man to survey the Island that every purchaser might have his proportion that he or they might improve it to the best advantage they could, Mr. John Alcock propounding unto the assembly there met of a man that he knew for to be an able proved sur- veyor, one Mr. [Peter] Noyse of Sudbury, forthwith the assembly accepted of Mr. Alcock's proposal, and forth- with it was voted that Mr. Noyse, Mr. Faxun, an able knowing man, that they should go to Block Island and by lot divide unto every man concerned his due propor- tion as near as they could ; and so accordingly they did proceed in the managing thereof according unto directions of the purchasers and proprietors of said Island that took it into consideration at the time of this assembly and agreed upon that there should a quantity or portion of land be laid out for the help and maintainance of a min- ister and so continue forever, and accordingly Block Island was surveyed and lotted out proportionally unto the purchasers by Mr. Noyse and by Mr. Faxun, as doth appear by the surveyor's works in the plot and draught of said Island measured and bounded unto every pur- chaser according to proportion by lot as followeth ;

18 HISTORY OF BLOCK ISLAND.

'' The JSForth Part of the Island as hy Lot.

"Mr. Richard Billings, - - First Lot.

Mr. Samuel Dearing, - - - 2

Nathaniel Wingley, Tormot Rose, - 3

Edward Vorse, John Rathbone, - 4

Thomas Faxon (2 lots), - - 5 & 6

Richard Ellis, - ... 7

Felix Wharton, - - - 8

John Glover, - - - - 9

Thomas Terry, - - 10 & 11

James Sands, - - - - 12

Hew Williams, - - - 13

John Alcock, - - - - 14

Minister's Land, - - - 15

Peter George, - - - - 16

Simon Ray, - - - - 17

^^The 'Western Part of the Island as hy lot Divided :

''Mr. Thomas Faxon, - - - 1 & 2 Lots.

Nathaniel Wingley, Tormot Rose, - 3 Thomas Terry, - - - 4 & 5

Felix Wharton, ... 6

John Alcock, Physician, - - 7

P. George and S. Ray, - - 8 & 9

" South East Part of the Island.

"John Rathbone and Edward Vorse, - 10 Lot Richard Billings, - - - 11

Richard Ellis, - - - - 12

Hew Williams the thirteenth, - 13

John Glover and James Sands, 14 & 15

Samuel Bering, - - - 16

" The other small divisions by lot divided unto every purchaser by proportion.

PURCHASE AND SETTLEMENT. 19

^' The above written on both sides, being a true copy extracted out of the old book of records of memorandum for the first settling of Block Island, by me, November this 29th 1695

Pr Nath'' Mott

Town Recorder."

The above memoranda are here given verbatim, but not in all cases lif.eratv,n ; the spelling is almost too antique to be intelligible. From the foregoing record it is seen that several of the purchasers in the compact were not among the very first settlers. It seems, too, that after the company of sixteen bought the Island in 1660, they built their transporting vessels in the fall and winter of 1660-1 ; sailed from Braintree ''in the beginning of April" 1661, as Braintree then was bounded on the north by Neponset River and Massachusetts Bay ; and in Sep- tember of 1661 sent forward Messrs. Noyes and Faxun to survey and apportion the Island ; and it is probable the company did not embark from Taunton before the spring of 1662. The proprietors were all notified to meet in Boston in September, 1661. There they appointed their surveyor, who was needed to apportion the Island before the settlers moved there, that each might know where to locate. After his appointment, the time neces- sary for his journey, and for his complicated task would necessarily delay the settling party at their old homes, or at Taunton, into the winter of 1661, and hence they prob- ably moved in the spring of 1662, and then by their pos- session and improvement of the land established the titles which have descended to succeeding generations.

From Taunton it is supposed they sailed down the Taunton River, into Narragansett Bay, followed the coast down to Point Judith, and thence crossed to Block Island, landing at Cow Cove, as then quite a bay was there and

20 HISTORY OF BLOCK ISLAND.

as it is supposed the first cow ever upon the Island there swam ashore, greatly to the amusement of the native spectators.

THE ISLAND.

LOCATION.

It is located directly south of the central part of Rhode Island, twelve miles from the main-land. It is southwest from Newport about thirty miles, and about eighteen miles north of east from Montauk, the east end of Long Island. According to the Coast Survey, its position is : latitude 41° 08' North, longitude, 71° 33' West, and it lies so far out in the sea that in summer its sur- face is cooled by the most refreshing breezes, and in win- ter its hills are swept by fearful gales, and its shores are wreathed with the white foam of assaulting billows. It is about eight miles long, and three miles wide, longest N. W. and S. E.

" Circled by waters that never freeze, Beaten by billows and swept by breeze, Lieth the Island of Manisses."

SURFACE AND SOIL.

The httle pilgrim band of settlers came prepared for hardships, evidently putting in practice Bacon's maxim that, — " In counsel it is good to see dangers, and in exe- cution not to see them except they be very great." The exception, however, they seem to have disregarded. There is reason for believing that on their arrival at the Island, after a scrutinizing glance at the features of the natives, they looked with unusual surprise upon the singu- lar surface that many years before had drawn from the passing voyager the remark to his king : ''It was full of hills." It is doubtful whether a more uneven surface on the earth can be pointed out than that of Block Island. The steep sides of a high mountain may be inclined planes

SURFACE AND SOIL. 21

of an even surface, but here we have neither even hill- sides, nor level plains. No person ever saw the surface of the ocean more uneven than is the land of Block Island, excepting those who witnessed the j&ood in the days of Noah. It is necessary to resort to the imagination to give an adequate view of this extraordinary unevenness which puts this Island among the natural curiosities to the observer.

Imagine, then, several tidal waves moving in nearly the same direction — from west to east, each rising about one hundred and fifty feet above the level of the sea, and their bases nearly touching each other ; and on the tops, sides, and intervals of these, "chop-waves" in every con- ceivable shape and position covering completely the tidal waves ; and when the reader has done this he has an out- line of the view under the observer's eye who stands in a good light upon Beacon Hill.

Another peculiarity of the surface found by the first settlers has almost entirely disappeared. When they landed on the Island it must have been difficult in some places to have stepped amiss of a stone. A glance at the walls now standing are evidence enough that before they were built the surface of the ground was wellnigh paved with small bowlders. It is no exaggeration to say that more than three hundred miles of stone-wall now consti- tute the fences of Block Island. From this fact one may infer how stony the ground was in its natural condition. These stones are all so nearly round as to present the appearance caused by the action of glaciers or of the ocean. While they so frequently disturbed the plow and the hoe of the pioneers, few, perhaps, thought of their great value in future ages to fence the fields after the primitive forests had disappeared.

A heavy growth of timber clothed much of the surface of the Island at the time of its settlement. One would

22 HISTORY OF BLOCK ISLAND.

hardly think this possible while looking upon its present nakedness. But for sixty years after the settlers came they had an abundance of timber for building their houses and barns, and their fences, and for their fuel. In 1689, when our vessels and the French privateers had an engagement near the Island, Rev. Samuel Niles, a witness on the land, says the artillery echoed loudly from the woods. Those acquainted with forests and echoes know that the latter come from the former only when the trees are large and standing near each other. Oak, hick- ory, elm, ash, cedar, and pine were abundant. But as the term ''firing," then used for the word "fuel," is still com- mon among the islanders, so the notion then that the pro- ducts of the soil were more desirable than the timber, still continues. So long has the destitution of native timber here existed that v\^hen the writer came upon the Island in 1874, not an inhabitant knew where, or when the for- est trees were standing. Their existence is demonstrable from incidental fragments of history.

As the timber disappeared, the necessity of making walls for fences secured the clearing of the fields until they became smooth and beautiful, inviting to the plow and the mower. The industrious farmers have also filled many a slough with the thousands of cart-loads of small cobble stones. No ledges meet the eye. None have yet been discovered on the Island. There are bowlders, how- ever, large enough to be blasted for walls, and to be split for the stone-cutter.

The settlers found perhaps a better soil than they left in Massachusetts. The inexhaustible stores of peat in the little swamps of the Island are evidence of the fertility of the soil which produced those stores composed of leaves, bark, nuts, roots, and decayed wood, all of which were washed down the little steep hills into the little deep valleys at their feet. The northerly part of the Island

SURFACE AND SOIL. 23

was distinguished for its great crops of Indian corn long before the settlers came in 1662. In 1636, Col. Endicott found and destroyed there immense stores of corn, and the settlers gave to that part the name '' Corn Neck," having reference to the great products of that cereaL The soil is not, and possibly never has been suitable for raising wheat. It has no lime apparently. Its stones are granite with hardly an exception. Its basis is sand and gravel, with a few spots of valuable clay. The sand is impregnated with iron, and in some localities the black iron sand predominates. There are acres of it along the bathing-beach. Rye, barley, oats, and potatoes have been, the principal products of the soil, which everywhere has alluvial appearances, is quick, and excellent for producing garden vegetables and luxuries, for the culture and enjoy- ment of which the Islanders have never attained to mare than a negative distinction.

The distribution of water over the Island not only adds to its extraordinary beauty, but also supplies the farms with exhaustless pools, ponds, and moisture. It is doubt- ful whether another part of the continent has, on so small a surface, so many unfailing deposits of water. They are spoken of in detail under the subject of Ponds, in this volume. Their water is not the most wholesome, for it is almost invariably impregnated more or less with peat or iron, or both, from both or either of which but few springs and wells on the Island are free. Cistern water is the better and more common for domestic purposes.

EESOURCES OF BLOCK ISLAND.

PEAT AND TIMBER.

The most important of the Island's resources may be distinguished 8.8 Peat^ Sea-iveed, and Fish. This classifi- cation, at first, may cause a smile with some, but not with those who for years have been studiously seeking an answer to the question, — Wliat has kept Block Island from barrenness and depopulation f One hundred and fifty years ago the inhabitants looked upon this question with alarm. A town meeting was then called for its consideration. Wood was the only article then used here for fuel ; but that was rapidly diminishing. In the preamble of that meeting it was said that there was "great scarcity of tim-* ber and fencing stuff and many people hath not enough for firing and fencing, and the main land being so far off from this place, so that if we do not endeavor to preserve our timber and fencing stuff the inhabitants must be forced to depart the Island^ Their fences could be made of stone and ditches, and the timber for building could be brought from the main-land, but to bring to the Island all of its fuel was too much, and the sense of the town then was that before this would be done the Island would be depop- ulated. What, then, prevented this depopulation when the ivood of the Island was exhausted ? That little, hum- ble word, Peatj furnishes the answer, and for one hundred years it kept the growing population comfortable, cooking their food and warming their cottages, in which some of the hardiest, most active and distinguished persons of the country were born and reared. Yes, it was a wise pro-

PEAT AND TIMBER. 25

vision of Providence that put so many deep pockets into the surface of this Island and filled them so full of fuel. Without it men would have come here in boats in the fishing season, but not to remain with their wives and children. Then let poets sing as they may of this kind of fuel, of

"Old wives spinning their webs of tow,

Or rocking weirdly to and fro In and out of the peat's dull glow,"

a glance at the Island to-day is proof enough that spinning and rocking were not all they did by those hum- ble firesides. Nor has the day yet dawned when their descendants can dispense entirely with this kind of fuel. To a considerable extent it is still used by the poorer fam- ilies, and to some extent in nearly all. Indeed, it is within the memory of many of the inhabitants that a ton of Franklin coal here was not worth a pound of tobacco, for an Islander, in 1846, took that quantity in his boat, where it had been thrown from a wreck upon the shore, and carried it to Providence and there sold it for a pound of said stuff. Peat had been the common fuel, and was ade- quate until something better could be substituted. It did good service, for without it the Island long since would have been nearly, if not quite, ^destitute of families, espe- cially in winters, and a few fishing shanties would have occupied the shores, instead of the many comfortable homesteads and popular hotels now existing .

There are some interesting facts concerning the fuel of Block Island. One of them is, that the inhabitants, in 1875, had lost the knowledge, to a great extent, of the use that their ancestors had made of the native timber. After a residence among them of more than a year the best information which the writer could obtain from them on the subject was only traditional that timber once grew 3

26 HISTORY OF BLOCK ISLAND".

upon the Island, corroborated by reference to the peat deposits, and that said timber was used by the early set- tlers for building purposes. A thorough searching, how- ever, of some of the old and almost illegible records has brought to light the fact that when the Island was settled, heavy forest timber was abundant here, and supplied the people with wood for fuel and timber for buildings and fences. In an inventory of Robert Guthrig's estate, in 1692, mention was made of "forty-two acres in the west woods, at 20 shillings per acre."

Rev. Samuel Niles, in his history of the hidian and French Wars, says he was on Block Island during a naval engagement between the French and English near the Island about the year 1690, and that "In this action the continued fire was so sharp and violent, that the echo in the WOODS made a noise as though the limbs of the trees

were rent and tore off from their bodies." Such an echo

«

could be only in a dense forest of large trees.

In 1714 the town enacted "That no manner of persons whatever cut any timber, trees, or poles on any man's land without his leave, and if any person do he shall pay the sum of five shillings for every tree or pole so cut."

In 1721, the venerable Simon Ray, always seeking the welfare of his fellow-citizens, secured the following enact- ment from the freeholders at a town meeting :

" Whereas this town of New Shoreham, being settled sixty years, by which long continuance of the inhabitants __thereof hath occasioned great scarcity of timber and fencing stuff, and many people hath not enough for firing and fencing, and the main-land being so far off from this place, so that if we do not endeavor to preserve our tim- ber and fencing stuff the inhabitants must be forced to depart the Island :

"Therefore it is enacted by the freemen of the town above said that an upright fence shall not be above four

PEAT AND TIMBER. 27

feet high from the ground to the top thereof, and if it be hedge and ditch, or stone ditch, or stone wall, it shall be in the same proportion according to the town viewers, and no persons whatsoever shall be constrained to make any fence against his neighbors higher than the above said, and if any cattle, sheep, or horses break through or over such fence they shall be counted unruly, and where the trespass is made the damaged person shall have his damage, any clause, act, or acts to the contrary notwith- standing, in this town above named."

This act was voted upon by each freeman making a dot with a pen under the word ''Pro," or " Con." those under ''Pro "being seventeen, and those under "Con," being four, twenty-one in all. In the surveys of land also men- tion was made of a "hickory tree," of a "black oak," and of a "cedar." In the peat deposits roots and trunks of large trees are frequently discovered. The kinds of timber most common here were oak, elm, pine, hickory, ash, and cedar, with a thick growth of alders, in swampy places, which were small and numerous.

That peat was not burned here until after the year 1721 is quite certain, for then its value was not understood, as may be seen from the fact that without timber the inhab- itants supposed they would be obliged to leave the Island. There were stones in abundance for fencing, and for houses, and Capt. James Sands had a stone house. But the absence of fuel was sufficient to compel a depopula- tion, a thing which the people would not have feared if they had known the use of peat as now understood.

Peat as the common fuel of the Island became so about the year 1750. Who introduced its use we cannot ascer- tain. For about one hundred years it was the only fuel, except as small supplies were had, for a few famiUes, from wrecks, and from boats bringing wood from the main-land. The quality of the peat was found to be ex-

28 HISTORY OF BLOCK ISLAND.

cellent, making, when properly dried, a very hot fire. Much of it has lost its woody appearance, and looks more like dark mud than like fuel, and it burns with an inten- sity which indicates, in some instances, the presence of petroleum. Around its dim light in old-fashioned fire- places several generations were warmed and fed for a hundred winters, contented with their lot, and little dreaming of the better time coming, when cargoes of coal should be landed in a national harbor on Block Island, when stoves should supersede the fire-place, and kerosene and gas the dull light of peat and candles.

It was well distributed among the inhabitants, many famines owning shares in the same beds, and this owner- ship has been transmitted down from generation to gene- ration until now. The beds are also numerous, and in every part of the Island. Some cover several acres, and others are much smaller. Some are shallow, and others are deep, and most of them were formed by vegetable matter, leaves, bark, nuts, grass, ferns, decayed wood, etc., that for ages had been washed down the surrounding steep httle hill-sides. Thus peat beds were deposited upon some of the highest parts of the Island, as upon Clay Head, and the supply was ample, if not exhaustless.

The present quantity of peat on the Island cannot be estimated easily. Those best prepared to judge readily, admit that if the present population, eleven hundred and fifty, were to remain uniform for a hundred years, with no other fuel than the peat which they now have, their supply would be abundant. Three beds of considerable known size, that may be very much larger than known to be, one on the east side of the Island, and two on the west, extend a considerable distance from the shore into the ocean. It is stated by Mr. Anderson Dickens, a gentleman of careful observation and truthful estimate, that at low tide, on the west side, he has traced one bed

PEAT AND TIMBER. 29

from high-water mark one quarter of a mile out into the sea and there brought away peat that burned well after it was dried. Similar observations warrant the above esti- mation of the one hundred years' supply. It is still used to a considerable extent, and where it is used the passer- by is generally informed by its peculiar odor.

Tug is its more common name among the Islanders, a name applied to it more than a century ago, and refers to the hard work of getting it from the bed. There it is very wet and heavy. Sometimes it lies so deep as to require much effort to throw it out with shovels. It is then carted away in the consistency of mud, and dumped upon smooth ground where it is made into balls, about six inches in diameter, with naked hands, and these balls are dropped side by side upon the sward, flattening out con- siderably next to the ground, and there are left to dry for one, two, or three weeks, and then they are stacked up in little pyramids about three feet high until thoroughly dried, when they are drawn in carts to the tug-house. A fire made from it needs to be frequently replenished. Its value, in equal quantity with hard wood, is some less than the latter. Peat dug in 1875, on the Island, 544 cords.

During the past few years many cords of wood have been brought from Long Island, and sold for about the same as it costs upon the main-land.

Hard coal, as fuel upon Block Island, was introduced about the year 1846. Previous to that it was valueless here because there were no stoves in which it could be burned. A cargo of it thrown from a wreck was lying then in Cow Cove. Jonathan Ball, going to Providence, took a ton of it in his boat, and on his arrival sold it to a Mr. Lloyd for one pound of tobacco, as previously stated. When first introduced some had great fears of its burning up their stoves. Now it is used quite extensively in nearly every family. About three hundred tons are con- 3*

30 HISTORY OF BLOCK ISLAND.

sumed annually, and it is shipped to the Island directly. A soft species has been lately discovered on the Island, near the harbor.

Sea-weed.

Sea-weed has been another indispensable resource of Block Island. Its soil in the outset was fertile, but its fertility soon woulgl be exhausted unless duly replenished. As long ago as 1779 it was a serious question with far- mers how they should maintain the productiveness of their land. Even during the Revolution, when communi- cation between the Island and the main was almost anni- hilated, and so many articles from the main were needed here, the little boat that brought back other necessaries brought also '' a quantity of ashes," and these were doubt- less intended for the soil, but were quite inadequate. That the use of sea-weed as a fertilizer was common anciently is evident from the antiquity of the claims established along the beach. The tenacity with which these claims are now held by the Islanders indicates their value. Without the grasses torn from the rocks along the shore, and from the meadows on the bottom of the sea — torn loose and driven upon the shores during the storms of autumn, winter, and spring, the farms of Block Island, long ago, would have become utterly barren. This is easily demonstrated by the sterile condition of those fields too common here that might never repay the cost of making them fertile. The same is also proved by the productiveness of the many fields where the sea com- pensates for the exhaustion of the ample harvest.

The shores of the Island are minutely divided into claims, where each man gathers this invaluable fertilizer. In the midst of storms, and immediately after them, men and boys may be seen with forks and rakes gathering it on the beach, not waiting always for it to land, lest the

SEA-WEED. 31

receding tide or change of wind might bear it away beyond their reach. While it is attainable it is either put into piles on the shore, above the tide, and subsequently carted to the farm, or it is put directly into the vehicle and spread upon the field, or put into large heaps of com- post near the fields for which it is intended. In the latter case it is usually composted with soil, muck, and fish offal, lying from fall until spring, and frequently it is put into barn-yards, and into pig-yards until it is decomposed, or nearly so.

Sea-weed is used in various ways. On arable lands it is either spread over the field and then plowed under, or it is put into the hill by the planter, who uses it freely for corn, potatoes, beans, and garden vegetables. For grass, its most profitable use seems to be that of covering the meadow completely in autumn. Two important things are thus accomplished — ^protecting the grass-roots, in the absence of snow, from the frosts, winds, and sun in winter, and at the same time nourishing the soil by the salt in the sea-weed, and by the decomposition of the latter. Thus beautiful crops of the best quahties of grass are produced, the soil kept from sterility, and the Island saved from an otherwise inevitable depopulation.

The quantity of sea-weed used upon the Island is im- mense. The annual gathering begins in October and con- tinues, at intervals, until April. The portions of the beach owned by the town exhibit the greatest industry. There the weed is common property, and those who are there first in the morning, latest at night, and wade into the surf the deepest, are generally most profited, except- ing those who thus secure a crop of pains called rheumatic. This kind of industry, common and private, on public and individual beaches, secures an annual value that could not be bought of the Islanders for twenty thousand dol- lars, nor could they get an equal quantity of fertilizers

32 HISTORY OF BLOCK ISLAND.

from abroad for fifty thousand dollars. Its quantity, as reported by the last census, was six thousand cords, gath- ered on the shores of Block Island in the year 1875. This quantity is equal to over ten thousand single team loads, and each load is worth more than two dollars. Hence, this resource of the Island, during the period of twenty-five years, amounts to the handsome sum, or its equivalent, of half a million of dollars.

That sea-weed is an indispensable resource here is de- monstrated thus : Without it the Island would become sterile ; without a productive soil here the population could not be supported, since for that the fisheries are inadequate, and neither manufacturing nor commerce here exists. But the Islander rejoices in the abundance of the sea which supplies him with fish as well as with vegetation.

BLOCK ISLAND FISHERIES.

The natives, centuries ago, were greatly dependent upon the fisheries of the Island for their support. To what degree they subsisted upon fish we have no means of knowing. The only relics of their implements for fishing with which the present Islanders have any knowl- edge, are the stone sinkers used on the fish-lines of the Indians. These were round pebbles weighing from half a pound to two pounds, taken from the beach. They were fastened to the lines by having a groove cut around them into which the line was sunk and tied. Their size and weight are good evidence of the depth of water in which they were used, and this depth indicates the size and kind of fish caught by the Manisseans. Their wam- pum strings were evidence that they did not fish with "grape vines" for lines, as some have supposed. For hooks they may have used a sharp, slender tooth fastened to a bone, or to a slim stone for a shank, as did the ancient

BLOCK ISLAND FISHERIES. 33

natives of the Sandwich Islands. That the Indians caught fish in 1675 may be inferred from the fact that then Peter George's Negro, Wrathy, was made the more wrathy by being whipped with twelve lashes for "staling fish from Steven, the Endian."

The fisheries of Block Island were doubtless considered as one of its unfailing resources by the first and early settlers, and as such the fisheries have proved to be for more than two centuries. ' And at the present time, with all the modern improvements of agriculture, and with the increasing income from summer visitors, and all other resources, -there is good reason for believing that were it not for the fisheries here the population would soon be more than decimated, and by the absence caused by this decimation the remaining portion would be greatly re- duced in property and numbers within a few years. In- deed, the amusement of fishing, and the luxury of eating the fish direct from the salt water is a great attraction to said visitors, and this also must be included in the value of Block Island fisheries.

The fishing business here was carried on in its seasons a hundred and seventy-five years ago. In 1702 the fol- lowing town record was made which is instructive in several points, not the least of which is the law and order then maintained here. We quote it entire for various reasons.

"Apr. 14th, 1702. Then Capt. John Merritt brought before us one John Meeker for being a delinquent for absenting himself from out of said Merritt's employment, being his servant for the fishing season for forty shillings pr. month with six pounds of bread and six pounds of pork a week, the which considerations the said Meeker did promise to his faithful service till the middle of June or thereabouts, as by witness on oath doth appear before us. We therefore determine and give our judgment that

34 HISTORY OF BLOCK ISLAND.

the said Meeker shall perform the said conditions as above said. The forty shillings pr. month is to be paid current money of this Colony with cost of court, which is one shilling for the constable's fees, and two shillings for other charges which said Meeker is to pay." ''Given under our hands,

Simon Ray, Sen. Warden, Edward Ball, Dep. Warden."

In the same year, 1702, the fishing business was carried on here somewhat extensively, as indicated by the fact that then the town sold six barrels of ''oyle for ammuni- tion." Even earlier than this the town engaged Robert Carr, in 1695, and afterward Robert Carr, Jun., to be ^'forward in making a harbor and promoting the y^^A^*^^ traded The chief argument for a harbor then, and has been ever since, was for the benefit of the Block Island fisheries. As far back as 1670, the first legislative act for constructing a harbor here, mentions no other reason for so doing than the ''incouradging fishing designes.^^ The old pier then built, after fifty years service, had got the fishing business well established, and in a legislative act in 1723, to aid in building a new pier, the General Assembly, as a reason for said act, said, — '' For the want of a pier at said Island, for the encouragement of the navigation of this Colony, es2:>eciaUy the fishery, which is begun to be carried on successfully, &c."

The value of these fisheries is also indicated by the white oak poles, now standing at the Harbor, put there for the convenience of the boats of fishermen. They were a substitute for the old and the new piers which had been destroyed by a storm, and as such they served until the construction of the present national harbor, in- adequate as they were, leaving a necessity on the fisher- men of turning out at midnight in a cold storm to yoke

BLOCK ISLAND FISHERIES. 35

their oxen, go to the harbor, and haul their boats up the bank for safety. But even for this the fishing business paid, as neither then, nor now, have other resources been adequate to the needs of the population sustained on the Island. Nor have the hard earnings of the industrious inhabitants been squandered abroad for unnecessary lux- uries at home. It is within the memory of even the younger portion of the Islanders that two partners in a fishing boat, after selling their fish at some port on the main, have brought home a barrel of flour, placed it upon a sheet, found the middle from chime to chime, and "sawed it in two."

The seasons for the principal fishing are fall and spring. In the fall of the year, especially in November, the inesti- mable droves of cod-fish travel southerly, and, by the uniformity of their movements, evidently well understand the "paths of the seas." If diverted from their paths, and likely to be overtaken by a storm in too shallow water, they are sagacious enough to swallow smooth peb- bles for more ballast, or to enable them to sink deep to prevent the storm from driving them ashore. From this fact their captors have sometimes been warned of their own dangers, which are neither few nor small. To find the paths most frequented by these deep sea passengers is one of their means of success, and when they do not " strike them " in one path, they know where to try them in an- other. These paths lie aU around the Island which has been to millions of fish as it has been to multitudes of vessels — a block in the ocean, on which many have been wrecked. In the autumn fi^shing, the cod come much nearer than in spring, and this is a great favor to the Islanders, as they have less distance to go in the short days, and are less exposed to the dangers of the sea in returning, as they are obliged, at times, to come into har bor quickly for shelter from a sudden storm. They fish

36 HISTORY OF BLOCK ISLAND.

with hand lines, in water from ten to twenty fathoms deep. The salt water is so softening to the skin, and the weight of the cod is so great that cots or gloves are nec- essary to protect the hands. The deep grooves cut by the lines in the oak "gunnels" of the old boats indicate the amount of ''hauling," and the value of the business. One old fisherman was heard to say of his boat, then about thirty years old, — ''That old craft has had fish enough in her to sink her with specie," and he was not wide of the truth. "High-hook," is the term that distinguishes the best fisherman for a day or longer. " Wlio is high-hook to-day ?" is a common inquiry after thirty or forty boats have landed at the harbor.

After the fall fishing, when winter has set in, there are a few smacksmen who continue through the cold weather. Their vessels have decks, cabins, fires, berths, and cooking conveniences. In their center is a "well" — a place open from top to bottom, admitting sea water equal in depth to the draught of the vessel, and in this water, fi.sh are kept alive by fresh water coming in at the bottom, and thus 1,000 to 1,500 at a time are taken away to market. They are caught, to a considerable extent, by "trawls."

The spring fishing is much like that in autumn, except in the distance from the Island. Then the "paths of the sea " most frequented lie at distances of five, ten, and twenty miles. Then the fish are moving northerly, and for some reason, perhaps from the course they get from the southerly shore of Long Island, they shun Block Island more than in the fall. They also seem to be more numerous in spring, probably because their "paths" are narrower. These are generally called " banks " by the fishermen, and indicate the best localities for fishing. Many more are caught, too, in the spring season, which begins about the first of April and continues until June. During this season the congenial weather, the distance of

BLOCK ISLAND FISHERIES. 37

the sail, the number in the business, the early starting in the morning, the strife for the honors of being " high- hook," the rapid footsteps along the streets from two o'clock until four in the morning, the rattle of sails hoist- ing in the harbor, and the sailor phrases of the fishermen, make up a scene of life and beauty to which the' lands- men and even summer visitors are strangers.

"When boats to their morning fishing go, And, held to the wind and slanting low, Whitening and darkening the small saUs show."

It is a charming scene in the month of May, to view from an elevated point on the land, from thirty to fifty small sails, as a long, narrow cloud skirts the eastern hori- zon, under which the red sun begins to show his brow just rising out of the sea, and towards which the vessels are gently moving, stretching from the last ones rounding the breakwater to those apparently sailing into the face of the sun, while the stillness of nature is broken only by the dull music of waves along the shore. Far different is the scene in the afternoon, when one of the same boats after another straggles in, with wet and wearied fisher- men, with ballast of tons of stones thrown overboard to give place for the hungry, and hunger-stopping cod-fish — such as Cooper's Leatherstocking would call "sock-dolU- gers,^^ and when the task of dressing about forty cart-loads is progressing. The rapidity with which this work is done, until the fish in the boat are the fish in the pickle, is worthy of observation. The process, where two or three parties are concerned in the boat, is this :

The fish are thrown upon the shore; if one owns the boat, and another is his partner in fishing, the fish are divided into three equal parts; one man then turns his face from the fish, while the other man points to one pile and says, <' "Whose is that?" the other answers, as he 4

38 HISTORY OF BLOCK ISLAND.

chooses ; and the same is done to one of the other piles, leaving the third share as due to the boat, or its owner. This division is made quickly, and the answers from the man who turns his face from the divided fish are final. Then begins the work of dressing, carrjdng to the fish- house, and salting. In the meantime farmers are there with carts and oxen to get the offal to fertilize their fields. About the middle of the afternoon some one by- general consent is proclaimed ''high-hook," and squads of tired men are seen propelling their heavy feet homeward to report the success of the day, to eat a fisherman's meal well prepared, and to go to bed, sometimes, with the sun, and to rise again several hours the earher. Occasionally their day's work is much more brief, and less profitable, as when a sudden storm comes down like a hawk upon a brood of chickens. Then a speedy return to the harbor begins, in some instances between the casting of the anchor on the fishing ground and the dropping of a hook into the water, or even before the casting of the anchor. Many anxious eyes have watched them thus returning over a sea suddenly thrown into fury by a storm that came from afar with fearful velocity. The casualties, however, have been almost miraculously few.

The quantity caught in the spring is considerably larger than that secured in the fall, but the income from the one season is about the same as that from the other, for in spring more are spoiled in drying, by being sun-burned, and in the fall the profits of dog-fishing, previous to that for cod, yields a considerable income from the oil, and the carcasses of the dog-fish used for the fields, a use that might be made more profitable, if instead of leaving them scattered upon the meadows, to waste their best fertilizing qualities in the air, making it offensive and unhealthy, the farmers would save that waste by putting said fish into a heap of compost. If any doubt this let them remember

BLOCK ISLAND FISHERIES. 39

that the smell alluded to is nothing but fish manure in the air, from which place they do not get it back again.

The summer fishing of Block Island with hooks, though not to be compared with that of fall or spring, is con- siderable. It is carried on principally by a few who supply the hotels, boarding-houses, and famihes of the Island, and occasionally send away a quantity packed in ice. They catch blue-fish, or ''horse mackerel," as they are called, mostly. They are in greatest demand by the thousands of visitors.

Pound-fishing, is a new branch of the business at Block Island. It was commenced in 1867 by a company of Islanders whose success was sufficient to lead to the con- struction of a second pound in 1868. Two more were set in 1874. The first company has been dissolved, and the other three remain. They are in operation during the summer, and begin soon after the spring storms, and are taken up before the rough seas of the fall destroy their seines and carry away their spiles. The following de- scription of one will apply to all.

Pound No. 3 was established in 1874, and was con- structed thus : A straight line of spiles, oak, twenty -five feet apart, is run from the shore, at right angles with the beach, 1,800 feet, driven down firmly by a spile-driver. From the shore end to the other the bottom descends gradually until at the latter the water is thirty feet deep. This long line of spiles may be considered as fence-posts rising about ten feet above the water. To these posts is fastened with ropes and cords a fence of cotton netting, rising from the bottom of the sea several feet above the surface of the water. This netting is made the same as a seine, and is made in pieces fifty-six feet long by fifty -four feet in width, and is fitted to the depth of water. This Line of spiles and netting is called the leader.

The sea or deeper end of the leader terminat«^s in that

40 HISTORY OF BLOCK ISLAND.

division of the pound called the heart, so called on account of its form, which is constructed of spiles and seine the same as the leader.

Imagine, now, a thousand fish, some shad, some scup, some cod, and other kinds coasting along the Island until they come to the "leader,'' from both directions. As they cannot safely come ashore to go around that fence, they swim along the leader intending to go around the deep water end ; but when they have gone around that end they find their noses running against the fence of the ''heart," and they go from side to side in that and still keep the notion of going into still deeper water, sailor- like, until they escape from the opening seven feet wide, at the little end of the heart, into the Pound proper. Here they are as secure as stray cattle locked in a pound upon the land, and in water forty feet deep.

This pound is made of spiles and twine as was the leader. It is fifty by fifty-six feet square, and its bottom is covered with the same netting that forms its sides. Should a few fish chance to pass out of it through the mouth of the heart they are quite certain to be led back again by the deceitful meshes of this structure. The sides of the pound are so arranged that they can be raised, and thus the fish in it may all be turned over to one side, and there scooped out with wire baskets, and transferred to the smack adjacent that takes its cargo quickly to New York, and then brings back a smaller cargo of money to the fishermen who are very faithful pound-keepers.

On one side of the pound are two cars, each adjacent to the pound, and twenty-eight feet by twenty-five, and of the same depth as the pound, and constructed of the same materials. They are used for keeping a surplus of fish that might accumulate, by transferring them to it from the pound.

The term pound, in general, means all its parts, namely.

BLOCK ISLAND FISHERIES. 41

the leader, the heart, the pound proper, and the cars. The spiles are from twelve to fifty feet in length, and 130 are used. The whole cost of this pound was $2,500.

The spiles and netting are all put down each spring, and taken up at the close of the summer fishing. The smack that carries the fish to New York has one-half the income of the pound. "What that is we learn best from the thriving appearances of the pound fishermen, and yet they well earn their money in cost, risk, and labor. The pounds are all on the west shore of the Island, and well pay the visitors to them for their trouble, as the gentle- manly fishermen row the strangers out into their large and lucrative "heart," so deceitful to the ocean "aris- tocracy."

The superiority of the Block Island cod-fish is well known. This is owing to the advantages for curing them at the fishermen's homes. They are dried there immedi- ately after they are sufficiently pickled, and as soon as possible taken to market with a freshness that has no reference to salt, and which cannot be preserved by remoter fisheries, or even by fishermen who have no flakes upon the Island.

The drjdng process, especially in spring, is very critical. Many a quintal has been lost by an hour's neglect in too bright a sun unaccompanied by a cooling breeze. To many of the very respectable women of Block Island the public are indebted for much of the fine flavor of their fish preserved by the nice process of drying while the men are away in their boats.

The value of the Block Island fisheries to the inhabi- tants of the Island, if we estimated them with reference to the quantity exported, to what is consumed on the Island, and in reference to fertilizing uses, or in other words, if we estimate them by the sum necessary to buy

out all the annual benefits of them to the Islanders, may 4*

42 HISTORY OF BLOCK ISLAND.

safely be said to be not far from an annual sum of $75,000.

This estimate includes all the income which the fish- eries secure through visitors, through exportation, home consumption, and fertilization, and without this income the Island would be depopulated well nigh, if not quite to the ruin of good society. Therefore we conclude this article on the Resources of the Island with the conviction that for one hundred years peat was an indispensable re- source to the inhabitants, and that sea-weed, and the fisheries now are each a sine qua non.

Whales, for many years, have frequently been seen about Block Island. They are considered dangerous to the fishermen, and of but little value, on account of their being the hump-hacked species, and about as useless for oil as a camel for food. The columns of white water thrown into the air, and seen from the Island, tell plainly who are there.

The whales and the fishermen have a similar fear of each other. The latter avoid the presence of the former, and vice versa. On one occasion a father and son were in their boat ; the former in the bow, the latter in the stern, just a few yards back of which a whale was seen, head towards them, and able to sink them instantly. The son took a ballast stone to throw at him ; but the father for- bade him. The whale gave a beautiful comment on Gen. ix, 2, where it is said : " The fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth, and upon every fowl of the air, upon aU that moveth upon the earth, and upon all the fishes of the sea^ He saw the fishermen, feared them, and sank into the deep.

Sea Moss. The gathering of this along the" shores of Block Island has become a source of considerable revenue. The moss is the same as that generally known as " Irish moss," and is secured during the months of summer.

BLOCK ISLAND FISHERIES. 43

The first one known to have gathered it for the market here was a Mr, James West, who was not a native of the Island. He introduced the business about the year 1850, and instructed the Islanders in the process of drying and bleaching. He died in April 1875.

The moss grows upon the rocks below high water mark, and also below the low water mark. At low tide the women and children avail themselves of the most favor- able opportunity for picking it from the rocks, or bowl- ders, and they even venture into the water waist deep at low tide in warm weather to secure it, enjoying the bath with the lady bathers on the east beach, and also the pleasure of accumulating a means of subsistence.

The moss is all of one quality when taken from the sea. It is then designated as Hack moss, and when this is dried it is sold at the Island stores for two cents a pound, and the merchants pack it in barrels and sell it for three cents a pound in the cities. Another quality is given to this moss by the slow and patient process of bleaching. This is done by keeping the moss in the sun, where it is mois- tened and dried until it loses its color, and becomes white moss. This brings a much larger price than the other, and is more profitable to the producer. It sells in barter at the stores for seven cents a pound, is there packed in barrels, and sold to city druggists for eight cents a pound. It is brought in bags of five to thirty pounds each to the stores by the women and children. The quantity of Block Island sea moss thus accumulated annually aggre- gates to more than ten tons, and this, as one of the minor resources, secures an income of over a thousand dollars to the Island. But little of the moss is used by the inhab- itants. Mr. Lorenzo Littlefield is by far the most exten- sive dealer in this commodity.

44 HISTORY OF BLOCK ISLAND.

THE BLOCK ISLAND BOATS.

These are so unlike others that they attract much atten- tion. They have keels, at an angle of forty-five degrees with which rise the stern and stem posts, with "lapstreak " sides of cedar, with bows and sterns nearly alike, open, with two masts and narrow, tapering sails, of one to four tons burthen, sitting deep in the water, and unequaled for safety in the hands of the Islanders. While their number has averaged over forty during the last fifty years, not a life of an Islander has been lost on account of the sea unworthiness of the boats. They have been known to sail into the winds in storms that would quickly swamp larger vessels that should attempt to follow them. The masts are mere poles without shrouds and jib-stays, and by their elasticity adapt themselves to the force of the wind. While visiting the ports along the Rhode Island and Connecticut coasts and rivers they are quickly distin- guished by their peculiarities, and are sometimes called double enders from Block Island. Where, and how their model originated it is not easy to ascertain. It is doubt- ful whether they will ever be superseded while the Island continues. They correspond materially to the boats an- ciently called pinnaces in New England. Cobble stones are used for ballast, and shifted from side to side when necessary. Prof. Baird, of the Smithsonian Institute, exhibited a model of a Block Island boat at the Centen- nial, made and rigged by his order.

THE MAILS.

No part of the United States, probably, has suffered more inconvenience from a want of mails than Block Island. For one hundred and seventy years it had none at all. Its correspondence was through offices on the main, principally at Newport.

The first mail to Block Island was established in Dec.

THE MAILS. 45

1832. Capt. Samuel W. Rose was contractor and carrier of it four years, at $416 a year, leaving the Island Wednesday morning at 8 o'clock, and Newport the next day at the same hour, wind and weather permitting. This was done in a "middling sized open sail boat."

In 1857 a writer said : — ''The arrival of the mail is an event of special interest in a community thus situated, and its contents are called out and taken by those assem- bled around, either for themselves or neighbors, without delay." This custom continued up to the year 1876. Suitable P. 0. boxes are now provided for individuals.

Previous to 1869 the mail was carried for many years by Capt. Wm. Rose, the last year of whose contract, on account of his death, it was carried by his son, John E. Rose, now known gfs the enterprising Capt. John E. Rose, of the fine packet, Nathan H. Dixon.

Capt. John K Rose, in 1869, but recently arrived at his majority, contracted for the carrying of the mail during the next term of four years. In bidding for that con- tract he showed a "grit " worthy of better pay. A com- petitor and he ran their bids down to the sum of one cent a year, and the mail between Block Island and Newport was therefore carried four years for four cents, and Capt. John E. Rose says he has received only one cent of that pay yet, and that the one cent was paid him by a man in Providence who wanted to buy distinction by paying from his own pocket the whole expense of carrying the Block Island mail one year. The Captain's enterprise and per- severance have put him handsomely and domestically beyond the need of the three cents still due to him from the United States.

During the last four years the mail has been carried to Newport tri-weekly most of the time in the Henry B. Anthony, a staunch packet commanded by Capt. Addison Rose who has distinguished himself by being on time, by

46 HISTORY OF BLOCK ISLAND

dangers braved, and by great skill in managing Ms schooner. Some will remember him for laying his marine troubles to some "Jonah aboard."

The first postmaster of Block Island was Wm. L. Wright, and his office was his bed-room.

The following, furnished by the Postmaster-General, is inserted here for reference, as to postmasters and appoint- ment:

Wm. L. Wright, appointed 13th Dec, 1832.

Samuel Dunn, " 26th July, 1837.

Alfred Card, '' 12th June, 1841.

George Rose. '' 23d Sept., 1845.

Rev. Charles C. Lewis, " 17th Apr., 1852.

Rev. Elijah Maccomber, " 17th May, 1855.

Samuel J. Osgood, " ' 4th Aug., 1860.

Wm. L. Milikin, " 5th June, 1861.

The last one named is the present incumbent, in Jan- uary, 1877.

In addition to the great improvement of the "An- thony," with her ample deck, hold, and neat cabin, and courteous crew and captain, over the open boats in which the mail had been carried previously, the recent proposals for a new contract contemplate the carrying of a daily maU in a steamer from Block Island to Newport, from the first of June, 1877, to Sept. 30th, and from October first to May 31st tri -weekly, leaving Newport at 8 a. m., and Block Island at 8 a. m., at all seasons. This arrange- ment will be a great accommodation to the public in visit- ing the Island in summer, and also to the Islanders in communicating with other places. Indeed, the increasing popularity of Block Island as a summer resort, and the rapidly increasing multitude who seek its luxuries demand enlarged facihties for communication. Business men in these times cannot remain quietly long at any place with-

THE MAILS. 47

out a daily paper fresh from the press, and frequent re- ports as to the run of their business. To the great advant- ages to the public, and to the Island, derived from the Government Harbor here should be added, and probably will be, at no distant day, a signal station, by which hourly information from all parts of the country could be ob- tained, and great benefit conferred upon commerce. After that is done those upon the Island will talk no more of "going to America," for they will be in it, and not farther from Newport, communicatively, than they would be in Europe.

About the year 1851 a long and severe storm occurred, at the time of an election, and for want of communica- tion with Block Island, the State of Rhode Island was unable to get returns from New Shoreham, alias Block Island, and thus the decision of the election was kept back about twenty-one days, the storm lasting that time.

BLOCK ISLAN"D INDIANS,

OR

THE MANISSEANS.

It is impossible to give as full an account of them as is desirable. As they did not differ, however, from other Indians, materially, what is known of other aborigines may be taken, for the most part, as a knowledge of those of Block Island. The few scattered fragments of inform- ation here put together have been gathered from various sources, but in all cases are authentic. If it should seem to any that these Indians were more mild and peaceful than those on the main-land, since they committed less violence upon the early settlers, and that too while they were so greatly in the majority that they could have mas- sacred every white person any day, during a considerable period of years, such should consider the restraining influences which compelled these Indians to be peaceful.

Twenty-five years before the sixteen families came to Block Island a terrible lesson was taught the Manisseans by the white people of Massachusetts for the killing of Captain Oldham, a trader here. Then they learned, as never before, the superiority of white men, as a few with fire-arms overpowered the whole Island, armed with bows and arrows. Endicott's slaughter of their warriors, de- struction of their year's harvest of corn, burning of their mats and wigwams, and the very daring of the settlers, struck a terror to the natives of the Island.

Moreover, at this time, Ninicraft, the Narragansett

THE MANISSEANS. 49

chief of the Manisseans, was closely flanked by two for- midable powers. On the one side were the fierce Pequots, " a powerful nation that had, by their conquests and cru- elties, struck terror to all the nations of Indians round about them/' They had formed alliances sufficient to resolve to exterminate the English. Ninicraft, a nearer neighbor to the English, knew the power of the English better than did the Pequots. He dared not become an ally of Sassacus, the great Pequot Sachem, said to be "a god that nobody could kill," for two reasons, viz. : the fear of subjugation to the Pequots, and the danger of destruction from the English. He became an ally to the latter against the former, and when he had seen the pow- erful Pequots humbled by the slaughter of one thousand warriors before a handful of Englishmen who lost but two lives in the battle led on by Captain Mason, he well knew what consequences to expect from any hostilities of his men upon Block Island. It was not, therefore, a lack of hostile feelings and savage ferocity that restrained the Manisseans from destroying the early settlers, but self interest and the force of circumstances. And yet, enough of their nature was exhibited at times to cause great alarms in the little insular colony.

The first information which we gain of these Indians is obtained from the French navigator, Yerrazzano, in his report to Francis I, king of France, in 1524. In speaking of Block Island he said : "It was full of hilles, covered with trees, well peopled, for we saw fires all along the coaste.^'' He probably sailed along the west shore, between the Island and Montauk. as he was bound north along the coast from the Carolinas. From the west side he rounded Sandy Point, and thus obtained a view of the northerly and easterly shores of the Island, enabling him to judge of its size and population without landing. A little effort of the imagination furnishes a view of the

50 HISTORY OF BLOCK ISLAND.

Island then, three hundred and fifty years ago, when the aboriginal lords of the soil, never disturbed by the face of a white man, with their squaws and papooses, sat around their summer evening fires, eating their succotash, hominy, clams, fish, and wild game, braiding mats and baskets, and repeating the traditions of their fore- fathers, or in their wild war-dances, with painted faces, with demon yells and grimaces and horrid threats, cele- brating their victories over invaders from the Mohegans of Montauk, or the Pequots from the main-land.

Of their personal appearance no better description can be given, perhaps, than that which is furnished of their neighbors by Mr, P. Vincent, in his account of the Pequot war. He says : '' Only art and grace have given us that perfection which they want, but may perhaps be as ca- pable thereof as we. They are of person straight and tall, of limbs big and strong, seldom seem violent or extreme in any passion. Naked they go, except a skin about their waist, and sometimes a mantle about their shoulders. Armed they are with bows and arrows, clubs, javelins,

etc."

OLDHAM'S 3IURDER.

The second assault upon the English by the Indians in New England, was made by the Manisseans in the year 1636. Mr. Niles, born upon Block Island, in 1674, in his youth conversed freely with the old natives, as well as read and conversed with the best informed on the main- land concerning the Indians. He, in the main, is good authority. This assault, he says, was made upon Captain Oldham, a trader from Boston, whom the Indians killed, " with all his company, how many is uncertain. He went thither on a friendly trading voyage with the natives there ; but, as it was said, they fell into an unhappy quarrel which issued in the abovesaid slaughter." Mr. Niles, probably, got his information principally from the

Oldham's murder. 51

Islanders, for of this assault, and of Captain Endicott's expedition to punish the offenders, he says: "We have no particular account." He had not read the history of said expedition written by one of Endicott's ofiBcers, Cap- tain Underhill, who says : '-The cause of our war against the Block Islanders was for taking away the life of one Master John Oldham, who made it his common course to trade among the Indians. He coming to Block Island to drive trade with them, the Islanders came into his boat, and having got a full view of commodities which gave them full content, consulted how they might destroy him and his company, to the end they might clothe their bloody flesh with his lawful garments. The Indians hav- ing laid the plot, into the boat they came to trade, as they pretended ; watching their opportunities, knocked him on the head, and martyred him most barbarously, to the great grief of his poor distressed servants which by the provi- dence of God were saved." Niles says he was killed wiih all Ms company. Underhill says the Indians "consulted how they might destroy him and his company,^'' and to this adds that Mr. Oldham's poor distressed servants were saved. As Niles had a personal acquaintance with natives who were doubtless eye-witnesses of the tragedy, his statement that Oldham "with all his company ^^ was killed seems to be the more reliable. A different version is given else- where.

The principal points of the retribution from Massa- chusetts for the killing of Captain Oldham are contained in the following extracts from Captain Underbill 's account of the expedition against the Manisseans.

"This Island lying in the, roadway to Lord Sey and the Lord Brooke's plantation, a certain seaman called John Gallup, master of the small navigation standing along to the Mathethusis Bay, and seeing a boat under sail close aboard the Island, and perceivina; the sails to be

52 HISTORY OF BLOCK ISLAND.

un skillfully managed, bred in him a jealousy whether that the Island Indians had not boldly taken the life of our countryman and made themselves masters of their goods. Suspecting this, he bore up to them, and approaching near them was confirmed that his jealousy was just. See- ing Indians in the boat, and knowing her to be the vessel of Master Oldham, and not seeing him there, gave fire upon them and slew some ; others leaped overboard, besides two of the number which he preserved alive and brought to the Bay.

THEIR SUBJUGATION.

The blood of the innocent called for vengeance. God stirred up the heart of the honored Governor, Master Henry Vane, and the rest of the worthy magistrates to send forth a hundred well-appointed soldiers, under the conduct of Captain John Endicott, and in company with him that had command, Capt. John Underbill, Capt. Nathan Turner, Capt. Wm. Jenningson, besides other inferior officers."

Here it may be well to remark that these officers and soldiers seem to have protected themselves against the arrows of the enemy by wearing helmets, thick, stiff collars, and breastplates. Captain Underhill breaks the thread of his narrative to express his obligation to his wife for inducing him to take his helmet contrary to his intention. He says : " Let no man despise advice and counsel of his wife, though she be a woman."

" Coming to an anchor before the Island, we espied an Indian walking by the shore in a desolate manner, as though he had received intelligence of our coming. [Probably on the bathing-beach.] Which Indian gave just ground to some to conclude that the body of the people had deserted the Island. But some knowing them to be a warlike nation, a people that spend most of their

THEIR SUBJUGATION. 53

time in the study of warlike policy, were not persuaded that they would upon so slender terms forsake the Island, but rather suspected they might lie behind a bank [the present sand-hills, then a continuous bank], much like the form of a barricado. Myself with others rode with a shallop, made towards the shore, having in the boat a dozen armed soldiers. Drawing near to the place of land- ing, the number that rose from behind the barricado were between fifty or sixty able fighting-men, men as straight as arrows, very tall, and of active bodies, having their arrows notched. They drew near to the water's side, and let fly at the soldiers, as though they had meant to have made an end of us all in a moment. They shot a young gentleman in the neck through a collar, for stiffness as if it had been an oaken board, and entered his flesh a good depth. Myself received an arrow through my coat-sleeve, a second against my helmet on the forehead ; so as if God in his providence had not moved the heart of my wife to persuade me to carry it along with me I had been slain." [The Captain did not seem to consider that the hearts and arrows of the Indians were as easily "moved" as the heart of his wife.]

" The arrows flying thick about us, we made haste to the shore ; but the surf of the sea being great hindered us, so as we could scarce discharge a musket, but were forced to make haste to land. Drawing near the shore through the strength of wind, and the hollowness of the sea, we durst not venture to run ashore, but were forced to wade up to the middle ; but having once got up ofl our legs, we gave fire upon them. They finding our bullets to outreach their arrows, fled before us. In the mean- while Colonel Endicott made to the shore, and some of this number also repulsed him at his landing, but hurt none. We thought they would stand it out with us, but

they perceiving that we were in earnest, fled , and left 5*

54 HISTORY OF BLOCK ISLAND.

their wigwams, or houses, and provision to the use of our soldiers. Having set forth our sentinels, and laid out our pardues, we betook ourselves to the guard, expecting hourly they would fall upon us, but they observed the old rule, ' T'is good sleeping in a whole skin,' and left us free from an alarm.

"The next day we set upon our march, the Indians being retired into swamps, so as we could not find them. We burnt and spoiled both houses and corn in great abundance, but they kept themselves in obscurity. Cap- tain Turner stepping aside to a swamp met with some few Indians, and charged upon them, changing some few bul- lets for arrows. Himself received a shot upon the breast of his corselet, as if it had been pushed with a pike, and if he had not had it on he had lost his life.

''A pretty passage worth}^ of observation. "We had an Indian with us that was an inteipreter ; being in English clothes, and a gun in his hand, was spied by the Islanders, which called out to him : ' What are you, an Indian or an Englishman ? ' ' Come hither, ' said he, ' and I will tell you.' He pulls up his cock and let fly at one of them, and without question was the death of him.

"Having spent that day in burning and spoiling the Island, we took up the quarter for that night. About midnight myself went out with ten men about two miles from our quarter, and discovered the most eminent plan- tation they had on the Island, where was much corn, many wigwams, and great heaps of mats; but fearing lest we should make an alarm by setting fire on them, we left them as we found them, and peaceably departed to our quarter ; and the next morning with forty men, marched up to the same plantation, burnt their houses, cut down their corn, destroyed some of their dogs instead of men, which they left in their wigwams.

"Passing on towards the water's side 'to embark our

THEIR SUBJUGATION. 55

soldiers, we met with several famous wigwams, with great heaps of pleasant corn ready shelled, but not able to bring it away, we did throw their mats upon it, and set fire and burnt it. Many well-wrought mats our soldiers brought from thence, and several delightful baskets. We being divided into two parts, the rest of the body met with no less, I suppose, than ourselves did. The Indians playing least in sight, we spent our time, and could no more advantage ourselves than we had already done, and hav- ing slain some fourteen, and maimed others, we embarked ourselves, and set sail for Seasbrooke fort."

There are local reasons for believing the above spoils were made upon the northerly part of the Island, as that was distinguished, in the early days of the first settlers, for its great products of corn, and then was known by the name of the " Corne Neck." It is now called The Neck. The Indians probably fled to the southerly and westerly parts of the Island. They were not conquered, but only punished by Endicott's expedition, until a second attack made by Israel Stoughton, in consequence of which the foundation was laid for Massachusetts to claim the Island by right of conquest, and accordingly its chief, Mianti- nomo, was induced to acknowledge the claim.

The habits of the Manisseans may be gathered from Capt. Underhill's account. Tlieir abundance of corn, and numerous, comfortable wigwams indicated their industry. Their " well- wrought mats," and their '' delightful baskets," evinced their skill, as did also their powerful bows and fatal arrows. Their hostile manoeuvers were evidence of their practice in the tactics of war. Had they suc- ceeded in drawing the English after them to some por- tions of the Island, as they once entrapped the Mohegans, Capt. Underbill and Col. Endicott might not have re- turned to their boats so cheerfully. Of their warlike habits Mr. Niles gives us the following account :

56 HISTORY OF BLOCK ISLAND.

WARS AMONG THEMSELVES.

''They were perpetually engaged in wars one with another, long before the English settled on Block Island, and perhaps before any English settlements were made in this land, according to the Indians' relation, as some of the old men among them informed me when I was young."

" The Indians on this Island had war with the Mohegan Indians, although the Island lies in the ocean and open seas, four leagues from the nearest main-land, and much farther distant from any Island, and from the nearest place of landing to the Mohegan country forty miles, I suppose at least, through a hideous wilderness, as it then was, besides the difficulty of two large rivers. To prose- cute their designed hostilities each party furnished them- selves with a large fleet of canoes, furnished with bows and arrows.

"It happened at the same time the Mohegans were coming here in their fleet to invade the Block Islanders, they were going with their fleet to make spoil on the Mohegans. Both being on the seas, it being in the night arid moonshine, and by the advantage of it the Block Islanders discovered the Mohegans, but they saw not the Islanders. Upon which these turned back to their own shore, and hauled their canoes out of sight, and waylaid their enemies until they landed, and marched up in the Island, and then stove all their [the Mohegans'] canoes, and drove them to the opposite part of the Island, where, I suppose, the cliffs next the sea are near, if not more than two hundred feet high, and in a manner perpendicu- lar, or rather near the top hanging over, and at the bot- tom near the sea- shore very full of rocks. [Near the new light-house.] They could escape no farther. Here these poor creatures were confined, having nothing over them but the heavens to shelter or cover them, no food to sup-

WARS AMONG THEMSELVES. 57

port them, no water to quench their thirst. Thus they were kept destitute of every comfort of life, until they all pined away and perished in a most miserable manner, without any compassion in the least degree shown to them. They had indeed by some means dug a trench around them toward the land to defend them from the arrows of their enemies, which I have seen, and it is called the Mohegan Fort to this day." [1760.]

That fort, probably, has long since sloughed off into the sea by the action of frosts and rains upon the bluffs for more than a century. All personal knowledge of it has also faded away from the Islanders.

Of the Block Island Indians after the immigration of the English we have but a few outlines, bold indeed at first, but gradually fading to almost invisibility. In 1662 their warriors numbered about three hundred. The shores of the Great Pond were evidently the most thickly settled by the Indians. About it Roger Williams dis- covered the wigwams of several petty sachems. Thither they resorted for fish, clams, oysters, and scallops, as large deposits of shells nov/ occasionally opened testify. We can easily imagine their lordly bearing, as several of these chiefs looked upon the vessel of Oldham anchored upon their shores, and as they laid the plot to seize his goods and take his life The ringleader's name was Audsah, and he struck the fatal blows — fatal not only to Mr. Oldham, but also to the Indian life on Block Island. The fatal seed he then planted yielded him and his fellow- Islanders a fearful harvest. Audsah, like Cain, became a fugitive, was hunted from tribe to tribe, and at one time was sheltered on the main by one Wequashcuck, a petty sachem. They had a fort on Fort Island, a description of them there, and their declining to fight the seventeen Englishmen is given in the sketch of Thomas Terry. At that time, Mr. Xiles says, " Their arrows were pointed

58 HISTORY OF BLOCK ISLAND.

with hard stones somewhat resembling flint. They had hatchets and axes of stone, with a round head wrought curiously, standing considerably above a groove made round it, to hold the handle of the axe or hatchet, which was bent in the middle and brought the extreme parts and bound them fast together, which were their handles to hold by and do execution with these, their weapons of war." This description corresponds with the shape of a stone axe found many years ago on Mr. John Ball's land, by his father, Isaiah Ball, and presented by the former to the writer.

The '' dogs " of Block Island belonging to the Manis- seans before the English came have their descendants here still, it is believed. They are not numerous, but pecuUar, differing materially from all the species which we have noticed on the main-land, both in figure and dis- position. They are below a medium size, with short legs but powerful, broad breasts, heavy quarters, massive head unlike the bull dog, the terrier, the hound, the mastiff, but resembling mostly the last ; with a fierce disposition that in some makes but little distinction between friend and foe. In Jan., 1719, by an act of the town, the In- dians were not allowed to keep dogs.

In 1860, a visitor on the Island wrote : "There are not one-fourth as many sheep here as there ought to be, and as there ivould be, if it were not for that crying nuisance, the multiplicity of dogs. The farmers dare not risk the dangers from canine depredations which, at the present time, are full as great as when wolves howled over the ancient hills of the Island." Query : Did the Island ever have wolves ? The dogs then were very numerous, and wanted a change from fish diet. They also killed geese, a large flock in one instance, and buried them, as a future supply of fresh meat. The dogs now are more civilized, perhaps better fed.

HOT-HOUSES. 59

HOT-HOUSES.

I^he Hot-Houses, or Russian Baths, were an institution of the aboriginal Block Islanders. Mr. Niles has left us the following description of them.

" They were made as a vault, partly under ground, and in the form of a large oven, where two or three persons might on occasion sit together, and it was placed near some depth of water ; and their method was to heat some stones very hot in the fire, and put them into the hot- house, and when the person was in, to shut it close up, with only so much air as was necessary for respiration, or that they within might freely draw their breath. And being thus closely pent up, the heat of the stones occa- sioned them to sweat in a prodigious manner, streaming as it were from every part of the body ; and when they had continued there as long as they could well endure it, their method was to rush out and plunge themselves into the water. By this means they pretend a cure of all pains and numbness in their joints, and many other maladies."

At one time, while Ninicraft, chief of the Narragan- setts, was on the Island visiting his subjects, a quarrel arose between a few settlers and a few Indians, and fists and clubs were playing pretty lively, until the chief was called out of one of these hot-hpuses by a runner, and hastened to the turmoil and stopped it by rushing among them with a red coat in his hand, crying — "King Charles! King Charles ! "

But one spot is now known to exhibit any of the remains of those hot-houses. It has been filled up so nearly that but a slight indentation in the ground remains, and may be seen at the south end of the Great Pond, in the bank near the water, and on the west side of a stone- wall that runs nearly in a line from Mr. Simon Ball's house to the pond.

60 HISTORY OF BLOCK ISLAND.

ENSLAVED.

The relation of the Indians to the settlers on the Island soon became that of slaves to masters, as seen in the case of Thomas Terry, in 1669, soliciting aid from Governor Lovelace, of New York, and from the governor of Rhode Island, in recapturing six of his Indian slaves. The same relation is demonstrated, too, by the town records, as in the following instances.

In October, 1675, the town council of Block Island made a law "That no Indian whatsoever shall keep any gun in his custody, but shall be brought to his master's house, in whose ground he lives, every night, and give notice to his master, and return the gun again the night of the same day hereafter, or forfeit his gun." In 1680 an ordinance was passed prohibiting the sale of rum to an Indian.

In 1690, Trufjo, an Indian, was sold into bondage, by his brothers and sisters, to Joshua Raymond for a term of thirteen years for thirteen gallons of rum and four cloth coats, the rum to be paid in annual installments of one gallon each. Trugo was to have his board and clothing, and two suits of apparel at the expiration of his bondage.

In 1693, several Indians were arrested and fined for sheep-steahng, and from the record we see the existence of slavery. It seems very strange that the fines were no heavier.

''Harry, — Old Ned's son, 0 5 0

Samson, Thomas Mitchell's man, 0 10

Jeffrey, Joshua Raymond's man, 0 10

Big George, Mr. Sands' servant, Ned's son, 0 5 0 "

Judging from the fines we must conclude that "Old Ned's" sons were five times as guilty as the others were. They were all arrested on suspicion, and circumstantial evidence was so close as to extort their confession.

ENSLAVED. 61

It is evident from the following law of the Island en- acted in 1709, that both Indian and Negro slaves were troublesome. It reads thus: "No Indian nor Negro cervants shall walk abroad After nine A Clock at night without his master or mistries leave, and if said servants or slaves shall be found or taken from home after nine A Clock at night by the Constable or any freeholder of s*^ Town and brought to the Wardens or Warden shall be taken and stript and receive ten laches on his or hurs naked back."

From this we learn that Indian and Negro slaves were treated alike, to some extent, on the Island. It should be borne in mind, too, that this stringency was at a time when slavery was popular, and slave-ships were frequently seen in the American waters. This act was in harmony also with another promulgated by the state of Rhode Island in 1667, viz.: "That if in Rhode Island, or in any other towns, any Indian shall be taken walking in the night-time, he shall be seized by the watch and kept in custody till morning, and brought before some magistrate, which said magistrate shall deal with him according to his discretion, and the demerit of the said person so offending."

The Block Island Indians were protected by many acts of humanity on the part of the early settlers. Some had lands under their own management, as seen in the peti- tion of Simon Ray to the town in behalf of the heirs of Penewess, a petty chief, who died and left land on the Island from which " his ccgintrymen " were entitled to rent. This protection was evinced by the following act :

"At a quartur Cort held for the town of New Shore- ham at the hewes of mr. Robert Gutterig the second tewseday In July 1675 It dead evidently apere that mr. gorges [George's] negro rathy [Wrathy] and John drum- ers sone [Drummer's son] was gilty of staling fish from 6

62 HISTORY OF BLOCK ISI-AND.

Steven the Indian for the which wee ordur each of them to be whiped with 12 stripes or pay 6 shelens In mony or the true valii and that s'* rathe [Wrathy] is not here- after to be absent from his masters hews after sun set without leave from his s*^ mastur on penalty of the acoused [accused] being whiped with 12 lashes."

The Indians, as well as the English, were protected against the evil of intemperance. That there were un- principled men who would sell them rum, regardless of consequences, is seen in the stratagem of Thomas Terry in destroying their supply furnished by a Mr. Arnold, a trader on Block Island. This Arnold, like others, prob- ably drank like the Indians and brought on a fatal attack of delirium tremens, or the " hoj-rors.''^ The record of him is this : — "Samuel Arnold, one of his Majesty's sub- jects being sick and outt of frame, not being in his right sences, Departed his house. [In the night.] The next morning Sarch was made for him and was found dead." The jury of inquest on Mr. Arnold's body gave the fol- lowing verdict:

"The Jury being sollemly Ingaged came into the wood whare the s*^ Sam'l arnall's corps Lay and haveing strictly vewed s^ corps do unonnimasly agree that he being griped with the pains of death ran from his house, being out of his sences, to this wood, and Dyed a natural death."

As a protection against Indian intemperance the town enacted, in 1692, the following:

"Voted that if any person shall sell any rum, wine, cider, or any strong drink tq Indian or Indians upon the Lord's day, being the first day of the week, for any strong drink as aforesaid sold at such time, or delivered to any Indian upon barter or otherwise whereby to be a means to cause said Indian to be drunk on the Lord's day, every such inhabitant so doing shall pay into the public stock in

DISAPPEARING. 63

money or equivalent in current specie the sum of forty shillings to be paid forthwith upon conviction."

In June, 1693, Capt. William Hancock, for violating the above ordinance by selling rum to an Indian on the Sabbath, was fined twenty shillings. During this year an Indian boy was thrown from a cart and killed. In the Coroner's report it is said : — "■ The cart-wheel came against a stump, and suddenly overturned the Ingen lad."

DISAPPEARING.

The disappearing of the Indians from Block Island was rapid and easily explained. Up to the year 1700 they numbered about 300. As these were mentioned by Niles in contrast with the sixteen men and a boy who chal- lenged them to an open field-fight, it may be inferred that they were men, warriors. If this inference be cor- rect, then we may put down their original number, at the time of settlement by the English in 1662, to be nearly 1000, including the women and children. From a "Mem- orandum of Block Island, or Manisses, A. D. 1762, by Dr. Stiles," we learn to how small a number they had dwindled during the first century of occupancy of the Island by the English. He says that in 1756 there were "few Indians, but no wigwams." Prom the same volume in which this statement is contained we learn that in 1774 the Indians of Block Island were reduced to fifty-one.

Their disappearance from the Island may be attributed mainly to three causes ; Jirst, the loss of their lands ; secondly, their subjugation to slavery, and thirdly, the need of them by Ninicraft, their chief, on the main-land. As instances of their running away it is sufficient to refer to the six who left Mr. Thomas Terry ; to Chagum, after whom Chagum Pond is supposed to have been named, who ran away with a canoe, was recaptured, and re-en- slaved. (See Chagum Pond.) That they were not exter-

64 HISTORY OF BLOCK ISLAND.

minated by wars is certain, for we have no account of any- killing of Indians on Block Island after Col. Endicott's expedition against the Manisseans in 1636. A single remnant of the old aboriginal stock is living on the Island.

CHURCH FAMILY.

Peter Churchy a full-blood Indian, fought for the Eng- lish, in the old French War, on the main-land, and after- wards returned to his native Island where he spent some years before his death. His grave is in the colored burial groulid.

Mary Church, daughter of Peter, was born upon Block Island, and worked in different families. She had three sons, and three daughters whose names were Hearty N. Church, Sally, and Thankful. The sons' names were Titus, Solomon, and Isaac. All are dead except Isaac. They left children, now widely scattered. Two of them, very respectable half-breeds, females, from Stonington, visited the Island in the summer of 1876.

Aaron Church, son of the above-named Titus, from his connection with the pirate Gibbs, has left a reputation that indicates his descent from the murderers of Capt. Oldham. In the year 1830 he shipped on board the brig Vineyard, early in November, at New Orleans, for Phila- delphia. William Thornby was captain, and William Roberts, mate. After the vessel had been several days at sea Charles Gibbs, Thomas J. Wansley, and Aaron Church — desperate characters, especially the first-named, entered into a conspiracy to capture the vessel, which contained a cargo of sugar, molasses, and also $54,000 in specie. On the 23d of Nov. they executed their piratical purpose, in the night, by killing Captain Thornby and his mate, Wil- liam Roberts, with a "pump-break," and threw their bodies overboard. Others of the crew, to save their lives, became feigned accessories, until they reached the shore

CHURCH FAMILY. 65

and could expose the pirates with safety. Wansley was the steward, and a negro. Church was part Indian, and Gibbs, a native of Rhode Island, was a notorious villain, who probably led his accomplices into this their last crime.

When about fifteen miles from Long Island, having divided the money, which belonged to Stephen Girard, Gibbs took the long boat, and Church the jolly boat, shar- ing the money between them. One Atwell was with Church. Gibbs landed on Long Island, was arrested, tried, and with Wansley executed in New York April 22, 1831. Church started, it is said, for Block Island, with sails set in his jolly boat, in a rough sea, and was foundered, and drowned with his companions in sight of Gibbs and Wansley who ''saw them clinging to the masts." Thus the pirate Aaron Church went down with his ill-gotten gain.

Isaac Church, the uncle of Aaron, is still living, at the age of eighty-eight, as he informs the writer. He can give but Httle information of his ancestry — does not know who was his father, but remembers well his mother who was more easily identfied. If his father were not an Indian his mother was surely a full-breed, and vice versa, for his hair and features are thoroughly Manissean. As he is older than the rest of the Islanders it is useless to question them about his parentage. They all, however, speak well of " Uncle Isaac Church," and his comfortable home is proof of his temperance and industry in former days. He has obtained distinction in a peculiar way that will long be remembered, viz. : Attendance at funerals. It is a common remark that '* he has been to more fune- rals than any other person on the Island," and that "he goes to all funerals." It is easy to predict that many will be at his, and that many a tender recollection of "Uncle Isaac " will be cherished by the children now living, who in maturer years will speak of him as the last and worthy 6*

66 HISTORY OF BLOCK ISLAND.

representative of the ancient Manissean lords of the soil, who will soon be known only in history.

The descendants of Isaac Church are too far removed from aboriginal blood to be classed with Indians.

THEIR RELIGION.

Of the religion of the Block Island Indians no infor- mation of much account is attainable. That the natives of New England generally had some notions of a super- human Being is well understood. The Pequots evinced this when they regarded their Chief Sassacus as " a god that nobody could kill," extolling him as superhuman because of his supposed immortality. Whatever he may have been, back of him in the minds of his warriors we see the fundamental notion of religion — the notion of supremacy. That notion was in the minds of the Manis- seans, and they have left a record of it in the beautiful name of their Island. For it is said by very good author- ity that ''Manisses," when interpreted, means, ''The Little God," or the "Island of the Little God." This perhaps, had reference to some ancient petty sachem, while the great sachem of the Narragansetts was near Westerly, R. I., as Mr. Niles says he there viewed "the remains of Ninicraft's fort." But all is gone but the fame of their fierceness.

It is with feelings shaded with sadness that we take leave of this subject, as we look out upon the hundreds of little hills reflected from intervening waters, where the arrows of the Red men secured food from the innumerable fowls that rested here in their fall and spring journeys south and north, where the lights of their wigwams cheered the lonely voyager — lights around which were told the strange legends of antiquity and the war-songs of victory were wildly chanted, and young men and maidens courted, and where even savage hearts quailed, as the

THEIR RELIGION. 67

howling of tlie tempest and the crashing thunders com- mingled with ''the. sound of many waters," while the darkness of night at intervals was banished by the light- nings which for an instant lighted up the green hills, their great and little mirrors of water, and the foaming sea around, all preaching to the Indian of the Great Spirit as directly, perhaps, as did the prophet to the more civil- ized when he said : '' Will ye not tremble at my presence,

" Which have placed the sand for the bound of the sea By a perpetual decree, that it cannot pass it ; And though the waters thereof toss themselves, yet can they not

prevail ; Though they roar, yet can they not pass over it 1 "

Jer. V, 22.

So He has set bounds to nations as well as to individ- uals, and instead of boasting of a superiority over the savage tribes, the last of which are fading away, it is well to remember the old and demonstrated saying: "We all do fade as a leaf."

The "life and immortality bought to light" to us, were darkly seen by the Manisseans, as shown by their mode of burial. One of many instances may here suffice. On the farm now owned by Mr. Simon Ball, at the south end of the Great Pond, a few years ago there was a small land-slide which left standing in the bank in full view an Indian skeleton, very large, with a rude earthen jar at his feet well packed with scallop shells. From their known custom of burying eatables with the dead to supply them with food on their Journey to another world, it is evident that this earthen pot of shell-fish was there buried with the Indian in a walking posture for the same purpose. By this custom they have left good proof of their belief in a future life. About all, therefore, that can be attri- buted to them of a religious character is : LA belief in the existence and power of the Great Spirit. 2. A belief

68 HISTORY OF BLOCK ISLAND.

in a conscious future state ; and 3. Their dim view of the soul's immortality.

Indian Head Neck, the old Indian burial-ground, has disclosed many human bones, and many shells which indi- cate the religious rite of burying food with the dead. In contrast with these, two heads of Indians, for some crime, were anciently placed upon the tops of stakes in said burial-ground, and from that circumstance the first settlers named that narrow bluff Indian Head Neck.

BLOCK ISLAND HOSTILITIES.

Although no distinguished battles have been fought either on, or near Block Island, yet it has always shared in the great national hostilities in which our country from time to time has been involved. Of conflicts here between the Indians our knowledge is only traditionary. This knowledge, however, is sufficient to leave the conviction that from "time out of mind," this Island was a bone of contention between neighboring tribes upon the main-land. As it lies nearest to the territory occupied by the Narra- gansetts it naturally came under the rule of their Chiefs, Ninicraft, Miantinomo, Canonicus, and other more remote sachems in past ages. Still, it was within reach of the eagle- eyed Sassacus and his warlike Pequots, and even the more distant Mohegans beyond the Connecticut river coveted the fertile plantations and productive fishing grounds of Manisses. Tradition points to their savage fleet of bark canoes launched beyond "two large rivers," and made to skim over the briny deep by the force of paddles flashing in the moonlight until they were silently dipped at midnight along the Island's shores at Cooney- mus, or at Grace's Cove. It tells us too of the Mohegan dashes from Montauk, their shortest distance to row to Manisses. The Mohegan Bluffs will ever remain as a monument of the Narragansetts' victory over the Mohe- gans, and the friendship of Ninicraft their chief with the English will also immortalize his strategy in maintaining his grounds against the more warlike Pequots. Had he not done this the fate, too, of the little colony of sixteen

70 HISTORY OF BLOCK ISLAND.

families, far from the main-land, might have been very different from what it was ; for then Sassacus might have weakened the Narragansetts, captured Manisses, and with his fierce Pequots annihilated the little colony. But Nini- craft's alhance with the English kept his Block Island subjects from hostilities with the early settlers, and also from feuds among themselves which are said to have arisen previously between the Indians of the west side and those of the east side of the Island.

WITH THE INDIANS.

The first act of hostility on Block Island in which white men participated was the killing of Capt. John Oldham by the Indians in 1636, an account of which is given in the article on Indians.

The second act of hostility was that of Col. John En- dicott in 1636, in his expedition to "do justice unto the Indians for the murder of Mr. Oldham," and to take pos- session of their Island. His officers were Capt. John Underbill, Capt. Nathaniel Turner, Ensigns Jennison and Davenport. He had ninety soldiers. Winthrop says, — " They were embarked in three pinnaces, and carried two shallops and two Indians with them. They had commis- sion to put to death the men of Block Island, but to spare the women and children, and to bring them [men] away, and to take possession of the Island." (See article on Indians.)

This commission was not to kill all " the men," but rather to kill only men, and not women and children, and Endi- cott acted accordingly, killing only a sufficient number for a severe retribution and for the capture of the Island. Had the commission meant all, it would have said so, and Endicott would have obeyed.

The Court and Council of Massachusetts sent out this expedition to Block Island on the 25tli of Sept., 1636. It

WITH THE INDIANS. 71

is probable that Endicott, on his way to the Island, con- ferred with the Chief of the Narragansetts, Miantinomo, and perhaps with the Pequots, for one of his soldiers wrote back to a friend as follows :

" We are now in readiness for Block Island, only we wait for a fair wind. Vfe are informed of many Indians there, so we expect the toughest work we have had yet." '' 2d day of the 6th week of our warfare.

Israel Stoughton."

In Winthrop's History of New England it is said : "They arrived at Block Island the last of August. The wind blowing hard at N. E., there went so great a surf as they had much to do to land ; and about forty Indians were ready upon the shore to entertain them with their arrows which they shot off at our men ; but being armed with corslets they had no hurt, only one was lightly hurt upon his neck, and another near his foot. So soon as one man leaped on shore, they all fled. The Island is about ten miles long, and four broad, full of small hills, and all overgrown with brush-wood of oak, — no good timber on it, — so as they could not march but in one file and in the narrow paths. There were two plantations, three miles in sunder, and about sixty wigwams, — some very large and fair,-»-and about two hundred acres of corn, some gathered and laid on heaps, and the rest standing. When they had spent two days searching the Island, and could not find the Indians, they burnt their wigwams and all their mats, and some corn, and staved seven canoes, and departed. They could not tell what men they killed, but some were wounded and carried away by their fellows."

Endicott did not very thoroughly search the Island, or he would have found the Indians, and the heavy timber then standing, abundant in 1662.

The full punishment and subjugation of the Manisseans

7*2 HISTORY OF BLOCK ISLAND.

were not completed by Col. Endicott until a second land- ing, in 1637, by the above-named Stoughton, of whom Winthrop (then governor of Mass.) says: "Mr. Stough- ton sailed with some of his company from Pequod to Block Island. They came hither in the night, yet were discovered, and our men having killed one or two of them, and burnt some of their wigwams, etc., they came to parley, and, submitting themselves to become tributa- ries in one hundred fathom wampum peague [beads] and to deliver any that should be found to have any hand in Mr. Oldham's death, they were all received and no more harm done them."

This conclusion of the Oldham hostilities clearly shows how unjust a reflection has been cast upon Massachusetts by those who have construed Endicott's commission to mean that "the whole male population of the Island must be exterminated," and that "the women and children were to be brought off as captives." {Narraganseit Weekly^ for Aug. 30, 1860. Also foot note "4," of Winthrop, I, p. 229.) By misconstruction the language of said commis- sion which meant gentleness^ in killing only tnen, and only enough to subdue the Island, and to bring some away as hostages, wholly sparing the women and children, has been made to mean cruelty, with much injustice to Gov. Vane and his Council, and " the rest of the magistrates and ministers," all of whom were together at the special session to consider the course to be taken in the case of the death of Mr. Oldham. They could not have been ignorant of the great number of Indians on the Island, and of the impossibility of exporting in Endicott's little vessels the women and children, for Roger AVilliams was then in constant communication with the great chiefs of the Island and with the Massachusetts authorities. More- over, Endicott's commission required him to proceed direct from Block Island "to the Pequods," to make war, if

WITH THE INDIANS. 73

necessary with them ; but how could he do this with his vessels loaded down with the women and children of said Island ? No. Endicott's commission simply meant, — kill men, but spare women and children ; capture the Island ; bring away a few natives as hostages, and kill only as many men as necessary to accomplish this end ; '' thence go to the Pequods, &c.," and he complied with this com- mission.

The hostile feelings of the Block Island Indians towards the white settlers were latent rather than manifest, as in other parts of the colonies. On one or two occasions they were on the verge of an outbreak, as in the squabble between a few of them and a few settlers, and at the time the Indians assembled on Fort Island for a pitched battle, as related in the biographical sketches of James Sands, and of Thomas Terry.

That the Indians of Block Island were very dangerous in the estimation of the settlers is evident from the acts passed at various times to keep them from violence. For there were traders then, as now, who, regardless of the peace and interests of society, for ''filthy lucre," endan- gered the lives of all by selling to the natives fire-arms and fire-water. In 1675, the vigilance of the citizens required the disarming of every Indian at sundown. Their guns were then delivered up to their masters, and returned to them in the morning. They were about twenty times as numerous as the English. In 1675, too, a " squadron " of soldiers for self defense, was maintained by the Islanders. It was kept up by each citizen serving in rotation. The house of Robert Gutterig was their rendezvous. There they met, according to their turns, before the sun was an hour high, upon failure of which each delinquent was obliged to pay the penalty of ''five shillings, and that to be kept in the hands of the treasurer for a common stock for ammunition." There was one 7

74 HISTORY OF BLOCK ISLAND.

excuse, however, then, the force of which is felt even now. In case the easterly wind blew strongly, accompa- nied by rain or snow, the soldier was excused from leaving home and repairing to the garrison that day, unless it cleared up before twelve o'clock. Flint locks and wet powder were then common, the latter in rainy weather. At this time, so far as we can learn, there was no protec- tion from the main -land for the infant colony. The near- est intimation of it is the fact that in May, 1664, Messrs. James Sands and Joseph Kent petitioned the General Assembly, and in response Roger Williams, Thomas 01- ney, and Joseph Torrey were appointed a committee to consider said petition and report on it in reference to the ''preservation of His Majesty's peace there," on Block Island.

In this perilous time, 1676, the Islanders passed the following ordinance, viz. : '^ Voted that every male from the age of sixteen years old and upwards, shall provide himself with a sufficient fire -lock gun and two pounds of powder and four pounds of shot and lead at or before the last of March next ensuing, upon the penalty of twenty shillings for such neglect." At the same time the sale of strong drink in smaller quantities than a gallon was prohibited under the penalty -of twenty shillings, ex- cept where license was given. Rum then, as now, fired the savage feelings, which threatened the extermination of the little colony of Islanders, and up to the year 169.3 we find stringent laws enforced to restrain unprincipled venders on the Lord's day, fining them forty shillings for selling to an Indian, ''rum, wine, cider, or any strong drink " to make him intoxicated. About this time King Philip's war was in progress, and other sachems were plotting the extermination of the New England colonies. The Islanders, therefore, must have been more or less than human, if they were not filled with alarm by the

WITH THE INDIANS. iO

rumors of white men, women, and children on the main slaughtered, and tortured to death by savages, while the same uncivilized spirits, far outnumbering themselves, were lurking day and night about their scattered homes. It was then that the wisdom of the high-toned civilian, James Sands; the calm, religious faith of the pious Simon Ray; and the heroism of the fearless Thomas Terry were frequently taxed to their utmost and combined in councils of defense and even offense. It was then that the cot- tages and wigwams of Block Island were filled with anxious minds plotting, talking, and dreaming of blood- shed. It was then that a clear insight into the weakness accompanying the Red Man's consciousness of his inferi- ority, and a rational view of the comparative dangers of timidity and defiance on the part of the few settlers, that the latter, commending themselves to the God of their Pilgrim fathers, put their wives and children into a feeble garrison, and challenged their hostile neighbors to face them on the field of battle. To no scene of sublimer faith and heroism can the historian point than was exhib- ited on Block Island when, at Fort Island, the little band of sixteen men and a boy marched to the music of a single drum beaten for dear life by Mr. Kent, until they faced the frowning fort of twenty times their number, standing there within gunshof of the enemy armed with guns, bows and arrows, clubs and scalping knives. Was a braver challenge ever given ? A little handful of less than tens virtually saying to hundreds, "We stand within the reach of your savage weapons-r-strike the first blow if you dare, and we will send you all to — to the hunting grounds of your dead men."

The victory thus won was so complete, without the' dis- charge of a gun or an arrow that from that day to the present, when but one Indian remains (Uncle Isaac Church), an unbroken friendship has continued between

76 HISTORY OF BLOCK ISLAND.

the Manisseans and their successors, a remembrance of which is a rich legacy to the rising generations.

WITH THE FRENCH.

War between France and England in. 1690 greatly dis- turbed the peace of the colonies, no part of which, per- haps, was more exposed to the depredations of the former than was Block Island. In the month of March of that year the opening conflict was "proclaimed by beat of drum " in the streets of Newport, and not long after the notes of war vibrated across the waters to this Island and caused many a tearful cheek, and deep anxiety in the hearts of the bravest. In May, 1690, came a tax of s'even- teen pounds and ten shillings to be collected of the Island- ers " for the support of their Majesty's interest against the French and Indian enemies." Thus after thirty years of perils at home, they saw the distant war-cloud gathering and from its border saw its first few hail stones striking on their shores. A merciless enemy was coming on the wind — one that purposed, with an infidelity unbecoming a savage, to exhaust his own resources of cruelty, and with these combine the fierceness of the Indians. In no di- rection from their shores could the Islanders look for protection, except upward. The enemy came.

To fight the American colonies was to fight England. The colonies on the main-land, assisted by England, were comparatively safe against the French invaders. But it was impossible to keep the ships of France from lighting, like harpies, on this well stored Island.

In July, 1689, "a large bark, a barge, a large sloop, and a lesser one " — three men of war with their transport stood towards the bay on the east side of Block Island. The ♦inhabitants were greatly alarmed, and doubtful whether the vessels were French or English, hostile or friendly. The vessels anchored, while on the shore were

WITH THE FRENCH. 77

standing brave men filled with anxiety. A boat was low- ered and a few approached the shore. One, when near enough, left the boat and stepped from rock to rock until he addressed, in English, with friendly words, those upon the shore. His name was William Trimming. They questioned him closely, as tkey stood holding their arms for defense. He made them beUeve his vessels were under the command of George Astin, a noted English privateer to whom they were friendly, that they were in need of wood, water, and a pilot to conduct them safely into Newport harbor. Having gained the confidence of the Islanders he returned to his vessel, and soon made signal for a pilot. Several, '' in hopes of some great re- ward," at once went aboard, and were immediately clapped under the hatches, and there under threats were com- pelled to tell what they knew of the means of defense on the Island. Upon this information the French, still sup- posed to be English, lowered three boats, and with about fifty men in each, having their guns concealed, approached the deceived and amused spectators who directed the enemy how to shun the hidden rocks in the Bay until they came to the wharf where the said guns were sud- denly seized and leveled at the Islanders with horrid threats from the invaders. The soldiers thus overpowered and taken prisoners, the Island became a prey to the per- fidious Trimming, whose men broke the guns of the Islanders in pieces upon the rocks and confined the owners in the stone house of Captain James Sands. The French pillaged the Island, killing all kinds of cattle for food, and what they did not need they killed for spoil to im- poverish the people. Our informant, Rev. Samuel Niles, says, — ''they continued about a week on the Island, plun- dering houses, stripping the people of their clothing, rip- ping up beds, throwing out the feathers, and carrying

away the ticking." Their abuses to the venerable Simon 7*

78 HISTORY OF BLOCK ISLAND.

Ray are related in our biographical sketch of him. They entered the house of Dr. John Rodman, a skillful physi- cian and devoted- Quaker and insulted his wife, "a very desirable gentlewoman," between whom and the insolent Frenchman the Doctor sprang, as the rufiBan cocked his pistol at Rodman who bared his bosom and said, — ''Thee mayest do it if thou pleasest, but thou shalt not abuse my wife." During the week of plundering on the Island the French in the vessels captured two English vessels bound up the Sound, sinking the one laden with steel, and pre- serving the other for her cargo of liquors.

News of this invasion in some way reached the main- land while the French were upon the Island, and quickly, at night, a ribbon of bonfires was seen along the shore from Pawcatuck Point (south of Westerly, R. I.) to Seconet Point. This alarmed the privateers and they left with the intention of taking New London, but the fire upon them there in the harbor was so hot that they retreated. Meanwhile two vessels of war were fitted out at Newport for the defense of Block Island, under the command of Commodore Paine, and Captain John God- frey. On their arrival here, and learning of the sacking of the Island, they pursued the enemy. On Fisher's Island they surprised seventeen Frenchmen and killed the deceitful Trimming through whose perfi'dy Block Island had been captured.

The French, on their way from New London to con- tinue their plundering of Block Island, met our men-of- war under Commodore Paine to the westward of Sandy Hill. There, perhaps, it was that our informant, the Rev. Mr. Niles, was stationed while viewing the naval battle, the first, probably, fought within the waters of Block Island. As Mr. Niles was an eye-witness, his description is most reliable, and we quote it here in full.

''Our English vessels stretched off to the southward,

WITH THE FRENCH. 79

and soon made a discovery of a small fleet standing east- ward. Supposing them to be the French they were in quest of, they tacked and came as near the shore as they could with safety, carrying one anchor to wear and another to seaboard, to prevent the French boarding them on each side at once, and to bring their guns and men all on one side the better to defend themselves and annoy the enemy. The French probably discovered them also, and made all the sail they could, expecting to make prizes of them. Accordingly they sent a periauger before them, full of men, with design to pour in their small arms on them, and take them, as their manner was, supposing they were unarmed vessels, and only bound upon trade. Cap- tain Paine's gunner urged to fire on them. The Captain denied, alleging it more advisable to let the enemy come nearer under their command. But the gunner still urging it, being certain (as he said) he should rake fore and aft, thus with much importunity, at length the Captain gave Mm liberty. He fired on them, but the bullet went wide of them, and I saw it skip on the surface of the water several times, and finally lodged in a bank, as they were not very far distant from the shore. This brought them to a stand, and to row off as fast as they could and wait until their vessels came up. When they came they bore down on the English, and . there ensued a very hot. sea- fight for several hours, though under the land, the great bark foremost, pouring in a broadside with small arms. Ours bravely answered them in the same manner, with their huzzas and shouting. Then followed the larger sloop, the captain whereof was a very violent, resolute fellow. He took a glass of wine to drink, and wished it might be his damnation if he did not board them immedi- ately. But as he was drinking a bullet struck him in the neck, with which he instantly fell down dead, as the prisoners (before spoken of) afterwards reported. How-

30 HISTORY OF BLOCK ISLAND.

ever, the large sloop proceeded, as the foremost vessel had done, and the lesser sloop Hkewise. Thus they passed by in course, and then tacked and brought their other broad- side to bear. In this manner they continued the fight until the night came on and prevented their further con- flict. Our men as valiantly paid them back in their own coin, and bravely repulsed them, and killed several of them.

" In this action the continued fire was so sharp and violent, that the echo in the woods made a noise as though the limbs of the trees were rent and tore oii from their bodies ; yet they killed but one man, an Indian of the English party, and wounded six white men who after recovered. They overshot our men, so that many of their bullets, both great and small, were picked up on the adjacent shore.

''During the next night our vessels were replenished with ammunition from the Island, but in the morning it was discovered that the enemy had taken [French'] leave. Our vessels pursued them so closely that they were obliged to scuttle the prize vessels before mentioned — ^the one laden with liquors, and she was overtaken while sinking."

This first invasion of Block Island by French privateers aroused the country to such a degree that men-of-war from Boston, and from New York were dispatched to the rescue and for the pursuit of the enemy.

The next act of hostilities on the Island was by a part of the former invaders, before the close of the same year 1689. This second attack was in the night, and, though brief, was very alarming and destructive of property in a manner similar to that previously described. No one was killed. Mr. Niles, our informant, was the chief sufferer, as seen in our sketch of him. But as the war between Prance and England continued, the depredations of the

WITH THE FRENCH. 81

enemy were repeated. Of the next alarm and plundering of the Island Mr. Niles says :

" The French came a third time while I was on the Island, and came to anchor in the bay on Saturday, some time before night ; and acquainted us who they were and what they intended, by hoisting up their white colors. None of the people appearing to oppose them, and having at this time, my aged grandparents, Mr. James Sands and his wife, to take care of, with whom I then dwelt ; know- ing also, that if they landed they would make his house the chief seat of their rendezvous, as they had done twice before, and not knowing what insults or outrage they might commit on them, I advised to the leaving of their house, and betaking themselves to the woods for shelter, till they might return under prospects of safety ; which they consented to. Accordingly we took our flight into the woods, which were at a considerable distance, where we encamped that night as well as the place and circum- stances would allow^, with some others, that for the like reasons fell into our company. The next morning being Lord's day morning, I expressed my desire to go occultly and see the conduct of the French, and their proceedings. (See on Capt. James Sands.)

^'Having had but little sleep the night before, I pro- posed to Mr. Thomas Mitchell to keep a good look-out, and.watch their motions, till I endeavored to sleep a little, and thus to proceed interchangeably ; when I made the hard ground my lodging for the time, which was long. Upon my awaking he lay down, and as he lay and slept, the French fired many guns at the house, and I heard several bullets whistling over my head. Suspecting they had made some discovery of us, I awakened him, telling him what I had observed, therefore that it was advisable to shift our quarters. Accordingly, as we were mo\'ing from the place we espied a large ship about a league to

82 HISTORY OF BLOCK ISLAND.

leeward of the township, riding at anchor (the fog at sea had been very thick till then), which happened to be Cap- tain Dobbins, in the Nonesuch man-of-war, stationed in those seas, which we at first sight supposed. This ship appearing put the Frenchmen into a great surprise, by their motions, by running up to their standard on the hill, then down again, and others doing the like. The man-of- war still making all sail possible, there being but a small breeze of wind at southwest, and right ahead, according to the sailors' phrase, they soon left the house [Capt. James Sands' stone house, then standing where Mr. Al- memzo Littlefield's lawn, east of his house, is], and with all speed and seeming confusion hastened to their vessel. Upon this we went boldly to the house, and found the floor covered with geese, with blood and feathers ; the quarters of the hogs they had killed hanging up in one and another part of the house — a melancholy sight to behold ! Their manner of dressing hogs after they had quartered them was to singe off the hair over a flame ; and their method to command the cattle was (as I saw when they took us before) to thrust their cutlasses in at their loins, and on a sudden the hind quarter would drop down, and as the poor creature strove to go forward, the blood would spout out of the hole, and fly up near or full out a yard in height."

"Soon after these privateers took to their heels," they were hotly pursued by the Nonesuch. The former steered for Neman's Land, but in the fog missed their course, ran into Buzzards Bay, where they were land-locked and captured by their pursuers. Forty of the French endeav- ored to escape by running ashore, but were soon seized by the people and sent as prisoners to Boston. The rest Captain Dobbins made prisoners of war, and took their ship as a prize back to Newport."

By this time it would seem that there coul-d be but little

WITH THE FRENCH. 83

left on Block Island to tempt the enemy. But its fat cat- tle, swine, sheep, and poultry, together with the fabrics of household industry, for many years, were scented from afar by the freebooters of the sea. Hither they continued to come for plunder, and from 1698 until after 1706 it was in a condition like that of a continued siege, for in 1706, the Governor and Council of Rhode Island reported as follows : '' We have been also this summer as well as the last obliged to maintain a quota of men at Block Island for the defence of Her Majesty's interest there."

Meanwhile a fourth hostile demonstration was made upon this little <'Isle of the sea," whether by the French, or by pirates, is a matter of uncertainty, as the latter were then numerous. At that time Capt. Robert Kidd with his piratical crew was roaming the seas and striking terror to many an island and seacoast city. But at this fourth and last attack during the long wars between France and England, the Islanders met the enemy "in an open pitched battle, and drove them off from the shore," no one in return receiving any injury, '^ except one man slightly wounded in his finger." Where that bloodless battle-field, on the part of the Islanders is, we are not informed. Probably it was in the vicinity of the old Pier.

During the above period ol hostilities on Block Island, its inhabitants were not only plundered by privateers, and burdened wath the expenses of self defence, but heavy taxes came upon them from abroad. In response to their remonstrances the Rhode Island Assembly, in 1696, re- mitted to them ''one penny on the pound," of the levy on the Islanders. This was "penny wise." In 1700 the proportion of the colony tax of £800 allotted Block Island was £22, and this was remitted on the ground of the great expense they had borne in maintaining their soldiers. So great was the danger from deceitful visitors

84 HISTORY OF BLOCK ISLAND.

then, that the town passed the stringent law of fining a man five pounds for bringing ashore any man or woman from abroad without reporting the same to the town au- thorities immediately. Judge of the anxious days and sleepless nights during a period of twenty years, while threatened with a neighboring host of savages, while repeatedly invaded by privateers and pirates ; while con- stantly watching the surrounding waters, and maintaining laws that disarmed their superior numbers at sunset, and punished them for walking abroad after nine o'clock at night ; while burdened with the expense of maintaining their own little standing army, and also that upon the main-land ; and while, for their own support the fields must be cultivated, and material raised upon their farms for the distaff, the big spinning-wheel, and the loom. It was in reference to the above manifold burdens that in 1697 the following memorial was indicted, probably by Simon R&j :

"September the 5th, 1697. "7b the Honoured Governor^ Deputy Governor and the Rest of

the Members of the General Assembly of Rhode Island

and Providence Plantations :

"The humble petition of the poor distressed Inhabitants of Block Island which expect daily No other than to be Invaded, our houses demolished, our persons and Estates become a prey to the enemy If no other assistance can be had than what we can Raise within ourselves. We both think and find it very hard that we should be forced to hire and pay men's wages at our own charge since we are or should be a member of a Colony that in our opinion ought to protect us who as yet have Not any from as a Colony we do suppose a thing not to be paralleled with In the King's Dominion that one part of a province or Col- ony that think themselves most secure should rather Re-

WITH THE FRENCH. 85

ject than protect that part that Is In imminent danger. We your humble petitioners humbly consider the charge will be easier for a whole Colony to bare than a poor handful of distressed people which are always in fears, horrors, and troubles. We do suppose that one hundred and sixty pounds a year would supply w^ith men and am- unition which is but a little for a Colony to raise. We do suppose that as Justly as submission may be expected from us we may expect Relief in time of distress. We find that if we have money enough we may have men enough. If they cannot be spared in our own Colony we can be supplied otherwheres. Thus your distressed petitioners wait for your favorable and speedy result."

(Signed by 30 freeholders.)

To the foregoing piratical period in the history of Block Island the following case of kidnapping in 17] 7 properly belongs. It is still involved in mystery. The occurrence is authenticated by the depositions of reli- able witnesses, and by the town record of the same, still preserved, of which we give here a copy:

" Block Island ales New Shoram Aprelly^ 18th 1717. We the subscribers testifie and say that as we went on board of a large Sloop, Baulsgrave Williams Commander, as by some of his men's Report, and he Likewise being on shore to get some refreshment in order as he said to go to Boston on s"^ day aforementioned, we and severall others went on bord with him. after that we had been on bord of him about an houre or two (being then in our Harbour Bay) we all came out of s*^ Sloop into our Boat without any molestation ; but after that we were put off from the Sloop Some distance Rowing to make the Har- bour we were imediatly Comanded on bord again, not knowing what their business was with us ; as soon as we came along sid^ of the Sloop three of our men that were in our Boat with us were forcibly taken from us and com- manded to come on bord of them, one of which was

86 HISTORY OF BLOCK ISLAND.

pulled out of the boat into the Sloop by violence and the other two commanded to go on boarde of them. After this manner were those men taken from us (viz.) George Mitchell, William Toesh, and Doctur James Sweete ; and forthere Deponents say not.

Thomas Daniels, John Rathbun, Thomas Pain.

The three persons within personally apeared before me one of his majesty's Wardins or Justices of the peace of Block Island and took their Sollem Ingagements to the contents within mentioned as attest pr. me

John Sands, Dep. Warden. May y« 19th, 1717.

my Self being present on bord the boat when the men were taken out as within mentioned."

The last-mentioned act of hostility justifies the pre- ceding and subsequent measures of defense adopted by the Islanders and assisted by the Colony of Rhode Island. In 1708 the Assembly, on condition the Islanders had truly laid out their due proportion of money for arms and ammunition, enacted that they should have a quota of fifteen soldiers for theii* defense, and that '' The Honored Governor, Assistant, and Major of the Island shall order said quota from time to time as they shall see cause, and to abate the number as they shall see cause for, and the men of Block Island to use said quota kindly, and find them with provisions (at their own charge), as is conven- ient for soldiers." In May 1711, a quota of twelve sol- diers was furnished the Island, they finding their own arms and ammunition, and receiving thirty shillings a month. In November of the samie year their pay was increased to forty shillings a month. But at this time they were, perhaps, less needful, as the notes of war began to die away, and soon after were only heard faintly echoing like far distant thunder from foreign shores. Nations hostile to England found it easier to fight her

WITH THE FRENCH. 87

elsewhere than among the American Colonies. If the war of King George in 1744, and the conquest of the Canadas ten years after affected Block Island at all it was only as the spent shock of a far-off earthquake, leaving the inhabitants to pursue their peaceful avocations with very little interruption until the sad day arrived when the Colonists, by civil oppression, were compelled to turn their guns upon the government from which they had sought and obtained protection. Meanwhile, how- ever, lessons of self-government and of timely prepara- tions for defense had been learned, and, in the year 1740, we find the same put in practice by an act of the General Assembly of R. I., authorizing the field officers of Provi- dence, and Kings counties to impress from each ten able- bodied men to be sent to Block Island, by the 20th of April of that year, to serve there six months, to be under the care and command of the Captain of the Island [Capt. Edward Sands], and by him '^billeted out at the charge of the inhabitants of said Island," receiving £3 per month each from the general treasury. A battery, it seems by the following act of 1740, had been planted here pre- viously upon Harbor Hill^ nearly back of the gothic cot- tage of Mr. Darius Dodge, a suitable place for protecting the bay and harbor. This act was, '< That the six great guns at New Shoreham be mounted on carriages, in the most convenient manner, as shall be judged by the inhabi- tants ; and that they, at their own charge, procure two barrels of gunpowder, one hundred and twenty great shot and forty pounds weight of musket-balls ; and that Cap- tain Edward Sands, and Mr. Nathaniel Littlefield procure carriages for said guns, and draw money out of the gene- ral treasury to pay for the same.'' This was done with special reference to the war between Spain and England. In 1745 the Islanders petitioned the General Assembly for increased protection, and in response it was " Voted

88 HISTORY OF BLOCK ISLAND.

and resolved that twenty-one soldiers be sent to New Shoreham, seven out of each county * * and there to remain * * until the return of the Colony sloop from the expedition against Cape Breton, or till further order from the General Assembly."

THE REVOLUTION. That Block Island, a little speck out in the sea, should take any active part in so great a struggle as that which began its premonitions in 1774 could hardly be expected. But as the pulse of the smallest artery beats in harmony with the greater — all being one organic system — so the energetic, public -spirited men of this Island in the latter part of the eighteenth century were ready to move in any direction with the organic body of American Colonies for the maintenance of their most cherished rights and privi- leges. The leading men here then, too, were known abroad, and esteemed for their personal excellences, and their patriotism and sacrifices in the hostihties of the Revolution were an honor to the Island. While the storm of war between the Colonies and the Mother Coun- try was gathering, the inhabitajats of Block Island, after having enjoyed "the sweets of civil and religious freedom for more than a century, and being in themselves a little model democracy, joined heart and hand with all Amer- ican patriots, as|they put upon record the following senti- ments relative to

British Duties on Tea.

" Proceedings of the People of New Shoreham, in Town

Meeting y

" At a town meeting held at New Shoreham, March 2, 1774, John Sands, Esq., moderator.

Whereas, there has been sent to this town a copy of the resolves ^entered into by the town of Newport, and a

THE REVOLUTION. 89,

request to lay the same before this town, with a design that said town would unite with the other towns in this Colony in supporting their just rights and liberties :

1. Therefore we the inhabitants of this town, being legally convened in town meeting, do firmly resolve, as the opinion of said town, that the Americans have as good a right to be as free a people as any upon the earth; and to enjoy at all times an uninterrupted possession of their rights and properties,

2. That the act of the British Parliament, claiming the right to make laws binding upon the Colonies, in all cases whatsoever, is inconsistent with the natural, consti- tutional, and charter rights and privileges of the inhabi- tants of this Colony.

3. That the express purpose for which the tax is levied on the Americans, namely, for the support of government, administration of justice, and defense of His Majesty's dominions in America, has a direct tendency to render Assemblies useless, and to introduce arbitrary government and slavery.

4. That a tax on the inhabitants of America, without their consent, is a measure absolutely destructive of their freedom, tending to enslave and impoverish all who tamely submit to it.

5. That the act allowing the East India Company to export tea to America, subject to a duty payable here, and the actual sending tea into the Colonies, by said Com- pany, is an open attempt to enforce the ministerial plan, and a violent attack upon the liberties of America.

6. That it is the duty of every American to oppose this attempt.

7. That whosoever shall, directly, or indirectly, coun- tenance this attempt, or in anywise aid or assist in run- ning, receiving, or unloading any such tea, or in piloting any vessel, having any such tea on board, while it remains

8*

90 HISTORY OP BLOCK ISLAND.

subject to the payment of a duty here, is an enemy to his country.

8. That we will heartily unite with our American brethren, in supporting the inhabitants of this Continent in all their just rights and privileges.

9. That Joshua Sands, Caleb Littlefield, and John Sands, Esqs., and Messrs. Walter Rathbone, and Edward Sands, Jr., or the major part of them, be appointed a committee for this town, to correspond with all other com- mittees appointed by any town in this Colony ; and said committee is requested to give the closest attention to everything which concerns the hberties of America ; and if any tea, subject to a duty here, should be landed in this town, the committee is directed and empowered to call a town meeting, forthwith, that such measures may be taken as the public safety may require.

10. And we return our hearty thanks to the town of Newport for their patriotic resolutions to maintain the liberties of their country ; and the prudent measures they have taken to induce the other towns in this Colony to come into the same generous resolutions.

WALTER RATHBOiN-E,

Town Clerk:'

This was a bold measure for a little island, so far from adequate protection, to take. Without fortresses on the land ; without a man-of-war of their own ; without a cer- tainty that a single war sloop could be spared from the American navy for their protection ; with shores on which privateers could land their crews at any point ; and with a fresh recollection of the repeated pillaging of their homes by an enemy less formidable than the one now provoked, the brave Islanders, in the above resolu- tions, as nobly laid their property, their lives, and their sacred honor upon their country's altar as did the men

THE REVOLUTION. 91

whose names were appended to the Declaration of Inde- pendence.

As the gathering storm-cloud darkened over the col- onies active measures were taken to remove from Block Island such resources as might tempt the enemy to assault the inhabitants ; as also might aid and comfort the enemy by falling into their hands, and as might by timely re- moval be saved, in value, to the Islanders, and also help the American army. Accordingly the General Assembly, in August, 1775, passed the following act :

''It is voted and resolved that all the neat cattle and sheep upon New Shoreham, excepting a sufficiency for the inhabitants, be brought off as soon as possible, and landed upon the continent ; that two hundred and fifty men be sent upon that Island to secure the stock until it can be taken off." Thus military law was enforced. Ac- tive measures were at once taken to enlist one hundred and ninety men to assist in executing this transportation. James Rhodes was appointed commander of these men, and Gideon Hoxie, assistant. They, with George Shef- field, were empowered, at the expense of the colony, to remove, in the most prudent and effectual way, said stock to some place on the continent, the committee of safety supplying all necessary arms and provisions. The above- named Rhodes, Hoxie, and Sheffield were appointed to appraise the stock, which was transported at the expense and risk of the colony. Such stock as was suitable was to be sent immediately to the army. Such as was not fit for market was to be sold at public or private sale, unless the owners should choose to keep the same at their own risk.

The following account of stock taken from Block Island at the beginning of the Revolution is here given in full, for several reasons, chiefly to show who were here then, what stock they had, how great were their sacrifices for

92

HISTORY OF BLOCK ISLAND.

their country, and to indicate their feelings as they parted with their favorite cows, their working oxen, their cloth- producing sheep, and the lambs which in the preceding spring the children had tenderly nursed by their firesides, the familiar lowing and bleating of which stock were to be heard no longer.

Sheep and Lambs taken hy the colony from Block Island^ September 2, 1775.

Giles Pierce, 241 fat sheep and lambs, John Paine, 78 sheep,

Walter Rathbone, 17 " Abel Franklin, 32 ''

John Littlefield, 62 " Capt. John Sands, 150 '' Edward Sands, Jr., 20 " Joshua Sands, Esq., 5 ''

Henry Willis, Jr.,	15	u
Samuel Rathbone,	4	CI
John Barber,	96	u
Thomas Dickens.	11	a
John Mott,	2 lambs,
Hezekiah Dodge,	3
Benjamin Sheffield,	6
Henry Littlefield,	2
John Mitchell,	5
Thomas Mitchell,	9
Jeremiah Mitchell,	1
John Littlefield,	43

Capt. John Sands, 169 store sheep and

John Littlefield, 148 sheep,

John Barber, 175 "

Thomas Mitchell, 27 "

John Mitchell, 10 "

lambs.

£	s.	d.
78	6	6
25	3	0
5	10	6
10	18	0
20	3	0
34	02	6
6	10	0
1	12	6
5	7	6
1	6	0
34	4	0
3	11	6
0	13	0
0	17	6
1	19	0
0	13	0
1	12	6
2	18	6
0	6	6
13	19	6
42	05	0
37	0	0
43	15	0
6	15	0
2	10	0

THE REVOLUTION.

93

•				£ s. d.
Jonathan Mitchell, 10 s	jheep, . . . 2 10 0
Joseph Mitchell, 3				0 15 0
George Franklin, 8				2 0 0
Henry Littlefield, 5				1 5 0
Nath'l Littlefield, 12				3 0 0
Edward Sands, Jr., 29				7 5 0
Joshua Sands, 4				1 0 0
Ezekiel Sheffield, 14				3 10 0
Henry Willis, 2				0 10 0
John Mott, 1				0 5 0
Giles Pierce, 441				110 5 0
Abel FranMin, 28				7 0 0
John Paine, 23				5 15 0
Walter Rathbone, 9				2 5 0
Nath'l Littlefield, Jr., 6				1 10 0
Henry Willis, Jr., 10				2 10 0
Tormut Rose, 6				1 10 0
Daniel Mott, 4				1 0 0
Jeremiah Mitchell, 3				0 15 0
Ezeziel Rose, 4				1 0 0

Total sheep and lambs, 1,908 ; the Rhode Island col- ony allowed for them £534 95. M.

We find no complete account of cows and oxen taken off. t

In February, 1776, the General Assembly took meas- ures to completely strip Block Island of every thing that was not absolutely necessary for the existence of the people there, who were urged to use their utmost dihgence to comply with the decisions of Capt. John Sands, Joshua Sands, and William Littlefield, who were an authorized committee to determine what number of neat cattle and sheep should be left upon the Island, and to remove to the main all the stock ''not absolutely necessary for the

94 HISTORY OF BLOCK ISLAND.

use and consumption" of the Islanders. This committee were also authorized to collect the fire-arms on the Island and agree with the owners for the payment for the same, and also that all the warlike stores then on the Island be immediately removed thence and delivered to the Rhode Island Committee of Safety.

Was not that a solemn time, when this lonely, isolated little spot was so completely divested of its former com- petence ? The policy adopted was much like that of befriending a banker by taking away his money to save him from being robbed. There was this compensating feature, however, in this case — there was a promise to pay the Islanders on the condition of victory and inde- pendence, and this condition was the talisman that re- vealed to the world the unsurpassed faith and patriotism of this miniature, insular democracy that had already without ostentation celebrated its centennial of freedom. Doubtless, however, there was much lamentation over the desolate condition of the Island, as it now appeared ten- fold more impoverished than it did after the repeated invasions of the French privateers. After the cattle and sheep were nearly all removed for the sustenance of the army, Edward Sands, Jr. was seen on the Island going from house to house numbering the people suggesting the thought that as the stock had gone to be slaughtered, so the able-bodied men would soon be chosen for the battle- field. Their condition was pitiable in the extreme. In- deed, what other portion of the colonies so remote from protection, or in any condition was required in the outset to give up so much for freedom ? Had they not retained their fish-lines and nets they might have been almost justified in saying to Liberty, "Lo, we have left all, and have followed thee."

That the colony of Rhode Island meant to act wisely in stripping the Island, and felt tenderly towards its inhabi-

THE REVOLUTION. 95

tants, there can be no doubt, in view of all the circumstances. Not many months after, the Assembly put upon record expressions of sympathy and honest purpose. For doing so they had abundant reason. Every movement, almost, on the Island, was one of alarm. In August 1775, An- drew Waterman raised twenty -nine minute men who, with liim, were hastily dispatched to the Island. About the same time, while Joseph Dennison 2d and his company were transporting from there stock to the main, in the schooner Polly, all were taken by the enemy, making a bill of loss and service against the colony of £374, which was promptly paid. Soon, too, the soldiers enlisted in the spring for six months' service on the Island would finish the term specified, and the Governor was requested by the Assembly to consult with General "Washington as to his wishes concerning the forces on Block Island. At about the same time, also, charges of treachery were pre. ferred against one of the citizens, and for his reported betrayal and delivering up two seamen to a British man-of- war, Jonathan Hazard, Esq., was dispatched to Block Island with a sufficient military force to arrest one John Wright, and to look after " some other inhabitants of suspected poli- tical character," and to confine them in jail to be tried at the next session of the Assembly. To give the climax to this alarming movement Mr. Hazard was also instructed to "earnestly exhort the inhabitants of New Shoreham to remove off from the Island." This exhortation the Assem- bly seasoned in the following manner. In May, 1776, it apportioned to the various towns of the colony a quantity of salt — thirty bushels for Block Island ; but in the Sep- tember ensuing the Assembly " Voted and resolved that no part of the salt ordered to be distributed within this State, be delivered to the town of New Shoreham; but their proportion thereof be reserved for said inhabitants; to salt any provisions that may be brought from the said

96 HISTORY OF BLOCK ISLAND.

town to the main, there to be disposed of." There was one fable which, if the Block Islanders had ever read it, they then remembered — the fable of the Vulture and the Lamb. The lamb's bones were spared for the jaws of the lion. Such was the evening of the darkest day on Block Island. To the foregoing was added the following :

'< Whereas, the inhabitants of New Shoreham, from their peculiar situation, are entirely in the power of the enemy, and very pernicious consequences may attend the intercourse of the said inhabitants with the continent, by means of the intelligence and supplies which the enemy may procure thereby:

"It is therefore voted and resolved, that the said inhabi- tants be, and they are hereby prohibited from coming from said Island into any other part of this State, upon pain of being considered as enemies to the State, and of being imprisoned in the jail in the county where they may be found, there to remain until they shall be discharged by the General Assembly. And all officers, both civil and military, and every other person being an inhabitant of this State, is hereby directed and empowered to appre- hend all persons so offending, and to commit them, as aforesaid.

"Provided, nevertheless, that this act shall not extend to any inhabitant of the said Island who shall remove from thence with his or her family, with an intention to settle in any other part of the United States.

"It is further voted and resolved, that in case any per- son in this State shall be convicted of having any inter- course or correspondence with the persons so offending, he or she shall forfeit and pay as a fine, to the use of this State, £30, lawful money, to be recovered by the general treasurer, at the inferior court of common pleas, in the county where the offense shall be committed.

THE REVOLUTION. 97

"It is further resolved, that a copy of this act be inserted in the Newport Mercury and Providence Gazette."

When the Islanders gathered around their evening firesides, and men, and women, and children read, or heard read this last act which virtually made them prison- ers of war, like Napoleon on St. Helena, and that, too, by their friends, leaving them in a worse condition than his, wholly unprotected, and dependent upon their own hands for food and clothing, with pastures and stables left vacant, it is not surprising if many a tear coursed the furrowed cheeks of age, if many a wrathful speech was uttered by younger men, if many a maiden's heart trem- bled for fear, and if all expressions of the Islanders settled down together into wailing notes kindred to those heard in the wilderness from those who mourned that they had not died in Egypt. But, as in the wilderness there were a few whose faith and heroism looked beyond the smoke and thunders of Sinai to the grapes of Eschol and to the land of milk and honey, and choose to go on, fearless of the sons of Anak, rather than go back to feed upon the leeks and garlics of bondage ; so on Block Island, when the heavy guns of war were booming near, and the clouds of God's providence thickened into darkness that could be felt, the faith and patriotism of the Sands, the Rays, the Rathbones, the Littlefields, the Dodges, and others of the Islanders saw the end from the beginning, and that end was Freedom, civil, and rehgious, and many lived to see the sight in reality, and to leave a posterity ever to be proud of their noble sires.

The last act of the General Assembly, above-mentioned, prohibiting the Block Islanders from intercourse with the main-land, was too much — too stringent, and was amended soon after its enactment, and it is due to the Assembly to repeat the amendment in full, here :

" This Assembly, deploring the unhappy situation of the 9

98 HISTORY OF BLOCK ISLAND.

inhabitants of New Shoreham, and willing to give them every relief in their power, and being also necessitated to provide for the general safety,

"Do resolve, in addition to, and amendment of, the act passed at the last session, respecting the said Island, that the committee appointed in the said act may permit such of the inhabitants of the said Island as they can confide in, to go to Pawcatiick river, to procure at the mills there, such a quantity of meal as shall be necessary for the inhabitants of the said Island ; they taking the same and other necessaries on board, under the direction and with the written permission of George Sheffield and Phineas Clarke, or either of them, who are hereby directed to transmit to the said committee an account of all the arti- cles so taken on board for the said Island.

''That the said committee be empowered to permit such inhabitants of the said Island as they can confide in, to proceed to any part of the colony, to transact the neces- sary business of the Island ; and that no other person belonging to the said Island, besides the deputies, shall go to any other part of the colony, excepting to Goat Island, in the township of Newport, upon the penalty of being committed to jail, as in the aforesaid act is directed."

This was a great relief to the Islanders. It opened a few rents in the dark cloud, and let them see avenues, though narrow, to traffic and attainment of things need- ful for support and happiness. Before the close of 1V76, by an act of the assembly Messrs. John Sands, Edward Sands, Jr., and Simon Ray Littlefield were given " liberty to bring any provisions, hides, or other articles " from the Island, to any part of the state of Rhode Island, and to carry back to the Island leather, cloth, and necessaries in general for their own use, but their boatmen were speci- fied and restricted to be Godfrey Trim, and John Rose, Jr. In March, of the next year, 1777, an act was passed

THE REVOLUTION. 99

permitting the Islanders then on the main, who chose to do so, to return home under the inspection of the com- manding officer of the district ; and those on the Island had the permit to go off, but all this going and coming was to close by the 10th of the next month, April. Stephen Franklin, Jr., however, and his parents, after the 10th were allowed to return to the Island, having been unable, for good reasons to return before the 17th. In September, of 1777, the Islanders who had removed to the main, in consideration of the property they had sacri- ficed at home, "^in the beginning of this unnatural, cruel war ; " and of the service they had rendered against the enemy ; and in consideration of their having been " ex- cluded their proportions of flour and iron," were exempted from paying taxes.

During the year 1778 things seem to have held about the even tenor of their way as through the year preced- ing. But in 1779 a thunderbolt fell upon Block Island with an alarming crash.

The General Assembly, on information of illicit trade between the Island and the main ordered on the last Monday in February, 1779, the sheriff of King's County to "apprehend Waite Saunders, Thomas Carpenter, and Peleg Hoxie charged with having carried on an illicit commerce with the inhabitants of New Shoreham." He was also ordered to summon ''Wm. Gorton, Eobert Champlin, John Cross, Samuel Taylor, Simon Littlefield, John Sands, John Paine, Stephen Franklin, Edward Sands, and Robert Congdon to appear immediately before this assembly, upon the penalty of £150, lawful money each, for non-appearance." What the result of this ac- tion was we are not informed. Passing to and fro be- tween the Island and the main continued under close inspection, as in the cases of William Robinson, and Ben- jamin Sheffield, of Charlestown, going to Block Island to

100 HISTOKY OF BLOCK ISLAND.

collect rents ; and of Edward Sands and his wife, John Sands, Simon Ray Littlefield, George Franklin, John Paine, John Littlefield, and Stephen Franklin, (probably returning home from the trial for illicit commerce) taking with them in their own boat, "plow-irons," "cart-wheels, two setts of cart-tire, three iron bars, a parcel of wooden household furniture ; " and of Thomas Dickens, bringing with him necessaries in general. In the meantime a vig- ilance committee were watchful of all intercourse to and from the Island. In May, of 1779, the town council of Westerly were ordered to seize a quantity of grain that Stephen Franklin, Jr., of Block Island, had left in the hands of Phinehas Clarke, of Westerly. By the return of Ray Sands, Edward Hull, and Nathan Gardner, Jr., to the Island to collect rents, in June, 1779, we learn that they were among the number who left the Island during the war. In August of this year the General Assembly passed an act from which it is most clearly seen how com- pletely the Islanders were abandoned to the cruel mercies of the enemy, cut off, as they then were, from the resour- ces of the main-land. We quote the preamble, and epit- omize the act :

"Whereas, many evil minded persons, not regarding the ties of their allegiance to the United States in general, and this state in particular ; but influenced by the sordid principles of avarice, continue illicitly to correspond with and supply the inhabitants of New Shoreham, in the county of Newport, with provisions, and other articles, to the great detriment and distress of the virtuous inhabit- ants of this state.

"And whereas, the said town of New Shoreham hath been for a long time, and still is, within the power and jurisdiction of the enemies of the United States, whereby they obtain, in consequence of the evil practices aforesaid, supplies for themselves, and intelligence from time to

THE REVOLUTION. 101

time of the situation of our troops, posts, and shores ;■ by which means they are enabled to make frequent incur- sions, and thereby commit devastations upon, and rob the innocent inhabitants of their property, and deprive them of their subsistence ; wherefore,

"Be it enacted, &c." This act prohibited all trade with the Islanders of every description, except by special permits, upon the penalty of the confiscation to the state of all the property, personal and real, of the offender, and to this might be added the compulsory service in a continental battahon, or vessel of war, until peace should be declared ; or, if the offender were a female, or unfit for a soldier or a sailor, he or she was to be punished corporeally.

In September, 1779, John Rose, and Frederick Wyllis, of Block Island, were taken by an American privateer, on board a British vessel, were delivered to the sheriff ; he delivered them over to Col. Christopher Greene, and he passed them over to Maj. Gen. Gates to be treated as prisoners of war, or dismissed. In May, of the same year, the above-mentioned Stephen Franklin, Jr., of Block Island, was under arrest to be tried before the General Assembly, but instead of trying him at a civil tribunal he was handed over to Maj. Gen. Gates to be tried by him as a spy, the result of which we do not know. For the grain which he left in care of Phinehas Clarke, of "Wes- terly, in the preceding May, which w^as confiscated, the Assembly paid to his father, in Dec, 1779, £145 I6s. Od. The grain probably belonged to the father. In the latter part of this year much of the stringency was removed from the Islanders. The acts prohibiting their passing to and fro between the Island and the main were repealed, but all restrictions on transportation of provisions and mer- chandise were continued. This repeal was a source of much joy, for previously even Mrs. Lucy Sands was 9*

102 HISTORY OF BLOCK ISLAND.

obliged to appear before Maj, Gen. Gates to obtain a per- mit to visit her family on the Island. Acts of courtesy- were interchanged. But even Governor William Greene, in Feb., 1780, had to comply with the rule requiring a permit to transport articles of exchange, as in the case of sending then six barrels of cider to Block Island for his brother-in-law, John Littlefield, Esq., and his family. That was more welcome than the messengers from the colony, in the July following, v/ho landed upon the Island with authority to take all the horses, cattle, grain, fish, and cheese as in their opinion could be spared by the inhabitants, and for the same to give certificates to the owners for future adjustment. These certificates, how- ever, were no better than receipts for a levy on the Island for supporting the war, unless the amount taken should prove to be more than a just proportion of a state tax, in which the surplus was to be credited on the next tax to be assessed. Thus the Islanders, besides the depredations from the British, denied traffic on the main, unrepresented in the General Assembly of Rhode Island, unprotected by the colony from the enemy, was burdened with a heavy tax. This was taxation without representation; nay more, it was the imposition of a heavy burden upon those cut off from the common privileges on the main and abandoned to the cruel mercies of the enemy. But even this their faith and patriotism could endure while patiently v/aiting for the dawn of freedom.

In 1781, several permits to pass and repass between the Island and the main were granted, and occasional seizures of contraband articles and sales of the same by the sher- iff occurred. Goods, also, were transported to and fro, but under close inspection.

In 1782, the " Refugees " were making considerable dis- turbance here. They threatened to destroy the property of Henry Champlin, seize his person, and carry him oS

THE REFUGEES. 103

to New York, and therefore he was permitted to leave the Island and take his goods with him. For some misde- meanor, during the war, the estate of Ackurs Sisson here was confiscated to the State, and taken possession of by Mr. John Sands in behalf of the colony.

At last the bright day seen by faith in 1776 was real- ized in May of 1783. The tempestuous, long night of the Revolution was over. The thunder of artillery died away, and the hail of musketry was felt no more by the heroes of freedom, and the rainbow of peace upon the receding cloud again arched the little ''Isle of the sea." Of what account to its patriotic inhabitants were the vexations and losses of the seven years of hostilities, since now they were under the banners of independent Ameri- can colonies ? There were glad hearts, music and dancing, psalms of praise to the God of freedom, and thanksgiving for victory and peace once more, as the messengers of the General Assembly read the good news to the Islanders, '• That all the rights, hberties, and privileges of the other citizens of this State be restored " to them, and that all restrictions of travel and traffic were removed.

Of the personal experiences on the Island during the Revolution we can gain but little knowledge besides what is traditional. A few incidents from the memories of bright, aged people here who remember distinctly how, when they were young, their, parents told what they had seen, and heard, and experienced, are here given.

THE REFUGEES.

Deserters and criminals, during the Revolution, found Block Island to be a convenient refuge. Once here, as communication with the main was so much restricted, they were not easily detected by the officers of justice. They were desperate characters from both armies, but mostly from the American, or from some nest of tories. They

104 HISTORY OF BLOCK ISLAND.

were a scourge to the Island, unprincipled and cruel in their demands.

At a house a little east of Mr. Wm. P. Ball's residence, on his land where a beautiful spring is still flowing, and old quince and ornamental trees are yet standing, in the latter part of the war, one of those desperate refugees made his appearance. He was seen approaching at some distance by the watchful inmates, and the terrified hus- band, by the aid of his wife, .took refuge up stairs in a large pile of flax, where, at the risk of smothering, he was quickly concealed. The intruder made many saucy demands, one of which was : " "Where is your husband ?"' The woman answered sharply, " I hav'nt any ! " She had divorced him five minutes previous. One or two more inquiries aroused her indignation above all fear. He then demanded of her a knowledge of what she had in that chest in the corner, and threatened to break it open, whereupon she defied him to touch it, and springing for her scissors, with the pointed blade made ready to stab, she made for him exclaiming, " Get out of this house, you infernal villain, or I'll kill you with these scissors ! " Perhaps she was emboldened by Shakespeare's "quietus with a bodkin." The refugee considered retreat to be, in that case, the better part of valor, as no man can fight a woman.

The substance of the above was told to Mrs. Margaret Dodge, now eighty-six years old, by her mother who re- membered well the incidents of the Revolution as they occurred on the Island.

Mrs. John Sands, during the same period, while alone in her house, with her babe, saw a band of refugees coming to her door, and knowing their desperate charac- ter, laid down her babe, seized a gun and stood with it at the door ready to shoot the first that might attempt to enter and thus drove them away.

THE REFUGEES. 105

They sometimes came from the main to the Island in sufficient force to row their light boats, called " Shaving Mills," with great rapidity, and thus they could capture a weaker craft, or escape one stronger. A galley with nine oarsmen, with such a boat, tradition says, came to the Island in a rough sea, for plunder. It approached the Old Harbor Point Landing, where the water has always been deep, and the rocks dangerous. The surf was dash- ing fearfully and the galley of refugees attempted to land, but were swamped and all drowned in the evening. It is said that while they were straining every muscle upon their oars, the Islanders on the beach heard a power- ful voice among them saying : ' ' Pull ! boys, pull for your lives ! " followed by the cries — "Help ! help ! " and for many years afterwards persons in that vicinity claimed to have heard the same command at night when no boat- men were there, and within the memory of the Hving, scores of men at a time have thus been deceived, and hence originated the "Harbor Boys," or ghosts of the Old Harbor Landing — ghosts of the strugghng refugees rowing for the shore. The frightful call of the Harbor Boys died away about the time the Palatine ship of fire sailed off to return no more to Block Island. The ghosts of the Harbor Boys were a fit crew for a phantom ship of fire.

The despicable character of the refugees of the Revo- lution is seen in the following statement of Mrs. Raymond Dickens of what she used to hear her grandmother, wife of Thomas Dickens, relate.

The latter was a widow, and they came to her house and demanded her money. She told them she had none. They threatened to break open a chest to see. She opened it for them and let them see its contents. Satis- fied that she had no money, one seized her red silk hand- kerchief and carried it off. They seem to have been the

106 HISTORY OF BLOCK ISLAND.

offscouring of both armies and of the vilest inhabitants of the main-land.

While here at one time, in a tavern, they stacked their guns in a room opposite the bar-room in which they were drinking, while one John Mitchell was asleep — supposed to be drunk — in the room with the guns. Unbeknown to the refugees he took the best one of their guns and put it up the old-fashioned chimney, and continued to be drunk, apparently, until after their searching was over, and they had left. Then the gun came down chimney and did good service for the Islanders many years since the memory of Seneca Sprague whose father for a long time was its owner.

As a protection the Islanders kept a barrel of tar, or oil, on Harbor Hill (nearly back of the Beach House), and another on Beacon Hill, ready to be burned at night as a signal of approaching refugees. As soon as these were seen the shores of the Island were picketed, and doubtless in more than one instance the marauders got more than they came for. They generally came in the night.

THE WAR OF 1812.

During our last war with England, Block Island in the outset was proclaimed neutral. This proclamation was well known by the English commanders, and it was so constantly respected by them and their oflBcers that the inhabitants can hardly be said to have suffered on their account. Indeed, in some respects, they were a pecuniary benefit, for their men-of-war, frequently anchored in the bay, were a home-market for cattle, sheep, poultry, and supplies in general, and for 'these an adequate sum of specie was promptly paid. Not a murmur of complaint against English plunder, like that of the French here in 1689-90, lingers upon the Island. It even makes one feel proud of his "mother country" to hear, sixty years

THE WAR OF 1812. 107

after that war, so many speak of the honorable bearing of the British officers on Block Island and in its surrounding waters. It is true the officers and soldiers took things with which the owners were unwilhng to part, but the invariable testimony is that an equivalent was always paid in gold or silver. Meanwhile, too, the Island was exempt from the taxes and service in the army to which those upon the main were subjected. They were at liberty also, as neutrals, to carry on trade with our own people in any of our ports, submitting, of course, to the inconvenience of being searched and examined in reference to English goods in their possession, and likewise of having their vessels hailed by the English ships.

Captain Thomas Rose, the father of Mrs. Margaret Dodge, while coming towards the harbor, from the fishing- grounds, was about to pass an English man-of-war of seventy-four guns, when suddenly he heard the report of a cannon and saw a ball skipping on the water before his bow. He at once tacked, sailed up to her frowning broad- side and there held this little dialogue : " Who are you? " •' Thomas Rose of Block Island." "What is your busi- ness?" "I'm a fisherman." "What have you in your boat ? " " Necessaries for my family." " That's all — go on and good luck to you," and he bore away homeward again thankful for the honors maintained in war.

One vessel of the enemy captured Nathaniel Dodge in a friendly way and resorted to various means to induce him to act as pilot for them in the Sound, but he evaded the service by feigning idiocy and insanity.

Commodore Hardy, of the Briti^ navy, during the War of 1812, anchored in the bay his seventy -four gun ship, and was so friendly with the Islanders as to give them a dinner-party aboard his vessel, and many accepted his invitation.

One principal object which the British vessels had in

108 HISTORY OF BLOCK ISLAND.

coming here was to obtain a supply of water. This they got mainly at Middle Pond, Chagum Pond, at the north end of the Island, and at Simmon's Pond, a small basin of fresh water then nearly in front of the harbor black- smith shop, but now filled up and nearly forgotten.

A few relics of that war are still remaining upon the Island, such as a book of valuable reading in the posses- sion of Mr. William Dodge, thrown overboard from an English vessel between Block Island and Watch Hill, while hastily clearing itself for action. It floated, and was picked up by Mr. Dodge's father. A few old-fash- ioned horse-pistols were left by the soldiers, and are now occasionally used by the boys for shooting rats.

Deacon Richard Steadman, an aged citizen, relates, in substance, the following incident of the War of 1812 : While a British man-of-war was lying near the Island several marines came ashore, went to the house (now owned and occupied by Mr. George Sheffield) of Mr. Ray Thomas Sands, and wanted to buy his pigs and tur- keys. He refused to sell them on any conditions. They threatened to take them nolens volens ; but he declared to them they should not have them. They told him if he said much more they would seize and carry him to Hahfax ! He dared them to do it. They then marched him to the shore, took him aboard the frigate, and handed him over to the commander, whereupon he was asked what he had to say for himself, and he replied : " G-ive me a bottle of liquor, and good keeping, for I am a neutral Block Islander." His demand was complied with for two or three days with good nature, and then he was returned to the shore and to his family.

Mr. Samuel Ball remembers the following incidents : His father, in 1812, occupied the house now owned and occupied by the said Samuel. Then, during the war, two EngHsh vessels, the Poictiers^ a seventy -four gun ship, and

THE WAR OF 1812. 109

the Medstone, a war-sloop came to Block Island, and the commanders and their officers came ashore. "While view- ing the land they stopped at Mr. Ball's and called for dinner, courteously. The present Mr. Samuel Ball, then a little boy, went into the yard and picked them some flowers. His father, Samuel Ball, Sen., superintended dinner preparations, but the one commander and his offi- cers so much outranked the other and his officers that two tables had to be set, and in different rooms, and the two parties did not converse with each other. One of the commanders was probably a man of great distinction.

Mr. Ball also says that the Island boys caught many little pond turtles and sold them to the British who took them on board their vessels for amusement, trimming them up in red ribbons, and marching them about their decks. Not even one of these turtles was taken by the English without payment.

It is pleasant to hear the old people, without an excep- tion, now speak of the gentlemanly bearing of these British soldiers towards the men, women, and children of the Island in the War of 1812, and also to record the incidents, however simple, that commemorate such hu- mane behavior in times of hostility. ''Small things dis- cover great," says Bacon, which agrees well with what Aristotle said long before : "The nature of everything is best seen in its smallest portions."

The aged Benjamin Sprague, now in his 89th year, well remembers the following incidents of the War of 1812. The first of the British vessels that then came to Block Island appeared on the fishing-grounds at the southward of the Island, and there hove to near the fishermen. They took John Clark aboard to pilot them to the Middle Pond. About a dozen boats well-filled with fish weighed anchor and followed the English vessels, which signaled the fish- ing boats to keep at a proper distance, until the heavy 10

110 THE HISTORY OF BLOCK ISLAND.

anchors were dropped opposite the Middle Pond. Then, as said Benjamin Sprague's boat was nearest, th6 Enghsh signaled him to come up, but to the rest to stay back. His little pole masts then came alongside the man-of-war and a few heads looked down, and one said, " How do you sell your fish?" ''Twenty cents apiece," replied Mr. Sprague, and an order quickly came back for a num. ber. "Please pass us down a bunch of yarn to tie them up," said Mr. Sprague. It was quickly furnished, and the first fish sold to the English by the Islanders was soon on deck of the man-of-war. "Please pass your money down as soon as you get your fish," said Mr. Sprague. This was done until the boat was emptied, and a second one signaled to come up as Mr. Sprague went away, reporting to the one he met, and the rest of his craft, the price estabhshed. They all sold out, and returned home, with cash in hand, to their families.

During the War of 1812 the Island, in a measure, was subject to martial law. The inhabitants, as neutrals, were restrained by both American and English laws from favoring, in a hostile sense, either nation. Certain goods were contraband, and certain information might be fatal to the informant. The sale of runji to the English was punishable by them. Such sales were made, however, at considerable risk, and much profit. Mr. Sprague, the octogenarian, tells the following story: "I lived at the Harbor, and the English ships were by the Middle Pond. I said to my wife, — I am going to try my chances. So I got some chickens, ducks, beans, and a jug, and started for the ships. When I got down by the minister's lot, with my hands fuU, and things under my arms, all at once several English officers hove in sight on horseback, by George Sheffield's, with their bright gilded uniforms. My heart jumped right up into my throat, for I knew they would ask what I had in that jug, and they were

THE WAR OF 1812. Ill

soon up to me. They touched their hats, bowed, and halted. I nodded my head, for my hands were full. Said one, ' What have you to sell ? ' I answered, ' ducks, chick- ens, and beans.' Said he, ' What's in that jug ? ' I looked up in his face, and did not answer. He laughed, and said, ' I'll buy your ducks, chickens, and beans, and go on and let my steward have them, and let my men have a drink apiece, but don't let any of them get drunk." They went on and so did I. Now, said I, there's good sailing and I'll make a good voyage. So when I arrived at the Middle Pond the marines were on its east shore washing the ship's clothing. The steward paid me for my ducks, &c., and I told him about the rum, and he nodded assent. I then went near the marines, put up two fingers, and beckoned them to follow me. I went down by the bank, behind some willows, and two came. The rum was half water, and I sold each a pint for a dollar a pint ; after they went back, two more came, and so on until I sold all out to them at a dollar a pint. As it was then about noon they urged me to dine with them, and I did, and they had their English rum with their rations. They asked me to drink some, and I did. Then they asked me if I did not think their rum was better than mine. I told them yes, but did not tell them how much of mine was water."

WRECKS AND WRECKING.

To those unacquainted witli the origin of the name Block Island it might seem to have been derived from its position as a stumhling-hloch in the pathway of vessels, and from the multitude of them wrecked upon its shores. All the facts concerning them would fill a volume full of interest. The few here given may be taken as an index to many other wrecks not mentioned. The one to which we give the most attention has received more notoriety, perhaps, than all others, and yet but very httle direct knowledge of it is attainable, and that knowledge is based only upon tradition, and that tradition has been the nucleus of so much speculation, poetic fancy, and superstition that the following is presented with some timidity, antici- pating as we do, quite opposite opinions from some things here said concei'ning

THE PALATINE.

This was the vessel whose supposed wreck upon Block Island Whittier has made the subject of a fine little poem entitled "TAe Palatine.'- That a vessel of this name was cast away upon this Island, or anchored here not long after its settlement, there is considerable circumstantial evidence. But this statement is contrary to the speculative theory that said vessel did not bear that name, but some other, the name Palatine originating from the Palatinates, or emigrants on her at the time she came ashore. But did ever a ship go to sea without a name ? Were sailors, as were the Islanders, ever known to call her by any name

THE PALATINE. 113

except her own ? Were a vessel from Turkey, laden with Turkish emigrants, to be wrecked on any New England island, if her name were Palatine, w^ould the inhabitants call her Turkey f And that too simply because she was from that country, while they could read her name which she carried ? No, Palatine was the name of the vessel. This is not only reasonable, but is also in harmony with traditional fact. Mr. Raymond Dickens, now aged seven- ty-five years, hale, and of clear memory, born on the Island, said only a few days since that when he was a boy he frequently heard his grandfather, Thomas Dickens, at about the age of eighty, speak of the shii) (not passen- gers) Palatine. These two had memories that carry us back to about 1736, and Simon Ray, one of the first set- tlers of the Island, was then living. He might have told Thomas Dickens about the Palatine, or others in the prime of Ufe, from whom Thomas Dickens got the infor- mation that he gave to his grandson, Raymond Dickens, who now communicates the same to us. By these, and similar links of tradition, we are enabled to authenticate the beginning of the chain of facts here presented. There was, then, a vessel by the name of Palatine, that came, many years ago, to the shores of Block Island.

Poetic fiction has given to the public a very wrong view of this occurrence, and thus a wrong impression of the Islanders has been obtained. This criticism is not appH- cable to Mr. R. H. Dana's poem entitled the Buccaneer, for he had no reference in it to the Palatine.

It is due to Mr. J. G. Whittier to give here his own explanation concerning his poem :

''21st 10 mo. 1876. '• Dear Friend:

"In regard to the poem Palatine, I can only say that I did not intend to misrepresent the facts of history. I wrote it after receiving a letter from Mr. Hazard, of 10*

114 HISTORY OF BLOCK ISLAND.

Rhode Island, from whicli I certainly inferred that the ship was pillaged by the Islanders. He mentioned that one of the crew to save himself clung to the boat of the wreckers, who cut his hand off with a sword. It is very possible that my correspondent followed the current tra- dition on the main-land. * * *

" Mr. Hazard is a gentleman of character and veracity, and I have no doubt he gave the version of the story as

he had heard it."

''Very Truly Thy Friend,

John G. Whittier."

Whittier's poem has these stanzas :

" The ship that a hundred years before, Freighted deep with its goodly store, In the gales of the equinox went ashore.

" The eager Islanders one by one Counted the shots of her signal-gun, . And heard the crash as she drove right on.

" Into the teeth of death she sped ; (May God forgive the hands that fed The false lights over the Rocky Head ! )"

" 0 men and brothers ! What sights were there ! White upturned faces, hands stretched in prayer ! Where waves had pity, could ye not spare "?

Down swooped the wreckers like birds of prey, Tearing the heart of the ship away. And the dead had never a word to say.

" And there with a ghastly shimmer and shine, Over the rocks and the seething brine, They burned the wreck of the Palatine.

" In their cruel hearts as they homeward sped, ' The sea and the rocks are dumb,' they said, ' There'll be no reckoning with the dead.' "

All of this barbarous work is here charged upon a little population of as pure morals as ever adorned any part of Puritan New England. Let no one suppose that the poet

THE PALATINE. 115

•was aware of misrepresentation and injustice to the Islanders. He, like others, doubtless supposed that the piracy once common about Block Island was carried on by the inhabitants. But that was not the case. Pirates from abroad, near the beginning of the eighteenth cen- tury, infested the Island, and as they sallied forth from this point upon our own and foreign vessels they gave a reputation, probably, to the Island which in nowise belonged to the descendants of the Pilgrims.

See the account of the capture of pirates from Block Island, and recovery of their money, in the case of the Bradish pirates, Colonial Hist, of N. Y., Vol. lY, p. 512. Also the account of the pirate vessels Ranger and Fortune headed for Block Island when captured by the Greyhound, 1723, twenty-six of whose pirates were executed at New- port, on Gravelly Point, July 19, 1723. — R. I. Col. Rec, Vol. IV, p. 329 and 331. As late as 1740, the Rhode Island General Assembly voted an appropriation of £13 135. "for victuals and drink to the pirates at Block Island, and their guards ;" and from the fact of keeping pirates as prisoners on the Island, many abroad doubtless heard frequent mention of " Block Island pirates," without dis- tinguishing them from the native citizens of the Island. But in all of these cases the pirates were foreigners to the Island, lodging there only temporarily.

There is ample evidence of the strict laws of the Islanders, and of their rigid observance concerning w^recks, and of the voluntary humanity from them towards unfortunate sailors. It was probably according to the directions of the venerable Simon Ray, Chief War- den, as he was, and preacher of the gospel, or according to the wishes of his son, Simon Ray, Jr., that the deceased passengers of the Palatine w^ere taken the long distance from Sandy Point to his house, and afterward buried in a pleasant spot near his dwelling, in a decent manner, an

116 HISTORY OF BLOCK ISLAND.

example subsequently imitated within the memory of the oldest inhabitant nov\^ on the Island.

The tender feelings entertained here for the sailor is indicated, by the town authorities in 1704. Then Capt. Edward Ball was Crown Officer on the Island. A sailor's body came ashore. Capt. Ball, by the authority of the Crown of England ordered Constable John Banning to summon a jury of inquest. After i' solemn " examination their verdict was : '•' We find no wounds that occasioned his death, but we conclude that the water hath been his end, or cause of his death." People who do thus are not such as set false lights, and murder shipwrecked sailors.

So, in August 1755, about the supposed time of the wreck of the Palatine, the sloop Martha and Hojinah, Capt. Wil- liam Griffin, from Halifax to New York, was stranded on Block Island, and the captain was drowned while the crew, four in number, came ashore. At once a coroner's jury was summoned, the tjorpse was viewed, testimony was taken, and all was done that the best of civilized society could require of the Islanders. They were not pirates, poetic fiction " to the contrary notwithstanding," any more than the rats of the old stone mill and the charac- ters of Cooper's Red Rover v/ere realities belonging to Newport.

By request, Mr. Charles E. Perry, an Islander and a gentleman whose scholarship and extensive research con- cerning the Palatine entitle him to a high degree of con- fidence, has prepared the following :

" Memoranda of Facts and Traditions connected with The Palatine."

" She came ashore on Sandy Point, the northern extrem- ity of Block Island, striking on the hummuck, at that time a httle peninsula connected with the Island by a nar-

THE PALATINE. 117

row neck of land. As the tide rose she floated off, and was towed into Breach Cove, near the Point, by the Islanders in their boats. The passengers were all landed, except one woman who refused to leave the wreck, and most of them were carried to the house of Edward Sands (who built and lived in the house now owned by John Revoe Paine, Esq.), and Simon Ray who owned a large part of the "West Side," and lived in a house near the one now owned and occupied by Raymond Dickens, Esq., a part of the timbers of the